A short introduction to Transactional Analysis

Psychoanalytic theory divides the psyche into various different functional areas, in order to try to identify and treat discrete areas of pathology. On the whole, psychoanalysis has fallen out of favour in the treatment of emotional and psychiatric disorders. This is due to the tendency of psychologists trained in psychoanalytic techniques to treat their patients as collections of discrete psychological elements, and not as a whole. Psychoanalytic theory is hard to ignore, however, as it paints a fairly accurate, if simplistic, picture of the human condition.

A popular formulation of the psychodynamic model was developed by Canadian psychiatrist, Eric Berne (May 10, 1910 – July 15, 1970). Berne formulated the following high-level three-part model of the mind.

• Child: The Child ego-state contains childlike emotions such as love, happiness and anger.
• Parent: The Parent ego-state contains the human value system, which is initially experienced as behavioural controls that parents instill in their children.
• Adult: The Adult ego-state is the seat of logical processing. The Adult ego-state is so-called because adults are typically more capable of reaching rational conclusions and making informed decisions than children.

Berne further identifies two discrete states of the Parent and Child ego states.

• Benevolent Parent / Critical Parent: The Parent ego state may behave benevolently or critically. The “Benevolent Parent” naturally occurs when a parent displays nurturing and constructive behaviour towards their child. The “Critical Parent” naturally occurs when a parent criticises their child (with various degrees of intensity).
• Free Child / Adapted Child: The Child ego state may be happy when doing what it wants, or sad, when stultified by the parent. The “Free Child” describes a state in which the Child feels carefree and can “do what it likes”. The “Adapted Child”, on the other hand, occurs when the Child is forced to conform to a particular mode of behaviour via parental constraints and threats.

Altogether, the above schema represents a high-level modularisation that can be successfully used to categorise, analyse and assuage behavioural and emotional conditions.

Learned patterns of behaviour

Although the Free Child, Adapted Child, Benevolent Parent and Critical Parent ego-states are experienced first and foremost during the formative childhood years, the patterns of behaviour associated with these ego states continue into adulthood.

For example, when an angry manager berates an employee, Transactional Analysis understands that the manager is in the (Critical) Parent ego-state and the employee is in the Adapted Child ego-state. Alternatively, when a pleased manager compliments an employee, the manager may be in the Benevolent Parent ego-state and the employee in the Free Child ego-state.

Thus the dramas of early childhood continue to take form and develop throughout adult life.

The ability to move between ego states

According to Transactional Analysis, an emotionally healthy person consciously moves (or, cathects) into the appropriate ego state, as befits the occasion.

For example, when going out to dinner with their partner, Person X will move into the Child ego state. When telling their child that it is dangerous to cross the road without looking, Person X will move into the Parent ego state. And when considering which house to buy, Person X will move into the Adult ego state. In this way, the compartmentalisation of the psyche into specialised areas allows Person X to engage the specialised areas of their mind that are most suited to the task at hand.

Ideally, the Adult ego-state is the arbiter that decides which ego-state the person should move into. For example, the Adult may decide that:

• When going out with my partner, move into the Child.
• When berating my child, move into the Parent.
• When deciding which house to buy, move into the Adult.

In other words, it is the ability to move into the appropriate frame of mind that makes a person authentic, responsive and effective.

Getting stuck in an ego state

Although ideally people should be free to move into whichever ego state is appropriate to the circumstance, it is possible for a person to get “stuck” in a particular ego state. This commonly occurs where job requirements require people to spend more time in one particular ego state.

For example:

• A clown is paid to spend time in the Child ego-state so that they can be “funny”. Thus a professional clown may get “stuck” in the Child ego-state and be unable to be serious on serious occasions.
• An accountant is paid to spend time in the Adult ego state so that they can be methodical. Thus an straight-faced accountant may be unable to “let their hair down” and have fun, as the situation demands.
• A lieutenant is paid to spend time in the Parent ego-state so they can effectively manage their platoon in stressful situations. Thus a tough lieutenant may be unable to objectively appraise and take into account other people’s feelings, in their civilian life.

Getting stuck in an ego state is called a “constant ego state” condition. In other words, the clown may be Constant Child, the accountant may be Constant Adult and the lieutenant may be Constant Parent.

In summary

Our ability to respond appropriately in different occasions depends on the ability to “cathect” into the appropriate state-of-mind, or ego state, that is suited for that occasion.

At a funeral, we would expect to be in a serious state of mind (the Parent). In a business meeting, we would expect to be predominantly in a logical frame of mind (the Adult). And at a funfair, we would expect to be in a “fun” state of mind (the Child). If we are unable to move into the required ego state (state-of-mind), we may find ourselves unable to partake of life in the full.

A mental exercise

Spend 5 minutes trying to see if you can move yourself at will between the Parent, Adult and Child ego-states.

• Child: Imagine yourself at a funfair and feeling happy.
• Adult: Then imagine yourself deliberating a difficult problem in a business meeting.
• Parent: Finally, imagine speaking at a significant ceremony, and conveying a meaningful message to the audience.

Were you able to move into the appropriate ego-state at will?

If not, try to discover what was holding you back, and think through the inhibitions that prevented you from being your best on the occasion.