Basic er*a (EuFcAu)

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This cluster represents a relatively primitive level of basic adjustment. Individuals in this group are characterized by their fickleness, social versatility, and hard-headedness or single-mindedness. In short, they are "tough." Their social versatility is much like that of the era, [EuRuAu] but the social deceptiveness resulting from an ability to be all things to all people is most marked. The crucial difference between er*a, on the one hand, and era [EuRuAu] and era*, [EuRuUc] on the other, lies in the defensive rigidity or repressed sensitivity of the er*a. The primary tendencies of the primitive F are in the direction of inferiority feelings and sensual confusion. Since the er*a has reacted against both of these tendencies by becoming r*, his adjustment is characterized by defensive toughness, exaggerated self-confidence, and belligerent self-centered sensuality. In addition, since the er*a is still perceptive of, and responsive to, the needs and desires of others, he reacts negatively to these stimuli; thus, there is often a definite sadistic quality in this adjustment.

A major problem for both er*a and era [EuRuAu] is that these people gain much initial superficial acceptance because of their role versatility. They can also rapidly switch environments whenever they are called on to prove ability or whenever they tire of a particular involvement or responsibility. As a result, many era [EuRuAu] and er*a will be nomadic, opportunistic, and, except in social versatility, not particularly skilled; they are undependable and unable to maintain a sense of responsibility.

The era, [EuRuAu] described above, is relatively insulated and can be unfeeling and selfish with little guilt or shame. The er*a, in contrast, is much more aware of the need to be responsible and of the emotional reactions of others to his behavior. Consequently, if he is to be successful as an er*a, he must react against his tendency to be responsible and must mask or control his vicarious emotionality. The er*a, then, may be aggressively irresponsible and calculatingly unfeeling and cruel. He tries to prove that he has no feelings of inferiority and will exploit emotional relationships with others to further his own needs and, thus, demonstrate an ability to control his feelings. For the er*a, such behavior requires considerable strain and effort; thus, the era [EuRuAu] adjustment is much more tension-producing than the era [EuRuAu] solution. Alcoholism, drug addiction, and promiscuity are very common companions of the er*a adjustment because he needs outside help in order to maintain his insulation and his total commitment to the present. In general, it can be said that the er*a lives fast and dangerously, and sacrifices all for the purely sensual satisfactions of the moment.

The er*a does not have the competitiveness and suspicion of the era* [EuRuUc] or the er*a*. [EuFcUc] Essentially, he is a social being who goes along with whatever crowd he is in, and will follow the recognized leader with little question. He has no acceptance anxiety and usually is "one of the boys." He does not need to over-prove his toughness, as does the er*a*, [EuFcUc] in order to get recognition. He merely has to maintain his toughness to prove to himself that he is like the others. He has to keep active because, when he slows down, he is under internal pressure to be more introspective and evaluative then he can tolerate. He rarely aspires to, or accepts, positions of leadership or responsibility but he always seeks a social milieu that has well-defined leadership and provides patterns for his behavior. In this sense, he is a socially dependent person. Under strong dominant leadership, he can be fairly productive but he is always vulnerable to seduction.

The er*a also lacks the mechanical-procedural aptitude of the era [EuRuAu] and the era* [EuRuUc] . He does make some effort to develop these skills, but it takes effort and strain to maintain his performance; thus, he learns only under enforced drill and discipline. The er*a* [EuFcUc] is more likely to learn well since he is under considerable pressure to prove his competence; the er*a is more likely to try to escape pressure and to do better than is true in fact. The er*a and era [EuRuAu] tend to be psychopathic -- the classic constitutional psychopath inferiority reaction, -- than either the er*a or era*; these last are most often diagnosed as sociopaths.