Symbolism performs a giant position in storytelling, typically revealing extra a few character’s psychology than dialogue alone.
In Netflix’s Adolescence, one such second is available in episode 3, when psychologist Briony Ariston brings Jamie a cheese and pickle sandwich. It stays untouched for many of their dialog till Jamie finally takes a chew. Whereas this might sound insignificant at first, Briony’s response on the finish of the episode — bodily recoiling when she goes to clear the desk — means that the sandwich carries a deeper that means.
Psychologists and viewers alike have debated what the sandwich represents. Some counsel it was a refined psychological check, gauging Jamie’s means to say himself. Others consider it mirrors Briony’s emotional shift as she realises the reality about Jamie. The scene raises questions on how small actions in psychological assessments can reveal hidden points of an individual’s thoughts and the way seemingly unusual objects can tackle highly effective symbolic weight.
Identical to Briony, how do psychologists use small, seemingly insignificant actions — reminiscent of consuming or rejecting meals — as instruments for assessing character and behavior?
Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist and government director at Cadabams Hospitals, tells indianexpress.com, “Psychologists typically analyse micro-behaviours, reminiscent of meals decisions, reactions to sure tastes, or the act of providing and rejecting meals, as refined indicators of character, emotional state, and underlying psychological dynamics. Consuming habits are deeply tied to feelings, previous experiences, and social conditioning.”
Sonal Khangarot, a licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, provides, “As a psychologist, she was possible fostering rapport and making a secure house, which is essential for efficient remedy. On condition that it was her remaining session, she used the time to watch Jamie’s reactions and assertiveness, which may contribute to her remedy findings.”
Cadabam notes that in Jamie’s case, rejecting the sandwich might symbolise “deeper resistance, discomfort, and even an assertion of autonomy.” His response may replicate an emotional boundary, an aversion fashioned by previous experiences, or just a need to manage his environment. “However, Briony’s resolution to provide him one thing she already is aware of he dislikes suggests an unconscious try to check his response, provoke a response, or talk one thing past phrases,” she says.
Khangarot, nevertheless, asserts, “Nevertheless, this second shouldn’t be overanalyzed in isolation. The true focus stays on Briony’s psychological interviewing, emotional composure, and talent to deal with breaches of private boundaries, all of which spotlight important therapeutic abilities.”
What Briony’s response to the sandwich tells us about her psychological state
Briony’s response to the sandwich after her dialog with Jamie needs to be seen by the lens of her position as a educated skilled slightly than hypothesis about her psychological state, Khangarot explains. “As a therapist working with people accused of great crimes, she has chosen a subject that requires emotional resilience {and professional} detachment.”
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Cadabam, alternatively, believes that Briony’s motion suggests an inside battle. “The act of giving Jamie a sandwich he doesn’t like could possibly be a passive-aggressive gesture, an unconscious try and distance herself, or a manner of expressing frustration with out direct confrontation. It may additionally replicate a necessity for management — after a dialog that left her emotionally unsettled, she reclaims company in a refined however pointed manner.”
Alternatively, she notes that this could possibly be an “act of deflection.” As a substitute of brazenly addressing her feelings, “she externalises them by oblique behaviour, hoping for a response that validates her emotions.” Generally, small, seemingly inconsequential actions like this are methods folks specific unresolved feelings after they wrestle to articulate them immediately.
“With the restricted info accessible within the present, we can not conclusively label this as countertransference (when a therapist unconsciously initiatives their very own feelings onto a shopper). As a substitute, her response possible displays a second of unwinding earlier than finalising her psychiatric findings,” notes Khangarot.