From: The Art of Play: Helping Adults Reclaim Imagination and Spontaneity, by Adam Blatner, M.D. & Allee Blatner.
(Published by Routledge, 1997, now out of print and being revised into 3rd edition. ) Comments welcome: Email to adam@blatner.com
August 26, 2008 (To see table of contents and go to other chapters)Chapter 7: ELABORATING ROLES
.As you become more skilled at thinking in terms of roles, the challenge arises of deepening your experience in role. In this chapter we will present a number of techniques for getting in touch with some of the more subtle dimensions involved in any role. These are fundamental approaches that can be applied to the technique of role reversal in general, which means they serve as the tools for developing interpersonal sensitivity and empathy in everyday life.
There may be times when you'll want to use your skills simply to express some feelings through exploring a role. If you're with friends in a playful context, you may want to portray a caricatured role, full of cliches, freely stereotyped, or exaggerated with fluff and non-sense. At other times, however, your artistic and psychological integrity will lead you to discover some fairly realistic aspects of a chosen role. (This application of role-creativity in everyday life, beyond the context of using the Art of Play as a recreational form in a small-group setting, is one of the major implications of this approach as we’ve come to appreciate it over the last 25 years!) The purpose of role creativity is not to ridicule, but rather to bring forth compassion and to touch the inner depths of a role. Thus, whether you're the main character or co-character in an enactment, let your internal guiding focus be to pursue the question, "What would it be like if I were really in this situation?"
Further Considerations
There are a variety of questions to be considered when you're warming up to the nature of a role:
Remember that in role playing, there are no absolutely correct answers concerning the qualities associated with a role—it's all what you make of it. Thus, if you were a baseball, would you feel the experience of being struck with a bat as pleasant or unpleasant? Some people like it: "I feel as if I were made for that breathtaking moment when I'm hit hard and off I go into the sky!" Others hate the idea: "I prefer to be thrown gently; I don't really like those jarring moments.”
What are the advantages and disadvantages inherent in the role? Every role may be thought of as containing a variety of aspects, some of which are experienced as pleasant, others, unpleasant. For example, if the role involves "being rich and famous,” you might say, “I can eat in the best restaurants or I can hire the best cooks and eat at home. On the other hand, I'm constantly being asked for money, as gifts, loans, or crazy investment schemes, I'm also uncomfortable about all the gossip and distortion that goes with fame."
Comparing your role with something in a similar category helps you to sense your advantages and disadvantages. For instance, "I like being a desk lamp because I'm less isolated than a floor lamp; I have more intimate objects sitting next to me at my base: papers, pencils, a coffee cup." If the role is “being a Great Dane” (i.e., a breed of dog), one might say, “One disadvantage is that I'm too big a dog to be allowed on people's laps, and I miss what I experienced as a puppy."
Imagine the kinds of events that would evoke emotion. These occur in the course of your experience in a role. There are four primary emotions that you can relate to, just as there are primary colors or principal tonal elements in music. These can be diagramed in a chart, similar to a color wheel:
Happy
Frightened. . . . | . . . . Angry
Sad
Many feelings are expressions or mixtures of these primary feeling-states. Imagine scenarios! Ask yourself what events could occur in the course of playing your chosen role that would result in your feeling happy? Your imagination will respond to the question, send you a little moving picture, suggest a situation! This gets better with time. Similarly, you can then imagine scenes that might make you sad, angry, or frightened. Slightly different scenes may be evoked as you use differently “flavored” words, such as satisfied, regretful, irritated., or worried. When you're in character, these more subtle emotions may be easier to identify with. For example, in role as a four-year-old child, what might frighten you? If you were a famous businesswoman, what would make you happy? If you were a home computer (with feelings), what would irritate you? Also, you can wonder what might lead your character to experiencing the most extreme forms: ecstasy or exultation, furious rage, absolute terror, or the depths of depression. A good starting point, then, to developing your skills for sensing into any role is to ask yourself questions relating to the categories of advantages, disadvantages, and events evoking the four primary feelings.
What are the challenges innate in the role? Every role implies a variety of sub-roles and suggests some probable future events. This kind of awareness is facilitated by the practice of making inferences, as mentioned in a previous chapter. For instance, the role of being newly married might imply the further challenges of moving away from parents, the decision as to whether or not to have children, and the stresses of creating a joint monetary policy. The role of a fireman might include the anticipation of a new piece of equipment or the worry about cuts in the taxes. Thus, consider the hopes and concerns that are part of a character's situation.
You can get further hints if you wonder how a chosen role differs from the cultural norms? Most people are acutely aware of even slight deviations from the social and group ideal of appearance, ability, or behavior. For example, if you are portraying a character who is shorter than the others in his surroundings, build that into your role elaboration. Similarly, if the person is a member of a racial or ethnic minority, the chances are that this variation is part of the person's awareness. This applies for political, age, religious, gender, and other aspects of the character. Even if the difference might be something that you (out of role) would overlook in others, remember people tend to be self-conscious, and these deviations from the ideal may seem significant to the character you're trying to understand.
Include also more subtle deviations, such as a slight accent or dialect in speaking, a lack of college education, or a mild exaggeration of some physical feature. Differences in life-style, income, and values are dependent on the context in which the role is being played, and what might be part of the character's normal social network can become a source of dramatic interaction when they take place in a different sub-cultural situation.
What can the body language of the role teach you? Various roles have associated characteristic postures, facial expressions, gestures, or some other aspect of nonverbal communication. As you imitate or perform these actions, the internal sensations of the body's muscular and nervous system will give you feedback, clues that evoke ideas about how your character might be feeling. For example, if you play the stereotyped "old lady" who walks in a hunched-over position, that posture will influence other aspects of your behavior and will remind you of some of the bodily concerns of aging.
Experimenting with physical postures and movements is an integral part of learning to deepen your involvement in the many dimensions of a role. Your body can help center and focus your characterization, enabling you to spend less time trying to think about what to do. Practicing different walks, gestures, postures, facial expressions, or tones of voice will help you be familiar with your range of alternatives.
There's a technique in psychodrama called the "double," in which a group member or an assistant therapist helps the protagonist to express their emotions. In learning how to function effectively in this type of role, the person who is the double is instructed to mimic the posture or nonverbal actions of the protagonist. This helps the double to get in touch with the subtle feelings of the person for whom they are doubling. This idea may be extended to the task of warming up to a role in more playful contexts, also-if you take on the actions of the role, some of the feelings follow.
There is a theory in psychology about the nature of emotions that is receiving some renewed attention. The James-Lange theory suggested that it is the body's behavior toward fight, flight, or the expression of other feelings that to a significant extent determine the experience of emotion (Schultz, 1969, p.111). Thus, behaving in a depressed fashion increases depression, or tensing your body and acting in a hurried, impatient manner tends to increase your inner sense of irritability. Applying this approach, you can use the cues of the kinesthetic mode to help you develop a role you are portraying or seeking to understand.
Working from the Self-system
Another major technique in role development involves the conscious use of phraseology. The point is to work within your character's "self-system," a term coined by the psychologist, Carl Rogers, to indicate the view of the self and the world from the person's own frame of reference. This is in contrast to the kinds of terminology that are used to describe others, usually involving generalities and psycho-logical jargon. For example, people who are relatively psychologically sophisticated might describe negative qualities in others using terms like "manipulative, hostile, defensive, stubborn, immature, controlling, emotional," and so forth. However, people rarely describe themselves in these words (Blatner, 2003). Furthermore, such terms could be applied to most of us in some stressful situations, because there are some of these characteristics in everyone. Thus, words like "manipulative" are not only tinged with negative judgment, they are also not part of the self-system of those being labeled.
Phrases that would be closer to those typical of the self-system might be more like these: "I just want to make a point." "This is unfair." "You're making me feel like the bad guy." "Why can't they understand me?" People usually present themselves in a manner that tends to justify their position. Sometimes, they offer a self-deprecating facade; however, this is really a subconscious gambit used to deflect real criticism. For example, a person might say, "Well, I don't know anything about this, but I think ..." or "I don't want to be bossy, but I'm really concerned that you get this right."
To recognize the patterns of words used to develop characterization, or to deepen a role, it's useful to read some of the work in the field of semantics. One particularly helpful idea is found in a book by Hayakawa (1949, p. 96). He writes how the same quality can be described using different words or phrases that have contrasting emotional colorings or connotations. An amusing exercise in this regard was developed by the mathematician and philosopher, Bertrand Russell, which he called "The Conjugation of Irregular Verb"—a parody of the terminology used in teaching grammar. The game is to describe a given quality in three forms, each having a different connotation. The first person ("I") always speaks of the quality in a highly complimentary fashion; the second person ("You") is described in a mildly critical or slightly negative form; and the third person ("He," "She," or "They") is/are represented in the most disparaging manner. For example, one might say: "I am intelligent; You are shrewd; He's devious." Or, "I am creatively imaginative; You are a bit scattered; She is crazy?' or, "I am philosophical; You are melancholy; They are moping?' It's fun to make up your own list (Krupar, 1973, pp. 23-26). (Examples are given as an addendum to this chapter at the end of this webpage.)
Some people tend to put themselves down. In their self-systems, they choose the least favorable connotation to describe their own behavior, even to the point of belittling some aspect of themselves that might be considered a virtue in others. For example, they might say, "I know you'll think I'm crazy to say this, but ..." rather than "I just got a creative idea!" As you can see, they are using the third-person negative forms mentioned in the exercise above to describe themselves. All of this illustrates the plasticity of the experience of reality; you can make of it whatever you want, depending to some extent on the words you use.
Role Conflict
As mentioned in the earlier chapters, roles are themselves multidimensional and contain components that may be in conflict with each other. This is an extension of the advantages and disadvantages concept, but it refers to actual occasions for painful or awkward decisions. For example, there comes a time in the life of most young people living with their parents where the desire to be cared for directly conflicts with desires for independence. Another example is a fireman who might say, "I like being a bit heroic, but sometimes I feel like I have to do things that I know are foolhardy."
Such role conflicts also represent interpersonal issues, as well as being intrapsychic. Thus, a person such as the fireman mentioned above might experience the conflict in terms of the expectations of others (rather than inside himself}. In this same way, a school principal might feel, "They want me to be firm, but when it comes to their own kids, they want exceptions to be made."
One way of viewing this involves seeing every role, every person, as being in some ways "caught in the middle." People are pulled between competing demands for loyalty, priorities, values, interests, expectations, and the like. Addressing this phenomenon in playing a role tends to give depth to your character, as well as providing some directions for further enactment. In real life, a helpful way to express support for other people is to acknowledge the dimensions in which they are trying to balance conflicts of interest.
Another way to develop a role is to allow the complexity of a character to become a source for dramatic ideas. Many characters naturally embody several different dimensions, and these may generate conflicts, also. For instance, if you chose to play the role of a young college president, the incongruity of your age could become the focus and catalyst for an encounter with a much older faculty member.
Elaborating Relationships
One of the simplest ways to develop basic skills in role-playing involves taking on a character and talking about it; however, it be-comes a more interesting experience when two people take on roles and interact. Everything we have said about the dynamics possible in one role is thereby expanded. Many of the same techniques may be applied in bringing out the dramatic issues.
Each role relationship has its advantages and disadvantages, aside from those of the characters alone. Thus a father-son encounter contains certain almost universal themes; and these change, depending on the ages of both parties. They would also be different if the younger person in the relationship is a daughter. Adding a third, fourth, or fifth character to a given scene involves the dynamics of alliances, teams, subgroups, and other social psychological phenomena that create good dramatic material.
Playing the Co-character
In role playing or sociodramatic enactments, usually one person initiates the basic theme and thereby becomes the main character. Others who volunteer or are chosen to participate become co-characters. Among adults, it's best to have some clarity about how these roles are to be played; for example, the main character may want the co-characters to play in a more or less specific way to create a context within which an experience can be expressed. "I want to be a foot-ball coach and I get to boss everyone around." After the group agrees to play this scene, the director's role is to facilitate its enactment. On the other hand, the main character can set up a general role such as, "I am trying to pick up a girl at a nightclub." The director invites volunteers to be in the club and to freely create their roles and styles of play.
Therefore, if you are in the role of the co-character in an enactment, follow the guidance of the
director. Enjoy the opportunity to improvise within the structure of someone else's imaginary setting. With or without direction, freely portray whatever aspects of the role seem interesting and/or appropriate. This will either stimulate the main character toward more spontaneity or evoke correction and guidance that can help define your role.
In summary, the process of the Art of play may be facilitated by the participants' bringing out the subtleties and emotions of the roles they play. This chapter has described a number of ideas to help players elaborate their roles more effectively (Blatner, 1991).
References
Blatner, A. (1991) Imaginative interviews: A psychodramatic warm-up for developing role-playing skills. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama & Sociometry, 44 (3), 115-120. Also accessible on website: http://www.blatner.com/adam/pdntbk/talksho.htm
Blatner, Adam. (2003). Unhelpful overgeneralizations: a form of psychobabble. Retrieved from website: http://www.blatner.com/adam/psyntbk/unhellpgenrl.htm
Hayakawa, S. I. (1949). Language in thought and action. New York: Harcourt, Brace, & Co. (This was one of the most influential books in my life! It really helped me in developing critical thinking skills. You can find it online or in used book stores!)
Krupar, K. R. (1973). Communication games: A participant's manual. New York: The Free Press.
Schultz, D. P. (1969). A history of modern psychology. New York: Academic Press.
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(Examples derived from Hayakawa and Krupar references above)
USING SEMANTICS
Semantics is the study of how we understand the meanings of language, in terms of such phenomena as confusing levels of abstraction, the influence of the emotional connotations of words, etc. It's sort of a bridge between linguistics and psychology. Knowing something about semantics can be enormously helpful in trying to solve problems in communications.
For example, it's often useful to know how to “re-frame” a quality or an experience, to place it into a different frame of reference, by using different kinds of words. This is especially helpful in order to encourage others, to bring out strengths and possibilities. One way to develop the skill of playing with words so that you can say, as Lewis Carroll's version of Humpty Dumpty said, "I can make them mean anything I want to...it's just a matter of who is to be master, that's all." A game to practice with is what Bertrand Russell in the late 1940s "conjugating an irregular verb." The New Statesman magazine used Russell's idea as the theme of a contest and here are some of the entries:
I am sparkling. You are unusually talkative. He is drunk.
(Note that the first person tense, "I," is always a complimentary way of describing a quality. "You," the second person tense is a mildly critical dig, something you could say to a friend with whom you have some rivalrous or one-upmanship motivations. The third person tense, "He" or "She" refers to that gossipy capacity to be quite negative with no need for any restraint.)
I am righteously indignant. You are annoyed. He is making a fuss about nothing.
I am a creative writer. You have a journalistic flair. He is a prosperous hack.
I am beautiful. You have quite good features. She isn't bad looking, if you like that type.
I daydream. You are an escapist. He ought to see a psychiatrist.
I have about me something of the subtle, haunting, mysterious fragrance of the Orient. You rather overdo it, dear. She stinks.
Some people devalue themselves, and so they'll tend to describe themselves in a more critical light than necessary. Thus, the choice of tenses only illustrates the possible variations in how we choose and use our words. For therapists, it may be useful to help people who start with the most critical, such as "I'm ugly" to reframe their thinking to notice and be able to say "I have some attractive features."
Part of the benefit of this exercise is that it stimulates your imagination to discover the advantages and disadvantages of a given quality, or to picture the manner or context in which a behavior can be performed that would evoke either admiration or criticism from the observer. It is this shifting of perspective that increases the flexibility of mind, and it has many clinical implications.
Exercise: In the format of: "I am fastidious. You are fussy. He is an old woman," "Conjugate," in a similar way, the following statements:
I have a lively imagination. I am slender. I believe in being frank.
I don't dance very well. I rarely find time to read books. I am a trifle overweight.
I am optimistic. I'm just an old-fashioned girl. I don't care much about theories; I'm the practical type
I need plenty of sleep. Naturally I use a little makeup I like a car that can move along at a good clip.
Sometimes I lose my temper I collect rare, old objects of art. I believe anything worth doing is worth doing right
I had my fling as a kid. I take advantage of opportunities. I refuse to conform to the ways of our society.
I choose my friends carefully I prefer casual clothes. I believe it is important to be well dressed.
I enjoy an occasional social drink. I do my best to avoid a fight. I sometimes stretch the truth a little. ...etc.