TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS_Jan

TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

Organizational Applications of Transactional Analysis

Customer Service Communication analysis Interpersonal Problem Solving Management Development Performance Appraisal Performance Counselling Personal Development Conflict Management

Interviewing Skills Telephone Skills Team Building Workplace Counselling Sales Training

Transactional Analysis was developed by Dr. Eric Berne as an approach to psychoanalysis and therapy.

BASIC TA CONCEPTS

THE THREE EGO STATES

Every person regardless of age, has 3 main behavioral characteristics:

Parent (P) Adult (A) Child (C).

These are called Ego states

Berne says ‘In each person, there is the same little person he was when he was

three years old. There are also within him his own parents.’

PARENT

Everything a child sees or hears his parents (or parents substitutes) do is recorded in the ‘Parent’. These recordings consist of the following:

1) The No’s directed at the toddler 2) The ‘Don'ts’ 3) The expressions of Pleasure of a

happy mother

The looks of delight of a Proud father. The pronouncements- never tell a lie,

clean your shoes, , keep a good company etc.

Parent Characteristics

phrases and attitudes starting with 'under no circumstances', 'always' and 'never forget’

angry or impatient body-language and expressions, finger-pointing, patronizing gestures.

CRITICAL PARENT NURTURING PARENT

2) CHILD

While external events are recorded as that body of data we call the Parent, there is another recording being made simultaneously.

This is the recording of internal events, the responses of the little person to what he sees and hears.

These recordings consist of: Negative data: he is small, he is

dependent, he is inept, he is clumsy, its his fault always, etc.

Positive data: creativity, curiosity, the desire to explore, the urges to touch, feel and experience.

The countless grand a-ha experiences: the first drinking from the garden hose, the first stroking of the soft puppy, the first time the lights go on in response to his flicking the switch.

Child Characteristics

Physical - Emotionally sad expressions, despair, temper tantrums, whining voice, rolling eyes, shrugging shoulders, teasing, delight, laughter, raising hand to speak, squirming and giggling.

Verbal - Baby talk, I wish, I dunno, I want, I'm gonna, I don't care, oh no, not again, things never go right for me, worst day of my life, bigger, biggest, best, many superlatives, words to impress.

FUN LOVING CHILD ADAPTED CHILD

3) ADULT

As the child attains the age of 10 months, he begins to experience the power of locomotion. He finds that he is able to do something on his own. This self-achievement is recorded as “Adult’

Adult Characteristics

Physical - attentive, interested, straight-forward, tilted head, non-threatening and non-threatened.

Verbal - why, what, how, who, where and when, how much, in what way, comparative expressions, reasoned statements, true, false, probably, possibly, I think, I realize, I see, I believe, in my opinion

PARENT

Critical Parentmakes rules and sets limitsdisciplines, judges and criticizes

Nurturing Parent advises and guidesprotects and nurtures

ADULT  

concerned with data and factsconsiders options and estimates probabilitiesmakes unemotional decisionsplans and makes things happen

CHILD

Free (Natural) Childfun-loving and energeticcreative and spontaneous

Adapted Childcompliant and politerebellious and manipulative

Parent is the ‘taught’ concept of life Adult is the ‘thought’ concept of life. Child is the ‘felt’ concept of life.

SUMMARY of EGO STATES

IDENTIFY THE EGO STATES

1. “Why can’t you ever get to work on time?” _______

2. “We will run out of material at 2.30 p.m.” _______

3. “ I think Transactional Analysis is fun.” _______

4. “Be careful of the puddles in the car park.” _______

5.“Sue, you’ve done a really good job producing that report.”_______

6. “This cup of tea is horrible!” _______ 7. “We have reduced paperwork by 10%

in 10 weeks.” _______ 8. “All Accountants are really boring

people!” _______

9. “I’ll try.” _______ 10. “They have developed a very

advanced welding process.” _______

TRANSACTIONS

Transactions refer to a flow of communications between two people.

The transaction consists of a stimulus by one person and a response by another

Analyzing the Transactions

The first step in analyzing the transactions is to discover which part of each person-Parent, Child or Adult is originating each stimulus and response.

WORDS:

CP: never, should, ought, must, stupid, ridiculous

NP : good, nice, I love you, splendid , don’t worry ,let me help

A : when, how, what, why, where, alternative.

FC :wow, fun, want, lovely, super, hi.

AC : no, wish, I am sick, hope, sorry, after you

VOICECP: strong, critical, authoritative

NP: soft, loving, encouraging, concerned

A: even, calm, confident, unemotional,

FC: free, excited, energetic, giggling

AC : whining , defiant, apologetic, placating.

GESTURES

CP: closed ,pointed fingers, angry, frightening,

NP :Open arms, accepting, gentle, caressing

A: erect, level eye, straight, formal,

FC: uninhibited, wide eyed, flirtatious, playful

AC : pouting, sullen, immobile, distant

ATTITUDE

CP: judgmental, Moralistic

NP: understanding, caring

A: open, evaluative

FC: curious, changeable

AC : conforming, ashamed

KINDS of Transactions

1) Complementary Transactions 2) Crossed Transactions 3) Duplex Transactions

Complementary Transaction

The simplest kind of transaction is the complementary transaction, where the arrows showing the communication of ego states with one another are parallel.

Example 1

Husband: This could be 'Look, you can't just go around spending my hard-earned money on new dresses whenever you feel like it'

Wife: You're right. I'm sorry, I won't do it again.

Example 2

Marketing manager:- “I think you must work on the contents of your presentations before meeting the client”

Salesman:- “Ok sir, I will do it definitely, and try my best”

PARENT

ADULT

CHILD

PARENT

ADULT

CHILD

CROSSED TRANSACTIONS

In a crossed transaction, an ego state different than the ego state which received the stimuli is the one that responds.

Example

Husband: Dear, where are my cuff links? Wife: I haven’t seen them but I’ll help you

search. (Complementary response) Wife: You should have kept them at the

right place. (Crossed response)

PARENT

ADULT

CHILD CHILD

ADULT

PARENT

First speaker: "Our deadline for getting this report into the

mail is seven tonight. We've got a couple

of secretaries standing by." Second speaker: "Why do you always leave things until the last

moment? You do it every time. I've told

you before..."

PARENT

ADULT

CHILD CHILD

ADULT

PARENTPARENT

DUPLEX TRANSACTION

In a duplex transaction, there are two separate levels: an overt, social level and a covert psychological level, where the explicit social conversation occurs in parallel with an implicit psychological transaction.

Example

Husband comes home and writes “I love you’ in the dust on the coffee table.

Parent: ‘ Why don’t you ever clean this place up ? ’

Child: ‘Please don’t get mad at me if I criticize you ?’

PARENT

ADULT

CHILDCHILD

ADULT

PARENT

STROKES

A stroke is a unit of attention which provides stimulation to an individual.

Stroking can be physical as well as verbal. It can be in the form of a hug, a pat or a smile.

We all have a craving for strokes.

Positive strokes (compliments, praise) satisfy most.

Negative strokes (criticism, ridicule) are more satisfying than no strokes at all.

The 4 Life Positions

We experience all these positions at some time or the other in our childhood and then we relive them again when we grow up.

I’m not OK-You are OK I’m not OK-You are not OK I’m OK-You are not OK I’m OK-You are OK

(1) I’m not Ok-You are OK

This is the universal position of early childhood.

In the first year of his life, the child feels dependent upon his parents for his survival.

His strong need for striking is satisfied because he has to be picked up and cared for.

MANAGER I’m not Ok-You are Ok- Helpless, dependent, indecisive.

(2) I’m not Ok-You are not Ok

By the end of first year, the stroking reduces down drastically ‘coz the child learns to walk and he no longer has to be picked up.

In addition, punishments become harder. I’m Not Ok: The child feels that he is not

Ok ‘coz he is getting more of scolding and punishments.

You are not Ok: You have stopped giving me strokes that used to make me comfortable.

Manager I' am not Ok-You are not Ok- Hopeless, Ineffective, lack of trust, low self esteem.

(3) I’m Ok-You are not Ok

If a child suffers brutality by his parents, he shifts from the 2nd position to this position.

A child who has been beaten up by his parents mercilessly and faces extreme anger from them, finds comfort in loneliness.

He feels ‘OK’ when he is alone and away from the sight of his brutal ‘Not Ok’ parents.

Manager- I’ am Ok- You are not Ok-Angry, Lack of delegation, Lack of trust, Overburdened.

(4) I’m Ok-You are Ok

It is considered to be the best position. It reflects both mental and physical

health and well-being of the child. It results from sufficient stroking and

caring.

Manager- I' am Ok-You are Ok- Cheerful, Optimistic, Trusting, Motivating.

Only 7% of meaning is in the words spoken.

38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said).

55% is in facial expression.

GAMES

"A game is an ongoing series of complementary ulterior transactions progressing to a well-defined, predictable outcome. Descriptively, it is a recurring set of transactions... with a concealed motivation... or gimmick."

The interactions ultimately progress to an outcome in which one individual obtains a "payoff" or "goal."  In most cases, the participants of the games are unaware that they are "playing."

Games People Play

IF IT WEREN’T FOR YOU (IWFY) SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO

THANK YOU