Parallel Identities and Temporal Regulation: Empirical Evidence from Dyadic Interaction Studies

Vladimir Nemet

“The attitude of man is twofold in accordance with the twofold nature of the primary words which he speaks. One basic word is the word pair I-Thou. The other basic word is the word pair I-It. For the I of the basic word I-Thou is different from that of the basic word I-It.”
— Martin Buber

Introduction

Western philosophy, from Descartes to contemporary cognitive science, has traditionally conceptualized the subject as a relatively stable center of experience — a vantage point from which we observe, think, decide, and act. Even when the fragmentation of the psyche was acknowledged, it was often regarded as a deviation from an idealized unity. Recent research in developmental psychology, phenomenology, psychoanalysis, and neuroscience, however, increasingly suggests that a coherent self may not be foundational, but rather an emergent phenomenon arising from a continuous, dynamic process: the rapid alternation of perspectives between observer and observed. The rhythm and frequency of this alternation constitute the very fabric of personality and shape conscious experience.

A central question emerges: how can such a theory be empirically verified? How can it be operationalized beyond a thought experiment or theoretical essay? In other words, how can the rhythm and frequency of parallel identities alternation be measured in real time?

This study draws on research from the Boston Change Process Study Group, particularly the work of Beatrice Beebe and Edward Tronick, which provides an empirical framework for investigating this subtle dimension of human experience.

1. Subjectivity as Dynamic: The Rhythm Between I and Thou

This study is grounded in the assumption that subjectivity is not a static entity but a dynamic process; it is rhythm, not substance. What we perceive as continuity of identity may reflect a phenomenologically “blurred” experience of the rapid alternation between I and Thou. Otherness is therefore not secondary or derivative but a constitutive pole of subjectivity. The Thou does not negate the I; rather, it is its condition of possibility.

The theory of parallel identities posits that within the psychic structure, there is no single dominant instance integrating all experiences. Instead, two parallel perspectives alternate at such speed that they create the illusion of unity. This alternation follows discernible patterns that can, at least partially, be observed and quantified. Identity, in this sense, is not a matter of content but of frequency.

Empirical studies of early mother–infant interactions corroborate this perspective. Micro-analyses of dyadic exchanges reveal rhythmic alternation in attention, affect, initiative, and expression. Regulation occurs not within a single organism but between two. While often described using terms such as affective synchrony, dyadic regulation, or interpersonal resonance, these phenomena are rarely interpreted ontologically, as evidence that subjectivity itself is fundamentally dyadic rather than monadic.

This paper proposes that such micro-rhythms be considered not merely developmental or relational phenomena, but as windows into the fundamental dynamics of human consciousness. Moreover, it seeks to demonstrate that what I term the frequency of perspective alternation can be operationalized and measured using behavioral, neurophysiological, and phenomenological methods.

If these assumptions are substantiated, the critical question shifts from “Who am I?” to: At what speed do I alternate between I and Thou, and what occurs when this rhythm is too slow, too fast, or unstable?

2. Boston Group Research: The Rhythm of Early Interaction

From the earliest hours of life, infants do not experience the world in isolation through their own I, but through continuous alternation of perspectives with the Other. Every micro-dynamic — movement, gaze, facial expression, or vocalization — unfolds multiple times per second, forming the foundation of subjective experience. A stable frequency of these micro-alternations allows integration of self and Other, providing continuity and security while preventing overwhelm or rigidity in interaction.

The Boston Change Process Study Group led by Beebe and Tronick, documented these micro-rhythms in mother–infant interactions. High-speed cameras and micro-analytic methods captured facial expressions, body movements, gestures, and vocalizations at hundreds of frames per second. Each micro-alternation was coded, quantified, and compared, revealing patterns of synchrony and misalignment within the dyad.

Particularly noteworthy is the measurement of the temporal interval between “question” and “answer” — a micro-dialogue unfolding in real time. An infant’s gaze or gesture implicitly asks: “Where are you?”, to which the mother responds through facial expression, movement, and vocal tone: “I am here, for you.” The timing of these exchanges, often in the range of hundreds of milliseconds, quantifies the frequency of perspective alternation and demonstrates that subjectivity, even in infancy, develops through rapid dyadic exchanges.

Micro-empathetic resonance indicates that the foundational mechanisms of subjective experience and emotional regulation are inherently dyadic: consciousness is not generated in isolation, but in the interactive rhythm between two beings. Complementary measures, including eye-tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and micro-expression analysis, further allow precise quantification of perspective-alternation frequency.

These findings support the theory of parallel identities: the continuous, rapid alternation of perspectives between I and Thou underpins subjective experience, and a stable frequency enables a coherent sense of identity. Humans are not temporally stable entities, but two personalities alternating at several cycles per second — a dance between I and Thou that defines the very structure of subjectivity.

3. Psychological Disorders: Disruption of Perspective Alternation

If subjectivity is a dance between I and Thou, psychological disorders arise when this rhythm is disrupted. Each alternation possesses its own speed, tone, and impulse. Disruption manifests in several patterns:

• Slowed alternation — the rhythm decelerates from several times per second to days, weeks, or months. The I becomes rigidly fixed, the Thou withdraws, and the world is experienced as heavy and inert. This pattern can manifest in bipolar disorder, cycling through depressive or manic phases, where body and mind, I and Thou, lose their fluidity.
  
• Accelerated alternation — the rhythm becomes chaotic; signals between I and Thou overwhelm, losing coherence. The subject experiences fragmentation, unable to recognize thoughts or feelings, as if the tempo of life is too rapid to follow.
  
• Chaotic alternation — the rhythm lacks predictability. Irregular jumps, pauses, and reversals generate inner confusion, and the subject loses continuity of experience.
  
• Absence of alternation — rhythm and dialogue cease entirely. This is exemplified in Tronick’s Still Face paradigm, when the mother freezes her expression and stops responding. The infant cannot establish rhythm; the world becomes a static void. Here, I and Thou cease communication, suspending subjectivity and giving rise to emptiness, depressive affect, and profound dysregulation.
  

These patterns illustrate that psychological dysfunction is not solely about thoughts or emotions but about the fundamental dynamics of I–Thou alternation. Stable micro-rhythms promote identity integration, emotional stability, and relational competence, whereas disruption produces chaos or rigidity.

This perspective suggests a new clinical focus: the therapeutic aim extends beyond understanding thoughts or feelings to restoring the rhythm — the fluid, responsive alternation of I and Thou.

4. Psychotherapy: Restoring the Rhythm of Perspective Alternation and Emphatic Resonance

If consciousness and subjectivity rest on the rhythm of I–Thou alternation, psychotherapy is a process of restoring and harmonizing that rhythm. Therapy facilitates fluid, balanced perspective alternation, enabling integration of subjective experience. The goal is not merely to modify thoughts or emotions but to reestablish a stable rhythm that reconnects I and the Other.

In psychoanalytic terms, this involves transitioning from prereflective to reflective relational levels:

• Prereflexive level — implicit, automatic perspective alternation, akin to micro-rhythms observed in early mother–infant dyads. At this level, the subject experiences the Other directly, without conscious analysis or verbalization.
  
• Reflective level — conscious recognition and modulation of perspective alternations. The subject learns to monitor personal impulses and the Other’s responses, integrating implicit micro-rhythms into reflective awareness.
  

The therapist functions as an empathic and attuned companion, maintaining awareness of I–Thou dynamics while guiding the client toward rhythmic coordination. Through attunement, verbalization, and relational regulation, chaotic or fragmented dynamics transform into coherent, integrated alternation. Progress manifests in verbal insight as well as bodily, emotional, and interpersonal synchrony.

Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, therefore, provide systematic practice for re-learning and regulating the rhythm of perspective alternation. Implicit micro-rhythms become conscious, enabling subjects to participate reflectively and experience a coherent self alongside the presence of the Other.

Conclusion

This study provides a theoretical and empirical framework for understanding subjectivity through rhythm and frequency of perspective alternation between I and Thou. Coherent identity emerges not as a static entity but as a product of continuous micro-rhythmic dialogue. Micro-alternations, occurring within the first weeks, days, and hours of life in hundreds of milliseconds, establish the foundation of subjective experience and emotional regulation.

Psychological disorders can be interpreted as disruptions of this rhythm. Slowed, accelerated, chaotic, unidirectional, or absent alternation fragments subjectivity and compromises emotional stability. Psychotherapy restores and harmonizes rhythm, translating implicit micro-rhythms into reflective awareness, reestablishing fluid alternation between I and Thou, and promoting integrated identity.

By emphasizing dynamics and rhythm over content alone, the theory of perspective-alternation frequency highlights the temporal structure as a core determinant of psychological functioning. Viewing subjectivity as a dance of frequencies between I and Thou opens a novel perspective: development, pathology, and therapy are questions of rhythm, presence, and resonance — the foundational dynamics of human consciousness.

Literature 

Beebe, B., & Lachmann, F. M. (2002). Infant Research and Adult Treatment: Co-constructing Interactions. Hillsdale, NJ: Analytic Press.

Buber, M. (1923/1970). I and Thou (R. G. Smith, Trans.). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Stern, D. N. (1985). The Interpersonal World of the Infant: A View from Psychoanalysis and Developmental Psychology. New York: Basic Books.

Trevarthen, C. (1979). Before Speech: The Beginning of Interpersonal Communication. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Tronick, E. Z. (1989). Emotions and Emotional Communication in Infants. New York: W. H. Freeman.

Nemet, V. (2025, May 28). New Psychoanalysis and Parallel Identities