Agency, Communion, and the Dialogical Self

In this episode of The Lectern, John Verveeke, Gregg Henriques, and Matthew Schaublin continue their discussion on authenticity, pivoting from theoretical considerations to Matthew's empirical research. Matthew reviews a study investigating the relationship between authenticity, agency, and self-transformation, employing a mixed-methods approach involving narrative coding for themes of agency and communion. The discussion delves into the complexities of measuring authenticity, the role of justification in narratives, and the tension between individualized ego notions and more holistic, dynamic models of the self. They analyze examples of authentic and transformative narratives, exploring themes such as ownership of actions, self-insight, and the impact of relational authenticity on agency. The conversation highlights the importance of considering both self and other-centric perspectives in understanding authenticity, with preliminary findings suggesting a connection between realization of self and realization of others or the world.