Graphing the Self: An application of graph theory to memetic self-mapping in psychotherapy

Abstract

The benefits of using mathematical concepts are frequently overlooked in qualitative inquiry. In this paper Graph Theory (GT) is applied to a series of two dimensional representations of the self used to illustrate the therapeutic progress of a suicidal youth and to a young mother coping with depression.  These self-maps are shown to be equivalent to GT networks with the memes of the self-maps corresponding to GT vertices, the pair-wise relationships between memes corresponding to GT edges, and the time evolution of the self-mapping diagrams corresponding to GT sequence analysis. Consideration is given to the notion that the self so mapped functions as a small world network with emotive psychological triggers serving as “long range” connections. The advantages of using an interactive Graphical User Interface and GT metrics for client centered therapy and future research applications in social science are discussed.