The book Games People Play: The Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis by Dr. Eric Berne, is one introducing the fundamental concepts of transactional analysis (TA). Transactional analysis a theoretical approach that focuses on the ways in which individuals interact with one another. Berne describes interactional patterns among individuals as “social intercourse” which thrives off of basic human principles.
Berne discusses the role of social intercourse as a primitive form of behavior. As infants, humans learn to beckon the attention of others by engaging in attention engaging behaviors (i.e., crying). Once we have gained the attention of others, more often than not our basic human needs are satisfied and the cycle repeats when necessary. Biologically speaking, this type of distress response served an evolutionary purpose; the needs of a growing infant are met, thus ensuring the infant’s healthy development. Having a healthy infant usually translates into having a healthy adult which will in turn procreate and preserve the existence of the species.
Similarly, adults have the same drive to gather attention from others. While adults may not cry (though this may be one form of behavior they engage in order to gain attention from others), they produce other mannerisms that will yield them the desired attention. When an adult (or infant) seeks attention he or she is expecting a stroke. A stroke is an act that encourages its recognition from another individual (Berne, 1964). When a response from another individual occurs the exchanges of strokes between two individuals is considered a transaction (Berne, 1964). The meaning and effectiveness of transactions are all determined by out of which ego states (discussed below...
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...uggling to have meaningful social interaction and intimate relationships. I would also recommend that future and practicing counselor give this book a quick read for it provides a succinct and simple manner in which to explain the way humans interact with each other. In all, I feel that Eric Berne’s Games People Play is a great read for any individual who would like to become cognizant of the ways in which they impact their social relationships.
Works Cited
Berne, E. (1964). Games people play: The basic handbook of transactional analysis. New York, New York: Ballantine Books.
Clarkson, P. (2005). Transactional analysis psychotherapy: An integrated approach. (5th ed., p. 204). New York, New York: Routledge.
Lapworth, P., & Sills, C. (2011). An introduction to transactional analysis: Helping people change. (2nd ed., pp. 25-38). London, England: Winslow Press.
According to Klaus and Kennell, there are specific events, including skin-to-skin contact between mother and infant that must occur directly following the birth of a primate infant. This maximizes the chances of survival for the newborn not only because their mother is a source of food, but also because they will learn the culture they need to be successful in their environment. In the study, Klaus and Kennell test how much time a baby spends crying when they are separated from their mother. They concluded the increased time in babies that were separated was due to the anxiety that separation caused. The difficulty in this is that the cause of the baby’s distress is subjective. Also the notion of critical period proposed that the bonds and lessons taught during that time could not be developed later.
In his lecture, primatologist Robert Sapolsky explains the uniqueness of humans as well as our similarities to other primates. In doing so, he broke it down into six points of interest: aggression, theory of mind, the golden rule, empathy, pleasure in anticipation and gratification postponement, and lastly, culture. Professor Sapolsky approaches each point with interesting fact-based examples thus allowing me to gain insight on humans and other primates. Sapolsky’s knowledge of primates along with his scientific background allows him to make a clear argument that one cannot simply ignore.
A characteristic of humanity is social contact, each individual needs significant social interaction. Not only must humans have interaction, but must share things in common to care and love. This h...
Throughout situations and research conducted by not only Robert Sapolsky or Jane Goodman, but from many other credited sources, we can blatantly see the, if not identical, similarities between the two species of humans and baboons. The most apparent likewise characteristics of this can be read and documented in Professor Sapolsky’s book, A Primate’s Memoirs. Sapolsky, who spent hundreds if not thousands, of hours studying these Savanna Baboons, sheds a vast insight into ideas of social dominance, mating strategies, instinctual prowess, community settings, hygiene, and reform of an entire generation; many of which can be unknowingly seen directly in the common occurrence of a humans daily life.
Human morality could have clearly grown out of primate sociality. Though being morally aware may be a uniquely human trait, many species such as primates, dogs and ants, all known for living in a group, have been known to exhibit pre-moral sentiments. Concepts such as attachment, bonding, empathy, and
5. Kellert, S.R. and E.O. Wilson, editors. 1993 The Biophilia Hypothesis. Island Press, Washington, DC
In the early 1950s, Harry Harlow’s famous study of rhesus monkeys to determine attachment relationships demonstrated that infant rhesus monkeys raised in isolation, preferred the comfort of a cloth-covered surrogate mother to that of a wire-mesh surrogate with an attached feeding bottle. Harlow wished to dispute the traditional view that affection and mother–infant attachment was based on food, and his experiments had clearly demonstrated that the foundations of attachment were not associated solely with the need for nourishment. A more important facet of human nature was that the profoundly meaningful act of physical intimacy plays a greater role in the health of an infant than nourishment alone. (Vicedo 2009)
For instance, one of the most influential theories in human development is Erick Erickson’s developmental theory, in which he separated human development in stages. His stages of development encompassed about ambiguous developmental period that he characterized as the conflict of Intimacy vs. Isolation in young adult, Generativity vs Stagnation in middle adulthood and Integrity vs. Despair in late adulthood (Schwartz, 2001). Erickson’s developmental stages theory paves the way for in-depth research on social developmental changes that occurred from young adulthood (18-25), middle adulthood (26-39), to late adulthood (40-67). In his developmental research on social relationships, Berndt (2002) found that friendships vary in term of quality, stability,
The psychoanalytic perspective grew out of subsequent psychoanalytic theories (1901, 1924, and 1940) following decades of interactions with clients with the use of an innovative procedure developed by Sigmund Freud that required lengthy verbal interactions with patients during which Freud probed deep into their lives. In a nutshell, the psychoanalytic perspective looked to explain personality, motivation, and psychological disorders by focussing on the influence of early childhood experiences, on unconscious motives and conflicts, and on the methods people use to cope with their sexual and aggressive urges. The Biological perspective on the other hand looks at the physiological bases of behaviour in humans and animals. It proposes that an organism’s functioning can be described in terms of the bodily structures and biochemical processes that cause behaviour. This paper attempts to examine the similarities and differences between the psychoanalytic perspective and the biological perspective with the key focus on the core assumptions and features of these perspectives as well as their individual strengths and weaknesses.
This classic love story describes how people can change once they interact with other people. Moreover, this is an example of how human beings in general need interaction to be normal functioning citizens of society. Having relationships, can make a person feel better about him and can possibly revolutionize or emerge a personality that was quiescent due to lack of interaction. This video demonstrates many facets of interpersonal communication.
In this semester, we are learn a lot of knowledge about ourselves, start from an infant to early adulthood. We know that, some of our behavior are development since we are infants such as intimacy with others. Other than that, we learned that most of our emotional development are more likely same as stated in Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development stages. In this report, we are using Bandura Social Learning Theory, Treisman’s Filter Model of attention, and information processing theory to explain the cognitive development in our group member and using Erik Erikson’s intimacy versus isolation theory to discuss the emotional development in relation with friendship and family.
...; With the use of applying this theory to an episode as a demonstration, an application, and then an explanation, it is easy to see how the Social Exchange theory is related to everyday situations. Not only can the theory be applied to amorous relationships, but to that of friendships. The utility of the theory is seen in just about every type of interaction and is key to better understanding why relationships, friendships, or any mutual interaction, for that matter, turn out being costly or rewarding.
Briefly, I would like to analyze some key point before giving my own opinion about what this essay will treat. Thinking about the biological, social
“The Joy of Sex.” Adweek 6 March 2000: 22. Online. EBSCOhost: Academic Search FullTEXT Elite. (AN: 2896174) 19 March 2001.
In conclusion, transactional analysis is a good way of recognising people's behaviour. Having read all the handouts and observed my work in class, I feel I have a general idea in recognising what ego states other people are playing, in certain situations. I personally think it is a good way of finding out what ego state you are in, so you can control them if necessary.