Dr. Eric Berne 1910 - 1970
Transactional analysis is a theory of psychology based on interactions or "transactions" between people. These are some of the main ideas:
We spend our time from birth to death engaging in transactions.
Participants in transactions act out one or more roles (Child, Parent, Adult).
The roles are determined by childhood experiences.
The kinds of transactions we engage in and what we say ("after we say hello") are determined by scripts. Scripts are internal programs that come from our genetics, family traditions, culture, and from our parents when they speak, scream, caress, and hit.
Games are a particular type of transaction played by two or more people. Games are played for a payoff. The payoff is a desired feeling (possibly a justified sense of anger) on the part of "IT" - the one who initiated the game. All games involve maneuvering another person to do something that lets "IT" get his or her feeling.
Transactional analysis (TA) became associated with feel-good, pop psychology movements of the 1970's and 80's. The book Games People Play even inspired a song. However, to me, as a lay crazy person, this book and Berne's other book (What Do You Say After You Say Hello) seem serious. They jibe with my own experiences.
No comments:
Post a Comment