Albuquerque Report

Albuquerque Report

THE ALBUQUERQUE REPORT

This research was done to measure the positive influence of the Silva Method in personality changes.

SILVA METHOD BASIC LECTURE SERIES

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

1974

GEORGE T. DE SAU, ED. D. and PAUL SEAWELL H

INTRODUCTION

The ancient dictum "Know Thyself" gives voice to a still more ancient drive of the human individual: a profound feeling that there is a greater reality to inner experience than we have yet discovered, and an urge to "know," on an experiental and practical level, what we are and what we can become. One has only to look -- perhaps no farther than oneself -- to become aware of problems which have their source in lack of self-knowledge or self-development: psychosomatic illness, emotional troubles, interpersonal frictions, or perhaps just the "Quiet desperation" in which so many live out their lives.

It has long been the observation of both instructors and students that the Silva Method brings about definite, significant and valuable changes -- specifically, in the areas of relaxation, psychosomatics, self-improvement and problem solving. Previous projects have measured the effects of the Silva Method basic course on such specific populations as high school students, seminarians, and women receiving aid for dependent children. This study focuses on what is generally regarded as the backbone of the Silva Method movement: the adult course, open to the public on a standard commercial basis.

THE TEST

An adult commercial class of 30 persons (13 male, 17 female) in Albuquerque, N.M. took Cattell s "16 PF" before and after the Mind Control basic course taught by Mr. Glen Robinson, Instructor and Regional Director.

Pre testing took place August 28, 1973; post testing, September 7, 1973. In this test, there are sixteen personality factors, with each factor having a positive and a negative pole (See chart). In Factor A, for example, the A+ pole represents the extreme of "Warm-hearted, Easygoing, Participating," while the A- pole represents "Reserved, Detached, Critical, Aloof."

The negative side does not always represent undesirable characteristics, nor the positive side desirable ones. For example, Q4- represents "Relaxed, Tranquil, Composed," while Q4+ indicates "Tense, Driven, Fretful."

RESULTS

EGO STRENGTH

A consistent pattern of movement toward C+ has emerged from several previous projects. In this case, factor C had the largest shift. The C scale is a critical one in that it represents general ego strength, the ability of the individual to rely on internal resources to deal with life situations. Low C scores are characteristic of many neurotic disorders. The shift toward C+ shows movement away from psychosomatic health problems, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and general emotional instability -- all characteristics of individuals conditioned to be dependent on others for approval. The movement here is toward a greater reliance upon and confidence in self-direction based on one s own perceptions and values.

More and more individuals in this century are coming to feel that their own lives are insignificant, controlled by forces outside of themselves. This group s members perceived themselves as becoming more able to cope with situations, more confident that they could take a greater hand in managing their own destinies -- a feeling that "I am my own person."

TRANQUILLITY

Factor Q4 was next in the amount of change measured -- again quite consistent with previous projects. The shift was toward Q4-, representing "Tranquil, Unfrustrated, composed." The opposite pole, Q4+, indicates tension due to the inability to properly express and balance subconscious drives. The consistent movement toward Q4- seems to indicate that the Silva Method students are getting in touch with these drives and are able to deal with them in a more satisfactory manner.

Much of our energies go into the learning of skills or inormation. Few things are as damaging to the learning process as fear and tension; lowering of tension leaves the person more able to learn what is helpful -- be that learning to swim, learning to get along with others, or learning in schools. The balanced, composed state of the Q4- individual is a natural outgrowth of the greater self-confidence of Factor C+. Here, individuals were flowing with their environments, rather than internally fighting battles with the straw men of imagined threats.

SPONTANEITY

It is not all difficult to find people who have learned, perhaps in childhood, to suppress and hide their feelings. It is characteristic of most of us to some degree. In the test group, there was a shift toward Factor H+, toward being more spontaneous, uninhibited, and specially bold. The individuals were perceiving social situations more as opportunities than as threats. They were showing more willingness to reach out to others, and to express their thoughts and feelings without fear.Movement toward H+ can be interpreted as development of a type of intelligence which is sometimes undervalued: social intelligence, the fine art of living with the people around us. To release individual expression from binding fears is to achieve a special kind of inner freedom.

CONFIDENCE, ADEQUACY

Many of our institutions foster guilt an anxiety very effectively by teaching individuals to be heavily dependent on others for direction and reinforcement.

Reflecting this, an individual who scores high on Factor O is very sensitive to approval or disapproval from others, experiences anxiety when encountering difficulties, and is prone to worry, depression, moodiness and guilt. The test group moved away from this pole, and toward a state of confident selfguidance. Reliance on inner assurance was replacing dependence on external reinforcement. They were showing a greater self-assurance in the ability to deal with any situation which might arise.

ENTHUSIASM, TRUST

Two factors, F and L, showed lesser amounts of change than the previous four. The shift in Factor F was away from being dour and pessimistic; it was toward greater cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and joie de vivre. These would seem to be responses typical of individuals who feel themselves freed from much of the anxiety and inner turmoil which they had been bearing -- a definite sense of relief and exhilaration. Factor L showed movement toward being more trusting, adaptable, and eager to work with others rather than being competitive. The change was away from suspicion and mistrust - a significant statement in a society which seems to be fostering more and more suspicion and distrust of others. It may even be indicative of the transpersonal experience of the relatedness of all people, even all things, which has been described in every age by persons involved in meditation.

Both of these factors describe individuals becoming more effective contributors to a world in which people relate and work in a spirit of acceptance and cooperation.

DISCUSSION

These results tend to confirm the informal observations of definite and valuable changes taking place in Silva Method courses. No attempt was made to evaluate the Subjective Communication (PSI) aspects of the course. The consistency of these results with other projects, especially on scales C, Q4 and O, is impressive; these three scales are prominent in detecting a wide variety of neurotic disorders. The individuals tested appear to be moving away from these disorders and toward greater self-guidance, fulfillment, and balance based on their own internal points of reference. In light of propaganda schemes at present and those so vividly sketched in works like Brave New World and 1984, this shift appears significant indeed.

CHART 16 PF - 16 Dimensions

(A-) Reserved, detached, critical, Outgoing, warmhearted, easy-

(A+) aloof, stiff going, participating

(B-) Dull Bright

(B+)

(C-)Affected by feelings, emotionally Emotionally stable, mature,

(C+) less stable, easily upset, faces reality calm changeable(

E-) Humble, mild, easily led, docile, Assertive, aggressive, com- (+) accommodating petitive, stubborn

(F-) Sober, taciturn, serious Happy-go-lucky,gay,enthusiastic

(F+)

(G-) Expedient, disregards rules Conscientious, persistent,

(G+) moralistic, staid

(H-) Shy, timid, threat-sensitive Venturesome, uninhibited, (H+) socially bold

(I-) Tough-minded, self-reliant, Tender-minded, sensitive, (I+) realistic clinging, over-protected

(L-) Trusting, accepting conditions Suspicious, hard to fool (L+)(M-) Practical, "down-to-earth" Imaginative, bohemian,

(M+) concerns absent-minded

(N-) Forthright,unpretentious,genuine Astute, polished, socially,

(N+) but socially clumsy aware

(O-) Self-assured, placid, secure, Apprehensive, self-reproaching,

(O+) complacent, serene insecure, worrying, troubled(Q1-) Conservative, respecting Experimenting, liberal, free- (Q1+) traditional ideas thinking

(Q2-) Group dependent, a "joiner" Self-sufficient, resourceful

(Q2+) and sound follower prefers own decisions

(Q3-) Undisciplined self-conflict, Controlled, exacting will

(Q3+) lax, follows own urges, careless power, socially precise, of social rules compulsive, following self-image

(Q4-) Relaxed, tranquil, torpid, Tense, frustrated, driven,

(Q4+) unfrustrated, composed overwrought

Extracted and edited from the "Handbook for the 16 PF" (pp 16, 17) published and copyrighted by the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing as prepared by Raymond B. Cattell.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (16 PF)

ADULT COMMERCIAL CLASS FEMALE: N=17

FACTOR MEANS MEANS S.D.

* T (Pre-Test) (Post-Test)

A 8.53 9.41 2.60 1.40

B 8.18 8.88 2.20 1.33

C 15.06 18.88 4.50 3.50 ***

E 10.70 11.41 3.53 .83

F 12.71 15.18 3.08 3.31 ***

G 10.71 10.53 2.81 .26

H 11.65 15.65 4.66 3.54 ***

I 14.35 13.88 2.15 .90

L 5.77 4.47 3.20 1.66

M 13.24 13.29 2.90 .09

N 8.82 7.94 2.93 1.24

O 13.00 9.71 5.17 2.62 **

Q1 8.71 8.59 2.50 .20

Q2 11.12 10.88 3.83 .26

Q3 10.06 11.18 3.39 1.36

Q4 16.00 9.82 5.20 4.90 ****

*Standard Deviation of the Dscores

*Significant .05 Level

**Significant .01 Level

***Significant .001 Level

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (16 PF)

ADULT COMMERCIAL CLASS

MALES: N=13

FACTOR MEANS MEANS S.D.

* T (Pre-Test) (Post-Test)

A 7.92 8.08 2.82 .19

B 8.31 8.23 2.06 .14

C 14.69 18.38 3.17 4.20 ***

E 14.92 15.16 2.59 .32

F 14.62 14.62 2.45 .00

G 11.62 10.92 2.72 2.76 **

H 14.46 16.54 4.01 1.87

I 9.92 11.08 2.19 1.89

L 6.69 5.77 2.33 1.42

M 14.38 14.23 2.94 .18

N 9.08 8.38 1.55 1.61

O 10.31 7.23 3.90 2.85 **

Q1 9.15 9.08 1.75 .16

Q2 12.85 13.54 3.54 .70

Q3 12.08 12.38 1.03 1.09

Q4 13.08 10.92 3.89 1.99 *

Standard Deviation of the D scores

*Significant .05 Level

**Significant .01 Level

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (16 PF)

ADULT COMMERCIAL CLASS N=30 (F=17; M=13)

FACTOR MEANS MEANS S.D.

* T (Pre-Test) (Post-Test)

A 8.27 8.83 2.67 1.17

B 8.23 8.60 2.13 1.11

C 14.90 18.67 3.92 5.27 ****

E 12.53 13.03 3.11 .88

F 13.53 14.93 3.05 2.51 **

G 11.10 10.70 2.74 .80

H 12.87 16.03 4.43 3.91 ****

I 12.43 12.67 2.16 1.95

L 6.17 5.03 2.81 2.20 **

M 13.73 13.70 2.87 .19

N 8.93 8.13 2.40 1.83

O 11.83 8.63 4.59 3.82 ****

Q1 8.90 8.80 2.17 .26

Q2 11.87 12.03 3.65 .65

Q3 10.93 11.70 2.63 1.60

Q4 14.73 10.30 5.03 4.83 ****

* Standard Deviation of the D scores

*Significant .05 Level

**Significant .01 Level

***Significant .001 Level