07-12-2007, 12:15 PM
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| |  Transactional Analysis
Transactional Analysis
-Dr. S.Balachandran
Ego States
Transactional Analysis or TA, is a very simple, easily comprehensible method of understanding human behaviour. It is based on the analysis of transactions between persons. A transaction is defined as an exchange between two people. The exchange is of thoughts and of feelings, expressed verbally in words or conveyed non-verbally in voice variations and gestures. A transaction is the basic unit of social interaction.
T.A. is based on the following concepts, developed by Dr.Eric Berne, a psychoanalyst.
1. Every person regardless of age, has 3 main behavioural characteristics: Parent (P), Adult (A) and Child (C). These are called Ego states.
2. Each Ego State represents a set of behaviours, thoughts, feelings and attitudes.
3. The P develops from all that one has been taught or had observed in the behaviour of parents and elders. The related behaviours are
· advise, train, feed, coach, protect (called Nurturing P - the mother’s role)
· scold, criticise. punish, lay down rules, (called Critical P - the role of the father)
4. The A represents the use of discrimination, reasoning, evaluation, data analysis, use of logic, ability to observe objectively and correctly
5. The C represents
· the innate, spontaneous, uninhibited nature, like having fun, being inquisitive, crying, demanding, being impulsive, curious, shy, fantasising, called the Free Child or FC.
· and also includes the Adaptive Child or AC, which is the response to the forces from outside and includes obedience, sulking, manipulating, aggression, rebelliousness, with feelings of guilt and anxiety.
When a person functions from the Parent ego state, he is in the same state of mind as a parent would be in relation and would express similar postures, gestures, vocabulary and feelings. In the Adult ego state, the characteristics are rationality and objectivity. In the Child ego state, the characteristics are spontaneity, curiosity and fantasy.
Children have A (seen when learning or when experimenting with toys like the mechano) as well as CP and NP ego states (seen not only when playing with younger children, but also while leading elders along activities with which they are more familiar). Very old people play around (with grandchildren), have fun and mischief with their contemporaries and sulk when things are not to their liking. They are then in the Child Ego state. Some of the ego states relating to behaviours are indicated below.
Child cuddling the doll NP
Not liking what you are told AC
Being self centred FC
Getting angry AC
Writing advertisement copy FC
Evaluating tenders A
Succumbing to pressure AC
Finding fault CP
Unable to decide AC or A
Risk taking FC or A
These Ego States are like tapes in one’s system, which get activated and lead to certain kinds of behaviours. Everybody has all the five states in him/her. The extent of dominance of any, varies and that determines the dominant style of behaviour.
Ego State Indicators
Ego States are revealed in the words, voice (tone, pitch, volume), facial expressions, gestures and postures. They are easy to observe, detect and help to understand behaviour. The words "Come here" may be an Adult ego state request, from a colleague to another, or a command from a senior to a junior for the purpose of discussing a difficult matter or to be reprimanded for an error. In each of these three situations the voice levels and facial expressions will be different. The real meaning to the words "Come here" will be understood when seen with the accompanying sounds and expressions, which automatically change with the ego state from which the person is at that time, behaving. The question "When will be report to ready" could be from an A ego state, wanting information for further planning, or from an NP wanting to know whether any help is required, or from a CP wanting to know why it is not ready already.
Imagine a father loudly scolding his noisy disobeying son. His voice is loud, eyes red, body stiff, face taut. Suddenly the telephone rings and his boss is on the line. The CP would change to Adult or even an AC, voice become moderate even submissive, body slightly slouched, lips smiling. The following is a list of words and voices normally associated with the various ego states.
WORDS:
CP: never, should, ought,must, stupid, ridiculous
NP : good,nice, I love you, splendid , don’t worry ,let me help
A : when, how, what,why, where, alternative.
FC :wow, fun, want,lovely, super, hi.
AC : no, wish, I am sick, hope, sorry, after you
VOICE
CP:strong,critical,condescending,authoritative
NP: soft,loving, encouraging, concerned
A:even, calm, confident, unemotional,
FC: free,excited, energetic,giggling
AC : whining , defiant, apologetic, placating.
GESTURES
CP:closed ,pointed fingers,angry,frightening,
NP pen arms, accepting, gentle, caressing
A:erect, level eye, straight, formal,
FC: uninhibited, wide eyed, flirtatious, playful
AC : pouting, sullen,immobile, distant
ATTITUDE
CP: judgmental,Moralistic
NP: understanding,caring
A: open, evaluative
FC: curious, changeable
AC : conforming, ashamed
Implications
All the five ego states have advantages and disadvantages. Learning, creativity, humour and wit happen only in the FC ego state. This is the ego state which accepts change and challenge and copes comfortably with stress. But the FC also leads one to be blunt and tactless, to imagine unrealistically, to be bohemian, socially unacceptable. The AC is the one that is tactful, conforms to discipline and is reliable, who can be trusted to carry out instructions, as well as the one that is slavish, rebellious, obstructive and capable of sabotage, because of resentment. The AC adds stress to self and others with its hostility.
The Adult is the source of rational thought, which analyses, evaluates and understands the factors relevant to a situation, necessary for planning, problem solving and managerial decision. He takes charge. Too much of the Adult makes a person totally insensitive to the feelings and concerns of others. He is like a computer, not friendly.
The Critical Parent is necessary to enforce discipline, to correct, to administer. He uis firm and gives clear direction. It is this Ego State that frightens, makes people servile, unthinking, mechanical workers. The Nurturing Parent encourages, trains, develops, comforts others at times of stress. The same ego state can also become too liberal and lenient, indulgent, allowing people to be neglectful of the requirements of work. He may be taken for granted, loved but not respected
Transactions
The implications of these concepts are many. In terms of simple transactions (exchanges between people), it says that if the message is from a certain ego state (S) of the sender to ego state (R) of the receiver, the response from (R) to (S) will be a complementary or parallel transaction. Example
A to B "What is the time?" Adult to Adult
B to A 10 a.m. Adult to Adult
When transactions are complementary or parallel, communication will continue undisturbed. If the response is not from (R) to (S), but from any other ego state, the two lines will cross each other. The transaction is then called a crossed transaction. It is an unexpected response. There can be trouble between the two persons. Example of a crossed transaction is
A to B "What is the time" Adult to Adult
B to A "Look at your watch" P to C or could also be from AC to A
In the example of the crossed transaction, if the question "What is the time" is asked by a teacher to a student, who was coming late to class, the question, though apparently an Adult to Adult message, is really a message from a (critical) Parent to Child. In that case the response "Sorry, Sir", though not an answer to the question and not an Adult to Adult message, would be a parallel transaction. It is parallel and complementary to the real message, which is an ulterior (hidden) transaction. If the student had tried to give the actual time, that would have been a crossed transaction, because the real meaning would have been something like "I know and I don’t care".
Examples of transactions from different ego states are given below. Managers should seek parallel transactions and seek also to convert crossed transactions to parallel ones. There are techniques to do so.
1. Do you love me, Mummy C to NP
Yes. Very much NP to C
2. I love you C to C
I love you too C to C
3. I love you C to C
Why? Suddenly now. CP to C
4 When a subordinate cannot find an important file, many responses are possible, each from a different ego state
Why can’t you be responsible CP
Check with Parekh. He may help A or NP
You find it quick. I have no time for this C
5. Similarly, when an assistant comes up with a proposal,
Sit down. Lets work on it together A or NP
This makes no sense CP
Where from have you got these facts A
Send it to the boss. Lets see him boil C
6.When a colleague has missed his promotion
He deserved to get it A or NP
I know. He must be feeling bad NP
What else do you expect in this office AC
Strokes
Another concept in T.A. is that of Strokes, which are only acts of recognition. Everybody has a hunger for strokes. We are used to physical stoking while we were children. They were comforting. We stroke pets at home. The pets expect it. They are unhappy if they are not stroked by the master when he gets back at the end of a working day.
Human beings are not dissimilar in their craving for strokes. We would still need physical stroking as in an embrace or hug. In times of great sorrow, as when there is a death in the family, close relatives do embrace each other by way of comforting. When friends meet, the hand shake is a variation of the physical stroke. The housewife who cooks a good dinner for guests, gets stroked, when there is appreciation for the food, through specific comments to that effect, or when the dishes are wiped clean or when someone asks for the recipe for that dish
Where physical stroking may not be convenient or appropriate, psychological stroking is resorted to. The greeting in the morning is stroking. When friends meet everyday, a simple ‘Hello" is good enough as a greeting. But if they have not met for a long time, as when a colleague has been on leave, a simple ‘Hello’ will not do. Some more exchanges have to take place. That is the compensation for the lack of stroking during the period of absence.
A stroke is a unit of recognition. Positive strokes (compliments, praise) satisfy most. Negative strokes (criticism, ridicule) are more satisfying than no strokes at all. Many workers have become recalcitrant because they were ignored at work and got no strokes at all. Many marriages are threatened after a few years, because each spouse takes the other for granted and does not provide strokes.
A stroke is satisfying and is therefore a reward. Like any other reward, strokes also, if given indiscreetly, may misdirect. One must not provide a positive stroke at the time of an undesirable behaviour. All the rules about providing recognition apply to the use of strokes. Strokes reassure, provide confirmation of value of individuals, communicate about desirable and undesirable behaviours. Celebrations of successes, recognition of birthdays, mention in house bulletins, appreciation of laurels earned by members of the family, competition, incentives etc., are all variations of positive strokes aimed to attain high levels of satisfaction and motivation among employees and even dealers
Games
A third concept relates to Structuring time and discusses the various ways in which people try to spend time, many of which are non-productive, but consume time and energy. The various ways have been studied and classified into various categories and some of them are called games. These are psychological games and are played quite spontaneously. They provide satisfactions to the players, which are called pay-offs.
Games have hidden agendas. The player is aiming at a certain outcome, which is not obvious to the uninitiated. They tend to be repetitive. Games prevent honest, intimate and open relationships. Yet people play them because they fill up time, often provoke attention, and fulfil a sense of identity. Games help you to feel that ones problems are created by others misdemeanours.
Life Positions
The fourth concept is that of Life Positions. They are based on the assumptions one makes about oneself and about others in general. These are stated in terms of OK and NOT OK. The OK position is when one feels good about (self or other), feels that the person is adequate, has respect for him. The OK stance, in respect of self ore others, does not presume that the person is perfect. It accepts the reality and recognises the deficiencies, without any sense of shame. The NOT OK position is just the opposite, when one feels that the person concerned is not alright, not adequate, not competent, not reliable, etc. These positions are taken largely because of the messages received during one’s upbringing.
Basically there are four positions.
· I am OK, You are OK. This is a healthy, optimistic and confident position. In this position, there is a lot of respect for self and for others. The behaviours are likely to be respectful, supportive, collaborative, treating others as mature and worthwhile. He listens, is non-defensive, delegates, develops others.
· I am OK, You are not OK. In this position, there is arrogance, lack of trust, tendency to blame everyone. Others are treated as immature, they feel annoyed, non-cooperative, hostile. It does not build subordinate competence.
· I am Not OK, You are OK. In this position, the person is insecure and depressed, never asserts, is not persistent, lets other take over and do what they like. He submits to pressure from both above and below and often lets someone else manage.
· I am Not OK, You are not OK. This is the worst situation where he feels that the total situation is helpless. There is no energy to do. There is indifference and neglect.
Dr. Balachandran is an independent management consultant based in Mumbai. He has held senior executive positions in various departments in Life Insurance Corporation. He served as a faculty with National Insurance Academy and visiting faculty of a number of management institutes. He has also conducted several training programs for various organisations and also developed course material for prestigious insitutes. Ha has published five books and a number of papers and articles.
__________________ Lead Life Like An EAGLE M.Peer Mohamed Sardhar 0 93831 93832 Sharing what is Shared with me Whatever Happens, Life Must Go on |
20-07-2008, 07:21 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: hyderabad
Posts: 2
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this is nice article.but can u plz help out in describing the applications of TA on motivation |
09-08-2008, 11:31 PM
| | | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: New Delhi
Posts: 18
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this is really a very good description.......
but i just wanna know more about the application part......if you just can help me with that.....
regards..
puja |
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