2. DISCOUNTING
JACQUI SCHIFF
Discount involves people minimising or ignoring some aspects of
themselves, others,or the reality situation.
IMPORTANCE-IT IS WITHOUT ADULT AWARENESS
3. DISCOUNTING TA TODAY
IAN STUART AND VAN JOINS
Unwarely ignoring information relevant to the solution of a problem
Every discount is accompanied with Grandiosity
4. DETECTING DISCOUNTS
The discounting, not observable in itself, can
be inferred by the persons showing any of
the four passive behavior.
1.Doing nothing
2.Over adaptation
3.Agitation
4.Incapacitation/violence
5. Detecting discounts
Driver behavior always indicates
a discount.
Remember that when I show a
driver, I am internally replaying
the script belief : I am only OK if
I try hard / please others etc.
The reality is that I am OK
whether or not I follow these
driver messages.
6. Detecting discounts
Schiff specify certain thinking
disorders as clues to
discounting.
One of these is over detailing.
Asked a simple question , the
person showing this disorder
will reply with a long tirade of
minute details.
7. Detecting discounts
Over generalization is the opposite of
over detailing in which the person
expresses ideas only in sweeping,
global terms.
Ex : Well, my problem is something
huge. People are after me. Things are
getting me down.
8. Verbal Clues
One of the skills of TA is to
identify discounting by
listening to the words people
use.
The difficulty in practice is
that everyday speech is full of
discounts, so much so that we
become desensitized to them.
We need to re learn the skill
of listening to what is really
being said and testing each
statement against reality.
9. Verbal Clues
When someone says I
cant.., he will most often be
discounting.
I will try to is usually a
discount, since what it implies
is usually I will try to, but I
wont do it.
The same is true will all driver
wordings. Be strong discounts
are particularly common. Ex:
What you say is boring to
me.
10. Verbal Clues
Sometimes, a discount is
signaled by leaving out a part
of the sentence.
For instance, a member of the
TA group may ask I want a
hug.
She doesnt say from whom
she wants hug from.
She is omitting information
relevant to the solution of the
problem.
11. Non verbal Clues
Equally important is the skill
of identifying discounts
from non verbal clues.
A mismatch between the
words being said and the
non verbal signals that go
with them.
This mismatching is called
incongruity.
12. Gallows
One frequent indication of a
discount is gallows laughing.
Here, the person laughs when
making a statement about
something unpleasant.
Ex: That was silly of me, ha
ha.
In gallows, there is incongruity
between the laugh and the
painful content.
13. Gallows
When someone gives a gallows
laugh, he is making a non
verbal invitation to the listener
to reinforce once of his script
belief.
The straight response to
gallows is to refuse to join in
the laughing.
You may also say : That is not
funny, if you are in a situation
where it is socially appropriate
to do so.
14. Stroke Filter / Discount
When someone gets a stroke that
doesnt fit in with her preferred
stroke quotient, she is likely to
ignore it or belittle it.
Discounts are an internal
mechanism by which people
minimize or maximize
(grandiosity) an aspect of reality,
themselves or others.
In other words they are not
accounting for the reality of
themselves or others or the
situation.
15. Strokes Vs Discounts
A discount always entails some distortion of reality unlike a straight negative
stroke.
You spelled the word wrong.
Discount I see you cant spell
I hate you.
Discount You are hateful.
Unlike a straight negative stroke, a discount gives me no signal on which I
can base constructive action.
16. Discount Matrix
Discounting results in unresolved
problems.
Thus, if we can devise a systematic
way of identifying the nature and
intensity of discounting, we will have
a powerful tool for problem solving.
Such a tool is called discount matrix.
17. Discount Matrix
Discount matrix was developed by
Ken Mellor and Eric Sigmund.
The discount matrix starts from the
idea that we classify discounts
according to three different criteria.
Area.
Type.
Level.
18. Discount Matrix
Discount matrix has
three columns for the
three types of discount
and four rows for the
four modes or levels.
The wordings in each of
the resulting twelve
boxes indicates the
combination of type
and level.
19. Areas of discounting
There are three areas in
which people can discount:
Self.
Others.
Situation.
20. Areas of discounting
In the example, When I
was sitting in the
restaurant droopping
because the waiter wasnt
bringing my glass of
water, I was discounting
myself.
I was ignoring my own
ability to take action to
get what I wanted.
21. Areas of discounting
My friend who got angry
and started criticizing the
waiter, was discounting
not himself but the other
person.
In judging the waiter
incompetent, he was
blanking out any aspects
of the waiters actions
that might have
contradicted his criticism.
22. Areas of discounting
Suppose that after
drooping for a while, I did
turned to my friend and
said: Well, there we are.
It really isnt fair that
these other people are
getting served and I am
not. But then, this world
is an unfair place, isnt
it?
Here, I did have been
discounting the situation.
28. Discounting - Problem
The person who discounts a
problem realizes that
something is happening, but
ignores the fact that
whatever is happening
poses a problem.
29. Discounting - Options
When discounting options,
the person is aware that
something is happening and
that it constitutes a problem.
But she blanks out the
possibility that anything can
be done about the problem.
30. Discounting - Options
As I sat drooping, I knew
that I felt thirsty.
I was aware that my
thirst was a problem to
me.
But I was unawarely
ignoring the many
options I had, other
than just sitting and
hoping the waiter to
respond.
32. Discounting- Existence
In the example, I was
discounting the
existence of my own
options to solve the
problem.
33. Discounting- Significance
If I had been discounting the
significance of my options, I
might have said to my friend:
I suppose I could go over
and ask him.
But I bet asking him wouldnt
make a difference.
Here, I did have realized
there was something
different I could do, but
blanked out the possibility
that his action could have any
effect.
34. Discounting- Change possibilities
In this case, I would have
let myself realize that the
option existed and that it
might have results, while
ignoring the possibility that
anyone could actually put
the option into practice.
35. Discounting- Personal Abilities
Here I am aware the
options exists and could
bring results.
I realize that some
people in the world
might well use that
option.
But I dismiss my own
ability to do so.
36. Discounting Matrix
Discounting matrix is
compiled by listing all the
possible combinations of
types and levels of discount.
When we do so, we will get
the discounting matrix
diagram.
38. Discounting Matrix - Example
Suppose two friends are talking.
One of them is a heavy smoker.
As he lights up yet another
cigarette, he is convulsed by a
bout of coughing.
His friend says to him : Thats
is a terrible cough. I am
concerned about you. Please
give up smoking.
What might be the smokers
reply if he were discounting in
each of the twelve different
boxes on the matrix?
39. Discounting existence of stimuli
If the smoker were
discounting the
existence of the stimuli,
he might reply: What
cough? I was not
coughing?
40. Discounting existence of problem
If the smoker were
discounting the existence of
the problem, he might say:
Oh, no, I am fine, thanks. I
have always had a cough. He
is letting himself be aware of
his cough, but blotting out
the possibility that this may
constitute a problem to him.
41. Discounting significance of stimuli
In discounting the
existence of the problem,
he is also discounting the
significance of the
stimulus.
In discounting the
possibility that his cough
may be a problem, he is
also discounting the fact
that the cough may have
some meaning
(Significance) for him.
42. Diagonal arrows
This is indicated on the
matrix diagram by the
diagonal arrow connecting
the boxes for existence of
problems and Significance
of stimuli.
The arrow means that one
of these discounts will
always entail the other.
43. Diagonal Arrows and T numbers
All the diagonal arrows on
the diagram has this
meaning.
The T numbers, entered
at the top left of each box,
are labels for the different
diagonals.
For instance, discounts of
the existence of the
problem and the
significance of the stimuli
corresponds to diagonal T2.
44. Discounting existence of options
When we take T3, smoker
is discounting the existence
of options. He might show
this by replying Well, yes,
but we smokers do cough,
you know?. A short lie and
a happy one, that what I
say, ha, ha.
45. Discounting existence of options
Now he is admitting that he
has a cough and that the
cough may well indicate a
problem, namely that
smoking can kill people.
But he is blanking out the
possibility that anyone can
do anything to avoid
smokers cough.
46. Discounting significance of the problem
In doing so, he also blanks
out any perception that the
possibility of being killed by
smoking is something he
might be concerned about.
He discounts the
significance of the problem.
47. Discounting changeability of stimulus
And by his denial that
anything can possibly be
done by anyone to get rid
of a smokers cough, he
discounts the changeability
of the stimulus.
48. Discounting significance of options
The same equivalence of
discounts applies along the
other diagonals.
On T4, the smoker might say:
Well, yes, I suppose I should
give up really. But I have been
smoking for so long, I dont
think my giving up now is
going to make any difference.
49. Discounting viability of options and persons ability to act on options
On T5, he might respond:
Sure, you are right. I
need to give up, But I
cant figure out how to do
it.
And on T6, the smoker
might say: Yes, I have
been telling myself for
ages I should throw my
cigarettes and lighter
away. But I just cant seem
to get round to it.
50. Discounting matrix
Another feature of this matrix is that a
discounting in any box also entails discounts in
the boxes below and to its right.
51. Discounting - Sequence
Suppose a person is
discounting the existence of a
problem. Since he is not
allowing himself to be aware
that the problem even exists,
he is obviously also going to
blank out any perception that
the problem may be
significant.
52. Discounting - Sequence
Nor will he be thinking whether
he or anyone else can solve the
problem. He is thus discounting
in the entire column of boxes
related to problems.
And since he is ignoring the
existence of the problem, why
should he consider whether
there are options for solving it?
Because he thus discounts the
existence of options, he will also
discount all the other boxes in
the options column.
53. Discounting - Sequence
Finally, recall that a discount
of the existence of problem is
equivalent to discounting the
significance of stimuli, along
diagonal T2.
Therefore, the other two
boxes below it in the stimuli
column will be discounted
also.
54. Discounting matrix
A person discounting on any diagonal will be
discounting in all the boxes below and to the
right of that diagonal.
55. Activity
Make up the discount
matrix for this example.
Wife and husband have
just settled down in bed
for the night.
Then, in the next room,
their baby starts crying.
The husband says Do
you think one of us
should go and see why
the baby is crying?
56. Levels of Discounting
The EXISTENCE of a problem, e.g. a baby cries and the parents go to sleep.
The SIGNIFICANCE of a problem Oh the baby always cries at this time.
The CHANGE POSSIBILITIES The baby will never be satisfied.
The PERSONAL ABILITY to actually carry out the change You could but I
cant change the nappy.
At each level the discount can be of three types:
The STIMULUS can be discounted.
The PROBLEM can be discounted.
The OPTIONS can be discounted.
57. Activity
Work out the responses
his wife might give if she
were discounting on
each of the diagonals in
the discounting matrix.
Confirm that the
hierarchy of discounts
applies.
58. Using the Discount Matrix
Whenever a problem is not
being solved, some
information relevant to the
solution of that problem is
being ignored.
The discount matrix gives us
a systematic way to
pinpointing what
information is being missed.
This in turn provides
guidance to the specific
actions we need to take to
solve the problem.
59. Using the Discount Matrix
When a problem
remains unsolved
despite efforts to solve
it, this is often because
the person is addressing
the problem on too low
a diagonal of the
discount matrix.
60. Using the Discount Matrix
It follows that in using
the matrix as a problem
solving tool, we need to
begin by looking for
discounts on the highest
diagonal first.
61. Using the Discount Matrix
We step into the matrix at
the top left corner.
If we discover a discount
there, we need to deal with
that discount before going
any further downward or to
the right.
Because if we miss that
initial discount and try to
deal with a discount on any
lower diagonal, our
intervention will itself be
discounted.
62. Example
If you were the friend of a
smoker and seeing him
cough, you say I am
concerned about you.
Please give up smoking.
With your intervention, you
have addressed the problem
on the lowest diagonal of
the box.
The issue is whether the
smoker is going to act on a
specific option.
63. Example
But suppose the smoker is
discounting much higher on the
matrix?
For example, he may be diagonal
T2, discounting the significance of
stimulus and existence of the
problem.
It is obvious that he will also
discount any relevance in what
you have just said to him.
Why should he have any
investment is stopping smoking,
when as far as he is aware, his
smokers cough is not a problem.
64. Example
Suppose now you wanted
to help your smoking
friend by systematically
using the discount matrix,
you would begin by
checking for a discount on
diagonal T1. Are you
aware that you have got a
really bad cough?
65. Example
If he confirms that he is
aware of the cough, you
would go down to the next
diagonal.
You might ask Is that
cough of yours something
you bother about?
Were he to reply No, Not
really, it is something I just
take for granted.
Now you have located that
his discount is on T2.
66. Example
This lets you know that if
your smoker friend is to
give up his habit, he first
needs to become aware
that his cough may indicate
a problem
He needs to realize too
that his problem may be a
cause of his concern.
67. Example
When he were to check
through the discount matrix,
the real problem may be
different.
While lecturing, he mumbles.
The students cant hear what
he is saying.
The discount is on diagonal
T2 of the matrix.
To address the problem, the
lecturer simply needs to
speak up.
68. Application
The discount matrix was
originally developed for
use in psychotherapy.
But it provides an equally
effective tool for problem
solving in organization
and education.
69. Activity
When you have identified the
discount, consider its ego
state source.
Did it come from
contamination? An exclusion?
Or were you uninformed or
misinformed?
Let yourself be aware of
whatever part of reality you
had previously been
discounting.
If you need accurate or new
information, get it.
70. Example
A college teacher takes a
class and asks student
some questions to check
their understanding.
To his surprise, the
students can answer
hardly any.
He told himself These
students are not working.
Why they dont have any
motivation?
71. Example
By assuming that the
students have not been
working, he is addressing
a discount in the area of
others on diagonal T5 or
T6 of the discount matrix.
He has assumed that
students knew they have
to work but they either
dont feel they can handle
the work or just arent
getting started?