Ethical Context of Transactional Analysis: Peculiarities of the Language of Moral Psychology

The article analyzes the development of the conceptual apparatus of psychology using the language of Transactional Analysis, developed in the teachings of Eric Berne, as an example. The ethical context of Transactional Analysis is considered in the context of a rapidly changing world as a vital task of mental, spiritual and even physical therapy, the purpose of which is to overcome existential crises, construct a new identity and achieve happiness. Revealing the ethics of Transactional Analysis in a broad sense, the authors consider the effectiveness of this approach for solving a wide range of socio-cultural and moral-psychological problems, using «non-classical» moral argumentation that allows avoiding evaluative moral judgments, accusations, and censures. The opportunity for this is provided by a specific conceptual apparatus that reflects the phenomenological approach of modern humanities, which is characterized by the language of existentials, rather than traditional scientific categories. The specificity of existentials (imagery, metaphorical nature, the synthesis of silence and speech) is well revealed in terms of Ego States (P-A-C), concepts of games and Life Script. The article presents the results of an expert survey of practicing psychologists on the specifics of the TA language, which largely determines its effectiveness in psychotherapy, and on the possibility of its application in both individual and group work. The relevance of the TA conceptual apparatus for self-therapy and for teaching the skills of psychological reflection to non-professionals is particularly emphasized. The discussion about the danger of «oversimplification» of E. Berne's teaching by a wide range of «ordinary people» is briefly analyzed. The strengths of the «simplicity» of the language of Transactional Analysis are analyzed from the standpoint of a practical request for a conceptual apparatus for self-reflection not only of individual but also of collective subjects. A conclusion is made about a positive synthesis of ethics and psychology in the formation of practices of moral therapy of the individual and society.