How self-states help: Observing the embodiment of self-states through nonverbal behavior
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
The concept of self-states is a recurring theme in various psychotherapeutic and counseling methodologies. However, the predominantly unconscious nature of these self-states presents two challenges. Firstly, it renders the process of working with them susceptible to biases and therapeutic suggestions. Secondly, there is skepticism regarding the observability and differentiation of self-states beyond subjective experiences. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of eliciting self-states from clients and objectively distinguishing these evoked self-states through the lens of neutral observers. The self-state constellation method, utilized as an embodied approach, facilitated the activation of diverse self-states. External observers then assessed the nonverbal manifestations of affect along three primary dimensions: emotional valence, arousal, and dominance. Our findings indicate that external observers could reliably discern and differentiate individual self-states based on the bodily displayed valence and dominance. However, the ability to distinguish states based on displayed arousal was not evident. Importantly, this distinctiveness of various self-states was not limited to specific individuals but extended across the entire recording sample. Therefore, within the framework of the self-state constellation method, it is evident that individual self-states can be intentionally evoked, and these states can be objectively differentiated beyond the subjective experiences of the client.
Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e0300682 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-13 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | PloS one |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 3 March |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2024 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
| ORCID | /0000-0002-4408-6016/work/157767143 |
|---|---|
| ORCID | /0000-0002-9064-6408/work/157769486 |
| PubMed | 38551896 |
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Humans, Emotions/physiology, Self Concept