SECOND-ORDER TRANSFERENCE: ACTIVATION OF THE PARENT 1 EGO STATE IN THE CLIENT’S INTERACTION WITH AN AI CHAT SYSTEM

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical conceptualization of second-order transference as a process of activation of the Parent 1 ego state in the client’s interaction with an artificial intelligence-based chat system. The relevance of the study is determined by the rapid spread of generative digital systems in the field of mental health and by the insufficient theoretical elaboration of the psychological mechanisms underlying such interaction within the framework of Transactional Analysis. The aim of the article is to examine how an algorithmic system may become an object of projection of internal parental introjects and perform the function of a symbolically significant Other in a person’s psychic life. The methodological basis of the study is the transactional-analytic approach; the methods used include theoretical analysis, categorical analysis, comparative-interpretative analysis, and conceptual modelling. It is shown that Transactional Analysis provides a productive framework for studying digital transference because it makes it possible to analyse interaction with an artificial intelligence-based chat system at the structural, transactional, script-related, and relational levels. The article substantiates that, under certain conditions, an algorithmic system may be perceived not only as an instrument for information processing but also as a projection surface for the activation of either the nurturing or the critical pole of Parent 1. It is established that such interaction is ambivalent in nature: in its nurturing dimension, it may contribute to the temporary stabilization of the Adult ego state, reduction of anxiety, and structuring of inner experience, whereas in its critical dimension, it may intensify dependence on external validation, reinforce script patterns, and reduce autonomy. Special attention is paid to the phenomenon of the “artificial Third” as a new element of the psychotherapeutic field that transforms the configuration of interaction “client – artificial intelligence-based chat system – therapist.” The practical significance of the findings lies in creating a theoretical basis for further empirical studies and for the psychotherapeutic interpretation of digitally mediated forms of contact