Tracy Cooper’s scientific contributions

A presumptive link has existed between highly sensitive people (HSPs), or those with the personality trait sensory processing sensitivity, and high developmental potential as defined by Kazimierz Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration. This study presents the first empirical evidence of such a link and explores the implications of dynamisms as revealed in a first of its kind survey utilizing the Overexcitability Questionnaire 2 given to 1,246 survey respondents (all highly sensitive people) indicating significant correlations to high OE in the emotional, intellectual, and imaginational categories. Dabrowski defined these as the “big three” most necessary for advanced development. Combined with emotionality (the trigger mechanism for the trait) these three OEs seem to indicate the presence of Dabrowskian dynamisms influencing and contributing to advanced personality development through the disintegrative-reintegrative process. Additional empirical evidence is presented indicating a strong drive toward autonomous realization of human authenticity.

Persons with overexcitabilities (EOIs) have, according to K. Dabrowski’s theory of positive disintegration (TPD), a high development potential. In this study, gifted adults belonging to the MENSA were asked to volunteer for a study on high sensitivity and development levels according to the TPD by Dabrowski. Seven adults with known IQs took part in a survey on high sensitivity. TPD’s development levels were measured using the Definition Response Instrument (DRI) by Gage et al. (1981). The answers to the DRI questionnaire were analyzed by looking for Dabrowski’s dynamisms and recording which level of development they corresponded to. The most common dynamisms were "subject-object" of level IV and "dissatisfaction with oneself" of level III. The average level score given by the dynamisms was positively correlated to the HSP scale score and the IQ score. The results suggest that not only giftedness but high sensitivity coupled to giftedness is a good predictor of development potential.