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Construction of a Scale for Psychological Growth

May 18, 2007

To deal with this topic, the words 1) growth, 2) psychological and 3) scale must be defined.

An increase that comes to stay is growth.

All that is not physical can be called psychological, though only the mental is the psychological proper. Vital impatience, jealousy, tension etc. overcome is psychological growth. So, the psychological growth can be subdivided into vital and mental or negative and positive, as all vital propensities are negative. The vital list is long. In The Mother, He gives a list of about twelve vital traits. Even when physical inertia, doubt, tamas, and stupidity are overcome, it is psychological growth. For the present, we shall not include them in the scale and answer them as and when people raise it.

A scale is a gradation. Silent will that works with our subordinates is not equal in strength with that which works with the boss. With a small client, silent will works. When the contract is for a big sum, the same successful silent will is of a higher value. Amounts can be graded by their size. But winning a child from drug addiction cannot be compared with winning a contract. A comprehensive scale is possible when the same person evaluates the inner effort in two disparate fields.  For the present, let us construct a scale for each of the psychological fields. Let us enumerate such fields. To be comprehensive will be meaningful when a team of dozens of scholars are working. Here the effort is to construct a scale so that a beginning is made for creating the field. Let me speak of the various lines of psychological growth and in each field the varying expressions as far as an initial effort permits.

Silent will can be practised in various ways. 1) With inferiors, where the level of the inferior will decide the placement in the scale; 2) with equals; even this subdivides as equals in age, education, status, wealth, the weight of the issue, sex, etc.; 3) with superiors, with the same classifications. To start with, silent will can be one category with grades A, B, C or subdivided into as many as possible. An attempt or effort cannot be put on the scale. What success has come to stay and permits growth alone can be given a grade and put on the scale.

 In a description of psychological growth, the following can be considered.

  1. Silent will, with as many subdivisions as possible.
  2. Giving up our hold in a situation. Not exercising a situational advantage. (This, as well as all the following, admit of as many subdivisions).
  3. Waiting for the other man to complete his argument to his satisfaction.
  4. All the attributes of a gentleman will qualify for this (attached).
  5. The list in The Mother of demand, craving, envy, jealousy, hostility, etc. (about twelve), when removed, one makes a negative progress.
  6. Patience, non-reaction, non-distraction are valuable.
  7. Excitement about things like shopping given up is progress.   (Better to include only positive attributes)
  8. Being inoffensive. To take every opportunity to say something positive.
  9. Taking the other man's point of view. Taking interest in his important interests.
  10. To exercise one's mind in an irrational context, rationally.
  11. To see behind petulant opposition a bigger opportunity.
  12. To allow another man's petty meanness.
  13. In a sale to take the seller's point of view from a wider perspective. A view taken from a wider perspective that yields to bargaining will ultimately benefit vastly.
  14. To happily obey the wrong order of a boss.
  15. To willingly let a subordinate assert his irrational point of view in certain creative circumstances.
  16. Not to react in any situation.
  17. To know the stupid man represents a wider viewpoint.
  18. Dantes' suffering in jail raised Danglars, Mercedes, and Fernand very high. It is their rising in the world that raised Dante to that level.
  19. The rule: everything ultimately ends in Good is to be our guide.
  20. Unhesitatingly offer a help to another when the situation demands.
  21. To examine our normal conversation and see whether each reply can be made better to reflect the growth of inner personality.
  22. Not to try to remove a person in our organisation just because he is inconvenient on some score.
  23. To have the patience NOT to describe a stupid answer as stupid.
  24. Not to initiate a work without a full rational consideration of planning.
  25. Not to take decisions on the basis of one's prestige.
  26. To take professional assistance in professional matters. Not to take decisions based on experience in professional affairs.
  27. In a serious writing or consultation, not to rely on one's memory but to go to the source patiently and get the facts even if they are known facts.
  28. Avoiding hasty decisions.
  29. Not to espouse lost causes. Trollope was accused of buttressing a society whose time was over. The Three Musketeers served royalty when its life was over, even in the time of Louis XIII.
  30. Not to be attached to anachronisms.

Psychological growth

One should be able to accomplish without outside support. When you accomplish within the norms of society, you make a social growth. If you don't violate any social norms in your accomplishment, it is social growth. If you accomplish because you are an individual, a person, it is psychological growth. Acting without offending - to be a gentleman - is the primary level.



story | by Dr. Radut