Intimacy Analysis Today: The Intimacy Scale and the Personality Pinwheel

Abstract

Intimacy theory may be called Eric Berne's “unfinished symphony.” In this centenary Transactional Analysis Journal theme issue, “Eric Berne: Then and Now,” a “Now” of intimacy analysis is presented to fill in the blanks in Eric Berne's intimacy theory from “Then.” New transactional analysis concepts and diagrams are used to demonstrate that creating mutual intimacy is a social skill that can be developed through Adult learning. In the Intimacy Scale, social intimacy is facilitated by the range of topics discussed. As seen through the Personality Pinwheel, social intimacy is facilitated by the number of ego states involved. The Intimacy Scale is a way of grading the intimacy by Content (closeness of topics discussed), and the Personality Pinwheel is used for increasing intimacy by Process (how to engage more ego states). The Personality Pinwheel counts the OK ego states involved in an intimate relationship and teaches methods for favorably engaging all of them.