The veridicality of nonconventional cognitions: Conceptual and measurement issues in transpersonal psychology¹

This article is based on parts of the author's Doctoral dissertation (Pappas, 2003) at Saybrook Graduate School, which was presented at the American Psychological Association international conference in Toronto in August of 2003 at a reception to receive the Sidney Jourard Award sponsored by Division 32. Appreciation is expressed to Division 32 for this award and to the Floraglades Foundation for helping to fund this work, as well as to Professor Harris Friedman who was the dissertation's supervisor. Gratitude is also expressed to the Council on Spiritual Practices for providing a grant to further fund this research through receiving the William James Award in March of 2003.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the veridicality of nonconventional cognitions as they pertain to transpersonal psychological inquiry. It is argued that the validation and efficacy of transpersonal constructs are dependent upon the manner by which they are theoretically and empirically supported, namely, accurately conceptualized and operationalized, and not metaphysicalized. Salient impediments germane to the study of transpersonal phenomena are also reviewed with the concomitant assumption that their ontological and epistemological status should be consistent with objective, nomothetic, empiricism. In response to this scientific appropriation, one measurement instrument is discussed, the Self‐Expansiveness Level Form (SELF; Friedman, 1981; 1983), which is both reliable and valid in measuring transpersonal‐like phenomenon. Taking into consideration these notions, this paper closes with a discussion on the implications of this measurement scale to the field of transpersonal psychology as well as to conventional psychological research and clinical applications.

Notes

This article is based on parts of the author's Doctoral dissertation (Pappas, 2003) at Saybrook Graduate School, which was presented at the American Psychological Association international conference in Toronto in August of 2003 at a reception to receive the Sidney Jourard Award sponsored by Division 32. Appreciation is expressed to Division 32 for this award and to the Floraglades Foundation for helping to fund this work, as well as to Professor Harris Friedman who was the dissertation's supervisor. Gratitude is also expressed to the Council on Spiritual Practices for providing a grant to further fund this research through receiving the William James Award in March of 2003.