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What is This?
the concept of ego states was ex- nantly using the right hemisphere and an
plained to them ..... (p. 56). individualin an Adult ego state is producing
This study was concerned only with the more energyin the left cognitive hemisphere.
Adult and Child concepts leaving out the
Parent ego state. This choice was made Research
because of the strong parallel descriptions There are almost no studies to validate,
between the R/L hemispheres and the examine or establish the theoretical con-
Adult/Child. cepts underlying Transactional Analysis.
The parent ego state is determined by An exception is the work of Thomson
the integration of the child's parents' (1972). He observed that after fifteen years
messages during the child's early develop- there had been no research to test or
ment. This process is one of socialization. establish that ego states do existeven though
The description of the Parent ego state are: the concept of ego states is central to
nuturing, judgmental, caring, scolding, etc., Transactional Analysis theory.
(Berne, 1961; Steiner, 1974; McCormick,
1977; Thomson, 1977). These concepts do
not lend themselves to the model of hemi- Research Design
spheric functions: left/analytical, com- Fifteen right handed male subjects were
puter-like, linear logic: and right/spatial evoked into ego states by an audio stimulus
oriented, intuitive and emotional. Con- tape developed for this study and con-
sidering the social origins of the Parent sensually validated by experts in Transac-
and the complexity of its nature, it seemed tional Analysis theory (Appendix 6). BEG
inappropriate to include it in the study. measures taken during these stimuli were
then examined to determine the relation-
ship of the hemispheric L/R dominance
INTEGRATION OF TRANSACfIONAL
ANALYSIS AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
as related to ego state.
The statistical design was a three factor
It would sppear that Sperry and Orn- within subject analysis of variance. The
stein's description of the Left hemisphere independent variables were 1) the Adult
is very similar to the description of the and Child stimulus tapes; 2) the location
Adult concept in Transactional Analysis of measurement, left or right hemisphere;
and the description of the Right Hemi- 3) the presentation order of the stimulus
sphere similar to the Child concept. type. A counterbalanced presentation of
NEUROPSYCHOLOGISTS
the stimulus was done to control for order
(sperry, Gazzaniga, Bogen, Galin, Levy, Ornstein) effects. (C l' A t - A'1J C~.
Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere To check to be sure that the counter-
Analytical, computer- Spatially oriented, balancing was effective, an ANOVA using
like, sequential logic intuitive, creative, ego states, location of measurement
emotional and order was done.
The dependent variable was the propor-
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
(Berne, Steiner, Harris, Thomson, James)
tion of alpha power in microvolts recorded
in the EEG analyzed from one minute
Adult Ego State Child Ego State
Computer, assessor of Emotional, spontan-
epochs from the temporal placement. The
reality, processor of data eous, creative greater degree of alpha indicated the
greater proportion of inhibition in the
It seemed reasonable to expect that lateralizing effect.
instrumentation (BEG) used to distin- These procedures allowed for a statisti-
guish between the hemispheres would also cal evaluation of the interaction between
be able to relate these findings to the Ego the Child and Adult ego states and the
states, Adult and Child. It was reasoned hemisphere of the brain in which alpha
that BBG readings should show that an activity appears. (The level of significance
individual in a Child ego state is predomi- was set at p. <.05.)
Discussion 12 48
12 12 12
The stimulus materials. The concept
that ego states could be elicited by audio x2 21.8 26.2 10.51 16.40
stimulus tapes was consensually validated
by sending the audio stimulus tape S
(Study) to twenty teaching members of
P .. .. . ..
ITAA who agreed to evaluate the tape.
.p .01 ..p .001
Thirteen of these experts returned their
evaluations. These evaluations of the Transactional Analysis experts' evaluation of stimulus Ct ,
ego states of the tape stimulus C l' C 2' A l' C2, A" A z and ego states: Parent (P), Child (C), and AdUlt
(A).
A 2 can be seen in Table lao This table
shows the Transactional Analysis experts
are in significant agreement with experi- Table 1a
***Experts' Evaluations
menter's predictions for Tapes C l' C2' A l'
and A 2 as to the ego state of the stimulus.
Educators could use other sources of
Self evaluation. These experts also parti- stimuli besides the audio stimulus used in
cipated in self-evaluation of their own ego this study. Some of these stimuli are video-
states in response to the stimulus materials. tape, movies and live presentations.
Table lb shows the experts' personal Development of skits, films and stories
response to the stimuli which was also which would elicit ego states would be
significantly in agreement with the pre- useful resource materials in the classroom
dicted response. and office.
The evidence of data gathered from the Therapeutically, the concepts of Adult
reactions to Tape S was sufficiently con- and Child are effective in working with
sistent so that it appears that it is entirely psychotic and neurotic patients. The more
possible that one can create stimuli which definitive a therapist can be about these
will elicit predictable ego states. This concepts, the more effectively they can be
finding is of significance to teachers and to translated to the patient's frame of
trainers of Transactional Analysis who reference.
work with adults and children. Educators
could use ego state stimuli to structure In the future when examining the theore-
learning situations for students. They could tical basis of Transactional Analysis, other
also teach awareness of how to shift ego sources of stimuli such as videotape, films
states for appropriate life situations. These and live presentations would be worthy
are important learning skills. of exploration.
Vol. 11, No.3, July 1981 215
IR AR AR IR
Left Right Left Right
lateralizing subjects lateralizing subjects laterallzing sUbjects lateralizing subjects
C2 C2 A1 A1
S Report S Report S Report S Report
4 +c 1 +c 1 +A 4 -p
6 +c +c 2 +A 10 -c
7 +c IS +c 6 +A 12 -c
10 +c 15 +c 7 +A 15 +A
12 +c 18 -A 8 +A 19 -p
16 +c 19 +c 16 +A 21 -c
21 -p 23 +c 18 +A 23 +A
14 -A 9 -A 9 +A 23 +A
13 -A 13 +A 14 +A
17 -A 17 -c
3 -A 3 +A
11 +c 11 +A
20 +c 20 -c
Totals +C=6 Totals +C = 8 Totals +A = 11 Totals +A = 3
-AP = 2 -AP = 5 -CP = 2 -CP = 5
Explanation ofsymbols Explanation ofsymbols
+ indicates self report same asintended ego state + indicates self report same asintended ego state
indicates self report not the same asintended ego state indicates self report not the same asintended ego state
AR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state AR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state
IR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state IR indicates inappropriate EEG given intended ego state
Table 2b Table 2c
Subject Identification of Ego States when Subject Identification of Ego States when
EEG Did/Did Not Lateralize in the Predicted EEG Did/Did Not Lateralize in the Predicted
Direction for Stimulus C2 Direction for Stimulus A1
this study, many months were spent expected that stimuli which draw on other
developing stimuli and determining if they sensory awareness would create a stronger
could be used effectively. Other researchers hemisphere shift. Visual and auditory
may benefit from these experiences and stimuli might be effective.
define their stimuli with more certainty
using foundations developed in this study Environment. The laboratory setting
and that of Thomson (1972). That experts may have contributed to the predominance
of Adult state and the nonstimulation of
could define their own ego state and that
naive subjects could also recognize their the Child ego state. The computer atmos-
phere may have stimulated an Adult
own ego state has not been established
previously. This study strongly suggests reaction. Experimentation in other settings
that such self reports are possible. such as a playground, classroom or informal
The statistical analysis revealed no signi- office might be productive in creating a
ficant relationship between the lateraliza- Child ego state.
tion right and left and the Child and Adult Different technique. Using the technique
ego state. of right/left eye movements (Galin,
Some possible causes for these non- Ornstein 1975), which purport to indicate
significant results are as follows: brain lateralization, would permit a wider
Audio-stimulus. Because the study used range of subject movement than does the
only audio-stimuli which produce low level EEG. These methods might well provide
and limited neutral responses, it might be different data.
Vol. 11, No.3, July 1981 217
Subject choice. A large number of the Americans. These males are likely to be
male subjects were middle class medical more linear minded than other groups.
students. Forisha (1978) wrote of the These two factors may definitely affect the
restriction of the emotions of this class of eliciting of the Child ego state. These are
considerations in the choice of subjects in
future research.
AR IR A wareness of EEG. Another artifact of
Left Right the experiment could have been present in
lateralizing sUbjects lateralizing sUbjects the very nature of the EEG which the
A2 A2 subject knew was recording brain waves.
S Report S Report
This knowledge may have kept the subject
in the cognitive linear mode wondering
1 +A 4 +A
2 +A 6 +A how the EEG was recording one's reac-
8 +A 7 +A tions instead of going with the emotional
15 +A 10 +A content of the tape.
18 +A 12 +A
19 +A 16 -p A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SUBJECTS
21 +A 23 -p IDENTIFICATION OF EGO STATE AND EEG
9 +A 14 -p
The non-significant results were dis-
13 -C
17 +A appointing but a closer look at the data
3 +A revealed some other interesting relation-
11 +A ships.
20 +A When the EEG was used as a predictor
Totals +A = 12 Totals +A = 5 of the subject's ego state, it was a more
-CP = 1 -CP = 3 reliable predictor of the subject's report
than the experimenter's a priori assump-
Explanation ofsymbols
+ indicates self report same asintended ego slate tions.
- indicates self report not the same asintended ego state The subjects correctly identified the
AR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state Adult state, when they were using the left
IR indicates inappropriate EEG given intended ego state hemisphere. The subjects correctly identi-
fied the Child state, but were not lateralizing
Table 2d in the right hemisphere, as indicated by
Subject Identification of Ego States when the EEG. The subjects recognized the
EEG Does/Does Not Lateralize in the Predicted linear/left cognitive state more readily
Direction for Stimulus A2 than they did the spatial or right cognitive
state.
This reduced discrimination could be
due to the quality of the Child tapes. This
Source SS df MS F P would seem to be true for Child 1 which
A Ego State 300.32 1 300.32 All F's ns was not a consistently validated stimulus.
BHemisphere 32.52 1 32.52 1.0 However, Child2' which was 100010 con-
COrder 4.52 1 4.52 sensually validated by both experts and
AB 52.80 1 52.80 subjects, was also not identified correctly.
AB 37.80 1 37.80 One possibility for explaining the Adult
BC 58.30 1 58.30 or left hemisphere recognition could be
18.83 1 18.83 that from childhood most people have been
ABC
Error 68692.30 72 954.06 complimented, "stroked" or rewarded in
some way for linear cognitive thinking. In
Total 69197.59 the process of growing up, middle class
children are commended for linear
Table 3 thinking. As the child learns to count, to
ANOVA: Ten Male, Right Handed Subjects read and to reason, teachers and parents
comment, grade, judge and generally
AR IR ~ AR IR ~
+ 5 6 11 + 6 8 14
- 4 6 10 - 2 5 7
s 9 12 21 s 8 13 21
c1: (.06 + .56 + 2.56 + .56)/c = .52 - <.75 ns. c2: (.56 + 7.56 + 10.56 + .06)/c = 3.57 P <.10 ns.
Explanation ofsymbols Explanation ofsymbols
+ indicates self report same asintended ego state + indicates self report same asintended ego state
indicates self report not the same asintended ego state indicates self report not the same asintended ego state
AR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state AR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state
IR indicates inappropriate EEG given intended ego state IR indicates inappropriate EEG given intended ego state
Table 4a Table 4b
Chi Square Table - Child 1 Chi Square Table - Child 2
AR IR ~ AR IR s
+ 11 3 14 + 12 5 17
- 2 5 7 - 1 3 4
s 13 8 21 ~ 13 8 21
A1: (33.06 + 5.06 + 10.56 + .06)/c = 9.28 P <.005 A2: (45.56 + .06 + 18.06 + 5.06)/c = 14.81 P <.001
Explanation ofsymbols Explanation ofsymbols
+ indicates self report same asintended ego state + indicates self report same asintended ego state
indicates self report not the same asintended ego state indicates self report not the same asintended ego state
AR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state AR indicates appropriate EEG given intended ego state
IR indicates inappropriate EEG given intended ego state IR indicates inappropriate EEG given intended ego state
Table 4c Table 4d
Chi Square Table - Adult 1 Chi Square Table - Adult 2
Parent P 5 1 2 2 9
Martha Millard Nims lives and works in
San Francisco, California.
1 21 21 21 21 34
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