TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

TRANSACTIONAL  ANALYSIS 

                Transactional Analysis is a neoanalytic theory of personality developed by Eric Berne. It explains personality in terms of an Ego-state Model, Analysis of Transactions and four Life Position.

1.       The Ego-state Model of Personality.

Eric Berne proposed theoretical model to explain the personality structure which is known as ego-state model. An ego stage is a coherent system of thought and feeling manifested by corresponding patterns of behavior. As per this model, there exist three distinct types of ego states in every individual –parent(P), adult(a), child(c). Each Ego-state has its own gesture, mannerism, and speech pattern.

1.       The parent ego-state

This is set of feelings, thinking and behavior that we have copied from our parents and significant others, when an individual is in this state of his ego, he tends to feel, think, act, talk and respond just as one of his parents did when he was young. The parent ego state is characterized by the need to establish standards, direct others, instill values and criticize.

2.       The adult ego-state

It consists of thoughts and behaviours resulting from reason, careful consideration, and the intellect. This ego-state is characterized by an autonomous set of feelings, attitudes, and behavior pattern which are adapted to the current reality. It acts as an assimilator and evaluator of information.

3.       The child ego-state

It is a set of feelings, needs, attitudes and behavior patterns that are relice of the individual’s own childhood. When we are in the child ego state we think, feel, see, hear and react like the child we once were. It is the foundation on which an individual builds his concept of self.