Kaksoissidaman

Kaksoissidaman is a Finnish term used to describe the concept of a double bind in psychology and communication studies. It refers to a situation in which an individual receives two or more messages or requirements that are logically inconsistent or mutually exclusive, so that complying with one makes it impossible to comply with the others. The result is a no-win dilemma for the person involved, who cannot respond without violating some aspect of the peer, parent, or institutional expectations.

Etymology and usage notes: the word combines kaksois- meaning “double” with sidaman (from the verb sidà, “to bind” or “to constrain”). In Finnish-language scholarship, kaksoissidaman is used to discuss paradoxical or conflicting injunctions within interpersonal communication, family dynamics, and organizational contexts. It is closely aligned with the broader English term “double bind.”

Historical context: the concept originated in the work of Gregory Bateson and colleagues in the 1950s, who analyzed paradoxical communication patterns and their purported link to schizophrenia in family systems. The Finnish term began to appear in translations and Finnish-language research as the idea spread into psychology, sociology, and therapy.

Examples and critique: typical scenarios involve contradictory commands or signals from a figure of authority, where any chosen action results in punishment or another conflicting outcome. Some scholars critique the double-bind framework as being vague or difficult to test empirically, while others view it as a useful heuristic for understanding complex communication.

See also: double bind, Bateson, family therapy, communication theory.