In Transactional Analysis, what describes the Parent ego state?

• A. Feelings/behaviors learned from parents, potentially nurturing or critical
• B. Behaviors learned from peers in adolescence
• C. Innate instincts
• D. Unconscious sexual drives

Answer: (A)

In Transactional Analysis, the Parent ego state is the internal set of rules, attitudes, and behaviors we learned from parents and other authority figures during childhood. It often shows up as a critical or nurturing voice, carrying messages like “You must always be perfect” or “Take care of others.” This ego state drives automatic judgments and reactions in present interactions, even when the situation doesn’t require parental guidance. It’s distinct from the Adult ego state, which evaluates reality here and now, and the Child ego state, which holds spontaneous feelings and impulses. When you hear an inner command or feel a drive to behave in a protective or controlling way because you were taught certain standards, that’s typical Parent influence. The other options point to influences outside this internalized parental message system, such as peer learning, innate instincts, or Freudian drives, which aren’t how the Parent ego state is defined in TA.