How do we become who we are?
Every civilization has a story of how it began. And each person you meet has a story of how they came to the place where you encountered them. But, how do we as humans develop into the people we experience each day? How do we take in information throughout our lives, let some of it change and shape us while letting other information go without acknowledging it at all. Only within the past two decades have psychologists as a profession really come to better understand the complexity of human values, beliefs, and identitiy. Equilintegration theory is one perspective that helps us understand how people are shaped as they age and how we can build more sustainable internal processes.
This slide deck below briefly introduces the theory visually.
Equilintegration (EI) Theory seeks to explain:
- the processes by which beliefs, values, and worldviews are acquired,
- why their alteration is typically resisted, and
- how and under what circumstances their modification occurs
EI Theory draws connections between:
- the many facets of who a person is,
- how aiming to meet core needs are key driving factors, and
- how input from their environment shapes their system of beliefs and values, or worldview.
EI Theory explains the interconnectedness of core needs and belief formation that can provide understandings of why learning or change is resisted at times, yet it does not create the transformation. It is through Transformative Learning experiences that we become aware of our worldview and develop our ability to think critically.
EI Theory
View the slide decks below to read short introductions to EI Theory content.
