TITLE:
Exploring Transactional Analysis in Relation to Post-Graduate Supervision—A Balancing Process
AUTHORS:
Patrik Thollander, Wiktoria Glad, Patrik Rohdin
KEYWORDS:
PhD Student Supervision Process; Transactional Analysis; The Legitimacy Ladder; Supervision Model
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.5 No.4,
March
12,
2014
ABSTRACT: The PhD student supervision process is an important process, and the need for PhD
students, who often form the backbone of the research community, to receive
professional, inspiring and efficient supervision cannot be understated. This
paper explores the benefits and values of Transactional Analysis (TA) as a way to further
understand and work with PhD supervision. Using TA and the legitimacy ladder
applied on PhD education, a modified model for increased understanding of the
PhD student supervision process is presented, and is then related to empirical findings from a
questionnaire among PhD students. The model shows for example the need for the
supervisor to balance his or her role towards the PhD student, and suggests
that professional PhD student supervision means moving from a Parent to Child relationship between the supervisor and the
PhD student, towards a more mature Adult to Adult relationship.