Transactional Analysis

Transactional Analysis A Newer Analytical Approach Text: Chapter 11

Upstate Transactional Analysis • Developer: Eric Berne • Historical development • View of human nature - Motivated by three fundamental needs:  Stimulus hunger  Structure hunger  Position hunger. 2

Upstate • Stimulus hunger - the need to be affirmed/ recognized by others - The need to receive strokes - Can be positive or negative - Strokes result in either good or bad feelings called stamps which can be cashed in when enough are collected • Structure hunger - the need to structure time effectively/maximize the number of strokes received. 3

Upstate Ways of structuring time: Withdrawal - safe, avoids risk Rituals and pasttimes - low risk, non- involving social interactions, pleasantries Activities - work, hobbies which bring strokes Games - interactions based on unwritten rules designed to create pay off; usually covert and dishonest; common problem in relationships Intimacy - an honest, game-free relationship with mutuality, no exploitation. 4

Upstate • Position hunger - The need to have our fundamental life decisions validated and affirmed - To be told we are either OK or not OK - Early in life we make basic decisions about self and others: “I’m OK.” or “I’m not OK.” “You’re OK.” or You’re not OK.” - This decision serves as the basis for a script which we use to structure time and seek strokes • TA belief: We can overcome early experience and write healthy scripts. 5

Upstate Structure of Personality • Personality is composed of three ego states: • The Parent, the Adult, and the Child P • The Parent ego state: - Thinking and responding influenced by our parent’s way of interacting with us - Filled with values, injunctions, shoulds & oughts, and behaviors internalized from childhood. 6

Upstate The Parent is subdivided into 2 parts: • The Nurturing Parent - Internalized messages that were loving, supporting and accepting - Results in adult nurturing responses • The Critical Parent - Internalized messages that were rejecting, controlling, and judgmental - Results in adult critical responses. 7

Upstate • The Adult ego state: A - The objective part of personality - It processes information - Has no feeling - Asks factual questions: what, when, why? - Mediates between Parent and Child - Focuses on decision-making - Presents situations in an organized and intelligent way. 8

Upstate • The Child ego state: C - Child-like; reflects the little boy/girl that never grows up - Reflects child-like feelings - Is fun-loving, affectionate, selfish, mean, playful, whiny, manipulative, spontaneous - Is divided into 2 parts: • The Natural/Free Child • - impulsive, pleasure-seeking, uninhibited, aggressive, rebellious, creative, affectionate, etc. 9

Upstate • The Adapted Child - Ignores own instincts and tries to please parents - Duplicates reactions individuals had toward parents in childhood including feelings, such as guilt, fear, and anger - It complies, procrastinates, negotiates • To be healthy, one must balance responses and ego states appropriately • People are generally in one ego state or another • Comparison between id, ego, and superego and ego states. 10

Upstate Development of Maladaptive Behavior Ego State Boundary Problems • Contamination - When Adult ego state is interfered with by the prejudicial or irrational ideas of the Parent. (Parent contaminates Adult) • Example: All young people today are going to the dogs • This is a statement coming from the critical Parent, but is stated with the belief that it is a fact. 11

Upstate • Contamination - When the Adult ego state is interfered with by the archaic feelings of the Child. (Child contaminates Adult) • Example: I’m no good, can’t do anything right • This is a statement coming from the archaic Child, but is stated as if it were a fact. 12

Upstate • Exclusion - When one or more ego states are effectively prevented from operating. 13

Upstate Games • A reoccurring set of transactions • Superficially rational with a concealed motive • A series of transactions with a gimmick or negative pay off • Sometimes called ulterior transactions • Are played compulsively over and over • Basically dishonest, involves the avoidance of intimacy • Usually supports one’s life position regarding self and others. 14

Upstate Rackets • Habitual ways of feeling • Originating in the experiences we had in growing up • Often are unpleasant feelings that we hold on to after playing games • Become a basic part of life’s script • The Guilt Racket, the Depression Racket, the Worry Racket • Convinces one of his/her not OK position. 15

Upstate Injunctions • Parental messages that tell children what to do and how to be • Stem from parent’s own anxiety, frustration, unhappiness • Children decide to accept or challenge injunctions • Examples: don’t be, don’t succeed • When children decide to accept negative injunctions, this leads to maladaptive behavior. 16

Upstate Life Positions • Early in life, individuals take a position regarding their intrinsic worth and that of others • Environmental experiences influence these positions • Four life positions: • “I’m okay - you’re okay.” • “I’m okay - you’re not okay.” • “I’m not okay - you’re okay.” • “I’m not okay - you’re not okay.” 17

Upstate Scripts • A personal life plan which dictates behavior • Formed early in life in reaction to important experiences such as the injunctions one is exposed to • Relates to these questions: “Who am I?”, “What am I doing here?”, and “Who are all those others?”. 18

Upstate Functions and Goals of Therapy What the therapist does. • Structural analysis - analyze client’s ego states • Are you a “Constant Parent”? • Are you a “Constant Adult”? • Are you a “Constant Child”? • Perhaps use egogram - a diagram portraying the energy one expends in each ego state. 19

Upstate Analysis of Transactions – functional analysis • Diagnosing the ego states that emerge in a social interchange • Three kinds of transactions: • Complimentary transactions • Crossed transactions • Ulterior transactions. 20

Upstate Complimentary Transactions • Lines of communication are parallel • Communication can proceed smoothly and indefinitely. P P P P A A A A C C C C 21

Upstate Crossed Transactions • Lines of communication are crossed • Communication is broken off • Relationship breaks down. P P P P A A A A C C C C 22

Upstate Ulterior Transactions • Two messages are sent, one overt, the other implied and unspoken • Can lead to repetitive game playing. P P P P A A A A C C C C 23

Upstate Analyze Games • Why don’t you - yes, but . . . • Seduction • Uproar • Blemish • Look how hard I tried • Cops and robbers. 24

Upstate • Analyze injunctions and client’s response to injunctions • Common injunctions (Goulding) - “Don’t.” - “Don’t be.” - “Don’t be a child.” - “Don’t be close.” - “Don’t be well.” - “Don’t succeed.” (“Don’t do well.”). 25

Upstate • Analyze scripts and decisions carried over from childhood • Analyze predominant life position based on understanding injunctions and scripts • Change script, early decisions, and life position through redecision: an emotional, intellectual, and behavioral process which takes place in therapy session • TA is also a contractual approach. 26

Transactional Analysis