Parent-Child Dynamics in Transactional Analysis and Leadership
Transactional Analysis (TA) divides personality into three "ego states" -- Parent, Adult, and Child. In TA theory, the Parent ego state represents behaviors and attitudes we learned or copied from parental figures. This state can manifest as a Critical Parent (authoritative, scolding, or controlling) or a Nurturing Parent (caring, protective, and guiding). When someone operates from the Parent state, they often act out of past conditioning, using language of "should/shouldn't" and an authoritative tone.




