What Is an Example of a Double Bind

One example of double bind communication is a mother giving her child the message: “Be spontaneous.” If the child then acts spontaneously, he is not acting spontaneously because he is following his mother’s direction. … A Zen story is a good illustration of the double bind and also of a unique solution.

What does double bind mean in psychology?

a situation in which an individual receives contradictory messages from another person.

What is double bind parenting?

This is called a double bind: the feeling that whatever decision you make, you are wrong. Everyone experiences this at some point; some are more susceptible to it than others. In the ’50s, double bind statements were one characteristic in defining the schizophrenogenic mother.