Transactional Analysis is all about the flow of communication between people in the society in daily life. This exchange of communication is done from the three ego states viz., the Parent, the Adult and the Child, as proposed by Eric Berne. Each of these transactions, i.e. the flow of communication,
is driven by a specific stimulus and the responses obtained from any of the three ego states.
This combination of stimulus and ego states throws up different types of transactions. Most popular transactions as propounded by Eric Berne are the Complimentary (Straight and simple happening between two similar ego states), Crossed Transactions (a little complex happening between two different ego states) and the third is the Covert or Duplex transaction.
Covert or Duplex transactions take place on two different levels - a social (overt) and a psychological (covert). This usually happens when people say one thing, while they actually mean another. Covert transactions generally form the basis of games people play. These transactions are interesting because they are simply deceptive.
In the psychological games that people play in daily life, covert transactions carry a hidden meaning, which is the actual purpose of the transaction, while the overt verbal exchange defies the hidden intent. It becomes important in such games to identify what the other person actually intends to communicate, while his verbal utterances mean an entirely different thing. Owing to the complex nature of the exchange of transactions in two different ego states on the part of each of the parties to the game, this transaction is known as duplex or covert transaction. The covert level of the transaction gives greater clues to predict what the other person is going to do, as compared to the overt level.
TA specialists have analyzed that these duplex transactions are generally used as a tool to hide one’s feelings, fearing rejection, reprisal or rebuke from others. It may be that we are ashamed of the desires and feelings that are influenced by the child ego state to be reflected overtly and hence the verbal exchange proceeds from the parent ego state.
