Poker Values

Stanford Research Institute (SRI), a non-profit organization, carved out a market niche with their Values and Lifestyles SurveyTM. It categorizes individuals (distinctly) by consumer types.

This is useful for companies that are interested in marketing various products with accurately focused campaigns. SRI identifies eight types of consumers, "Actualizers, Achievers, Fulfilled, Experiencers, Believers, Strivers, Makers, and Strugglers".

The names are indicative of the type of person they describe; however, some additional parameters define each group according to their buying habits. I will not include specific information about the studies SRI has done because it is not tangible to poker.

What is important is the strong correlation that exists between behavior and values. From the VALSTM information, you would glean little more than whether someone tended to be conservative or not at the poker table.

Typically, these determinations are easy to garner. The crux of SRI's reliance on this stereotyping to you as a poker player, is that if you can figure out the values behind what motivates a person to play, there is strong precedent showing predictability in behavior.

I draw parallels from the realm of poker. Based upon what is important to a player; why that player chooses to spend much of their time playing poker tells you something. Poker can be more time consuming than a hobby like golf, without the wide social acceptability.

Values and Lifestyles Survey

The intricacies of the game

competition at the poker table

the center of attention

the turmoil of peoples