Conscious State Theory (CST)
Simply put, Conscious State Theory (CST) is a psychological theory that states everyone has a conscious State (CS), which falls somewhere within the Conscious State Model (CSM). This theory explains the relationship between cognition (thinking) and extrospection (the perception of external stimuli) which forms consciousness (cognisance).
It is far easier for most to understand introspective perception, our internal thoughts and reflections. The second type of perception, extrospection is an external perception, an observation of things external to one’s mind with conclusions formed about the world in which we live. How these two types of perception combine is crucial to the location of an individual within the Conscious State Model (CSM) and therefore, a person’s level of well-being.
Expert research at the University of Surrey has established that individually, we all live through our senses and the environment is everything outside the human body, so it necessarily follows that our conscious state is defined by the two types of perception - introspection and extrospection. We continuously adjust how we fit into our environment, modifying our behaviour for different activities; this is known within the institute as ‘Rational Adaptive fit’ (RAF). If we adapt well to the situation we are in, success or happiness will be the likely result, as we are in our niche. So, well-being results from our current conscious state and adaptive fit. The quality of our comprehension or understanding of current conditions will affect our actions and therefore influence our well-being. So adaptive fit & conscious state = well-being and has been defined as:
Traditionally well-being has been divided into two types
- Hedonistic well-being (HWB) is based on the notion that increased pleasure and decreased pain leads to happiness. Hedonic concepts form subjective well-being, happiness related to hedonic pleasures such as sex, food or art.
- Eudaimonic well-being (EWB) refers to the quality of life derived from developing a person’s potential and their application in fulfilling personally expressive, self-concordant personal goals.
- At the Institute, we advocate the more robust Rational well-being (RWB). RWB considers sound decisions based on intelligence, favouring well-informed thinking over emotionally based decision-making. RWB goes further and actually provides the necessary support to meet challenges that people face, operating through skilled knowledge of the present and one’s adaptive fit. Within any circumstances, RWB is the ability to act or respond effectively, without detriment or harm, in moments arising from the current environment. As a species, if we wish to continue our evolution RWB may very well be the answer.
However, there is a new modern third type of well-being, which we consider to be a considerable improvement on how well-being is defined.
So, by considering introspective and extrospective understanding, it’s possible to adapt our behaviour, even improve how we live, towards a rational relationship with external environmental stimuli and to improve well-being. The Institute of Life has developed Rational Adaptive Fit (RAF) tools to improve our conscious state and the training required to manage our lives objectively. Sustained success will almost certainly have a management system behind it. We have developed a Life Management System (LMS) that forms a framework for our Life Management Training (LMT) which is now available to everyone to improve your level on the Conscious State Model (CSM). Our unique philosophy, Lifeism, is an environmental psychology based on ecological and adaptive rationality applied to consciousness. So, here is the opportunity to develop and understand sustained success and rational well-being, which is all contained within the Institute’s Life Management Training (LMT), resulting in happiness and contentment.