TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

HISTORY OF TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS (TA)

In 1950s, Eric Berne began to develop his theories of TA. According

to him, verbal communication esp. face to face, is at the center of
human social relationships and psychoanalysis.

When 2 people encounter each other, one of them will speak to the
other. This he called the Transaction Stimulus. The reaction from the
other person he called the Transaction Response.

The person sending stimulus is called The Agent. The person who
responds is called The Respondent. Thus, TA become the method of
examining the transaction wherein : “I do something to you and you
do something back”.
 CLASSIFICATION OF T. A.

 Transactional Analysis

 Four Life Positions

 Ego States

 Transactions

 Stroking

 Change
 WHAT IS TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS ?

A method of dealing with behavioral disorders

Developed by Eric Berne who believed that the

majority of our life experiences are recorded in our
subconscious minds in an unaltered fashion and
become a part of the way we behave

The behavior is subconsciously designed to get

reactions and determine how others feel about us.
 GOALS OF TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

 Satisfaction  Feeling of belongingness

 Build relationships  Self identity
 Time structuring  Intimacy
 Need of stroke hunger  Approval
and Encouragement  Create warmth and love
 Recognition hunger  Security
 Self actualization  Confidence
 Mental and physical  Acceptance
security
 BENEFITS OF TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
 To fulfill unfinished emotional business
 Develop self awareness in individual
 This can be helped for self-counseling and to modify our
own behavior
 To heal our past events
 To improve communication
 To build good relationships
 There is an exchange of healthy information due to TA
 TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
 A Language of Psychology
 A Model of Regularities for explaining why and how:
 People think like they do
 People act like they do
 People interact/communicate with others like the do
 A Tool - Parent, Adult, & Child
 A new meaning against traditional ones
 They all apply to every transaction
 Normal people oscillate between them
 Freedom of choice in communicating with people
 Languaging – getting an idea from A to B is as important as
getting an idea
 LIFE POSITIONS

 As Berne set his Psychology up, there are four life

positions that a person can hold and holding a
particular psychological position has profound
implications for how an individual
operationalizes his or her life.

 These positions are stated as:

 I'm OK and you are OK
This is the healthiest position about life and it means that I feel
good about myself and that I feel good about others and their
competence.

I'm OK and you are not OK

In this position I feel good about myself but I see others as
damaged or less than and it is usually not healthy
 I'm not OK and you are OK
In this position the person sees him/herself as the weak
partner in relationships as the others in life are definitely better
than the self. The person who holds this position will
unconsciously accept abuse as OK.

I'm not OK and you are not OK

This is the worst position to be in as it means that I believe that
I am in a terrible state and the rest of the world is as bad.
Consequently there is no hope for any ultimate supports
 LIFE POSITIONS
You are okay with me

I am not OK
You are OK I am OK
You are OK
Own Down
I am not okay with me

Healthy Position

I am okay with me
Position

Get away from Get on with happy

helpless

I am not OK I am OK
You are not OK You are not OK

Hopeless Position One-up Position

Get Nowhere Get rid of Angry

You are not okay with me

 CONTRIBUTION OF PENFIELD & BERNE
According to them:
 People can exist in 2 states – in an Experience and
Observing it
 Our Brain acts like a Recorder
 Feelings are permanently locked to associated
Experiences
 Recorded Experiences & Feelings can be Replayed &
Relived
 Has 3 distinct parts or ego states
 Parent
 Adult
 Child
 INTRODUCTION OF EGO STATES

Parent : Does not mean responsible

Adult : Does not mean mature

Child : Does not mean childish

Recording of External Events
Taught Concept of Life

Recording of Data Acquired and Computed thru

Exploration & Testing
Thought Concept of Life

Recording of Internal Events

Felt Concept of Life
PARTS
OF
CHILD
 Parental
Dependable
Influence Withdraw

Sacrifice
Procrastinate
Matured
Pampered Submissive
Adopted

Healthy Natural Social

Independent Uncensored
Curious

Creative & Little Professor Spontaneous

Intuitive

Id (Child) Happy go
Lucky

Research Self
Oriented Rebellious Centered
 BASIC CLASSIFICATION OF CHILD

Free (Natural) Child (FC) : spontaneous, impulsive,

feeling oriented, self-centered & pleasure loving

Adaptive Child (AC) : compliant, conforms to the

wishes & demands of parental figures
 Creative Adjustable Rule Bound
Happy go
Lucky Patient

Artistic
Sociable
+ FC + AC
Fun Free Child Adaptive Child
Loving
Ideal
• ID + • Super Ego +
Energetic • I AM OK • I AM NOT OK
Self
- FC - AC Blaming
Addictive Free Child Adaptive Child
• ID – • Super Ego - Submissive
Unsatisfied • I AM NOTOK
• I AM OK
Dependent
Flirt

No Fearful Depressive
Opportunistic boundaries
 CONCEPTS OF CHILD
[ -AC ] : Negatively Submissive (Core Behavior : I am NOT OK child)
 Defensive by nature
 Become over adoptive by nature
 Always have a self blaming tendency
 Guilt prone and become emotionally insecure
 Self defeating behavior
 Always struggle for their identity
 Lack in coping up with life situations
 Unhappy with themselves and their own lives
 Prone to have depression
 Can self-hurt themselves
 No decision making power
 Negative attitude towards life and people
 CONCEPTS OF (+VE) ADOPTED CHILD
[ +AC ]: Positively Submissive (Core Pattern : I am OK child)
 They are comfortable with self
 They become prematurely old than their age
 They adapt themselves with the situation but still they are happy
 They always give priority to others
 They are more mature than their age
 They respect others and are very polite
 Psychologically they are very good
 They are more connected with their grand parents
 They are positively adapted child
 Their emotions are always under control
 CONCEPTS OF CHILD
[ - FC ] : (Core Behavior : I am NOT OK child)
 Physical drives are very strong
 Unsatisfied, rebellious and aggressive
 Unreliable and opportunistic
 Crazy and have no control on their desires
 Prone to various addictions and attractions
 Inclined to become Criminals easily
 They do not hesitate in enjoying other’s money
 Deprived for love from their parents
E.g. The children who conduct processions or any activity in
the crowds
 CONCEPTS OF CHILD
[ +FC ] : (Core Behavior : I am OK child)
 This is a pure form of child
 They love themselves like anything
 Independent and self sufficient
 Creative, imaginative, guilt-free
 Artistic and very different compared to other normal
children
 Enjoy nature and their own company
 Very Energetic and happy by nature
E.g. Character of Aamir Khan in 3 Idiots
 EGO STATE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
Ego States – Child Clues
Verbal
 I wish, I want, I don’t know, I don’t
care, I guess, when I grow up, bigger,
biggest, better, best, look no hands
 Why, what, where, who, when, & how
are the Adult operating in the little
person
 EGO STATE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
Ego States – Child Clues
Physical
Tears, shaking lips, temper tantrum, high
pitched complaining, rolling eyes, shrugging
shoulders, disappointed eyes, teasing,
laughter, delight, hand raising, nail biting,
feel shame, laughing
PARENT
EGO
STATE
 Love &
Care Teaching Responsibility Pampering

Protection
Encouragement
Security PARENT
Instructions
Support EGO
Discipline

Share STATE Appreciation

Motivation QUALITIES Backing

Warnings
Blaming

Understanding Restrictions
Nourishing Command
 Constructive Person
Resourceful
Critics Centered
Disciplined
Principals &
Reward & Values
Punishment
+ CP + NP Organization
Caring but Control Parent Nurturing Parent Builder
firm
• Observing Caring &
Strict • Mentor
• I AM OK Concerned
Governance • I AM OK

Over
- CP - NP Protective
Strict Control Parent Nurturing Parent
Negative
• Strict • Pampering Nurturing
Dominating • I AM NOT OK • I AM NOT OK
Over Idealism
Critical
Approach
Illogical
Abusive Punishment Unrealistic
 PARENTING PATTERNS
Authoritarian Parenting :
 Such parents are dominating & aggressive
 Demand lot of discipline all the time
 Children are always pressurized by them
 They rule the child
 Parents always take the decision for the child

Effect on Child
 No natural growth
 Child’s needs are always suppressed
 No decision making power
 Less Social
 Low confidence level
 Oversensitive, skeptical, shy, submissive, anxious, overprotective
 PARENTING PATTERNS
Permissive Parenting :
 Freedom to children for decision making
 Take risk for children
 Over protective

Effect on Child
 Children are insensitive socially
 Lack of sense of responsibility
 Selfish and aggressive
 Stubborn
 PARENTING PATTERNS
Uninvolved Parenting :
 Basically such parents are not ready for parenting
 Thus, no urge for parenting
 They ignore requirement of the child
 Not interested in upbringing and development of child
 They themselves are dissatisfied in their own life
 They remain passive on most of the life situations

Effect on Child
 Children are aggressive and hostile/unfriendly towards life
 Try to seek attention from everyone
 Shy, introvert, withdrawn, depressed
 Arrogant and have strong opposition
 PARENTING PATTERNS
Authoritative Parenting :
 Take deep interest in child’s overall development
 They do not pamper their child
 Recognize and accept the mistake of the child
 They tune themselves with child’s emotions and behavior

Effect on Child
 Child is confident and becomes assertive by nature
 EGO STATE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA

Ego States – Parent Clues

Physical
Furrowed brow, tightened lips, pointing finger,
head wagging, horrified look, foot tapping, hands
on hips, arms folded, exhale noisily, patting
another on the head & other individual ones
 EGO STATE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
Ego States – Parent Clues
Verbal
Stupid, naughty, ridiculous, disgusting, shocking, lazy, poor thing,
honey, ridiculous, disgusting, now what, not again
• How dare you?
• I’m going to put a stop to this
• I can’t for the life of me..
• Now always remember..
• If I were you..
• How many times..
• The use of “always” & “never”
• The use of “should” & “ought”
Eric Berne
 Transactional Analysis – social intercourse
 Transactional Stimulus
 Transactional Response
 Ego states - Parent, Adult, Child
 Four Life Positions
 Time Structuring
The Goal is Autonomy
 Release or recovery of:
 Awareness
 Spontaneity
 Intimacy
 Structural Analysis
Individual personality
 Transactional Analysis

What people do and say to one another

 Game Analysis

Ulterior transactions leading to a payoff

 Script Analysis

Specific life dramas compulsively played out

Nurturing parent - comforts, praises and helps others

• Critical parent – finds faults, displays prejudices,

disapproves and prevents others from feeling
good about themselves

• A major goal is to figure out which ego state a

person is using
 TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

Very few games have a positive or neutral outcome

In these games, people play one of three positions:

 Victim
 Persecutor
 Rescuer
 Critical Parent
Lecturing, Judging, Traditions, Criticizing, Should
& Don’t
Nurturing Parent
Consoling, Sympathy, Advising, Guides, Taking
Care Of

Objective, Data, Rational, Problem Solving, Less

Emotion

Manipulative, Submissive, Conform To Adult

Expectations
Adapted Child

Playful, Impulsive, Curious, Creative, Fun, Rebel

Natural Child
ADULT
EGO
STATE
 Good Developing
Rational
Observer Analytical Ability
Thinking

Logical
Gather, Store &
ADULT Use Information
Decisive
Transform
EGO Stimulus into
Creativity
Selectively
Emotionless
STATE Able to Adjust
& Adopt

Action
QUALITIES
Oriented Estimate
Consequence
Problem & Probabilities
Solver Checking
Act of Reality
Balancing
 EGO STATE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
Ego States – Adult Clues
Physical
 Appropriate facial expressions and body
 Active listening with proper eye contact
 Adult unconditionally allows the curious &
excited child to keep his views
 EGO STATE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
Ego States – Adult Clues
Verbal
 Why, what, where, who, when, & how
 How much, in what way, true, false,
 Comparative, probable, possible, unknown,
objective, I think, I see, it is my opinion
 TRANSACTIONS
Transactions between people are seen as having 3
levels:

 Complementary : both people are operating from

the same ego state

 Crossed : the other person reacts from an

unexpected ego state

 Ulterior : two ego states within the same person

but one disguises the other
 COMPLEMENTARY ‘TRANSACTIONS’
 Interactions, responses, actions regarded as appropriate and
expected from another person.
 Parallel communication arrows, communication continues.

P P
Q. At what time we are
going to meet today?
A A
A. I will be at your home
at sharp 7:30 pm.

C C
 COMPLEMENTARY ‘TRANSACTIONS’
Eg: 2

P P
Q. You’re always late!

A A A. I’m sorry. It won’t

happen again.

C C
 CROSSED ‘TRANSACTIONS’
 Interactions, responses, actions NOT regarded as appropriate or
expected from another person.
 Crossed communication arrows, communication breakdown.

Eg: 1
P P
Q. What is the exact time?

A A A. There’s a clock on the

wall, why don’t you
figure it out yourself?

C C
 CROSSED ‘TRANSACTIONS’
Eg: 2

Q. You’re late again!

P P A. Yeah, I know, I had a

traffic jam.

A A

C C
 ULTERIOR ‘TRANSACTIONS’
Two messages are sent, one open, the other implied and unspoken.
It can lead to repetitive game playing.

Eg: Parent to Child : “You stupid

P P boy, you are late.”

Child to Parent : “Please don’t

be angry, I did my best to get it
A A finished on time”.

(Hidden Message from Child in

the transaction : I may be late
C C in future also)
 GAME ANALYSIS
Ulteriorly motivated transactions that appear
complimentary on the surface but end in bad feelings:

1st Degree Games : minor upset, played socially end up

with minor discomfort

2nd Degree Games : more intimate end up w/bad feelings

3rd Degree Games : usually involve physical injury

 STROKING
Positive Strokes
Praise, complements, uninterrupted listening, recognition,
empathy, rewards, consolation, affection, self-satisfaction
Negative Strokes
Put-downs, criticism, degrading, ridicule, scolding,
punishment, Disagreement, lack of attention, humiliation,
embarrassment
Conditional Strokes
• Strokes with Hidden Motives
• Strokes given for what you do rather than for what you are:
Eg. Performance oriented strokes
 STROKING
Stroking is needed and seek out daily by most of us

 Relationships get reliable Stroking

 Need to see the whole person to be able to give Positive
Strokes – specially the Child
 While we give Strokes, understand that others also
‘need’ to give Strokes
 People in grief do not need advice or material but they
need you
 Listening is one of the biggest strokes
 STROKING
 Physical from parents, partners
 Psychological from teachers, friends, partners, acquaintances,
managers
 Physical Strokes early in life move to Psychological Strokes later
 Positive for Being
“Morning Yash, you’re looking very smart.”
 Positive for Doing
“This report is excellent.”
 Negative for Being
“Why are you so helpless?”
 Negative for Doing
“You’re always late.”
 ELEGANT CHANGE
What makes People Want to Change?
Pain
 They are sufficiently hurt

 They have invested in the same slot machines without any returns
for a long time
 They are severely ill and want relief

Boredom
 “So what” becomes “there is more to life than this”

Enlightenment
 I’m OK – You’re OK is the only Practical Position to initiate change