Transaction analysis is about how two people communicate with each other and how they can improve their behavior and overall personality. As a result it helps in improving interpersonal communication
2. Definition :-
The theory outlines how we have
developed and treat ourselves, how
we relate and communicate with
others, and offers suggestions and
interventions which will enable us to
change and grow. Thus, TA is a social
psychology and a method to improve
communication.
3. {
TA is about how two people communicate with each other
and how they can improve their behavior and overall
personality. As a result it helps in improving interpersonal
communication.
Example
4. TA Outline
In the 1950s Eric Berne developed the theory of TA, a theory
that sees any conversation verbal or non-verbal
communication as a transaction taking place between two
people. As a result, any communication includes a
transactional stimulus and a transactional response. As a
conversation proceeds, this is repeated a number of times
between the two individuals.
So this analysis could be done by referring to:-
Ego States.
Life Positions
Strokes and games
Uses of TA in organization
6. Ego States
Berne recognized that any
individual, whatever their age, does not
react in a single definable way at all times;
instead he believed that any individual
has three ego states, between which they
can switch instantaneously and often.
The fact that these different states exist is
taken as being responsible for the positive
or negative outcomes to conversations.
So, all people have, in differing degrees
three ego states - Parent , Adult and Child.
7. Ego states
Berne showed the transactional stimulus and response through
the use of a simple diagram showing parent (P), adult (A), child
and (C), ego states and the transactional links between them.
P P
A A
C C
8.
9. Explanation
The parent ego state is an emotional state in which
people unconsciously mimic the behavior of
parents, older siblings, teachers, and persons providing
early religious experiences in their formative childhood.
An individual is operating from a parent ego state when
that individual plays back “old tapes” that say things such
as :-
a) It’s right. It’s wrong.
b) It’s bad! It’s good
So, it is the evaluative part of all of us.
the two main parts of ego states are nurturing parent and
critical parent.
12. The adult ego state behavior could be
described simply as rational decision
making or problem solving analysis . People
operating from the adult ego state are
taking the emotional content of their ego
state and the value – laden content of their
parent ego state and checking them out in
the reality of external world. These people
are examining alternatives, probabilities
and values prior to emerging in behavior.
13. • Our 'Adult' is our ability to think and determine action for ourselves,
based on received data.
– The Adult is the rational, realistic, logical part.
• The adult in us begins to form at around ten months old, and is the
means by which we keep our Parent and Child under control.
• If we are to change our Parent or Child we must do so through our
adult.
• Direct responses to the here and now.
• We deal with things that are going on today in ways that are not
unhealthily influenced by our past.
• It is about being spontaneous and aware with the capacity for
intimacy.
• Able to see people as they are, rather than what we project onto
them.
• We ask for information rather than stay scared and rather than make
assumptions
14.
15. Explanation
The child ego states is a set of behaviors, thoughts, and
feelings which are replayed from our own childhood. A
person’s child ego state contains the “natural” impulses and
attitudes learned from child experiences. The two kind of
ego states are :-
Happy child
Destructive Child
16. TA
• Taking the best from the past and using it appropriately
in the present is an integration of the positive aspects of
both our Parent and Child ego states.
• So this can be called the Integrating Adult.
– Integrating means that we are constantly updating ourselves
through our every day experiences and using this to inform us.
• In other words:
– Parent is our 'Taught' concept of life
– Adult is our 'Thought' concept of life
– Child is our 'Felt' concept of life
• The process of analysing personality in terms of ego
states is called structural analysis.
• It is important to remember that ego states do not have
an existence of their own, they are concepts to enable understanding
17. Ego states
• It is important to say "I want some fun" rather than "My
Child wants some fun".
• We may be in our Child ego state when we say this, but
saying "I" reminds us to take responsibility for our
actions.
• In each person there is a combination of his or her own
parents, themselves as a little child and, finally, the adult
component of their psychological reality (Harris, 1973).
• Integrating Adult ego state circle is placed in the middle
to show how it needs to orchestrate between the Parent
and the Child ego states eg
– the internal Parent ego state may beat up on the internal Child,
saying "You are no good, look at what you did wrong again, you
are useless".
– The Child may then respond with "I am no good, look how useless I am, I never
get anything right".
18. Ego states
• Many people hardly hear this kind of internal dialogue
as it goes on so much they might just believe life is
this way.
• An effective Integrating Adult ego state can intervene
between the Parent and Child ego states.
• This might be done by stating that this kind of
parenting is not helpful and asking if it is prepared to
learn another way.
• Alternatively, the Integrating Adult ego state can just
stop any negative dialogue and decide to develop
another positive Parent ego state perhaps taken in
from other people they have met over the years.
19. Transactions
Transactions refer to the communication
exchanges between people. Transactional
analysts are trained to recognize which ego
states people are transacting from and to follow
the transactional sequences so they can
intervene and improve the quality and
effectiveness of communication.
20. Kinds of transaction
Reciprocal or Complementary
Transactions
A simple, reciprocal transaction occurs
when both partners are addressing the ego
state the other is in. These are also called
complementary transactions.
21. Example 1
A: "Have you been able to write the report?" (Adult to Adult)
B: "Yes - I'm about to email it to you." (Adult to Adult)
Example 2
A: "Would you like to come and watch a film with me?" (Child to
Child)
B: "I'd love to - what shall we go and see?" (Child to Child)
Example 3
A: "Is your room tidy yet?" (Parent to Child)
B: "Will you stop hassling me? I'll do it eventually!" (Child to
Parent)
22. Communication like this can continue indefinitely. (Clearly it
will stop at some stage - but this psychologically balanced
exchange of strokes can continue for some time).
23. Crossed Transactions
Communication failures are typically caused by a 'crossed
transaction' where partners address ego states other than
that their partner is in. Consider the above examples jumbled
up a bit.
24. Example 1a:
A: "Have you been able to write that report?" (Adult to Adult)
B: "Will you stop hassling me? I'll do it eventually!" (Child to Parent)
is a crossed transaction likely to produce problems in the workplace. "A" may
respond with a Parent to Child transaction. For instance:
A: "If you don't change your attitude you'll get fired"
Example 2a:
A: "Is your room tidy yet?" (Parent to Child)
B: "I'm just going to do it, actually." (Adult to Adult)
is a more positive crossed transaction. However there is the risk that "A" will feel
aggrieved that "B" is acting responsibly and not playing his role, and the
conversation will develop into:
A: "I can never trust you to do things!" (Parent to Child)
B: "Why don't you believe anything I say?" (Adult to Adult)
which can continue indefinitely.
25. Another class of transaction is the 'duplex' or 'covert'
transactions, where the explicit social conversation occurs
in parallel with an implicit psychological transaction. For
instance,
A: "I need you to stay late at the office with me." (adult
words)
body language indicates flirting intent (flirtatious child)
B: "Of course." (adult response to adult statement).
winking or grinning (child accepts the hidden motive).
26.
27.
28. What are life positions?
Life positions are basic beliefs about self and others, which are used
to justify decisions and behavior.
The concept of life positions was explored by Thomas Harris(1969)
as a way of understanding behavior.
This concept provide a conceptual framework for understanding
people in terms of whether they see themselves and others as “OK”
or “not OK”.
29. OK Feeling Not OK Feeling
“OK” or “not OK”
They are the feelings of
power, capabilities, well-
being, and personal worth.
They are the opposite feelings
of
weakness, incompetence, helpl
essness, insignificance, anxiety,
worthlessness.
30. Answer
Q. How are
life positions
different
from ego
states?
The life
positions
tend to be
more
permanent
than the ego
states.
32. GET AWAY FROM ME
Leading to a feeling of:
•Dependency
•Inadequacy
•Avoidance
You are OK
I’m not OK
GET NOWHERE WITH
Leading to a feeling of:
•Self-distrust
•Distrust for others
•Inability to cope up
•Needing external help
You are not OK
I’m not OK
33. I am OK GET RID OF
Leading to a feeling of:
•Controlling others
•Discounting others
You are not OK
GET ALONG WITH
Leading to a feeling of:
•High Trust
•Interdependence
•Self-confidence
•Resourcefulness
You are OK
I am OK
36. What are strokes?
Stroke is a form of recognition(social, physical or emotional)
that we receive from people around us.
Strokes are of following types:
Positive - When the other person is viewed positively
and appreciated in different ways.
Negative - The other person is viewed negatively and
reprimanded for his behavior.
Indifference - No attention is paid to the person either
38. EXAMPLES
POSITIVE
CONDITIO
NAL
"I like you
when you
smile"
POSITIVE
UNCONDITIO
NAL
"I like you"
NEGATIVE
CONDITIONA
L
"I don't like
you when
you're
sarcastic"
NEGATIVE
UNCONDITION
AL
"I don't like
you"
40. Philosophy of TA
People are OK; thus each person has validity, importance, equality of
respect.
Everyone (with only few exceptions) has full adult capability to think.
People decide their story and destiny, and this is a decision that can be
changed.
Freedom from historical maladaptations embedded in the childhood
script is required in order to become free of inappropriate inauthentic
and displaced emotion which are not a fair and honest reflection of
here-and-now life (such as echoes of childhood suffering, pity-me and
other mind games, compulsive behaviour, and repetitive dysfunctional
life patterns).
TA is goal-oriented, not merely problem-oriented.
The aims of change under TA are autonomy (freedom from childhood
script), spontaneity, intimacy, problem solving as opposed to avoidance
or passivity, cure as an ideal rather than merely 'making
progress', learning new choices
41. In the organizations , TA is referred to as an
alternative approach to behavior management. This
is a useful underpinning framework which can help
a manager understand better how she can interact
with her colleagues , and which can act as the basis
for further interactions .
So , TA have a general applicability in development
of interpersonal skills, which helps in improving
employee relations in an organization.
Also, TA is very effective in team building and is one
of the most effective approaches to developing
organizations and has become a major change
strategy.