Personality is the combination of fragmented images of self. These fragments of self can be termed as ego states. Eric Berne, father of Transactional analysis, divides these ego states as Parent, Child and Adult. Superficially these three states can be compared with Freud’s three ego states namely-Id, Ego and Superego. Transactional analysis, an Integrative approach focuses more on the different kind of transactions between three ego states. Transactions vary depending on the direction of vectors between the stimulus and response. The four life positions play a vital role in deciding the kind of transaction. Most of the people are in “I am not ok but you are ok” position. The most effective way of handling such people is through “games”. Berne has dedicated a full book for explaining different games people play.

According to Jacques Lacan, French psychoanalyst all human desires stem from the desire of the other. That is a human’s unconscious life is largely influenced by the variety of external social events of everyday life. The two essential processes in the development of personality are integration and differentiation. The process of integration teaches a person how to put simple concepts together so that it helps the person to learn more complex concepts. Whereas, through differentiation one learns to separate general concepts as per its specific usage or meaning. Through differentiation people learn to behave according to the situation.

Personality is the product of many images of self. That is personality is the combination of these fragmented or diverged images. Ego states are the fragments of personality. The term ego state is coined by John & Helen Watkins from his clinical hypnosis work. Perceptions and cognitions together form ego states. The definition of ego state goes as follows “an organized system of behavior and experience, whose elements are bound together by common principle”.

During late 1950s a Canadian-born US psychiatrist Eric Berne developed an integrative approach called Transactional Analysis commonly known as TA using the elements of humanist, psychoanalytic and cognitive approaches. Basically, he was a psychoanalyst but he wanted a theory that could be available to anyone and be understood by everyone. The underlying philosophy of TA is

•    People can be changed
•     Having born in this world people have all the right to live in this world and be accepted.

As the name suggests TA focuses more on transactions rather than analyzing the mind as in Psycho analysis. It is concentrating more on the dynamics of people’s interactions rather than internal psychological dynamics. Changing the style of people’s interactions with each other is the strategy used in TA to solve the existing psychological problems. The contract-one of the unique aspects of TA is signed by both the therapist and the client in order to make a commitment to curing the client by changing the transactions and bring about specific changes as per the client’s desire. Overall Transactional Analysis helps in transformation rather than conformation. It is realistic in nature as it confronts the individual who has a problem to hold responsibility for the happenings in the future irrespective of what had happened in the past. Moreover, it is to empower a person to build self confidence, self control and gives a direction to make a change for the betterment of self.

FREUD AND BERNE: THEORETICAL MODELS OF PERSONALITY

According to Freud, human Psyche consists of id, ego and superego. Id is the basic instinct that is inherited and present at birth. The id is the cause for our basic drives such as food, sex and aggressive impulses and looks for immediate satisfaction. A newborn child is totally id driven in the sense of being completely illogical and immature in its emotional development.

The word ego has many meanings and dimensions. In spirituality, ego means “thy self”. It is also used to represent self esteem or self worth. But in Freud’s terms Ego is the part of mind that operates on the principles of one’s consciousness. It acts as a mediator between id, superego and the external world. Its prime goal is to strike a balance between the basic instincts, morals and life principles while satisfying id and superego.

•     http://www.guidetopsychology.com/mpd.html

Superego is the internalized father figure that fights with id and allowing the ego to act according to the conscience in order to maintain the sense of morality as per the social norms

Berne’s Ego states

According to Berne personality of an individual comprises of three different ego states namely Parent, Adult and Child. Each ego state has related verbal and non verbal behavior depending on the individual’s state of mind. The parent ego state is the representation of the parental figure having specific set of feelings, behavior patterns and attitudes. An adult ego state operates on autonomous set of feelings, behavior patterns and attitudes. It is always based on the present reality. Feelings, behavior patterns and attitudes that were left out in one’s child hood will frame the child ego state. This state is full of innovation, intuition and impulsive drive and satisfaction. In a very superficial sense Berne’s ego states can be compared with Freud’s three ego states as follows

(Compiled by author)

In a sense it is superficial because Berne declares that each ego state itself can be divided into Id, ego and superego. For an example

(Compiled by author)

Like wise adult ego state and parent ego state are internally further divided into Freud’s three ego states. According to Berne, ego states are largely shaped by childhood experiences and any unhealthy experiences could impact the parent or adult ego states leading to variety of mental illness which in turn affects the individual interactions with others to a greater extent. Any problem in ego state affects each set of transactions resulting in malproductive or counter productive transactions.

Transactions

Transaction contains a stimulus and a response and this response in turn will become the stimulus fro the other person to continue the communication. Analyzing the transaction is an important objective of TA as it helps the therapist to find out which ego state-Parent, adult or child is the origin of any stimulus or response in order to address that particular part of the person. There are many clues to discover the ego state of the person. Picking up the clues is a skill required by the therapist so that he can gather more data about the client. The following are some of physical and verbal clues that are noticed during the therapeutic sessions.

Parent clues: Physical-The typical parent gestures are furrowing the eyebrows, nodding the head, showing index finger, pursing lips, tapping the foot, folding the arms across chest etc. Apart from these an individual’s parental gestures may be same as his own parent. Also it differs from culture to culture. For instance, people from U.S breathe out as they sigh whereas Swedish people breathe in as they sigh.

Verbal- Always, never, are the typical parent words. “Stop this nonsense. Never do this” is exact parent response.

Adult clues: Physical-Active listening that can be understood from the ongoing movements of head, eyes and hands, expressive facial movements, blinking of the eye once in every three to five seconds, leaning forward with tilting head.

Verbal: Question tags like what, why, where, when. I think, it is my opinion, it may be possible… are some of adult verbal clues.

Child clues: Physical- weeping, crying, lips biting, tempers tantrums, raising the hand to ask permission to speak, restless, nail biting, pouting the lips and giggling.

Verbal-I wish, I want, when I grow up, other child talk etc.

There are three kinds of transactions

1.Reciprocal or complementary Transactions:

If the transaction is between the same ego states as the other individual then it is called Reciprocal or complementary transaction. That is if P-A-C diagram shows parallel lines between stimulus and response then it is a complementary transaction which is healthier and go on for an indefinite period.

Example 1:

1: “Have you sent the details that I asked?”
2. “Just check your mail. I sent 5 minutes before.”
This is an interaction between an adult and adult.

(Compiled by author +Reference from: Thomas A.Harris (1968) I’M OK-YOU’RE OK )

The direction is not a matter as long as the lines are parallel like in parent-parent, adult-adult, child-child, parent-child, child-adult.

2. Crossed Transactions:

When the transaction is between different ego states it results in crossed transaction leading to communication problems. That is If P-A-C diagram shows cross lines between stimulus and response then it is a Crossed transaction wherein the communication ceases.

1: “Have you sent the details that I asked?” (Adult to Adult)
2.”Will you stop annoying me?” This exchange was child to parent. Such cross transactions will definitely create issues in the work place.

“Have you done the homework?” (Parent to Child)
“I’m just going to start.” (Adult to Adult) This type of interaction is called positive crossed transaction. Such type of conversation may continue and mostly develop into negative cross transactions.
(Compiled by author +Reference from: Thomas A.Harris (1968) I’M OK-YOU’RE OK)

This kind of crossed transaction often happens between husband and wife which lead to noisy exchanges and end up in explosions.

3. Duplex or covert transactions:

Another type of transactions is covert transaction where the overt social conversation occurs with the covert psychological transaction simultaneously.

1: I want you to come with me to a movie(Adult statement with a hidden motive that is shown through the body language)
2: With pleasure (Adult reply to adult words with gestures like blushing or winking indirectly accepting the hidden motive)

A husband asks his wife, “where did you hide my car keys” is a mainly adult stimulus seeking objective response. But there is a finely masked criticism in the word ‘hide’ leads to secondary communication. The continuity of this communication depends on which stimulus- adult or parent, wife picks up. If she picks up adult response the communication would be a smoother one. Otherwise it would initiate arguments(Compiled by author +Reference from: Thomas A.Harris(1968) I’M OK-YOU’RE OK)

In all of these transactions changes from one state to another are very obvious in body language, words, appearance and gestures. During TA sessions an individual can take up different roles varying from a small child dominated only by feelings to fine reasoning, logical thinking parent or from a self-righteous parent to uncontrollable child. Such states exist invariably in every human being. In each person, there is a little child as well as his own parents.

The most significant external and internal happenings during the first five years of life get recorded in the child’s brain and take the form either as parent or child. These are the psychological realities unlike Freud’s ego states. These phenomenological realities are the product of real events involving real people that happened in real times with real feelings of past. These past recordings get registered in the mind and get internalized. This cannot be erased and these recordings are available for replay throughout one’s life.

TA can be used to address the needs of organizations by improving the functional relationships and removing dysfunctional behaviours. It also helps in managing the behavioural aspects of people in organizations, building self esteem, enhancing organizational climate and culture, taking care of employee morale and wellbeing. In an organizational set up if the transaction is complementary in nature then the employer gets the response that he desires and vice versa. A smooth communication would takes place. Although Adult to adult transaction would help in developing effective organizational relationships,other complementary transactions like parent –to –parent, parent-to-child, child–to- child, will improve the communication and understanding among people in organizations. It also cultivates cooperation and sharing attitude of employees. Whereas crossed and duplex transactions destroy the harmony and cohesiveness of people working in the organizations. People fail to have empathetic acceptance of their coworkers or subordinates and would be exhibiting dysfunctional behaviours. Those involve in crossed or duplex transactions exploit organizational growth.

The Four Life Positions

Transactional Analysis delineates four life positions with respect to oneself and others. In other words they are one’s perceptions of the world.

1. I am not ok (I-) You are ok (You+)

2. I am not ok. (I-) You are not ok (You-)

3. I am ok (I+) You are not ok (You-)

4. I am ok (I+) You are ok (You+)

The ok corral Matrix (Franklin Ernst, 1971)

The person’s developmental history is the prime causative factor of this life positions and common for all humans across the universe. According to TA, Unproductive and counter productive transactions during one’s childhood are due to ego state problems. Analyzing these transactions and respective life positions would help the person to become better. The first three life positions are unconscious and have been made in the early years of life. There is a significant difference between the first three positions and the fourth position.

1. I am not ok(I-)You are ok(You+)

This position is the discontented and dejected position. This position is the result of lack of childhood rewards (strokes).Strokes would have been partially present in childhood. The person looks for love and recognition. He feels I am not ok if he doesn’t get enough strokes from his unfriendly peers or uncaring parents.

2. I am not ok. (I-) You are not ok (You-)

This is the position where there is no stroke at all. Thus the person finds okay ness with none.(or the person is not comfortable with anyone??) According to Berne, a person who is in this position may kill himself, go crazy or give up. It is very difficult to live in this universe without strokes. A person in this state doesn’t use adult state in his interaction with other person. Because according him “the adult” state is not ok. An autistic child occupies this position.

3. I am ok (I+) You are not ok (You-)

High achievers may fall in this position. According to them they are perfect whereas others are not ok. They are satisfied with self stroking rather than expecting external strokes. Most of the criminals stay in this position. It is quite difficult to heal such people because according to them the therapist is also not ok.

4. I am ok (I+) You are ok(You+)

The above three positions are framed using one’s feelings whereas the fourth position is based on thoughts, faith and values inherited from the childhood. The last position is qualitatively different from the other three positions as it is psychologically very healthy position. Children who are trained to look at self worth and worth of others are fortunate to stay in this position. But it is unfortunate to understand that most of the people are in “I am not ok but you are ok” position. The most effective way of handling such people is through “games”.

Games:

These are learned behavior patterns whose outcome can be predicted. People play their favorite games with other people with different intensities. Most games are trouble causers. They shatter relationships and produce distress. One does not use games for fun or enjoyment as it has an ulterior motive. The simple four year old child’s game of “Mine is better than yours” is likely to be the origin of games that people play at their later stages. Usually people play first degree games in social setup with not very close circle that generally creates minor upsets but not severe turmoil. With intimate circle, people play second degree games that damage the relationship and ends up in great traumas. Physical injury is the result of third degree games and ends up in hospital, jail or in the intense cases even in the morgue. According to Chris Davidson (2002) politicians play fourth degree games that involve the society, communities, countries or even the world. The players of such games are mostly irrational in their behavior but try to appear as real people with ulterior motives.

Games People Play a book written by Eric Berne gives an account about some common games people play.

•     YDYB: Why Don’t You, Yes But.
•     IFWY: If It Weren’t For You
•     WAHM: Why does this Always Happen to Me?
•     SWYMD: See What You Made Me Do
•     UGMIT: You Got Me Into This
•     LHIT: Look How Hard I’ve Tried
•     ITHY: I’m Only Trying to Help You
•     LYAHF: Let’s You and Him Fight
•     NIGYYSOB: Now I’ve got you, you son of a bitch
•     RAPO: A woman falsely cries ‘rape’ or threatens to

(Reference from: Eric Berne (1964) Games People Play, New York: Grove Press)

To clarify further, YDYB game can be played as follows:

Maya: I will not get good marks in the forth coming exams
Ritu: Why don’t you prepare well?
Maya: Yes, but I do not have much time
Ritu: why don’t you plan your day?
Maya: Yes, but I feel very weak to do anything
Ritu: why don’t you consult a doctor?
Maya: Yes but he will ask me to take blood test
Ritu: Yes you have to do as he says
Maya: Yes but I do not have time to go to doctor…….
Ritu: Then how can you study? Maya: I know I will not get good marks…….

The conversation has come back to its origin. Maya invariably knocked down Ritu’s suggestions. Maya conveniently played the game until Ritu gave up. Hence Maya perceived that she won the conversation and she need not do anything about her study pattern as she knocked down all the suggestions.
When people interact with each other they try to play games when one is in the parent ego state and other one is in the child ego state instead of adult to adult state -a healthier one.

Conclusion

Transactional Analysis is an effective, precise and useful approach that enhances self growth by developing self awareness. Generally it helps the person to improve both his personal and professional life by diagnosing which ego state he is in and addressing that ego state. In a therapeutic setting the therapist observe the words, rhythm of words, sentence formation, gestures, expressions, muscular tone etc to find out the ego states. In addition to such observations past history of the person provides valuable information. To conclude TA operates on the philosophy that change is inevitable and every one has the freedom and capacity to change by addressing the ego state they occupy.
References:

Chris Davidson (2002) http://www.businessballs.com/transactionalanalysis.htm
Eric Berne (1964) Games People Play, New York: Grove Press
Thomas A.Harris(1968) I,M OK-YOU,RE OK ,Morrow/Avon: New York, NY, U.S.A
ttp://www.guidetopsychology.com/mpd.htm
http://www.ynot1.com.au/journals/FreudAndBerne.pdf

Transactional Analysis is an effective, precise and useful approach that enhances self growth by developing self awareness. Generally it helps the person to improve both his personal and professional life by diagnosing which ego state he is in and addressing that ego state. In a therapeutic setting the therapist observe the words, rhythm of words, sentence formation, gestures, expressions, muscular tone etc to find out the ego states. In addition to such observations past history of the person provides valuable information. To conclude TA operates on the philosophy that change is inevitable and every one has the freedom and capacity to change by addressing the ego state they occupy.
References:

Chris Davidson (2002) http://www.businessballs.com/transactionalanalysis.htm
Eric Berne (1964) Games People Play, New York: Grove Press
Thomas A.Harris(1968) I,M OK-YOU,RE OK ,Morrow/Avon: New York, NY, U.S.A
ttp://www.guidetopsychology.com/mpd.htm
http://www.ynot1.com.au/journals/FreudAndBerne.pdf