Dr. Berne was a psychoanalyst who developed Transactional Analysis (TA), a model for understanding human relationships. For people who don’t have a background in psychology, it might be helpful to first read the Wikipedia article on Transactional Analysis or Thomas Harris’ book, I’m OK, You’re OK.
Although the first section of the book is a theoretical discussion of TA, the remainder of the book is an encyclopedia of psychological games. Although some of the games’ names may sound rather dated, they are clearly described and distinguished from one another.
This book provides excellent insight into interpersonal patterns and how each person has a role in them.
Kurt Vonnegut described this book as a “brilliant, amusing, and clear catalogue of the psychological theatricals that human beings play over and over again.”
Amazon Link to Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships