TA in Pills 2-2.1 Discounting, Frame of Reference and Redefining

Discounting, Frame of Reference and Redefining
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(Discounting is unawarely ignoring aspects of reality that help in assessing reality and framing a response as per reality principle)
(Frame of Reference is a view of reality structured by active ego states)
(Redefining is the altering of perception, experience, evaluation and responses because of  discounting)
"Words with special meaning are marked * in text and explained in Notes"

Discounting

Discounting is unawarely ignoring aspects of reality that are relevant to ending a situation or solving a problem sanely and safely. Discounting results in some parts of reality receiving prominence and some other parts being overlooked or ignored. This process generates a scripty view of reality.

Discounting occurs in all areas of human activities. In thinking, in feeling, in experiencing, in understanding, in expressing, in appreciating, in loving, in doing, in our actions, in being happy and joyful . . . . . the list is endless. 

Frame of Reference

Frame of Reference is a unique way in which we:

• Perceive Reality
• Evaluate Reality
• Assess Reality
• Understand Reality
• Respond to Reality

mostly unawarely. 

A host of ego states get activated in response to internal and external stimuli. The ego state that is in the executive determines the nature of perception, evaluation, assessment, understanding reality and response to it. 

Frame of Reference is the view of reality perceived by an active ego state. As an example the Parent views embezzlement moralistically and in a judgemental way, the Adult makes an appraisal, thinking about how it may have happened and the Child wants to see the fun part of it as in now what and how. A consciously aware  person is able to generate multi-views from different Ego State perspectives.

There is a reality frame without limitations. There is a consensual frame restricted by some definitions accepted by consensus and a scripty frame limited by discounting.

 Stewart and Joines say that script consists of all the definitions in the frame of reference that are caused by discounting**.

Redefining

Redefining explains how thinking, feeling, perceiving, and action are altered when people become script ridden.

Ken Mellor is the contributor of this topic. He says that redefining refers to the mechanism people use to maintain their established view of themselves, other people and the world, in order to advance their scripts. This means that people defend themselves against stimuli which are inconsistent with their frames of reference, and redefine the stimuli to fit into the frames they unawarely believe to be true. He asserts that the redefining mechanism has three components discounting, grandiosity and thinking disorders. All three contribute to any redefining of reality.

Redefining can be recognised transactionally by observing tangential and blocking transactions, behaviourally by the four passive behaviors, structurally through the establishment of Parent competitive or Child competitive 'symbiosis seeking relationships' and functionally by the parties adopting one of the six roles on the redefining hexagon. - These are being covered in blogs that follow.

When we are redefining we are discounting ourselves, others and the situation. Inversely when we are discounting in the three modes we are redefining.  

Redefining occurs because of shifts in the executive within the personality structure and structural pathology. 

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:

* 
** TA Today Chapter 19 - they use the words 'entail discounts' which part is differently worded here.