Dimensional Accrual and Dissociation Theory,

and Its Application to Ancient Greece

Chase Chitwood
University of Oklahoma
COMM 3513: Intercultural Communication
Dr. Eric Kramer
October 10, 2022
 In its entirety, ancient Greece existed for almost three thousand years (greece timeline).

Minoan civilization on Crete began to flourish in the 2000’s b.c. and Greece was officially

absorbed into the Roman Empire in 31 b.c. (greece timeline). Their civilization was around for so

long that it surpassed cultural changes, power shifts and empires. Through that time, Greece

evolved as the world around it evolved, picking up ideas and customs from surrounding areas.

This makes Greece unique to look at under the lens of communication theories, more specifically

the dimensional accrual and dissociation theory. This theory, created by Eric Kramer, is a major

theoretical approach to comparative cultures and communication (Kramer 2013). It focuses on

time and space as they are experienced and created by people (Kramer 2013). The longevity of

Greek culture and influence makes it a valuable resource to study communication and

intercultural differences.

To be able to apply this theory to ancient Greek culture, first one must understand how

the theory works. The dimensional accrual and dissociation theory was created as a synthesis of

ideas from scholars like Jean Gebser and Lewis Mumford (Kramer 2013). Gebser, in his 1949

book The Ever-Present Origin, had the idea that cultural and psychological processes could be

separated into five structures, which are called archaic, magic, mythical, mental and integral

(gaiamind.org 2022). These ideas can explain different levels of consciousness and how different

people perceive the world differently. Gebser’s ideas come from the work of Immanuel Kant on

human consciousness and empiricism. Kant argued that we can only know objects as they appear

to us in the world we experience (iep.utm.edu 2022). This means our perception of the universe

can differ from another’s who perceives the world differently.

Mumford’s 1934 publication Technics and Civilization explained the origins of the

modern industrial society and how it came to be (press.uchicago.edu ?). Mumford argues that the
mechanical clock, not the steam engine, was the key machine of the modern industrial age

(Mumford 1934). His argument posits that the increased separation of time by the clock pushed

humans toward modernization. Kramer combined these ideas and presented them using

dimensional structures to explain different forms of communication (Kramer 2013). This birthed

the dimensional accrual and dissociation theory that is a theoretical approach to understanding

differences between cultures and the difficulties that come with intercultural communication

(Kramer 2013).

To further understand the dimensional accrual and dissociation theory, certain terms must

be defined and explained. A dimension is that which is necessary for something to exist. Kant

found that a material object must have duration in time and extension in space to exist (Kramer

2013). For example, a flower exists because it takes up an amount of space and it grows,

flourishes and dies in an amount of time. Accrual means that over time dimensions add up, that

past dimensions still exist under modern ones and that these past dimensions still hold

significance (Kramer 2013). Kramer (2013) said, “Prior consciousness structures are not only

presumed but necessary for the modern world to exist. Dissociation means abstraction or

differences in the way things are handled, in the way one thinks or in the way one acts (Kramer

2013).

The last term to be explained is culture. In this theory, culture takes on multiple

meanings, and acts as a product of a person’s consciousness structures (Kramer 2012). Culture is

defined as a symbol system that no one person owns or fully knows, as a semantic field one lives

in and as a form of expression (Kramer 2012). Kramer (2012) said, “If each generation had to

learn how to farm or hunt from scratch, through pure trial and error, we as a species would have

gone extinct long ago.” Culture allows humans to share knowledge and become more advanced
with every generation. The next important aspects to explain are the three different forms reality

takes based on one’s consciousness structure.

It is important to understand that none of these forms or structures are better than the

other. On the contrary, some consciousness structures manifest more dimensions than others,

which can neither be more evolved nor less evolved. Kramer divides forms of reality into three

worlds, which are the magic, mythic and perspectival worlds. The most basic is the magic world.

This world is one-dimensional, and it exhibits no space or time as the words are known in a

modern setting (Kramer 2013). The word magic is used anthropologically, meaning to make

something happen, to describe groups of people that are collectivistic, holistic, high context,

highly emotionally attached and exhibit little spatial thinking (Kramer 2013). Kramer notes that

spatial thinking is what allows dissociation and the accrual of dimensions to take place (Kramer

2013). Where the one-dimensional magic world has no form in space or time, the mythic world

brings the beginning of these concepts.

Next, the mythic world is two-dimensional. Like magic, the theory uses the word myth in

a scholarly sense, which is how Gebser and others have used it (Kramer 2013). This definition of

myth means lessons to live by or pedagogy (Kramer 2013). In a mythic world, things become

more abstract and fragmented as humans begin to use spatial thinking (Kramer 2013). The

mythic world also involves more dimensions, and this welcomes more arbitrary forms of

communication (Kramer 2013). The mythic world brings more separation and more differences

to people in the same group or people from different groups. Two-dimensional mythic culture

sees the introduction of more arbitrary forms of communication because of the separation of

things and what those things represent (Kramer 2013). This is only the beginning of spatial

thinking as well as dissociation. This level only goes up as more dimensions are added. The
three-dimensional perspectival world has more dimensions and more dissociation than is seen in

the two-dimensional mythic world.

The three-dimensional perspectival world has a very strong sense of space and time

(Kramer 2013). This supports Mumford’s claim that the invention of the mechanical clock

brought on the modern industrial age with the clock’s separation of time (Mumford 1934). The

perspectival world is far more abstract and segmented than the previous worlds, and it is more

individualistic. Kramer (2013) notes, “As dimensions add up, dissociation or abstraction

increases, and emotional attachment and involvement decrease.” This means that society,

professions and power structures become more narrow and specialized. This also means that

people have little or no emotional attachment to objects and others (Kramer 2013). These

dimensions, and therefore worlds, add up and overlap. This creates numerous cultures that show

a mix of worlds found in the different aspects of their culture. One way to clearly see the aspects

and dimensions of the theory of dimensional accrual and dissociation is by applying it to the

ancient Greek world. Kramer (2013) notes that the Greeks were the first moderns. The classical

Greek culture was so widespread, both through time and through physical space, that examples

of the theory can clearly be seen.

What has been found or discovered about early Greek culture promotes that many at that

time were part of a magic culture. Magic incantations change reality. They do not teach lessons

(Kramer 2013). There is no deeper meaning in magical, idolic or literal communication. This

means that communication serves its one purpose and has no further meaning. This form of

one-dimensional communication can be found in the pre-Greek civilization of the Minoans. The

Minoan Civilization existed on the island of Crete from 3000 b.c. to 1450 b.c. (Marriott 2016).

They were one of the first civilizations to appear in Europe and they grew very wealthy and
well-known from an extensive and profitable trade network (Marriott 2016). The Minoans are

seen as an early ancestor of the Greeks due to Greece’s adoption of their culture (Kitto 1991).

Despite being a well-known and well-documented civilization, not a lot is known of their culture,

because their writing is very one-dimensional. A majority of their writing bookkeeping and

regulatory manuscripts (source). These types of writings offer no opportunity for change, further

thought or individuality. This is far different than mythic stories that allow much interpretation

and thought.

Another example of the magic world in ancient Greece is the prominence or oracles,

mainly the Oracle of Delphi. In fact, the Oracle held high esteem for over 2,000 years in Greece

(history coop). The Oracle was blessed by the god, Apollo, and was known all around the Greek

world for her prophecies (Kitto 1991). Early in Greek history the Oracle of Delphi was often

visited prior to establishing a new colony, but eventually, Greeks from all over would consult the

Oracle before making decisions (Kitto 1991). This form of communication is a proponent of a

one-dimensional, magic world. In that holistic world, the Oracle was a superpowered person,

imbued with the power of a god. Her prophecies held power over all people of Greece. Here

there is no segmentation or differentiation in the words of the authority figure. What the Oracle

says goes. The Oracle of Delphi shows how aspects of a one-dimensional magic world can

remain prominent despite changes in culture.

Magic communication is absolute and exact (Kramer 2012). The words must be recited

perfectly, or incantations must be done on a certain day of the year in a certain place. Myth and

mythic stories are much more adaptable and pliable (Kramer 2013). Scholars of myth, like

Gebser and Campbell 1991, use the term myth as a form of lessons to live by, or pedagogy

(Kramer 2013). In ancient Greece you can hear a story from anyone and still understand the
meaning and learn a lesson. The exact details of the story are not as important as the overarching

themes. This can be seen widely in ancient Greek myths. There are multiple versions,

characterizations and stories of the hero Heracles (Hamilton 1969). There are differing tales of

Heracles from ancient Greek authors like Sophocles, Euripides and Theocritus (Hamilton 1969).

The different written and performed tales suggest that there was a larger number of Heracles

stories that were transferred only orally. Regardless of how many different accounts there are, the

example of Heracles shows ancient Greece engaging in more spatial thinking and more

abstraction. These stories belong to a two-dimensional mythic world. Despite any changes to

Heracles’ trials, his personality or his story, lessons can still be taken from the myth. Not only

that but these stories can be listened to and enjoyed in different dimensions. One can listen and

simply enjoy a story about an invincible demigod with super strength. Another can listen to the

same story and analyze different depictions of emotion, character development, major thematic

elements and warnings in the message. The abstraction of ancient Greek myths show that the

cultures were beginning to use more spatial thinking and dissociation in their storytelling. The

ancient Greeks will continue to add more dimensions and abstractions to their society.

Classical Greece, especially Athens is a good example to the claim that the Greeks were

the first moderns. Their theater was structured so there was a separate space, away from the

audience, where the performance was happening. That barrier is called theatrical distance

(Kramer 2013). Theatrical distance is a very perspectival idea and structure for the sharing of

knowledge and stories. The spread of stories, in the ancient world, was primarily done through

word-of-mouth storytelling. This is originally how the homeric epics were passed down

(natgeo.com 2022). This is a more mythic way to share stories. The audience is in the same space
as the one who is telling the story. They can react and be a part of the experience. Here, there is

still a level of dissociation between the audience and the story. That dissociation only grows with

the creation of the theater. As the world becomes more perspectival, you can see dissociation

grow in how stories are told and listened to.

The perspectival world in Greece can also be seen in Sparta’s army. Spartan men were

trained to become the toughest warriors from a young age (Kitto 1991). Sparta was the first

example of a modern professional warrior. The Spartan men had no other duty than to train their

minds and bodies to become better soldiers (Kitto 1991). This is compared to ancient Athens,

where male Athenians were required to fill many positions like soldier, farmer, politician or jury

(Kitto 1991). In Sparta there is far more specialization of professions. There is only one

profession for Spartan men. This specialization and abstraction of jobs is a trait of perspectival

worlds (Kramer 2013). In Athens, there was less specialization because many men did many

jobs. When someone narrows their focus to one profession, they are bound to become more

proficient at it.

Ancient Greece existed in space and in time for a significant amount of time. This

longevity allowed it to experience aspects of all three dimensions of the dimensional accrual and

dissociation theory. The one-dimensional magic world can be seen in Minoan communication

and in the Oracle of Delphi’s communication. The mythic world can be seen prominently in the

mythic stories of Heracles. Lastly, the perspectival world is seen in the Athenian Theater and in

the Spartan professional army.

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