Draft:Clark Unitive Effect theory

{to be added to the Wiki list of social psychology theories }

Theory of spirituality and social change

Theory Statement:

Under reformulated self-transcendence and peak experience conditions, an individual’s gratification of self-transcendence motivational needs may lead to personal spiritual transformation and positive social change.

The theory of spirituality and social change is a social psychology model of self-transcendence that can lead to social change anchored in unitive values that support human health and peace. The theory makes two hypotheses leading to a prediction for self-transcendence to be present where an individual experiences specific kinds of social and cognitive phenomena.  The theory explains how these mental experiences, as a whole, are peak experiences that tend to lead to self-transcendence.  Further, the theory offers an explanation for the positive social changes that often accompany self-transcendence.

Based on transdiscliplinarity research, the theory reformulates Maslow’s self-transcendence propositions of being-cognition and being-values, and notes key observable outcomes in those individuals who express this reformulated self-transcendence.  Self-transcendence, peak experience, being-cognition, being-values, agency, structure, and other philosophical, sociological, psychological, theological and metaphysical concepts are explored as theoretical support.^[1]

The theory of spirituality and social change utilizes a wide range of specific theories for various kinds of social and cognitive phenomena, avoiding the replication crisis of research findings proving difficult to replicate.  The theory predictions is for values that motivate action and social change resulting from such acts.

Development

Kim E. Clark, Juris Doctor, began developing the theory of Spirituality and Social Change in early 2015, building on the many theoretical results and empirical findings obtained by Abraham H. Maslow, Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Patricia Hill-Collins, Shalom H. Schwartz & Wolfgang Bilsky, Troy Duster, Herbert Blumer, William H. Sewell, Ronald Dworkin, Joseph Campbell, Lyn Y. Abramson, Paul Tillich, Sam McFarland, Rhonda McGee, Daniel Kahneman, and Pierre Boudieu.

The term “Oppositional Cultural Practice” is based on “in-opposition”, the astronomical term used to connote the positional up close, brightly revealed aspect when a planet is at its closest point and can often be viewed with 10 times more clarity.^[2]  Used by Clark to emphasize the positional nature of the individual engaged in up-close examination of self, groups, and society. Based on the sociological unit of analysis concept, the practice emphasizes the importance of paying attention to whether you are thinking from the point of view of the individual, the group or society.  The individual is often anchored in morality concerns, the group in ethical concerns, and the society in cultural concerns.    

Reformulated self-transcendence  

The theory of spirituality and social change describes the two major problems with Maslow’s hypothesis when applied to self-transcendence in humans: (1.) it posits an erasure of the Self that was motivated to achieve the self-actualization state, i.e., the self-transcendence process causes erasure of the self-actualized Self as the individual moves toward gratifying self-transcendence motivational needs (egoless, seek communion with the transcendent, service to others, act in more collectivist ways, come to identify with something greater than the purely individual self); and (2.) it does not adequately explain when self-transcendence ‘peak experience’ values as guiding principles for individual, social, or cultural action can be expected to be observed and when not.^[1]

The theory transforms the understanding of human self-transcendence needs fulfillment, and postulates that self-transcendence can expected to be observed where the individual has determined to experience life as someone whose primary identity is relatively egoless, agency of Self is retained, identity is Self and Self as collective Other.  Additionally, attainment of a balance of interests served—between the individual and the collectivist—and collectivist motivational values (e.g., security, self-direction, restrictive-conformity, prosocial, maturity) are the driving motivational need.  Under the theory, self-transcendence has strong motivational needs toward universal achievement of these values as a means for individual creative agency; group interaction; and societal liberation.

Theory hypotheses and propositions

The theory of Spirituality and social change makes new predictions for four of the five features of Maslow’s self-transcendence.  Unchanged is Maslow’s b-cognition proposition that the individual would feel a sense of awe, wonder, sense of something greater than self. ^[3][4] The remaining four propositions are reformulated:  

Being-cognition

Spirituality and social change theory predicts a b-cognition that is motivated not primarily by seeking communion with the transcendent, but by an acceptance of duality as unbreakable and in fact a singular aspect of reality.  This conscious awareness becomes the source for a new unified identity as Self and Self that identifies with all of creation.  With this new holistic Self-identity comes b-cognition of feeling courage to act as evidenced by seeking the fulfillment of collectivist b-values often expressed in ethical commitment to human liberation, narrative structures reflecting creative agency, and transformation of creative.

Being-values

Spirituality and social change theory reformulates Maslow’s b- values in three distinct and appreciable ways: first, transcenders connect with values emanating from the experience as “true” or “real” as best as humans can understand them at this time; second, transcenders adopt collectivist values as a means to liberate self and others; and third, transcenders acts of service to others in collectivist ways is an expression of their full creative personal potentiality in a motivation to bring about conditions for both the Self and Others to attain psychological and physical maturation, growth, and health.  

The theory of spirituality and social change

The theory states several propositions and hypotheses.  Human thought, feelings (emotions and physical), and actions are considered. The features predicted by the theory (reduction of bias, a unitive identity, commitment to liberation, creative agency expressed through narrative, deepened conscious with a unified reality as peak experience, and the desire to seek more peak experiences as a way of life) can lead an individual to confidently modify long-held yet mistaken beliefs.  From a positional approach of criticism and positive critique, looking at all angles of a societal issue, ethical commitments to break free from the forces that produce human suffering emerge. In law, for example, this commitment is to keep faith with the fundamental human values expressed in the constitution and other founding governmental documents. Critical race theory and it’s adjacent ClassCrits movement seeks to gain greater understanding of human needs.^[2]  The scientific method and transdiscliplinarity approaches are tools in this effort.  The required environmental and governmental conditions necessary to provide fulfillment are examined.  And these efforts are the creative expression to seeing those conditions result in a healthy and peaceful society.  Furthermore, a sense or cognition that these collectivist values and interests are deeply meaningful is a form of spirituality, providing grounds for confidence and courage.  Spirituality, as thus understood in the theory, is the absence of self-aggrandizement and the death to ego, giving rise to a new Self, unified with the larger community of humans.   The individual’s desires, service, motivation, and needs fulfillment are the attainment of this thought, feeling, and action for all humanity.  Social interactional requirements for interpersonal coordination can be fulfilled.  The individual works cooperatively, decently and fairly with others.  And social institutional demands for group welfare and survival can be fulfilled in ways that heal the human psyche.

Empirical evidence

The theory of spirituality and social change is a new set of hypotheses and propositions that must be assessed for validity by its ability to generate novel predictions that survive attempts at disconfirmation.  The theory has passed a crucial test, emanating from transdiscliplinarity research. The established research, theories, and concepts underlying the theory provide strong support. Critical analysis, including practices like spotting the weaknesses of someone else’s argument, can help to reduce our own tendency towards confirmation or “my side” bias. Further, the predicted self-transcendence can be observed in the lives and actions of individuals whose courage and actions has resulted in service, not just to others, but also to society in bringing about changed conditions and environments that provide liberation of the psyche and the body.  Some examples of predicted features can be seen in the following examples:  

The innocence Project

The Innocence Project helps to free people who are wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. Founded by Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck in 1992 at Cardozo School of Law, the project has exonerated hundreds of innocent people through DNA testing.  The project’s mission also includes bringing reform to the criminal justice system responsible for their unjust imprisonment, and to prevent future injustice.  Imagine what it must feel like to secure the release of an innocent person after 36 years of wrongful imprisonment in one of the world’s worst prisons.  it found that prosecutors are rarely held accountable for mistakes that lead to those convictions.  

Imagine what it must feel like to save an innocent person from death row;  Marianne Williamson gets healing through dialogue of reparations for the country, et al including Derrick Bell’s friend in Racial Realism and many other unknown transcenders.  

Modern applications

Far from being simply of theoretical interest, spirituality and social change effects are important practical decision-making concerns.  For the individual, it may provide guidance in making life decisions to the age-old questions of “What is the purpose of life?”  “How do I live a life worth living?”  For groups of individuals tasked with governing cities, counties, states or nations, needing first to fulfill the requirement for social interactional  for interpersonal coordination, and lastly, for both the individual and groups, working together to fulfill the universal human requirement for structuring social institutional demands for group welfare and global survival.  

See also

• Unit of Analysis
• Critical Race Theory
• Conflict Theory
• Intersectionality
• Duality
• Agency
• Transformation Values
• Peak Experience
• Spirituality
• Motivational Domains of Values

References

1. Clark, Kim E. (2018). "DEMARGINALIZING THE INTERSECTION OF SPIRITUALITY AND LAW: OPPOSITIONAL CULTURAL PRACTICE THEORY, SELF-TRANSCENDENCE, AND SOCIAL CHANGE". Western New England Law Review (W. New Eng. L. Rev. 40 (2018): 225): 225.
2. Kim E. Clark, CRITICAL RACE THEORY, TRANSFORMATION AND PRAXIS, 45 Sw. L. Rev. 795, 804-805 (2016)
3. Abraham H. Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being 104-14 (2 ed., 1968)
4. Mark E. Koltko-Rivera, Rediscovering the Later Version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Self-Transcendence and Opportunities for Theory, Research and Unification, 10 REV. GEN. PSYCHOL. 302, 306, 311 (2006)

 Further reading

• Kim E. Clark, Demarginalizing the Intersection of Spirituality and Law: Oppositional Cultural Practice Theory, Self-Transcendence, and Social Change, W. New Eng. L. Rev. 40 (2018): 225
• Kim E. Clark, Critical Race Theory, Transformation and Praxis, Sw. L. Rev. 45 (2015): 795.

External links

• Social psychology on PLOS—subject area page