Table 3 The three lower order sub-scales that compose the self-transcendence (ST) scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory
High Scorers | Low Scorers | |
|---|---|---|
Tend to transcend their self-boundaries when deeply involved in a relationship or when concentrating in what they are doing, forget where they are for a while and lose awareness of the passage of time. Thus, appearing “in another world” or “absent minded”. Individuals who experience such self-forgetfulness are often described as creative and original | (ST1) creative self-forgetfulness vs. self-conscious experience | Tend to remain aware of their individuality in a relationship or when concentrating on their work. These individuals are rarely deeply moved by art or beauty. Thus, others usually perceive them as conventional, prosaic, unimaginative, or self-conscious |
Tend to experience an extraordinarily strong connection to nature and the universe as a whole, including the physical environment as well as people. They often report feeling that everything seems to be a part of a living organism and are often willing to make personal sacrifices in order to make the world a better place by trying to prevent war, poverty, or injustice. They might be regarded as fuzzy-thinking idealists | (ST2) transpersonal identification vs. personal identification | Rarely experience strong connections to nature or people. They tend to be individualists who feel that they are neither directly nor indirectly responsible for what is going on with other people or the rest of the world. Such individuals view nature as an external object to be manipulated instrumentally, rather than something of which they are an integral part |
Often believe in miracles, extrasensory experiences, and other spiritual phenomena such as telepathy or a “sixth sense”. They show magical thinking and are both vitalized and comforted by spiritual experiences. They might deal with suffering and even death through faith that they have, which may involve communion with their God | (ST3) spiritual acceptance vs. rational materialism | Tend to accept only materialism and objective empiricism. They are often unwilling to accept things that cannot be scientifically explained. This, in turn, is a disadvantage when they face situations over which there is no control or possibility for evaluating by rational objective means (e.g., inevitable death, suffering, or unjust punishments) |