Transactional Analysis
Introduction and History -
Transactional Analysis is a theory to understand human behavior through concepts which have been taken from psychology and psychotherapy. This method helps in understanding and to some extent – predicting how people behave in different situations.
Transaction analysis was developed by Eric Berne during 1950’s and was made famous by his book – “Games People Play”. This theory was further developed by Dr. Thomas Harris in his book – “I am OK, You’re Ok” in late 1960’s.
What is Transaction Analysis?
Transactional Analysis explains that people live in three ego-states – 1. Parent – In this state – the person is behaving in response to their understanding and memories of their parents and how they acted. Thus – the person is either nurturing or critical and in both the cases – the person believes and behaves as someone who is controlling or trying to control the other person. 2. Child – In this state – the person behaves and thinks similarly to what he/she did in childhood. Thus – the person reacts emotionally to situations and tries to find comfort in a parent. 3. Adult – this is a emotion-less state – where the person is objectively looking at the situation and reacts to it based on reality and maturity.
These ego-states are not the representative of the age, position or relationship of any person. In fact – the same person – in different situations and with different people – may get into different ego-states. E.g. a person – who behaves as a parent in home to his child, may behave as a adult at a workplace or a child in front of his superiors. Similarly – a small child may behave in the parent ego-state in front of other children.It is important to diagnose the ego-state of a person at any given time.
Analysis of ego-state and Transactions -
TA theory uses the understanding of these ego-states to analyze how a person may behave in specific transactions. There are 4 types of analysis that are performed – 1.
Transactional Analysis is a theory to understand human behavior through concepts which have been taken from psychology and psychotherapy. This method helps in understanding and to some extent – predicting how people behave in different situations.
Transaction analysis was developed by Eric Berne during 1950’s and was made famous by his book – “Games People Play”. This theory was further developed by Dr. Thomas Harris in his book – “I am OK, You’re Ok” in late 1960’s.
What is Transaction Analysis?
Transactional Analysis explains that people live in three ego-states – 1. Parent – In this state – the person is behaving in response to their understanding and memories of their parents and how they acted. Thus – the person is either nurturing or critical and in both the cases – the person believes and behaves as someone who is controlling or trying to control the other person. 2. Child – In this state – the person behaves and thinks similarly to what he/she did in childhood. Thus – the person reacts emotionally to situations and tries to find comfort in a parent. 3. Adult – this is a emotion-less state – where the person is objectively looking at the situation and reacts to it based on reality and maturity.
These ego-states are not the representative of the age, position or relationship of any person. In fact – the same person – in different situations and with different people – may get into different ego-states. E.g. a person – who behaves as a parent in home to his child, may behave as a adult at a workplace or a child in front of his superiors. Similarly – a small child may behave in the parent ego-state in front of other children.It is important to diagnose the ego-state of a person at any given time.
Analysis of ego-state and Transactions -
TA theory uses the understanding of these ego-states to analyze how a person may behave in specific transactions. There are 4 types of analysis that are performed – 1.