Identity and Emotion: Development Through Self-Organization

This book is part of a series of studies on emotion and social interaction. Its major premise is a fresh new look at the generic aspects of self and identity. This look is conceptualized as a model, having “more dynamic, contextual and emotional qualities” (than previous models). The key issues that are addressed are: How are emotional and cognitive processes contained within the dynamics of self and identity? How do the interactions of these processes shape the contexts within which one functions? How do stability and variability combine in self-organizing process? This book is organized into nine chapters. Aside from the introduction and finale, an overview and commentary section is included in each chapter. Authors who raise important questions and offer very balanced views write the commentaries. Since the commentaries and chapters are complementary, the reader should review both, in conjunction with each other, to understand the concepts fully. I started reading this scholarly collection of theories, paradigms and models, with chapter six because of the title, ‘Affective processes and self-Identity. ’ I was fully rewarded with many rich concepts with a particular emphasis on the distinction between I and Me. The ‘I’ is described with three features: continuity, distinctiveness, and volition. The ‘self’ is seen as a relationship, between a person and those parts of environment that have personal value and affective significance. This chapter also introduces a concept of self not commonly discussed, the ‘multivoiced self. ’ Both the multivoiced self and valuation theory, related to the narrative ‘I,’ provided interesting theoretical concepts. Social psychologist Sarbin’s views on the ‘I –Me’ distinction are well discussed. Sarbin declares that the pronoun ‘I’ stands for the author and ‘Me’ for the actor. Narrative is then seen as a way of organizing episodes, actions, and accounts of time and space, an achievement that brings together fact and fiction in a coherent fashion. The valuation theory is explained in easy terms. Valuation is seen as the unit of meaning that has positive, negative or ambivalent meaning to people when they talk about their life situation. Valuation can have two motives, S motive (self expansion or self-maintenance), or O motive (the search for alliance with someone or something, an ‘other’). Examples of these two motives are, “I passed a difficult test” having a representation of S motive, with self-pride and appreciation, whereas, “I enjoy moments with my friend” has O motive with feelings of tenderness and positive affect associated. In the first two chapters, broad issues are raised regarding how development of self and identity are tied. There seems to be a consensus among all the authors of this book about the role of emotions, cognition and context as all-important to self and identity. In chapter 7, authors Haviland-Jones, Boulifard, and Magai, present another view of how self can be organized. They develop the organization of personality starting with emotions. This model shows interdependencies between emotions and cognitive processes. The commentary section to this chapter, warns about the role of cultural constructions of the self. Chapter 8 is written by Lewis and Ferrari, who present two explanations of self-identity, explicit and implicit. Implicit identity is seen as the sameness and uniqueness to one’s identity. A coherent compilation of self-appraisal is seen as explicit identity. Commentary on this view picks up one important clinical observation that explicit identity, as described here, is more accessible to change than the implicit one. I found the fourth chapter very interesting as well although at first the title did not make much sense to me. “Fish, foxes, and talking in the classroom: introducing dynamic systems concepts and approaches” was not my idea of a rich discussion on self-identity. However, after reading it three times, I found it to be one of the most valuable pieces of literature explaining the dynamic process. Although the term ‘dynamic systems perspective’ is used in psychiatric literature freely, it is usually not explained. Van Geert describes four steps for understanding such perspective: 1) Conceptual construction, 2) Formulation of the interactions between the components, 3) Quantitative approaches, and 4) Exploration of the model. The major point made is that any dynamic system is multi layered. In keeping with these layers, he describes aggregated levels of self-organization: Feelings, bodily sensations, cognitions, perceptions, appraisals, orientations etc., Temporary emotional interpretations, events, Emotional interpretations, roles, valuations, and self -appraisals, and Self, self-theory, implicit identity, explicit identity, sense of identity, sense of self. Further understanding of these multi-layered levels comes when different time scales are introduced in the context, for example, momentary emotional experiences on a microscopic time scale, leading to identity emerging on the final time scale. In the end, the title did make sense as examples were provided from different fields such as physics, biology, and psychology. Fish, classroom, and foxes are examples used to bring predator-prey balance in nature and using it to explain dynamic systems thinking. This book is difficult to read. However, each chapter challenges the reader to analyze the concepts. There is no information here on a platter, but it provides food for critical thinking. This book will appeal to psychoanalysts and psychotherapists. Its clinical value to child therapists is mostly an implied one. This book can definitely occupy a place in a psychotherapist’s book case, however, it is not likely to appeal to those seeking quick solutions for the clinical dilemmas of everyday practice.