Social Fortune or Social Fate [Pamela Crooke & Michelle Garcia Winner]

A Social Thinking Graphic Novel Map for Social Quest Seekers 

Using manga-style illustrations to capture the attention of teens and tweens, we developed this book to teach the core concepts originally presented in Social Behavior Mapping. Social Behavior Maps teach how our behaviors—both expected and unexpected—impact how others feel about us and treat us, which ultimately affects how we feel about ourselves. Social Fortune or Social Fate teaches the same concept in a totally different way.

The book consists of 10 social scenarios, each one played out through the lens of social fortune or social fate, demonstrating visually how a situation can change quickly based on how someone reacts within it. Each scenario begins with a mini story told through a series of illustrations that lead to a decision-making point. If the decision leads to others feeling good, and ultimately to the character feeling good about him or herself, it is represented as social fortune. However, if the protagonist makes a decision that traps him/her and peers/adults in an uncomfortable or frustrating situation, this leads to social fate.

Key concepts are explained in the teen-friendly opening pages of each side of the book, including the teaching principles supported through the behavior mapping. As students review the illustrated scenarios, they will find information that teaches about the scenario. Strategy codes such as TAC (i.e., think about choices) or MARP (i.e., minimize a reaction to a problem) are taught to facilitate the decision making that lands the characters on the road to social fortune. Social autopsies are used to guide readers through a better understanding of the social fate scenarios.

Readers are also encouraged to explore their own emotional reactions to problems they consider more intense. It is expected that the older student will demonstrate increasing emotional maturity by minimizing their emotional expression of perceived problems; an illustrated Problem Solving Thermometer helps to demonstrate this concept.

Paperback, 82 pages