Family Constellation: Its Effects on Personality and Social Behavior

by Walter Toman

In this book the reader will find a theory based on ten years of clinical psychological work during which the family constellations of over 400 persons were studied. This includes the functions of each person's own sibling position, of his parents, and of his children (where possible also of his grandparents), as well as of losses within the family constellation. These elements have been integrated into a system comprising eight basic types of sibling position and sixty-four basic types of conflict possible between a person and his or her parents.

The eight basic sibling positions are presented in the form of extensive character portraits. They depict, above all, the enduring relationships to people men, women and children and the impact of incidental losses of those people, but they also outline attitudes toward authority, property, work, politics; religion, and philosophy. These portraits are composites of trends and features taken from a number of people. Hence not every detail or concrete example applies in every single case. The details and examples will help, though, to reveal the core of the portrait that has been found to be consistent in all cases of a given sibling position.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Family

333 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Dorothy Nesbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the 1961 Springer Publishing Cover Inc edition of Walter Toman's Family Constellation, which does not appear to be listed on Goodreads, accessing the book online via an online search. I was prompted to read it by comments made by Michael Kerr in his book Bowen Theory's Secrets.

I want to caution the reader that some of the language, which is in any case translated (I guess) from the original German, might offend modern sensibilities. The value of Toman's work depends on understanding Toman's work as an attempt to understand broadly what is true in families based on sibling positions throughout the generations, as well as other factors such as losses in families. It helps not to be put off by talk of women having maids or working as secretaries, which might seem anachronistic and even sexist in the modern era.

The text is quite dense, packed with ideas I can't pretend to have absorbed in their entirety on first reading. Sometimes, because of the full correspondence between a given profile (e.g. elder brother of sisters) and a person in my life, I was struck by the level of correlation between the profile as outlined and people I know in a corresponding position in their family. At the same time, the book allows for a great deal of variety and some correlations would certainly require deeper study, having elements of more than one profile. I am finding value in applying Toman's descriptions in practice, in order to deepen my understanding and also to ask questions about what more there might be to know, e.g. across multiple generations.

I imagine some readers might wonder if such an approach is rather reductionist, making caricatures and stereotypes of us all. I have to say, far from it. I am finding that exploring Toman's work is deepening my understanding of the range of factors that might influence the behaviours I see in various people in my life. I am finding it a valuable addition to my studies of Bowen family systems theory.

I have no doubt I will be referring to the book again.

[Carlene Alexander]

I didn’t feel I could rate this book. It was definitely a theory of its day and in places I found it ridiculous