Plurality

The Plural Rings, a common symbol for plurality

Plurality is the state of being more than one consciousness or entity in one physical body. A group of entities experiencing plurality is most often called a plural system.

While most people equate plurality with dissociative identity disorder (DID), a plural community outside of the medical model has existed for decades. Other subcultures such as tulpamancy, soulbonding and daemonism can be considered plural experiences. However, many of these communities have separate origins and their own terminology, and members may reject the plural framework.

Common plural experiences include the ability to change which system member is controlling the body, the existence of an inner world where members not controlling the body reside, and having system members who are based on fictional characters. However, none of these things are universal. Systems may or may not be able to communicate internally with each other, and may or may not have segregated memories.

Plural systems may have theories as to why they are plural. Trauma is popularly considered the most common origin, although spiritual explanations also exist. Many systems assert that they are simply naturally plural. System origins, medical status and trauma history have been used to divide the community, and it is disputed how relevant they actually are.

Terminology

The experience of plurality was first known as multiplicity, a term which is still used by some today. "Plurality" was specifically coined to encompass the experience of medianhood as well as discrete multiples.

A group of entities sharing a body is typically called a system, but other words such as "collective" may be used. Members of a system are typically called headmates. The word pluran was coined to allow system members to self-describe as plural in a way that still emphasises their individual personhoods. The term "alter" in relation to system members was coined by medical professionals. It is short for "alternate personality" and therefore considered derogatory by many. However, the term still sees frequent use by systems who have DID or otherwise see their plurality through a medical lens.

A person who is not plural is called a singlet.

Types of plurality or Plural Subcultures

Plurality may be divided into several forms and as a broad experience also has several subcultures. People have attempted to categorize plurality based on origin or type, which has been the source of some controversy.

Median

Median (formerly called midcontinuum) is when those entities are not as distinct and can be described as existing somewhere between singlet and multiple. This is normally opposed to multiple, which is when the members of a system are separate and distinct. Members of a median system are sometimes called facets. Fictional entities in a median system may use the term fableing.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID is a disordered form of plurality. Under the DSM-V it is categorized as two or more alters being present, recurrent amnesia, and that this causes distress and dysfunction and isn't caused by cultural norms or external substances or conditions.

When this criteria isn't met, then one may be diagnosed with Otherwise Specified Dissociative DIsorder (OSDD), more specifically OSDD-1. Subcategories of these were made with the DSM-IV with OSDD-1a and OSDD-1b, which are still used by the community. OSDD-1a occurs with amnesia but either no alters or nondistinct alters while OSDD-1b occurs with distinct alters but no amnesia.

Soulbonding

Soulbonding is a mental connection with a fictional entity where normally that entity takes a form in your mindscape or head as an autonomous entity most commonly experienced by writers. Soulbonds may exist as a permanent pretense, return to their world occasionally, or be permanently present in their world with a mental link to you. This is the subculture where the term "fictive" originated.

Tulpamancy

Tulpamancy is the practice of a person creating a separate autonomous. sapient entity within their brain, these are sometimes created for a specific purpose or done for companionship. This subculture and experience falls under being a type of thoughtform. This community is based on the Buddhist concept of Sprul pas. It western form does not resemble it, but this is where some controversy surrounding the term and cultural appropriation originates.

Dæmonism

Dæmonism or daemonism is the act of creating a representation of ones own subconsciousness or inner dialogue in the form of an animal. This subculture was inspired by the books by Philip Pullman. It is common for daemonism to involve finding an animal representation of oneself through formfinding and both personal and animal analysis is common. This subculture and experience falls under being a type of thoughtform. This is also the subculture where otherhearted came from.

History with otherkin

Plurality has a long history of overlap with otherkin and similar subcultures. A number of older resources describe "otherkin multiples" - systems with members who identify as otherkin. The term "otherkin host" (or simply "kinhost") was also used to refer to this, with "host" describing the entire system as opposed to the primary fronter. Lupa describes multiplicity as an origin and type of otherkin in A Field Guide to Otherkin, as does Jay Johnston in his paper On having a furry soul. The term otherkin is still used by systems today, particularly those who dislike the term extranthrope or who are comprised entirely of nonhumans. 'Otherkin' has also appeared in certain DID glossaries as a borrowed term.

Early fictive communities by soulbonders also overlapped with fictionkin, especially on LiveJournal. The two communities continued to be adjacent to each other with 2010 kin networks and chat rooms often being advertised to both fictionkin and fictives.

The term Factkin came into existence in order to make fun of both fictionkin and factives, the later being entities in a system who are based on a real person in some way. This is sometimes also called an introject.