Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Practice Examination

What term describes unpleasant feelings that arise after a person engages in a manipulative behavior pattern originating from childhood?

1. Rackets

2. Games

3. Schemas

4. Scripts

The correct answer is: Rackets

The term describing unpleasant feelings that occur after engaging in manipulative behavior patterns rooted in childhood is "rackets." Rackets are emotional responses that individuals experience when they find themselves repeating learned behaviors or patterns that are maladaptive. These feelings often stem from unresolved issues or influences from their formative years, where certain behaviors were adopted as coping mechanisms. In transactional analysis, which discusses these concepts, rackets involve the emotional pain or discomfort that arises as a result of engaging in these familiar but unhealthy patterns. Understanding this term helps individuals recognize the emotional consequences of their behaviors and encourages them to seek healthier ways of dealing with their feelings and interpersonal dynamics. The other terms relate to different concepts: games refer to repetitive interpersonal behaviors that can be manipulative, but they don't directly correlate to the unpleasant feelings post-behavior. Schemas are cognitive frameworks that shape how individuals perceive experiences, and scripts are social scenarios or templates for behavior. While these concepts are interconnected in understanding human behavior, they do not directly address the specific emotional aftermath associated with childhood-derived manipulative patterns like rackets do.