Directions

Chapter 1 - Our Worldview

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Welcome to the directions page

What do the dimensions point to?

As we represent them here, the 'directions' are the extremities of The Experiential Growth Method® dimensions. The order in which we present them is related to the trust-responsibility model of Deci & Ryan. But the order has no further relevance in terms of importance.

Trust
- 1 - Autonomy (Action dimension)
- 2 - Connectedness (Evaluation dimension)
- 3 - Competencies
Presponsibility
- 4 - Participation (Action dimension)
- 5 - Coherence (Evaluation dimension)
- 6 - Relevance

We limit ourselves on this page to the action & evaluation dimension because they are responsible for the creation of the hidden layers.

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Directions relate to dimensions

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Temperament

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ACTION DIMENSION

Autonomy: Analytical-Tough-minded

Testosterone.

The Analytical/Tough-minded scale correlated with activation in primary areas of the occipital cortex, which mediates basic visual functions. These results are consistent with the prediction that this temperament dimension is influenced by testosterone.

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Participation: Prosocial-Empathetic

Estrogen and oxytocin system

Empathy is regularly associated with estrogen activity.

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EVALUATION DIMENSION

Coherence: Cautious-Social Norm Compliant

Serotonin.

Connectedness: Curious-Energetic

Dopamine and related norepinephrine system.

... Support for the idea that the dopamine and norepinephrine systems are important physiological correlates of the Curious/Energetic temperament dimension. Extraversion, one of the Big Five traits that has been associated with high energy has also been associated with the dopamine system.

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RELEVANCE DIRECTION

Competencies

Relevance

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Study Replication

The replication of the results in two separate studies indicates that the effects are reliable. The results show an association with a dopamine-rich brain region, as well as testosterone and estrogen influences documented in many other studies. Thus, one out of the four dimensions was directly associated with the predicted biological system, and the two sex hormone-based dimensions were associated with sex hormone structural and functional effects in the brain. Moreover, the Cautious/Social Norm Compliant dimension was associated with predicted regions based on behavior, and serotonin could certainly be involved.


Content Source
Helen E. Fisher - Neural Correlates of Four Broad Temperament Dimensions: Testing Predictions for a Novel Construct of Personality - PLOS One - 2013

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Cognition, or how we construct systems through our experiences

The brain is very complex and simultaneously uses the following four rules to build thought structures of great intricacy. This includes identifying relationships and deconstructing their parts, using perspectives to reorganise systems of distinctions and relationships, taking perspectives of both animate and inanimate objects, and breaking perspectives into details to avoid gross generalisations about the perspectives of different groups.

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ACTION DIMENSION

Autonomy: Distinctions

Distinctions (identity - other) are made between and among things and ideas. How we draw or define the boundaries of a statement or a system of beliefs is essential for understanding. Whenever we draw a border to describe a thing, that same boundary defines what is not the thing (the 'other'). Distinctions are used to challenge existing norms, labels, and definitions and identify biases in the way information is structured.

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Participation: Relationships

Relationships (action - reaction) are defined between and among things and ideas. Without understanding how parts and wholes are related, we cannot understand much about anything, including a system. Relationships come in all types: causal, correlation, direct/indirect, etc. Systems thinkers use connections to show dynamical interactions between things and ideas, including feedback loops to show reciprocal relations.

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EVALUATION DIMENSION

Coherence: Systems

Organising things and ideas into part-whole systems (part - whole) helps make meaning. Systems thinkers know that changing the way ideas are organised changes meaning itself. The act of thinking is defined as splitting things up or lumping them together. Systems thinkers constantly consider context by asking, "what is this a part of?" to see how things fit into larger wholes than is the norm.

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Connectedness: Perspectives

Perspectives (point - broad view) are taken and understood every time we make a distinction (including identifying relationships and systems). Systems thinkers use perspectives to rethink distinctions, relationships, and/or systems. They move beyond human or animal perspectives (i.e., "perspectives with eyes") by taking conceptual perspectives (i.e., seeing a phenomenon from the perspective of an idea or thing).

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