HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY

Philosophical and scientific roots

The study of psychology in philosophical context dates back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, China, India, and Persia. Psychology began adopting a more clinical[2] and experimental[3] approach under medieval Muslim psychologists and physicians, who built psychiatric hospitals for such purposes.[4]In 1802, French physiologist Pierre Cabanis helped to pioneer biological psychology with his essay Rapports du physique et du moral de l'homme (On the relations between the physical and moral aspects of man). Cabanis interpreted the mind in light of his previous studies of biology, arguing that sensibility and soul are properties of the nervous system.Though the use of psychological experimentation dates back to Alhazen's Book of Optics in 1021,[3][5]psychology as an independent experimental field of study began in 1879, when Wilhelm Wundt founded the first laboratory dedicated exclusively to psychological research at Leipzig University in Germany, for which Wundt is known as the "father of psychology".[6] The year 1879 is thus sometimes regarded as the "birthdate" of psychology. The American philosopher William James published his seminal book, Principles of Psychology[7] in 1890, laying the foundations for many of the questions on which psychologists would focus for years to come. Other important early contributors to the field include Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850–1909), a pioneer in the experimental study of memory at the University of Berlin; and the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936) who investigated the learning process now referred to as classical conditioning.

Psychology From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Psychology From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Greek: Ψυχολογία, lit. "study of the mind", from ψυχή psykhē "breath, spirit, soul"; and -λογία, -logia "study of"[1]) is an academic and applied discipline involving the systematic, and often scientific, study of human mental functions and behavior. Occasionally, in addition or opposition to employing the scientific method, it also relies on symbolic interpretation and critical analysis, although it often does so less prominently than othersocial sciences such as sociology. Psychologists study such phenomena as perception, cognition, emotion,personality, behavior and interpersonal relationships. Some, especially depth psychologists, also study theunconscious mind.Psychological knowledge is applied to various spheres of human activity, including issues related to everyday life—such as family, education and employment—and to the treatment of mental health problems. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior, while also exploring the underlying physiological and neurological processes. Psychology includes many sub-fields of study and applications concerned with such areas as human development, sports, health, industry, media and law. Psychology incorporates research from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. A professional theorist or practitioner of psychology is called a psychologist

c

Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) emerged in the 1950s when psychologists became interested in whether thought processes were learned in the same way as behaviour is. It stemmed from behaviour therapy which focused only on behaviour. The common precept behind CBT is that the way we think has a major influence on our subsequent emotions and behaviours. It is possible however to change the way with think and as such bring about emotional and behavioural change. Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) is just one type of cognitive behaviour therapy.REBT was pioneered by Albert Ellis who personally used the techniques he taught his clients during his own long life (he died in 2007 aged 93). Essentially, people display both rational and irrational thoughts. Too many irrational thoughts can impact on life, causing unhappiness, anxiety, depression and so on. REBT aims to teach clients the difference between rational and irrational thinking. Irrational thinking is thinking that essentially makes little logical sense, or fails to stand up to the evidence. 'Bad things always happen to me', 'I must not fail' are examples of irrational thinking.Although irrational thoughts may have evolved over years and stem from childhood, REBT does not focus on the past. Rather it works with what is going on for the client right now and aims to help people accept themselves and others as they are, including their imperfections.REBT therapists follow an ABC approach. A refers to the activating event that causes concern for a person (e.g. standing on a ladder). B is the belief held by the person about A (I am going to fall to my death). C is the consequence of that belief (anxiety, shaking, avoiding ladders). The important point is that it is a person's belief that led to the consequence, not the event itself. Another person may have no problems standing on a ladder, as they know they are safe.Having understood the link between beliefs and the subsequent consequences, the therapist works to help the client recognise that their beliefs are irrational and should be challenged. This is known as disputing. The client may undergo many types of activities to recognise that their thinking is illogical. The person fearing the ladder comes to recognise the belief that they will die is an irrational one.Finally the client learns to replace their old, irrational beliefs with more realistic ones that enable more appropriate behaviours. As such they have changed the consequence. 'I can be safe on the ladder, I just have to be careful.' allows the person to use a ladder without fear. The client would engage in behaviours that reinforce their new beliefs.Once the technique is learned, the client is able to use it in their life ever onwards. They recognise the impact thoughts have on their subsequent feelings and behaviours

Personality, Colors and the Changing Seasons

Personality, Colors and the Changing Seasons

Modern man has largely lost natural rhythm as we do not live close to nature anymore, but one way we do emulate the seasonal rhythms is in our personality through color. The more sensitive we are to the vibrational energies of color, the more we are able to discern the color we require at any one time.We have all experienced being drawn to a color on a certain day. When we are drawn towards a particular color, it is indicative of our needs for the energy of that color.It is a fact that we are influenced by the fashionable colors for a specific season but these colors are not necessarily the colors which contribute to a person's well being.Spring colors are light and clear (tints),Summer colors are bright and intense (hues).Autumn sees deeper shades of colorWinter's colors are soft and deep.Our personality is linked to a season and we can find four distinct seasonal personalities.THE WINTER PERSONALITY - COOL COLORS - Strong contrasting colors Dramatic coloring, dark hair and eyes, also white/gray hair. Seen as strong, self-assured and aloof, these people are in fact shy and prefer the peace of their own company. They have good career minds, are loyal and reliable in a crisis. They are good organizers and leaders. THE SUMMER PERSONALITY - COOL COLORS - Blues and pinks Gentle, calm and soft. Perfectionists who find it hard to accept acknowledgment for what they do. Good listeners, but analytical and judgmental. Find it hard to express their feelings, and often deny themselves opportunities to use their talents.THE SPRING PERSONALITY - WARM COLORS - Green and corals Lively, vivacious and effervescent. Impulsive, easy and responsive to the opportunities in life. They laugh a lot. Not well organized and often lack professional diplomacy. Fresh ideas but often have too many projects going at once. They make friends easily are positive and have natural energy. THE AUTUMN PERSONALITY - WARM COLORS - Gold and brown Earthy characters, independent and career-minded. Good organizers and can deal with many projects at one time. Capable of both depressive introversion and out-going fun. Like company but can be alone. Unpredictable, but warm and friendly. Connecting to the rhythmic color energies of your world results in becoming part of the planets life force. The subtle powers of color become part of the person and enhances the quality of life.

Beware of Excuses That Proclaim People Don't Change!

Beware of Excuses That Proclaim People Don't Change!

Some folks believe that people don't change, and I've actually found this to be a false observation. Some say that kids and teens develop a certain personality and carry that throughout life. Again, I disagree. Still, whether you agree with this or not, there is plenty of evidence for both sides of the argument. And even if you never much liked Freud or even bought into his line of reasoning, there is an abundance of data, research, and experience behind these sorts of theories.Not long ago, an acquaintance of mine stated: "It's especially hard to raise children if you didn't get to start from the beginning. I had learned as a Police Officer that a kid pretty much was who he or she was meant to be for life by 12. After that all you can do is damage control and pray."Could be psychologists seem to have several theories on this. Some say 17 is the magic age, and whatever your mindset is at 17 sticks. I guess, all that may play a factor due to brain formation, and the research indicates other magic ages such as age 2, age 6, age 9, age 12, age 17, etc., but life is about choices. And thus, we need to beware of excuses by parents, psychologists, courts and even folks with emotional disorders who proclaim people don't change. Sure they do.In fact, I bet if you thought about it much, you'd be able to note that many of your friends have changed over the years and their behavior, psyche, and personality displacement is nothing like it was when they were young. Please think on this, and do not buy into the finality of such theories.

Parentification - The Dark Art of Making a Child a Parent

Parentification - The Dark Art of Making a Child a Parent

A fairly common practice of too many parents is to make their child an intermediary when a fight is going on between husband and wife. When parents do avoid assigning the child this role, the child will appoint himself or herself without prompting. Attempting the impossible and never giving up, as children tend to do, will always result in symptoms of some kind.Children forced to endure parental fighting or to witness one parent being abused by the other will suffer emotional turmoil, including fearfulness, becoming withdrawn (so that he does not have to take sides), or acting out as a behavior problem in order to draw attention to himself as a decoy and stop the threatening struggle. Bed wetting, for example, or nonconformity in school, can sometimes accomplish a truce and also provide a way to vent the unavoidable rage the child feels as a result of what he is being put through.If it isn't the marriage itself that is the source of the child's unrest, it is often another kind of unhappiness on the part of one or both parents. Every child who senses unhappiness, fear, or other distress in a parent will try to fix it. He will not only believe that he is able but will actually take it upon himself as his own personal responsibility, often for life.Children are not aware that their power is limited. Thus, children undertake the task of rescuing Mother or Father or both. If they try to be a better boy or girl, perform perfectly in school (or misbehave), be quieter or noisier when Mommy's upset, go to bed earlier, stay up later, stop fighting with siblings, start fights with siblings, try something different, or try everything harder, they will achieve their goal. When they fail, and they always do, they believe it is their fault.In one case of this kind, I was a young woman's 30th doctor. She came to me at the age of 19, never having been out of a mental hospital for more than six months from the time she was 13. She arrived with the firm expectation that I would put her back in the hospital, as all 29 other doctors had done.When the entire family was called into the office, everyone showed up except the father, who had long ago abandoned them all. The patient, however, deep in her subconscious, continued to hope that repeated hospitalizations would bring him back. Through all these years, the family had deteriorated through the mother's lost ability to govern, with the result that they were more sick than the patient.They did not need to deal with this fact, however, because they kept their focus on the patient, who cooperated fully. She was the endpoint in every matter discussed, and the family was entrenched in a process of shunning their own problems by projecting them onto the patient.All through the first family session, the patient was the only one openly upset. She spoke with emotion, cried, complained, and argued, but the rest of the family stayed composed as uninvolved observers. When all of this was pointed out, that the patient was expressing all of the emotion for them, they seemed unconvinced.I suggested that the patient felt all alone in being the only one to admit the pain, that she was crying on behalf of them all, that she was suffering in their place. This arrangement was not fair, I contended, and it was too much for the patient.Finally, one of the brothers sprang up and ran over to comfort her. Next, a sister followed; then, Mother. Before long they were all weeping and yet with great relief because it was good to have everything out in the open.All resistance and denial were given up by the family, and they began to talk honestly about the real causes of their suffering. The patient was relieved of her obligation to continue as mentally sick. Instead, she began to lead her family into some deep insights about the way they had all dealt with emotional pain in the past. She never returned to the hospital.Mixing children in parental struggles is pervasively destructive simply because children believe what their parents tell them, no matter how preposterous. They try to adapt to the role they are assigned or place on themselves. Children will participate in any and all madness.The dilemma for children is that there is no normal way to react to craziness. If only professionals could accept this fact, they could identify who really needs help in a family.Father Heyward B. Ewart, Ph.D. is President of St. James the Elder Theological Seminary. Information about the doctoral curriculum in Christian counseling and other programs, plus more information on Fr. Ewart, can be found at the seminary's website, http://stjamestheelderseminary.orgFather Ewart is author of the book "AM I BAD? Recovering from Abuse", published by Loving Healing Press. (lovinghealing.com) His seminary trains its counseling students to recognize and treat child and domestic abuse.

Psychiatry

Psychiatry

Psychiatry is a medical specialty devoted to the treatment, study and prevention of mental disorders. The term was first coined by the German physician Johann Christian Reil in 1808.Psychiatric assessment typically involves a mental status examination, the taking of a case history. Psychological tests may also be conducted. Physical examinations may be carried out and on occasion neuroimaging or other neurophysiological studies are performed. Mental disorders are diagnosed based on criteria listed in diagnostic manuals, such as the widely used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), published by the World Health Organization.Psychiatric treatment employs a variety of therapeutic modalities including medications, psychotherapy, and a wide variety of other treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation. Depending upon the disorder being treated, the severity of the symptoms, and level of impaired functioning, treatment may be conducted on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Research and the clinical application of psychiatry are conducted on an interdisciplinary basis involving various sub-specialties and theoretical approaches.