Glossary of Terms
Entire Contents Copyright ©1997, Wesley W. Stillwagon, Sr. All rights reserved.
I thought it would be helpful to our visitors to have a glossary of terms available. The "human" factors; perception, judgment, decision making, and objective problem solving are important if you are going to create truly meaningful and individual job descriptions and accountabilities assessment through performance engineering. A competent human performance engineer first must have a working knowledge of the psyche or human system and its sub-systems. You will be introduced to some terms which will help you prepare better procedures, job-descriptions, accountability reviews, training and qualification programs, and communicate their value more effectively in your reports and justifications. This knowledge will help you prepare more effective motivational systems in your organizational management and training programs, especially when they are accompanied with a good understanding of the principles of behavioral psychology. I believe a variety of psychological models are essential tools to the Human Performance Engineer.
The concepts found at this web-site necessary for true performance engineering rely heavily upon the works of Swiss Psychiatrist/Professor Carl G. Jung and American Philosopher/Psychologist William James. Both produced work of timeless importance in the practical understanding of the human psyche. An understanding of some of the basic concepts of these two giants and others is essential in the development of valuable employee/organizational development training programs. Without the knowledge and appreciation of their concepts, program development is considerably more difficult, and the results are less relevant, effective and efficient.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
Select the first letter of the word from the list above to jump to appropriate section of the glossary. If the term you are looking for starts with a digit or symbol, choose the '#' link.
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- A -
The feminine, projection producing archetype found in every man. This is a very simple description of an extremely complex concept. The reader is encouraged to study more about this archetype and that of the Animus and Shadow in the works of C. G. Jung and his followers
The masculine, projection producing archetype found in every woman.
I believe the best definition for this psychological process is Jung's. He said:
"Apperception is a psychic process by which a new content is articulated with similar, already existing contents in such a way that it becomes understood, apprehended, or "clear." We distinguish active from passive apperception. The first is a process by which the subject, of his own accord and from his own motives, consciously apprehends a new content with attention and assimilates it to other contents already constellated; the second is a process by which a new content forces itself upon consciousness either from without (through the senses) or from within (from the unconscious) and, as it were, compels attention and enforces apprehension. In the first case the activity lies within the ego; in the second, with the self-enforcing new content."
The original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies. An inherited idea, concept, or mode of thought, or psychic influence.
C. G. Jung:
"Fundamentally, assimilation is the approximation of a new content of consciousness to already constellated subjective material, the similarity of the new content to this material being especially accentuated in the process, often to the detriment of its independent qualities."
In this description, he clearly identifies how we may unconsciously alter the qualities of an object of our consciousness to the extent that their original qualities or features may be masked.
The personal difference an individual brings to the execution of a performance task that distinguishes that performance (either positively or negatively) from others with similar knowledge and skills.
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- B -
- (empty)
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- C -
- CONSCIOUSNESS
Consciousness is the term used to describe everything of which we are currently aware. More accurately, everything related and perceived by the Ego. There are relations to the Ego that are not perceived and therefore are `unconscious.'
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- E
Ego is the conscious image of one's self. When we
reflect upon ourselves, the Ego is the image with which we call ourselves. It is also the focal point which objects of perception must relate. It is not the Self in total.
Two psychologists, one named Joe and the other Harry developed a model for views of one's self called the Johari window (figure 3). With it they demonstrated two windows of the ego, the side which we show to the public and the side (for whatever reasons) we wish to keep private. There is more to our Self than that, however. There is the side that others see quite easily, and the unknown, both representing the realm of our unconscious.
C. G. Jung:
"By ego I understand a complex of ideas which constitutes the centre of my field of consciousness and appears to possess a high degree of continuity and identity... But inasmuch as the ego is only the centre of my field of consciousness, it is not identical with the totality of my psyche, being merely one complex among other complexes. I therefore distinguish between the ego and the self, since the ego is only the subject of my consciousness, while the self is the subject of my total psyche which includes the unconscious."
C. G. Jung:
"Extraversion is an outward-turning of libido. I use this concept to denote a manifest relation of subject to object, a positive movement of subjective interest towards the object. Everyone in the extraverted state thinks, feels, and acts in relation to the object, and moreover in a direct and clearly observable fashion, so that no doubt can remain about his position dependence upon the object. In a sense, therefore, extraversion is a transfer of interest from subject to object. If it is an extraversion of thinking, the subject thinks himself into the object; if an extraversion of feeling, he feels himself into it. In extraversion, there is a strong, if not exclusive, determination by the object. Extraversion is active when it is intentional, and passive when the object compels it, i.e., when the object attracts the subject's interest of its own accord, even against his will. When extraversion is habitual, we speak of the extraverted type."
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- F -
- FEELING
The term `feeling' impacts us all differently. To some, it describes the pleasant or unpleasant muscle reaction in the pit of our stomach, to others, it describes irrationality. It even connotes more feminine images in some people. Some of us are more uncomfortable in demonstrating `feelings' than others, considering this a sign of weakness. However, to really get the most out of learning performance engineering, we have to agree on a suitable definition that will stand on its own and fit into the model we are describing.
The suffering of our society from the lack of understanding and appreciation of the feeling function is great. The male of our species, with its current emphasis on the `macho,' the numerous personally devastating complexes, neurosis, and failures in relationship can all be tied to the ignorance of the feeling function. Perhaps the damage from this ignorance even extends to diplomatic failures between nations. We tend to view feeling as inferior to thinking and as irrational. We incorrectly undervalue the dynamics of the function in our decisions, sometimes going to great lengths to rationalize a strong feeling-motivated action with logical afterthoughts disguised as a pre-event action plan.
When designing organization and employee development programs, a sound knowledge and appreciation of the feeling function is as essential as knowledge of the simulation equipment. If decisions and action are required in rapid order, as would be found in an emergency situation, the often slower, active thinking(IBID) may be inferior to the value judging function (feeling) of the trainee and perhaps less appropriate. If we ignore the feeling function in our program design, we may be contributing to the failure of the employee. We have planned for a single approach to the problem when the trainee may be better suited to one different, albeit just as legitimate and perhaps more efficient.
Feeling is the first of the two functions we will present with which we judge the information gathered through the perceptive functions or collected from memory (this may be the first time you've considered feeling in this light). It is the function through which we judge the value of an object or content of our consciousness.
Jung said:
- "I count feeling among the four psychological functions. I am unable to support the psychological school that considers feeling a secondary phenomenon dependent upon `representations' or sensations, but in company with Hoffding, Wundt, Lewhmann, Kulpe, Baldwin and others, I regard it as an independent function sui generis.
- Feeling, therefore, is an entirely subjective process, which may be in every respect independent of external stimuli, though it allies itself with every sensation. Even an `indifferent' sensation possesses a feeling-tone, namely that of indifference, which again expresses some sort of valuation. Hence feeling is a kind of judgment, differing from intellectual judgment in that its aim is not to establish conceptual relations but to set up a subjective criteria of acceptance or rejection. Valuation by feeling extends to every content of consciousness, of what ever kind it may be..."
The product of the Feeling function is value judgments.
- FEELING TYPE
- This is the person that places the most importance in the one-to-one interpersonal encounter; they are our best salespeople for this reason. This is true, for they learn the art of interpersonal effectiveness at an early age; they can accurately read subtle changes in faces and body language. This reading is value judged with a well developed feeling function and applied to their plan to meet the needs expressed by the other person beyond the words exchanged.
Whereas the Thinking Type relies upon facts, logic and the social implications for application to their judgment, the feeling type seems most interested in the interpersonal, historical information and previous experience.
A mistaken assumption among people of western nations is that value judgment is not rational, when the opposite is true. It is subjective, but subjectivity is not a term opposed to rationality. Judgments made through the feeling function are just as rational and as important as ones developed through the thinking. Technologically advanced societies seem to have difficulty with this reality.
Feeling types prefer to keep their life activity within well defined, more manageable areas. Their management style is likely to be very similar to their positive attitude toward family. It is likely they will even state this in their description of their organization.
The Feeling Type can be developed through exercises in:
1. Logical problem analysis, decision making and solving
2. Accurate handling of process or policy details
3. Planning
Opposite Type: Thinking
(Psychological) Function
A psychological Function is the term used to describe one of the four processes of the psyche analytically including Sensing (one form of perception), Thinking (one of two judgment functions), Intuition (the other form of perception), and Feeling (value judgment).
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- G -
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- H -
- HallowQuestTM is an organization dedicated to the enlightenment of the human side of practical business. The name comes from the Knights of the Round Table and it means "holding an object or subject into the light of knowledge."
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- I -
- INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS
- Interpersonal Effectiveness is a measure of individual success in the interpersonal. Some people are more gifted in this competency than others. Some people excel in the face-to-face, or one-on-one encounter, others are more gifted in dealing with the public, group, or team.
If success on a job is dependent upon interpersonal effectiveness, then a means of providing for the development of this is essential. There are no remedies to developing group interpersonal effectiveness that doesn't first start with the individual. Interpersonal effectiveness improvement efforts developed and directed solely at a team are no more effective than a marketing scheme so directed because success depends upon the needs, desires, and motivation of each individual. Not all remedies would apply to all players. Improvement must therefore be an individual quest that starts with self-knowledge: who you are; how you are seen by others, etc. The more individually mature you are may, in a large part, determine how interpersonally effective you are.
Please check out the People to People page in the process section of this site to learn more.
C. G. Jung:
- "Introversion means an inward turning of libido in the sense of a negative relation of subject to object. Interest does not move toward the object but withdraws from it in to the subject. Everyone whose attitude is introverted thinks, feels and acts in a way that clearly demonstrates that the subject is the prime motivating factor and the object is of secondary importance. Introversion may be intellectual or emotional, just as it can be characterized by sensation or intuition. It is active when the subject voluntarily shuts himself off from the object, passive when he is unable to restore to the object the libido streaming back from it. When introversion is habitual, we speak of an introverted type."
Another perception function the psyche uses to gather information is intuition. This faculty is much harder to describe, for the source of the information is not evident when it occurs. Almost all of us can remember times when we had and utilized a hunch or reacted to a `gut reaction' when the right word or name popped into our heads. When this occurs, we can say our psyche has gathered information via the intuition function.
The intuition function appears to operate independent of time. Immediacy is the realm of our sensation function, the opposite is often true of our intuition function. Through the intuition function, we can often piece together details that our sensation function cannot perceive. More often, we are able to do so before we can successfully describe the details of the bonding element of the connection. Imagine walking quickly down a city street close to a building. As you approach the corner, there is a reaction in your abdomen telling you to `put the brakes on.' Sure enough, a bicyclist speeds past the point of potential danger. Or, you are about to sit in an unfamiliar chair that appears safe but the word "broken" appears in your mind with an accompanying fear reaction. You examine the chair carefully and find a hidden but broken leg. These experiences, in which your psyche used information unavailable to your sensation function, were examples of intuition.
Jung says the following of the intuitive function:
- "I regard intuition as a basic psychological function. It is the function that mediates perceptions in an unconscious way.... The peculiarity of intuition is that it is neither sense perception, nor feeling, nor intellectual inference, although it may also appear in these forms. In intuition, a content presents itself whole and complete, without our being able to explain or discover how this content came into existence. Intuition is a kind of instinctive apprehension, no matter of what contents."
The product of the Intuitive Function is an intuition.
Both Sensation and Intuition have the quality of being given or of happening, as opposed to, resulting from judgment or evaluation. Behavior resulting from response to sensation or intuition, without judgment are, therefore, by observation, irrational.
The impact of our perceptive functions upon our behavior is directly proportional to the level of consciousness we are at when they occur. I am sure this doesn't surprise you when you think about it. Reports of people taking their initial parachute jump always report how their "awareness seemed to peak, or senses become most acute, just prior to the jump." The tools of awareness are the perceptive functions.
A report on the concepts of consciousness and unconsciousness follows in this work.
INTUITOR TYPE
The Intuitor Type, unlike his/her opposite (The Sensor Type) with their concern for detail and the immediate, lives a life facing problems from the realm of the big picture, the future and possibilities. Judgment is not a strength either on the logic or the value level and solutions are arrived at through the weighing of possibilities until there is an inner signal (a word or gut reaction) that the selection has been made. They will get upset if an un-thought-of possibility is presented to them after they have completed their sometimes lengthy analysis for they know they have to begin the weighing process all over again.
Jung said of the distinction between the intuition and the sensation types,
"Whenever intuition predominates, a peculiar and unmistakable psychology results. Because extraverted intuition is oriented by the object, there is a marked dependence on external situations, but it is altogether different from the dependence on the sensation type. The intuitive is never to be found in the world of accepted reality values, but he has a keen nose for anything new and in the making. Because he is always seeking out new possibilities, stable conditions suffocate him. He seizes on new objects or situations with great intensity, sometimes with extraordinary enthusiasm, only to abandon them cold-bloodedly, without any compunction and apparently without remembering them, as soon as their range is known and no further developments can be divined."
If there was ever any one type description used to sell Jung's Psychological Model, his description of the Extraverted Intuitive, in my opinion is the one I recommend, especially to other intuitors. I was so relieved after reading the complete description, because until I was twenty-five, I thought everyone approached problems or goals this way and was somewhat nervous when I realized they did not. I enthusiastically recommend reading Jung's "Psychological Types" to anyone truly interested in learning about themselves and their fellow human beings.
This type has the ability to find a common thread through some very disconnected material. I know there is a term for the ability to visually see to the side called "peripheral vision," I believe the term "peripheral perception" would apply to this type, subsequently, ergonomic considerations for the "Sensor" type could be considerably different for the "Intuitor" with this more holistic perception ability.
As much as the Sensor lacks in diplomacy, the Intuitor makes up. They are on face value very likeable people and very competent negotiators for their innate ability to read the "pulse of the population," to uncover trends from data termed "meaningless" to the more rational types, or their sensor opposites.
In a complicated control situation, with a great number of indicators needing minding by an operator, this type could be unbeatable. They would also be very good at accomplishing goals through the interpersonal. (Such as directing outboard personnel) They have a valuable ability to uncover discord before it becomes a problem in work or other social situations.
Intuitors can be developed through exercises in:
1. Accurately handling process or policy details
2. Logical problem solving
3. Decision Making
4. Directness with people
Opposite type: Sensor
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