The inherently flexible person, or the primitive "F," lacks most of the disadvantages of primitive rigidity, but he also lacks its advantages. The primitive "F" is virtually incapable of insulation. On the other hand, therefore, he is not limited by the restricted awareness of the "R." On the other hand, many of his chief problems in adaptation arise out of his relative inability to narrow the range of stimuli of which he is simultaneously aware.
The primitive "F" is both aware of, and responsive to, a wide variety of stimuli, which compete for his attention, and sharply reduce his ability to concentrate. His reactivity is characterized more by diffusion than by set, and his threshold for confusion is low. His awareness is not sufficiently controlled to permit him to respond within appropriate limits. He is overresponsive, distractible, and virtually incapable of sustained focus. He shifts readily, in fact, too readily. However, though he hardly needs environmental pressure to induce shift, he does he does require external control to help him channelize his activities effectively.
A primitive "F" is inherently ingenious, adaptable, creative, and original, and can function well if he is provided with a wide range of activities which permit him to vary his attention, and which do not depend on specific, literal, or imitative abilities. He tends to have a great many different interests, and he also enjoys activity for its own sake. He therefore has little difficulty in initiating a number of activities without external direction. However, his problem lies in his inability to concentrate on any one of them in particular. While the primitive "R" does not spontaneously vary his behavior with ideas, people, or things, the primitive "F" varies them constantly.
Characteristically, a primitive "F" is highly sensitive and aware in social and interpersonal relationships. He is spontaneously responsive to others, and is typically insightful and empathetic. Sensitivity is said to extend even to physical areas, making him over-responsive to illness and disease. The primitive "F" is said to be more prone to illness than the primitive "R," and, if both should become ill, to be the sicker of the two. He is essentially lacking in the toughness of the "R."
The general insightfulness of the primitive "F" is also characteristic of his learning behavior. He must understand before he can learn. As a result, rote learning is extremely difficult, if not impossible for him. If his distractibility can be sufficiently controlled, he can perform exceedingly effectively in learning situations which require originality, spontaneity, and insightful problem solving, and which do not depend on high-developed specific aptitudes or sustained practice.
The primitive "F" finds routines and fixed procedures both alien and irksome. On the other hand, the quality of his spontaneous learning is apt to be extremely good, if' it Is prompted by his own interests, or directed along their lines. He is not inclined to accept authority unless he agrees with it, or to follow it unless it accords with his own understanding. He learns best In relatively unstructured settings, which permit him to respond on the basis of imagination and sensitivity, and which offer sufficient latitude to allow for originality of approach.
While the primitive "F" has a number of characteristics which are potentially extremely effective, he also has attributes which make it extremely difficult for him to utilize them. He must learn to restrict the range of awareness sufficiently to enable him to concentrate, and to focus on certain interests at the expense of others. He must Introduce direction into his activities, and. acquire control of his responsiveness, if he is to escape confusion.