Feedback cycles organise human behaviour, with self-reinforcing feedback cycles organising change. Vicious cycles organise problem development, while virtuous cycles organise recovery. I illustrate this by analysing how feedback cycles organise problem gambling.

These ideas are grounded in established therapeutic frameworks:

• Psychodynamic theory asserts that psychological defences can form vicious circles, and
• Weinberg’s theory of habits can be understood as amplifying feedback cycles.
• Feedback is a key concept in systems theory and has a prominent place in family therapy.

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“The first and perhaps most influential model of how families operate was cybernetics, the study of feedback mechanisms in self-regulating systems.” (Nichols, 2008, p.98)

Self-reinforcing feedback offers a way to understand families. Often, when families attempt to solve a problem, their solution can inadvertently exacerbate the issue, creating a vicious cycle where the family’s solution becomes the problem. (Nichols, 2008, p. 159).

The Attempted Solution		More Inadvertent Damage
	The Problem is exacerbated

Peter Senge, a systems scientist, writes:

“Structures [feedback cycles] of which we are unaware hold us prisoner. Conversely, learning to see the structures within which we operate begins a process of freeing ourselves from previously unseen forces and ultimately mastering the ability to work with and change them.” (Senge, 1992, p 94)

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Key Amplifying Feedback Cycles

Here are some key amplifying feedback cycles that organise human behaviour, with some examples from problem gambling and client Zed.

In my counselling work, several of these amplifying cycles were directly useful with clients. Others were not, but they contribute to understanding how systems theory applies to human behaviour.

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(1) An Example vicious gambling cycle

Here is a brief overview of the self-reinforcing feedback cycle that emerged during my example counselling session with client Zed.

Towards the end of the session, I summed it up, saying to him:

• There is a cycle here.
• The more you gamble to feel respected while you’re winning,
• the more money you lose and the less respect you get at home and at work, so
• the more you need respect, and
• this throws you back to gamble more.
• This vicious cycle is making life difficult for you.

The method for generating and using the cyclic intervention is critical: the page describing the example counselling session details this.

I began using this sort of cyclic logic with clients, and then one of my colleagues lent me “The Foundations of Family Therapy” by Lynn Hoffman. I realised that systems theory supported this sort of approach.

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(2) Psychodynamic defences as vicious cycles

A psychodynamic defence can create a vicious cycle. This cycle is widely applicable – and it has the same form as client Zed’s vicious gambling cycle.

See Psychodynamics and my Cyclic Intervention.

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(3) Gambling, shocks, denial: a vicious cycle

Self-reinforcing cycles can also form around the denial of any problematic behaviour, including gambling.

Problem gamblers suffer many shocks resulting from their gambling, and the shocks tend to escalate in severity. Each time they deny the severity of one of these shocks and continue gambling, their ability to deny shocks increases, making it easier for them to continue gambling. This is another vicious cycle.

More Problematic Behaviour		More severe shocks due to the problematic behaviour
	More denial

Problem gamblers commonly hang onto their gambling habit and remain stuck in this cycle:

• Gambling more tends to
• increase the severity of the shocks they experience, which tends to
• increase their denial of the shock, which enables them to
• increase their gambling.

Each time a gambling-related shock occurs, the gambler faces a choice: they can deny the shock, which reinforces the destructive cycle, or acknowledge the shock and use it as a wake-up call to control their gambling. However, problem gamblers often fail to limit their gambling and become trapped in this destructive cycle where gambling, emotional shocks, and denial all intensify. Initially losing fifty dollars may have shocked them, but eventually some can lose their house and more. A problem gambler will have overwhelming evidence of the futility of continuing gambling. Regardless, many still say that their only way to recover their losses is to keep on gambling. As denial grows, it distorts their thinking, alters their values, and gradually reshapes their character.

I found discussing this denial amplification cycle with clients a constructive way to discuss a person’s gambling and what drives it.

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(4) Chosen activity & motivation: Amplifying feedback

A vast number of amplifying feedback cycles emerge from Weinberg’s Direct Effect Principle. This principle states that every voluntary action strengthens the motivations for that action. As many actions become habits, they repeatedly strengthen the motivations behind the habitual actions and have a profound impact on character. This concept is fundamental to the Action Approach (Weinberg, 1995).

I see this principle in terms of feedback: Amplifying feedback cycles form between “each chosen action” and “each of the action’s motivating ideas and feelings”.

In this cycle:

• Each time you take a chosen action, this tends to
• increase the strength of each idea and each feeling that motivated the action, which tends to
• increase the likelihood of repeating the action.

See my page on Weinberg’s Action Approach.

There is a separate cycle for each chosen action and each motivation, resulting in many cycles. These amplifying feedback cycles are part of organising any activity, including problem gambling and recovery.

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(5) Rejected activity & motivation: Amplifying feedback

More self-reinforcing feedback cycles arise from Weinberg’s principle. Choice involves rejecting alternatives, and each time a person rejects an activity, they weaken each motivation for each rejected activity. Amplifying feedback cycles form between “each rejected action” and “each of the rejected action’s motivating ideas and feelings”.

Reject an action.		Weaken each idea and feeling motivating the rejected action.

In this cycle:

• Each time you reject an action, this tends to
• decrease the strength of each idea and each feeling that motivated the rejected action, which tends to
• increase the likelihood of rejecting the action again.

For every chosen activity, such as gambling, there are many rejected activities, like reading, tennis, and spending time with family.

A habit is an activity that you choose many times, so it comes to seem right and necessary under the dual influence of: (1) the reinforcement of the motivators of the chosen activity, and (2) the weakening of the motivators of the rejected activities.

This dual influence makes sense of a problem gambler’s singular focus on gambling and their lack of interest in other activities.

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(6) Activity & Rewards: Amplifying feedback

Further amplifying feedback cycles form when an activity brings rewards, e.g., when a gambler wins.

Take an action.		Get more rewards from the activity.
	Increase motivation to take the action.

The more you take an action, the more rewards you get from it, and you tend to become more motivated to repeat it. The impact of rewards can fade with repetition or strengthen.

Many gamblers have a big win, and this hooks them. A big win can be dangerous for a needy person, as it can spark unrealistic hopes. Winning streaks certainly infatuated client Zed.

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(7) Virtuous recovery cycles

While amplifying feedback cycles organise problem development, they also organise recovery from a problem behaviour.

A gambler’s efforts to stop gambling naturally inhibit the vicious gambling cycle. Any activity that successfully engages the gambler can become a pathway to recovery.

After identifying a vicious gambling cycle, it is helpful to:

• identify an activity that deals with the dread that drives their gambling, and
• explain to the client how this activity can be a virtuous, self-reinforcing cycle of recovery.

A vicious cycle can be frightening, while a virtuous cycle can feed hope.

For client Zed, an element of recovery could have been going to Gamblers Anonymous meetings, offering support to other participants, earning their respect, and so reducing his need to gain respect via gambling. This activity could become a virtuous self-amplifying feedback cycle, as it would reduce the dominance of his gambling amplifying cycle.

Zed gives more assistance to others.		Zed gains more respect from others.

In this cycle:

• Zed’s increased assistance to others would tend to
• increase the respect he gained from those he helped, which would tend to
• increase his assistance to others.

This virtuous amplifying feedback cycle could have supported Zed’s recovery.

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The influences on self-reinforcing feedback

Amplifying cycles drive change, including the emergence of problems and recovery. So, it is helpful to understand what inhibits and what reinforces an amplifying cycle. The table below outlines these influences.

Influence	Reinforcing influences	Inhibiting influences
The amplifying feedback cycle under consideration.	The amplifying feedback cycle reinforces itself. All amplifying feedback cycles are self-reinforcing.	The amplifying feedback cycle, when unimpeded, eventually exhausts a resource it needs to continue, and pauses, having transformed its system. All amplifying cycles eventually hit a limit.
Damping feedback cycles	–	A damping feedback cycle may control the considered amplifying cycle and maintain system stability, opposing the deviation of a variable from its target value.
Other amplifying feedback cycles	Other amplifying cycles can reinforce the considered amplifying cycle, forming a group of mutually reinforcing cycles.	Other amplifying cycles can oppose the considered cycle.
External events	External events can strengthen the considered amplifying cycle.	External events can disrupt the considered amplifying cycle.

I also discuss these influences in Introducing systems theory and audio feedback.

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Boosting amplifying feedback cycles

First, consider the influences that reinforce or boost an amplifying feedback cycle.

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Boost: Amplifying cycles are self-reinforcing.

All amplifying cycles are self-reinforcing.

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Boost: Mutually supporting amplifying cycles.

Many of the above amplifying feedback cycles do reinforce one another, forming groups of mutually supporting feedback cycles.

The escalation of dread

Two amplifying feedback cycles escalate the dread underlying a compulsive habit. The first cycle arises from the repetition of the compulsive habit, which reinforces each of its motivations, including the motivating dread, just as taking a chosen action reinforces its motivations.

Take a chosen action, a compulsive habit.		Strengthen the motivating dread.

The second arises from the damage caused by the compulsive habit or psychodynamic defence, which also escalates dread.

So, here we have two amplifying feedback cycles operating together to strengthen dread.

Escalation of gambling

Another group of mutually supporting cycles reinforces problem gambling behaviour. These are the cycles involving:

• Dread, gambling, and damage
• Voluntary gambling and its motivations
• Gambling, shock, and denial
• Gambling rewards and motivation

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Boost: Reinforcing Influences

External influences can reinforce an amplifying feedback cycle. For instance, when client Zed saw someone from his old school, it could trigger memories of students bullying him, heighten his craving for respect, and further fuel his dread-driven gambling cycle. Likewise, when a car cut him off while he was cycling, he could interpret it as a sign of disrespect, feel a flash of road rage, and this feeling could also reinforce the amplifying cycle.

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Curbing amplifying feedback cycles

Having considered factors that reinforce amplifying cycles, now consider those that inhibit or curb them.

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Curb: Damping feedback cycles

When an activity results in damage or adverse consequences, a damping feedback cycle occurs. In gambling, losses usually inhibit gambling and prevent it from becoming a significant problem.

More Deviation: Damage due to excessive use of money or time. Less		More Control: The gambler reduces their gambling. More

In this cycle:

• The upper arrows show “more deviation: excessive use of money or time” tending to cause the gambler to take “more control” and reduce their gambling.
• The lower arrows show “more control” tending to cause “less deviation”.

This cycle is a damping cycle as more “excessive gambling” tends to cause less “excessive gambling”.

When a gambler hits a limit, like running out of cash, their values determine what constitutes excessive gambling and whether they circumvent the limit, say by stealing to fund gambling.

Damage usually weakens the motivation for an action, but, perversely, in compulsive habits, the damage can increase the habitual activity.

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Curb: Opposing amplifying cycles

Many amplifying cycles work against one another; for example, a virtuous recovery cycle works against a vicious cycle of problem development.

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Curb: Disruptive influences

Many influences can disrupt an amplifying cycle. For example, a vicious gambling cycle can be paused by:

• Family commitments
• The need for sleep
• a hospital admission.

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Curb: Exhausting a needed resource

Unconstrained amplifying feedback cycles eventually hit a limit and pause because they exhaust a necessary resource, leaving the system transformed. For example:

• The unrestrained feedback cycle that is accelerating the melting of Arctic sea ice threatens to pause only when the Arctic is ice-free in summer and resume the following summer to melt the ice formed over winter, leaving a transformed Arctic with no permanent ice.
• An unlimited feedback loop in a sound system can amplify the sound until either the system reaches its maximum power or a component fails.

The amplifying feedback cycles driving human problems face complex external limits. The limits for a vicious gambling cycle are:

• Financial limits such as the money in their wallets, available loans, and crime policing.
• Time limits like gambling venue opening hours, and the time needed for family, work, and sleep.
• Relationship limits, e.g., the boundaries set by parents and partners
• Limits on the rate of gambling in some forms of gambling, e.g. there is an upper limit to how fast you can play one poker machine.

When a gambler reaches any of these limits, they will have transformed their life in some way, for example:

• after reaching the upper limit on their credit card, they might not be able to buy food,
• after failing to repay a loan, a lender might repossess the car, and
• after stealing money, a law court could gaol them.

The impact of most of these external limits is to pause the gambling, e.g., when the gambler runs out of money, or the gambling venue closes. Some forms of gambling limit the rate at which you can lose money, e.g., poker machines.

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Delays in the feedback cycle

An unconstrained amplifying feedback cycle will cause exponential change. An example of this is when a person leans back past the tipping point of their chair and crashes to the ground. However, in most systems, the change is not exponential because something disrupts the cycle, e.g., a friend catches the chair before it crashes to the floor, or some processes are inherently slow, like melting ice.

Problem gambling does not escalate exponentially because each of the above inhibiting factors can slow the cycles driving the gambling. For client Zed, this included his attempts to stop gambling and the lack of frequent local horse races.

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Feedback cycles organise other systems.

Systems theory applies to human behaviour and to other systems, including:

• Audio feedback
• Global heating
• The evolution of life on Earth
• Symmetrical and complementary systems. *Link
• An object that leans beyond its tipping point.
• Right-wing politics, migration, and global heating.

Systems theory applies to any system.

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Summary: Feedback cycles organising gambling

In summary, here are the key feedback cycles that organise problem gambling, starting with those that drive the escalation of gambling:

• The perverse amplifying cycle in which gambling damage drives gambling, linking: (1) a dread, (2) gambling as a defence against the dread, and (3) the damage caused by the gambling.
• The amplifying cycle linking: (1) gambling, (2) the gambling-related events that shock the gambler, and (3) the gambler’s denial of these shocks.
• The amplifying cycle linking: (1) gambling and (2) the rewards of gambling.
• Each choice to gamble strengthens the ideas and feelings that motivate it, forming many amplifying feedback cycles.
• Each choice to gamble is also a rejection of alternative activities, which weakens the motivation to engage in them. These rejections also form many amplifying feedback cycles.

Then there are the feedbacks that inhibit gambling:

• The damping cycle in which the gambler recognises that they are gambling too much and acts to control it
• The external limits that occur when gamblers do not constrain their gambling.
• The virtuous recovery cycles that reinforce alternatives to gambling

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Conclusion

Human behaviour is organised by a complex network of feedback cycles linking actions, feelings, and ideas.  I have illustrated this via the organisation of problem gambling, but critically, feedback processes are evident in general theories of human behaviour and support this:

• Strategic family therapists use system theory with its feedback cycles as a key theoretical construct (Nichols, p. 422)
• Malan’s psychodynamics proposes that defences can set up vicious circles.
• Weinberg’s theory of compulsive habits is readily understood as amplifying feedback cycles.

Accordingly, I propose that:

• Feedback cycles organise human behaviour, and
• Self-reinforcing feedback cycles drive behavioural change, including both the development of problem behaviour and recovery.

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I take this further on a page exploring self-organisation and human functioning.

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Counselling Pages & References

The introduction to my counselling pages includes:

• Links to the other counselling pages, including those describing how this approach relates to other counselling practices and theories, see the top of the introduction page
• References for all the counselling pages, at the end of the introduction page.

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First loaded: 21 Dec 2025: Updated 26 Dec 2025

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