Transactional Analysis Theory and Practice: TA Theory Overview

This blog comes from Ajit Karve, BSc, BTA, a Transformational TA Coach
+919822024037; ajitpkarve@gmail.com

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Transactional Analysis - Theory Overview

Transactional Analysis is a body of six theories and seven topical themes. It provides a means to understand and explain the occurrence of intra-psychic, intra-personal and inter-personal phenomena. It helps us to understand the underlying causes for our fixated views, perceptions, assessments, evaluations, justifications and responses. It helps us to come to accept that there is nothing wrong with individuals as persons. People are fit to be loved, respected, accepted, recognised and associated with. This, despite their behaviours being flawed. This is explained in TA by saying that people as persons are lovable and their behaviour is to be ignored if it is mildly or moderately flawed. It has to be dealt with in seclusion if it is seriously flawed. This because the flaw lies in personality structures. Human behaviour is an expression of active personality components.

The theories that comprise the body of Transactional Analysis are:

1. TA Theory of Personality
2. TA Stroke Theory
3. TA Theory of Transactions (TA Proper)
4. TA Game Theory
5. TA Racket Theory and
6. TA Script Theory

The seven topical themes are:

    1. Psychological Hungers

    2. Life Positions

    3. a) Passivity and Passive Behaviours

        b) Four Discounts and Discounting

        c) Symbiosis

    4. Rackets, Racketing and Racketeering

    5. Frame of Reference and Redefining

    6. Drivers and Injunctions

    7. Script System

Transactional Analysis asserts that people are born with endowments. When we recognise and recover them, it helps us to live a healthy, rewarding, accomplished life. They are:

Capacity for OK-ness: OK-ness is signalled by recognising and upholding ourselves and others as worthy of respect, regard, love, affection, acceptance and being valued. Upholding esteem for these attributes signals OK-ness.

Capacity for thinking: We are gifted to think as individuals and also to conduct reality testing. If things in our life are not happening our way we can always think to bring change in our orientation, approach, understanding, evaluation. As an example it does not require courage to speak our mind out. This is a myth. All we need to do is to express ourself.

Capacity for effecting change: The way events are happening in our life, and the way our life is moving is structured by the decisions we made earlier on in life. We can always revisit our past and intuit or explore the possible reason why our views and perceptions of ourselves and others are structured in given ways. We can then change the decisions that went to build those beliefs. Therefore we can redecide our beliefs and live our life in new ways.

Capacity for transformation: Transformation occurs when the core is changed. Deep within us are a set of defining attributes in the nature of beliefs about ourselves, about others and about our quality of life entitlements. They spontaneously control, manage and structure our perceptual frames and as a result our responses.

Capacity for assuming self-responsibility: We cannot undo or correct mistakes committed in the past. Self-responsibility is signalled by being self dependent, being largely free of blaming ourselves and / or others, acknowledging the mistakes and doing better in the future. Living with mistakes and errors 'on the go' helps to assume self-responsibility as a personal strength.

Capacity for freedom from Psychological and Emotional Hurts: Being hurt, pained, insulted, let down, put down, pulled up, ignored, isolated, taken for a ride, being manipulated, being exploited, victimised, being angry, hating, resenting, grieving, feeling sad and other similar psychological and emotional hurts are common occurrence. TA tells us that it is best to put them in a drawer till we learn to be free of them. Holding on to them promotes their conversion into 'psychological trading stamps' which are more lethal and harmful. Engaging in unhealthy practices only stokes the fire.

Capacity for Thinking Martian: Thinking 'martian' is opposed to thinking 'earthian'. Thinking martian is the interpretation of human behaviour and communication without judgement or interpretation.

Capacity for Intimacy: Capacity for intimacy is the ability to express one's thoughts, feelings and opinions to another openly, honestly and candidly.  This is a recoverable capacity.

Capacity to empower the Adult: The Adult is empowered by patiently waiting, delaying and postponing responses to urges, drives and impulses.

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