This article proposes an additional form of unconditional strokes called attributive strokes, which relate to the natural physical and psychological differences between individuals. People need unconditional strokes for then-unique qualities in addition to unconditional strokes for being. A framework is proposed for the positive use of attributive strokes and illustrations are provided showing how to avoid reinforcing counterscript injunctions. This article also considers the difficulty of avoiding negative attributive strokes and suggests some ways to reduce their destructiveness.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BerneE. (1964). Games people play: The psychology of human relationships.New York: Grove.
2.
BurksJ.RubensteinM. (1979). Temperament styles in adult interaction: Applications in psychotherapy.New York: Brunner/Mazel.
3.
GordonT. (1977). P.E.T.: Padres eficaz y técnicamente preparados [P.E.T.: Parent effectiveness training] (GarciaG., Trans.). México City: Editorial Diana. (Original work published 1970).
4.
HobbsG. W. (1984). Magister dixit. Transactional Analysis Journal, 14174–179.
5.
JamesM. (1981). Breaking free: Self reparenting for a new life.Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
6.
MaslowA. H. (1968). Toward a psychology of being (2nd ed.). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
7.
Oller-VallejoJ. (1986a). Las caricias atributivas [Attributive strokes]. Revista de Análisis Transaccional y Psicologia Humanista, 12261–264.
8.
Oller-VallejoJ. (1986b). Las caricias atributivas en la empresa [Attributive strokes in organizations]. Revista de Análisis Transaccional y Psicologia Humanista, 13329–334.
9.
Oller-VallejoJ. (1987). Vivir es autorrealizarse: Reflexiones y creaciones en andlisis transactional [Living is self-actualizing: Reflections and creations in transactional analysis]. Barcelona: Editorial Kairos.
10.
SeligmanM. E. P. (1981). Indefensión [Helplessness] (AguadoL., Trans.). Madrid: Editorial Debate. (Original work published 1975).
11.
SroufeL. A. (1979). Socioemotional development. In OsofskyJ. D. (Ed.), Handbook of infant development (pp. 462–516). New York: Wiley & Sons.
12.
SpitzR. (1945). Hospitalism: Genesis of psychiatric conditions in early childhood. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 153–74.
13.
WoollamsS.BrownM. (1978). Transactional analysis.Dexter, MI: Huron Valley Institute Press.
