Psicologo | Counselor

Colluding in psychology means sharing the affective symbolization of a context by those who participate in that context. Collusion is the process through which emotions are socialized in relation to shared experiences. Without it, social participation would be chaotic and, in fact, impossible. In this sense, collusion acts as an emotional intermediary, founding and organizing social relationships.

To collude means to emotionally share the rules of a specific context. This form of interaction is predominantly tacit, making it difficult to meta-communicate about the relational dynamics we experience, often leading to dysfunctional dynamics.

An example of collusion can be observed among employees in a company, where the norms of obedience influence behavior; for instance, people react differently when communicating with a superior compared to when they speak with a colleague. Similarly, friends collude when, within a group, an ostracized individual is treated differently. Even within a family, collusive roles are evident: for example, the father may establish the rules of cohabitation, while the adolescent may challenge them.

When collusion generates suffering, it can manifest through acting out, meaning an attempt to “evacuate” emotions within the affected relationship. Every social relationship, including one that defines a psychological setting, is based on collusion.

In the context of demand analysis in psychology, the psychologist’s task is not so much to avoid collusion as it is to refrain from colluding with specific affective symbolizations related to the relationship with the client. Acting without an adequate analysis of the demand implies for the psychologist an action devoid of reflection on the collusive fantasies of both the client and the professional.

Such analysis represents the construction of the assignment, which is the opposite of colluding with someone who wishes, for example, for the psychologist to focus solely on the designated patient or the problem as initially presented. It is fundamental to help the person posing the demand become aware of the nature of that demand, avoiding situations where the psychologist also acts based on collusive fantasies.

“Not colluding” indeed reveals underlying issues, often hidden behind excuses such as “I don’t know what to do, you tell me” or “I have an anxiety problem, cure me,” which hinder a real exploration of the problem. 

To avoid collusion, it is essential for the professional to develop a profound awareness of their own emotional and behavioral reactions in various contexts. Self-reflection proves to be a fundamental tool, avoiding, for example, the tendency to please the client or, worse, to cater to one’s own savior ego, thereby preventing the dysfunctional spiral of self-reinforcing collusion.