Download Ch.7 Transactional Analysis

Transactional
Analysis
Transactional Analysis

A model for explaining why and how:
 People
think like they do
 People act like they do
 People interact/communicate with others

Based on published ‘psychological’ work such
as:
 Games
People Play (Dr. Eric Berne)
 I’m OK - - You’re OK (Dr. Tom Harris)
 Born to Win (Dr. Dorothy Jongeward)
Our Brain (according to Berne)



Determines what we think and how we act
Acts like a tape recorder while recording
1) Events
2) Associated feelings
Has 3 distinct parts or ego states
1) Parent
2) Adult
3) Child
Parent Ego State
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

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Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral patterns based
on messages or lessons learned from parents and other
‘parental’ or authoritarian sources
Shoulds and should nots; oughts and ought nots; always
and never
Prejudicial views (not based on logic or facts) on things
such as:
religion
dress
salespeople
traditions
work
products
money
raising children
companies
Nurturing views (sympathetic, caring views)
Critical views (fault finding, judgmental, condescending
views)
Adult Ego State

Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral
patterns based on objective analysis of
information (data, facts)

Make decisions based on logic,
computations, probabilities, etc. (not
emotion)
Child Ego State
Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral
patterns based on child-like emotions,
impulses, feelings we have experienced
 Child-like examples

Impulsive
Self-centered
Angry
Fearful
Happy
Pleasure seeking
Rebellious
Happy
Curious
Eager to please
Ego Portraits

People have favorite, preferred ego state,
depicted by larger circle in a diagram
Parent
Adult
Child
P
P
A
P
A
A
C
C
C
Human Interaction Analysis

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A transaction = any interaction or
communication between 2 people
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
Types of communication, interactions
1)
2)
3)
Complementary
Crossed
Ulterior
Complementary ‘Transactions’


Interactions, responses, actions regarded as appropriate
and expected from another person.
Parallel communication arrows, communication
continues.
Example 1:
#1
What time do you have?
#2
I’ve got 11:15.
P
P
A
A
C
C
Complementary ‘Transactions’
cont’d
Example 2:
P
P
A
A
C
C
#1
You’re late again!
#2
I’m sorry. It won’t
happen again.
Crossed ‘Transactions’


Interactions, responses, actions NOT regarded as appropriate or
expected from another person.
Crossed communication arrows, communication breakdown.
Example 1
#1
#2
What time do you have?
There’s a clock on the wall, why don’t you
figure it out yourself?
P
P
A
A
C
C
Crossed ‘Transactions’ cont’d
Example 2
You’re late again!
Yeah, I know, I had a flat tire.
#1
#2
P
P
A
A
C
C
Ulterior ‘Transactions’

Interactions, responses, actions which are
different from those explicitly stated
Example
#1
How about coming up to my room and
listening to some music?
P
P
A
A
C
C