2.3-1 TA in Pills - Injunctions and Drivers 1

Injunctions and Drivers 1
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(Injunction is an inhibiting don't message)
(Drivers are compulsive behaviours)
"Words with special meaning are marked * in text and explained in Notes"

Children do not take meaning literally. They have a gift of attaching meaning to what is said in the context it was said in the moment. What sense they attach to it is converted into personalisation. These two ideas are briefly explained here:

• Meaning: The word 'meaning' has six meanings. To know in detail Click Here (1) Linguistic: as is communicated through the use of language; (2) Non-linguistic: as is communicated by the senses of the words, independent of its linguistic uses; (3) Philosophical: The way 'meaning of a word' is discussed in philosophy.  (4) Psychological: As it pertains to knowledge and understanding (5) Semiotic: As elaborated through he use of signs. (6) Existential: As it concerns the meaning of life. Script Decisions are based on early life experiences. They are based on what we make out (the meaning of) to be the reason for a style of parenting to which we are subjected. The meanings held to be true by a child for whatever reason has a determining influence on the structuring of life plans. They have a ‘life long’ effect on one’s perception of oneself, of others and of the quality of life entitlements. 
• Personalisation: Personalisation in the context of script means believing that events, statements or remarks relate to oneself (Tilney T. Dictionary of Transactional Analysis). A parent saying something like this to a visitor: "we have to work hard and pay attention to small details if we have to prosper in life" is taken by a child to mean: "I have to work hard and pay attention to small details if I have to do well and prosper in my life". Personalisation also aids reading meaning into statements. A mother telling her child this: "you are too young to have a drink" - when she finds her child curiously looking at its father sipping a drink, may be taken by the child to mean: "I can have a drink when I am grown up", thus giving itself a licence to drink later in life. Personalisation is also used in publishing, marketing and advertising. See note below for details.

The context for understanding injunctions and drivers is laid down in Berne's writing on Script Apparatus. *He writes and I quote: "No matter what people thought or said they were doing with their lives, they seemed driven by some inner compulsion  to strive for a final payoff that was different from what they put down in their autobiographies or employment resumes."  

Children translate these six items into imperatives:

1. Script Payoff or Curse: This is what parents tell their child how to end its life. Some are "Get Lost", "Drop Dead", "Die Rich", "You'll end up like your alcoholic father".
2. Injunction or Stopper: This is an unfair negative command delivered by the Parent (CP) of the parent or Parent in the Child of the parent. "Don't bother me", "Don't act smart", "Stop Complaining", "Don't be too curious" and other similar.
3. Come-on or Provocation: A behaviour that parents encourage leading to the payoff and is accompanied by a laugh, a ha-ha. 
4. Prescription: An anti-script slogan that comes from Parent (NP). This is a prescription for filling time. Work hard, take care of every rupee you earn, do or die, make hay when the sun shines.
5. Pattern or Program: It is an Adult instruction telling the child how to carry out the script. How to mix drinks, how to cheat, how to tell lies, how to hide things, how to play tricks.
6. Scripty Impulses or Demon: These are urges and impulses that drive a person do undesirable things. "Show him", "today is all you have", "Don't miss the moment", "No one is seeing", "Grab and Go".
7. Anti-script or Internal Release: It is a means to lift the curse. "Life starts after 60" means you have to slog it out till then.  "Wait for the right moment" means you are not going to have a chance. "Working hard is all you can do" means you have no escape. "Try try to succeed" means success is not going to come easy.

The next blog covers Injunctions and Drivers as it appears in TA Literature.

This blog comes from Ajit Karve from Pune. I am a qualified TA Practitioner. I specialise in using TA for personal growth, personal development, personal effectiveness and for transformational change. I can be reached on +919822024037. Please feel free to seek clarifications by writing to me on ajitpkarve@gmail.com or taforyouandme@gmail.com. 

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Notes:

* This part is drawn from contents of Berne's Book 'What Do You Say After You Say Hello' (pgs. 131-135) which is acknowledged here.

*  Ordinary meaning of Personalisation: making some aspect of a person, looks, dress or fashion; object, thing, device or equipment; incident, event or happening; activity, programme or advertisement; and similar many other attractive to others. Personalisation is at the core of human activity. It is also widely used in advertising, marketing and sales. The newspaper industry survives by making some local, regional, national and international events or news significant by swinging the views of people to one person, issue or event. Thus personalisation results in drawing attention and rewarding recognition.