How are transpersonal experiences and personal maturity related?

1991

This study examined one of the fundamental questions in humanistic and transpersonal psychology: what kind of relationship exists between transcendent experience and personal psychological well-being? College undergraduates Yi*:52) at three colleges were asked to recall their "most wonderful" experience, and then to complete an adaptation of Hood's X Scale to assess the presence of mystical or transcendent aspects of this experience. Participants also completed an adaptation of Heath's Perceived Self Questionnaire to assess personal maturity. Correlational analysis revealed that, generally, the higher the degree of mystical qualities in the participant's experiences, the lower the degree of maturity; however, the opposite pattern was noted for experiences which involved noetic qua2ities, where the individual felt that she or he had gained valid knowledge through some kind of insight. Noetically weightad experiences are associated with a higher degree of maturity in this college-age group. These data suggest the need for a developmental approach to the study of transcendent experience. (LLL)

International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 2005

Self-transcendence has been hypothesized to be a critical component of wisdom (Curnow, 1999) and adaptation in later life (Tornstam, 1994). It reflects a decreasing reliance on externals for definition of the self, increasing interiority and spirituality, and a greater sense of connectedness with past and future generations. The Adult Self-Transcendence Inventory was administered to 351 individuals along with the NEO-FFI Personality Scale (McCrae & Costa, 1989). A principal axis factor analysis identified two factors: self-transcendence and alienation. The relationships between selftranscendence and neuroticism, openness to experience, extraversion, and agreeableness were significant, although modest, suggesting that selftranscendence cannot be accounted for in terms of positive personality traits alone. As expected, a multiple regression analysis indicated that self-transcendence was negatively related to neuroticism and positively related to meditation practice. The present study appears to lend support to the construct of self-transcendence.

Current theories in psychology conceptualize self-transcendence as a personality trait, a developmental construct, and a particular class of anomalous experience. Despite extensive research on self-transcendence, the process, outcomes, and nature of self-transcendent experience (STE) remain elusive. This study focused on the self-reported narratives of STE in 15 healthy adults. Accounts were collected in face-to-face interviews, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Qualitative results were recursively examined to construct a preliminary mid-range theory of STE in healthy adults. Three major theme areas emerged from interview data. These were (a) context, (b) phenomenology, and (c) aftermath of STE. Each of these major themes was further divided into distinct sub-themes, including setting, perceptual alterations, and long-term effects. The resulting interpretation of STE is discussed in light of current literature and directions for future research.

2020

The construct of transcendence has proved difficult to define and operationalize, as is reflected by lack of robustness, consistency, and replicability in instruments designed to measure it. This paper examines the internal validity of the Self-Transcendence Scale (ST) (Cloninger, Svrakic, Przybeck, & Thomas, 1993), the Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STS) (Piedmont, 1999) and the Mysticism Scale (Hood, 1975) in an Australian sample, (n5233), to identify core and noncore constructs. All scales failed to replicate their hypothesized structure fully and subsequent factor analyses produced revised subscales. The results suggested that in the report of transcendence experiences one might not be able to separate core constructs: sacredness, interconnectedness, unity, and a higher consciousness effectively. Further, the dissolution of self proved to be a peripheral construct as suggested by MacDonald and Holland (2002) as did belief in the supernatural. Transcendence as a construct needs further theoretical analysis. Many human experiences are potentially spiritual, making spirituality difficult to define and operationalize (Elkins, Hedstrom, Hughes, Leaf, & Saunders, 1988, Slater, Hall, & Edwards, 2001)). Definitions center on the supernatural or transcendent quality, commonly found in descriptions of religious and mystical experiences (Moberg, 2002). Transcendence is a confusing construct as Maslow (1969) found (cited in Koltko-Rivera, 2006). He concluded that it was distinct from self-actualization and peak experience, and meant seeking a cause beyond the self, putting aside the needs of the personal self and identifying with something greater, ultimately the divine. He became aware of the difference between seeking one's full potential with its implications for health and wellbeing and being oriented primarily to the B-realm as one's way of living (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). In this view, self transcendence does not explicitly involve awareness of a supra-human dimension, but nevertheless seems connected to it. The recent work of Levenson, Aldwin, and Cupertino (2001) focused on transcending self. They argued that doing so involves a developmental process leading to wisdom, and is found in the elderly. Further, developing detachment from external definitions of the self, and the dissolving of rigid boundaries between self and other, brings about self transcendence (Levenson, Jennings, Aldwin, & Shiraishi, 2005). Their Adult Self Transcendence questionnaire identifies learning to go beyond narrow self interest. It does however include items associated with spiritual transcendence and the psychopathology of depression. Levenson et al.

The term self-transcendence has been used to refer both to a process of movement beyond one's immediate self-boundaries, and to a quality which emerges as a result of this process, culminating in a broadened worldview. Self-transcendence has appeared as a key theme in several disciplines including transpersonal psychology, personality theory, and nursing theory. The scarcity of widely accepted methods of quantifying this construct with valid, reliable measures has caused some difficulty in the research arena. Scientific literature to date is presented here surrounding selftranscendence as quantified by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). The author's purpose is to expound a coherent account of TCI self-transcendence research, and to establish selftranscendence as a measurable transpersonal construct with observable features and correlates. Data regarding molecular and quantitative genetics, neuroanatomy, aging, spirituality, religion, culture, and psychopathology are discussed. In light of this evidence, self-transcendence is presented as a complex but quantifiable construct of the utmost relevance to psychology.

Review of General Psychology, 2017

Various forms of self-loss have been described as aspects of mental illness (e.g., depersonalization disorder), but might self-loss also be related to mental health? In this integrative review and proposed organizational framework, we focus on self-transcendent experiences (STEs)—transient mental states marked by decreased self-salience and increased feelings of connectedness. We first identify common psychological constructs that contain a self-transcendent aspect, including mindfulness, flow, peak experiences, mystical-type experiences, and certain positive emotions (e.g., love, awe). We then propose psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that may mediate the effects of STEs based on a review of the extant literature from social psychology, clinical psychology, and affective neuroscience. We conclude with future directions for further empirical research on these experiences.

Various forms of self-loss have been described as aspects of mental illness (e.g., depersonalization disorder), but might self-loss also be related to mental health? In this integrative review and proposed organizational framework, we focus on self-transcendent experiences (STEs)-transient mental states marked by decreased self-salience and increased feelings of connectedness. We first identify common psychological constructs that contain a self-transcendent aspect, including mindfulness, flow, peak experiences, mystical-type experiences, and certain positive emotions (e.g., love, awe). We then propose psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that may mediate the effects of STEs based on a review of the extant literature from social psychology, clinical psychology, and affective neuroscience. We conclude with future directions for further empirical research on these experiences.

This thesis investigates the nature and dynamics of transcendent experience: phenomena I have witnessed in many individuals, groups, and organisations. Transcendent experience is best described as an attitude or way of life that is fundamentally different to what could be construed as the ‘normal’, conventional, and rationalistic attitudes that pervade our Western epistemological mind-set today as the most—if not sole—means to valuable knowledge and experience. This thesis does not seek to explain its features dogmatically and definitively—after all, such a phenomenon evades the reductive and totalising effects of rationalisation—but assesses a vast range of supporting literature to emphasise how it is manifesting itself across an equally vast and eclectic range of peoples. By examining evidence from contemporary personal accounts, historical case study, published biographical accounts, scholarly reports and personal anecdotes, a number of key characteristics and principles of transcendence are identified as underpinning their experiences. These principles include a commitment from the individual or group in question to embrace and practice ‘ways of knowing’ beyond rational cognition. There is a tendency for the subject to recognise themselves as involved in purposeful ways of knowing. This is seen as a recognition that the physical self is merged with a nature that is experienced by the subject as ‘transcendent’ to them; that is to say, a nature that is described as ‘divine’ or ‘spiritual’. A further principle is the subject’s openness to, and assimilation of, what is reported to be not one but multiple transcendent experiences. The benefits of these are construed to be a sense of belonging and a feeling of wellbeing—feelings, which it is claimed, could not be obtained through conventional ‘rational’ ways of knowing. In short, these people seem to be living according to, or at least intent on working towards, a transcendent way of ‘being’, one that validates non-rational, possibly ‘divine’ experiences as essentially ‘human’. Other key characteristics of transcendent experiences are ascertained, including the role of suffering and emptiness. The aim of this research is to investigate such claims and to assess the importance, for those involved, of this ‘transcendent’ approach to life. My investigations conclude that these experiences may be on the increase, and that something akin to a ‘transcendence movement’ can be traced as operating within society, despite—and perhaps because of—the overreliance on more rational attitudes to meaning and methods for arriving at ‘truth’, which are in themselves only relatively useful for life and often detrimental to feelings of wellbeing. The movement I outline engages with a way or depth of being that transcends individual beliefs and cultural differences, and brings the person into creative contact with sources that transcend his or her own limited, individual perspectives.

One of the aims of developmental psychology is mastering the knowledge and understanding of specificities and characteristics of various phases of life cycles. This knowledge is important for one who wishes to counsel. It is imperative because it represents a theoretical basis for obtaining professional skills to be used once in the field, considering that the beneficiaries of counseling services belong to all age categories (from birth, through children and youth, adult age to old age.) So we understand it is important to integrate and improve previously obtained knowledge regarding developmental psychology. We keep in mind the comprehension of characteristics, needs, problems, and sources of crisis in different phases of the life cycles. We move forward to plan treatment and assist clients, using our acquired knowledge as a base. Thus, we develop and sustain capacities for critical and substantiated problem-solving in the field of counseling. We also further expand our skills for collecting and interpreting the necessary data, as well as reporting to the professional and broader public about the results of our work. To be best prepared for this huge responsibility of caring for others' mental health there is more academia, as well as individuals passionate about the field of developmental psychology can keep in mind when solidifying their construct around the stages of development. If there is an element missing in this construct, then there is a disservice being done to those being helped based off of old models. If we do not update our concepts, are we not being sold short? "Human history is a record of the ways in which human nature has been sold short. The highest possibilities of human nature have practically always been underrated. Even when 'good specimens,' the saints and sages and great leaders of history have been available for study, the temptation too often has been to consider them not human but supernaturally endowed…. If we want to know the possibilities for spiritual growth, value growth, or moral development in human beings, then I maintain that we can learn most by studying our greatest moral, ethical, or saintly people" (Maslow, 1973, p. 7). Philosophy, psychiatry, and psychology have all attempted to understand the concept of the meaning of life. We can all speculate and end up in different locations. However, nothing we have felt, seen, or experienced and