Karpman’s Drama Triangle And Human Relationships

The Karpman Drama Triangle, also called the Karpman Dramatic Triangle, is a model of interpretation that emerged within a psychotherapy called Transactional Analysis. This model outlines the destructive human interactions that occur when two or more people are in conflict.

This model was first described in 1968, and it was designed by Stephen Karpman. It was first publicized in an article called ‘Fairy Tales and Script Analysis on Drama’. This theorist envisioned three basic roles in these so-called tales, and that is how Karpman’s drama triangle was born.

Today Karpman’s drama triangle has a primarily therapeutic application. It is a very functional scheme that patients are often very receptive to in psychotherapy. This facilitates awareness and commitment to change.

Karpman’s drama triangle

Karpman’s drama triangle preaches the existence of three basic roles. They are assumed through the “inner self” in conflict situations, or when neurotic attachments begin. Such roles in turn give rise to erroneous communicational transactions. Such transactions are called psychological games.

The three roles that make up Karpman’s drama triangle are:

• Persecutor or accuser. It corresponds to those who feel entitled or able to judge others. They observe them, measure them and often direct their conception of justice to everything. They usually suffer from a very common condition: a constant bad mood.

• Victim. It corresponds to those who adopt an attitude of fear and passivity in relation to what is in the environment. He feels that others treat him badly and that he doesn’t deserve it, but he also doesn’t do anything to get out of this situation.
• Savior. He is the one who behaves as if he should help others, even if no one asks him to. What he tries to do is make himself necessary for others and thus foster dependency. It usually doesn’t solve its own problems.

For the triangle of Karpman’s drama to form within a relationship, all three roles must be present. However, there is usually an exchange of roles in those who establish this type of bond.

Dynamics and role changes

As you may have already noticed, the links that are generated within the triangle of Karpman’s drama give way to a form of communication in which so-called psychological games usually reign. They are false communicative exchanges intended to install one of the dramatic roles or eliminate them.

It is from these psychological games that role changes often arise. The most common is that the rescuer, tired of defending the victim, at some point becomes the persecutor of the relationship. In addition, it is possible that the victim feels, at a given moment, that he has the right to become a persecutor of the person who is persecuting him or even of his savior.

The stalker, in turn, often becomes the savior after an act of embarrassment. Whoever is stuck in Karpman’s drama triangle doesn’t feel good, so he tries to change the situation. The only thing they can change, however, is the paper. Basically, the basic scheme of relationships remains intact.

Evolution within roles

One of the most difficult aspects is that those involved in Karpman’s drama triangle cannot see themselves as a victim, stalker or savior in an irrational way. They believe their role is perfectly logical and obey the obvious rules of the relationship. However, these people are seeing only part of the situation.

The victim only sees that he is being abused. The stalker catches the mistakes and failures of others. The savior will be making excuses that he is acting with the best of intentions. What each of them actually needs is to develop some competence or skill.

The stalker would have to strive to be more assertive. That is, recognizing your own needs and desires, refusing to satisfy desires and needs that are not yours, and renounce the desire to punish others.

The victim, in turn, would have to work harder to develop their autonomy. Not only see the damage others do, but also critically assess your response to him.

Becoming aware of one’s vulnerability and not using it as a pretext, but as a starting point for working within, is the goal. Finally, the savior could be more empathetic. Learn to listen more to the other and to relinquish your role of dealing with all the problems of others, which are really not in your interest.