Toward a scientific framework for the Personal Meaning Organization (PMO) paradigm: neuroimaging and genetic studies

Abstract Introduction: Reciprocity with primary care-givers drives subjects’ adaptive abilities towards the construction of the most useful Personal Meaning Organization (PMO) with respect to their developmental environment. Materials and methods: We analyzed the post-rationalist approach over the last ten years focusing on the construction of a specific framework for distinguishing immediate experience from explanations of the experience, the moviola technique, and the analysis of awareness and resistance. Functional neuroimaging (fNI) was used to conduct a scientific in vivo study of PMO. Results: Predictable, invariable care-giver behaviors allow an inward focus and a physical view of reciprocity: when reciprocity is high, a controller-type inward PMO develops; when it is low, the inward PMO develops in a detached manner. The Controller PMO is focused on the need for protection/exploration; the Detached PMO is focused on need for expression during isolation. Variable, non-predictable care-giver behavior allows an outward focus and a semantic view of reciprocity: when reciprocity is high, a contextualized outward PMO develops; when it is low, a principle-oriented outward PMO develops. The former interprets changes in the relational environment one by one; the latter focuses on the management of antithetical aspects of reality. Discussion: Focusing on the PMO promotes the emergence of adaptive individual resources, thereby improving skills needed for the control of perturbing emotions and more flexible behavior strategies.