A RESEARCH MODEL
OF EGO STATES
Stefan Sandström 2015
EGO STATES AND
MEMORY RESEARCH
Rooting the concept in science
Advantage of linking ego state theory to
memory research
• Ego states can be described so that they have a thick and thorough
base in evidence.
• We will have hard-core science to lean on and refer to.
• We can learn more about ego states as memory research develops.
• We may be able to publish articles on ego states as memory
research.
• This gives us an edge since it is unique in personality psychology.
Eric Berne
• Ego states = ”memories in their natural
form” TA in psychotherapy (1961)
• Must refer to Parent and Child ego states, not
Adult
Historic
• (1964) in Games people play:
• “The human brain is the organ and organizer of
psychic life, and its products are organized and
stored in the form of ego states.... There are
other sorting systems at various levels, such as
factual memory, but the natural form of
experience itself is in shifting states of mind.”
Here-&Now
Historic
Adult ego state and P & C ego states
• Parent and Child
=historic
• Adult = Here-&-Now
• Adult can access:
• External present
• Internal present
• Factual memory
• Child ego states
• Parent ego states
Memory and ego states
Factual Memory
Ego States
What have we now?
• A specific type of non-factual memory that we call ego states
What is this type of memory like?
• Enduring: The original event forming the ego state must be kept in
the subjects mind long enough to be memorised (min 4 sec).
• E S = past experiences that may re-occur in the present as a basis
for human behaviour:
• thought/feeling/behaviour
• E S are not constant but change over time
• E S have parts that are conscious and also unconscious
• They are memories of living subjects with consciousness
• People
• Animals
• Parent ego states can also be derived from in-animate matter, if it is
antropomorphised.
Ego states change over time
• E S are not constant but change over time
• E S have parts that are conscious and also unconscious
• Some parts of an E S are forgotten (Conscious -> Unconscious)
• Some parts are remembered (Unconscious -> Conscious)
• They also change with:
• Maturity of subject
• Interpretation by subject
• New learnings and insights of subject
ORGANISING EGO
STATES
Possible directions for human
sciences
Ego states and meaning
• Referring to R.I.G’s (Sterne 1998): Representation of internal
generalised experience.
• I propose to use the term Thematic groupments of ego states (TGE)
A TGE:
• Is formed by natural associating links in the subject
• Therefore TGEs may different for different people, but they may also be
common.
• Maybe linked around themes such as: breakfast, arguments,
religion, what shoes to wear etc.
• Some TGE’s are similar in the individuals that make up a culture
• Some TGE’s are found in all healthy individuals all over the world
and therefore signify psychological health.
• Remember that totally healthy individuals are pretty scarce….
• These TGE’s can be summarised as providing the holder with the capacity
for Autonomy (Intimacy, Awareness, Spontaneity).
• I propose to call these TGE’s Autonomy-providing TGE’s or TGE(A)
• One ego state may be used in an unlimited number of TGA’s.
TGE(A)’s
• TGE(A)’s make up a specific field of study, who’s problem can be
formulated thus:
• What are the experiences a person needs to have and remember in order
to be psychologically healthy
• One basic TGE(A) is formed around the attachment theme.
• Other examples of TGE(A) are formed around the Gouldings twelve
(+2) injunctions.
TGA as a structure
• The individual structure of a theme can be seen as a Structure
• As such it draws on the totality of associated ego states in the TGE
to derive:
• It’s meaning for the individual
• The thoughts, actions and feelings it engenders
• A structure is more than the sum of it’s component parts
• As elements are added to the TGE it will change its meaning
• The sum of elements needed to create health – TGE(A) – changes
the system from pathological to healthy.
• A field of study: What are the elements (experiences) needed to
change a TGE from pathology to health?
TGA as a structure (2)
A field of study:
• In a culture, certain elements (beliefs, opinions, customs,
expressions…etc.) will be represented as TGE’s in the
individual members
• What are the core elements (TGE’s) in this culture?
• What elements(TGE’s) must be possessed by the individual in order to
be a part of this culture?
• Can we talk about various degrees of cultural adherence in different
individuals?
• Can we meaningfully distinguish between different cultures with
different degrees of adherence? And can we formulate theories about
what this can mean in practice?