Introduction to Positive Disintegration

Splash!, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 11/22/14

Josh Shaine Locus of Thought

7 North End RoadTownsend, MA 01469

(978) 597-0977joshshaine@netzero.net

Dr. Dabrowski:

• worked with psychotic/psychoneurotic people

• wondered why some people reacted more extremely than others

• concluded that his patients were having sane reactions to an insane world

• developed the Theory of Positive Disintegration

Key ElementsKey Elements

• Levels of Personality DevelopmentLevels of Personality Development

• DynamismsDynamisms

• Psychic Overexcitabilities (OE’s)Psychic Overexcitabilities (OE’s)

Levels of Personality Levels of Personality DevelopmentDevelopment

• Primary IntegrationPrimary Integration

• Unilevel DisintegrationUnilevel Disintegration

• Spontaneous Multilevel DisintegrationSpontaneous Multilevel Disintegration

• Organized Multilevel DisintegrationOrganized Multilevel Disintegration

• Secondary IntegrationSecondary Integration TIP Levels are neither rigidnor are they ‘one-way.’

Primary IntegrationPrimary Integration

• Formerly called “Primitive” Formerly called “Primitive” IntegrationIntegration

• EgocentrismEgocentrism

• ““If it’s good for me, it’s good!”If it’s good for me, it’s good!”

Unilevel DisintegrationUnilevel Disintegration

• Moral Relativism or externally based Moral Relativism or externally based moralitymorality– Dabrowski vs. Piechowski vs. ShaineDabrowski vs. Piechowski vs. Shaine

• ““If it’s okay with you, it’s okay!”If it’s okay with you, it’s okay!”

• Permanent Instability?Permanent Instability?

Spontaneous Multilevel Spontaneous Multilevel DisintegrationDisintegration

• Inner Conflict, existential despairInner Conflict, existential despair

• ““I know what is right, but I’ll never I know what is right, but I’ll never be able to do it!”be able to do it!”

• The Myth of SisyphusThe Myth of Sisyphus

Organized Multilevel Organized Multilevel DisintegrationDisintegration

• Self-directed LifeSelf-directed Life

• ““Doing well, being good!”Doing well, being good!”

Secondary IntegrationSecondary Integration

• Personality IdealPersonality Ideal

• ““To be is to do To be is to do goodgood!”!”

DynamismsDynamisms

• ““The structure of the inner psychic The structure of the inner psychic milieu” milieu”

• First Factor - GeneticFirst Factor - Genetic

• Second Factor - EnvironmentalSecond Factor - Environmental

• Third Factor - Autonomous ProcessesThird Factor - Autonomous Processes

• Other DynamismsOther Dynamisms

First Factor - GeneticFirst Factor - Genetic

• Provides the foundation Provides the foundation

• Source of Psychic OverexcitabilitiesSource of Psychic Overexcitabilities

• May be a limiting factorMay be a limiting factor

Second Factor - Second Factor - EnvironmentalEnvironmental

• Source of Conflict Source of Conflict

• Less of a limiting factorLess of a limiting factor

• Stronger influence at lower levelsStronger influence at lower levels

Third Factor - Autonomous Third Factor - Autonomous ProcessesProcesses

• Source of Drive Source of Drive

• If you don’t have it, Level V is If you don’t have it, Level V is unattainableunattainable

• Influence starts at Level IIIInfluence starts at Level III

Disposing and Directing Disposing and Directing CenterCenter

• Main Primitive Main Primitive DriveDrive(Level I)(Level I)

• Multiple WillsMultiple Wills(Level II)(Level II)

• Ascending and Ascending and DescendingDescending(Level III)(Level III)

At the 4th and 5th At the 4th and 5th Levels, the DDC Levels, the DDC and Third Factor and Third Factor overlapoverlap

• UnifiedUnified(Level IV)(Level IV)

• Personality IdealPersonality Ideal(Level V)(Level V)

Other Dynamisms - Group Other Dynamisms - Group CC

• Temperamental Temperamental SyntonySyntony

• Inner ConflictInner Conflict

• IdentificationIdentification

• EmpathyEmpathy

• Creative InstinctCreative Instinct

• Levels 1 - 3 Levels 1 - 3 . .

• Levels 2 - 4Levels 2 - 4

• Levels 2 - 4Levels 2 - 4

• Levels 3 - 5Levels 3 - 5

• Level 3 (L. 4 starts Level 3 (L. 4 starts Self-Perfection)Self-Perfection)

Other Dynamisms - Level Other Dynamisms - Level IIII

• AbivalencesAbivalences

• AmbitendenciesAmbitendencies

Not being prepared to insist things Not being prepared to insist things are this way or that way, but that are this way or that way, but that they could be either.they could be either.

Other Dynamisms - Level Other Dynamisms - Level IIIIII

• Positive Positive MaladjustmentMaladjustment

• Feelings of GuiltFeelings of Guilt

• Feelings of ShameFeelings of Shame

• Astonishment with Astonishment with OneselfOneself

• Inferiority toward Inferiority toward OneselfOneself

• Dissatisfaction Dissatisfaction with Oneselfwith Oneself

• HierarchizationHierarchization

Other Dynamisms - Level Other Dynamisms - Level IVIV

• These each get started at Level III, These each get started at Level III, but are strongly in Level IV. Most of but are strongly in Level IV. Most of them continue being an influence at them continue being an influence at Level V as well. Self-Control and Level V as well. Self-Control and Self-Awareness are the major Self-Awareness are the major exceptions.exceptions.

Other Dynamisms - Level Other Dynamisms - Level IVIV

• Personality IdealPersonality Ideal

• AutonomyAutonomy

• AuthentismAuthentism

• ResponsibilityResponsibility

• Subject-Object in Subject-Object in OneselfOneself

• Education of OneselfEducation of Oneself

• AutopsychotherapyAutopsychotherapy

• Self-ControlSelf-Control

• Self-AwarenessSelf-Awareness

• Inner Psychic Inner Psychic TransformationTransformation

Forms and Expressions of Forms and Expressions of Psychic OverexcitabilitiesPsychic Overexcitabilities

• What What isis an Overexcitability? an Overexcitability?

• PsychomotorPsychomotor

• SensualSensual

• IntellectualIntellectual

• ImaginationalImaginational

• EmotionalEmotional

PsychomotorPsychomotor

• High energyHigh energy

• Physical expressions of emotional Physical expressions of emotional tensiontension

• Other ramificationsOther ramifications

SensualSensual

• Any or all of the five sensesAny or all of the five senses

• A A need need for sensory stimulationfor sensory stimulation

• Unlooked for consequences - Unlooked for consequences - allergies, etc.allergies, etc.

IntellectualIntellectual

• Analysis, “Why’s,” Theoretical Analysis, “Why’s,” Theoretical thinkingthinking

• Sense of JusticeSense of Justice

• Most easily recognized of the OE’sMost easily recognized of the OE’s

ImaginationalImaginational

• Magical thinking/personification of Magical thinking/personification of the inanimatethe inanimate

• Spontaneous imagery as expression Spontaneous imagery as expression of emotional tensionof emotional tension

• ““They used to call me a liar. Now they They used to call me a liar. Now they call me a story teller!” - Isaac Bashevis call me a story teller!” - Isaac Bashevis SingerSinger

EmotionalEmotional

• Least understood of the OE’sLeast understood of the OE’s

• Intensity of feelingsIntensity of feelings

• Introverted and/or Extraverted sensitivityIntroverted and/or Extraverted sensitivity

• Affective memoryAffective memory

• Somatic ExpressionsSomatic Expressions

• Feelings of inferiority (?!)Feelings of inferiority (?!)

Dabrowski as part of Dabrowski as part of everyday life…everyday life…

• Recognizing sources of conflictRecognizing sources of conflict

• Understanding ‘fit’Understanding ‘fit’

• Betwixt and between levelsBetwixt and between levels

In ConclusionIn Conclusion

• Remember:Remember:– DynamismsDynamisms

– OE’sOE’s

– Levels of Personality DevelopmentLevels of Personality Development

• Look in the mirror Look in the mirror

• Where do you go from here?Where do you go from here?