sociometric subtypes

[Adam Blatner]

Mornin', all: 

This may seem a little heretical, and I'm open to input, but I've been thinking about sociometry in general and I can discern two sub-types: The first deals with making more explicit certain patterns of interpersonal preference, tele, along with other considerations about that dynamic. The second may overlap a bit, but amply deals with issues in which tele has little actual dynamic role-at least at first: This second time, though, involves the making explicit that which is implicit, though it may or often may not have anything much to do with tele.

The second type is more related to action-diagraming, to expressing in paper or in action various sub-groupings and variations that operate. The paradigmatic technique is the spectrogram, which often deals with criteria having little to do with interpersonal preference or rapport. (Sure, the more people reveal their preferences, the more there is a basis for feeling closer or further emotionally-but the actual revealing isn't based on tele for the most part.)

The "loco-gram" in its variations, and even parts of the social network diagram may have more to do with identifying what's in the perceptual field than expressing tele. The closeness or farther-ness of each figure overlaps with the perceived tele, but simply setting up the relationships can be valuable, too.

This is the point: Both types offer certain benefits. Yet they address somewhat different goals. The making explicit of preferences is emotionally somewhat more sensitive, because people fear being hurt and hurting others.

I value both types, but am beginning to see them as serving different (not really opposing) goals. 

This is in part a product of my pondering the use of diagraming, using drawings, different figures, charts, metaphors. (Actually, this idea comes out of my thinking about the mandala form as I plan to present to art therapists about practical applications of that figure. The social atom, the four-quadrant cycle noted by Mosher and used also by Ann Hale and others, all these speak to the idea of diagraming, giving some form and mental structure to the swirl of amorphous feelings and impressions in the mind.)

  Thoughts? 

Adam Blatner, M.D.
   website: www.blatner.com/adam/   
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