The Class That Would Not Read: Utilizing Bion’s Affect Theory in Group

Abstract

While Bion’s group theory continues to inspire contemporary group psychotherapists, his theory of human emotion is not as well known. Bion also introduced a system of alphabetical and mathematic symbols to offer a shorthand for his epistemology in order to make his ideas accessible, flexible, and practical for the working clinician. This article presents aspects of Bion’s theory and metapsychological shorthand to conceptualize affectual dimensions of group process, thinking operations, and countertransference. The constructs considered include Klein’s paranoid-schizoid and depressive positions; manic defenses; basic assumptions; “proto-mental” and “pre-monitory” emotions; instinctive drives L, H, and K (plus or minus); beta elements; and alpha functioning. With these ideas, the author was able to work through aspects of a group experience in which, as leader, he unknowingly found himself at an opposite affective pole from the members.