“We are human in as much as we experience disharmony and dissatisfaction, inherent in the process of disintegration.”
“Every authentic creative process consists of ‘loosening’, ‘splitting’ or ‘smashing’ the former reality. Every mental conflict is associated with disruption and pain; every step forward in the direction of authentic existence is combined with shocks, sorrows, suffering and distress.”
"Intense psychoneurotic processes are especially characteristic of accelerated development in its course towards the formation of personality. According to our theory accelerated psychic development is actually impossible without transition through processes of nervousness and psychoneuroses, without external and internal conflicts, without maladjustment to actual conditions in order to achieve adjustment to a higher level of values (to what 'ought to be'), and without conflicts with lower level realities as a result of spontaneous or deliberate choice to strengthen the bond with reality of higher level."
- Kazimierz Dabrowski
The Psychology Behind the Novel
Much of the character development in An Invisible Thread was influenced by Kazimierz Dabrowski's theory of personality development, Positive Disintegration. This theory was presented as a complete theory on the development of personality (in other words, Dabrowski offered his theory as an alternative to Freud's or any other theories on personality; it does not exist within or work in conjunction with such other theories).
I started writing the novel long before I had ever heard of Positive Disintegration, however, the reality of various aspects of the theory were obviously at work in the world around me. Upon discovery of the theory, I recognized that I had already written some of the artifacts of authentic personality development (or the rejection thereof) as Dabrowski described them into various characters. Fortunately, the novel sat for years between its first iteration and the final, published version, allowing me to discover Dabrowski and then refine things a bit to best reflect what I came to know of Dabrowski's theory.
For those who have read the novel, it should come as no surprise that Gideon is the main character experiencing positive disintegration and who eventually attempts organized multilevel disintegration. Sudden and severe personal loss can spark spontaneous multilevel disintegration; Gideon has certainly experienced this. While Andrew was meant to be an atypical exemplar of someone already at secondary integration, his character, along with Menn, served more properly as vehicles for the spiritual assertions within the novel. Certainly, an openness to spiritual exploration was a part of Gideon's character, as well. It should be noted that I believe the psychological dynamics and themes explored in the novel dovetail completely with the spiritual aspects (as they would in real life).
Much of the character development in An Invisible Thread was influenced by Kazimierz Dabrowski's theory of personality development, Positive Disintegration. This theory was presented as a complete theory on the development of personality (in other words, Dabrowski offered his theory as an alternative to Freud's or any other theories on personality; it does not exist within or work in conjunction with such other theories).
I started writing the novel long before I had ever heard of Positive Disintegration, however, the reality of various aspects of the theory were obviously at work in the world around me. Upon discovery of the theory, I recognized that I had already written some of the artifacts of authentic personality development (or the rejection thereof) as Dabrowski described them into various characters. Fortunately, the novel sat for years between its first iteration and the final, published version, allowing me to discover Dabrowski and then refine things a bit to best reflect what I came to know of Dabrowski's theory.
For those who have read the novel, it should come as no surprise that Gideon is the main character experiencing positive disintegration and who eventually attempts organized multilevel disintegration. Sudden and severe personal loss can spark spontaneous multilevel disintegration; Gideon has certainly experienced this. While Andrew was meant to be an atypical exemplar of someone already at secondary integration, his character, along with Menn, served more properly as vehicles for the spiritual assertions within the novel. Certainly, an openness to spiritual exploration was a part of Gideon's character, as well. It should be noted that I believe the psychological dynamics and themes explored in the novel dovetail completely with the spiritual aspects (as they would in real life).
Introduction to Positive Disintegration
In a nutshell, the Theory of Positive Disintegration describes various areas of concern relating to authentic personality development. The theory is quite extensive and required that Dabrowski develop a new set of proprietary terms and concepts in order to talk about it. Here, I will focus narrowly only on the following major components of the theory (noting that the theory is wider and richer than what is focused on below):
Major Components of the Theory
Below, find the basics of the theory as I understand it and in Dabrowski's own words. Can you guess who is at which level(s) in the novel?
To find more information than the crash-course in Positive Disintegration below provides, follow these links:
In a nutshell, the Theory of Positive Disintegration describes various areas of concern relating to authentic personality development. The theory is quite extensive and required that Dabrowski develop a new set of proprietary terms and concepts in order to talk about it. Here, I will focus narrowly only on the following major components of the theory (noting that the theory is wider and richer than what is focused on below):
Major Components of the Theory
- The 3 Phases of Personality Development, which are spread across 5 Levels, and
- Dynamisms influencing Developmental Potential
Below, find the basics of the theory as I understand it and in Dabrowski's own words. Can you guess who is at which level(s) in the novel?
To find more information than the crash-course in Positive Disintegration below provides, follow these links:
The Phases and Levels of Positive Disintegration
People exist somewhere on a continuum on or between the 5 levels of personality development. It is important to here note that a person's level of "success"--their professional levels of achievement, their notoriety within society, the levels to which they may climb in corporate or governmental structures--is not connected to their level of personality development. One can be quite successful and/or famous without having progressed through to any level of authentic personality development, according to Dabrowski.
First Phase: Level 1 - Unilevelness
The first level, unilevelness (or primary integration or primitive integration) represents a lack of authentic personality development. One's personality is based on only 2 factors, biological and environmental drives (the environmental being comprised mainly familial and social) , at this level. Personality is imposed by influences outside of the individual.
Dabrowski said, “A primitively integrated individual spends his life in the pursuit of satisfying his basic needs. He is controlled by the integrated structure of his instincts, and his intelligence is in their service. He responds to social influence only as a measure of self-preservation. There are no internal conflicts. Mental disorders are characterized by lack of response to social influence, i.e. other individuals are perceived and used as objects.”
Usually, it is only those who exhibit a 3rd factor who will rise above these drives to emerge beyond this 1st phase of development (which really is defined by a lack of individual personality development). Dabrowski said of the 3rd factor that it "represents the autonomous forces of self-directed development. In this sense the term 'third factor' is used to denote the totality of the autonomous forces. In a stricter sense of a dynamism the third factor is the agent of conscious choice in development. The third factor assumes gradually an essential part in human destiny and becomes the dominant dynamism of multilevel disintegration. It is a dynamism that coordinates the inner psychic milieu." (More on dynamisms follows in the next section.)
Second Phase: Levels 2 - 4 - Multilevelness
An individual may enter the 2nd phase of personality development, multilevelness, which begins with the second level of personality development: unilevel disintegration. Moving from unilevelness to multilevelness requires a paradigm shift in the individual. It is often sparked by a traumatic event. The imposed values and activities which satisfied the 2 most basic drives can be reigned in, even rejected. Higher objectives are discovered, considered, and striven for.
Multilevelness spans 3 levels of personality development (the second, third and fourth levels). Oversimplifying, these 3 levels are where disintegration occurs. Old paradigms are broken apart, and a hierarchy of better values is explored. This new hierarchy replaces the unilevelness of the previous state, which lacked such features altogether. This process is painful. Psychoneuroses may develop. These are the normal artifacts of personality development and need not be medicated or counseled away; one needs to work through them in order to emerge into the final phase of personality development.
Unfortunately, progressing beyond the second level (unilevel disintegration) is actually rare. According to Dabrowski, "There is hesitation, doubt, ambivalence, increased sensitivity to internal stimuli, fluctuations of mood, excitations and depressions, vague feelings of disquietude, various forms of mental and psychosomatic disharmony. There is ambitendency of action, either changing from one direction to another, or being unable to decide which course to take and letting the decision fall to chance, or a whim of like or dislike. Thinking has a circular character of argument for argument’s sake . . . there is continual vacillation between “pros” and “cons” with no clear direction out of the vicious circle. Internal conflicts are unilevel and often superficial. When they are severe and engage deeper emotional structures the individual often sees himself caught in a 'no exit' situation. Severe mental disorders are associated with unilevel developmental structure.”
Dabrowski also said, “Prolonged states of unilevel disintegration (level II) end either in a reintegration at the former primitive level or in suicidal tendencies, or in a psychosis.” In other words, one must make quick sense of any such paradigm shifts and either reject them (returning to the first level of personality development, which is to possess no authentic personality at all--and no pesky conflict) or sort them out. To stay outside of unilevelness but to refuse or be incapable of moving through the higher levels of personality development leaves one mentally unhealthy. Dabrowski believed that the "vast majority of people either do not break down their primitive integration at all, or after a relatively short period of disintegration, usually experienced at the time of adolescence and early youth, end in a reintegration at the former level or in partial integration of some of the functions at slightly higher levels, without a transformation of the whole mental structure." This is the failure to break out of the imposed mold, created by biological and environmental forces; failure to create one's own, authentic personality.
Third Phase: Level 5 - Secondary Integration
The 3rd phase of personality development is the final, fifth level of personality development. This is secondary integration. Here, the individual exhibits--indeed, has constructed their own--authentic personality. Out of the pain of the (positive) disintegration of the old, imposed, base-driven (and conflict-free), true personality comes. Or, as Dabrowski said, "a new organization and harmonization of personality. The main dynamisms active at this stage are: autonomy and authentism, disposing and directing center on a high level, a subtle highly refined empathy, activation of the personality ideal." Here (at the fifth level), one returns again to a state of no internal conflict, however, this is a state of (and a result of) one's own construction, understanding, and integration. Hence, no conflict.
People exist somewhere on a continuum on or between the 5 levels of personality development. It is important to here note that a person's level of "success"--their professional levels of achievement, their notoriety within society, the levels to which they may climb in corporate or governmental structures--is not connected to their level of personality development. One can be quite successful and/or famous without having progressed through to any level of authentic personality development, according to Dabrowski.
First Phase: Level 1 - Unilevelness
The first level, unilevelness (or primary integration or primitive integration) represents a lack of authentic personality development. One's personality is based on only 2 factors, biological and environmental drives (the environmental being comprised mainly familial and social) , at this level. Personality is imposed by influences outside of the individual.
Dabrowski said, “A primitively integrated individual spends his life in the pursuit of satisfying his basic needs. He is controlled by the integrated structure of his instincts, and his intelligence is in their service. He responds to social influence only as a measure of self-preservation. There are no internal conflicts. Mental disorders are characterized by lack of response to social influence, i.e. other individuals are perceived and used as objects.”
Usually, it is only those who exhibit a 3rd factor who will rise above these drives to emerge beyond this 1st phase of development (which really is defined by a lack of individual personality development). Dabrowski said of the 3rd factor that it "represents the autonomous forces of self-directed development. In this sense the term 'third factor' is used to denote the totality of the autonomous forces. In a stricter sense of a dynamism the third factor is the agent of conscious choice in development. The third factor assumes gradually an essential part in human destiny and becomes the dominant dynamism of multilevel disintegration. It is a dynamism that coordinates the inner psychic milieu." (More on dynamisms follows in the next section.)
Second Phase: Levels 2 - 4 - Multilevelness
An individual may enter the 2nd phase of personality development, multilevelness, which begins with the second level of personality development: unilevel disintegration. Moving from unilevelness to multilevelness requires a paradigm shift in the individual. It is often sparked by a traumatic event. The imposed values and activities which satisfied the 2 most basic drives can be reigned in, even rejected. Higher objectives are discovered, considered, and striven for.
Multilevelness spans 3 levels of personality development (the second, third and fourth levels). Oversimplifying, these 3 levels are where disintegration occurs. Old paradigms are broken apart, and a hierarchy of better values is explored. This new hierarchy replaces the unilevelness of the previous state, which lacked such features altogether. This process is painful. Psychoneuroses may develop. These are the normal artifacts of personality development and need not be medicated or counseled away; one needs to work through them in order to emerge into the final phase of personality development.
Unfortunately, progressing beyond the second level (unilevel disintegration) is actually rare. According to Dabrowski, "There is hesitation, doubt, ambivalence, increased sensitivity to internal stimuli, fluctuations of mood, excitations and depressions, vague feelings of disquietude, various forms of mental and psychosomatic disharmony. There is ambitendency of action, either changing from one direction to another, or being unable to decide which course to take and letting the decision fall to chance, or a whim of like or dislike. Thinking has a circular character of argument for argument’s sake . . . there is continual vacillation between “pros” and “cons” with no clear direction out of the vicious circle. Internal conflicts are unilevel and often superficial. When they are severe and engage deeper emotional structures the individual often sees himself caught in a 'no exit' situation. Severe mental disorders are associated with unilevel developmental structure.”
Dabrowski also said, “Prolonged states of unilevel disintegration (level II) end either in a reintegration at the former primitive level or in suicidal tendencies, or in a psychosis.” In other words, one must make quick sense of any such paradigm shifts and either reject them (returning to the first level of personality development, which is to possess no authentic personality at all--and no pesky conflict) or sort them out. To stay outside of unilevelness but to refuse or be incapable of moving through the higher levels of personality development leaves one mentally unhealthy. Dabrowski believed that the "vast majority of people either do not break down their primitive integration at all, or after a relatively short period of disintegration, usually experienced at the time of adolescence and early youth, end in a reintegration at the former level or in partial integration of some of the functions at slightly higher levels, without a transformation of the whole mental structure." This is the failure to break out of the imposed mold, created by biological and environmental forces; failure to create one's own, authentic personality.
Third Phase: Level 5 - Secondary Integration
The 3rd phase of personality development is the final, fifth level of personality development. This is secondary integration. Here, the individual exhibits--indeed, has constructed their own--authentic personality. Out of the pain of the (positive) disintegration of the old, imposed, base-driven (and conflict-free), true personality comes. Or, as Dabrowski said, "a new organization and harmonization of personality. The main dynamisms active at this stage are: autonomy and authentism, disposing and directing center on a high level, a subtle highly refined empathy, activation of the personality ideal." Here (at the fifth level), one returns again to a state of no internal conflict, however, this is a state of (and a result of) one's own construction, understanding, and integration. Hence, no conflict.
Developmental Potential
Dabrowski defined developmental potential as "the constitutional endowment which determines the character and the extent of mental growth possible for a given individual.” Essentially, the developmental potential of an individual equates to how likely they are to reject unilevelness and successfully strive for secondary integration.
Dynamisms
Dynamisms are any of the various interactions between one's motives, drives and emotions. They are instincts. What follows are some of these instinctual "dynamisms" which power the theory of positive disintegration, but the complete list of such instincts includes a myriad of other concepts (some of which were mentioned above).
The Third Factor
This is a feature that is necessary for significant developmental potential. It is present or not, and works over and/or in opposition to the first and second factors. Dabrowski said, “Along with inborn properties and the influence of environment, it is the 'third factor' that determines the direction, degree, and distance of man’s development. This dynamic evaluates and approves or disapproves of tendencies of the interior environment and of the influences of the external environment. It cooperates with the inner disposing and directing center in the formation of higher levels of individuality.”
Overexcitabilities
Dabrowski cited several areas of personality which everyone has, but which some people are especially sensitive to or are over-endowed with, when compared to the norm. He called these areas of overexcitability. “The five forms of overexcitability are the constitutional traits which make it possible to assess the strength of the developmental potential independently of the context of development.” These areas of potential overexcitability are:
Various combinations of overexcitabilities render different results. Dabrowski felt that a person who is intellectually, emotionally and imaginationally overexcitable held great developmental potential.
Dabrowski defined developmental potential as "the constitutional endowment which determines the character and the extent of mental growth possible for a given individual.” Essentially, the developmental potential of an individual equates to how likely they are to reject unilevelness and successfully strive for secondary integration.
Dynamisms
Dynamisms are any of the various interactions between one's motives, drives and emotions. They are instincts. What follows are some of these instinctual "dynamisms" which power the theory of positive disintegration, but the complete list of such instincts includes a myriad of other concepts (some of which were mentioned above).
The Third Factor
This is a feature that is necessary for significant developmental potential. It is present or not, and works over and/or in opposition to the first and second factors. Dabrowski said, “Along with inborn properties and the influence of environment, it is the 'third factor' that determines the direction, degree, and distance of man’s development. This dynamic evaluates and approves or disapproves of tendencies of the interior environment and of the influences of the external environment. It cooperates with the inner disposing and directing center in the formation of higher levels of individuality.”
Overexcitabilities
Dabrowski cited several areas of personality which everyone has, but which some people are especially sensitive to or are over-endowed with, when compared to the norm. He called these areas of overexcitability. “The five forms of overexcitability are the constitutional traits which make it possible to assess the strength of the developmental potential independently of the context of development.” These areas of potential overexcitability are:
- Intellectual
- Emotional
- Imaginational
- Psychomotor
- Sensational
Various combinations of overexcitabilities render different results. Dabrowski felt that a person who is intellectually, emotionally and imaginationally overexcitable held great developmental potential.
Characters and Positive Disintegration in the Novel
The idea that these characters may have been driven psychologically by certain dynamisms or were experiencing particular stages of positive disintegration was more of a tool used in my mind to help flesh out their motivations, back stories, and actions than anything else. Hopefully, it served to make them more real. That said, I don't know what Dabrowski or Piechowski (his research assistant) would say about any of this. Even so, here's where I felt these characters were as far as the theory of positive disintegration is concerned.
Characters Experiencing Positive Disintegration
Characters Who Display Increased Developmental Potential
Characters Who Have Experienced Secondary Integration
Characters Displaying Only First and Second Factor Motivations - Examples of Unilevelness
Even if I have actually done a poor job of representing individuals at various stages of positive disintegration in the story (or of explaining it here, for that matter), I hope this page stirs some thoughts and interest in the theory itself. I believe it explains a lot about the character and personalities of the people around us in real life.
The idea that these characters may have been driven psychologically by certain dynamisms or were experiencing particular stages of positive disintegration was more of a tool used in my mind to help flesh out their motivations, back stories, and actions than anything else. Hopefully, it served to make them more real. That said, I don't know what Dabrowski or Piechowski (his research assistant) would say about any of this. Even so, here's where I felt these characters were as far as the theory of positive disintegration is concerned.
Characters Experiencing Positive Disintegration
- Gideon MacPhearson - starts novel at spontaneous unilevel disintegration & progresses to organized (self-directed) multilevel disintegration
- Matthew Grunning - met in the midst of unilevel disintegration; shows potential to have moved to spontaneous unilevel disintegration by end of novel
- The Beholder's Eye - starts novel in unilevelness and during the course of the novel progresses at least to spontaneous multilevel disintegration
- Alton Pickerd - appears in the novel and immediately displays obvious signs of mental strain, and even experiences full, violent breaks from reality
Characters Who Display Increased Developmental Potential
- Erin Broctrup - third factor present; emotionally and intellectually overexcitable as evidenced in story; written with the assumption of imaginational overexcitability present; by end of novel has been pushed to at least spontaneous multilevel disintegration
- Matthew Grunning - third factor present; at least intellectually and emotionally overexcitable
Characters Who Have Experienced Secondary Integration
- Andrew Braddock - starts novel here; no internal conflict; personality and worldview runs counter to societal norms; still overexcitable in at least the emotional and psychomotor areas
- Menn - written assuming she was someone who has progressed to secondary integration; no internal conflict
Characters Displaying Only First and Second Factor Motivations - Examples of Unilevelness
- Senator Atkinson
- Commander Boothe
- The Entire Braki' Horde
Even if I have actually done a poor job of representing individuals at various stages of positive disintegration in the story (or of explaining it here, for that matter), I hope this page stirs some thoughts and interest in the theory itself. I believe it explains a lot about the character and personalities of the people around us in real life.