A mother constantly demands that her son show her how much she is loved, but when he tries to hug her she yells at him to be more discreet. No matter what the child does, he is wrong. Further, the mother prohibits him from commenting on this paradox. What does this interaction pattern best illustrate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Double-bind communication is a paradoxical communication pattern in which a person is given two conflicting messages, such that no matter what they do, they will be wrong. In this case, the mother is demanding that her son show her how much he loves her, but when he tries to do so, she yells at him to be more discreet. This creates a situation in which the son is unable to please his mother, no matter what he does.

A Mother Constantly Demands That Her Son Show Her How