Feedback Reigns

Act on Climate Change

Symmetrical and Complementary Relationships as Feedback Cycles

Symmetrical and complementary relationships both form self-reinforcing feedback cycles, organising another aspect of human functioning.

Some therapists use the concepts of symmetrical and complementary relationships to understand interpersonal dynamics. (Bateson, 1972, p. 323; Nichols, 2008, p. 30).

Complementary relationships

Complementary relationships exist between two entities that differ, complementing and reinforcing each other’s roles, and increasing their interdependence.

An example is in a relationship where one person uses a skill more, gaining experience and confidence, while the other loses skill and confidence, such as in cooking and driving.

Diagram: A complementary relationship in which one person gains cooking skills, and the other loses these skills.
Diagram: A complementary relationship in which one person gains cooking skills, and the other loses these skills. (ZS50N2S1)

In this amplifying feedback cycle:

  • Alex cooks more, gaining skills & confidence, which tends to result in
  • Bill cooking less, decreasing his skills and confidence, which tends to result in
  • Alex cooking more, with Bill becoming increasingly dependent on Alex for cooking.

The evolution of humans and their gut microbes provides another example of a complementary relationship. See the link to my page on evolution.

Symmetrical relationships

Symmetrical relationships occur between two similar entities that mirror one another’s behaviour.

For example, when two people, Alex and Bill, both react to anger with anger, meaning that the slightest friction between them can escalate.

Diagram: A symmetrical amplifying cycle in which anger generates anger.
Diagram: A symmetrical amplifying cycle in which anger generates anger. (ZxxxN2Sa)

In this amplifying feedback cycle:

  • Alex’s anger tends to
  • increase Bill’s anger, which tends
  • increase Alex’s anger.

Countries can exhibit the same symmetrical dynamic. During the Cold War, the USA and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) both built enormous stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

Diagram: A symmetrical amplifying cycle driving an arms race between two countries.
Diagram: A symmetrical amplifying cycle driving an arms race between two countries. (ZS52N2S1)

 
There is another example of a symmetrical relationship in my evolution page: the evolution of abilities in both predators and prey.

Wind Up

Symmetrical and complementary relationships both form self-reinforcing feedback cycles, organising another aspect of human functioning.

The introduction to my counselling pages includes:

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

First loaded: 30 Dec 2025; modified 24 August 2026.