Transactional Analysis Theory and Practice: Transactional Analysis Theory

Saturday 7 April 2018

Transactional Analysis Theory - Types of Transactions

This blog comes from Ajit Karve, BSc, BTA, a Transformational TA Coach

+919822024037; ajitpkarve@gmail.com

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Types of Transactions

Transactions carry messages at two levels. One of them is at the social level and the other at the psychological level. The one at the social level conveys what is said. The one at the psychological level conveys implied meaning. As an example: Manager says to Tom: "Tom, what is the time". At social level it conveys a simple meaning. The manager is only enquiring what the time is. At the psychological level his statement raises a query such as "What got you being late?" or "See you have kept us waiting." or "Is this the time to arrive?" among many others. When the social level message and psychological level message convey the same message, the transaction is congruent. If they convey, or seek to convey or are understood to have conveyed different meanings the transaction is incongruent.

Simple and Complex transactions – Congruent transactions are simple transactions and incongruent transactions are complex transactions or ulterior transactions.

Simple Transactions - Simple transactions are of two types. They are: complementary transactions and crossed transactions.

Complementary Transactions: In complementary transactions the ego state addressed is the one that responds and the response is directed toward the ego state that initiated the stimulus.

Crossed Transactions: In crossed transactions the ego state addressed may not be the one that responds or the ego state addressed may not be the one that initiated the stimulus.

Eighty one types of simple transactions are possible of which nine types are complementary transactions and the remaining are crossed transactions. Some types of complementary transactions and crossed transactions are shown in figures 48 and 49.

Figure 48

Figure 49

Examples of Complementary Transactions:

Mother: Son come here, sit by my side. P > C

Son: Yes Mom I'll be there, coming. C > P

Son: Can I read my story book sitting here. C > P

Mother: Yes, sure. P > C

Wife: Come Harry, the dinner is laid. A > A

Harry: Thanks, I will be there in a jiffy. A > A

Examples of Crossed Transactions:

Harry: Edna, make some coffee for me. P > C

Edna: Go, make it your self. I am busy. P > C

Yogesh: Riku, What is the time? A > A

Riku: You have a watch. See for yourself. P > C

Sudha: Do you have money on you? A > A

Ross: Don't you buy anything for me. P > C

The four types of crossed transactions shown in figure are the cause of most problems between individuals and between nations too. They are initiators of games.

Some other types of simple transactions.

Bull’s eye Transactions: Here stimulus originates in one ego state and is directed toward all three ego states in others. It is the most effective way of communication. It is usually used by politicians.

Carrom transactions: Here communication made or directed to one is meant for another. This is common at work places. The boss reprimands junior employee in the presence of his manager wherein message is meant for the manager but directed to subordinate to avoid a confrontation or conflict.

Gallows transactions: These are discounting scripty transactions. They have negative content and are accompanied by a laugh, smile or chuckle.

Complex Transactions or Ulterior Transactions: These transactions are incongruent. The social content and psychological content do not mean the same. My wife asks me this: "Are you free this Sunday?" If I say yes, she is likely to say: "Let us go out shopping." or "Let us go for a movie." If I say no. She is likely to say this: "You are so busy, you never have any time for me." Both these convey hidden content in the communication. They are therefore classified as complex transactions.

Complex transactions are either duplex or angular.

Duplex transactions: Two sets of complementary transactions are involved. One set comprises a transaction at the social level and the other set comprises a transaction at the psychological level. The transaction is shown in a diagram in figure 50.

Angular transactions: A set of two messages is released one at the social level the other at the psychological level. The psychological level message is responded by a social message. The transaction is shown in a diagram in figure 51.

Note: The social component is shown by an unbroken line and the psychological component by a dotted line.