Transactional analysis (TA) originated by Dr. Eric Berne in the 1950's and is a complete theory of personality. TA adheres to the presence of three active, dynamic, and observable ego states referred to as the Parent, the Adult, and the Child. Each of these ego states exists and operates in any individual and is associated with its own observable mannerisms, special repertoire of language, thoughts, emotions, body postures, gestures, voice tones, and expressions. Ego states represent patterns of feeling and experiences which are directly related to a corresponding pattern of behavior. Ego states are not necessarily related to one's chronological age.
The Child ego state was originally labeled by Berne as the archaeopsyche, referring to the developmentally archaic, regressive ego state. The Child ego state within each of us is considered to be creative, intuitive, and emotional, as well as rebellious or conforming. The Child ego state sounds like and exhibits behavior like an actual child, regardless of the person's biological age. To differentiate the function and amount of energy placed within the Child ego state, the Child is divided into its Free Child (FC) functions, which are natural and uninhibited, and its Adapted Child (AC) functions, which are compliant or rebellious. The Free Child "expresses herself spontaneously without concern for the reactions of the parents of the world. The Adapted Child, on the other hand, behaves as if a parent were watching or listening, and is so much more restrained than the Free Child" (Woollams & Brown, 1979, p.15). In trying to meet the perceived demands of the parents, the Adapted child may be compliant and industrious, but may also be rebellious. This rebelliousness is a way of covertly cooperating with the conscious or unconscious expectations of the parent. A third functional category of the Child ego state is sometimes referred to as the "Little Professor." The Little Profes...