~f[ll~n III: SCIENTIFIC PAPERS

PASSIVITY
AARON WOLFE SCHIFF, B.A.
JACQUI LEE SCHIFF, M.S.S.W.

This f.lper represents the culmination a renovation of our entire treatment ap-
of several years research on passivity car- proach with both residential and out-
ried on at the Schiff Rehabilitation Proj- patients as a result of these findings.
ect. In the past we have failed with
certain patients when, even with very SYMBIOSIS
concerted effort, we were unable to inter- Symbiosis is a normal condition of the
rupt a pattern of passive behavior; for oral stage in the development of a child.
some time we have been aware that we It is experienced by both the mother and
must in some way be supporting or rein- the child as a merging or sharing of their
forcing the passivity. needs. An example of normal symbiosis
In the summer of 1969 we witnessed is a mother who normally sleeps soundly
a dramatic resolution to psychosis in a but wakes easily when her infant cries;
hebephrenic patient; what Eric Berne de- if nursing, she is likely to begin lactating.
scribed as "a flip-in." Much of our inves-
As the child grows he identifies himself
tigation since that time has focused on
as feeling, thinking, and solving problems
the several hebephrenic patients who have
independently, therefore as a separate
been available to us. The findings have
individual. It would appear that the func-
been confirmed as consistent with path-
tion of the symbiosis is to insure the
ology as demonstrated in paranoia, undif-
infants' survival "during a period when he
ferentiated schizophrenia, manic-depres-
is completely dependent.
sive psychosis, depressions, hysteria, and
other psycho-neurotic disorders where Pathology is likely to result from dis-
passive-aggressive or passive-dependent turbances in the symbiotic relationship
behaviors are significantly present. We (examples, separation, unresponsiveness),
have not yet established these findings as or in the differentiation of the child from
significant wit h catatonic, character- the mother (examples, neglect or over-
disordered, or obsessive-compulsive pa- protection). It is also likely to occur in
tients due to the lack of patients with these instances where parenting is inadequate
diagnoses in our program. to prepare the child to function ~ an
The identification of the complex of independent person who can solve prob-
behaviors which we are treating as part of lems in the world. "
a passivity syndrome seems to have far- All games develop out of unresolved
reaching implications for the treatment of symbiotic relationships with discounting
psychosis. We are presently undertaking as the mechanism and grandiosity as the
Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971 71
 PASSIVITY

justification. They represent a re-enact- Example: the mother, when asked how
ment of the symbiotic relationship in an Johnny gets along in the 4th grade, re-
attempt to get taken care of, or reacting sponds, "Oh, he doesn't do very well in
to the symbiotic relationship with anger. school- Jimmy is the studious one,"
The exact moves in the game are learned and continues to respond to questions by
in the parent-child relationship and re- attributing characteristics to each young-
inforce the symbiosis. ster in a definitive way. In one instance
The structure of a symbiosis is as fol- a mother in a symbiotic family was asked
lows, with the combined ego states which to write out a developmental history of
her son. She described all of his devel-
,..--.. opment, "He talked earlier than his
( p \ brother but was toilet trained later," with
\ ) no external reference for either of the

(
>-<
A \
children; thus, definitions in such families
occur only within the symbiosis, with no
\ ) reference to external reality, and with all

(0 characteristics identified as extreme, i.e.,

Johnny and Jimmy may have similar
intelligence but Jimmy is defined as intel-
ligent and Johnny as outgoing or artistic.
Person No.1 Person No.2 In this situation Johnny is scripted not to
achieve academically (to do so would be
are typical of transactions between two fratricide) and Jimmy may not have
individuals resulting in the structure of friends or be creative.
one total personality. The purpose of the The transactions within the symbiotic
passivity is to maintain the non-function- relationship are structured to maintain the
ing of those ego states which would chal- symbiotic cathexis. Example: Joe says,
lenge the dependency contract. from Child, "I need a ride to the depot."
When the passivity begins to break Sam says, "What time is your train?" Joe
down there may be a competition for the tells him, and Sam says, "Okay, I can
dependent Child position in the symbi- take you then." Neither of them notice
osis. Since both individuals are relatively that Joe has not asked Sam for a ride.
unaware of alternatives to symbiosis, the Moreover, should it become necessary for
competition is perceived as a struggle for him to do so, Joe would become very
survival, the issue being existence versus uncomfortable. He has structured his
non-existence. transactions with other people in such a
The functions of the Child may also way as to decrease the probability of a
be divided up between two individuals, Child-s-Child transaction. Asking a direct
the contract being that when Ci is cath- question or making a request recognizes
ected, C~ will cathect P or A. Example: the existence of the other person and is
Joe gets a headache and Jane, who never likely to precipitate a Child-s-Child re-
gets headaches, cathects her Parent to sponse. If he is required to ask a direct
take care of him or to criticize his weak- question, the symbiosis would be threat-
ness. However, Jane, who is inclined to ened, and Joe is likely to become agitated.
drink too much, can always depend on Thus, when there is a symbiosis, it
Joe to take care of her and drive home becomes apparent that transactions are
from parties. The symbiosis can also be structured so that it is difficult or unlikely
extended to children within the family. for the response to be from the same ego
72 Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971
AARON WOLFE SCHIFF & JACQUI LEE SCHIFF

state as was cathected in the initial trans- may be one of the characteristics of the
action. Many patients will begin acting self, or may be projected into the environ-
crazy as an alternative to transactions ment (distortion of characteristics of per-
which threaten the symbiosis. sons or situations). The grandiosity always
compensates feelings of inadequacy and
DISCOUNTING prevents the establishment of tenable
goals by providing a flexible reality in
Discounting is the functional manifes- which the patient can never effectively
tation of either a contamination or an achieve or fail.
exclusion. The person who discounts
believes, or acts as though he believes, The thinking which underlies grandi-
that his feelings about what someone else osity includes a delusional "I can't stand
has said, done, or felt, are more significant it" position, which can be identified
that what that person actually said, did through such remarks as, "I was petrified
or felt. He does not use information with fright," "He lost control," "It hurt
relevant to a situation. so much I couldn't think," "I did it be-
cause I was so mad." The patient takes
There are four possible ways to dis- no responsibility for the decisions in-
count. volved in specific situations and describes
( I) Discount the problem. Example: the situations as responsible for the be-
The baby is crying. The mother turns up havior.
the radio or goes to sleep.
(2) Discount the significance of the PASSIVE BEHAVIORS
problem. Example: The baby is crying. We have identified four behaviors as
The mother says, "He always cries this passive: (I) doing nothing relevant to
time of the day." solving the problem; (2) over-adaptation;
(3) Discount the solvability of the (3) agitation; and (4) incapacitation or
problem. Example: The baby is crying. violence.
The mother says, "Nothing satisfies him!"
1. Doing Nothing
(4) Discount the person. Example:
In a situation where there is a problem
The baby is crying. The mother says,
and the response is passively doing
"There's nothing I can do!"
nothing (as opposed to cathecting Adult
In our program we bypass analyzing and deciding to do nothing), all of the
games by confronting the discount, which patient's energy is utilized in inhibiting
is identifiable as the initial unstraight responses. The Child is executive and
transaction and is the point at which the contamination is motivated by an attempt
patient's Adult ceases to be aware of to maintain the symbiosis (thus the issue
what is happening. Recathecting the Adult is survival). Patients report "not think-
in this transaction effectively stops the ing," "I can't think," "I was too scared
game at a time when the patient is in to think," while doing nothing. For the
touch with the feeling motivating the be- observer, very little thinking can be
havior. identified. Patients report that they main-
tain an awareness of their own identity,
GRANDIOSITY and are uncomfortable. Anyone trying to
Grandiosity provides the justification transact with the passive person gets in-
for the maintenance of the symb. .sis. It volved with the symbiosis.
involves a purposeful exaggeration, which The paradigm case of doing nothing is
Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971 73
 PASSIVITY

described in Brer Rabbit's encounter with the person is over-adapted he can be given
the Tar Baby. After several unsuccess- information about his behavior, and offer
ful attempts to elicit a response, Brer a great deal of objective data about his
Rabbit hits the Tar Baby and gets stuck abilities and capacities. It is difficult,
in the tar. while over-adapted, to continue discount-
Example: Joe says to Jane, "I'm mad ing when the passivity is confronted.
about your doing that!" Jane looks Therefore, this position is the most ac-
stricken, but does not respond. After an cessible to treatment.
interval of waiting, Joe becomes acutely We consider that we need to do a great
uncomfortable and begins to have im- deal more work in understanding the
pulses to rescue her. implications of over-adaption and how
2. Over-Adaptation it disrupts and enhances problem-solving.
Over-adaptation is the one of the pas- 3. Agitation
sive behaviors which is most difficult to Agitation is likely to occur between
identify; it is also the most adaptive to over-adaptation and violence. It consists
the situation; therefore it is most likely to of repetitive activities which are purpose-
be reinforced. It occurs when the indi- less or non - goal directed. The agitated
vidual does not identify a goal for himself individual is acutely uncomfortable and
in attempting to solve a problem but tries thinking is confused. The patient is trying
to achieve what he believes to be some- frantically to defend the symbiosis against
one else's goal. Grandiosity is projected a threat; he knows he could solve the
onto what he believes to be the other per- problem by "doing something" but feels
son's expectation, thus defining the prob- inadequate. A Parental injunction, "Sit
lem as unsolvable and the expectation as down and think about it," stated firmly
unreasonable. and calmly, or stroking from the Parent
An example of this behavior occurred position, is likely to restore over-adapta-
with a physician who worked in an emer- tion. If there is pressure to "do some-
gency service. The hospital administration thing" the patient is likely to become
complained that the physician was too violent (incapacitated).
slow in processing patients. The physician We do not know a way to cathect the
responded by feeling defensive, and in his patient's Adult while he is agitated; the
head he built a case against the adminis- recommended procedure is to restore the
tration in which he maintained that they over- adaptation to avert violence. The
had no real concern for the welfare of seriousness of the agitated behavior
patients and that good medical practice should not be underestimated.
required more time per patient than they Grandiosity is supported by the belief
were willing to allow. In trying to hurry that the activity is productive. Example:
up, in conformity to their goals, he be- The patient thinks he is accomplishing
came increasingly agitated and inefficient. something by pacing the floor. Actually
When he established as a goal for himself he is working up hysteria in the direction
that he should not get fired from his po- of a violent or incapacitating discharge of
sition, he was able to begin to think energy.
productively about ways to process pa-
tients more efficiently without sacrificing 4. Incapacitation or Violence
medical standards. Incapacitation or violence occurs in the
Over-adaptation is the passive behavior discharge of energy built up from pas-
in which the most thinking occurs. While sivity, and is an attempt to enforce the
74 Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971
AARON WOLFE SCHIFF & JACQUI LEE SCHIFF

symbiosis at the time of breakdown. No ently using negative strokes (disapproval

thinking can be identified. The patient and punishment) and attempt to escalate
accepts no responsibility for the behavior. over the grandiosity. The patient is most
Following the discharge of energy, the likely to say, "I don't care," or, "You
Adult is likely to be cathectable. Violence can't make me," and it seems essential
involves a switch in the game position, to find ways to deal with this.
whereas incapacitation mayor may not The first discount is consistently con-
involve a switch (Karpman's triangle). fronted in an attempt to avoid the indi-
Both incapacitation and violence are pay- vidual's getting into the game. The passive
offs in the "I can't stand it" game, thus person is expected to give a straight
grandiose. answer as to why he was discounting, and
to take account of his feelings, and the
TREATMENT feelings of other people involved (which
must be determined in transactions with
Reinforcing anyone of the four passive them). It is extremely important that all
behax iors involves reinforcing the com- three factors (1) the situation, (2) his
plex. Frequently there is environmental feelings, (3) other people's feelings be
support for several or all of the behaviors; dealt with without discounting, in order
at present we are working on the to insure that productive thinking is
assumption that intervention must come taking place. Often the first indication of
from the environment in order to resolve a discount is the discomfort of one or
the passivity. more people involved in a situation.
A very common reaction to passivity Example: A student reciting before a
is for the respondent to become more classroom falters several times and
passive than the initiator. Example: becomes confused. Others in the class,
"Well, I just won't talk to him until he perhaps including the teacher, feel sym-
says something first." "I don't want any- pathetic and anxious about his poor per-
thing to do with you until you stop that!" formance. Afterwards the student says, "I
This is the most common defense people knew the material but I go to pieces when
utilize to protect themselves from the dis- I try to talk in front of a group!" In
cornfor t of taking the active position in looking carefully at the situation, it be-
a symbiotic transaction; it is not tenable comes apparent that the discomfort of the
as a way of breaking down passivity. We rest of the class 'may have exceeded that
have tested this out many times and have of the student who was performing poorly.
always found that attempting to out- The student's information was sufficient
passive a passive person only re-inforces for him to have done a good job (dis-
the pathology. The passive person needs count) and his poor performance makes
to learn that his environment can and wiII the rest of the group not all right. The
demand active participation and problem- grandiosity is projected onto the group
solving from him in order to break down and the teacher's expectations.
the grandiosity. In checking out the three factors listed
To disrupt the symbiosis the passive above, it wiII become apparent that (1)
individual must be made more uncom- the situation is that the student has the
fortable (responsible for his feelings) information and could perform well, (2)
than he can make anyone else. This is he feels that he cannot perform adequate-
done by consistently confronting the dis- ly, and (3) he believes the teacher or
count at a level which cannot be ignored group to expect more than he can achieve.
or acted on symbiotically. We are pres- All of the above include obvious dis-
Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971 75
 PASSIVITY

counts which can be easily identified and hesitant, or halting in his expression.
confronted. Similar discounts are present There will be uncomfortable pauses while
in any game situation, and brief question- he looks away or gropes for words, or
ing will expose them. The person being long silences before he responds to simple
confronted will then deal straight with the questions. He should be given negative
game, or he will become confused. People strokes every time this happens and the
on a passivity confrontation program are expectation should be established that he
expected to be aware, responsive, and talk effectively and that he answer imme-
demonstrate initiative in activities and re- diately. Example: "I expect you to an-
lationships; consequently, in most in, swer! I'm not willing to stand here." The
stances the games are successfully con- same expectation of immediate, appropri-
fronted. ate behavior should be established around
Grandiosity is the most difficult aspect all behaviors. If the patient does not have
of the problem to confront because it information about how to respond, he can
often occurs in thinking and is not clearly still be held responsible for identifying
demonstrated in overt behavior, The per- that as a problem, actively seeking infor-
son should be checked out to see if his mation, communicating around the prob-
thinking includes clear cause-and-effect lem, and utilizing all the information
relationships, or reasons for everything. which he does have.
He may need to be assured that there are, Over-adaptation appears in many
indeed, reasons for everything, and an games, such as Look How Hard I'm Try-
expectation that he consider reasons ing, If It Weren't for Him, Wooden Leg,
should be established hom the beginning etc. The patient appears to be seeking
of a passivity confrontation program. It is a solution to the problem but is unable to
crucial that this be done in reference to come to a satisfactory resolution because,
all positions in Karpman's game triangle; "I was too scared," "out of touch with
the person is capable ,f presenting a my feelings." "just didn't know what to
complete, cohesive account of how he say," "didn't think," "don't know," or any
uses passivity in all positions of his game. of a large number of excuses. The excuses
and the presence of poor cause and effect
The patient who respond- to problem- thinking, involving a discount of reasons,
atic situations by doing noth'ng is very is the best indication that over-adaptation
likely to precipitate a symbiosis. A-with is a problem.
Brer Rabbit, the more active participant However, the over-adapted position is
in a situation frequently has a stronger Le one with the most favorable prognosis.
reaction to occurrences and therefore is Since more thinking occurs from this
vulnerable to expressing feelings for both form of passivity, resolution is most easily
persons, cathecting his Parent and Adult accomplished. The passive individual is
in the process, both to find out what is likely to adapt to the expectation that he
happening and to inhibit anger, then think and respond appropriately. He may
eventually switching to enraged Child, need to be told that there are reasons for
with a corresponding switch of ego states everything, that he is responsible for
in the passive person who i in a position
c
knowing what is in his head, and that he
to say, "But I didn't do arything! What can solve problems. A combination of
are you so upset about?" expectations and support may be most
Speech behaviors are ofter the easiest helpful in precipitating a breakthrough of
to confront around this type of passivity. passivity. Although the patient may seem
The patient will speak too quietly, be to be responding appropriately to the
76 Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971
 AARON WOLFE SCHIFF & JACQUI LEE SCHIFF

situation, his thinking is clearly deviant get out your handkerchief, and have a
(as determined by using the three criteria good cry, and then we can talk a little
described previously), much projected and pray a little, that's right, just have
grandiosity is involved, and it is necessary a good cry ..."
that there be external definitions of reality Violence or incapacitation is the ulti-
and expectations. Punishment is effective mate in passive behavior, in that the
in helping the passive person to establish person has given up any responsibility
tenable goals. For example, he may not for thinking or problem-solving. We have
be motivated to perform the task for posi- not found a way to effectively cathect the
tive strokes, but may be motivated by patient's Adult until the energy worked
wishing to avoid the punishment, and up during the agitation period is dis-
therefore willing to establish a goal for charged, but after the discharge of energy,
himself consistent with the expectation. the patient is likely to be rational and
Example: The 4th grader may not learn accessible to treatment, with a good deal
his times tables, even though he would of Child cathected, and a readily cathect-
like to have an A grade, until he is told able Adult. This time can be effectively
that unless he does the work he will have utilized to rescript the patient, obtain
to stay after school until it is completed. information which may not be available
Agitation is repetitive, non-productive other times, and facilitate insight and an
activity which is motivated in an attempt assumption of responsibility.
to generate energy to inhibit behavior.
The behavior is seen as threatening the We have found passivity confrontation
symbiosis. It is likely to be terminated in to be most effectively utilized in a resi-
an outburst of violence or incapacitation, dential or day care program, at least for
and should therefore be dealt with at a the first week or so. The patient can best
high priority. Some agitated behaviors, be confronted in a structure where there
such as stuttering, are, in themselves, so are things to do which will stimulate his
incapacitating, that it is difficult to dis- interest and contribute to his comfort. He
tinguish agitation and incapacitation. needs help in identifying the difference
Ritualistic behaviors such as smoking, between his goals and other people's
may play an important role in controlling expectations, and it should be checked out
agitation, or may be agitated behaviors. that these are realistic in view of his
The goal of confronting agitation is to abilities.
restore the patient to an over-adapted We are finding that the majority of
position. The usual procedure is to parent patients who are passive are enthusiastic
the patient in several consecutively more about having the problem confronted and
complex behaviors until he is well-adapted willing to have it dealt with at high level.
to the parenting, and then deal with what Within a few hours of non-passive be-
is causing the behavior. We recently saw havior, the patient begins to feel better
a clergyman deal very effectively with and can generally actively participate in
distraught and grieving relatives in a hos- identifying and solving problems of pas-
pital waiting room with, "Well, Brother sivity.
Andrew, you just come right over here,
that's right, right over here where I can
put my arm around you, that's right,
EXAMPLES
you just sit right down here, sit right Joe was supposed to pick up Johnny
down beside me, now have you got a after the ball game. His wife did not
handkerchief? That's right, sit down and have that information. However, as they
Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971 77
 PASSIVITY

drove up to their home, Joe said, "Oh, Therapist: Why can't you?
we forgot to pick up Johnny!" Jane: Because I don't get any support
Symbiosis: Joe assumes his wife is equal- from Joe.
ly responsible for his mistake. Symbiosis: Jane cannot act independently
Grandiosity: Joe projects that his wife of Joe.
could be responsible without informa-
tion. Grandiosity: Jane is inadequate; Johnny
is unmanagable.
Discount: Joe is responsible, his wife is
not. Discount: Jane could solve the problem.
Johnny is not unmanagable.
Passive Behavior: Doing nothing.
Passivity: Doing nothing.

Therapist: (To Joe) How do you feel Jane: I'm really furious about that!
about coming in for counselling?
Joe: I know. Will you forgive me?
Joe: I was willing to come.
Symbiosis: Joe tries to get Jane to take
Jane: But he didn't want to! care of him.
Therapist: (To Jane) Why did you say Grandiosity: Jane's anger is overwhelm-
that? ing, Joe is inadequate to deal with it.
Jane : Well, I wanted to! Discount: That Joe is not responding to
Symbiosis: Jane expresses Joe's feelings Jane's feelings.
and thinks he should share hers. Passivity: Over-adaptation.
Grandiosity: Jane thinks her feelings
should control Joe's feelings. Joe is driving in a heavy fog. He says, "I
can't see anything," and lets go of the
Discount: Joe did not answer therapist's
wheel, causing an accident.
question. Jane responded relevant to
Joe's feelings. Symbiosis: There is no one to take care
of Joe.
Passive Behavior: Agitation.
Grandiosity: Fog was overwhelming.

Jane: I can't make my 8-year old son Discount: Joe could have stopped the car.
turn off the television. Passivity: Incapacitation or violence.

78 Transactional Anal. J. 1:1, January 1971