Willingness in Practice

Steps to Representation

Personal functions can be investigated and analysed abstractly, as in the previous topics which clarified the Primary Hierarchy. But once a personal function is used in the real world, then the situation becomes more complicated.

  • Others become concerned and bring influence to bear, socio-cultural forces impact, and physical constraints may emerge as well.
  • Operating just one form (level) of willingness on its own becomes impossible.
  • As multiple forms (levels) push their way into the course of action, any operative form becomes altered subtly or blatantly altered.

We have learned to represent this complicated dynamic system taxonomically as follows:

Step 1: Identify the dynamic duality.

Step 2: Apply the duality to each Level to determine Centres , which are recognizable potential states of willingness, and if there are two Centres in a Level, clarify which will dominate.

Step 3: Determine Channels of mutual influence and interaction that naturally and requisitely develop between the Centres.

Step 4: Identify the internal duality as the basis for naming this Tree framework.

Dynamic Duality

Trees reflect actual personal functioning in the current socio-physical reality. As such, they operate under the influence of a dynamic duality. This duality requires functioning in a Level to be either governed by: 

  • Internal factors labeled P for personal or private
    In other Tree frameworks, this commonly reflects self-interest, but given the pressure of selflessness here, personal forces will be more about responsibilities, impersonal preferences, unconscious biases, self-preservation, comfort.

OR

  • External factors labeled S for social or situational
    These include relationships, group and organisational demands and cultural forces. Willingness is too purely experiential to be affected by physical constraints like time, space, or other practical matters.

OR

  • Balance of factors, labeled B.
    These Centres require a synthesis or fusion of internal and external factors which cannot be disentangled.

Application of a dynamic duality converts a Level into a Centre with each Centre being a locus or state of willingness. When there are two polar opposite Centres in one Level, the more dominant one in practice is, by convention, placed on the right side of the Tree.

Having completed Step-1, clarifying the dynamic duality, it is possible to move to Step-2 and examine each Level to determine Centres. As the Centres are identified, potential Channels will be explored (Step-3).

Originally posted: 20-Feb-2026.