To put things together, we can consider the gap that forms between two external (environmental) polarities to be representative of a state of nothingness. It is when the polarities are brought together and integrated in our imagination and then managed in real life that nothingness becomes something. Similarly, nothingness is found within the gap that is formed when two internal (psychic) forces or entities are opposed to one another. The imagined unifying symbol helps to fill the gap and creates something out of nothing.
We also find gaps to exist between what we introduced in the third essay as Henry Murray’s intrapsychic needs and environmental presses (Murray, 1938/2001). The need for achievement, for instance, might be challenged by an environmental press that calls for stability, just as the need for continuity might be challenged by an environmental press that calls for innovation. Integration is required between these needs and presses for us to remain successful in adapting to the shifting challenges during our lifetime. A unified symbol of thoughtful yet opportunistic entrepreneurship might bring together achievement (n) and stability (p), as well as continuity (n) and innovation (p).
Assimilation and Accommodation
Imagination also plays a major role in the dual processes of learning—accommodation and assimilation– that were identified many years ago by Jean Piaget, and that I offered in the first essay in this series (Bergquist, 2026b).
Adaptation: We find that imagination accompanies assimilation, in particular, as the external information is being altered or perhaps fully transformed in accordance with an existing schema. We interpret new experiences by first imagining how they fit into an existing schema or might even test out several schemata to see which is most appropriate. For instance, when we are confronted with an unknown animal while hiking on a mountain trail, we might initially imagine that this animal is “like” the bears featured in movies who are dangerous and attacking. Or perhaps this animal is more like the teddy bear that was loved and cuddled when we were children. After this initial, quite imaginative appraisal, we recognize that this animal is too small to be a bear and is certainly not an animal to be hugged! Perhaps it is a badger? We have heard of badgers, but don’t know much about them. So, we shift to accommodation, recognizing that we need to apply a new category to this animal. We must be observant regarding this animal’s behavior to see if it could harm us.
Essentially, the process of assimilation allows the mind to maintain cognitive stability and consonance (avoiding cognitive dissonance). Our mind uses imagination to interpret and reinterpret unfamiliar information. The new information is imagined as fitting with familiar patterns (growling bear or teddy bear), making learning efficient and minimally demanding. That is until none of the familiar patterns work (this is not a bear of any kind); at this point, something “new” is required to accommodate what has been received.
Imagination also plays a prominent role in the process of anticipation that I have featured in a presentation on the Polystatic process in my recent book (Bergquist, 2026a). In essence, I have proposed that we are always anticipating what is about to happen in our immediate environment either because of something we have just done in this environment or because of the shifting conditions of this environment that have other sources. With this anticipation, we adjust our desired baseline and our intended actions. We are constantly changing this baseline (Polystasis) rather than returning to some pre-existing baseline (Homeostasis). For a brief moment, we imagine how our modified actions would impact the environment we now face. We may adjust these actions based on the imagined impact. All of this happens very quickly and is accompanied by ongoing adjustments in our physiological state (Sterling, 2020).
