Of Skeletons and Shells (2)

5: The natural tendency of a residential care establishment is in the direction of increased Shell structuring.

We now turn to the residential setting itself, with an elaboration of the features of the Skeleton and the Shell modes:

SHELL	SKELETON
relating to choices:
choices made for one	individual free to choose
to control:
external control	self-control
hence:
not responsible for actions	individual responsible for actions
which leads to emphasis on:
corporateness	individuality
*Table 4*-Pattern of relatedness; individual to group

Further features of such Skeleton and Shell structures now become apparent in the light of this argument:

SHELL	SKELETON
Characteristics of social structures:
easy to manage	hard to manage
shame-culture	guilt-culture
with associated ways of thinking:
magical, symbolic	scientific
(fantasy-based)	(reality-based)
*Table 5*-Internal features of culture of Skeleton and Shell communities

6: Both Skeleton and Shell elements are necessary for a normal life

So far, the features of the Shell have come out of this discussion rather badly - and indeed our cultural bias is such as to emphasise the virtues of the Skeleton. I now wish to correct the balance by suggesting that both Skeleton and Shell have their parts to play, and need to be incorporated in the life of the establishment.

SHELL	SKELETON
Relaxation	Stress
Security	Risk
Predictability	Unfamiliarity
Accommodation	Conflict
(Regression	Growth)
*Table 6 -Psychological Features of Skeleton and Shell*

The above are psychological states: they may or may not be appropriate to the prevailing circumstances, and different people will experience them for different reasons and in different ways.

7: Everyone-client and staff, strong and weak, old and young-oscillates between Skeleton and Shell

The following diagrams attempt to represent graphically the common forms of oscillation. It should be borne in mind that the vertical line separating the Skeleton 'zone' from the Shell 'zone' is merely a graphical convention, and there is of course no such clear boundary in the real world; and that while the limits of Skeleton and Shell represent the socially-constructed forms that they take, the important consideration for the individual is the extent of movement between his or her personal poles, not the 'absolute' extent to which he or she penetrates into the Skeleton or Shell zones.

Shell

Skeleton

Figure 1-Pattern of oscillation of 'normal' person

1 2 3 4

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Atherton J S (2013) Doceo; [On-line: UK] retrieved from

Original material by James Atherton: last up-dated overall 10 February 2013

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