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New - an essay discussing basic problems of world cultures: "The Combative Dominance Syndrome"

As we said in the introduction to the combative dimension, the combative dimension is the largest dimension in the synchronic motivation system. This means that people perceive situations as being combative more frequently than they perceive situations as being personal-social or competitive. A combative situation is one where power and force are used to obtain goals and satisfy needs. Combativeness may be big and important but it doesn't have a lot of friends. If asked by a public opinion pollster what they think of combativeness, most people will say they don't like it. (There is a rumor that a person who claimed to be completely noncombative beat a poll taker up for asking this question.) The PIT attitude scores support the opinion that combativeness is bad. People tend to have negative attitudes for the combative needs. It is not unusual for people to deny or be unaware of their combative behavior.

Combative situations can vary from extreme violence to mild disagreement. Extreme combativeness occurs when there is a violent physical attack on others. War is really combative. Mild combativeness occurs when someone says something like: "I prefer to go to McDonalds instead of Burger King." Little kids are combative when they scream, cry, spit out the food you lovingly offer them and find ways to do what they want to do rather than what you know is good for them. Teen agers are combative when they leave their room a mess, monopolize the TV, play their music (that you can't stand) very loudly, and otherwise do their thing instead of what you have wisely and patiently taught them to do. What we are talking about is having our way or asserting our will.

Covert and Passive-Aggressive Combativeness

Combativeness can take passive-aggressive forms: ("Oh! I'm sorry, but I have a hard time remembering to shut the door"). Actual damage doesn't have to occur for actions to be combative. Threats will suffice. The truck driver who drives up to within two feet of your back bumper and keeps pumping his air breaks is combatively threatening to run over the top of your car if you don't speed up or get out of his way. Combativeness is not always overt. A great deal of combativeness takes place in the form of negative racial code words. Shopping takes place in a mild and covertly combative way. Store owners would like to get you to buy their product (and thus assert their will over you) and the shoppers would like to assert their will and get a better bargain.

Combative Goals and Motives

Basically, the combative dimension has to do with material goals and rewards. People argue or fight over money or the power to own or control things and people. Although there is a great deal of talk about competitiveness in business, except for the lower level production and technical operations, the energy that drives modern corporate business is primarily derived from the combative dimension. CEOs have to be willing and able to enforce their decisions. As with the military, corporations have secrets they must keep from competitors (read opponents) lest they lose market control. Corporations have been known to eliminate (destroy) competitors to obtain monopolistic power. True competitors strive to excel but do not try to destroy their opposition. More about this in the competitive dimension discussion ahead.

Advertising falls within the combative dimension. Advertisers are not selflessly trying to educate you about the truths they have discovered through intensive research on their product. They are using whatever means that work to overcome your resistance to buying their product. Sometimes they are playful and entertaining and sometimes they call you during dinner hour and are not so funny and entertaining.

Sex has combative as well as personal and competitive aspects. Seduction, sexual harassment, and rape all require that the will of the aggressor is gratified at the expense of the victim. Rape is obviously a very violent form of combativeness.

It is also obvious that stealing, lying, deception, embezzlement, larceny, and most other illegal activities fall in the combative arena. They are all things that someone does by imposing his or her will over society.

What's Funny About the Combative Dimension?(With acknowledgments to Henri Bergson and his essay Le Rire: essai Sur La Significance du Comique - Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic )

People are often not aware of the combative aggressive element in humor and wit. Humor is generally thought to be just good fun and entertainment (which it usually is). However, for something to be funny it has to be perceived as flawed (eccentric or idiosyncratic) and this may lead to a feeling and expression of criticism and superiority (indirect combativeness). If you don't get the "point" of a joke, it isn't funny. The old joke about the city fellow who bought a couple of mules with plans to sell their offspring may be funny to country kids but leaves city kids blank if they don't know that mules are hybrids that can't reproduce. (However, from personal classroom experience, a number of country kids who knew about mules didn't think this was a very funny joke, anyway.) Comedians take on a role that is full of imperfections that provide their audiences with things to laugh at. When we laugh at their foibles and eccentricities we are being unconsciously combative but its "all in fun" so no harm is done. Puns are misuses of words that we find laughable but punsters know they are misusing the words and are doing so in a playful role-taking way. Wit is humor aimed at somebody other than the wit. Wit is consciously intended to point out the defects of others but it presents criticism in an indirect way that allows the wit maker to escape the consequences of being overtly critical and combative.

Humor provides a sense of superiority when someone is "put down" by "poking fun" at them. This can be true, even when the "joke is on us." If we can laugh at our own mistakes it shows we can "take a joke" and show superiority by rising above our defects. There are limits as to how far criticism can be concealed by humor. Sarcasm and ridicule are obvious hostile and combative forms of humor that are intended to hurt the target of the wit. Most normal people don't consider it appropriate to laugh at those whose faults or weaknesses are serious and beyond their control (a blind person bumping into a wall is normally not considered to be funny).

Some have said that only humans have a sense of humor. Dogs and some other non-human mammals certainly know how to pretend and play and that is one ingredient of humor. Such animals often play at being combative (a good way to prepare for real life, perhaps). We once observed a chimpanzee in a zoo wait until a crowd collected and then grab a hose (that an accomplice attendant had left running in his cage) and turn it on his audience with what appeared to be great chimpanzee glee.

Humor Analysis Summary

Humor involves criticism and a sense of superiority. These elements provide its combative basis. However, humor also has a playful element that allows it to function as an acceptable form of social and personal corrective. This aspect of humor can be beneficial. There is also an intellectual element in humor and wit in that people have to have knowledge and perceptiveness to recognize the defect or shortcoming they find humorous. Good humor is a way of saying "I see the fault but its not serious so instead of getting upset about it we can rise above it and laugh about it."

Politics and the Combative Dimension

Politics is one of the main arenas for combative activity. Politicians do their best to keep people from perceiving their occupation as combative. They kiss babies. They help you redress the wrongs done to you. They make it a point to remember your name and other personal information that will make you feel important, positive, and indebted to them. If you agree with their political actions they are wise and courageous. If you disagree they are corrupt politicians. The bottom line is that they make the decisions as to how wealth and opportunities are distributed and what acts are forbidden and punished. Such authority provides politicians with opportunities to further increase their power and wealth. Non politicians can only assert political power by voting (if they live in a democracy). However, despite the familiar observation that power corrupts, there are some politicians who are not corrupt and who are conscientious about creating the legislation that is necessary to promote and maintain a civilized society. Hope your congress person is of this type.

The Synchronic Motivational Structure of the Combative Dimension

The following discussion is somewhat technical (maybe tedious would be a better descriptive term). Note: A "discussion" is not combative; it would be combative if we told you that if you fail to learn what we are about to present, something bad would be put in your personnel file.

The Ego Needs

In the (Motivation System Target Model) you can see the motivational structure of the combative dimension. At the top part (combative end) of this dimension is a cluster of six needs. This cluster is known in PIT terminology as the ego need cluster. (Those who are still mulling over that personnel file allusion may feel inclined to substitute the word jargon for terminology). The six ego needs are: aggression, rejection, defendance, autonomy, dominance, and sex. They are thought of as ego needs because they are used primarily for self assertion and satisfaction. (See Need Defintions).   The six ego needs can be divided into two sub sets: Sex, autonomy, and dominance represent ego goal needs that motivate us to attain the power and control objectives we wish to attain for ourselves. The second sub set consists of aggression, rejection, and defendance. These are the ego implementing needs. They provide us with the combative motivation to use our power to satisfy the ego goal needs. Autonomy is perhaps the central need for the formation of our ego. Infants arrive with a strong need to do what they want to do although they usually lack the physical strength to do it (loud angry crying can work pretty well, however). It is important that the ego needs work together synchronically so they can be mutually supportive for obtaining self satisfaction. That's why they are clustered closely together in the combative area of the combative dimension.

Central Versus Peripheral Dimension Location of Needs

An important aspect of the synchronic motivation system is that the most peripheral needs in a dimension have the most power in the dimension. Peripheral needs are strongly opposed to the peripheral needs in the other end of a dimension. Thus, in the combative dimension, the aggression and rejection needs are the most powerful needs in the combative area and they are most opposed to the deference and gratitude needs located peripherally in the noncombative area of the dimension. (The Motivation System Target Model). Behaviors that satisfy aggression and rejection are synchronically very antagonistic to behaviors that satisfy the deference and gratitude needs. Peripheral needs at opposite ends of a dimension are located distantly from each other because they are given extreme opposite ratings from each other in the need expression ratings. Centrally located needs tend to be expressed more frequently but do not usually have the motivational strength of the peripheral needs.   Located just above the mid point of the target model combative dimension are the inferiority avoidance, exhibition, and play needs. (See Need Definitions). These needs are somewhat separated from the ego needs but are still in the combative end of the dimension. As indicated above, their central location means that they are not usually strongly expressed in this dimension. It is fairly easy to see how exhibition and play can be moderately combative. People often "show off" or exhibit their power and strength to impress or intimidate others in order to get their way without having to become strongly aggressive. Play can be aggressive on a pretend level. Armies have war games and kids have combative video games. Wit and humor have already been discussed as playful forms of criticism and aggression. Emphasis or focus on the exhibition and play needs in a combative situation lessen the possibility of forceful and violent combative action.   The mildly combative location of the inferiority avoidance need is more difficult to interpret. For some time the authors thought this location was a sampling accident that would go away and that inferiority avoidance would join its fellow avoidance needs (blame avoidance and harm avoidance) in the noncombative area. However, inferiority avoidance stubbornly (combatively?) persisted through many research samples and stayed in its present and now accepted permanent location. Our interpretation is that fear of failure does not synchronically conflict with ego expression but it can, when activated, apply some modifying effect on combative assertion. We may be more cautious in our aggression if we anticipate losing a battle but we would not be as inhibited as we would be if the threat of harm or blame were strongly aroused. In other words, people are more deterred from combative reactions by fears of punishment and harm than by fear of failure.

The Noncombative Area of the Combative Dimension

In the noncombative area of the combative dimension there are several sets of needs that can synchronically work together to oppose or inhibit combativeness. We have already mentioned two inhibiting needs, blame and harm avoidance, that are located in the noncombative area. We can add the deference need to these inhibitors. These three needs can work together synchronically to motivate us to withdraw from a combative engagement when we wish to avoid harm, punishment, and disapproval that might result from the engagement.   A set of social-personal needs (affiliation, nurturance, gratitude, and succorance) is also located in the noncombative area. These needs motivate us to avoid or withdraw from a combative engagement because of feelings of friendship, caring, appreciation,and dependence we have for those involved in the disagreement.   The order, understanding, achievement, and sentience needs promote rational analysis of a situation. These needs motivate us to study and analyze a situation before we commit ourselves to combative action. They therefore inhibit us (temporarily, at least) from combative action. Combative action calls for intuitive action rather than intellectual contemplation. We may have to switch back and forth between analysis and combativeness but we can't effectively do both at the same time. People who are effective in asserting power rationally analyze a situation before committing themselves to combative action. A rational analysis can keep us from going off "half cocked."   The two remaining needs in the noncombative area are the abasement and counteraction needs. These needs motivate us to admit our faults and weaknesses and to try to counteract them. Its hard to be combative when we feel humble and self critical and want to concentrate on self improvement rather than attacking the faults of others. Thus, the abasement and counteraction needs are synchronically opposed combative area needs.

Some General Combative Dimension Motivation Problems

The six ego needs (autonomy, dominance, sex, aggression, rejection, defendance) are normally closely associated in the combative area of the combative dimension. (The Motivation System Target Model). If a PIT subject's ego needs are spread out in the combative area it means that the ego needs are too dissociated to provide strong mutual support for effective ego assertion. The subject is apt to lack the will to make decisions and pursue goals. In extreme cases, a schizoid approach to life may be present. As a matter of historical fact, the relationship between the six ego needs was first noted in PIT research studies of schizophrenic, neurotic, and normal groups. The six ego needs were weakly integrated (distantly associated) by all the schizophrenic groups as compared with other groups, especially normals. These results suggested that the cluster be labeled the "ego needs" since a weak or fragmented ego is traditionally considered to be characteristic of schizophrenics. These results were reported in an article titled "Need associations and psychopathology" by Chambers and Surma in the Journal of Personality Assessment, 1979. The PIT computerized scoring programs provide ego need deviation scores along with interpretations of the significance of the scores.   If the subject's ego needs are too closely associated (poorly differentiated) quite different behavior is predicted. In this case, ego expression is apt to be primitive and immature and behavior is apt to be very self centered and demanding, especially if the ego need attitude scores are more positive than normal. This pattern is rarely encountered in the adult population. It occurs most frequently among sociopaths.

Problems Associated With an Extreme Peripheral Aggression Need in the Combative Area

Occasionally, a subject's multidimensional scaling results show an extreme peripheral aggression need location in the combative area. Such a location isolates the aggression need from the other ego needs. This location has special significance. The extreme peripheral location of the aggression need means that it will seldom be activated but when this occurs it may be expressed by strong and simple aggression that does not have the benefit of support from other ego needs and the controls of opposed needs. An isolated peripheral combative aggression location is sometimes found in those who seem to have few aggressive impulses and are thus perceived as "sweet" and agreeable. However, disguised aggressive pathology is apt to be present. For example, some anorectic women have this profile. Such women may show little or no combative aggression but there may be considerable covert hostility connected with their eating problems. The PIT computer scoring and interpretation program will indicate an extreme peripheral aggression need and provide an interpretation of this result.

Misplacement of Needs From the Noncombative Area to the Combative Area

The combative dimension target model locates the harm avoidance need in the noncombative area of the combative dimension. (The Motivation System Target Model). In this normal location, harm avoidance, when it is activated, inhibits the synchronic expression of combative needs. (If we are afraid of harmful consequences, we don't want to start a fight.) Some situations call for a "fight or flight" decision. In such a situation, we must decide whether to combatively attack an opponent ("damn the torpedoes - full speed ahead") or whether to withdraw from combative engagement ("discretion is the better part of valor"). This type of conflict is quite common in every day life. The conflict can generate a big adrenaline rush that will stimulate the energy necessary to go with either alternative. However, if we are persistently conflicted between avoiding harm or asserting our ego needs we are kept in a highly stressful state that will take its toll on us both physically and psychologically.

Mislocated Harm Avoidance Need in the Combative Dimension

The mislocation of the harm avoidance need in the combative area has been observed in a number of clinical cases. These people had in common a basic mistrust of people. They held beliefs that any assertion of their will or ego was very dangerous. The origin of such beliefs can go far back into childhood. One woman remembered that when she was a little girl she was in constant fear that when she was not observing her parents, they turned into werewolves and would eat her up (legend has it that werewolves take on human form when observed by humans to avoid discovery). She lay in her bed at night in terror and would occasionally slip down the stairs to try to catch her parents before they could turn back into humans. One can imagine that this behavior left the parents worried and bewildered, especially when she would jump out from the foot of the stairs in her attempts to "catch" them. Distrust of her parents generalized into distrust of everyone. At the time of her therapy, she had developed a fairly strong ego but every self assertive impulse caused her intense anxiety. When she was able to recognize and modify her deeply ingrained unrealistic belief that all ego assertion was catastrophically dangerous, she was able to consciously refute this belief and overcome her pathological anxiety. Incidentally, the parents were not harsh or vicious and the therapist only briefly believed that they really were werewolves. Probably a case of an intelligent, highly imaginative kid watching too much television or reading some morbid fairy tales.

Mislocated Blame Avoidance Need in the Combative Dimension

When a need is misplaced to the opposite end of a dimension (as in the above example), unsatisfactory compromises may develop that usually leave all the involved needs poorly expressed and satisfied. Sometimes people maladaptively fuse conflicting needs. Maladaptive fusion produces an abnormal way of dealing with situations involving synchronically conflicted needs. For example, the mislocation of the blame avoidance need from the noncombative to the combative area has been noted in people with strong aggressive misanthropic tendencies. The resulting maladaptive fusion between blame avoidance and the ego needs may be associated with a belief that the way to avoid punishment and disapproval is to preempt blame by aggressively attacking the blamer (counter attacking with righteous indignation can be an effective strategy for quieting accusers). In some extreme cases, mislocation of blame avoidance in the combative area is associated with antisocial and criminal behavior.

Mislocated Succorance Need in the Combative Dimension

Misplacement of the succorance need from the noncombative to the combative area is associated with passive aggressive behavior. People with this pattern don't ask for help - they threaten, demand, and try to force others to give them what they want.

Mislocated Abasement and Counteraction Needs in the Combative Dimension

When the abasement need is mislocated from the noncombative to the combative are, the person may be aggressively self critical and self blaming. Such people don't just admit a fault or error, they attack themselves for their shortcomings. Somewhat similar behavior is associated with the misplacement of the counteraction need to the combative area. This pattern may be found in people who try to aggressively and punitively force themselves to correct their faults instead of working rationally to correct them as one would do when helping someone else correct a shortcoming.

Mislocated Achievement Need in the Combative Dimension

There are three basic ways to obtain the things we want. We can use force (aggression need) to get what we want, we can get others to give us what we want (succorance need), or we can work to get what we want (achievement need). We have already described what happens when we try to combine succorance with combative needs. If the achievement need is misplaced from the noncombative to the combative area, we may fight and attack our work instead of solving problems and rationally directing our efforts toward our goal. This approach can result in hammering our finger instead of the nail.

Mislocated Understanding Need in the Combative Dimension

If the understanding need is mislocated from the noncombative to the combative area it may indicate difficulty with making decisions ("I need to think about this until I understand everything perfectly before I decide to act"). Attempts at self assertion may get bogged down in obsessive analysis. The understanding need may maladaptively fuse with the ego needs to produce intellectual forms of combativeness such as hostile criticism, wit, sarcasm, ridicule, or legalistic contentiousness.

Temporary Goodbye to the Combative Dimension

We haven't tried to present and interpret all the possible need mislocations for the combative dimension but the above examples suggest the diagnostic possibilities when mislocations are encountered. Our suggestion for clinical use of PIT mislocations is to engage the client in a collaborative effort to understand what the mislocation means for the subject in terms of their beliefs and motivational goals. You can learn a lot about people using this approach and your clients can learn a lot about themselves. Such learning can be used to modify unrealistic beliefs and ineffective behavior.

The Picture Identification Test (PIT) is a psychological instrument based on the Murray need system. The PIT uses multidimensional scaling to provide an analysis of needs (motives). It indicates needs that are being met or expressed ineffectively. The PIT can be administered to subjects ages twelve and older.

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