The Objectification/Action Process is shared between the The Integrative Power Management Model IPM2), the Integrative Conflict Management Model (ICM2) and the Violence Integrative Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model. This process (also called "the actualization process") is one in which a progression of events must take place in order for those with five functioning bodies to commit acts of violence. (Note that this process does not apply to those presenting with psychopathic/sociopathic functioning.)
The Process
As proposed by the PAR Model, people don’t injure or kill people; they injure or kill “things” — that is, they commit acts of violence against "objects." People (other than psychopaths) go through a five-step process to conceptually render people as objects and initiate acts of violence. The steps are:
1. Transaction — Experience real or imagined loss of power and control, resulting in fear.
2. Accusation — Characterize the action in perpetrator ("them") and victim ("us") terms, providing the justification for violent action.
3. Objectification — Objectify the other using object labeling which incorporates demeaning and derogatory terms rooted in race, religion, sexual preference, nationality, political, educational, economic, social, intelligence, and other identifiers. Common examples are — “them,” “troublemaker,” “queer,” “criminal,” “corporate-type,” “tree-hugger,” “enemy,” “terrorist,” “bum,” “geek,” “molester,” “creep,” “loser,” “gun-nut,” “liberal,” “conservative,” “idiot,” “snob,” “weirdo,” “hick,” “red-neck,” and “perpetrator.”
In criminal/justice settings, offenders have a specific language developed for their circumstances. Some of the terms include —”billies” (white men), “bird” (fool or idiot), “cell gangster” (one who talks tough in his cell), “cheese eater” (informer), “fish” (new prisoner), “herb” (weak prisoner), “loogan” (mentally ill prisoner), “pig” (law enforcement officer), “punk” (homosexual), “ripper” (rapist) and “snitch” (informer).
4. Condemnation — Passing sentence which is congruent with the above.
5. Execution — Delivery of the punishment.
If the emotional body is severely damaged or dead (as may often be the case in those classified as psychopaths), if the mental body is sufficiently injured, if there is alcohol or drug aggravation (drugs and alcohol are introduced through the physical body, then alter the emotional, mental and spiritual bodies), or if there are certain types of brain damage, an individual can commit an act of violence without going through the violence actualization process.
Violent Response to Power Loss
There are healthy and unhealthy ways to recover from power loss. The chart below illustrates the unhealthy process as it moves through the experience of losing power to re-establishing it through acts of violence. Power is relative — the "normal" experience of power differs with each person. This "normal" level is the "power set point" — the point at which power must be maintained. Other points of power are the target power (the power goal of an individual) and the upper and lower power thresholds (or power tolerance zone).
The example below applies the objectification-action process to groups of people. In this case, someone from the East Group (the "perpetrators") detonates a bomb in a crowded market and government representatives from West Group (the "victims") respond.
Transaction
Accusation
Objectification
Condemnation
Execution
The experience of power drops immediately.
The experience of power begins to build.
The experience of power increases.
The experience of power continues to increase.
The experience of power returns to the set point.
The bomb explodes, killing 10 people and injuring 38. A deep fear and a sense of dread and despair is rife among the Wests.
The Wests accuse the Easts (as a group) of intentionally attacking, even though there is no evidence of support of the bombing by most of the East population.
The Easts are characterized as "assassins," "murders," and "terrorists" by the West's leadership.
The Easts are condemned by the Wests and "sentenced" to a retaliatory air strike against East government leadership.
The Wests bomb the Easts' buildings which are suspected of holding the "terrorist" leadership. The Wests feel reassured and more confident.
Once the process is complete, the Wests feel they have reclaimed some measure of their power; however, the Easts — as a result of the bombing launched against them — have the experience of disempowerment. Thus the process begins again, only with the Easts now taking the role of victim and the Wests taking the role of perpetrator. The process is circular and self-perpetuating until it is interrupted.
The example below applies the objectification-action process to groups of people. In this case, someone from the East Group (the "perpetrators") detonates a bomb in a crowded market and government representatives from West Group (the "victims") respond. 