This document discusses the concept of competitive symbiosis in transactional analysis. Competitive symbiosis occurs when two people want to take on the same symbiotic role, such as both wanting to be the parent. This can lead to jockeying for position as each tries to insist on fulfilling that role. An example given is two people competing to pay the bill at a restaurant. These exchanges are unstable and will typically end with one person backing down and accepting the complementary role, or both people storming away.

1. Competitive symbiosis
Transactional Analysis

2. Prepared By
Manu Melwin Joy
Assistant Professor
Ilahia School of Management Studies
Kerala, India.
Phone – 9744551114
Mail – manu_melwinjoy@yahoo.com
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3. Competitive symbiosis
What happens when two
people meet who both
want to take up the same
symbiotic role? If they
both want to be Parents,
or both seek to act Child?

4. Competitive symbiosis
When this is so, the
parties will begin
“jockeying for position”
in the hope of taking up
their preferred symbiotic
role.

5. Competitive symbiosis
For example, you may
have heard this kind of
exchange in a restaurant
as two people prepare to
pay up after the meal.

6. Competitive symbiosis
A: “Now, put that money
away. I will pay for this”
B : “No, no, come on, I
will pay”.
A : “ I absolutely insist!
Not another word!”

7. Competitive symbiosis
These transactions may
go on for some time,
with each party
escalating insistence on
paying. Each is seeking
to be Parent to the
other. They are in
competitive symbiosis –
in this case, competing
for the parent position.

8. Competitive symbiosis
By its nature,
competitive symbiosis is
unstable. Exchanges like
this usually last only for
a relatively short time.
They may conclude in
two possible ways.

9. Competitive symbiosis
The parties may storm
away from each other,
slamming doors as they
go. Or one of them may
back down and yield the
desired symbiotic
position to the other.
The one who has backed
down then takes the
complementary position
in the symbiosis.

10. Competitive symbiosis
For instance, the
exchange in the
restaurant might end
with one of the parties
saying: “ Ah, well, if you
insist…” and putting
away his wallet with a
show of reluctance.

11. Competitive symbiosis
He has backed down to
the Child position,
allowing himself to be
“looked after” by the
other person.

12. References

13. Thank You