ROSEMARIE

RIZZO
PARSE
(Humanbecoming Theory)

“The assumptions and principles of

humanbecoming incarnate a deep
concern for the delicate sentiments of
being human and show a profound
recognition of human freedom and
dignity.”
(Parse, 2007b, p. 310)
 BACKGROUND
 Graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where she later
served as the Dean of the School of Nursing.
Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh
Professor and Coordinator of the Center for Nursing Research at Hunter
College of the City of New York (1983-1993)
Professor and Niehoff Chair at Loyola University Chicago (1993-2006)
Currently. . .
 Consultant and Visiting Scholar at New York University College of
Nursing
Founder and current Editor of Nursing Science Quarterly
President of Discovery International
Founder of the Institute of Humanbecoming
 ORIGIN OF THE HUMANBECOMING THEORY
 Originally published in 1981 and was entitled “Man-Living-Health”
Renamed in 1992 to remove the word “man” which was formerly in the
dictionary as human kind.
First, it was Humanbecoming Nursing Theory, then it became the
Humanbecoming School of Thought
 By 2016, it had evolved to the Humanbecoming Paradigm (Parse, 2016)
Humanbecoming Paradigm – “cocreating reality as a seamless symphony
of becoming is the central thought foundational to the ontology of
humanbecoming”
 Developed as a human science nursing theory in the tradition of Dilthey,
Sartre, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty
 Along with the works of American nurse theorist Martha Rogers
• Humans – open beings who relate with the universe illimitably, that
is, “with indivisible, unbounded knowing extended to infinity”, and who
are indivisible, unpredictable, ever-changing, and recognizable by pattern

• Becoming – human-living-health, rhythmically co-constituting

human universe, human’s emerging

 She uses the prefix co- to denote the participative nature of persons.
Co- means “together with”

 Developed her conceptualizations of humanbecoming and

humanuniverse as one word.
Coconstitution – refers to creating different meanings from the same
situations

Coexistence – means “the human is not alone in any dimension of

becoming”

Situated freedom – human beings emerge in the context of a time

and history, a culture and language, physicality, and potentiality
 4 POSTULATES
1. Illimitability – “indivisible unbounded knowing extended to
infinity, the all-at-once remembering and prospecting with the
moment” (Parse,2007)

2. Paradox – “an intricate rhythm expressed as a pattern

reference”. Paradoxes are not opposites to be reconciled or
dilemmas to be overcome but, rather lived rhythms (Parse,
2007).

3. Freedom – “contextually construed liberation”. Humans are

free and continuously choose ways of being with their situations
(Parse, 2007)

4. Mystery – “unexplainable, that which cannot be completely

known” unutterable, unknowable nature of the indivisible,
unpredictable, ever-changing human universe (Parse, 2007)
 3 Principles of Humanbecoming
Theory
Principle I: Structuring Meaning is the imaging and valuing of
languaging.
 People create their reality illimitably with others, and they show or
language their reality in the ways they speak and remain silent and in the
ways they move and stay still
3 Concepts:
1. Imaging – explicit-tacit and reflective-prereflective
2. Valuing – confirming – not confirming
3. Languaging – speaking – being silent
Principle II: Configuring rhythmical patterns is the revealing-
concealing and enabling-limiting of connecting-separating.
 Human beings create patterns in day-to-day life, and these patterns tell
about personal meanings and values.
3 Concepts:
1. Revealing-Concealing – disclosing-not disclosing
2. Enabling-Limiting – potentiating-restricting
3. Connecting-Separating – attending-distancing
Principle III: Contrascending with possibles is the powering and
originating of transforming.
 Persons continuously change and unfold in life as they engage with and
choose from infinite possibilities about how to be, what attitude or
approach to have, whom to relate with, and what interests or concerns to
explore.
3 Concepts:
1. Powering – pushing-resisting, affirming-not affirming, being non-
being
2. Originating – Certainty-Uncertainty, Conforming-Not Conforming
3. Transforming – Familiar-Unfamiliar
 USE OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
• Parse presented basic science methods: humanbecoming
hermeneutic sciencing and Parse sciencing.

• The [humanbecoming] theory does not lend itself to

testing, since it is not a predictive theory and is not based
on a cause-effect view of [ humanuniverse].
 MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS
Three assumptions of the humanbecoming paradigm:

1. Meaning – the messages that a person give and take with

others in speaking, moving, silence, and stillness

2. Rhythmicity- the patterns and possibilities relating with

others, ideas, objects, and situations.

3. Transcendence – is about change and possibility, thw

infinite possibility that is humanbecoming.
 NURSING
• Parse believes nursing as a discipline should have a
unique knowledge base and the profession will be
distinct from medicine that people will seek nurses for
nursing care and not medical diagnoses.

• Nursing is a science and the performing art of nursing is

practiced in relationship with persons ( individuals,
groups and communities).
 NURSING PARADIGMS AND PARSE’S
THEORY
Person
•Open being who is more than and different from the sum of the parts
Environment
•Everything in the person and his experiences
•Inseparable, complimentary to and evolving with
Health
•Open process of being and becoming, involves synthesis of values.
•Health is not static but, rather, is ever-changing as humans choose
ways of living.
Nursing
• A human science and art that uses an abstract boy of knowledge to
serve people.
 Person, Environment, Health Viewed as
Humanuniverse, Humanbecoming and
Living Quality

• The concepts human and universe are inseparable and

irreducible.
•Living quality conveys that people are constantly
changing.
• Living quality core knowings: fortifying wisdom
,discerning witness, and penetrating silence.
 THEORETICAL ASSERTIONS

 Parse’s (1981, 2012b, 2014) principles are the assertions of the

humanbecoming theory. Each principles interrelates the nine concepts
of humanbecoming (1) imaging, (2) valuing, (3) languaging ,
(4)revealing-concealing, (5)enabling-limiting, (6) connecting-
separating, (7) powering, (8) originating, and (9) transforming
 LOGICAL FORM

The inductive-deductive process was central to the

creation of the humanbecoming theory. The theory
originated from the parse’s personal experiences with her
reading and in nursing practice.
 ACCEPTANCE BY THE NURSING COMMUNITY

Practice
The range of publication about humanbecoming
demonstrate the broad scope of acceptance by the nursing
community.
Education
The theory has fueled many scholarly dialogues about
outcomes in living the art of nursing, in sciencing, and in
education when different theories guide nursing endeavors.
Research
The theory has guided sciencing studies in many
different countries about numerous living experiences,
including feeling loved, feeling very tired, having courage,
waiting, feeling cared for, grieving, caring for a loved one,
persisting while wanting to change, etc.
 CRITIQUE
Clarity
Humanbecoming is an abstract and complex
paradigm nursing that includes the humanbecoming
theory (the principles). It is a theory, rather than a model.

Simplicity
The major concepts of humanbecoming are defined
in abstract philosophical terms. The language has been a
source of comfort and discomfort for nurses.
Generality
The theory has helped nurses be with individuals,
families, and groups and has been evaluated in nursing
settings where patients commented on the positive
difference it made.

Accessibility
The theory is useful because it provides a meaningful
foundation that is helpful for nurses who want to live certain
values in practice and research.

Importance
The theory has taken human science beliefs into
service and knowledge development in new and important
ways.
THANK
YOU!
Group 9
Angelie Apiag
Sharika Colaljo
Rixcel Danoy
Cyril Maquiling