Transactional analysis

Time you got around to sponsoring a child

Transactional analysis is a psychoanalytic theory developed by psychiatrist Eric Berne.

He identified three "ego states", the Parent, Adult and Child states, that co-exist in all people. He then considered how individuals interact with one another, and the ego states that were participating, both ostensibly and actually, in each set of transactions.

He sketched common stereotype sets of interactions involving ulterior motives, identifying these as "games". The first such game theorized was Why don't you, yes but in which one player (White) would pose a problem and the other players (Black) would propose solutions. White would point out a flaw in every Black player's solution, until they all gave up in frustration.

In addition to scholarly work, Bern wrote two popular books on transactional analysis, which summarize his ideas for the layman.

Table of contents

1 See also
2 References

2.1 Popular books by Eric Berne on Transactional analysis
2.2 Scholarly books by Eric Berne on Transactional analysis

3 External links

References

Popular books by Eric Berne on Transactional analysis

(1964) Games People Play. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0140027688.
- (1996) (Paperback reissue ed.) New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0345410033.
What Do You Say After You Say Hello? ISBN 055209806X.

Scholarly books by Eric Berne on Transactional analysis

Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy. ISBN 0285647768.
The Structure and Dynamics of Organizations and Groups. ISBN 0345234812.