D 6S 33 1 TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS Adapted from

D 6_S 3_3. 1 TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS Adapted from Workshop taken by Dr. Preetam Khandelwal, FMS, University of Delhi Unless otherwise indicated, this learning resource is licensed CC-BY-NC. Please attribute NUEPA, New Delhi

TA is concerned with four kinds of Analysis Structural Analysis: Analysis of individual personality Transactional Analysis: Analysis of what people do and say to one another Game Analysis : Analysis of ulterior transactions leading to a payoff Script Analysis : Analysis of specific life dramas that persons compulsively play out

The three ego states Idea of TA originated in Eric Berne’s work (1964) Three Ego states, put simply, are the basic ways in which people behave and react. These states are formed in childhood and are a result of recordings of internal (feelings about events) as well as external (messages from others, information from outside sources) events

Three ego states defined Child – characterized by strong emotions and desires, feelings about the events that take place in formative years. Emotions such as fear, anger, delight, joy, crying etc. not to be taken as ‘childish’ Parent – [first 5 years]characterized by criticism, guilt and “shoulds”; all the rules and regulations that the child hears the parent say and infer from their behaviour, leads to guilt, inhibition, caution, habit, willingness (un) to change etc

Adult – [takes shape around 10 moths of age] beginning of child’s ability to move independently. Child is able to explore, discover and form opinions. The child is just not absorbing (Parent state) or reacting (child state) but also ANALYZING. Adult ego state considered to be rational, mature, nonjudgmental and logical (Harris 1969)

BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS VERBAL L. P. LITTLE PROFESSOR CHILD F. C. FREE CHILD R. C. REBELLIOUS CHILD C. C. COMPLIANT CHILD INTUITIVE CREATIVE VOICE TONES WORDS USED POSTURES FACIAL EXP. FEELINGS “AHA” I GOT IT SNAPPING FINGERS EXCITEMENT, CURIOUS “GUT FEEL” SPONTANEOUS WOW! HEY, GREAT! JUMPING UP THROWING UP HANDS IN JOY PLAYFUL, LAUGHTER JOY IMPULSIVE PAIN, PLEASURE AGGRESSIVE WHY ME? WHAT THE HELL? HANDS ON HIPS POUTING REBELLIOUS INDIGNANT SUBMISSIVE SIR, MAY I MA’AM MAY I BENT NECK FOLDED HANDS DOWNCAST EYE QUIVERING LIPS OR CHIN RESPECT DEFERENCE DEPENDENCE UN-INHIBITED NATURAL FIGHTING FOR RIGHT OBEDIENT RESPECTFUL CONFORMING NON-VERBAL

The Adapted Child ego State When you were a young child you often had to adapt to the demands of your parents or carers. You may have learnt to be polite to others, or to be quiet when your mother or father was in a certain mood. Later in life, when you are acting on the basis of these historic and often by now unconscious memories you are in your Adapted Child ego state

Free Child ego state. When you were three or four years old you also spent time laughing, splashing water, playing with paint or glue or sand, and running around. When you are older you might somehow revert to these times, and you are then in your Free Child ego state

Critical Parent ego state. If you find yourself in a conversation wagging your finger at the other person, speaking in a harsh tone, pointing out what they have done wrong and telling them how they should have behaved, then almost certainly you are in a Critical Parent ego state.

. Nurturing Parent ego state When you were a young child your parents also looked after you and ensured that you were safe and well. Perhaps they took your hand explained that it was important to wait for the green man to appear on the traffic signal before crossing the road. When you find yourself years later looking to protect and look after one of your colleagues, then you may well have gone into a Nurturing Parent ego state.

Adult ego state Being in an Adult ego state - focused on the here and now, looking to collaborate with others and to solve problems, thinking logically and aware of your own and other people’s emotions – is generally a very resourceful state to operate from.

BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS EGO STATES C. P. Controlling critical VERBAL VALUES SOCIAL NORMS CARING VOICE TONES WORDS USED POSTUR ES FACIAL EXP. FEELING S CRITICIZING ADMONISHING ACCUSING ORDERING YOU SHOULD NEVER OUGHT, MUST ALWAYS PUFFED UP STIFF, “PROPE R’ POINTIN G FINGER, ARMS FOLDED FROWN, CHIN JUTTED OUT TO SET RIGHT ‘TEACH A LESSON ’ SYMPATHETIC CONDESCENDIN G REASSURING DON’T WORRY, HAVE FAITH, EVERYTHI NG WILL BE ALRIGHT PAT ON BACK, PUTTIN G ARM AROUN D, LEANIN G GENIAL PATRONIZ ING, SHOWING CONCERN AND WARMTH COMPAS SION TO HELP SUPPORT, RESCUE PARENT N. P. Nurturing NON-VERBAL BELIEFS PREJUDICES DO’S DON’TS

BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS VERBAL ADULT A REASONING FACT FINDING RATIONAL ANALYTICAL OBSERVANT OBJECTIVE OPEN-MINDED NON-VERBAL VOICE TONES WORDS USED POSTURES FACIAL EXPRES SION FEELINGS MATTER-OF-FACT. DISPASSIONATE WHAT ARE THE FACTS? HOW CAN WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM? WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATI VES? WHAT CAN WE ESTIMATE? ATTENTIVE REFLECTIVE THINKING LEANING FORWARD IN CHAIR TOWARD OTHER PERSON ALERT EYES “POISED” “COOL. ” TO UNDERSTAND TO FIND A SOLUTION , OPEN MINDED

Transactions refer to the communication exchanges between people.

Kinds of Transactions Complimentary: The originator gets the kind of response he expects. Crossed: S(h)e gets a response from an unexpected ego state. Ulterior: Involves hidden messages between ego states different from the surface or apparent ones.

We can recognize which ego state people are transacting from to improve the quality and effectiveness of communication

QUESTIONNAIRE ANALYSIS

Managerial Styles and TA Nurturing Parent Not –OK : Patronizing style Developing emotional dependency Over caring in a patronizing way smothers initiative and self-confidence When support provided in a condescending way , manager emphasizes his superior position and power

Nurturing Parent OK: Supporting Style Provides support only when necessary Instills independent thinking and self-confidence Subordinates know they have to fight their own battles , yet their leader is there to cheer & support them if required Caring without developing dependency

Critical Parent Not –OK: Prescriptive style Unduly critical of others Develops norms and standards unilaterally and imposes them on others An overly judgmental, authoritarian and controlling style Deprives other person of his sense of self worth and self-respect Breeds mutual distrust and hostility

Critical Parent OK-Normative style Participatively develops norms Uniformly/ fairly implement guidelines /norms of behavior Successful if manager himself/herself follows it scrupulously

Adults Not OK: Task-obsessive style An overwhelming concern about the task can make him/her insensitive to feelings of others

Adults Ok: Problem solving Style Not overwhelmed by the enormity of the immediate task Adopt problem solving approach View each task in a broader perspective Relaxed and enjoy work , see it as a challenge, not a threat

Child(little professor) Not –Ok Tremendous capacity to think of novel, off-beat ideas but lack the perseverance to bring them to fruition Ok: Innovative style: respect for new ideas , plan to convert them into viable projects for the organization Generate support for their ideas & work for implementation

Rebellious child Not Ok: Aggressive style: Operate from “you’re not OK “ position Pick up fights with others on the slightest pretext Ok: Confronting Style: Assert themselves , confront others to safeguards the legitimate interests of their people/deptt/organization A positive and constructive approach even while confronting or opposing others

communication patterns and in setting your life goals .

KINDS OF TRANSACTIONS

TRANSACTIONS Transactions refer to the communication exchanges between people. We can recognize which ego state people are transacting from to improve the quality and effectiveness of communication.

Kinds Complimentary: The originator gets the kind of response he expects. Crossed: S(h)e gets a response from an unexpected ego state. Ulterior: Involves hidden messages between ego states different from the surface or apparent ones.

Complementary Transaction the response must go back from the receiving ego state to the sending ego state. For example, a person may initiate a transaction directed towards one ego state of the respondent’s ego state detects the stimuli, and then that particular ego state (meaning the ego state to which the stimuli were directed) produces a response

Crossed Transaction In a crossed transaction, an ego state different than the ego state which received the stimuli is the one that responds. The diagram to the right shows a typical crossed transaction. An example is as follows: Agent’s Adult: “Do you know where my cuff links are? ” (note that this stimuli is directed at the Respondents Adult). Respondent’s Child: “Now, you will blame me for everything!”

source: http: //www. ericberne. com/transactional-analysis/

Situation 1 An employer to the employee: “Why did you not finish this work today? It was assigned to you a week back. If you were not feeling well, you should have informed me so that I could have given this assignment to the other accountant! I am seeing that you are not focused on your work, every time you come up with an excuse. ” Scene 1: Employee to the employer: “I am sorry Sir, I should have not breached your trust. This is my mistake and today I will complete this work before leaving office!” Scene 2: Employee to the employer: “Why do you always criticize my efficiency? I know that I am always given tasks which cannot be completed in the assigned time, you are biased towards me!”

P P A A C C

Situation 2 Colleague A to Colleague B: “You know, I think the project that we are working on has a loophole. While discussing with other team members, I found out that there is a problem in the assembly line which you are co -ordinating. Is there a problem there? Can I offer help? ” Scene 1: Colleague B to Colleague A: “yes, I realized that there is a problem, infact yesterday, my staff told me that there is a technical issue, maybe there is a system failure. Since you are a software engineer, can you help us? I am so grateful that you came to me and offered help, thank you!” Scene 2: Colleague B to Colleague A: “who told you about the problem, there is nothing like this? You think I cannot manage my unit, I have been working here for past 20 years. Do not interfere in my matters”

How will the diagram look like?

Modifying energies to make transaction complimentary Colleague B to Colleague A: “who told you about the problem, there is nothing like this? You think I cannot manage my unit, I have been working here for past 20 years. Do not interfere in my matters” Colleague A to Colleague B: “Oh! Of course I know that you have such a vast experience and I have learnt so much from you in the past 5 months. I felt I could come and ask you if there was something that I can do. Would you not offer me a cup of tea? ”

P P A A C C

WAYS TO BECOME A STRONG ADULT Learn to recognize your child Learn to recognize your parent Be sensitive to the child in others Count to ten if necessary , in order to give the adult time to process the data coming into the computer to sort out P and C from reality When in doubt leave it out Work out a system of values

Implications for Administrators Ø When dealing with clients/superiors/significant others Operate in the adult and OK child ego state maximum amount of time. Avoid transactions with customers , clients using critical parent and not Ok Child ego state. Recognize with which ego state the other is transacting Identify crossed transactions as unproductive. Redirect them into healthy Adult-Adult transactions.

LIFE POSITIONS

Life Positions I’m OK-You’re OK: A practical Guide to Transactional Analysis by Thomas Harris (1969) Emerges at age 2 -3, when the child has enough data input (parent and child states) as well as some personal exploration and findings on her own (adult state) Based on strokes, that is physical contact and comforting behaviour

Strokes can be Positive or Negative POSITIVE STROKES PRAISE COMPLEMENTS RECOGNITION AFFECTION REWARDS SYMPATHY CONSOLATION SELF-SATISFACTION FROM JOB WELL DONE NEGATIVE STROKES PUT-DOWNS CRITICISM DEGRADING RIDICULE SCOLDING PUNISHMENT DISCOUNTING

Strokes Internal/External “Unit of Social Recognition". The basic motivation behind communication Positive Unconditional & Positive Conditional Positive Unconditional & Negative Conditional Negative Unconditional & Positive conditional +UC best for healthy development _UC & no strokes undesirable/destructive Effective Managers are able to touch& recognize others appropriately

Positive Conditional Negative Conditional Positive Un Conditional I like you , and also Like his work I like him but I do not like the way he works Negative Un Conditional I do not like him but he is a good worker I do not like him and I do not like his work Dr Preetam Khandelwal, FMS, University of Delhi

Stroke Economy (Steiner, 1974) How we Economize on strokes and avoid getting / giving strokes Don’t give positive strokes too often Don’t let others know about your good feelings towards them Don’t ask for positive strokes, wait for them to be given

How we avoid getting / giving strokes Don’t accept positive strokes. reject them if others give them to you Don’t give yourself strokes You must be modest about your achievements, try to underplay them

NEVER STOP STROKING PERFORMANCE

If organizations can give enough positive strokes to their employees to make them feel okay about themselves this can release their hidden energies and work can become more pleasurable.

Life positions I’m OK, you’re OK. This is a healthy position, where the person feels good about themself and others, seeks to collaborate and finds it comfortable to behave assertively. • I’m not OK, you’re OK. This is a depressive position where the person feels one down on others and tends to behave passively.

Life positions • I’m OK, you’re not OK. This is a defensive position where the person feels one up on others but behaves aggressively, competitively or insensitively to justify their stance. • I’m not OK, you’re not OK. This is a futile position where the person considers that neither themself nor others are any good and often feels hopeless and helpless.