Category Archives: Dramatica

Dramatica Definition: Investigation

Investigation • [Variation]dyn.pr. Doubt<–>Investigation • gathering evidence • Investigation is a pro-active word for it describes a character who makes an effort to seek out evidence. Obviously this usually tends to bring one closer to a conclusion sooner than without the effort. But Investigation can cause trouble since the character must pre-determine where to look. This leads to a meandering path through the evidence that may miss whole pockets of essential information. Sometimes a single missed piece can flip the entire conclusion 180 degrees. So Investigating to one’s satisfaction depends on random success and the limits of one’s tenacity, not necessarily on learning what the whole picture is. • syn. inquiry, research, probe, sleuthing, delving, query

Dramatica Definition: Interpretation

Interpretation • [Variation] dyn.pr. Senses<–>Interpretation • determination of possible meaning • Once an observation is made, its meaning must be Interpreted by the mind. Even if seen exactly as it happened, the forces or intents behind what is seen are often misconstrued. Stories revolving around eye witness accounts frequently employ Interpretation (and its Dynamic Partner, Senses) to great dramatic advantage • syn. construe, rendition, rendering meaning, elucidate, translating meaning

Dramatica Definition: Interdiction

Interdiction • [Variation] dyn.pr. Prediction<–>Interdiction • an effort to change a pre-determined course • Interdiction is the effort to change the course of one’s destiny. Once a character determines that his destiny is pulling him toward an undesirable fate, he tries to Interdict and thereby avoid the fate. But has he correctly identified the course of his destiny or in actuality is what he sees as Interdiction is just another pre-destined step toward his fate? • syn. altering the future, interfering with the predetermined, hindering the inevitable, escaping the predestined

Dramatica Definition: Instinct

Instinct • [Variation] dyn.pr. Conditioning<–>Instinct • intrinsic unconditioned responses • Instinct describes those built- in responses to situations and circumstances that are not learned, yet drive one to comply with their urges. How much sway they have over an individual depends both upon the nature of the instinct and the intensity of conditioning against the instinct that he has experienced by accident, design, or choice. When one acts or responds according to instinct, there is no conscious consideration beforehand. Only after the fact does the consciousness become aware that an instinct has been triggered. Nonetheless, one can learn to inhibit instinctual commands until the consciousness has the opportunity to consider the propriety of conforming to it. • syn. involuntary drive, innate impulse, unconditioned response, automatic response, unconditioned motivation

Dramatica Definition: Inertia

Inertia • [Element] dyn.pr. Change<–>Inertia • a continuation of a state or process • Inertia is a tendency to maintain the status quo. That which is moving wants to keep moving. That which is at rest wants to stay at rest. An Inertia-oriented character concerns himself with keeping things on an even keel. He tries to avoid or prevent anything that rocks the boat. He also does not adapt well to change. • syn. tendency to continue, a change resistant pattern, continuation, following an established direction

Dramatica Definition: Inequity

Inequity • [Element] dyn.pr. Equity<–>Inequity • an unbalance, unfairness, or lack or equality • When a character focuses on Inequity he is evaluating in terms of what is wrong or unfair with a situation. No matter how much is working right or how much is good, it is the part that is out of balance that occupies his attention. A character with this trait will spot trouble before anyone else, but he will also never be satisfied unless absolutely everything is worked out • syn. imbalance, unfair, disparity, unequal, uneven, disproportionate

Dramatica Definition: Induction

Induction • [Element] dyn.pr. Deduction<–>Induction • a method of thought that determines possibility • Induction is the process of thought that determines where an unbroken line of causal relationships might lead. The purpose is to see if it is possible that something connects to something else. The character containing the Inductive characteristic has an advantage in taking seemingly unrelated facts and putting them in an order that establishes a potential causal relationship. This allows him to arrive at conclusions that “limit in” something as a possibility. The drawback is that the conclusion only illustrates one possibility out of an unknown number of possibilities. Unlike deduction, Induction does not rule out competing theories until only one remains. Rather, Induction simply determines that a particular theory is not ruled out. Problems occur when it is assumed that simply because a causal relationship might exist that it does exist. This leads to blaming and holding responsible both people and situations that were not actually the real cause. Only if all possible Inductions are compared can the likelihood of any single one be determined • syn. postulate, predicate, conjecture, infer, hypothesize, determine possibility

Dramatica Definition: Inaction

Inaction • [Element] dyn.pr. Protection<–>Inaction • intentionally taking no action • Inaction does not mean simply sitting still. An Inactive character might choose to allow a course of action by not interfering. Or it might refuse to move out of harm’s way, thereby forming a resistance to the progress that drives the harm. Both of these are efficient tools for altering the course of an interaction. However, the Inactive characteristic may also drag its feet in all areas and form a resistance to both good and bad things so that its influence simply hinders everything but changes nothing. • syn. passive reaction, inactive response, achieve through not doing

Dramatica Definition: Hunch

Hunch • [Element] dyn.pr. Theory<–>Hunch • a conclusion based on intuition • A Hunch is an understanding based on insufficient circumstantial evidence. The phrase “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” describes the concept. The advantage is that when evidence mounts, even without direct connections, one may draw an analogy that has a substantial likelihood of being correct as in “I’ve seen that pattern before!” Of course, a Hunch is merely a suspicion. The danger is acting upon it as if it were fact. • syn. intuition, premonition, impression, suspicion

Dramatica Definition: Hope

Hope • [Variation] dyn.pr. Dream<–>Hope • a desired future that falls within reasonable expectations • Hope is based on a projection of the way things are going. When one looks at the present situation and notes the direction of change, Hope lies somewhere along that line. As an example, if one is preparing for a picnic and the weather has been sunny, one Hopes for a sunny day. If it was raining for days, one could not Hope but only Dream. Still, Hope acknowledge that things can change in unexpected ways. That means that Hoping for something is not the same as expecting something. Hope is just the expectation that something will occur unless something interferes. How accurately a character evaluates the potential for change determines whether he is Hoping or dreaming. When a character is dreaming and thinks he is Hoping, he prepares for things where there is no indication they will come true. • syn. desired expectation, optimistic anticipation, confident aspiration, promise, encouraging outlook