Transactional Analysis
What is Transactional Analysis (TA)?
It is a theory created by Canadian Psychiatrist Eric Berne to understand the structure of man, himself and other people. TA is an approach that can be used for any relational problem. It aims to determine the “I” aspect of personality in shyness, aggression, conflict, communication difficulties and couple problems.
Founded by Eric Berne in 1964, the Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) operates in more than 50 countries today. One of the key points of Transactional Analysis is Ego-States.
In Eric Berne’s view, there are three ego states in man:
- “Mother-Father” ego state (Parent ego):
It is the attitudes that we see and apply from our parents when we give advice, criticize and criticize the people around us. By putting protection and care at the center of his life, he shows compassion when he thinks that harm will come. It is based on social values. Messages from the parent ego state make us stronger if they do not restrict our communication, do not force us, and are not accusatory.
- “Adult” self-state (Adult ego):
It is the mode where reason and logic are at the forefront, emotions are in the background and focused on problem solving. Adopts autonomous behaviors that are consistent with reality. As the adult ego state of the individual develops, it is the ego state that is most prone to overcoming obstacles, as it learns to solve the problems around it. The important point in the adult ego state develops not depending on age, but on the way the individual evaluates events. The adult ego state is the most suitable ego position for a person to continue his life without any problems. Because the person has the self-confidence to make decisions by evaluating the process, knowledge and possibilities required to cope with the outside world. The individual in the adult ego state does not remain indifferent to the problems around him, and seeks solutions for solutions, otherwise, the person remains indifferent to problems without caring about the environment and himself.
- “Child” ego state (Child ego):
It is a state of self that is powerless, submissive from time to time, quickly accepts the rhetoric of the other party, cannot delay its feelings, and is sometimes impatient, free and rebellious. Makes creative choices by acting spontaneously. It is the untrained side of personality.
The use of the three ego states listed at regular intervals, at the right place and at the right time in daily life is as healthy as it is normal.
What is a transaction?
The word “trans” means mutual, the word “action” means movement, and “transaction” means mutual interaction and communication. In Transactional Analysis, “transaction” is used as a unit of communication and responding to something you say to someone is a transaction. According to its 3 philosophies,
-People are okay.
Everyone has the capacity to think.
Everyone decides for himself what will happen in his life.
In this way, the person determines how he will be affected by the situation he will be in, and decides how his life will continue with his behaviors. Where our decision takes us, we need to accept responsibility like an adult.
For example, the crying of a child who has lost his toy, a businessman blushing with anger as a result of failure in business life, and the feelings and thoughts of a father who gets angry when he receives a phone call from his child’s school are transactions.
Transaction Types
- Complementary Transaction
The communication between people points to ego states that are in harmony with each other, and the discourse answered in the outgoing discourse is in the desired way. For example, the mother asks her child: “Have you made your bed?” When he conveyed the question, the child said: “Yes, I collected it.” gives the answer.
- Cross (Closed) Transaction
During communication, the message sent by the individual is not answered at the desired ego level. Mother to her child: “Have you made your bed?” to the question of his child: “My job is not to make beds! ” is a cross-transaction.
- latent transaction
Only one or both of the two communicating persons act in both ego states. Since these transactions contain 2 different messages at the same time, one of the messages may be in the social dimension and the other in the psychological dimension, the social message that is expressed and the underlying (not explicitly stated) but (nonverbally transmitted) psychological message do not match each other.
For example, when a newly married couple cannot decide what to eat at a luxury restaurant for the first time and consult the waiter, the waiter’s response by pointing to an expensive dish from the menu: “Our customers usually prefer this dish”, in fact, “Choose this dish.” contains the message.
How Does Transactional Analysis Work?
During our communication, this transaction determines whether the communication will continue as a result of the activation of the appropriate transaction, whichever selves is active while we are talking. For example, if you were able to convey a question with your adult self and you could get a “logical” answer to the question, the communication continues in a healthy way. However, if the other person gives a sarcastic or rude answer, the communication ends with the occurrence of “cross-transaction”.
According to TA, the skills of awareness (consciousness), spontaneity and sincerity required for autonomy should be developed.
People; to be noticed, to be in a frame; Since he needs to make sense of his relationship with the person he is in a relationship with, these needs must be satisfied for a healthy relationship. Especially in emotional relationships, communication is of high quality as long as it includes lust, compassion, trust, curiosity, love and attraction.
Assumptions on which TA is based:
- Individuals have the capacity to develop emotionally and complete their autonomy.
- Individuals have to make a choice in the situations they encounter.
- People decide for themselves what happens in their lives.
The Way Brands Follow
Brands that use this psychological knowledge, while talking about the features of the products in the advertisements they design, act like adults, explain the features of the products, then establish a child-parent relationship and proceed by giving messages with the theme of freedom and independence. The possibility of persuading increases when they use the language they want to appeal to which self-state of the people who are planned to be contacted. It is beneficial for them to appeal to the chocolate industry – child-, and in the bank sector – adult.
I’m Ok You’re Ok
It is beneficial to evaluate one’s perceptions of himself and others outside of his subjective values.
I’m OK, You’re OK: In this situation, which is beneficial for the person, if individuals behave in accordance with their living conditions, they develop friendly relations that give confidence to other individuals, by solving the problems they encounter, and trusting themselves. Prefers compassionate, affirming, open and constructive communication.
I’m OK, You’re Not OK: It is a projective position, in which the individual criticizes by trying to oppress other individuals while feeling wronged. He cannot tolerate mistakes and tries to exert pressure.
I’m Not OK, You’re OK: Having an introjective life position, they feel passive and powerless towards their environment, and they experience high levels of helplessness and depression by showing avoidance behavior.
I am not OK, You are not OK: It is a completely unhealthy situation and the individual shows rebellious and unwilling behaviors by not taking responsibility in their relationships. Exaggeration in eating, alcohol consumption, being a spectator to life, hopelessness, indifference and unhappiness are the most striking features.
Purpose of Transactional Analysis
Since “transactional analysis” is both a psychology and a theory of communication, its aim is to realize the dynamics we bring from childhood, to distinguish yesterday from today, and to have a healthier mental structure. In any communication strategy, from the advertising industry to personal relationships and career life, what matters will be whether we appeal to the right self.
Among the benefits;
- By contributing to the emergence of a healthy society, healthy ego identities support development.
- Teaches healthy ways of communication.
- Constructive language is preferred, by supporting the individual characteristics of the contacts used.
- It shows which life positions we are communicating with.
- It helps us to avoid communication conflicts.
- It facilitates the expression of problems related to communication, negative points of view towards themselves, and the situations they are in.
