|
Adler, Alfred Alfred Adler (1870-1937) was an Austrian psychiatrist who started with Freud, but eventually rejected Freud's emphasis on sexuality. Adler founded the school of individual psychology and maintained that neurosis was not a matter of repressed sexuality, but rather a reaction to feelings of inferiority. ("It is always easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.") Adler felt that the relation of the individual to his or her community was of prime importance, and that a feeling of connection to society was paramount to maintaining mental health. Web:
Consciousness The idea that we are conscious seems so basic to our lives that we take it for granted. However, to philosophers, the idea of consciousness, and its implications, is complex. Indeed, it embraces four distinct areas of experience: knowledge, intention, introspection, and sensation. As such, the study of consciousness is multidisciplinary, involving, not only psychology, but cognitive science, neuroscience and philosophy. Web:
Usenet:
Listserv Mailing List:
Listserv Mailing List:
Freud, Sigmund Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was an Austrian psychiatrist and one of the great geniuses of the twentieth century. Freud opened vast areas of human thought -- for example, the idea that there is an unconscious mind -- and can rightly be considered the father of modern psychology. Freud's basic theory (which he developed and expanded over the years) is that unresolved infantile conflicts are responsible for much of adult neurosis and other aberrant behavior. Freud developed the techniques of psychoanalysis: the use of free association and dream interpretation to bring these conflicts to light, and to deal with them appropriately. As Freud developed his theories, it became more and more clear to him that the repressed feelings and memories were often of a sexual nature. He described, for example, the Oedipus Complex, a subconscious desire within a child for the parent of the opposite sex. If this complex does not resolve itself naturally, it will have a great effect on the person. As an adult, he or she may become neurotic and may be unable to form a normal, sexual relationship. Freud's strong belief in repressed sexual feelings as the root of much human pathology was extremely controversial at the time, and led to his breaking with some of his followers, in particular, Carl Jung and Alfred Adler. Throughout the years, Freud's theories have been studied, expanded (and even partially discredited) by several generations of psychoanalysts and physiologists. However, the bulk of Freud's insight and contributions have stood the test of time. Although there are those who criticize Freud's theories, I find that most such people know very little about what Freud really said and did. If you have never actually read anything Freud wrote, you may enjoy doing so. (I suggest starting with the book "The Psychopathology of Everyday Life".) Freud was a real genius in the sense that whatever he turned his attention to, he illuminated. Web:
IQ Tests In 1912, the German psychologist William Stern developed a test to measure what he called a child's "mental age". Once Stern had tested a child, he would calculate a special number by dividing the child's mental age by his chronological age, and multiplying the result by 100. This number would, supposedly, indicate the child's native intelligence. For example, if a 12-year-old child was found to have a mental age of 12, his intelligence score would be 100 (12 divided by 12 times 100). This was considered average. If his mental age were 10, his score would be 83 (10 divided by 12 times 100). This would be below average. In 1916, the American psychologist, Lewis Terman, coined the term "intelligence quotient" (IQ) to describe such numbers. The idea of mental age has long been discredited, but the term IQ has found a permanent place in our culture. Over the years, it has been accepted that there is no such thing as a general measure of intelligence; that such tests always reflect a cultural bias; and that, in fact, what we think of as "intelligence" is really a collection of attributes, not a single overall quality. Still, such reasoning, as sensible as it sounds, hasn't stopped people from looking for one number that can accurately indicate overall smartness (especially in themselves and their loved ones). So, here for your personal delectation, are some free IQ tests, the perfect tools to help you waste the rest of your day. Web:
Jung, Carl Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist. At one time, Jung was one of Freud's disciples. (In fact, Jung was the first president of the International Psychoanalytic Association.) However, in 1912 he published a book called Psychology and the Unconscious, which described two dimensions of the unconscious. In addition to the regular unconscious, which Freud had discovered (containing repressed and forgotten memories and thoughts), Jung postulated a "collective unconscious" (mental patterns shared within a culture or by all human beings). This was enough of a revolutionary hypothesis to cause Jung to break with Freud. Jung founded the school of "analytical psychology" and achieved a career of great renown. (It was Jung, for instance, who developed the ideas of introversion and extroversion.) Web: Usenet:
Optical Illusions Optical illusions are really cool, even without the benefit of caffeine or other artificial substances. These sites have collections of images that make you think twice (or more) about what you are seeing. Web:
Personality Tests One way to analyze the human personality is by studying a person and classifying him or her as being a particular "psychological type". This idea was originally developed by Carl Jung, who believed that human behavior follows specific patterns that develop from the characteristics of the human mind. Jung believed the conscious human mind was continually perceiving (taking in information) and judging (organizing information to arrive at decisions). However, each person is born with a tendency to favor one type of mental activity over the other. According to Jung, a person could perceive either by "sensing" or by using "intuition". Similarly, one judges either by "thinking" or "feeling". (You can see how one could classify people according to this criteria.) Jung also identified two opposite human tendencies: extroversion (an outward focus) and introversion (an inward focus). Here are some resources that can help you understand personality testing, Jungian and otherwise. If you enjoy self-analysis, one of these Web sites has a test you can take to estimate your Jungian-based personality characteristics. This will allow you to summarize your personality using a standard, four-letter acronym, for example, INTJ (introvert, intuition [N], thinking, judging) or XNFP (split extrovert/introvert [X], intuition [N], feeling, perceiving). For a discussion of personality testing, you can participate in the Usenet groups. Web:
Usenet:
Psychological Help There are days when things seem overwhelming and unpleasant or you encounter a problem and you don't know exactly what to do with it. Check out the Usenet group that offers discussion about the problems people face. Maybe you will find an answer or just someone to talk to. Usenet:
Psychology Journals Here are the abstracts and tables of contents for a large number of journals sponsored by the American Psychological Association. The information at this site allows you to scan through the summaries of your favorite journals: an easy way to keep up on what is happening. Web: Psychology Resources Psychologically speaking, you can learn a lot about a psychologist by observing what types of Internet resources he uses. If a psychologist only uses Web sites, it means he is a loner, who likes to work on his own. If a psychologist participates in Usenet discussion groups or mailing lists, it means he is more other-centered, the type of person who prefers to work in groups in order to reach a consensus. And if a psychologist uses the Web and participates in discussions, it means he is an over-achiever who works too hard in a vain attempt to please his father with whom he has issues that have never been resolved. Web:
Majordomo Mailing List:
Psychology Talk and General Discussion The good thing about psychology is that anyone can talk about it. The bad thing is that everyone does. Of course, as one of my readers, your insights are particularly valuable, so if you have any interest in psychology, I encourage you to join the discussion. Here are several Usenet groups devoted to different aspects of psychology. If you are not sure which one is for you, choose the .misc group. Usenet:
Self-Help and Psychology Magazine This online magazine features articles by renowned psychologists and respected experts. You can find information on subjects such as relationships, sexuality, addictions, family, sports psychology and health. Web: Social Psychology Social psychology is a collective term to describe the areas of study that concentrate on group behavior, and on how social factors influence us as individuals. As such, social psychologists deal with such topics as personal relationships, advertising, the psychology of politics, societal attitudes, group behavior, power and influence, and so on. Web:
Listserv Mailing List:
|
© All contents Copyright 2005, Harley Hahn
Full trademark and copyright information