Bion's Theory on Thinking and its Application to Groups : Basic Assumptions as Forms of Evasion
著者
Med HAFSI
(Meddo hafushi)
社会学部
版
publisher
出版地
奈良
出版者
奈良大学
上位タイトル
奈良大学紀要
(Memoirs of the Nara University).
Vol.27号,
(1999.
03)
,p.93-
106
識別番号
ISSN
03892204
抄録
The literature concerning Bion's work is characterized by a divorce made between the latter's contribution to groups and the one to psychoanalysis, as if there are two Bion with different identities. However, after carefully reading Bion's work, the author found it difficult to separate the two facets of his work. For, although not clearly acknowledged by Bion, these facets constitute a whole theme whose grasp is of value, if not indispensable, to a fuller understanding of, for-instance, the phenomena described in experiences in groups. In the present article, the author has attempted to apply Bion's theory of thinking, proposing a new interpretation of the phenomena of basic assumptions and work group. The three basic assumptions which Bion adumbrated are usually interpreted (including by Bion himself) as defence processes against the fears and anxieties characterizing early mental positions (described by Melanie Klein) . The mobilization of these defence processes is regarded as the result of the group's massive regression. While not refuting this interpretation, the author proposed a different one. According to the latter, work group is the result of the development of thinking, which involves the development of thoughts and the one of an apparatus to deal with or think these thoughts. This two-fold development is the result of a mating of the group's preconception (about the group experience) with a positive realization. On the other hand, the basic assumptions are a consequence of 1) a mating of this preconception with a negative realization, and the resulting inhibition of the two-fold development of thinking, and 2) the consequence of the group's inability to sufficiently tolerate the frustration resulting from this negative mating. The basic assumptions are interpreted here as forms of evasions of this frustration. While allowing us to integrate the two facets of Bion's contribution to psychoanalysis, this hypothesis sheds also light on the reason why group researchers have held contradictory conceptions of how the group is experienced (good group vs. bad group) by the members.
