Theories Derived from the Rogers’ Conceptual System of the Science of Unitary Human Beings

Contributers: Jacqueline Fawcett and Martha Raile Alligood
December 12, 2023
Return to Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings

NOTES:

The Theory of Acceleration Evolution, the Theory of Rhythmical Correlates of Change, and the Theory of Paranormal Phenomena may be considered grand theories derived from an early version of Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings, as may the Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness and the Theory of Humanbecoming.

All other theories most likely were developed as middle-range theories, although with more contemporary knowledge of the scope of theories, it is possible that some, if not all other theories may be considered situation-specific theories. Furthermore, although the authors of these theories claim that they were derived from the Science of Unitary Human Beings, “no critique [has been found] as to the theoretical fit with the tenets of the Science of Unitary Human Beings” (Anonymous reviewer, personal communication, January 1, 2024)

Theory of Accelerating Evolution

This theory addresses the increase in the speed of evolutionary change and widening the range of life process diversity. Change is regarded as proceeding “in the direction of higher wave frequency field pattern … characterized by growing diversity” (Rogers, 1980, p. 334). Thus, new norms for energy field patterns are to be expected. The theory has also been called the Theory of Accelerating Change (Butcher & Malinski, 2010).

  • Butcher, H. K., & Malinski, V. M. (2010). Martha E. Rogers science of unitary human beings. In M. E. Parker & M.C. Smith, Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed., pp. 253-276). F.A. Davis.
  • Rogers, M. E. (1980). A science of unitary man. In J. P. Riehl & C. Roy (Eds.). Conceptual models for nursing practice (2nd ed.). Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Theory of Rhythmical Correlates of Change

This theory addressesthe rhythms of human and environmental energy fields. The theory asserts that “manifestations of the speeding up of human field rhythms are coordinate with higher frequency environmental field patterns. Humans and their environments evolve and change together” (Rogers, 1992, p. 32). Rogers emphasized that energy field patterns “are not to be confused with biologic rhythms or psychologic rhythms or similar particulate phenomena” (Rogers, 1980, p. 335). This theory has also been called the Theory of Manifestations of Field Patterning in Unitary Human Beings (Butcher & Malinski, 2010).

  • Butcher, H. K., & Malinski, V. M. (2010). Martha E. Rogers science of unitary human beings. In M. E. Parker & M.C. Smith, Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed., pp. 253-276). F.A. Davis.
  • Rogers, M. E. (1980). A science of unitary man. In J. P. Riehl & C. Roy (Eds.). Conceptual models for nursing practice (2nd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
  • Rogers, M. E. (1992). Nursing science and the space age. Nursing Science Quarterly, 5(1), 27–34. doi: 10.1177/089431849200500108 

Theory of Paranormal Phenomena

This theory provides explanationsfor various so-called paranormal phenomena, such as precognition, deja vu, clairvoyance, and telepathy. Within the context of the SUHB, these phenomena “become ‘normal’ rather than ‘paranormal”’ (Rogers, 1980, p. 335), as a pandimensional world does not include linear time or separation of human and environmental energy fields. The theory also addresses explanations for the effectiveness of diverse alternative methods of healing, such as meditation, imagery, and therapeutic touch. This theory has also been called the Theory of Emergence of Paranormal Phenomena (Butcher & Malinski, 2010).

  • Butcher, H. K., & Malinski, V. M. (2010). Martha E. Rogers science of unitary human beings. In M. E. Parker & M.C. Smith, Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed., pp. 253-276). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.
  • Rogers, M. E. (1980). A science of unitary man. In J. P. Riehl & C. Roy (Eds.). Conceptual models for nursing practice (2nd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts

Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness

The central thesis of this theory is that health is the expansion of consciousness. According to Newman (1986, 1994), the meanings of life and health are found in the evolving process of expanding consciousness. More specifically, the theory asserts that “every person in every situation, no matter how disordered and hopeless it may seem, is part of the universal process of expanding consciousness” (Newman, 1992, p. 650).

  • Newman, M. A. (1986). Health as expanding consciousness. St. Louis: Mosby.
  • Newman, M. A. (1992). Window on health as expanding consciousness. In M. O’Toole (Ed.), Miller-Keane encyclopedia and dictionary of medicine, nursing, and allied health (5th ed., p. 650). Philadelphia: Saunders.
  • Newman, M. A. (1994). Health as expanding consciousness (2nd ed.). New York: National League for Nursing

Theory of Humanbecoming

This theory “synthesizes Martha E. Rogers’ principles and concepts about man with major tenets and concepts from existentialphenomenological thought” (Parse, 1981, p. 4). In particular, Parse based her theory on Rogers’ principles of helicy, complementarity (now integrality), and resonancy; Rogers’ concepts of energy field, openness, pattern and organization, and four- dimensionality (now pandimensionality); and the existential phenomenological tenets of human subjectivity and intentionality and the concepts of coconstitution, coexistence, and situated freedom. The central thesis of the Theory of Human Becoming is that “humans participate with the universe in the cocreation of health” (Parse, 1992, p. 37). Parse (as cited in Takahashi, 1992) explained that “human becoming refers to the human being structuring meaning multidimensionally while cocreating rhythmical patterns of relating and cotranscending with possibles” (p. 86).

  • Parse, R. R. (1981). Man-Living-Health. A theory of nursing.  New York: Wiley. [Reprinted 1989. Albany, NY: Delmar.]
  • Parse, R. R. (1992). Human becoming: Parse’s theory of nursing. Nursing Science Quarterly, 5(1), 35–42. doi: 10.1177/089431849200500
  • Takahashi, T. (1992). Perspectives on nursing knowledge. Nursing Science Quarterly, 5(2), 86–91. doi: 10.1177/089431849200500

Theory of Pandimensional Awareness-Integral Presence

This theory “opens perception-experience of visible-invisible phenomena of the universe energyspirit for living and transcending” (Phillips, 2017, p. 224). Phillips (2019) explained that the theory “is a rhythmic change process of Rogers’ science where changes in wave frequency diversity broaden people’s pandimensional awareness-integral presence for wellbecoming” (p. 211).

  • Phillips, J. R. (2017). New Rogerian theoretical thinking about unitary science. Nursing Science Quarterly, 30(3), 223-226. doi: 10.1177/0894318417708411 
  • Phillips, J. R. (2019). Unitariology and the changing frontiers of the Science of Unitary Human Beings. Nursing Science Quarterly, 32(3), 207–213. doi: 10.1177/0894318419845404

Power as Knowing Participation in Change

This theory proposes that “power as knowing participation in change [consists] of four inseparable dimensions – awareness, choices, freedom to act intentionally, and involvement in creating change. There is no order in which these dimensions occur. They are inseparable, and yet different by definition in much the way that the postulates and principles of homeodynamic change are inseparable, and yet different by definition” (Barrrett, 2010, p. 49).

  • Barrett, E. A. M. (2010). Power as knowing participation in change: What’s new and what’s next. Nursing Science Quarterly, 23(1), 47–54. doi:10.1177/0894318409353797

Theory of Kaleidoscoping in Life’s Turbulence

This theory proposes that “Kaleidoscoping is concerned with the flowing of a client’s human field with a turbulent environmental energy field associated with a turbulent health event . . . Turbulent life events are integral to the life process of human beings. Turbulent events are chaotic in nature, unpredictable, and transformative” (Butcher, 1993, p. 191).

  • Butcher, H. K. (1993). Kaleidoscoping in life’s turbulence: From Seurat’s art to Rogers’ nursing science. In M. E. Parker (Ed.), Patterns of nursing theories in practice (pp. 183–198). New York: National League for Nursing

Theory of Aging as Emerging Brilliance

This theory is a unitary perspective of aging. Butcher (2003) explained, “As the possibility of unitary aging takes root, an extraordinary future awaits us in later life. Later life will no longer be feared as a time of dispiritedness . . . but as an opportunity for growth and service to humanity. Indeed, we are all jewels of humanity, shaped, buffed, and polished by time and our experiences.  As precious gems, we all have enduring value and beauty as our multiple facets reflect light in ways that flash brilliance. To all possible crones [older adult women who are “wisdom carriers and guardians of the future” (p.62) and sages [older adults who are mentors], a fulfilling life imbued with splendor, meaning, accomplishment, active involvement, growth, adventure, wisdom, experience, compassion glory, and brilliance awaits” (p. 64).

Theory of Phenomenal-Conceptual Attunement

Cowling (2023) presented a new way of thinking about unitary appreciation in a paper presented at the Virtual Nursing Theory Week 2023. He explained that Attunement is “a kinesthetic and emotional sensing of others knowing their rhythm, affect and experience by metaphorically being in their skin, and going beyond empathy to create a two-person experience of unbroken feeling connectedness by providing a reciprocal affect and/or resonating response” (Erskine, 1998, cited in Cowling, 2023, Slide 3). “Attunement is the embodiment of unitary appreciation that links the universal and unique of experience to an imagined concept” (Slide 4). And, “The lyrical nature of . . . music and images . . . provide a way of evoking a phenomenal grounding to inform conceptualizations as they emerge” (Slide 7).

  • Cowling, W. R. (2023, March 20). Phenomenal-Conceptual Attunements in Knowledge Development: A Sampling. Unpublished paper presented at the Virtual Nursing Theory Week 2023

Health Empowerment Theory

This theory is of the effect of a Health Empowerment Intervention (Personal Resources: (Self-Capacity Building-Reinforce Strengths; Social Contextual Resources; Social Network Building-Reinforce Recognition of Social Resources, Promote Problem-solving, Promote Connection with Social Networks; Building Social Service Utilization-Reinforce Recognition of Social Service Resources, Promote Problem-solving, Provide Information, Educate on Service Resources) on perceived well-being (Well-being); as mediated by Health Empowerment (Personal Growth, Self-Acceptance, Purpose in Life, Social Support, Social Service Utilization) and Purposeful Participation In Goal Attainment (Awareness, Choices, Freedom to Act Intentionally, Involvement in Creating Change, Individual Health Goals) (Shearer, 2009, Content extracted from Figure 1, p. 6). The theory is about a “theory-based intervention designed to promote the use of personal resources and social-contextual resources with the goal of enhancing well-being in homebound older adults” (Shearer, 2009, p 4).  

  • Shearer, N. B. C. (2009). Health empowerment theory as a guide for practice. Geriatric Nursing, 30(2; Suppl 1), 4-10. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2009.02.003

Theory of the Art of Professional Nursing. Also referred to as the Theory of the Art of Nursing

This theory of “the art of nursing discovered in Rogers’ science is a study of the values inherent in the science” (Alligood, 2002, p. 57). One concept of the theory is respect (a noun and a verb), which “emerges from an understanding of the acausal process of people and their environments . . . [and] is rooted in human freedom and individaul rights” (Alligood, 2002, pp.57-58). Another concept is responsibilty, which “emerges from Rogers’ description of how persons an their environments present unitary human developmental phenomena for nursing’s concern and betterment of socieity. . . . [Responsibility] is rooted in the value of human concern for the welfare of others” (Alligood, 2002, p. 58). Still another concept is empathy, which “is defined as a feeling attribute of the continuous person-environment process . . .[Empathy] is rooted in Rogers principle of integrality… Thus, the art of professional nursing becomes the ability to balance respect of human freedom and individaul rights with responsibity of the welfare of others through knowing from the feeling attribute of empathy in the moral action that is nursing practice” (Alligood, 2002, p. 58).

  • Alligood, M. R. (2002). A theory of the art of nursing discovered in Rogers’ science of unitary human beings. International Journal for Human Caring, 6(2), 55–60. doi:  10.20467/1091-5710.6.2.55

Theory of Aging

The theory of aging was derived from Rogers’ theory of accelerating change (also referred to as the theory of accelerating evolution). The theory posits there are relations among perception of time, sleep patterns, and activity, with activity intervening between perception of time and sleep patterns. They designed a study to test the theory with a sample of senior citizens. Sleep patterns

“Sleep pattern changes are reflections of diversity in length of sleep and sleep-wake frequencies, as measured by the Sleep Questionnaire” (Alligood & McGuire, 2000, p.8). Time perception is changes in how time is experienced as measured by the Time Opinion Survey” (Alligood & McGuire, 2000, p.8). “Activity is defined as the type and amount of participation in activity at the Senior Center, as measured by the Activity Assessment Form” (Alligood & McGuire, 2000, p.8).

  • Alligood, M. R., & McGuire, S. L. (2000). Perception of time, sleep patterns, and activity in senior citizens: A test of a Rogerian theory of aging. Visions: The Journal of Rogerian Science, 8(1): 6-14.

Theory of Creativity, Actualization, and Empathy

This theory, derived from Rogers’ grand theory of accelerating change (see above), asserts positive relations between creativity, actualization and empathy, as well as the assertion that the combination of creativity and actualization account for more variance in empathy then either creativity or actualization alone (Alligood, 1991).

  • Alligood, M. R. (1991). Testing Rogers’ theory of accelerating change. The relationships among creativity, actualization, and empathy in persons 18 to 92 years of age. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 13(1), 84–96. doi: 10.1177/019394599101300106
  • See also Butcher, H. K., & Malinski, V. M. (2010). Martha E. Rogers science of unitary human beings. In M. E. Parker & M.C. Smith, Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed., pp. 253-276). F.A. Davis

Theory of Diversity of Human Field Pattern

This theory asserts that “diversity of human field pattern [is] positively related to . . . risk-taking and time experience and that risk-taking and time experience [are] positively related . . . [In addition, the theory asserts that preference is for] a personal sense of time as moving . . . swiftly” (Hastings-Tolsma, 2006, p. 37). 

Theory of Enfolding Health-as-Wholeness-and-Harmony

Carboni (1995) proposed that for this theory, “Health in relation to wholeness and harmony is revealed through the unity of person and place, that is, as unitary irreducible human beings in integral and dynamic relations with their respective environs” (p. 73).

  • Carboni, J. T. (1995). Enfolding health-as-wholeness-and-harmony: A theory of Rogerian nursing practice. Nursing Science Quarterly, 8(2), 71–78. doi: 10.1177/089431849500800209 

Theory of Enlightenment

Hills and Hanchett (2001) proposed that for this theory, enlightment is “a procress of human change and individual experience manifested as expanded awareness, incresed wakefulnes, higher levels of human field motion, and higher levels of well-being” (p. 7).

Theory of Human Field Motion

This theory proposes a relation “between human synergistic development [defined as “the interrelated set of time experience, differentiation, and creativity traits”] and human field motion [human energy field “manifestations of field expansion, lightness, and less visibility”]” Ference, 1986, pp. 98-99).

  • Ference, H. M. (1986). The relationship of time experience, creativity traits, differentiation, and human field motion. In V.M. Malinski (Ed.), Explorations on Martha Rogers’ science of unitary human beings (pp. 95–106). Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Theory of Intentionality

Zahourek (2021) explained that the aim of this theory is “to explore, explain and pose questions about the nature of the process and experience of healing. The goal of nursing is to promote health and healing for individuals, society, community, and the planet. Intentionality forms the ground for the mutual process of self with other(s) that is manifest as a pattern (matrix). Intentionality manifests in the qualities and directions of one’s focus and consciousness, and in the capacity to participate in mutual process with oneself and others that may result in healing.”  

Theory of Patterning

This theory asserts that “pattern is an entity, whereas patterning . . . is the dynamic or active process of life of the human being. Manifestations of patterning are visible or otherwise accessible to the senses . . . patterning . . . reflects a relatively consistent pattern in the midst of constant change. More specifically, despite the continuous change that occurs in the patterning of each person’s life, each unitary human being is recognizable over periods of time that we identify as calendar years” (Alligood & Fawcett, 2022, p. 11).

Theory of Self-Transcendence

Explaining this theory, Reed (2018) stated, “Self-transcendence is a human capacity to expand personal boundaries in many ways, for example, intrapersonally, interpersonally, and transpersonally to connect within self, with others and nature, and with purposes or dimensions regarded as larger than or beyond the self. Self-transcendence facilitates well-being, and also mediates the relationship between experiences of increased vulnerability and well-being outcomes. Various personal and contextual factors, including nursing interventions, influence self-transcendence as related to well-being.

Theory of Sentience Evolution

This theory proposes that sentience evolution is “thinking, feeling, and perceiving in the sleeping, waking, and beyond waking states” (Parker, 1989, p. 5), which is a “nonlinear process,” such that “changes sleeping-waking-beyond waking patterning, occur continuously and change in association with different life events and circumstances” (Malinski, 2001, p. 199).

  • Malinski, V. M. (2001). Martha E. Rogers: Science of unitary human beings. In M. E. Parker (Ed.), Nursing theories and nursing practice (p. 199).  Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.
  • Parker, K. P. (1989). The theory of sentience evolution: A practice-level theory of sleeping, waking, and beyond waking patterns based on the science of unitary human beings. Rogerian Nursing Science News, 2(1), 4–6. [URL not available]

Theory of Perceived Dissonance

This theory illuminates “a human/environmental field process that is perceived as uncomfortable. The theory embellishes and embraces the evolution of natural rhythmicities and the feeling attributes associated with this evolution” (Bultemeier, 1993, p. 6). Perceived dissonance is “A centered, receptive awareness characteristic of integrality and is the means by which the person experiences varied resonancy, which may be perceived as dissonant” (Bultemeier, 1993, p. 7).

  • Bultemeier, K. I. (1993). Photographic inquiry of the phenomenon premenstrual syndrome within the Rogerian derived theory of perceived dissonance. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Tennessee Knoxville, ProQuest Order No. 9331682

Theory of Healthiness

This theory “proposes that the greater perceived ease and expansiveness of human-environment mutual process (participation) is associated with less perceived change. Greater participation and less change are associated with greated perceived energy, which in turn, contributes to higher healthiness. Greater participation, less change, greater energy, and greater healthiness are all associated with greater mental health, current health status, and satisfaction with life, and less symptom distress” (Leddy & Fawcett, 1997, pp. 76-77).

Components of Healthiness are:

  • Purpose—“the perception of being energized by meaningful and significat goals” (Leddy & Fawcett, 1997, p. 77)
  • Dimensions of purpose are ends, choice-possibilities, challenge-change, meaningfulness, confidence-competence, control.
  • Connections—‘The perception of having rewarding mutual process with others” (Leddy & Fawcett, 1997, p. 77)
  • Power—“the perceived abiltiy to direct energy toward the achievement of goals” (Leddy & Fawcett, 1997, p. 77).
    • Dimensions of power are choice-creativity, capability, capacity, challenge-curiosity, confidence-assurance.
  • Leddy, S. K., & Fawcett, J. (1997). Testing the theory of healthiness: Conceptual and methodological issues. In M. Madrid (Ed.), Patterns of Rogerian knowing (pp. 75–86). New York: National League for Nursing Press.