One more thing. He was more than familiar with it. And he applied it to larger groups than married couples....
But don't take my word for it.
Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom - review by Morris Haimowitz
Read the link.
First off it is from the International Transactional Analysis Association.
This was a pop psy movement started by Eric Berne in the 60's. Like all pop psy fads it was over simplified, over structured, and over sold (promising far more than it could accomplish).
On the other hand every pop psy fad has a solid base in reality. Such as Maxwell Maltz's "Psycho Cybernetics".
Transactional Analysis had a few serious faults. One was its strict classification of parent, adult, and child, and the other its highly enculturated definition of an adult as "one who gives and receives information".
Whether he intended it to or not Eric Berne's book quickly developed a cult following and those writers who came after him in the same vein were often slammed by the "true believers" as "not adhering strictly to the gospel of Berne." Those who received the greatest criticism were those who attempted to amend some of the over simplifications of the original work.
This book seems to follow a similar pattern.
He does discuss external control psychology, but while Jillio is discussing what I think of as the Authoritarian mind which is exemplified in the statement "Do what I say because I tell you to and if you don't you will be sorry", Glasser discusses helping people, for instance students, abused children, etc. to overcome the paranoid version -- "They are making me do it. I have no control over these things."
Glasser is presenting "External Control Psychology" of the paranoid, or compulsive, version as the opposite of "Choice Theory". Wherein the person feels they have no choice when in fact they do.
Unfortunately there does not seem to be anything new here, just as there was nothing new in Eric Berne's original book "The Games People Play". But that does not mean it would not be an interesting read or that useful information could not be gleaned from it.
One of the obvious shortcomings the link shows is that no mention is made of the fact the only way his techniques can work in a school setting is if the teacher is totally devoid of an authoritarian attitude.
I am personally of the opinion that the authoritarian attitude should be considered a treatable personality disorder at the same level of an obsessive compulsive through paranoid disorder, depending on its severity.
I can't continue for fear I will give myself a stroke laughing.
Not to mention which you have missed the point he made regarding an external psychology approach to the larger social relationships. He very plainly states that it is not possible in the larger societal relationships, including the workplace. But then, as another poster stated, those addicted to external control will never understand that. The fact that you have failed to grasp Glasser's basic premise, even though you claim to have read the book, is evidence of that.
