Transactional Analysis

Transactional analysis can be used to improve the effectiveness of the way you communicate with people.

Transactional analysis (as developed by E. Berne) assumes that we can react to situations and other people from three positions, or ‘modes of being’, i.e.:
• the Parent
• the Adult
• or the Child

The Parent represents values and standards. The parent has acquired a wealth of parents' standards and culture. The parent knows what is good and bad, and how to behave, so he can be critical and condemn others, but he can also take responsibility and care for them.

The Adult represents the information-processing system and the skills that a person possesses. The adult processes information, examines and provides information. We could say he is a databank. The Adult can also provide information on the Parent's standards and the Child's feelings.

The Child represents emotions, vitality, creativity, and he can also be dependent or cantankerous.
It is important to realise that all three positions are present in every person. It is up to you to decide which one you allow to prevail.

The handout is based on the work of Berne.