Two basic dimensions along which the examination was feasible emerged from the interview material. I would call them unit and scope of process. The primary mode of analysis was to scrutinize the various units, although the scopes were manifested in the investigation, as well.
Unit of processes
This dimension involves structural entities which were processes of information action as such, but usually also parts of larger processes. Five types of process unit were analysed: stages, need processes, situation processes, situation chains, and whole processes. Stages were the basic elements of which all the higher forms of process were comprised. This piece of research incorporates five phases of information action:
situation, information need, information source, information, and information outcome.
Need processes were the next rung on the ladder of comprehensiveness, for they were made up of one information need and all other stages (except situations) that related to it. One or more need processes taking place in the same situation formed a situation process. This also included the phase of situation. A situation chain, in its turn, was composed of all successive situation processes which belonged to the same continuum.
A whole process contained one or more parallel situation chains that were interconnected. This sort of process was the widest-ranging possible.
The exemplar in Figure 16 illustrates the discussion herein. It exhibits an entire process of information action as perceived by Cecilia, one of the participants in the study. At the stage level, this story of hers goes through 21 phases as follows. The whole affair in a way started with Cecilia suffering from a chronic back pain (Situation 1A), albeit this state stayed in the background for a long time. While she was still ailing, she began to think about changing her career (Situation 2A). This was the circumstance which really sparked off information action. She wished to ascertain whether she was going to do the right thing or not (Need 1A). She wanted to call a particular clairvoyant, but she did not know her phone number. So Cecilia needed to find out that first (Need 1B), and consequently contacted a parapsychological association (Source 1). She got the number (Information 1) that she was looking for, and was able to dial the psychic
(Source 2A). This individual recommended Cecilia to change her occupation
(Information 2A), but in the end, she did not have the courage to go along with the plan (Outcome 2A).
Hence, Cecilia continued at her old workplace, until she heard vague rumours that the employers would get the sack (Situation 2B). This time, she desired to know how long they could keep their job (Need 1C), so she phoned the same clairvoyant (Source 2B) again. She told Cecilia about losing her post (Information 2B), which confirmed her earlier presentiments (Outcome 2B). On the same occasion, however, the psychic also remarked about the weak condition of Cecilia’s back and encouraged her to seek medical care (Information 2C). It is noteworthy that this instruction was given
unsolicited, i.e. even though Cecilia did not say anything about her back trouble. The advice made her realize the seriousness of her problem to which she had not paid much attention so far (Outcome 2C). Even then, she did not go to the physician at once.
Instead, she waited and waited, until her back practically collapsed (Situation 1B). Now she had no choice but to turn to doctors (Source 3). They uttered that she would have to take rehabilitative treatment (Information 3). Unfortunately, before she got that far, the company in which she was employed went out of business, and she lost her job
(Situation 2C). This made the rehabilitation impossible, but instead she started to do extensive and regular exercises with the dorsum on her own (Outcome 3). Thus, the final score was that she was out of work, but at least she could manage with her back.
SITUATION 1A
SITUATION 2A NEED 1A NEED 1B SOURCE 1 INFORMATION 1
SOURCE 2A INFORMATION 2A
OUTCOME 2A SITUATION 2B
NEED 1C SOURCE 2B
INFORMATION 2C INFORMATION 2B
OUTCOME 2C OUTCOME 2B
SITUATION 1B SOURCE 3 INFORMATION 3
SITUATION 2C OUTCOME 3
Need process
1B Need
process 1A
Need process 1C
Need process 2 Situation process 1A
Situation process 1B
Situation process 2A
Situation process 2B
Situation process 2C
Situation chain 1 Situation chain 2
Whole process Time
Space
FIGURE 16. Example of whole process with various specified units in chronological order (source:
Cecilia)
Cecilia’s narrative contained four need processes within five situation processes. First, she needed to find out about the correctness of her scenario (Need process 1A). Before this could be accomplished, however, she had to dig out the seer’s telephone number (Need Process 1B). These episodes of information seeking were meant to facilitate
Cecilia’s decision on her career change (Situation process 2A). When her position began to look insecure (Situation process 2B), she craved for more accurate information on the future of her work (Need process 1C). While pursuing this foreknowledge, she also incidentally obtained counsel relating to her long-term back affliction (Situation process 1A). When her dorsum finally could not take it any more (Situation process 1B), she was forced to consult medical practitioners (Need process 2). During this process, she got the sack (Situation process 2C). This event did not appear to involve any information action.
Cecilia’s account was composed of two parallel situation chains. One dealt with her health problem (Situation chain 1), and the other one was concerned with her working life (Situation chain 2). The former course of events proceeded through two situation processes, and the latter one advanced through three situation processes. Together, the two situation chains formed a whole process, because they interacted with each other during the third need process and the last situation processes.
Scope of processes
This dimension refers to the extent of activities in and the time frame of the process in proportion to the human life span. This point of view could not be studied
systematically, because it did not surface until late in the analysis. Nevertheless, by inquiring into what the interviewees said about ”process”, ”stage” and ”step”, a five- class typology — depicting the scopes of processes — could be identified: micro-, meso-, macro-, mega- and superprocess. These were not necessarily processes of information action, but human processes in general.
A microprocess was a series of acts or events which took place at a concrete micro- moment, probably within a period of seconds or minutes. In terms of information action, a microprocess roughly equalled one stage — or two, as in the case of source and information, since information acquisition occurs in interaction with the source. The following excerpt talks about a session of meditation:
”How much trouble did you go to to get the information?”
”Well let’s say that this ’rather much’ because I concentrated on it that is … I invested all my energy in it it can be said like this, so I really concentrated on it, but of course I can’t say ’very much’ because I didn’t take any physical pains, so that it would’ve — I just sat there but it was a big thought process that is such a big mental process, so there wasn’t anything else … well … I had to invest in it.”
(Dagmar 252-253)
A mesoprocess, in its turn, was a chain of microprocesses that occurred closely together, but over a longer time period, like hours or days. In our field of study, a process of this kind is usually a need process, or a process of information seeking:
”Well, at the point where library catalogs and books have run out then I must begin asking if they don’t have anything else newer information in existence some new books catalogs for example … and those magazines I can see too they have sometimes them catalogs where I can also obtain some old books.”
(Alli 854)
A macroprocess contained one or more mesoprocesses, but it was more than just the sum of these. What bound this process together was a theme that arose from the goal that the person was trying to achieve. A process of this type had a discernible beginning and end, and its duration could be anywhere from days to years. A situation process, situation chain, and whole process could all be macroprocesses. The next instance is about solving a problem:
”First of all it hasn’t been a matter which would’ve required immediate solution but it’s been … a rather long-time process.”
(Sampo 69)
A megaprocess could comprise one or more macroprocesses or just mesoprocesses, and again, it was not reducible to its parts. This process was an undertaking which lasted for most of the individual’s lifetime, and as such, had no definite commencement or
completion. As with the macroprocesses, a megaprocess could be anything from a situation process to a whole process. The example below describes a process of lifetime learning:
”The matter isn’t actually any longer such a great problem. That how like far I’m like going in the process but it … how should I put it … that I can take it rather easy. In other words a very calm attitude, and it’s no problem, how far I get in these principles.”
(Eemeli 296-298)
Finally, a superprocess was a truly large-scale progression which transcended the actor’s lifespan, for its time frame could vary from decades to centuries. In effect, this meant that the individual’s action could be seen as a part of this gigantic succession of eventualities that did not pertain to one person only, but to a collective. That is, the actor proper in this process was the collective, although concrete acts were naturally
performed by its individual members. The following specimen discusses the potential evolution of scientific research on the unexplained:
”… I like believe in the final analysis in the world of spirits too and in this kind of like these ghosts, so if I call them then — at some point this will be unravelled so — I always believe in that it’s not a mystical thing, such a matter that well then which could not be explained.”
(Risto 437)
However, superprocess can be interpreted from another angle, as well. This concerns the belief in man’s immortality. It is common knowledge that paranormalists generally view their present earthly life as either a fall from Heaven (incarnation) or a lesson among many (reincarnation). Although this did not manifest itself in the data, one can extrapolate that the individual may regard a personal process of his as a step in a
superprocess in the sense that he assumes it to potentially affect his afterlife and perhaps also his next physical lives. In this case, the actor proper would presumably be the spirit who uses a material body to fulfil itself. Here too, the person would solely have an access to a portion of the total process during his lifetime. All in all, then, a
superprocess could be considered by the individual as transcending his existence either physically or spiritually.