Who Was Murray Bowen?
Dr. Murray Bowen (1913-1990) was an American psychiatrist who advanced a groundbreaking scientific approach to studying human behavior – Family Systems Theory. Bowen began formulating his theory in 1954 while working at the National Institute of Health. He continued his work at Georgetown University Medical Center from 1959 until his death in 1990.
What Is Family Systems Theory?
While the prevailing psychological and psychiatric theories at the time focused mostly on the individual, Bowen broadened his scope to include the families of the patients. Dr. Bowen found that each person’s functioning (i.e. personality, emotional well-being, etc.) influenced and was influenced by the other family members. Dr. Bowen saw the emotional reciprocity occurring in family relationships and interactions and sought to explain these family dynamics. His research led to his central thesis: Families act as an emotional unit.
The Eight Concepts
From his clinical observations, Bowen outlined eight concepts: Differentiation of Self, Triangles, Nuclear Family Emotional System, Family Projection Process, Multigenerational Transmission Process, Emotional Cutoff, Sibling Position, and Societal Emotional Process.
I'll unpack these concepts in a series of blog posts using Abraham’s family to illustrate these concepts. I am well aware that the authors of the Bible did not have these concepts in mind. Also, I am not trying to obscure the theological significance of these texts. I am merely using a story and family that is familiar to many as a way of illustrating Bowen Theory concepts.