Bimodal Consciousness: Psychological States and Writer's Block in the Technical Writing Classroom

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jan 1986

Bimodal Consciousness: Psychological States and Writer's Block in the Technical Writing Classroom

Beverly Sauer Levy University of Maine

Abstract

Despite the fact that technical writers try to maintain an objective outlook, they cannot ignore the psychological states of consciousness that influence their writing. Arthur J. Deikman's theory of bimodal consciousness outlines two psychological states: active and emotive (or receptive). Writers must maintain a balance between the receptive state and the active, striving state to prevent writer's block and to enhance creativity, just as scientists balance mathematical (i.e., lexical or verbal) thinking with physics-related thinking. This article describes Deikman's model and shows its application in the technical writing classroom.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 1986-01-01
DOI: 10.2190/8anf-mf0y-neet-d9p9
Open Access: Closed
Topics: multimodality technical communication affect and writing

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

Allen (1992)

Bridge over troubled waters? Connecting research and pedagogy in composition an…

Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (1)

Samuels (1985)

Technical Writing and the Recreation of Reality

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

Also cites 1 work outside this index ↓

10.1001/archpsyc.1971.01750180001001

↗

CrossRef global citation count: 1 View in citation network →