Re: Brief Look at Dabrowski's Multilevelness of Emotional And Instinctive Functions
Levels of Overexcitability
At lower levels of development oe is more often confined than all-inclusive and more often it occurs in isolation from other forms. The characteristics of a low level of development as being primitive, of little consciousness (reflection) and control, ahierarchical, egocentric, selfish and non-creative, apply also to the manifestations of oe. The characteristics of a high level of development are the very opposite.
For example, a person of high level of emotional oe displays great deal of inner psychic transformation, a rich hierarchical inner psychic milieu and strong control by inhibition. Such a person is sensitive. A person of low level of emotional oe will be distinctly irritable and insensitive to others, egocentric, poorly reflective, of little insight and empathy. His inner psychic milieu will be ahierarchical.
A person of high level of psychomotor oe will manifest great abilities towards planning, dynamic course of action and organizational abilities, while a person of low level of psychomotor oe will manifest violent irritability, lack of control in outward expression of his crises such as acting out, physical fights and destruction.
The interaction between different forms of oe leads to important developmental consequences. It was said earlier that the psychomotor and the sensual forms by themselves cannot promote development to a higher level. However, in combination with the other forms such as emotional, intellectual, and imaginational, they can be transformed and raised to a higher level. Thus, for instance, emotional oe (provided it is all inclusive and sufficiently developed) introduces controlling, inhibiting factors to psychomotricity and sensuality. Imaginational oe enriches them by elements of fantasy, humor and prospection which tends to diffuse and control the primitive drive aspect of enhanced psychomotricity and sensuality, by transferring the energy of the impulse to a different and broader territory.
Enhanced excitability, especially in its higher forms, allows for a broader, richer, multilevel, and multidimensional perception of reality. The reality of the external and of the inner world is conceived in all its multiple aspects. In consequence, oe plays a fundamental role in the development of dynamisms, their tension, their seeking for channels leading "upward", their positive maladjustment and transformation not only of the inner milieu but also of the external milieu.
Sensual Oe
Level 1
Sensualism in everyday contacts - "epidermal" attitudes of like and dislike, excessive kissing, caressing and hugging (children as well as adults), excessive eating, especially sweets, frequent nibbling, capriciousness in foods, laziness, frequent masturbation at the slightest stimulation.
Level 2
Periods of some reflection resulting in certain amount of attenuation of primitive sensualism and sexualism. At times, through short-lived astonishment or disquietude in relation to one's sensuality, some inhibition. In sexual needs egocentrism begins to weaken and yields to some personal consideration for sexual partners.
Level 3
Strong linkage of sensual oe with emotional and imaginational. This leads to hierarchization of sensuality through inner conflicts, inhibition, greater control, critical self-evaluation and deepened syntony (i.e. greater empathy). There is growing introvertization. Inclinations towards demonstrativeness and exhibitionism become sublimated and refined.
Level 4
At this level sensuality never appears in isolated forms but is controlled and transformed by higher forms of oe. This manifests itself in esthetic sensitivity, in responsiveness to the beauty of nature, in high level of dramatization such as perceiving movement and contrast in emotional attitudes and relationships - a sense of human drama, in the inclination for concreteness in relation to events, places, people and relationships. Sensual oe adds to the warmth and cordiality in expressing empathy.
Psychomotor oe
Level1
Violent irritability and uncontrollable temper with easy return to equilibrium, general restlessness, impulsive actions, need for frequent changes of jobs and places, primitive wanderlust (impulse to be constantly on the go), juvenile delinquency (frequent running away from home, frequent attempts of escape from detention, stealing of cars, getting into fights etc.).
Level 2
Ambivalences and ambitendencies bring about, from time to time, a suspension of the drivenness of activity and replace it instead by somewhat more controlled activity.
Level 3
Psychomotor oe comes into closer linkage with higher forms of oe (emotional, imaginational and intellectual) and begins to be transformed and modified by them. Within the drivenness of psychomotor oe appear inhibitions, multilevel conflicts, energetic search for channels "upward". Psychomotricity plays thus a role in the formation of a new disposing and directing center at a higher level because of the person's decisiveness.
Level 4
Psychomotor oe provides the dynamics and energy for carrying out a developmental program of action. In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras we find a statement: "Success in yoga comes quickly to those who are intensely energetic". At this level psychomotor oe is totally sublimated to higher forms of oe and provides them with "executive" power.
Emotional oe
Level 1
Aggressiveness, irritability, lack of inhibition, lack of control, envy, unreflective periods of isolation, or an incessant need for tenderness and attention, which can be observed, for instance, in mentally retarded children.
Level 2
Fluctuations, sometimes extreme, between inhibition and excitation, approach and avoidance, high tension and relaxation or depression, syntony and asyntony, feelings of inferiority and superiority. These are different forms of ambivalence and ambitendency.
Level 3
Interiorization of conflict, differentiation of a hierarchy of feelings, growth of exclusivity of feelings and indissoluble relationships of friendship and love. Emotional oe appears in a broader union with intellectual and imaginational oe in the process of working out and organizing one's own emotional development. The dynamisms of spontaneous multilevel disintegration are primarily the product of emotional oe.
Level 4
Emotional oe in association with other forms becomes the dominant dimension of development. It gives rise to states of elevated consciousness and profound empathy, depth and exclusivity of relationships of love and friendship. There is a sense of transcending and resolving one's personal experiences in a more universal context.
Imaginational oe
Level 1
Imagination is in the service of sensualism and impulsiveness. It is manifested in confabulation, facile mendacity, identification with such externally defined roles as for instance, the office of the president or "I am the boss". It is also manifested in theatrical gestures to enhance the effect. Mesmerism of rally and revival speakers belongs here as well.
Level 2
Productive and seemingly fertile creativity, primitive suggestibility (magic, witchcraft, spiritism), success in acting on stage but not as the highest and universal art. Unselective taste for fantasy and adventure stories. Occasionally intense visions of the future, egocentric fantasy (self-delusion) and anxiety states. Frequent dreams and daydreaming, interest in dream symbolism, especially sexual.
Level 3
Imaginational oe becomes more closely associated with emotional and intellectual forms. There is differentiation of "lower" from the "higher" in imagination and creativity. Dreams and symbolic contents are distinctly multilevel. Dreams and visions of the ideal. Creative instinct makes contact with the instinct of self-perfection.
Level 4
Level 3 characteristics become intensified at this level. They serve as tools of conscious development of personality; they become more fully engaged in the realization of the transcendental needs.
Intellectual oe
Level 1
Intellectual activity consists mainly of skillful manipulation of data and information ("a brain like a computer"). Intelligence rather than intellectual oe serves as an instrument subservient to the dictates of primitive drives.
Level 2
The functions of intelligence become uncertain and at times suspended by greater emotional needs. Internal opposition, ambivalences and ambitendencies create a fair chance of disconnection of the linkage between intelligence and primitive drives. This creates the possibility of incipient opposition against the ruling power of primitive instincts. Such an opposition, in the course of progressing of development, creates the possibility of multilevel internal conflicts.
We observe erudition which can be extensive and brilliant but without the systematization and evaluation of knowledge, there is no felt necessity to penetrate into the meaning of knowledge, to analyze in order to uncover the "hidden order of things", or to arrive at a deeper synthesis. Exceptional abilities in many fields can be, nevertheless, one-sided.
Level 3
Intellectual oe intensifies the tendency towards inner conflicts and intensifies the activity of all dynamisms of spontaneous multilevel disintegration. It enhances the development of awareness and of self-awareness. It develops the need for finding the meaning of knowledge and of human experience. Conflict and cooperation with emotional oe. Development of intuitive intelligence.
Level 4
Intellectual oe in close linkage with emotional and imaginational operates in a united harmony of drives, emotions and volition. The disposing and directing center is more closely unified with personality (the level of secondary integration). Intellectual interests are extensive, universal and multilevel. Great deal of interest and effort in objectivization of the hierarchy of values. Inclinations towards synthesis. Intellectual-emotional and intellectual-emotional-imaginational linkages are the basis of highly creative intelligence.
