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ADJUSTMENT

           All human behaviour is purposeful. These are directed towards the attainment of some goals or satisfaction of some need. An individual is said to be adjusted in environment if there is harmony among his needs are attainable. The other ting is that these goals should be socially desirable. So it is the harmony of the internal with the external. 

“Life presents a continuous chain of struggle for existence and survivals” says Darwin. Life is a continuous process of overcoming difficulties or of making adjustments. General meaning of adjustment is the process of living itself or a dynamic equilibrium of the total personality. It is a life long process in which he enters into a relationship of harmony with its environment. Psychologically, adjustment means a person, interactions with his environment. Fortune is the individual who is adjusted and considers it so. Every individual, great or small, old or young, is confronted with the problem of adjustment. The problem of adjustment starts right from the birth of the child and continuous till his death. The problem of adjustment is both internal as well as external. The problem of adjustment is related to arriving at a balanced state between he needs of the individual and their satisfaction. Needs of the individual are multidimensional. Adjustment is a relative term. Opposite of adjustment is maladjustment. Life presents a continuous chain of struggle for adjustment. Dictionary word meaning – Make suitable, adopt. James Drever(1952): Adjustment means the modification to compensate for or meet special conditions. Carter V. Good (1959): Adjustment is the process of finding and adopting modes of behaviour suitable to the environment or the changes in the environment. Warren (1934): Adjustment refers to any operation whereby an organism or organ becomes more favourably related to the environment or to the entire situation, environmental and internal. Gates and Jersild (1948): Adjustment is a continual process in which a person varies his behaviour to produce a more harmonious relationship between himself and his environment. Crow and Crow (1956): As individual adjustment is adequate wholesome or healthful to the extent that he has established harmonious relationship between himself and the conditions, situations and persons who comprise his physical and social environment. L.S. Shaffer: Adjustment is the proves by which living organism maintains a balance b/w its need and the circumstances that influences the satisfaction of these needs. Vonhaller : We can think of adjustment as psychological survival in which the same way as biologist uses the term adaptation to describe physiological. Boring : Adjustment as a process by which a living org maintained balance between its needs and the circumstances that influences the satisfactions of these needs. According to Laurance F. Shaffer, “Adjustment is the process by which a living organism maintains a balance between its needs and the circumstances that influences the satisfaction of these needs.” According to Coleman, James C., “Adjustment is the outcome of the individual’s attempts to deal with stress and meet his needs: also, his efforts to maintain harmonious relationship with the environment.” Smith, H.C.: “A good adjustment is one which is both realistic and satisfying. At least in the long run, it reduces to a minimum the frustrations, the tension and anxieties which a person must endure.” Traxler, “Occasionally in the use of the term adjustment we imply that the most desirable state of adjustment is one in which the individual is perfectly happy and satisfied with all aspects of his life and one in which he has reached the level in all his contacts with his contacts with his environment that he would be glad to see persist thorough his life.”

A perusal of the above definitions of adjustment leads us to the following characteristics of adjustment : 1. Adjustment helps us to keep balance between our needs and the capacity to meet these needs. 2. Adjustment implies changes in our thinking and way of life to the demands of the situation. 3. Adjustment gives us the ability and strength to bring desirable changes in the state of our environment. 4. Adjustment is physiological as well as psychological. 5. Adjustment is multidimensional. 6. Adjustment brings us happiness and contentment.

Therefore, a comprehensive definition of adjustment would be like this : “Adjustment is a condition or state in which one feels that one’s needs have been (or will be) fulfilled and one’s behaviour conforms to the needs of a given environment or the environment is changed (or will be changed) in a manner as it conforms to the needs of the individual.

The concept of adjustment means adaptation to physical environment as well as to social demands. No human being can live apart from his physical environment. There is action and reaction chain going on between the individual and his environment. Then there are social pressures and demands of socialization. To these may be added the individual’s personal demand such as the satisfaction of physiological needs. All this complex functioning of the persons demands adjustment. The process of adjustment becomes still more complicated when his interaction with one situation comes into conflict with the requirements of the other situation. One situation may give rise to pleasure while the other may give rise to pain. The resulting tension may cause disturbance in his psyche, produce uncomfortable physical symptoms or may even lead to abnormal behaviour. The concept of adjustment is as old as human race on earth. Systematic emergence of this concept starts from Darwin. In those days the concept was purely biological and he used the term adaptation. The adaptability to environmental hazards goes on increasing as we proceed on the phologenetic scale from the lower extreme to the higher extreme of life. Insects and germs, in comparison to human beings, cannot withstand the hazards of changing conditions in the environment and as the season changes, they die. Hundreds of species of insects and germs perish as soon as the winter begins. Man, among the living beings, has the highest capacities to adapt to new situations. Man as a social animal not only adapts to physical demands but he also adjusts to social pressures in the society. Biologists used the term adaptation strictly for physical demands of the environment but psychologists use the term adjustment for varying conditions of social or inter personal relations in the society. Thus, we see that adjustment means reaction to the demands and pressures of social environment imposed upon the individual has to react. Observe the life of a child, he is asked to do this and not to do other things. He has to follow certain beliefs and set of values which the family follows. His personality develops in the continuous process of interaction with his family environment. There are other demands which may be termed as internal as hunger, water, oxygen and sleep etc. If we do not fulfill these internal demands, we feel uncomfortable. With the development of the child, these physiological demands go on increasing and become more complex. These two types of demands sometimes come into conflict with each other and resultantly make the adjustment a complicated process for the individual. Conflicts among the various needs or demands of a person present special problems of adjustment. If you gratify one of the conflicting needs, the need which is not gratified will produce frustration and leads sometimes to abnormal behaviour. Psychologists have interpreted adjustment from two important point of views. One, adjustment as an achievement and another, adjustment as a process. The first point of view emphasizes the quality or efficiency of adjustment and the second lays emphasis on the process by which an individual adjusts in his external environment. Now, let us examine both of these approaches in detail. Nature of adjustment The concept of adjustment was originally biological one and was concerned with adaptation to physical environment for survival. Adaptation to physical environment is, of course, a person’s important concern, but he has also to adjust to social pressures and demands of socialization that are inherent in living interdependently with other persons. There are also the demands from a person’s internal nature, his physiological needs like hunger, thirst, sleep, sex, elimination, etc. and psychological needs like needs to belong to get esteem, to self actualize, to get in combination and in interactive fashion that influence the psychological functioning and adjustment of person.

Process of Adjustment 

The process of adjustment is complicated because a person’s interaction with one demand may come in conflict with the requirement of another. Conflict can arise either because two internal needs are in opposition, or because two external demands are incompatible with each other, or because an internal need opposes an external demand. Conflict presents special problems of adjustment. Satisfaction of one need as opposed to other needs may not provide full satisfaction. On the other hand, failure to gratify a strong need or to respond to a strong external demand may result in painful tensions. These tensions can disturb psychological comfort, produce physical symptoms, or result in abnormal behaviour.

(a) Adjustment as an Achievement and as a Process : Adjustment may be viewed from two angles. From one angle, adjustment may be viewed as achievement or how well a person handles his conflicts and overcomes the resulting tension. From another angle, adjustment may be looked upon as a process or how a person adjusts to his conflicts. In the first case we ask whether a person’s adjustment is adequate and efficient ? In the second case we ask how does he adjust or what are the modes of adjustment to various demands.

(b) Adjustment as a Psychological Process : Adjustment as a process is of major interest to psychologists who want to understand a person and his behaviour. The way one tried to adjust himself and to his external environment at any point of time depends upon interaction between the biological factors in growth and his social experiences.

           In general, there are three broad types of adjustive process in the event of a conflict between a person’s internal need states and environment demands : 

(a) The person may modify or inhibit the internal impulse. (b) The person may try to alter the environmental demand in some manner so that he resolves the conflict. (c) The person may “escape” through unconscious resources to mental mechanisms like phantasy, compensation, projection, rationalization, sublimation, etc.

         We cannot call any of these modes of adjustments as the most superior. None of them used in isolation, to the exclusion of others is helpful in adjustment. Excessive use of any one of them is likely to be maladoptive. The human beings in order to reconcile their needs or the environmental demands must modify or inhibit their own impulses sometimes, alter or modify the environment at other times, and use some mental mechanism at other times and at times a combination of all the three.          
     PRINCIPLES OF ADJUSTMENT 

The principles of adjustment are being explained here:- (a) Principles of knowing the self:- To be adjusted, one should be aware of his strengths and weakness so that he may mould himself according to the required life style. (b) Principle of accepting one’s self:- An individual should accept himself as he is. If he is not satisfy with himself and does not respect himself, he cannot adjust in the environment. He always complains of his bad luck and does not have confidence in his capabilities. (c) Principle of integrating the self:- The personality of an individual should be integrated. Those who have dis-integrating personality and are not able to take decision and do not stick to a particular decision, they can not adjust easily. (d) Principle of self drive and shaping:- Sometimes the decisions are imposed on individual. They not opt for a particular career or a business. These decisions are imposed by some influential person. They feel disturbed and maladjusted. (e) Principle of self control:- The aggressive control and imposed discipline is the reason of maladjustment in an individual. So we should advocate self discipline. (f) Principle of balance and harmonious development:- An individual should aim at physical, mental, social, emotional and moral development. Then he may be able to adjust himself. (g) Principle of understanding others:- An individual should not only try to understand himself but also the others. He should respect their ideas and emotions.

     CHARACTERISTICS OF WELL ADJUSTED PERSON 

        A well adjusted individual seems to be one who has established some reasonable goals in life with his interests and abilities and who has settled down to work towards those goals seriously and steadily but without tension. 

1. Awareness of his own strengths and limitations. A well adjusted person knows his own strengths and weaknesses. He tries to make capital out of his assets in some areas by accepting his limitations in others. 2. Respecting himself and others. The dislike for one self is a typical symptom of maladjustment. An adjusted individual has respect for himself as well as for others. 3. An adequate level of aspiration. His level of aspiration is neither too low nor too high in terms of his own strengths and abilities. He does not try to reach for the stars and also does not repent over selecting an easier course for his advancement. 4. Satisfaction of basic needs. His basis organic, emotional and social needs are fully satisfied or in the process of being satisfied. He does not suffer from emotional cravings and social isolation. He feels reasonably secure and maintains his self esteem. 5. Absence of a critical or fault finding attitude. He appreciates the goodness in objects, persons or activities. He does not try to look for weaknesses and faults. His observation is scientific rather than critical or punitive. He like people, admires their good qualities, and wins their affection. 6. Flexibility in behaviour. He is not rigid in his attitude or way of life. He can easily accommodate or adapt himself to changed circumstances by making necessary changes in his behaviour. 7. The capacity to deal with adverse circumstances. He is not easily overwhelmed by adverse circumstances and has the will and the courage to resist the fight odds. He has an inherent drive to master his environment rather than to passively accept it. 8. A realistic perception of the world. He holds a realistic vision and is not given to flights of fancy. He always plans, thinks and acts pragmatically. 9. A feeling of ease with his surroundings. A well adjusted individual feels satisfied with his surroundings. He fits in well in his home, family, neighbourhood and other social surroundings. If a student, he like his school, school-mates, teachers, and feels satisfied with his daily routine. When he enters a profession, he has a love for it and maintains his zeal and enthusiasm despite all odds. 10. A well adjusted person has a philosophy which gives direction to his life while keeping in view the demands of changed situations and circumstances. This philosophy is centered around the demands of his society, culture, and his ownself so that he does not clash with his environment or with himself.

	FACTORS EFFECTING ADJUSTMENT

Who do some people adjust to their environment and others do not ? What are the factors that make an individual adjusted or maladjusted ? Here are some factors listed below : - 1. Hereditary Factors:- Sometimes there may be problem in adjustment due to hereditary factors. The hereditary factors are due to defective genes. They may be of intellectual development, physique, capabilities etc. Any maladjustment in these factors may affect the process of Individual adjustment.

2. Physiological Factors:- There are some common and basic needs of every individual. These include thrust, hunger, shelter, clothes etc. Maslow has categorized individual needs into five categories. If these needs are not satisfied, the individual feels frustrated and this is one of the causes of maladjustment.

3. Environmental factors:- The external factors of an individual such as family, friends, school and society also affect adjustment. Any adverse conditions in these factors become the cause of maladjustment. So the children who do not get love, respect, security and acceptance from these, they become frustrated. . References: Adams, H.E. (1972), Psychology of Adjustment, New York : Ronald. Arkoff (1968), Abe, Adjustment and Mental Health, New York : McGraw-Hill. Carroll, H.A. (1976), Mental Hygiene : The dynamics of adjustment, N.J.: prentice-hall. Lazarus, R.S. (1976), Patterns of Adjustment, Todyo : McGraw Hill (3rd ed.). Mangal, S.K. (1985), Dimensions of Teacher Adjustment, Kurukshetra : Vishal Publications. McKinney, Fred (1961), Psychology of Personal Adjustment, New York : John Wiley. Shaffer, L.F. (1936), The Psychology of Adjustment, Boston : Houghton Mifflin.

Shaffer, L.F.’s (1961) Article in Boring, Longfiled & Welb (Eds.), Foundations of psychology, New York: John Wiley.

Webster, A. Merrian (1951), Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, London : G-Bell & Sons.