Exploring Agency and Communion in Personal Narratives

"To what extent is authenticity a solitary alignment with the inner self, versus a relational and dialogical process shaped through communion with others?"

John Vervaeke, Gregg Henriques and Matthew Schaublin come together for a discussion covering the concept of authenticity. Matthew Schaublin presents findings from two studies, one of which employs a mixed-methods design to examine the interplay between authenticity, agency, and self-transformation through both narrative analysis and psychometric assessment. The findings reveal that authentic experiences are often marked not by internal self-consistency alone, but by themes of communion, deep relational connection, emotional resonance, and shared understanding. This challenges static, individualistic models of the self and instead supports a dialogical conception in which authenticity emerges through interaction and mutual recognition. The conversation also highlights how current psychological frameworks fail to account for the complexity of lived, meaningful experience. Together, Matthew, Gregg, and John propose a more dynamic, relational, and transjective understanding of selfhood and agency.

Gregg R. Henriques is an American psychologist. He is a professor for the Combined-Integrated Doctoral Program at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, US.

Matthew Schaublin is a master’s candidate in psychology at the University of Chattanooga, with a four-year research focus on authenticity. His work blends empirical psychology with philosophical and classical inquiry, investigating how dispositional authenticity is expressed and experienced.

Notes: 

• (0:00) Introduction to the Lectern

• (0:20) John Gives a Recap of Part One: Autonomy, Authenticity, and the Fragmented Self 

• (2:00) Study Design Explained

• (3:30) Communion in Transformative Moments

• (5:00) Data Collection and Analysis 

• (7:00) Agency in Authentic vs. Transformative

• (10:30) Coding the Self - Agency, Communion, and Authenticity Themes

• (15:00) Themes of Being Unauthentic 

• (16:30) Gregg on Persona, Ego, and the Influence Matrix

• (21:00) Philosophical Roots of Authenticity

• (25:00) The Limits of Reductionism - A Mixed Methods Defense

• (34:30) The Justification Machine - Interpretation and Cognitive Framing

• (38:30) Narratives of Agency and Self-Actualization 

• (42:00) Communal Connections and Authenticity 

• (44:30) Intimacy and Affiliation

• (55:00) Predicting Agency in Narratives

• (58:30) Statistical Findings - Self-Alienation, Agency, and Thematic Expression

• (1:02:00) Significant Findings and Interpretations

• (1:15:00) Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions 

--- 

Connect with a community dedicated to self-discovery and purpose, and gain deeper insights by joining our Patreon.

The Vervaeke Foundation is committed to advancing the scientific pursuit of wisdom and creating a significant impact on the world. Become a part of our mission.

Join Awaken to Meaning to explore practices that enhance your virtues and foster deeper connections with reality and relationships.

John Vervaeke: Website | Twitter | YouTube | Patreon

Gregg Henriques: Website | Twitter 

Matthew Shaublin: Instagram

Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned in this Episode

The concept of authenticity

Communion

Carl Rogers

Charles Taylor

Wilton & McAdams

Albert Borgmann

Julian Jaynes

Self-alienation

The dialogical self

Authenticity

Narrative identity

Quotes:

“ We tend to leap into the narrative and we ignore this sort of internal dialogue that's going on that makes the narrative actually run in an important way.”  - John Vervaeke

“That's what intimacy is, transcending the general social conventions and finding the real particulate resonance that person A would have with person B.” - Gregg Henriques