Psychological -Another Pass
The Four Who Entered the Pardes and the Study of PTSD, Ira Bedzow, Faculty Member New York Medical College, Journal of Torah and Medicine of the Einstein College of Medicine Synagogue and the Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, Volume V, Pages 223-224
The four paradigms that we have identified are:
Ben Zoma- This type of person interprets events with a synchronic orientation. Previous experience and knowledge does not inform the present or future. This type of person also continually reinterprets the past so that it conforms to currently-held opinions, so that the person sees life as an undifferentiated totality. This is reflected in how the person defines every thing in his or her life by the present moment.
Ben Azzai – This type of person has a tendency towards interpreting events abstractly, and thus may take ideas to a logical extreme. However, while the person’s ideology may be extreme, his behavior often contradicts that ideology, which he justifies through a sense of personal exemption. This person also has little to no interest in social involvement.
Aher- This type of person will form a conclusion based on just one experience and then will search for evidence to support his conclusion, without considering other possibilities. Interpretation for this person serves merely as a justification for his personal view. This person’s social involvement tends to be antagonistic.
R. Akiva- This type of person interprets events in a manner that is consistent with his traditional narrative, and that narrative serves to provide a positive outlook with a moderate conclusion. He also interprets experiences in a diachronic manner so that events are related to one’s past and serve as a guide for one’s future. His social involvement is conciliatory.