Welter, Giselle M.R.

Introduction

As Szondi’s Theory is quite difficult for the layman to understand, specially the main idea of the Drives Theory, we developed a workshop based on the Achtnich factors, described in the handbook of the BBT – Berufsbildertest. This workshop simulates the main characteristics of the eight different factors related to occupations.

My presentation refers to the workshop, introducing the eight drive factors, the main orientation and how they can be experienced.


Procedure Station W – Weichheit / Softness, tenderness

The W factor refers to the fine motoric system, susceptible to caress and touch. It is the orientation of feminity, sensibility, sensuality and intimacy. Central in this factor is the ability for empathy, with a strong interest in all people and seeing in them the possibility of erotic love.

Many people interpret as an attack when someone invades his/her personal space. Some move carefully forward when entering the private space of other people, in fear of not being welcome. Others, consciously seek physical contact. The objective of this state is to experience a situation that involves proximity and intimacy.

Experience: Entering the private space

Instructions:

Barefoot on a carpet, people have to close their eyes and wonder on the carpet without speaking, walking slowly and very close to each other. They are asked to feel the space around them - before them, behind them and beside them. - When they meet someone, e.g. are touched by someone, they are asked to make contact with the other person and by touching his/her body and holding his/her hands they have to discover who this person is. During this experience we play Celtic harp music.

In this experience the participants are invited to get in touch with their own sensations and feelings, aroused by the proximity with others, and are asked to mentally answer the following questions:

- How does it feel to have someone entering your private space?

- How does it feel to invade someone else’s private space?

- How does it feel to be touched by someone?

- How does it feel to find yourself alone, with no one to touch?

After the experience the participants are invited to express their feelings and thoughts. In this moment the concepts related to the W factor are described, allowing the participants to understand them and also their attitude towards them:

• I love to be surrounded by people. I felt comfortable. I love to be hugged.
• I don’t like to be touched by people I don’t know.
• I was very careful while touching the body of other people.
• I was afraid to touch parts that are very intimate.
• I used the hands as orientation.
• The music was relaxing and soft.
• I used my fingers to feel the texture of the hand.
• I had to be receptive to the other and avoid being rude.


After that the participants are invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1 - I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience (Apendix).

Station K – Kraft / Power

The K factor refers to the motoric function, with attributes as sturdy musculature, penetration, loud voice and noisy environment. The continuous activity, the belligerence and the aggressiveness are related to the expansive acquisition and defense of territory. The pleasure in battle and the contests for power and leadership represent this factor. On the other polarity are self-sacrifice, timidity, self-aggression and passivity.

Experience: How to conquer a territory?

Instructions:

» Alternative A:

The group has to form a circle without entangling arms or legs. One participant plays the "outsider role" and must penetrate in the circle. He/she can use the persuasion, promises, praises and also, physical force. The participants are asked to be careful with glasses, watches, bracelets and earrings). While the "outsider" forces his/her entrance, the group must offer resistance.

» Alternative B:

Two participants must dispute the space of a circle marked on the floor, expelling the opponent. The group keeps aside, acting as observer.

After the experience, the participants are invited to express their feelings and thoughts. In this moment the concepts related to the K factor come up spontaneously, allowing the participants to understand these factors and their attitude towards them, inspired by the following questions:

- How did you feel when being obstructed, impeded of entering in the group?

- What did that mobilize in you?

- How was your perception of the other participants in that moment?

- What did you want to do?

- How did you feel not being able to eliminate the obstacle or opponent?

The feelings most commonly expressed are:

• I wanted to destroy the human wall.
• I don’t like to be aggressive.
• I felt miserable and weak.
• I had to prove to myself that I was capable of entering the circle.
• I was exhausted. My muscles are aching now.
• I did not know that I could be so strong and powerful.

After that, the participants are invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1 - I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience.


Station S - Soziale Gesinnung / Social attitude

Achtnich describes this drive with two main directions: Sh factor, related to the sensitive conscience, to the sense of responsibility. The main characteristic of this drive is collective justice, tolerance, goodness, helpfulness and religiosity, with disposition to feelings of guilt, anguish of conscience, and a kind of self-reliance. Opposing the responsibility over others, there is a desire for autonomy and for being responsible for oneself. Se factor, where a general alertness is present in the form of an attraction to situations of risk. Achtnich refers to this drive as the need to mobility and adventure.

Experience: Pendulum exercise

Instructions:

Three participants must stay in line, the outer ones looking at each other and the inner one facing one of them, with his/her back to the other. The participant in the center stands erect, with legs united and with the arms hanging straight along the body and with eyes and will closed. He/She must let himself/herself fall backwards and forward, without inflecting the legs, like a pendulum between the outer participants. The outer participants will support the one who is rocking back and forth. Everyone must experience the pendulum position.

After the experience the participants are invited to express their feelings and thoughts. In this moment the concepts related to the S factor come up, allowing the participants to understand the meaning of this factor and their attitude towards it, inspired by the following questions:

- How did you feel having to trust and depend on other people’s help?

- How did you feel in the support position, not being able to leave it?

- How did you experience the risk situation?

The discussion brings concepts like responsibility and risk:

• I was afraid to fall down.
• I could not leave my eyes shut.
• It is difficult to trust other people.
• I was afraid not being able to support the person and let him/her fall down.
• I hate to assume responsibility over other people.
• I love this kind of play. The feeling of adrenaline is very special.
• I like to help people and to be relied upon.

After that the participants are invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1 - for I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience.


Station Z – Zeigen / To show

The Z factor is related to social acceptance and concern about the opinion of others. This factor manifests itself in shamelessness, self-revelation, self-display, exhibitionism and also in the tendency to self-concealment, secretiveness from oneself and others, voyeurism. Typical for this factor are reactions such as blushing and paling. The needs related to this drive are a search for recognition, desire to be noticed and aesthetic.

Experience: To be in the center of attention

Instruction

Every participant must present himself/herself in someway in the middle of the room. The other participants will act as audience.

After the experience the participants are invited to express their feelings and thoughts. In this moment the concepts related to the Z factor are described, allowing the participants to understand them and their attitude towards them, inspired by the following questions:

- What did you feel when having all the attention directed at you?

- What expectations did you have?

- Were you concerned about the opinions of the others?

- What did you enjoy most?

- What did you dislike most?

The discussion brought up the concern about the opinion of the other people and the fear of loosing face.

After that, the participants are invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1 - I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience.


Station V - Vernunft, Verstand / the rational

The drive V factor manifests a limitation of the ego and its contraction, constraint. The orientation towards the external world allows the recognition of limits, rules and norms. The main need is to be in control, to measure, to define, to determine and to produce something real. This factor represents the rational, the logic, the reality, the objectivity and the possibility of producing something real.

Experience: Origami

Instructions:

The participants receive square colored origami sheets and formal instruction and the description of a paper basket. They are asked to build the basket following the instructions.

During the experience, the participants express themselves spontaneously describing the difficulties related to not being able to make something different, having to follow the steps and to understand the instructions of the origami scheme. Many participants give up, while others get stuck in the task and cannot stop before it is successfully concluded.

The questions to this experience are:

• How did you solve the task?
• What were the encountered difficulties due to?
• What could have helped you to build the basket?
• How did you enjoy this experience? Why?
• Is it possible to associate this experience with the working life?

After that the participants are invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1 - I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience.


Station G – Geist / Spirituality

Experience: Meditation Journey

Instructions: Breakthrough Meditation

Breathe in. Breathe out
Breathe in. Breathe out
Breathe in. Breathe out
Focus on your feet.
Imagine your feet growing roots into the earth.
Deep, deep, deep roots.
Notice your ankles.
Feel the blood pumping through the veins in your legs.
Feel your buttocks planted firmly in the chair.
Relax.
Relax your breathing.
Listen to the constant pulse of your heartbeat.
Release any tension in your back.
Allow your torso to slump slightly.
Place yourself into a relaxed position.
Perhaps moving your shoulders slightly forward.
Allow your head to wobble gently from side to side.
Tip your head first to the right and then tip it to the left.
Drop your chin to your chest.
Allow your head to slowly bob up and down.
Lift your head now.
Focus on your eyelids.
Keeping your eyes shut, notice the movements of your eyeballs.
Are they still? Are they moving fast or fluttering slightly?
Don't force them to be any certain way.
Just let them be as they are.
Imagine yourself being encased inside an eggshell.
You are the embryo of a baby eagle.
You are the combination of matter and energy.
Blood, flesh, membranes, bones, sensations, instincts.
Within the confinement of this secure place, immersed in the warmth of living fluids, you find safety and comfort.
Surrounded by the protective walls of this hardened shell.
You feel isolated, separate and alone.
Gradually, you allow yourself to move within these confining walls.
Stretching, growing, and expanding.
There is a gentle cracking; the pool of fluids that has been your home is oozing to the outside of your shell.
Your limbs feel the cool sea air seeping through the cracks, exposing you to unknown elements.
Expanding your wings, you crack the egg open a little more.
Your wet feathers begin to dry to a dampened fluff.
You step outside the broken pieces that had once guarded you from harm.
It is time for you to co-create your life.
Your eyes flutter open to the sight of Earth.
This planet is your newly chosen home.
Depart from the eagle's nest that sits high on the cliff.
Take flight to the clouds.
View the vibrant red of Earth’s clay in the mountains below.
Don't shield your eyes from the brilliant orange sun and its gleaming yellow rays.
Breathe in the abundance of Earth's green fields and magnificent forests.
Emerge yourself within the depths of the bright blue morning sky and embrace its indigo starry nights.
Allow yourself to be open to the violet-red rays that penetrate the planet's orb from beyond.
Focus on the white light above the crown of your head, projecting your very being in its direction.
Now tell this light your innermost desires.

After the experience, the participants are invited to describe what they "saw" and what they felt and to express themselves in some way. The questions are related to the visualization process, to the internal images that aroused.

• How did you feel being a baby eagle?
• What did you feel inside the egg?
• How did you experience the expansion?
• Could you feel the shell cracking?
• Could you allow yourself to fly?
• What did you see from the sky?
• Could you free yourself from your real human body?
• How did you enjoy this experience?

After the discussions the participants are invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1 - I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience.


Station M – Materie / Matter

The M factor is related to the matter, to the concrete substance. It represents the need to keep things, to maintain, to repair, to preserve, to be loyal and to collect. The orientation is towards the past and to the attachment to objects already lost, to the history, to the origin, to the memory and to the past. Routine activities are related to this factor, where results are quantifiable, touchable, concrete and perennial.

Experience: Forming chocolate balls (Brigadeiro)

Instruction:

Using a little spoon, butter and the hands, the participants have to take the chocolate paste out of a can and form little balls with it, cover them with chocolate sprinklers and put them in little paper shells. During the experience it is possible to hear comments related to the factor, such as: This is like a production line; Be more economical; Don’t waste material; My hands are dirty; I love to use my hands; I remember the time when I was a child; I love this smell, etc. The discussion of the experience is based on the following questions:

- What feelings came to your mind during the activity?

- What did it remind you of?

- To what kind of occupations can you associate this experience?

After the experience the participants are invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1- I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience.


Station O – Oralität / Orality

Achtnich describes the O factor as with two different orientations: Or factor – related to the need for communication, to be in contact with other people, to talk, to negotiate, to laugh, to discuss, to be eloquent and to be a team worker; On factor – related to food, to eating, to drinking and to tasting alcohol. This factor expresses the affinity with the good things of life, represented by a general sociability and the intense need to be in contact with other people.

Experience: Coffee Break

Instruction:

The participants are invited to the coffee break, where they can talk to each other, establish contact and enjoy the taste of cookies, coffee and tea. This is the experience they love most, since Brazilians are very friendly and talkative.

After the coffee break experience, we pick up the main concepts related to this factor.

The main orientation is towards other people and to feel accepted. The mouth is the main instrument needed for the activities related to this factor. The objective is to communicate, to sell, to discuss and/or to experience the taste and good things in life. The atmosphere is collective and informal; the objects are the language and the food.

After the discussion, the participants were invited to register their feelings in a Likert scale, grading from 1 - I strongly disliked the experience, to 9 - I loved the experience.


Conclusion

The experience of the eight drive stations results in a profile with the 8 Likert scales and that allows the participants to think about their tendencies. The participants are then invited to express themselves and to make comments.

This somehow playful introduction is a warm-up situation to start on the factors in a systematic and formal way. Since the Szondi, e.g. Achtnich, factors are not popular in Brazil and the theory is very complex, this workshop allowed us to introduce these factors and main concepts in a way that made people curious and interested in learning more about them. We believe that this knowledge is essential for the vocational guidance work with the BBT and in the use of the HumanGuideÒ concepts. Once we deal mostly with layman, it turned out to be a very useful tool.


Bibliography

Achtnich, M. (1979). BBT – Berufsbilder- Test. Bern: Verlag Hans Huber.

Borg, J.G. (2001). Szondi’s Personality Theory in the Year 2000. Tampere: MC-Pilot Oy / kustannus

Szondi, L. (1972) Lehrbuch der experimentelle Triebdiagnostik. Band – Textband. Bern: Verlag Hans Huber.