By the mid-eighties the discipline was described as a «young and growing field» by commentators. However, in this period there was a schism within the organization related to future goals and orientations. One group wanted a humanistic direction, while another group wanted a more scientific orientation. In 1984 the latter group split from the organization and became the "Association for the Anthropological Study of Consciousness" (AASC). This unit later went on to become the "Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness". According to Hunter, the parallel field of Anthropology of Consciousness grew out of the transpersonal perspective, including Transpersonal anthropology. However, soon after these events the "Association for Transpersonal Anthropology" winded down, and The Phoenix journal ceased publication in 1985.