The Co-Unconsciousness -

a key concept of JL Moreno

Dr. Jorge Burmeister, President Elect IAGP
E 18010 Granada, c/Horno de S. Agustn, 3-5
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
PSYCHODRAMATIC ROLE THEORY 1
Roles
compromise always conscious and unconscious aspects
include in the adult somatic, imaginary and cognitive aspects
form functional networks around common neuronal nod points: cluster representing
scenes / interpersonal patterns = groupality (social atom) as individual identity
compromise always an individual and a social dimension
are complementary, similar or different between two or more individuals
are more related to states of mind and less fix behaviourial programs: their
election and mutual attunement is centred upon 1. the emotional appraisal and
2. the cognitive recognition of a situation. 1. is influenced by genetics and culture!
are the neurobiological representation of interpersonal scenic experiences: concept
of intersubjectivity (PD belongs to the Model of Interpersonal Psychotherapy)
PSYCHODRAMATIC ROLE THEORY 2
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
During the interaction / encounter between two or more individuals an inter-
psychic space = the Inter-Psyche come into existence / is co-created connecting inner
and outer reality of the participants
This inter-psychic space encompasses co-conscious and co-unconscious states of
minds/roles stimulated by processes of resonance identifying complementary or
identical interpersonal patterns
In order to change behaviour the optimum will be nevertheless a balance between
mutual understanding and challenging differences: important consequences for inter-
cultural group processes
The more individuals share similar or complementary roles the better will be the
quality of mutual understanding: tele factor
PSYCHODRAMATIC ROLE THEORY 3
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
In the space of the Inter-Psyche the social aspect of roles converge into the creation
of a Social Co-Unconsciousness including social, cultural and universal or cosmic
(existential) aspects.
Existential Unsecurity
Gender Difference
Power and Authority models
Individuality / Groupality
Body Contact
Emotional Expression
Differences of social and/or cultural/ethnic belongingness and its corresponding
historic dimension (especially traumatic experiences or chosen glories) responding
to the natural tendency (Abrams) of inter-grupal superiority or alternative values!
Relevant issues concern the response to:
DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES 1
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
The concept of the Inter-Psyche resembles to the notion of the 1. co-created, shared
unconscious field (Aron, 1996) and 2. to the matrix concept of Foulkes but it includes
also conscious aspects and it is based on a specific theory of roles indicating shared or
complementary social arrangements
Chosen trauma and chosen glory as defined by Volkan and included by Weinberg in the
definition of the social unconsciousness belong also to the space of the co-unconsciousness.
Nevertheless the latter one is including as well other sources of socially transmitted
transgenerational arrangements and values co-constructed in the here-and-now inter-
psychic space of the group (similar to the wider approach on social arrangements in the
model of E. Hopper).
Social discourses of power as emphasized by Dalal belong to the co-constructed co-
unconsciousness as well while they can replace at any moment a confident encounter
between members of different cultures or social subgroups. Moreno developped the
concepts of sociatry, sociometry and sociodrama as procedures to explore this dimension
inside and between groups (e.g. during APA conferences dealing with Harlem riots or
Eichmann trial)
DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES 2
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
The concept of the co-unconsciousness of Moreno relates to the notion of the social
unconsciousness of Hopper and Knauss assuming the existence of an internalized social
reality which evoke co-conscious and co-unconscious states of minds/roles.
Although Moreno never explored on depth its structure or mentioned its possible
resistance against revelation his concept could be well consistent with the core of the ideas
formulated by Hopper and others. In fact advanced approaches of PD of today (Jungian
PD, Trans-Cultural PD) make reference to similar concepts of social psychology (e.g.
Hofsteede). Nevertheless the concept of the co-unconsciousness embarks also the wider
perspective of the universal or cosmic dimension at the same time (related to the collective
consciousness) and it is more open towards a potential change: replace or complete the
dynamic of inter-grupal superiority by cooperative or solidarity values humanity, shared
responsabiltiy (e.g. Roads of memory, reconciliation, restaurative justice etc.)
These states of mind include social, cultural and communicational arrangements which
are potentially similar (core of cultural cohesiveness).
DIFFERENCES INCLUDING MULTICULTURAL GROUPS 1
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
The concept of the Co-unconsciousness do not focus alone on defensive (Bion) or
traumatic (Volkan, Weinberg) elements as the core of the unconscious social level. Apart
from the concept of chosen glories (Volkan/Weinberg) it emphasizes as well - and in
the same line as the all-inclusive collective unconsciousness of Jung - alternative
positive (Eros related) values and traditions transmitted on a transgenerational level
or co-constructed in the Here and Now of the Group Process.
Assuming that cultural reglements and arrangements intend to guarantee a value
based strategy of survival including the live affirming qualities of cooperation and
mutual respect besides trauma related experiences and tendencies of intergrupal
superiority - it stresses e.g. the importance of myths, dreams and fairy tales on a
collective level and of family transmitted models of exemplary behaviour on a smaller
group level (Psycho-Sociodrama/Zuretti) amplifying its meaning and transcending the
inter-grupal space. This means that it depends partly on the handling of the process of
the group to what degree unconscious positive aspects of the co-unconsciousness or social
unsconsiousness might emerge to the conscious, co-constructed intergrupal space.
DIFFERENCES INCLUDING MULTICULTURAL GROUPS 2
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
Multicultural groups tend to reproduce stereotypes and other types of group
related defenses (struggle of power and self-defense) devaluating or questioning the
other.
In the same way majority cultures introduce their values and an attitude of
superiority provoking identification or rebellion concerning minority cultures (R.
Scholz).
A different culture of the conductor might convert him or her on a transferencial
level into a messias or an invador for the culture of the other group members.
Nevertheless the dynamic on the co-unconscious level might produce common points
of reference (universal or cosmic level) allowing a momentaneous acknowledgement and
integration of differences without denying or repressing them. Although it remains
undoubtable that this dynamic is not able to overcome, dissipate or harmonize
the existing historic and social inter-grupal conflicts it can restore hope and confidance
in managing them in a better, more conscious, more responsable and more peaceful way
(replacing the compulsion to repeat by the freedom to remember: M. Pines)
Examples 1
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
During the large group of the II. International Summer conference in
Granada the usual difficulty to establish a confident contact in the initial
phase was explained by the image of millions of cadavers lying in the
centre of the group between its different members. On the last day a
woman shared a dream citing an absent group leader with the words: non
dimenticare. In her dream the group was liberating hidden cadavers in the
ground from their dusty coverage giving them peace and final rest in a
church of all religions. This dream happened just before the movement of
the historic memory in Spain started to become active digging out real
hidden cadavers from the Franco regime.

Examples 2
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
In the last social dreaming matrix in the IAGP summer academy in Granada
a female participant dreams of a big egg floating under the water of a lake. It
is suddenly discovered by a couple (male and female) of divers who are not
able to explore their treasure while they have spent nearly all the air carried
with them during their endeavour. Water as the emotion and the mother aspect
and air as the transcendent, soul aspect refer to the whole group process and
its creative substance (egg). This image reconnects the group on a co-
unconscious level with a former summer academy. In the frame of that former
experience a whole sunken continent (Atlantis) were reconstructed under the
water by the dream images of the former group showing its incredible
sunken treasuries. They were shared simultaneously being recognized by
the group as a whole in a stream of inter-psychic processes and producing a
feeling of deep connectivity.

Examples 3
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
During the VIII. International Summer Academy in Granada a
german group analytic leader was conducting the large group. The
whole process was very cautious and did not produce deeper
emotional contact until an italian student was sharing the story of
his grandmother happening during the last days of world war II.
While a german soldier was deadly wounded by italian partizans
nobody of the villagers nearby wanted to go to comfort him in his
last moments until a little italian girl (the grandmother of the
student) was looking for a cushion placing it under the head of the
dying soldier. This moving story touched the whole group with the
universal value of humanity and cited on an unconsciuous level the
myth of Antigone and her royalty to human values (Ubuntu in
african cultures) contrasting with a conformist behaviour
according to the dominant rules of her group/the society (Creon).

Examples 4
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
During the IX. International Summer Academy the large group was
conducted by a couple following the group dynamic style of K. Lewin and
Tavistock. Attempting to visualize latent group conflicts on the gender
dimension the group was split in a female and male subgroup. After the
division in the sharing phase one of the members made a coming out
statement talking about her lesbian orientation being followed by a male
gay conductor. This allowed the whole group to share on real, true or
honest issues concerning their own shamefully hidden minority
statusses.

Examples 5
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness
During some of the workshops done with the mythosociodrama
approach of Edipus in a foreign culture the group started to develop
a strong aggressive conflict between female and male members
concerning the right to kill themselves if they feel extreme
injust treatment. The conflict escalated on such a degree that the
conductor of the group intervened admitting his own feelings of not
being able to bear its highly violent load any longer while he himself
was missing any reference to sad feelings. Just by that intervention
the whole group process collapsed while it turned out that the group
had not shared any sad feelings about losses for the last years due to
cultural restrictions.

Examples 6
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness

During the mythosociodrama approach of Antigone the social
transcription of the plot introduced a scene with soldiers killing
students during a manifestation several years ago. During the public
sharing the present police men went onto the stage and took a stand
against the former violent behaviour. During another student
manifestation only some weeks later the students were only disturbed
by water without any other kind of violence. The final comment of
one of the particpants in the large group was: I will never forget - love
is stronger than death
During a workshop in a former socialist country one of the
participants explored the topic of Emigration and Death of her mother.
Although she had never been in touch with any religious practise in the
end she reported to have been going through a Cosmic Feeling which
was shared by the whole group.
Examples 7
The Concept of the Co-Unconsciousness of JL
Moreno and the Social Unconsciousness

During the V. International Summer Academy of the IAGP in Granada the
group analytically conducted large group was hindered to enter the
designated hall while a median sized psychodrama group was still working
breaking the arrangement of the time-schedule of the conference. This raised
a serious conflict about mutual respect and values while the psychodrama
group claimed to have been dedicated to a dynamic of a superior emotional
value/meaning for their participants. The unconscious motivation to choose a
specific therapeutic or working setting and to exclude other possibilities can
only be explored during its challenge by a different setting enriching its
mutual understanding.
Co-unconsciousness states related to Immigration
Immigration on a colective level induces a specific type of unconcious states of
mind on both sides with a two sided pattern.
One of the two sides remains often denied
longing and hope: liberation
betrayal and envy: contamination, exclusion or isolation
human beings: have legs no roots / have the need for a home
Ulysses and Aeneas two myths of migrants offer universal contexts
exploring the drama of immigrants: how to restore hope after a collective trauma
Ulysses: the longing of coming home somebody is waiting for me
Aeneas: the belief in a dream and the mission to transmit a legacy
Psychotherapy as psychotherapists share a history of immigration evoking
vulnerable feelings and experiences which might affect the work with immigrants
apart from all inter-cultural issues
The Co-Unconsciousness -
a key concept of JL Moreno
Dr. Jorge Burmeister, President Elect IAGP
E 18010 Granada, c/Horno de S. Agustn, 3-5