Volume 4, December, 2018

 

UNCONSCIOUS MOTIVATIONS FOR JOINING AN INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY - A PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE

Violeta Ilieva
Pages: 230-238

ABSTRACT - The current case study applies a psychosocial perspective in exploring the unconscious motivations for joining an intentional community of the ecological type. It argues that through group membership community residents unconsciously seek to fulfill their psychological needs, including the needs for self-affirmation, security and attachment. Due to the lack of a shared goal, lack of structure and norms, as well as periods of social disintegration, the group fails to satisfy these needs, which is interpreted as a primary cause for the high levels of anxiety and psychological fatigue reported by individual members.

 

Keywords: ecovillage, intentional community, psychological needs, psychosocial approach

 

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