Transactiona L Analysis Theory: Presented by Prof. Vijay Kumar V M

TRANSACTIONA
L ANALYSIS
THEORY
Presented by Prof. Vijay Kumar V M

Transactional
Analysis,
It is a popular psychological theory is a life-changing model by
Eric Berne.
Definition: Transactional Analysis by Late Dr. Eric Berne is a

highly effective and popular psychological theory developed in
the 1970s. Understanding Transactional Analysis (also known as
TA) is beneficial for every person.
Transactional Analysis elevates your thinking to a high level while

raising awareness so you can understand your own difficult and
dysfunctional behaviors and communication patterns to develop
deeper connections with self and the world.
The International Transactional Analysis Association defines TA as,
“Transactional Analysis is a theory of personality and a systematic
psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change.”
Transactional Transactional Analysis includes concepts of the Ego-State Model (Parent-
Analysis Adult-Child model), Life Scripts, Strokes, Time Structuring, and more. You
understand how you replay certain patterns as you grow-up to create results
you may or may not approve of. You learn to move away from undesirable
behavior.
Watch this video
https://youtu.be/CSFPI5l6ze8
Key Concepts of Transactional Analysis
1. Ego State or the Parent-Adult-Child (PAC) Model

Let’s understand the situation. Emily is married and is often demanding in her
relationship. She is also known to throw a tantrum when things don’t go her way.
Emily’s partner cannot understand her behavior and has quietly put up with her
tantrums. Over time, their relationship turns strained.
Emily here does not operate her thinking as an Adult, displays behaviors learned in
her childhood to make things go her way. Let’s understand the complexity of human
behavior by knowing the PAC model.
a) The Parent Ego-State is about the behaviors and feelings that were
copied from your parents or from your early caregivers.
In the case of Emily, she would probably be copying her dominant behavior
Parent Ego and using it without consideration towards her partner.
State: Parents, when in their role, are quite critical in their behavior towards the
child. They give us a set of instructions which may often sound like -
“Don’t do this…”
“Always do this…”
“Be this…”
“Stop doing this…”
b) Adult Ego-State:
When a person is in the Adult Ego-State, he/she displays behaviors that are
directly related to the here-and-now situation.
A person in the Adult Ego-State is often straightforward in their
approach, is interested in the conversation without being judgmental, and
will know how to use logic in conflicting situations.
A person in this Ego-State tends to question different sides to a situation such
as the what and why, where, and know what he/she sees versus what opinions
they hold.
c) Child Ego-State : A person in this Ego-State displays behaviors, feelings or may think about
situations while being influenced by their thoughts as replayed in childhood.
Emily’s sulking would be influenced by her Child Ego-State wherein her reaction is influenced by
emotions that are driven through past behavior.
A person in this Ego-State may display rebellion, delight, whining, sulking, panic, fear, or even a lot of
laughter.
A person is never consciously aware of their Ego-States. Every person re-experiences a part of the
Parent Ego-State or the Child Ego-State to base their communication in the present situation.
Definition of Ego-States by
Eric Berne:
Ego-States: A consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly related to a
corresponding consistent pattern of behavior.
2. Life Positions
Eric Berne highlighted that a person’s life and its results are pre-decided based
on the first 5 years of a person’s life.
Life Positions is thus an interesting theory that brings attention to our
psychological patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Our decisions are
based on the responses we receive from parents or parental figures. These form
convictions about the self and the world.
Life Positions
Life Positions are not permanent and can be altered through counseling or
therapy, helping a person free themselves from self-limiting beliefs to
embrace a new life story for themselves.
The Life Convictions formed are as follows:
I am OK
I’m not OK
You’re OK
You’re not OK
4 Life Positions
Berne combined these to form 4 Life Positions as follows:
a) I’m Ok, you’re Ok
This is often defined as a winning Life Script. Here, a child is comfortable with self and the world.
He/she knows they are lovable and will grow up to trust others, have long-lasting meaningful
relationships. They have a good attitude and give and receive trust.
b) I’m not Ok, you’re Ok
A child here often considers themselves on the losing end. They firmly believe in this and create life
stories that bring more misery. An individual feels the need to please others while feeling victimized.
They often show more support to other people’s strength instead of their own.
c) I’m Ok, you’re not Ok
An infant grows up thinking he/she is above the others. Such a child becomes an adult focused on his
own ‘wants’ while stepping over others. This adult may tend to project their problems on others, and
play the blame-game. A person like this always makes others feel inferior while feeling ‘okay’ about
themselves.
d) I’m not OK, you’re not OK
When a child decides this Life Position, the child has an internal struggle with self and the world as well. They end
up creating a life of misery while not believing in self and taking decisions that put them in the spot of being a victim. A
person feels frustrated and hopeless. Such a person may withdraw or even injure themselves.
The Philosophy of Transactional Analysis mentions:
People are OK.
Everyone has the capacity to think.
People decide their own destiny, and these decisions can be changed
3) Life Scripts
Transactional Analysis outlines each person has already written their life story or a script based on many
things such as the Life Positions. Berne highlights that this begins from the day one is born.
Every individual has a beginning, a middle and an end - just the script you’d notice in a movie. Here,
you are the Director and the scriptwriter, and you define your ending without your conscious
knowledge.
A child observes and prepares this Life Plan based on external influences as well as what happens
internally.
A parent gives messages to a child such as, “The world is not safe.” A child grows up thinking,
It’s important to note how two children may interpret the same messages through their own
understanding.
A person may decide, “I am a loser” after being put down frequently by his class teacher.
4) Transactions and Strokes
Eric Berne referred to transactions as the ‘basic unit of social discourse.’

Transactions are of many types.
For example, you greet a colleague with a ‘hello’ and get a ‘how are you’ as a response. When you
continue a conversation, you receive a series of transactions. Transactions can be complementary,
crossed, ulterior, and angular ulterior. They can occur between different Ego-states.
An individual can observe their communication which includes verbal, non-verbal gestures and body
language to identify problems in their transactions.
Berne defined Strokes as a ‘unit of recognition.’
You exchange a stroke when you say a friendly greeting and receive one in response. However, a person
who does not receive a stroke in return may feel deprived as mentioned by Berne. A person’s hunger for
Strokes begins at an early age. For example, a baby longs to be held and in physical contact with their
parents. However, a baby deprived of the same will grow up to experience emotional difficulties and
problems.
Strokes are defined as:
Verbal or non-verbal
Positive or negative
Conditional or unconditional
A simple example would be the constant need of sharing updates and selfies on social media. A person
expects “Likes” which are nothing but seeking positive strokes from their friends and family.
Games
What is a game?
Woollams and Brown* (1978) define games as:
“a series of duplex transactions which leads to a

switch and a well-defined, predictable payoff
which justifies a not-OK, or discounted, position”.
5) Games
If you’ve felt like a victim in life and find yourself saying, “Why does this happen to me?,” welcome to
the psychological Games that we play with ourselves and the world. Transactional Analysis outlines a
collection of Games that people play. These are often out of unconscious behavior.
Games are defined as an ongoing series of ulterior transactions that lead to a predictable outcome.
For example, a person may think he is not good at communication.
Let’s take the common game “Yes, But”. This is where one person has a problem and another person is
invited to solve it. Everything the other person suggests is rejected with a “Yes, I could do that, but..
(insert reason for not doing that)”
Examples of Games People Play:
I’m only trying to help you - a person offers help but desires to control behavior.
Blemish - a person finds faults in people. The actual game is to create a distraction from self and avoid
looking at one’s own mistakes.
Courtroom - a person proves how often they are right while others are wrong. They seek support and
sympathy from people.
Poor me- a person often displays themselves as completely helpless. They want to seek sympathy.
Watch this video: https://youtu.be/J_HCF1Tnwy8
How does Transactional Analysis help an individual?
Identifying areas of Understand messages

Self-reliance - capable
improvement in Knowing where to that influenced
of taking their own
communication with modify behaviors behavior, remove
decisions in life
self and others limiting beliefs
Work upon own Life

Raise self-awareness Develop the capacity to
Develop a better Script, make the
towards situations, view situations from
understanding of people changes to achieve
respond before reacting Adult state
goals
Personal Development - it creates people who are highly self-
aware and responsible in life, brings focus on personal and
professional goals
Jobs - TA is beneficial at work as you learn techniques to

Transactional manager interpersonal communications, encourage team
building, and more
Analysis is
beneficial for -
Business - A businessperson learns to manage situations
through self-awareness, make decisions based on the here-and-
now
Transactional Analysis is also useful for any industry -

medicine, coaching, education, media, art, and more.
Be Be a highly self-aware individual
Goal of
Transactional Understand Understand own behavior, modify patterns
Analysis
Theory
Examine Examine own thoughts, behaviors, actions
Be Be present in the Adult Ego-State

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TRANSACTIONA

Presented by Prof. Vijay Kumar V M

Definition: Transactional Analysis by Late Dr. Eric Berne is a

Transactional Analysis elevates your thinking to a high level while

1. Ego State or the Parent-Adult-Child (PAC) Model

Eric Berne referred to transactions as the ‘basic unit of social discourse.’

Woollams and Brown* (1978) define games as:

“a series of duplex transactions which leads to a

Identifying areas of Understand messages

Work upon own Life

Jobs - TA is beneficial at work as you learn techniques to

Transactional Analysis is also useful for any industry -

Be Be present in the Adult Ego-State

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