Reflexivity (social theory)

Reflexivity is a concept from social theory. It means thinking about how our thoughts and feelings influence other people's feelings and thoughts, and how those people's feelings and thoughts influence our own. It's like a cycle, or an endless loop. For example, if you're feeling sad, the people around you may pick up on your mood and start to feel sad themselves. This then may make you even sadder, and they'll become even more upset, and so on. In other words, we can create a kind of "ripple effect" in our relationships, with thoughts and feelings being repeated and shared back and forth between us.