Stages of Human Development^*

Incorporative Self - infancy

• Being held / Pre-verbal trust

Able to attend and attune to an external stimulus, but unable to assume a point of view. Human interaction is largely non-verbal. It is important for me to have my needs met.

Impulsive Self (Single Point) - play age

• Being active / Biblical/religious images

Able to assume a point of view momentarily, but unable to distinguish my point of view from yours, nor even to sustain my own over time. Therefore I can’t maintain a coherent conversation. It is important to me to get what I want now.

Imperial Self (Durable Category) - school age

• Being expert / Biblical/religious facts

Able to distinguish my own point of view from yours, but unable to keep your point of view in mind at the same time I have my own in mind. Therefore, I can’t bring the two points of view into conversation. The effect is that your point of view becomes important for me only to the extent it serves my interests. It is important to me to protect my interests.

Interpersonal Self (Cross-Categorical) - adolescence

• Being loyal / Doctrines ("Traditional")

Able to take your point of view into me so it becomes part of me. Because your point of view is in me, I can think about your point of view at the same time I’m thinking of my point of view. In fact, I’m not clear about which is your view and which is mine. My values come from our relationship, and it is important to me to stay in relationship with you.

Institutional Self (System/Complex) - young adulthood

• Being right / Theology ("Modern")

Able to construct an interior system or psychological organization ("institution") that stands outside of all its relationships, to create its own values apart from the values of its various relationships with others, and then regulate and evaluate its values in terms of its own standards. It is important to me to be objective and impartial.

Interindividual Self (Trans-System/Trans-Complex) - middle adulthood

• Being Whole / Vision ("Post-Modern")

Able to see and think about my interior system(s) and yours as well as others’ at the same time, I am no longer invested in any one system or form as it is. It is important to me to remain open and to continue growing.