Transactional Analysis
A transaction is the act of communication or interaction between two people. A transaction starts with a stimulus and ends with a response to the stimulus. Since each individual involved in the transaction has three ego-states, the transactions are between the various ego-states.
When A sends a message, B receives it; B then responds and this response is received by A. This is one transaction. A person can send a prescriptive or admonishing message (from what is called the Parent ego-state), an information message (from the Adult), or a feeling message (from the Child). Any of these messages may be sent to (and received by) one of the three ego-states of the other person (Parent, Adult, or Child). If the response is by the same ego-state as the one which received the message, it is called a complementary or parallel transaction. Such transactions are very satisfying.
Example-
Boss-our values are getting eroded
Subordinate-Yes sir
The response, however, may not originate from the ego-state which has received the message. Then it is a crossed transaction.
Example-
Boss- Is the report ready ?
Subordinate- Do you think I have no other work.?
The message sent may not be a simple one. To use TA terminology, a message sent may have two targets (ego states). There may be an overt message (open and expressed), but it may also contain a covert message (a hidden one). Transactions with such messages are called ulterior transactions.
Example-.
Boss- What is the date today ?
Subordinate- Sir,I shall definitely send the report tomorrow
Life Position Analysis
Life position comprises certain deeply ingrained convictions about the worth of the self and others. By the time a child is ready for school, it arrives at these convictions. The child's conviction about itself may either be 'I'm OK' or 'I'm not OK'. Similarly, it may look at others and think: ‘You are O.K’ or ‘You are not O.K’.
Combining these, we have four life positions-
1. 'I'm OK, you're OK'. This is the healthy position
2. 'I'm OK, You're not OK'. This is the paranoid position.
3.'I'm not OK, you're OK'. This is the depressive position
4. 'I'm not OK, You're not OK'. This is the schizoid position, or what is called “futility position’
These life positions can be used to understand one's style of working with others. Style is a consistent and stable way of interacting with others.
Showing posts with label Transactional analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Transactional analysis. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Leadership development through Transactional Analysis- Relationship styles exposed
One of the popular theories of personality and human development is transactional analysis (TA), originated by Eric Berne (1961). Departing from classical psychoanalysis, Berne used simple day-to-day language to explain the dynamics of personality and its application for human development. His theory has the following components:
1. Structural analysis, proposing the main structure of a personality in terms
of three ego states. ,
2. Transactional analysis, explaining the dynamics of interpersonal
communication in terms of transactions between ego states of A and B.
3. Life-position analysis, suggesting the four positions individuals adopt in
their transaction with the outside world.
4. Games analysis, discussing ulterior transactions leading to a pay-off.
5. Script analysis, detailing of specific life dramas that people compulsively
play out.
For our purposes, two of the above are especially relevant-structural analysis and life-position analysis. However, we shall briefly explain the other aspects of T A also.
Structural Analysis
Structural analysis deals with the structure of the personality. A personality consists of three ego states. An ego state is 'a consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly related to a corresponding consistent pattern of behavior'. The three ego states are Parent, Adult, and Child.
The Parent ego-state-
It is 'a set of feelings attitudes and behaviour patterns which resemble those of the parental figure'.There are two main Parental functions-nurturing and controlling, (regulating). Nurturing is done by providing needed support. Controlling or regulating behaviour (of others) is done through prescriptions (instructing in detail what should be done and how) and sanctions (punishing that behaviour which the Parent disapproves of). We may call these sub-ego states or sub-functions. The main focus of the Parent seems to be on values and norms.
The Adult ego-state-
It is 'an autonomous set of feelings, attitudes and behaviour patterns which are adapted to the current reality'. The Adult ego-state has the function of collecting and processing information in the present. It responds to reality. The Adult works like a computer, without any values or emotions. We can call this a task function
The Child ego-state-
It is 'a set of feelings, attitudes and behaviour patterns which are relics of the individual's own child hood. The Child ego-state has several aspects. These were named Natural Child (curious, fun-loving), Rebellious Child (revolting against authority) and Adapted Child (the ego-state under the influence of the Parent)..
All these relate to emotions. We shall take the liberty of using different terms with slightly different meanings-Creativity, Confrontation, and Adaptation.
All the three ego-states (and their sub-states) are important for a person. If anyone of them is weak, we call it 'underdeveloped'. Numerically speaking, the three ego-states should be about 33 per cent each; the same is true of the three Child sub-ego-states with respect to their composition of the child. The two Parent sub-ego-states should be about 50 per cent each of the full Parent. Norms for underdevelopment have been worked out and it has been suggested that a percentage ratio of 20 or below (for the three ego states or three Child sub-ego-states) and 30 or below (for the two Parent sub-ego-states) show underdevelopment.
to be continued....
1. Structural analysis, proposing the main structure of a personality in terms
of three ego states. ,
2. Transactional analysis, explaining the dynamics of interpersonal
communication in terms of transactions between ego states of A and B.
3. Life-position analysis, suggesting the four positions individuals adopt in
their transaction with the outside world.
4. Games analysis, discussing ulterior transactions leading to a pay-off.
5. Script analysis, detailing of specific life dramas that people compulsively
play out.
For our purposes, two of the above are especially relevant-structural analysis and life-position analysis. However, we shall briefly explain the other aspects of T A also.
Structural Analysis
Structural analysis deals with the structure of the personality. A personality consists of three ego states. An ego state is 'a consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly related to a corresponding consistent pattern of behavior'. The three ego states are Parent, Adult, and Child.
The Parent ego-state-
It is 'a set of feelings attitudes and behaviour patterns which resemble those of the parental figure'.There are two main Parental functions-nurturing and controlling, (regulating). Nurturing is done by providing needed support. Controlling or regulating behaviour (of others) is done through prescriptions (instructing in detail what should be done and how) and sanctions (punishing that behaviour which the Parent disapproves of). We may call these sub-ego states or sub-functions. The main focus of the Parent seems to be on values and norms.
The Adult ego-state-
It is 'an autonomous set of feelings, attitudes and behaviour patterns which are adapted to the current reality'. The Adult ego-state has the function of collecting and processing information in the present. It responds to reality. The Adult works like a computer, without any values or emotions. We can call this a task function
The Child ego-state-
It is 'a set of feelings, attitudes and behaviour patterns which are relics of the individual's own child hood. The Child ego-state has several aspects. These were named Natural Child (curious, fun-loving), Rebellious Child (revolting against authority) and Adapted Child (the ego-state under the influence of the Parent)..
All these relate to emotions. We shall take the liberty of using different terms with slightly different meanings-Creativity, Confrontation, and Adaptation.
All the three ego-states (and their sub-states) are important for a person. If anyone of them is weak, we call it 'underdeveloped'. Numerically speaking, the three ego-states should be about 33 per cent each; the same is true of the three Child sub-ego-states with respect to their composition of the child. The two Parent sub-ego-states should be about 50 per cent each of the full Parent. Norms for underdevelopment have been worked out and it has been suggested that a percentage ratio of 20 or below (for the three ego states or three Child sub-ego-states) and 30 or below (for the two Parent sub-ego-states) show underdevelopment.
to be continued....
