Kokology : The Game of Self-Discovery (Paperback)

~ (Author), Isamu Saito (Author) "Your desktop is spilling over with unfinished paperwork; the rest of the office has already gone home for the night..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Bored with the old board games that are gathering dust in your closet? Grab a copy of Kokology (koh-KOL-oh-jee; from the Japanese kokoro, meaning "mind" or "spirit"), a book that contains 55 psychological questions that aim to delve into your subconscious, revealing how you truly feel about work, love, family, sex, and much more. Created by Japanese psychologist Isamu Saito, Kokology puts a spin on traditional psychological tests by transforming them into a series of entertaining and approachable quizzes.

Innocuous questions make Kokology a perfect conversation starter. Find out how magazine reading corresponds with the way a check book is managed; learn what bringing an address book, hairspray, lucky charm, or gum to work may say about a personality trait; or discover your true feelings about sex by answering a few simple questions about an ideal amusement park ride. Kokology's creators have produced questions that will help you gain insight into yourself, but they add that Kokology is just a game and it's OK if you disagree with the results. However, the minds behind this game also believe that you'll find "more often than not you're surprised at how accurately the answers reflect people's true personalities, including your own."

Play Kokology at a dinner party, bring it on a road trip, or tote it along on your next date to begin unveiling new and exciting things about yourself and others. --Jenny Burritt

Product Description

Introducing Kokology -- the fascinating,
addictive pop-psych quiz game that
reveals the surprising real you

Created by a famous Japanese psychologist, kokology is the study of kokoro ("mind" or "spirit" in Japanese). Based on sound psychological principles, Kokology asks you to answer questions about seemingly innocent topics -- such as the color of an imaginary bird that has flown in your window -- and then reveals what your answers say about you. Kokology offers a unique approach to self-discovery and, when played with others, can provide hilarious insight into the you that they never knew.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: Fireside; 1 edition (October 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684871483
• ISBN-13: 978-0684871486
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #185,809 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Missed the mark for us, July 2, 2004

By	Eliza (Maine, USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book as something fun and interactive to do with my husband. I give it two stars because it is something to get you talking and discussing feelings and opinions even if you disagree with the book. That beats just sitting on the couch watching tv. Otherwise though we both felt this book wasn't very revealing and often missed the mark for us entirely. For example, in one question it asks you to describe how you would feel standing in the open door of a flying airplane getting ready to parachute for the first time. In the answer section it says your response indicates how you feel when you are about to have sex with someone for the first time. Okay, how many people wouldn't answer that question with words like nervous anticipation or exhilaration? Both of us did at any rate. Not very revealing. My friend said terrified because she is afraid of heights but she completely rejected the idea that she experiences terror at the prospect of sex. I would imagine alot of people might describe themselves as being fearful of parchuting out of an airplane but not necessarily be quaking with fear in bed.
There were also a lot of questions that seemed to be geared to tapping into your subconcious feelings but for us concrete life experience seemed to skew the results. For instance, in one scenerio you are suppose to be searching for gems and it asks you to describe the size and type of gem you searched for. The answer key says the gem you described is a symbol of your sense of self worth. My husband had described a small not very valuable type of mineral but only because the question brought back happy memories of looking for this on hikes with his father as a child. We both felt that this sort of thing came up rather often for us.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too simplistic (2 stars for people under 15... 1 star for adults), December 16, 2005

By	LIZ (NV) - See all my reviews

I ordered this book for something fun to do with friends. When I received it I previewed a few of the tests, and was disappointed. The "results" of the tests are simplistic, inaccurate, and seem geared toward the mentality and humour of a junior high or maybe high school student. I continued to read the entire book for any tests that my adult friends might have fun with, and found 95% of them to be ridiculous. It is not the themes or questions asked, but the conclusions drawn that are lacking. I won't give any away here, but the test results bring the same reaction(wince and groan)as a bland, corny joke - when the punch line is coming and is so obvious, but you hope to be surprised with something original...and it does not happen.
This is one of the rare books that I have thrown in the garbage rather than keep or pass on. If you are looking for a similar book for group fun or personal enjoyment there are so many others that would be more enjoyable. A few I could recommend are "Who Are You?: 101 Ways of Seeing Yourself" and "The Cube."

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kokology: the game for the 21st century., October 13, 2000

By	Maria Maisetzis (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

Did you ever wonder who are you and why you do the things you do? Well, this book is the microscope into your soul you've been looking for. Although this book is supposed to be a game, there is a serious element to it that cannot be ignored. This is a portible version of a psychologists,psychoanalyist, and counselor all in one. The only difference is that you would not need repeated costly visits that will leave you hating yourself or your parents. The advice given at the end of each game is gentle and suggestive that would not leave anyone feeling inferior or uncomfortable. I even recommend young adults reading this book to discover themselves without the pain of playing with drugs or other avenues of experimentation. After having read and done the self-discovering excerises, one could put down the book and re-read it after a season to note the changes in lifestyle made. It is alot of fun to use at a party but also by yourself. I hope a second book is in the works, I am one of many Kokology addicts and fans. GET THIS BOOK, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!