1 80 Information Storage and Neural Control 



These are the situations which, in our work on schizophrenia, 

 have come to be called "double-binds." These may now be defined 

 very simply as pathological alterations of communication at the 

 third level. 



Let me illustrate this pathogenic pattern, or perhaps I should 

 say broken pattern, rather briefly with an excerpt from a book 

 entitled Mary Poppins (3). This is an English children's book by 

 P. L. Travers about an English nanny Mary Poppins. She has 

 taken the two children to a little old gingerbread shop owned 

 by Mrs. Corry, a tiny old woman with two large "sad" daughters: 



"I suppose you've come for some gingerbread?" 



"That's right, Mrs. Corry," said Mary Poppins politely. 



"Good. Have Fannie and Annie given you any?" She looked at 

 Jane and Michael as she said this. 



"No, Mother," said Miss Fannie meekly. 



"We were just going to, Mother — -" began Miss Annie in a 

 frightened whisper. 



At that Mrs. Corry drew herself up to her full height and regarded 

 her gigantic daughters furiously. Then she said in a soft, fierce, 

 terrifying voice, "Just going to? Oh, indeed! That is very interesting. 



And who, may I ask, Annie, gave you permission to give away my 

 gingerbread — ?" 



"Nobody, Mother. And I didn't give it away. I only thought — " 



"You only thought! That is very kind of you. But I will thank you 

 not to think. I can do all the thinking that is necessary here!'' said 

 Mrs. Corry in her soft, terrible voice. Then she burst into a harsh 

 cackle of laughter. 



"Look at her! Just look at her! Cowardy-custard ! Cry-baby!" she 

 shrieked, pointing her knotty finger at her daughter. 



Jane and Michael turned and saw a large tear coursing down 

 Miss Annie's huge, sad face, but they did not say anything, for, 

 in spite of her tininess, Mrs. Corry made them feel rather small 

 and frightened . . . 



In this episode Mrs. Corry indicates that this is a context in 

 which to have given gingerbread to the children would be re- 

 warded and not to have given gingerbread might be punished. 



