Description

In the Zone: Suspension of Paradigm Paralysis and Self Actualization. 

An Exploratory Study of Embodied Total Attentional States.

 Doctoral Dissertation By Richard L. Roberts

ABSTRACT

 This study investigated the characteristics, requisite conditions and benefits of the regular and long-term exposure to embodied total attention experiences (the zone), experienced by adult amateur athletes.  This qualitative study examined the as-lived experience of ten co-researchers (5 females and 5 males, age range 32 to 50) who experienced the zone on a weekly and long-term basis and conformed to van Kaam’s guidelines).  Data was classified into fundamental categories according to the 5 research questions and then the constituents (underlying ‘meaning units’) derived from the literature.  The percentage of occurrence of responses were calculated.

 A majority (80-100%) of co-researchers reported 13 of 16 constituents of the total attention experience to be characteristic of the zone.  These were: transience, ineffable, openness, an altered sense of time, being fully present, loss of inhibition, intensity, effortlessness, heightened body awareness, gaining insights, peak performance, ego-transcendence and expanded identity ( transpersonal self).  Csikszentmihalyi’s 6 necessary conditions for flow were confirmed by 100% of co-researchers, with the exception of challenge/skills match (70%), indicating the zone to be repeatable.  ‘Cessation of thought’ (an emergent constituent) was reported by 100% of co-researchers, though it was unclear if this was in addition to or a by-product of these conditions.

Paradigm paralysis was postulated to explain the condition of waking sleep, a sub-optimal state of functioning, and the resultant automatization of attention and perception, associated with waking consciousness in the literature.  The following constituents of paradigm paralysis were reported by 80%-100% of co-researchers: mindlessness, limited expression, pessimistic bias, rubricized perception, the persona, waking sleep and related symptoms.  It was concluded that the zone afforded an advantage point to gain insights into limiting mindsets (paradigms) leading to paradigm shifts.

Ego-transcendence and the transpersonal self were experienced by all co-researchers.  Results suggested a figure-ground reversal effect, allowing the transpersonal self to move to the foreground of awareness, while the persona or ego was transcended.  All co-researchers reported feeling more awake in the zone (as compared to waking consciousness) and deautomization, during and after the zone, consistent with the literature regarding the total attention experience.  All co-researchers attributed the zone experience to a break down in the inhibitive effects of paradigm paralysis (an emergent constituent) in their lives.

 Results confirmed Maslow’s and Csikszentmihalyi’s proposals that regular peak experiences led to the development of self-actualizing characteristics.  Eleven of 14 constituents of self-actualization were reported by 80% or more, being:  positive affect, self-acceptance, health benefits, openness, Taoist acceptance, motivation to increase frequency, ego-transcendence, being present, enhanced performance, loss of inhibition and more creativity.  The majority (80% and up) also reported experiencing characteristics in Maslow’s 12 item checklist. Implications for further research and practice of psychology and evolution of the humanity were discussed.