Principle Feature of The Organismic Theory
Organismic theory emphasizes on the unity, integration, consistency and coherence of the normal personality. Organisation is the natural state of the organism and organisation is pathological.Organismic theory starts with the organism as an organized system and proceeds to analyze the whole by differentiating it into its constituent members. The organizations is built into the system from the beginning. Integrity of the organism in not lost or destroyed by analysis.The organismic theory assumes that the individual is motivated by one sovereign drive i.e. self-actualization which gives direction and unity to life.It does not regard the individual as a closed system but stresses on the inherent potentialities of the organism for growth. It believes that if the potentialities of the organism are allowed to unfold in an orderly way by an appropriate environment it will produce a healthy integrated personality although malignant forces may at any time destroy or cripple the person.The theory uses the principles of Gestalt Psychology Organism theory believes in the ideographic study to get a more comprehensive view of one person rather than in the nomothetic approach of studying a number of individuals.
Structure of The Organism
The organism consists of differentiated members which are articulated together and do not become isolated or detached from one another e.g. strong anxiety. The primary organisation of the organismic function is that of figure and ground. A member part of the organism may stand out as a figure against the background of the whole organism and still retain its membership in the structure of total organism. A figure has a define boundary or contour which encloses it and background and separates it from the surroundings. The background is continuous, its surrounds and extends beyond the figures.Goldstein distinguishes between natural figures and unnatural figures. A figure is a natural one if it represents a preference on the part of the person and the behaviour that results is orderly flexible and appropriate to the situation. It is unnatural if the task is imposed upon the person and if the resulting behaviour is rigid and mechanical. Goldstein believes that studying isolated stimulus response connections bear little or no relation to the natural behaviour of the organism and provide little useful knowledge of the laws by which the organism functions.
Although Goldstein emphasizes the flexibel and plastic nature of the natural processes as against the rigid character of un-natural processes, he recognizes that preferred activities may remain constant throughout life without loosing their intimate relationships to the whole organism. Traits do not necessarily become precipitated out and lose touch with the total matrix in which they are embedded.
Goldstein points out 3 kinds of behaviour. They are: 1) performance which are voluntary 2) attitudes which are feelings, moods and other inner experiences and 3) processes which are bodily functions experienced indirectly.
Another structural distinction that Goldstein make is between concrete and abstract behaviour. Concrete behaviour consists of reacting to stimulus in automatic or direct manner while abstract behaviour consists of actions upon the stimulus by the organism.
Dynamics of The Organism
The main dynamic concepts presented by Goldstein are:- The equalization processes or the centering of the organism
- Self actualization
- Coming to terms with the environment
This centre enables the organism to cope effectively with environment and actualize itself in further activities according to its nature. The principle of equalization explains the consistency, coherence and orderliness of behaviour in spite of disturbing stimuli. In an adequate environment the organism will always remain more or less in balance. The energy disturbance and balances of the system result from environmental interferences and inner conflict.
2. Self-Actualization: This is Goldstein's master motive. It is the only motive that the organism possesses. The different drives such as hunger, sex, power, achievement and curiosity are mere manifestations of the sovereign purpose of life to actualize oneself. When a person is hungry, he actualizes himself by eating. The satisfaction of any particular need is in the foreground when it is a pre-requisite for self actualization of the total organism. Self actualization is creative trend of human nature. It is organic principle by which the organism becomes more fully developed and more complete. Any need is a deficit state which motivates the individual to replenish the deficit. Although self-actualization is a universal phenomenom in nature, the specific ends toward which people strive vary from person to person.
3. Coming to terms with Environment: Goldstein recognizes the importance of the objective world both as a source of disturbance with which the individual must cope and as a source of supplies by means of which the organism fulfills its destiny. The person has to come to terms with the environment both because it is the means by which self-actualization can be achieved and because it contains obstruction in the form of threats and pressures that hinders self-realization. According to Goldstein a normal healthy organism is one in which the tendency towards self-actualization is acting from within and overcomes disturbance arising from the clash with the world, not only of anxiety but out of conquest. This suggests that coming to terms with the environment consists in primarily mastering it.
Development of The Organism
Goldstein hints that there are certain tasks peculiar to certain age levels but he does not specify them or whether they are the same for all individuals. The importance of heredity is implicit but its relative contribution is not explicit. He says if a child is exposed to situations with which he can cope, he will develop normally through maturation and training. As new problems arise he will form a new patterns to deal with them. Reactions not useful for self-actualization will drop out. If the conditions are too difficult for the child, he will develop reactions not conducive to self-actualization may lead to pathological states.Characteristic Research and Research Methods
Much of the research is done by Goldstein on the aspect of abstract and concrete attitude with respect to brain injured cases. In a disordered individual abstract behaviour is lost. In neurotic he is not flexible to the situation. For Goldstein a symptom is not simply a manifestation of changes in specific function or structure of the organism. It is also a form of adjustment made by the sick or defective person.Goldstein distinguishes 4 groups of symptoms:
- Direct symptoms
- Indirect symptoms
- Symptoms due to catastrophic conditions and protective mechanisms against catastropher.
- Symptoms due to fatigue and persevertation.
The third set of symptoms arise to avoid failure being more sensitive regarding his abilities than the normal individual, by developing a routine type of existence in his shrunken environment. Fatigue serves as a kind of protective mechanism which allows the patient to escape from a stressful situation. Preservation or the tendency to repeat a performance that the patient is able to do is another means by which the reason can avoid catastrophe.
The symptoms from the organismic view point have practical and theoretical implications. The therapy to be employed depends upon knowing what symptoms can be directly reminded and what symptoms have to be altered by working on the personality as a whole.
Research strategy employed by the organismic theorist:
- Study the whole person
- Make intensive studies of the individual cases using tests, interviews and observation under natural conditions
- Try to understand the behaviour of the person in terms of self-actualization coming to terms with the environment, abstract Vs Concrete attitudes instead of specific responses to specific stimuli.
- Use both quantitative and qualitative methods in the collection and analysis of data.
- Do not employ experimental controls and standardized conditions which destroy the integrity of the organism
- The view that the organism is a complex structure and behaviour is the result of a vast network of determinaners is always kept in mind.
Criticism
The term 'self-actualization' is much philosophical in its orientation. It is too general in character to be useful for making specific predictions.There is not much originality in Goldstein's organismic approach. The term figure and ground for explaining the structure of the personality has been taken from Gestaltists. The concept of 'coming to terms with the environment' is the same as adjustment what social psychological theorists speak of. The concept of 'equalization' is a concept of biological and social sciences.
Goldstein's interest in studying behaviour by qualitative approach has been criticized by various psychologists. They feel it is highly subjective and unrepeatable. Others feel that the tests should be administered and scored in a standardized manner and they should not be changed to meet the individual case.
He emphasize more on maturation but not enough upon learning. His contribution to understanding brain injured in terms of abstract and concrete behaviour is said to be good.
Goldstein suffers a criticism trying to study normal personality by studying brain injured patients. A person's potentialities can be known by his/her preferences does not appear convincing.
His theory is not sufficiently holistic. Goldstein treats the organismic as a segregated unit set apart from the rest of the world. A through going holistic approach would never make such a division. Anglay's biosphere is an attempt to broaden the holistic base of the organismic theory. He does not make the innate and environmental contributions to behaviour clear.
According to Goldstein's theory environment plays only 2 function. 1) As a source of trouble and 2) as a store of things to enable the organism to equalize inner tension.
Besides this, he does not discuss much about it. The relation between the organism and the environment is over simplified by the concept of 'coming to terms'. In spite of considerable criticism it suffers from, Goldstein's theory appears interesting and convincing to the reader.
