The microanalysis of the client-therapist-interaction by means of Sequential Plan Analysis - Part II: The order of chaos

Abstract

The method of “Sequential Plan Analysis” enables a high frequency encoding of client's and therapist’s self-presentation in a therapy process (coding unit: 10seconds). The resulting patterns of plan activations (qualitative patterns) as well as the quantitative quasi time series (intensities of certain self-presentation features) are showing highly irregular behaviors. However, these plan activation patterns can be differentiated from noisy patterns, realized simply by chance. Under the surface of irregularity, some kind of complex order can be found. In modern system theories, this paradoxical phenomenon of ordered irregularity or deterministic unpredictability is called “chaos’’. Interestingly enough, most of the living and social systems are able to realize chaotic behaviors, in as so far as they are nonlinear, self-organizing, far from equilibrium systems. We will describe the most important features of chaos. One of this is the so called “sensitive dependency of the system behavior on its initial conditions’. It can be identified by measuring the Largest Lyapunov Exponent of a time series, which at the same time, is a measure of the degree of its unpredictability. Following the local development of the Largest Lyapunov Exponent, we see that critical transitions occur within the therapeutic process. The implications of our results for theory, research and the practice of psychotherapy are outlined.

Keywords:
Sequential Plan Analysis, client-therapist interaction, dynamical patterns, chaos, noise, nonpredictability.