Autonomy is one of the key concepts in transactional analysis. A six-year research project in the Netherlands offers new indications of what this concept really means. Factor analysis was used to look for confirmation of Berne's hypothesis—that autonomy is manifested in the person's capacity for awareness, spontaneity, and intimacy—as well as the suggestion by other authors who added a fourth capacity: responsibility. The results show a different and interesting outcome. The data provides a powerful indication that autonomy is nothing more (or less) than good contact.
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