Transactional Analysis Theory - Introduction to Script

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

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Introduction to Script

Script and its Definition

Script is short for Life Script. Script is a self authored life plan, 'written' in childhood, under parental influence, reinforced in growing years and directed toward a predefined goal called the script payoff. Script is an intra-psychic mechanism. It is structured by childhood decisions. It becomes activated when a person's preferred view of reality is challenged*. On becoming activated the affected person loses executive control over his thinking and feelings, perceiving reality, assessing and evaluating reality and designing, and executing appropriate responses to persons and reality situations. They are dictated by the script controls to accomplish or result in achieving the script goal. The person loses autonomy in the process. Therefore, the script is an intra-psychic, neuro-psychological mechanism which gets activated by stimuli that challenge the person's scripty frame of reference. As a result the affected person loses autonomy and is driven to execute the script directives.  

Berne's Definition: Script is defined as an ongoing program, developed in early childhood under parental influence, which directs the individual's behaviour in the most important aspects of his life. In Berne's definition 'ongoing' means always moving forward with an element of irreversibility; 'program' means there is a well laid out plan. Its anlage or skeleton can be found in a specific fairy tale; 'under parental influence' means during interactions with parents; 'directs' means is ordered to comply; 'important aspects' means significant events of life. This definition is reduced by Berne into Formula S, or Script Formula.

Figure 57

Berne mentions in What Do You Say After You Say Hello that "Script is the psychological force which propels the person toward his destiny, regardless of whether he fights it or says it is his own free will". 

Script represents a psychological compulsion to accomplish a predetermined life event. 

Our Problems dealing with Scripted People

Script is a life plan, the way life progresses on its own, largely based on childhood decisions. These decisions are 'psychological' conclusions about ourself (self-concept, self-worth, self-esteem), our view of others - particular and generally, our quality of life entitlements, and limiting statements about what best we can get out of our life.

We have seen earlier in 03.08 Frame of Reference and Redefining (click here to visit the content > 03.08 Frame of Reference and Redefining) that we move to script when our Scripty Frame of Reference is 'threatened', 'challenged', or if the stimulus is inconsistent with our view of reality.

Our response to the same person is liable to change with change in the content of discussion. Some of reasons are: person, place, time, event, role, topic, challenge / allegation, reason, opinion, belief among many more. Mathematically it generates a staggering 3.63 million permutations and combinations. An elaboration of this list is given below:

1. Person - father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, m-i-l, f-i-l, friend, neighbour, associate, office colleague, play mate among many more;
2. Place - dining table, terrace, balcony, home, office, road, shop, car, bus, train, table, tv, bed, office, board room, meeting, outing, among many more;
3. Time - morning, afternoon, evening, night, tea time, lunch time,  dinner time, strolling time among many more;
4. Event - tea, meal, meeting, gathering, saying something to another, a harmless remark, allegation, naming, finger pointing, blaming, on coming home, while leaving for work, while cooking, while watching tv among many more;
5. Role - as father, mother, brother, sister, friend, boss, subordinate, colleague, partner, buyer, seller, tenant, owner among many more;
6. Topic - politics, sports, relationships, behaviour, activity, mistake, claim among many more;
7. Challenge or Allegation -  no good, always blaming, always finding fault or mistake, forgetful, not remembering, not loving, not caring, self centered, not bothered and many more;
8. Reason - came early, came late, did not come, left work half done, messed up the place, not bothered, claiming to be knowledgeable, claiming another to be a fool or idiot or useless, made a mistake, failed, failed to comply, was careless, wasn't careful among many more;
9. Opinion - way off the mark, blaming, needless advise, ego hurt, bias, claiming know all among many more;
10. Belief - religious, sect, class, community, family, social, money related among many other.

These 3.63 million combinations can multiply many times into billions of combinations. What results is that a scripted person moving to script every single time he or she comes in contact with reality or faces reality situation.

The term Script includes three items - script protocol, script and adaptations. Script Protocol is the household drama which is first played out to an unsatisfactory conclusion in the the earliest years of life. This is classically an archaic version of the Oedipus drama and is repressed in later years. It's precipitates re-appear as the 'Script proper', which is a pre-conscious derivative of the protocol. In any social situation, however, this script proper must be compromised in accordance with possible realities. This compromise is technically called  'Adaptation', and these adaptations are what the patient actually tries to play out in real life. This is done by the manipulation of the people around him. Adapted from  'Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy' .

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