 Transactional Analysis
Transactional Analysis (TA) is a popular self-development system, enabling people to understand and improve their relationships and become more assertive. It was developed by the American Eric Berne, the ideas being popularised in his Games people play, as well as in Thomas Harris's I'm OK, you're OK and Born to win by Muriel James and Dorothy Jongeward. TA is used widely in business, especially in customer care, and the techniques can prove invaluable for maintaining good relationships both in the home and in the workplace.
Key Features of Transactional Analysis
Transactional Analysis is based on a very simple model, in which each person is considered to have three primary personality modes or 'ego states': Parent, Adult and Child. And at any given time, one of these modes is likely to be dominant. The significance of the three modes is as follows:
- Parent
When in Parent mode a person can be Nurturing or Controlling. And there are positive and negative aspects to each of these. For example, a Positive Controlling Parent sets boundaries and gives people space; a Negative Controlling Parent can be domineering and strongly opinionated.
- Adult
When in Adult mode a person operates in an objective, rational, logical way.
- Child
Finally, when in Child mode a person can be Free or Adaptive. Again, there are positive and negative aspects to each of these. For example, a Positive Adaptive Child is co-operative and helpful; a Negative Adaptive Child is likely to be fearful and either compliant or rebellious.
In any 'transaction' between two people each will tend to move into a particular ego state. For example, when you ask a stranger in the street for directions the transaction is likely to be a straightforward, unemotional Adult-Adult one, with a simple transfer of information. (The diagram on the above book cover is intended to illustrate just such an Adult-Adult transaction.) By contrast, when an autocratic boss is disciplining a member of staff the transaction is likely to be one with a high emotional charge: Negative Controlling Parent-Negative Adaptive Child. The purpose of TA is to help people to deal with such difficult situations, and to enable them to have a win-win, 'I'm OK, you're OK' outcome.
Further Information
For further information about Transactional Analysis see:
- Eric Berne's Transactional Analysis (TA) - Early History and Theory
ITAA - The International Transactional Analysis Association
Stop acting like a baby by Karen Hainsworth
Wikipedia page on Transactional Analysis
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