Structure and function (Transactional analysis / TA is an integrative approach to the theory of psychology and psychotherapy).

To use the ego state model effectively, you need clear understanding of the differences between structure and function. The functional model classifies observed behavior. The structural model classifies stored memories and strategies.

1. Structure and Function

2. Prepared By Manu Melwin Joy Research Scholar School of Management Studies CUSAT, Kerala, India. Phone – 9744551114 Mail – [email protected] Kindly restrict the use of slides for personal purpose. Please seek permission to reproduce the same in public forms and presentations.

3. Introduction To use the ego state model effectively, you need clear understanding of the differences between structure and function. Confusion between the two has been a long standing problem in the development of TA theory.

4. Introduction The functional model classifies observed behavior. The structural model classifies stored memories and strategies.

5. Introduction Berne was careful in his presentations to differentiate structural and functional model He had a solid logical basis of doing so.

6. Analogy Many present day writers are attempting to equate these two modifying categories. This is like attempting to equate a wheel with revolving. The two categories refer to different aspects of reality.

7. Analogy In analyzing ego states, structural refers to the component parts of the personality while functional or descriptive refers to the way in which the personality is functioning at a given point it time.

8. Analogy An analogy would be the different ways to look at a heat pump used to heat and cool a house. One could look at the heat pump structurally and point to its various components such as the compressor, the air ducts, the thermostats etc.

9. Analogy One could also look at the heat pump functionally or descriptively and talk about it heating the house, cooling the house, transferring the air from one place to another, using electricity etc. These are descriptions of how the total system is functioning at a given point in time.

10. Structure – What – Content Function – How – Process

11. Difference Any time we are talking about the interaction between the people, we must use the functional model. The structural model fits when we are considering what goes on inside the individual.

12. Difference Interpersonal aspects of TA work require the functional model. Intrapsychic matters need to be studied in terms of the structural model.

13. Function When I look at you and listen to you and judge what ego state you are in, I can make my judgments only in terms of the functional model. Perhaps I see you put your head to one side, crease your brow and put the end of one finger in your mouth. From these behaviors, I judge that you are in your Adapted Child functional ego state.

14. Structure There is no similar way I can observe you and try to judge whether you are in your little professor or coming from your parent in the parent. These names define collections of memories, not sets of behaviors. Only by listening to the content of what you are saying can I begin to get evidence about second order structure.

15. Structure If I need to know about the content of your little professor or parent in parent – the what rather than the how – I need to do some detective work. Principally, I need to ask you a lot of questions. I may also use my general knowledge about different kinds of personality and about how children develop.

16. Relationship between function and structure It is possible for two things to be different, yet to be related to each other. This is true of structure and function. Obviously, the way I behave at any moment will depend partly on the set of memories and strategies I am contacting internally.

17. Relationship between function and structure Suppose I am showing a set of behaviors corresponding to the negative Adapted Child functional ego states division. If you look at me, what you tell about the structural ego state part I might be contacting internally?

18. Relationship between function and structure You might reasonably guess I am experiencing body sensations of the sort which fit with the definition of somatic child C1. But perhaps, I am also accessing internal images of the scary orge or witch parent figures I built for myself at the age of three and stored away to make up my P1.

19. Relationship between function and structure It is also possible that I am replaying the way my father used to scrunch up and go red when he felt under treat as a child. If so, I am accessing part of my own parent ego state, the Child in my Father Parent ( C3 of Father).

20. Relationship between function and structure For all you know, I may be skillful actor and be setting up the whole charade for some grown up purpose which you don’t know about yet. If so, the I am likely to be switching internally between the content of my Adult, A2 and Little professor, A1.

21. Relationship between function and structure When you look at me and listen to me, you can observe function. But you can only infer structure.

22. Thank You

23. Other TA topics available on slideshare Strokes - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/strokes-24081607 . Games People Play - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/psychological-games-people-play . Structural Analysis - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/the-ego-state-model . What is TA? - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/what-ta-is Cycles of Development - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/cycles-of-developement-pamela-levin-transactional-analysis . Stages of Cure - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/stages-of-cure . Transactions - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/transactions-33677298 . Time Structuring - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/time-structuring . Life Position - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/life-position . Autonomy - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/autonomy-33690557 . Structural Pathology - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/structural-pathology . Game Analysis - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/game-analysis-33725636 . Integrated Adult - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/integrated-adult . Stroke Economy - http://www.slideshare.net/manumjoy/stroke-economy-33826702 .