| Phenomenal field theory | |
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Phenomenal field theory is a contribution to the psychology of personality proposed by Donald Snygg and Arthur W. Combs[1][2]. According to this theory, all behavior is determined by the phenomenal field of the behaving organism.
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The phenomenal field is our subjective reality, all that we are aware of, including objects and people, and our behaviors, thoughts, images, and ideas like justice, equality, and so on. Snygg and Combs emphasize that this phenomenal field is the true subject-matter for psychology.
According to the authors, motivation is "the basic need of everyone to preserve and enhance the phenomenal self, and the characteristics of all parts of the field are governed by this need".
Learning takes place through differentiation, being a matter of improving the quality of one's phenomenal field by extracting some meaningful detail from the confusion that surrounds us[1].
Psychopathology is caused by a threat, which is the awareness of a menace to the phenomenal self. If the person reacts appropriately to the threat, mental health is preserved. If not, the threat leads to defenses, neurotic and psychotic symptoms, and even criminal behavior. Consequently, psychotherapy consists of freeing clients from unappropriate perceptions, behaviors, cognitions, and emotions they have set up to protect themselves from threat[2].