RESEARCH_FILE
Murray Bowen
Georgetown University
Known for:Family systems theory and the triangle as the basic unit of emotional systems
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“They're closer to each other than to me”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“Two friends laughing is not my termination letter.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Take 5 minutes and make a three-column note on paper: what I saw, what I assumed, what I actually know. End by circling one fact that does not mention replacement.
Key findings
- 1978
Two-person emotional systems are unstable when stressed and tend to involve a third person to manage and redistribute anxiety — the process he called triangulation. Family Therapy in Clinical Practice ↗
- 1978
Triangles have two inside positions and one outside position, and the person outside tends to maneuver for an inside spot — pushing someone else out — which keeps triangles perpetually in motion. Understanding Bowen Family Systems Theory (overview of Bowen 1978) ↗