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Psychology of Communication: personality
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Psychology of Communication: personality
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Transactional analysis (TA) is a form of therapy, which was developed by psychologists with strong humanist leanings (see the section on humanistic views of personality), amongst whom the best known is probably Eric Berne, author of Games People Play and What Do You Say After You Say Hello? Transactional analysis generally seems to be glossed over in psychology textbooks, both as a form of therapy and as a personality theory. However, people I know who have tried TA as therapy have often seemed to find that it works. My students also often find that TA offers plausible explanations of interpersonal communication, especially of communication breakdowns, and find it particularly useful in analysing interactions involved in the development of their practical work. Ego states
Fundamental to TA is the notion that our personality consists of three 'ego states':
- Parent
- Adult
- Child
In a 'transaction' (an interaction with one or more other people), one or other of these ego states will predominate in us and other people in the transaction. Particular communicative behaviours are associated with each of these ego states, but it is important to understand that they are not necessarily associated with chronological stages of psychological development. An adult can exhibit child-like communicative behaviour and a child can exhibit adult-like behaviour.
Thus, according to Berne, the diagram on the right showing the three ego states, is the
complete personality diagram of any human being whatsoever, encompassing everything he (sic) may feel, think, say or do.
Berne (1972 p. 12)
If we examine people's personality more closely, we don't discover more ego states, but we may discover components of those ego states, as shown on the right. As you can see from the graphic, Berne accepts that the Parental ego state proves to be composed of two states, one deriving from the mother, and one from the father. Further, within the Child ego state, we will find Parent, Adult and Child states.
It's important to realize that, although we'll be looking at each of these ego states in turn, there is no implication that we would use one only in a transaction. It is quite likely that we will move from one to the other, since we all have these three ego states as part of our personality.
Parent ego state
Adult ego state
Child ego state
Transactions
Time structuring
Games
Scripts
Life positions
General comment
Transactional Analysis Journal - this is where you'll find in-depth knowledge from the real experts, up-to-date research, lots of links etc.
Consistency theory
Humanistic personality theories
Motivation and needs
Self-image
Social rôles and social systems
Social influence
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