In other words, the responsiveness of the [R] individual is focused on a small segment of his potential psychological experience; the [F] individual is responsive to a much wider spectrum of the possible stimuli in his environment. As a result, the [R] individual is under considerable pressure to modify his tendency to focus his range of stimuli, on the other hand, the [F] individual is under considerable pressure to narrow the range of his responsiveness and to learn to focus meaningfully on single events in his psychological environment. The primitive [R], therefore, is inclined to be rigid and perseverating; the primitive [F] is inclined to be confused and distractible.
The primitive [R] potentially has the capacity to develop certain aptitudes to a greater degree than the primitive [F]. A characteristic of the primitive [R] is that he is more dependent upon direction or control from the outside than is the [F]. For example, the primitive [IR], although he has the potential capacity for symbolic learning, will not spontaneously engage in symbolic learning unless there is pressure from the outside for him to organize his psychological activity. However, if he is oriented toward symbolic learning, he will develop his skills in this area to an unusual degree but at the expense of learning other activities.
The primitive [F] individual is much more inclined to spontaneous action but he is being constantly distracted by the new stimuli or experiences he is receiving. For example, the [IF] primitive personality, although he possesses aptitude for symbolic learning, may not develop particular skill in socially oriented symbolic learning because of his tendency to develop his own symbolic techniques without reference to external control and guidance.
The [IR] individual is able relatively early, if given the proper start, to acquire easily the symbolic and abstract learning necessary in the early maturation period. The [IF], on the other hand, is likely to develop a wide breadth of symbolic and abstract activity but this will be autistic rather than socially oriented. The primitive [ER] individual, since his primary psychological drive is in the direction of external activity, if given direction, will learn motor activities in an efficient and useful way. However, he will be inclined to learn one motor activity very well at the expense of other activities. The [EF] will be much more over-active and confused because of his tendency to respond to such a wide range of activities and will be less effective in any one thing than the [R], but interested in more. It should be apparent that these adjustments have both assets and liabilities.
The [R] skill results in effective performance for which the individual is rewarded with praise and acceptance. On the other hand, since he has done so well in what he has done, he is expected to perform equally well in other areas in which he has not directed his attention or aptitude. When he fails to move into the other areas on his own initiative, he is forced to do so by individuals in his environment, often with impatience and irritation. As a result, the [R] individual usually experiences rather wide ranges of affect from the persons in his environment. This affect ranges from overt acceptance of his good performance to the over-rejection of his poor performance or lack of versatility.
A characteristic of the [R] individual is that, since he is essentially psychologically satisfied with his perseverating activity, he becomes quite self-centered and self-preoccupied with what he is doing and is oblivious of the mild pressures being placed upon him to widen his interests. From the standpoint of the external observer or director, the failure of the [R] individual to respond to the clues for diversification makes the observer lose patience with the [R] individual and become quite obviously emotional in dealing with him. From the standpoint of the [R] individual, the persons in his environment tend to be either very warm or very angry. The [R] individual is confused early because of his inability to anticipate or expect the emotional attitudes of the people in his environment.
The primitive [F], on the other hand, is showing considerable initiative and spontaneous activity consistent with the psychological drive, and the impatience and affect of people in his environment are directed more to his lack of attention or lack of persistence. The [EF] individual, since his drive is toward external activity, is the object of much more impatience and affective display than any of the other primitive types. His lack of perseverance, his tendency toward confusion, his distractibility, provoke a great effort from the people in his environment to force him to control his excessive activity. The [IF] individual, on the other hand, although it is hypothesized that he is equally active as the [EF], this activity is all internalized. Consequently, he is extremely passive and unresponsive to external stimuli. The method or means by which the attention of the [IF] is obtained is likely to be quite dramatic and, as a result, if the [IF] is ever forced to pay attention to the external environment, it is likely to be of a highly emotional tone. The modifications the [R] or [F] makes, therefore, also give clues to the emotional control and makeup of the individual.
Specifically, the primitive [R] is characterized as being literal, imitative, self-centered, and preoccupied. He has good potential ability to lean and retain skills, provided he is given direction. The primitive [R] does not spontaneously vary his activities with the objects, persons, or mental stimuli in his environment. The primitive [R] infant will show considerable frustration when forced to change interests or activities, will be angry when restricted or controlled as a means of preventing him from perseverating, and will show fear when placed in situations in which he has not learned how to respond. The primary pressures exerted on the primitive [R] are to force him to be more versatile, more sensitive and more responsive.
Specifically, the primitive [F] is flexible, original, either behaviorally or mentally active, and distractible. Potentially, then, he is capable of considerable ingenuity and adaptability if provided a range of activities to which to respond that do not require much literal and/or imitative ability. The primitive [F] spontaneously enjoys activity for its own sake and is more dependent upon his own interests in initiating activities. The primitive [F] infant will show considerable frustration when unable to respond to interesting stimuli effectively, will be angry when his movements and interests are restricted and controlled, and will show fear whenever his sensory motor receptivity is impaired or diminished. For example, the [EF] would show fear if placed in any situation where sensory deprivation occurs, for example, a dark room. The [IF] will show fear in a situation where sensory bombardment occurs. The primary pressures exerted on the primitive [F] are to force him to be less sensitive and less distractible in an attempt to get him to become more imitative and controlled.
It has already been emphasized that adjustment in an individual is determined by the pressures exerted upon him by outside forces interacting with the direction of the drive of the Primitive Level. As in the Intellectual Variable, the individual must learn to adapt to a variety of situations in some of which [R] tendencies are more useful and in others of which [F] tendencies are more suitable. The pattern determined at an early age because of the pressures exerted for the primitive [R] to feel guilty about his [R] tendencies and to seek to achieve [F] modifications, and in the primitive [F], to feel guilty about [F] tendencies and attempt to achieve [R] modifications. This means through which each individual modifies or adapts this Primitive Level based on his life experiences determines his Basic Level.