Transactional Analysis (TA)

Transactional analysis is a social psychology developed by Eric Berne, MD (d.1970). Over the past four decades Eric Berne's theory has evolved to include applications to psychotherapy, counseling, education, and organizational development.

Transactional Analysis (or TA as it is often called) is a model of people and relationships that was developed during the 1960s by Dr. Eric Berne. It is based on two notions: first that we have three parts or 'ego-states' to our 'personality. The other assumption is that these converse with one another in 'transactions' (hence the name). TA is is a very common model used in therapy and there is a great deal written about it.

Psychiatrist Berne's

Originally treated as "pop psychology" due to ( a) Berne's preference for layman's language rather than academic terminology, and ( b) Berne's launch of TA to the mass market via popular books, TA has long outgrown its pop roots. It generates several subtle models for human interaction directed at answering "why does it go that way and how can people free themselves from it".

Many of Berne's more subtle observations have been simplified and trivialised in common TA literature, as some writers took advantage of its surface simplicity to remove the full richness of the underlying subject and re-present it as a very superficial model. Psychiatrist Berne's definition:

(1) a system of psychotherapy based on the analysis of transactions and chains of transactions which occur during treatment sessions;

(2) a theory of personality based on the study of specific ego-states;

(3) a theory of social action based on the rigorous analysis of transactions into an exhaustive and finite number of classes based on the specific ego-states involved;

(4) the analysis of single transactions by means of transactional diagrams (this is transactional analysis proper).

Outline of Transactional analysis (TA) theory

TA is a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change.

As a theory of personality, TA describes how people are structured psychologically. It uses what is perhaps its best known model, the ego-state (Parent-Adult-Child) model to do this. This same model helps understand how people function and express themselves in their behaviour.
As a theory of communication it extends to a method of analysing systems and organisations.
it offers a theory for child development.
It introduces the idea of a "Life (or Childhood) Script", that is, a story one perceives about ones own life, to answer questions such as "What matters", "How do I get along in life" and "What kind of person am I". This story, TA says, is often stuck to no matter the consequences, to "prove" one is right, even at the cost of pain, compulsion, self-defeating behaviour and other dysfunction. Thus TA offers a theory of a broad range of psychopathology.
In practical application, it can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of many types of psychological disorders, and provides a method of therapy for individuals, couples, families and groups.
Outside the therapeutic field, it has been used in education, to help teachers remain in clear communication at an appropriate level, in counselling and consultancy, in management and communications training, and by other bodies.

Key Ideas in Transactional Analysis

Ego States - Eric Berne made complex interpersonal transactions understandable when he recognized that the human personality is made up of three "ego states"; each of which is an entire system of thought, feeling, and behavior from which we interact with each other. The Parent, Adult and Child ego states and the interaction between them form the foundation of transactional analysis theory. These concepts have spread into many areas of therapy, education, and consulting as practiced today.
Transactions - Transactions refer to the communication exchanges between people. Transactional analysts are trained to recognize which ego states people are transacting from and to follow the transactional sequences so they can intervene and improve the quality and effectiveness of communication.
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.
Games People Play - Berne defined certain socially dysfunctional behavioral patterns as "games." These repetitive, devious transactions are intended to obtain strokes but instead they reinforce negative feelings and self-concepts, and mask the direct expression of thoughts and emotions. Berne tagged these games with such instantly recognizable names as "Why Don't You, Yes But," "Now I've Got You, You SOB," and "I'm Only Trying to Help You." Berne's book Games People Play achieved wide popular success in the early 60's.
Life Script - Eric Berne proposed that dysfunctional behavior is the result of self-limiting decisions made in childhood in the interest of survival. Such decisions culminate in what Berne called the "life script," the pre-conscious life plan that governs the way life is lived out. Changing the life script is the aim of transactional analysis psychotherapy. Replacing violent organizational or societal scripting with cooperative non-violent behavior is the aim of other applications of transactional analysis.
I'm OK - You're OK - "I'm OK - You're OK" is probably the best-known expression of the purpose of transactional analysis: to establish and reinforce the position that recognizes the value and worth of every person. Transactional analysts regard people as basically "OK" and thus capable of change, growth, and healthy interactions.
Contracts - Transactional analysis practice is based upon mutual contracting for change. Transactional analysts view people as capable of deciding what they want for their lives. Accordingly transactional analysis does its work on a contractual basis between the client and the therapist, educator, or consultant.