Eric Berne’sTransactional analysis

By Edison J. Delos Reyes, R.N.

• Transactional Analysis is a theory developed by Dr. Eric Berne in the 1950s. (Transactional Analysis early history here.) Originally trained in psychoanalysis, Berne wanted a theory which could be understood and available to everyone and began to develop what came to be called Transactional Analysis (TA)

• Transactional Analysis is the method for studying interactions between individuals.

• Transactional Analysis is a social psychology and a method to improve communication. 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.

• Transactional Analysis is underpinned by the philosophy that:

• people can change • we all have a right to be in the world and be

accepted

• Key Terms:• transaction - the fundamental unit of social

intercourse. • stroke - the fundamental unit of social action

Egos States.

• Berne made complex interpersonal transactions understandable when he recognized that people can interact from one of three "ego-states" -- Parent, Adult or Child -- and that these interactions can occur at overt and covert levels. Each one of the ego states in is effect a "mind module," a system of communication with its own language and function; the Parent's is a language of values , the Adult's is a language of logic and rationality and the Child's is a language of emotions.

Parent ego state

• This is a set of feelings, thinking and behavior that we have copied from our parents and significant others.

• As we grow up we take in ideas, beliefs, feelings and behaviors from our parents and caretakers. If we live in an extended family then there are more people to learn and take in from. When we do this, it is called introjections and it is just as if we take in the whole of the care giver.

• The parent represents a massive collection of recordings in the brain of external events experienced or perceived in approximately the first five years of life.

• For example, we may notice that we are saying things just as our father, mother, grandmother may have done, even though, consciously, we don't want to. We do this as we have lived with this person so long that we automatically reproduce certain things that were said to us, or treat others as we might have been treated.

• Types of Parent Ego state:– Nurturing– critical/controlling

• The Nurturing parent is part of us that . . .“Takes care of” others.• Is sympathetic part of us ------ Wants to make others feel better.• Protects others.• The nurturing parent acts like Florence Nightingale always wanting to help people.• Examples . . .• “Boy you worked hard today.”• “Hey . . . Don’t worry about it . . . -- It could happen to anyone.”• “Anyone can make a mistake”• “I’ll take care of that for you.”• Critical Parent — The critical parent is the part of us that . . . .• Finds fault and blames others, Criticizes others• Passes judgement , Puts others down• Examples . . .• “Can’t you do anything right?”• “Your late” “Can’t we ever depend on you.”• “You shouldn’t talk like that.”

nurturing

• caring and concerned and often may appear as a mother-figure (though men can play it too). They seek to keep the Child safe and offer unconditional love, calming them when they are troubled.

• Nurturing parent-.“Takes care of” others.Is sympathetic part of us ------ Wants to make

others feel better.Protects others.The nurturing parent acts like Florence Nightingale

always wanting to help people.– Examples . . .

• “Boy you worked hard today.”• “Hey . . . Don’t worry about it . . . -- It could happen to

anyone.”• “Anyone can make a mistake”• “I’ll take care of that for you.”

Critical/controlling

• tries to make the Child do as the parent wants them to do, perhaps transferring values or beliefs or helping the Child to understand and live in society. They may also have negative intent, using the Child as a whipping-boy or worse.

• The critical parent is the part of us that . . . .• Finds fault and blames others, Criticizes others• Passes judgement , Puts others down

– Examples . . .• “Can’t you do anything right?”• “Your late” “Can’t we ever depend on you.”• “You shouldn’t talk like that.”

• Parent cues:– Physical - angry or impatient body-language and

expressions, finger-pointing, patronizing gestures, – Verbal - always, never, for once and for all,

judgmental words, critical words, patronizing language, posturing language.

• N.B. beware of cultural differences in body-language or emphases that appear 'Parental'.

Adult ego state

• Close to one year of age, a child begins to exhibit gross motor activity.

• principally concerned with transforming stimuli into pieces of information, and processing and filing that information on the basis of previous experience“

• Adult allows the young person to evaluate and validate Child and Parental data.

• The Adult Ego state– Objectively deals with reality, – Gathers information– Organizes, – Tests reality– Estimates probabilities, – Makes decisions

• Adult cues:– Physical - attentive, interested, straight-forward,

tilted head, non-threatening and non-threatened.– Verbal - why, what, how, who, where and when,

how much, in what way, comparative expressions, reasoned statements, true, false, probably, possibly, I think, I realise, I see, I believe, in my opinion.

•

Child ego state

• set of behaviors, thoughts and feelings which are replayed from our own childhood.

• represents the recordings in the brain of internal events associated with external events the child perceives. Stated another way, stored in the Child are the emotions or feelings which accompanied external events. Like the Parent, recordings in the Child occur from childbirth all the way up to the age of approximately 5 years old.

• Types of child ego:– Natural Child is largely un-self-aware and is

characterized by the non-speech noises they make (yahoo, etc.). They like playing and are open and vulnerable.Natural impulses and emotions of every young children, Impulsive, Self Centered, Pleasure loving, Anger, Fear, Happy, Affectionate, Rebellious , Sad, Aggressive

– Adaptive Child reacts to the world around them, either changing themselves to fit in or rebelling against the forces they feel.

• Child cues:– Physical - emotionally sad expressions, despair,

temper tantrums, whining voice, rolling eyes, shrugging shoulders, teasing, delight, laughter, speaking behind hand, raising hand to speak, squirming and giggling.

– Verbal - baby talk, I wish, I don't know, I want, I'm going to, I don't care, oh no, not again, things never go right for me, worst day of my life, bigger, biggest, best, many superlatives, words to impress.

• And remember, when you are trying to identify ego states: words are only part of the story.

• To analyze a transaction you need to see and feel what is being said as well.

• Only 7% of meaning is in the words spoken.• 38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that

the words are said).• 55% is in facial expression.

Strokes

• Berne observed that people need strokes, the units of interpersonal recognition, to survive and thrive. Understanding how people give and receive positive and negative strokes and changing unhealthy patterns of stroking are powerful aspects of work in transactional analysis.

• Any recognition of another person’s presence is known as a stroke

• A word• A greeting• A gesture• A touch

• Eric Berne believed that every person has the need to be recognized by others

• Types:– Positive– negative

• Positive Strokes– A positive stroke is any recognition that is direct,

appropriate, and relevant– Positive strokes leaves the other person feeling

alive, alert, and significant

• Positive Unconditional Strokes or “Warm Fuzzies”

– The best stroke is a positive unconditional stroke– This is a stroke that says . . .

• “I like you -- you’re OK” -- No strings attached

– Positive unconditional strokes must be• Genuine, Honest, Straight

• Examples– “That’s a neat looking shirt you have on.”– “I really liked the way you handled the meeting.”– “You really know how to close a sale.”– “I appreciate the tact you used with that customer.”– “Boy, it is sure a pleasure to work with you.”– “Honey, I just don’t know what I would do without you.”

• Listening is one of the finest Warm Fuzzies you can give– Active listening– Gives feedback to the other person– Hears the feelings as well as the words– Concentrates on the needs of the other person

• Positive Conditional Strokes really say . . .– “I like you if . . .”– “You’re OK with me when . . .”

• Examples . . .• “If you keep that up, you will get a big bonus.”• “When you work like that you really contribute to the

team.”• “Son, I am really proud of you when you dress like

that.”

• Positive Conditional Strokes are also called “Plastic Fuzzies”

Negative Strokes

• Strokes can also be negative– A put down• An insult• Laughing at someone• Physical abuse

• Negative strokes are sometimes called “Cold Pricklies

• People who have difficulty accumulating enough positive strokes sometimes become skillful at setting people up to give them negative strokes. They become accustomed to negative strokes.

• Negative strokes become a way of life that makes sense to them

Transaction

• refer to the communication exchanges between people. By analyzing the ego states people are transacting from and to it is possible to improve the quality and effectiveness of communication.

• Types of transactions:– Complementary – Crossed– ulterior

• Complementary transaction:• This is getting a predicted response

– Both persons are often thinking in the same way and communication is easy.

• Crossed Transactions (Communications)– Problems usually occur in Crossed transactions,

where the other person is at a different level.– Causes most trouble in the world.

• Ulterior transaction:– A transaction that has a hidden meaning.– Uses games