Transactional analysis

1. One of the most promising breakthroughs in psychiatry. An approach to understand human behavior and action. In the 1950's Eric Berne began to develop his theories of Transactional Analysis. He said that verbal communication, particularly face to face, is at the centre of human social relationships and psychoanalysis. TA is a model for explaining why and how: People think like they do People act like they do People interact/communicate with others Transactional analysis

2. What is Transactional analysis • It is a technique to understand dynamics of self and its relationship to others that help in clearly understanding interpersonal behaviour. • “ When two people interact there is a social transaction in which one person responds to other . The study of such transactions between people is called “Transactional analysis”. • It involves the analysis of --- • Awareness • Structural Analysis (ego States) • Analysis Of Transactions • Life positions • Script Analysis • Game Analysis

3. Transaction Stimulus: When two people encounter each other, one of them will speak to the other. Transaction Response: The reaction from the other person. Agent :The person sending the Stimulus. Respondent: The person who responds. Transactional Analysis became the method of examining the transaction wherein: 'I do something to you, and you do something back'. Berne also said that each person is made up of three alter ego states: Parent, Child and Adult. Key elements of a transaction

4. Structural Analysis (ego States) • Another aspect of self is ego states of the person , an important aspect of Transactional analysis. • Ego states are a person’s way of thinking, feeling & behaving at any time. • Our Brain (according to Berne) determines what we think and how we act. It acts like a tape recorder while recording events, associated feelings etc. It has 3 distinct parts or ego states: Parent, Adult and Child

5. TA Ego States or Personality Aspects Parent Adult Child

6. Parent ego state • Parent ego state is the result of messages (conditioning) people receive from parents, elder sisters and brothers ,teachers and others during their child hood. • Characteristics of a person acting with parent ego include overprotective, distant and indispensable. It is expressed by advice, do’s and don'ts.

7. Parent… learned to act and feel much as those that raised us. Parent Critical Parent… follows rules, accepts slogans, holds opinions without thinking first of facts. Nurturing Parent… Supportive and protective toward others, offers help and guidance.

8. Clues to Someone in Their Parent ego state … a frown or stern look. … tone of voice. … pointing of the index finger. … arms folded as to say “what are you doing?” … uses phrases like; “you should,” “you ought to,” “that is right!” … words such as; sympathizing, punishing. moralizing, judging, giving orders, criticizing.

9. Adult ego state • These people gather information ,carefully analyze it , generate alternatives and make logical choices. • Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral patterns based on objective analysis of information (data, facts). • Make decisions based on logic, computations, probabilities, etc. (not emotion). • Authentic ,direct, reality based, rational fact seeking and problem solving . • Assume human beings as Equal ,Worthy And Responsible.

10. Adult… looks at the facts and reasons out the answer - the computer inside us. Adult … figures things out logically. … takes responsibility for thoughts, feeling and actions. … solves problems and makes decisions.

11. Clues to Someone in Their Adult ego state … straight forward facial expression. … active listener, eyes blink every 3 to 5 seconds showing attention. … speaks of probabilities. … uses phrases like; “In my opinion,” “Based on what I have observed,” “So far the facts seem to indicate.”

12. Child ego state • Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral patterns based on child-like emotions, impulses, feelings we have experienced. • Include creative ,emotional, spontaneous, impulsive, immature and kiddish behavior. • Reflects early child hood conditions and experiences perceived by individual in early years of his life ie upto 5years .

13. Child… what we were when we were young. There are three forms of Child ego : Child Adapted Child… Polite, sociable, recognizes the rights of others,adapts behavior to suit them, can resent the rights/demands of others, complies grudgingly, feels unsure about themselves, procrastinates . Rebellious Child… Experiences anger, fear and frustration, aggressive, rebellious, does not consider the consequences of feeling or actions. Free Child… Open to life, spontaneous, filled with the sense of wonder and delight, self centered.

14. Clues to Someone in Their Child ego state … smiling, laughing, having fun. … tone of voice. … crying, having tantrums, getting into trouble. … childlike facial expressions. … uses words/phrases like; “Wow!,” “Gosh!,” “I wish,” “I feel.”

15. People have favorite, preferred ego state, depicted by larger circle in a diagram. ParentAdultChild Ego Portraits P P P A A A C C C

16. 3. Analysis of Transactions • A transaction = any interaction or communication between 2 people. • A transaction occurs when a stimulus from a person is being responded by another person. • People send and receive messages out of and into their different ego states • How people say something (what others hear?) just as important as what is said. • A transaction is routed from ego states & depending on the ego states, there are three types of transactions – • Complementary, • Crossed and • Ulterior

17. Interactions, responses, actions regarded as appropriate and expected from another person. When the stimulus from response patterns from one ego state to another are parallel. Parallel communication arrows, communication continues. Example 1: #1 What is the time? #2 It is 11:15. Complementary ‘Transactions’ P P A A C C

18. Example 2: Complementary ‘Transactions’ cont’d #1 You’re late again! P P #2 I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. A A C C

19. Interactions, responses, actions NOT regarded as appropriate or expected from another person. This happens when the person who initiates transaction expecting a certain response does not get it. It occurs when stimulus-response lines are not parallel. Crossed communication arrows, communication breakdown. Example 1 #1 What time do you have? #2 There’s a clock on the wall, why don’t you figure it out yourself? Crossed ‘Transactions’ P P A A C C

20. Example 2 #1 You’re late again! #2 Yeah, I know, I had a flat tire. Crossed ‘Transactions’ cont’d P P A A C C

21. It is most complex because communication has double meaning. When an ulterior message is sent, it is often disguised in a socially acceptable way. On the surface level, it has a clear adult message, whereas it carries a hidden message on the psychological level. Interactions, responses, actions which are different from those explicitly stated. Ulterior ‘Transactions’ P P A A C C

22. LIFE POSITIONS 22 Life positions are the basic assumptions that people make about their own self worth as well as about the worth of other people they transact with. These are basic beliefs about self and others, which are used to justify decisions and behavior. These life positions are perceptions of the world.

23. LIFE POSITIONS You are OK I am not OK You are OK One down position Helpless I am OK You are OK Healthy position Happy I am not OK I am OK I am not OK You are not OK Hopeless position Hopeless I am OK You are not OK One up position Angry You are not OK 23

24. 1)I am OK –YOU ARE OK • Rationally chosen life position • Made after individual has a number of OK experiences with others • Problem solving and accept significance of others . • Based on ADULT EGO. • They delegate authority and feel comfortable with spread of authority. • 2)I am OK –YOU ARE not OK • This position is taken by those people who feel victimized. They blame others for their misery. • Aggrieved person with attitude that what ever they do is right. • Results from position when a person is too much ignored when he was a child. • People with rebellion child ego. • Manager may give critical and oppressive remark. lack trust in others

25. 3) I am not OK –YOU ARE OK • People feel powerless in comparison to others . • Managers operating from this position tend to give and receive bad feelings. • They often use bad feelings as an excuse to act against others and when whole thing comes full circle even feel guilty for their acts. • Unpredictable in their behavior. • 4) I am not OK –YOU ARE not OK • Loose interest in living. • Seriously neglected by parents and brought up by servants. • They don’t make decision in time. • Look to others for final decision and delegate inappropriately.

26. For effective communication you need to keep the transaction complementary . We can improve communication by trying to shift the other person’s ego state by inviting people to move into a different ego state, and If we cannot do this it is better to stop the communication and try again another time when the person may be in a different ego state. HOW TO IMPROVE???

27. Adult Asking a question Stating a few facts Asking for their opinion Asking for their preference Asking for their view Natural Child Being one yourself Showing the funny side of the situation Going to nurturing parent Being enthusiastic Showing an unconventional way of looking at things. • Nurturing Parent • Asking for their help. • Asking for their advice. • Asking for their expert opinion. • Communicating your fears/worries.

28. Transactional Analysis is a way of understanding and changing human behavior Helps in understanding why communication fails and how it can be corrected. Helps in understanding and improving one to one relationships. To understand and resolve interpersonal conflict. TA helps in understanding the dysfunctional strategies that many people use to protect themselves from emotional risks of intimacy. TA is a tool for improving interpersonal skills in specific situations. TA helps in making a balance between cognitive and affective behavior. Implications of TA