Tactical Notebook Index

Notebook & Site Glossary:

A B C D E F G H I L N O P R S T U

Game Theory

Game theory is a branch of mathematics and economics that studies strategic interactions between individuals, organizations, or even nations, where the outcomes depend not only on an individual's choices but also on the choices of others. It is used to analyze situations in which participants, known as "players," make decisions that are interdependent, meaning that each player’s decision affects the outcomes for the others. This creates a situation of "strategic dependence," where each player must consider the potential actions and reactions of others when making choices. Behavioral game theory is a branch of game theory that incorporates insights from psychology and behavioral economics to understand how real people make decisions in strategic situations. Traditional game theory assumes that players are perfectly rational and aim to maximize their own payoffs, often predicting that individuals will act in highly calculated ways. However, behavioral game theory acknowledges that real people are subject to biases, emotions, limited cognitive abilities, and social preferences, which can lead them to behave in ways that diverge from purely rational predictions. Applied game theory is the practical use of game theory models and principles to solve real-world problems across various fields, including economics, business, political science, biology, engineering, and more. While theoretical game theory focuses on creating abstract models to understand strategic interactions in idealized settings, applied game theory uses these models to analyze and improve actual decision-making situations where individuals or groups interact strategically. The goal of applied game theory is to provide insights, strategies, and predictions that can inform decisions in complex, interdependent environments where the actions of one player affect others. This field often involves refining theoretical models to account for real-world complexities, making game theory more relevant and actionable.

Games Against The Self

Games against the self refer to strategic decision-making scenarios where an individual is effectively competing or interacting with themselves over time. These situations involve internal conflicts or trade-offs between different aspects of the self, such as short-term desires versus long-term goals, or emotional impulses versus rational decision-making. Unlike traditional games involving multiple players, games against the self focus on the internal dynamics of a single individual’s choices and their consequences.

Index Of Tactical Notebook Articles In Order Of Suggested Reading:

This index is a revision of our now removed Legacy Member Handbook series. New articles are added over time and the index adjusted accordingly. Visist the “Updates” environment (linked in the main navigation menu) to get up to speed or see when new content is added or changes have been made to existing articles.

The Big Lie Of Family Court

Before you build a strategy to beat family court pathology, you need to clearly understand it, and that means delving beyond the symptoms and getting to the heart of the problem.

This article challenges the commonly stated ideal that family courts operate primarily in the best interests of the child. It argues that, in practice, the system often prioritizes conflict and financial interests over real family well-being, marginalizes non-custodial parents, and enables harmful behaviors such as false allegations and parental alienation. Drawing on psychological insights and firsthand advocacy experience, the piece exposes systemic biases, explains how entrenched incentives shape outcomes, and calls for accountability and reform to protect children and both parents from needless harm.

Utilizing Designed Response Rules To Outmaneuver Stress and Anxiety

Yes, it actually works.

This comprehensive article introduces response rules — intentional strategies drawn from behavioral economics and psychology to help people regain control of their reactions in high-stress environments, especially within family court and conflict situations. The piece explains how deliberately structured responses (like if-then rules) can shift automatic patterns, reduce emotional overwhelm, and improve decision-making under pressure. It also frames these rules as tools for building resilience and strategic advantage when facing adversity, transforming difficult experiences into opportunities for grounded action and personal growth.

Changing The Game In Your Favor With One Small Thing and One Big Thing.

Utilizing Focus Anchors and discovering your unique Income Signature.

A Little Wisdom From King Solomon: How To Use Tactical Screens To Get People To Reveal Themselves

This article draws on the biblical story of King Solomon’s famous judgment to explain how tactical screens — strategic choices or signals that prompt revealing responses — help uncover what others truly value, intend, or believe. It connects Solomon’s wisdom in discerning hidden truths with modern decision-making and game-theoretic insights, showing how thoughtfully constructed screens can expose private information and improve how we interpret people’s actions in real-world contexts.

Utilizing Positive Test Strategies To Expose Bias, Reverse False Beliefs, And Combat Parental Alienation

This article explores how predictable human tendencies — especially those rooted in cognitive bias and positive test strategies — shape the way we form and reinforce beliefs. It explains how selective recall and confirmation habits can distort perception, influence judgments, and inadvertently strengthen false narratives. The piece then outlines how understanding and tactically applying these psychological concepts can help uncover hidden bias, challenge entrenched assumptions, and support more effective strategies in confronting parental alienation and related social dynamics.

Understanding Bystander Effects And How To Neutralize Them

This article explains the bystander effect — a well-documented social psychological phenomenon where people are less likely to help or speak up when others are present — and shows how this pattern can contribute to collective inaction in situations like family court dysfunction, parental alienation, and social reform efforts. It breaks down key mechanisms such as diffusion of responsibility, social influence, and fear of judgment, and it offers practical insights for overcoming passivity, encouraging individual responsibility, and transforming bystander apathy into proactive engagement.