The transcendental ecology focuses on the relationship between persons and the transcendental abstractions, ie. God, the human condition, etc. A person's failure to fit into the four ecologies suggests that the person's behavior will be maladjusted. Sarbin suggests that each of the four ecologies fall under the preview of particular psychological orientations. Problems stemming from the self-maintenance ecology can be assigned to the behavior theorists.
Psychodynamic theories are best in focusing on the problems developed within the normative ecology.
The social ecology area is the focus of the community psychologists and the problems associated with the transcendental ecologies can best be responded to by the humanistic-existential theorist. The intervention programs on a college campus can be described by Sarbin's typology. Programs can be identified which focus on student health, identity, social relationships, and spiritual development. The challenge to the campus designer is to insure adequate opportunity as well as challenge and support for the students' struggles with the ecologies. The structure of social identity.