Murray Bowen was interested in a system theory way of thinking. He felt we have less autonomy in our emotional lives than we assume. Most of us are more dependent and reactive to one another than we would like to think.

Bowen describes how the family, as a multi-generational network of relationships, shapes the interplay of individuality and togetherness using eight interlocking concepts:

1. Differentiation of the Self - differentiation is the process of freeing oneself from one's family - realizing one's own involvement in problematic relationship systems as opposed to blaming others, while still being able to be emotionally related to members.

2. Triangulation - the family member with the least differentiation (the most vulnerable) will often be the person most likely to get triangulated within the family. A two-person system is unstable because it tolerates little tension before involving a third person. A triangle allows the tension to spread, which in turn stabilizes a system, but does not resolve the issue.

3. Nuclear Family Emotional System - emotional patterns that exist in a family are passed on to each generation. They can include: overt conflict, physical or emotional dysfunction in one spouse, reactive emotional distance, and projection of problems onto one or more of the children.

4. Family Projection Process - the method by which emotional projections are passed on from one generation to another. This process describes the primary way parents transmit their emotional problems to a child. For example, the child who receives projection will have trouble differentiating. This will, in turn, affect his interactions with his own spouse and/or children.

5. Emotional Cutoff - the way people manage anxiety between generations. People manage their unresolved emotional issues with parents, siblings, and other family members by reducing or totally cutting off emotional contact with them; a person may believe being cut off from the family has solved his/or her issues, however, the problems remain dormant and are not resolved.

6. Multigenerational Transmission Process - the way family emotional processes are transferred and maintained over several generations.

7. Sibling Position - people who grow up in the same sibling position predictably have important common characteristics. For example, oldest children tend to gravitate to leadership positions and youngest children often prefer to be followers. Each child has a certain position in the family which may make him/or her more or less likely to fit some projection of the family.

8. Societal Emotional Process - the effects of social expectations about classes, ethnic groups, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc., on the family.