Transactional Analysis Theory Research Articles

The Impact of a Model of Nonmaterial Consciousness on the Concept of Mind in Action

The author considers the impact of new understandings about the nature of consciousness. These challenge materialist assumptions of science in favor of a deep ecological perspective and a focus on spirit and spirituality in psychotherapy. The author argues that transactional analysis theory and practice offer sufficient scope in adapting to these changing perspectives, and particular consideration is given to the concepts of autonomy and life positions. A new integration of body, mind, and spirit is proposed within an ecological paradigm. This is considered as part of the evolving theory of future-oriented consciousness.

Alzheimer's Disease: Considerations in the Light of Transactional Analysis

This paper appeared originally in Portuguese as Doença De Alzheimer: Considerações À Luz Da Análise Transacional. Revista Brasileira de Análise Transacional, 2021 (https://unat.org.br/portal/rebat-2021.php) and is reproduced here by kind permission of UNAT-BRASIL - União Nacional de Analistas Transacionais – Brasil.
 To match the format of IJTARP, we have provided an alternative Abstract and moved the previous paragraph to become part of the Introduction to this article. Where possible, quotations have been added to reflect original TA publications in English.
 This article is the result of a Narrative Review of literature about Alzheimer’s Disease, alongside a review of transactional analysis theory with particular reference to how the injunction or injunctive message of Don’t Think, and a mindless script, may be connected to the development of the disease. A plea is made that we study relationships beyond the realm of natural science.

Transactional Analysis in Scientific Research – Key Question

The article is devoted to the analysis of scientific research of transactional analysis. A brief overview of the problem of relevance is given. We carry out a review of modern literary sources on this topic. We criticize scientific research methods such as double-blind controlled research in relation to psychotherapy. It is shown how the process of accumulating knowledge affects the theory of transactional analysis itself, including through integration with other therapeutic schools. The prospects and goals of the modern scientific study of transactional analysis are outlined.

Automated assessment system as a supportive tool for teaching programming in Academic Secondary School of SUT

Automated assessment systems are used in education as tools to support teaching programming and algorithms as well as preparing students for challenging informatics competitions. They reduce the teacher’s workload connected with manual verification of correctness and efficiency of computer programs. Furthermore, they enable learning of computer programming to be taken outside the traditional classroom as varied in difficulty tasks can be accessed and solved at anytime and in any place. Academic Secondary School of Silesian University of Technology has deployed an automated assessment system in order to support computer programming education. The aim of this work is to find out how students’ skills and interests in programming affect their feelings while using Szkopuł platform. For this purpose, a survey was conducted among students, and the results were analyzed in terms of the theory of transactional analysis.

Motivation and motivating in the educational process in the light of transactional analysis theory

In this article selected aspects of motivating others (or lack of it) as well as generating or reducing motivation in oneself by an individual in the educational process are presented in the light of transactional analysis theory constructs, namely the structural model of ego-states, a symbiosis of the first and the second order and the model of structural pathology based on the example of contamination. In reference to this last construct, selected results of own original research are reported. The research was conducted on a sample of 50 teachers working either in kindergartener primary school. In a diagnostic survey a questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The analysis of the results indicated that 78% of the total number of responses pointed to being expressed from a contaminated Parent ego-state, while only 22% were expressed from an uncontaminated Adult ego-state. No response coming from a contaminated Child ego-state was registered. Moreover, the kindergarten teachers showed significantly more of their uncontaminated Adult ego-state than the primary school teachers. However, no statistically significant relationship was observed between the age and the length of teaching experience versus the number of displayed contaminations or non-contaminations of the teachers.

A Therapeutic Stance Addressing Destructiveness: What We Can Learn From Looking Back at the Experience with Schiffian Reparenting

Although violent outbursts were common among residential patients undergoing Schiffian reparenting, reflection on their meaning was not integrated into reparenting theory. This article looks at how reparenting theory approached destructiveness and then explores other contributions from transactional analysis theory and beyond. Drawing from this analysis, the authors share their own reflections on what they see as blind spots in the Schiffian approach with a focus on destructiveness. They also look at how these dynamics may be found in daily practice. A case illustration highlights how destructiveness may be acknowledged and worked through in the psychotherapy office. As an emerging alternative, the authors introduce the concept of therapeutic stance.

The crisis “Archetypogram” – of prisoners, soldiers, sages and jesters

Introduction: Archetypes in psychology are complete models of behaviours, thoughts and feelings, representative of universal experiences. From Plato’s description of Forms to Jung’s analytical introduction to archetypes in psychology, to common use of Moore’s masculine archetypes in popular culture, we use such “complete representations” to enable change. Methods: In examining psychologically driven responses to the recent and ongoing pandemic crisis, the use of a graphic representation of interacting archetypes is proposed—the ‘archetypogram’. Results: Drawing on concepts from psychodynamic therapy practise, including Transactional Analysis and Jungian theory, four main archetypes are proposed for their interdependence—the prisoner, the soldier, the sage and the jester/trickster, and a model describing their interactions is presented with the intention of enabling helpful behaviours in response to crisis. The model further proposes positive and negative positions within each archetype, labelled as ‘creating’ and ‘consuming’ behaviours respectively. The ‘archetypogram’ thus is a visual representation of three main components - the four archetypes, creating vs consuming behaviours, and movement between the various positions. Use of the ‘archetypogram’ is aimed at enabling individuals in crisis to move from consuming to creating behaviours. Conclusion: The ‘archetypogram’ is a model of change which may be applied to persons distressed in crisis, and is able to move behaviours towards positive and creating self-states.

The Moderating Effect of Ego state in the Relationship between Life Position and Problem-Solving Ability of President “Moon Jae-in” as Perceived by University Students : Focusing on the Theory of Transactional Analysis

The Moderating Effect of Ego state in the Relationship between Life Position and Problem-Solving Ability of President “Moon Jae-in” as Perceived by University Students : Focusing on the Theory of Transactional Analysis

Transactional Analysis for Developing Student Social Relationships

Eachlife span has a developmental task to go through. One of the most challenging developmental tasks associated with adolescence is the developing social relationships with other people. This ability is essential for everyone because it can affect various aspects of life. In educational institutions, school counselors can use transactional analysis theory to develop students' social relationship skills because this theory is based on social relationships and transaction. This article will discuss the role of transactional analysis theories and approaches to develop students' social relationships using the method of literature study. It can be used as an alternative used by school counselors to optimize student development, especially in social relationship and interpersonal communication skills.

Core Self, Sense of Self, and Whole Self: The Potential for Harm in Using Personality Disorder Diagnoses

This article explores how the use of personality disorder diagnoses can contribute to the pathologizing of trauma and distress and result in labeling and the subsequent marginalization of survivors of childhood trauma. The author considers the theory and practice of transactional analysis (TA) and how TA practitioners may collude with these norms. An alternative framework for working with people diagnosed with a personality disorder is proposed. The author identifies the value of clarifying the term self within transactional analysis theory, using the model of self and ego developed by Cox to map concepts of self proposed by Berne. Using case material from a TA-based therapeutic community, the author demonstrates how differentiating between the concepts of core self, a sense of self, and whole self can aid resilience, recovery, and empowerment in people who have been diagnosed with personality disorders.

Evaluation and Measurement of Ego States

As a response to the need for more objectivity, Loffredo, Harrington, Munoz & Knowles (2004) developed a 40-item version of the Ego State Questionnaire-Revised (ESQ-R), which was the readjustment of the original 60-items version (1997). The present study evaluates an Italian version of the ESQ-R scale, completed by a sample of 483 subjects (204 males, and 279 females) and demonstrates acceptable construct validity and reliability in its five subscales of Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult, Free Child, and Adapted Child. Exploratory factor analyses suggested five factors as referred to in the original ESQ-R scale; items loaded at .30 or below were excluded and additional study showed an Italian version ESQ-RI with 33-items to have a good construct validity as an objective measure of the five ego states entities according to transactional analysis theory. Implications for future research are included.

Reklam, Kültür ve İletişim

Reklam, kapitalizme hizmet eden en önemli sektörlerden biridir. Tüketicinin ilk etapta bilinçli ya da bilinçsiz kullandığı bir araç olarak reklam, teknolojinin getirdiği imtiyazla ekonominin yönünü tespit eder. İnsanlığın, etkisinden kurtulamadığı reklam sektörü iletişimin de bir aracıdır. Tüketiciyi ihtiyacı olsun olmasın her şartta satın almaya ikna edici gerekçe ve durumları yaratma beceri ve toplamı olarak özetlenebilen reklam olgusu, günün her saniyesinde beş duyumuzla maruz kaldığımız, psikolojik olarak etkilenmenin kaçınılmaz olduğu, yüzyılın en çok gelir sağlayan para kaynaklarından biri olarak değerlendirilmektedir (Taşkıran, Bolat 2013). Bu kadar önemli bir sektör, kendi alanı içindeki kuram ve ilkeler kadar ürünün sunulduğu hedef kitlenin de kültürünü ve sosyal yaşantısını iyi bilmek ve irdelemek zorundadır. Bütün ülkelere ürün satan bir markanın her ülkeye göre hazırladığı reklam birbirinden farklıdır ve hedef kitlesinin kültürünü taşır. Reklam, aynı zamanda bir iletişim aracıdır. Duygu ve düşüncelerin tezahürünü taşır. Duygu ve düşüncelerin nesiller arasındaki farkı da önemlidir. Nesillerin kültürel değerleri dikkate alınarak hazırlanan reklamların hedef kitlelerinin ürüne yaklaşımı o reklamın başarısını gösterir. Bütün bunlar bilinirken arka planda bilinmeyen daha farklı değerler de vardır. Bir banka reklamında ürün, genç bir kızla bir delikanlı arasındaki sevgili ilişkisi içerisinde transaksiyonel analiz kuramı ile işlenerek dikkat çekecek bir şekilde sunulmuş ve böylelikle toplumun değer yargıları kullanılmıştır. Bu çalışmada Erich Berne’nin transaksiyonel analiz kuramı kullanılarak bir banka reklam filminin yorumlaması yapılmış ve kültürel değerlerin reklam sektörüne etkisi tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır.

I feel, therefore I am

This paper appeared originally in Portuguese as Sinto, logo Sou - um estudo sobre o significado das emoções e suas funções. Revista Brasileira de Análise Transacional XXI, 2011, n.1, 29-41 and is reproduced here by kind permission of UNAT-BRASIL - União Nacional de Analistas Transacionais – Brasil. Emotion is not a concept that can be accurately defined, even if in ordinary language it refers to affective states. The theory of transactional analysis, created by Berne and developed by his followers, is impregnated with the concept of emotion. In order to bring more light to these questions, the present article discusses the biopsychology of emotions, considering their objectives and functions, considering the influence of neuroscience. We also refer to authors who did a theoretical review of transactional analysis from the perspective of biology and the mind, such as Allen and Hine. We have also included authors with a body approach such as Reich and Levine for their significant contributions both to understanding how the scripting system is embedded in the body, and to consider the possibility of developing a systematic body approach within Adult decontamination methodology. We conclude that there are no destructive emotions. Destructive is the way one learns to deal with feelings, with sensations and emotions. And working on emotions is working on lifescript.

Teaching as Creative Subversion: Education Encounter as an Antidote to Neoliberal Exploitation of the Educational Task

The author offers a critique of how contemporary educational practice is oriented toward production and considers its implications for themes associated with transactional analysis theory and practice. Writing from within the context of a neoliberal culture, he explores how education is subject to the principles of commodification, which contaminates how education might serve the interests of students and the intention of educators. Following from this discussion, he turns to the idea of encounter as an alternative for imagining the educational task and considers the implications for the role of the teacher and the experience of the student. A number of questions are raised for educational transactional analysts, trainers, and trainees to consider in relation to arrangements for training, accreditation, and examination within the transactional analysis community.

Ego States and the Image of God in Personal Prayer: Psycholinguistic Analysis

Introduction. The results of theoretical substantiation and empirical study of personal prayer in the context of an interdisciplinary approach, which combines, on the one hand, the basic ideas and positions of the theory of transactional analysis and Ego states according to E. Bern, on the other hand, the ideas and techniques of modern psycholinguistics are describes and interprets in the article. It is substantiated that such an approach makes it possible to constructively supplement the basic metaphysical, spiritual, theological understanding of prayer with its full-fledged scientific analysis.
 Methods & Techniques. The sample of Ukrainian respondents of different ages and social status, self-identified as «Christians», according to the «Techniques of Studying Religious Activity» (D. Smirnov), is divided into four subgroups: the lowest, the lowest than the average, the highest than the average and the highest level of religious activity. Each was offered two related tasks («My Prayer» and «God’s Answer») with special instructions, after which the texts of personalized prayers as discourses of two «Ego states» were received and analyzed. In the context of the psycholinguistic direction of the study, the method of predicative text analysis was used (А. Leontiev, T. Dridze, N. Zhinkin). For the sake of clarification, the qualitative data was supplemented by a quantitative content analysis method using the «Textanz» computer software (version 2.4.2.0). And the results were summarized and compared in the context of four previously separated subgroups of respondents.
 Results. It is theoretically substantiated that prayer as a religious discourse should be considered not only in the context of broad social cognition and interaction, but also as a component of self-knowledge, self-understanding, self-construction of Personality. It has been empirically established that in the process of personal prayer as a reference to God with certain requests, thanksgiving, repentance and praise, the harmonious communicative transaction «Child»/«Father» is most often implicated (31.45% persons). So, for almost a third of the surveyed God, God is definitely a loving Father. However, disharmonious, conflicting transactions of various types – «Child» / «Parent», «Child» / «Adult», «Adult» / «Adult», are found quite frequently (approximately 40% persons).
 Conclusions. The results are viewed as one of the consequences and manifestations of the current crisis of the whole society, when, in the context of chronic and global distrust of any authority, centuries-old sacral values are also partially negated, and God begins to be perceived as an indifferent «Father» or an too liberal «Head».

THE NARRATIVE COMPONENT OF THE LIFE SCRIPTS ANALYSYS

The article is devoted to the analysis of awareness in life scripts based on verbalization of life experience by the subject in the process of narrative interview. A narrative approach aims to make visible phenomena which has already shaped our identity. The purpose of the article is research of narrative psychology opportunities for understanding by the individual the existing life scenario and possibilities of its freeing and expanding, building an autonomous life path, full of responsibility and creativity. It has been pointed out that according to the representatives of the transactional analysis theory the life scenario influences the life path of the personality.
 The comedy, the victory of life over death, romance, idealization of the past and traditions; tragedy, that shows the defeat of the hero and his expulsion from the society; irony which is to question all previous narrative structures were distinguished as the narrative structures of personality. It has been discussed that the study of the life scenario has its difficulties and limitations. The use of narrative interviewing creates wide opportunities for a deep understanding of the specifics of the individual’s life scenario. The use of this method allows to determine the scriptural beliefs of the person, the further analysis of which is a prerequisite for understanding and correcting the scripted life path.

Operational efficiency effects of blockchain technology implementation in firms

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of blockchain technology on firms’ operational efficiency in the context of China.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use panel data for blockchain-based companies listed on stock exchanges in China (Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong) between 2014 and 2018. The operational efficiency of firms that deploy blockchain technology is evaluated using ordinary least squares and system generalized method of moments estimation.FindingsResults suggest that companies’ current year performance exceeds the previous year performance because of blockchain deployment in firms’ operations. Firms with higher financial leverage and return on assets reap more benefits from blockchain. Larger and older firms benefit less from blockchain implementation. Stochastic frontier estimation suggests that, on average, firms attain a 57.76 per cent technical efficiency level, or, put differently, they operate 42.24 per cent below their maximum level of potential output.Originality/valueBlockchain can benefit firms in terms of consensus, security and trust, spurring the evolution of a new form of organizational dynamics. This study explores the theory of transactional cost analysis under blockchain technology. In addition, this study hypothesizes and empirically demonstrates the significant impacts of blockchain technology on corporations’ operational efficiency, using audited, externally reported financial data. Industry professionals can reap benefits from this research by noticing the magnitude of changes in firms’ financial parameters attributable to blockchain adoption.

Psychodrama Group Counseling Development based on Transactional Analysis Theory and Effect Research

Psychodrama Group Counseling Development based on Transactional Analysis Theory and Effect Research

Educational passivity – from theory to practice

The article offers a review of “Passivity at school” by Pierzchala (2013) in terms of the implications for theory and practice of transactional analysis. The main findings from the research project were summarised and compared to other studies concerning passivity. Pierzchala’s contribution to theory lies in providing an evidence base for the concepts of passive behaviours by integrating qualitative and quantitative research methods. The practical implications underline the necessity to confront passivity both in teachers and learners, taking account especially of overadaptation that is reinforced systemically. Relevant short case studies illustrate how theoretical discussions can be translated into educational practice

Transactional Analysis Theory and Spirituality

A great deal of importance has recently been given to studies dealing with the spiritual aspect of psychological theories and approaches; the aim has been to shed light on the spiritual aspect of humanity through these conducted researches and compilations. The current study aims to explain the perspective of transactional analysis on spirituality in terms of the theory of interpersonal relations and the extent of spirituality on the understanding of transactional analysis. Mainly the views of Berne and the researchers following in his footsteps have been taken into consideration. The experience of self-transcendence has been referenced by elaborating on the concept of autonomy, which occurs in spirituality through transactional analysis. By forming a framework over the transactional analysis view on spirituality, a perspective is offered towards transactional analysis patterns and spirituality along the axis of transaction and ego states. Family prisms, which are especially effective in the process of working with families in the understanding of transactional analysis, are clarified along the axis of spirituality. In addition, brief and summary information is presented about the pilgrim model, which guides transactional analysts regarding the spiritual elements a client brings during the consultation process. This study aims to show that the understanding of transactional analysis is a theory of relations and that therapists do not exclude spirituality from the counseling process but reference spirituality, particularly when focusing on ego states, intimacy, and autonomy, although not on all the concepts discussed along the understanding axis. For this purpose, the study aims to give the point of view on spirituality in transactional analysis theory by compiling the research that has been performed.