Attachment and Adulthood: A Neurobiological Perspective
Attachment and Adulthood: A Neurobiological Perspective Tammy D.Schamuhn, MS Candidate Portland State University Couns 510 What is Attachment? Attachment theory, as defined by Bowlby and Ainsworth, asserts that strong early relationships serve as a secure base from which to go confidently out into the world (Bowlby & Ainsworth, 1991). These fundamental relationships are those that individuals form and try to maintain because they are fundamental to feelings of belonging, security and protection from fear (Sable, 2008). The research suggests that a secure, close connection is a source of strength and personality integration (Siegal & Hartzell, 2003). Research puts forward that healthy development is dependent on secure parental attachment, where in the child or adolescent feels safe enough to explore his or her environment, while knowing his parental figures are accessible and responsive when called upon (Bowlby, 1988). "This secure attachment is associated with the individuals' ability to connect with others and cope with affective or stressful problems" (Ketterson & Blustein, 1997, p, 14). Siegal and Hartzell (2003) clarify that when children have primary caregivers who are consistent in their behaviors, are emotionally attuned (the inner state of the child is matched with that of the parent), and respond to the child in such a way that accurately matches the child's
Identity is a topic that raises many questions and psychologists take different approaches to define it. Based on their own concerns; they ask different questions, use different methods and make different interpretations of data.
Part I: Essay Identity is a topic that raises many questions and psychologists take different approaches to define it. Based on their own concerns; they ask different questions, use different methods and make different interpretations of data. This means that they produce different theories about identity. The social constructionist perspective suggests that identities are constructed through language and social relations. This essay will illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of this statement with examples of research studies from this and the psychosocial perspective. Social constructionists understand identities as fluid and originated through nurture in social interactions. One of the strengths of this perspective is that it sees identities in constant adaptation to circumstances in our bodies, relationships and environment (Phoenix, 2007). "When people talk to each other, the world gets constructed" (Burr, 2003, p.8). We use language to communicate, we construct our own identities through what and how we tell about ourselves (Phoenix, 2007). The psychologist Kenneth Gergen. shows how he actively constructed his identity as "pen writer" through his social relationships and how he adapted to the technological changes by the introduction of the computer (as cited in Phoenix, 2007, p. 71). This fluidity of identity gives us the flexibility to adapt to new circumstances
To what extent are social psychologists in agreement about how best to approach an understanding of the self?
To what extent are social psychologists in agreement about how best to approach an understanding of the “self”? How do you define self? Some may say it is personality or characteristics that form an identity but what about somebody suffering with dissociative identity disorder – which personality defines who they are? If we believe our personality or characteristics form an identity and make up our “self” – well how do we form an identity; how do we gain the knowledge to make ourselves unique and an individual so much so we can term it as “me”? Postmodernists believe family and religion position people, (Holloway, 2007, p.122) this is evident especially when we look at Middle Eastern people from the Muslim faith, growing up in a devout all-Muslim family and society – how easy or even possible would it be to say “I want to be catholic”. Within some countries and/or societies many aspects of creating a totally unique self have already been decided through social constructs within the individual’s society (i.e religion, occupation, freedom of choice with arranged marriages). Western sociologists have termed this complex process of social transformation as individualisation – producing individuals with freedom of choice, self-reflection and the capacity for autonomy, however western culture is fraught with an illusion of an idealistic version of self
Emotions and facial processing of emotions
“A frown is a smile upside down” – Fats Waller Distinctive universal signals 2 Distinctive physiology 3 Automatic appraisal 4 Distinctive universals 5 Distinctive appearance developmentally 6 Presence in other primates 7 Quick onset 8 Brief duration 9 Unbidden occurrence 10 Distinctive thoughts, memories and images 11 Distinctive subjective experience Emotions have played an important role in our evolution and the ability to express these come from environmental cues (Darwin, 1872). In 1999, Ekman provided criteria for emotions (see table 1). He and Friesen (1975) also identified six emotions (happiness, disgust, surprise, sadness, anger and fear) that were universal, that is these emotions were represented facially the same way across different cultures of the world. As a result, these six facial expressions tend to be termed as innate and hence support the “nurture” side of the debate in the famous “Nature vs Nurture” theme in Psychology. Amongst these emotions, of key interest to psychologists are the emotions of anger and happiness. Hansen and Hansen (1988) concluded that it was easier for participants to detect an angry face within a set of happy faces. This is generally called the anger superiority effect. Further evidence (amongst others) for this effect was given by Fox, Lester, Russo, Bowles, Pichler, and Dutton (2000).
Psychological Identity Theory
Sheryl Pearce Y9482561 DSE212 TMA01 In order to achieve our identity, we should know who we are not alongside who we are. It is our ‘core identity’ that directs us towards knowing who we are. We also use our bodies to show our identities as well as to form them, the way in which our bodies work have an impact on our identity. Some people would use social mobility in order to achieve their identity in ways such as further education or socializing with people they feel they identify with. People’s identity can also alter between work and social groups. A damaged brain can alter a persons identity, depending on the damage, for example, if someone suffers amnesia, they may not remember who they are or people around them, suffering an identity crisis and forming a new identity. One founder of modern psychology was William James, who, in 1890 produced the psychological identity theory. This essay aims to look at these and other theories on identity and how useful they are to our understanding of achieving our identity in today’s world. Our personality and relationships with other people are factors that help us achieve our identity. Personal relationships, such as a parent or a wife was termed by Henry Tajfel (1971) as personal identity, while social identity included being a woman or white. The most common psychological method studies relationships and attempts
Explain Milgram's concept of the agentic state and discuss whether it is a valid explanation for obedience. What other explanations for obedience have been put forward and what evidence support these?
Explain Milgram's concept of the agentic state and discuss whether it is a valid explanation for obedience. What other explanations for obedience have been put forward and what evidence support these? Obedience is taught from childhood through a process of socialisation. Individuals are constantly facing authority figures and taking orders, often without even being aware they are doing so. Parents, teachers, bosses are just a few authority figures almost every individual will have come across throughout their life. Most orders given on a day-to-day basis will be harmless, but what happens when they are not? What happens when a person is asked to harm another with no seemingly legitimate reason? Milgram's famous studies focusing on obedience to authority look at just that, and his agency theory tries to form reasons as to why people obey. Milgram (1963) suggests that the mind works on two levels of consciousness and individuals will shift between the two (the agentic shift) when confronted with authority due to the process of socialisation. The autonomous state is where an individual assumes responsibility for their own actions and the consequences of their behaviour. However the agentic state is where an individual believes themselves to be acting only as an agent of another. Individuals renounce themselves of all personal responsibility while acting under this state,
Personality trait theorists have suggested that there are as few as three or perhaps significantly more than three personality traits. What is the most appropriate number of personality traits?
Personality trait theorists have suggested that there are as few as three or perhaps significantly more than three personality traits. What is the most appropriate number of personality traits? Abstract Since the inception of personality psychology and trait theory, psychologists have been trying to identify the appropriate number of personality traits that there is out there. There have been many theories developed in the last century and this article will be looking at three of the more popular models of personality and debating which theory proposes the better case for the appropriate number of personality traits. Three factor theory (Eysenck, 1967) the five factor theory (Costa & McCrae, 1987) and the 16 personality trait factor (Cattel, 1965) are all looked at in this article and by firstly defining what is looked at when choosing the ideal number of personality traits. This article concludes that the most appropriate amount of personality traits is five, with evidence provided in the article pointing out the key factors which support the five personality traits. Personality trait theorists have suggested that there are as few as three or perhaps significantly more than three personality traits. What is the most appropriate number of personality traits? Trait theory is the study and identification of the established habitual patterns of behaviour, thought and
Summarise two theories of identity and compare their usefulness for explaining real world issues.
Summarise two theories of identity and compare their usefulness for explaining real world issues. Question one. Everybody has an idea of who they are as people and the character traits that differentiate them from others. This essay seeks to summarise and compare two identity theories and compare their usefulness when they are applied to real world issues, specifically bullying in schools and adult racism. The two theories that will be examined are firstly Erikson's theory of psychosocial identity (PIT) and secondly Tajfel's social identity theory (SIT). Firstly, a description of Erik Erikson's psychosocial identity theory. Erikson believed that identities are shaped with the help of the community in which children and adolescents lived. For Erikson, 'identity involved the development of a stable, consistent, and reliable sense of who we are'. This quote suggests that Erikson viewed identity at an individual level. He saw identity as being a lifelong process that involved resolving normative crisis between individual needs and social demands. ( Phoenix, A,, pg 53) Erikson had identified eight stages of identity development, beginning in infancy to old age, Although he viewed identity as a lifelong process, he believed the fifth stage to be the most significant. This stage embarks upon adolescence. Erikson seen adolescence as a period of 'Psychosocial Moratorium' meaning
There is a lot to be gained by studying a topic in psychology from more than one perspective. Discuss this claim drawing on Chapters 2 and 3 from Book 2 to illustrate your points.
'There is a lot to be gained by studying a topic in psychology from more than one perspective.' Discuss this claim drawing on Chapters 2 and 3 from Book 2 to illustrate your points. What is it that makes us human? Contemporary psychology aims to understand this complex issue in considering psychological phenomena through its diverse perspectives. Each perspective differs in epistemology and methodology producing specific reasoning and explanation. More than one perspective can explain a topic and this eclecticism produces complementarity, conflict or co-existence between perspectives. Applying these relationships by introducing a number of perspectives on the topics of language and meaning and sex and gender, this essay will discuss the claim that there is a lot to be gained by studying a topic from more than one perspective. Why are there so many approaches to psychology? Due to human complexity, distinctive psychological perspectives exist because there are particular ways of conceptualizing psychological phenomena each seeking different objects of knowledge. The biological perspective looks at relationships between biological processes and behaviour focusing on anatomical mechanisms and functionality. The Psychoanalytic perspective explores the role of the unconscious mind, influences of childhood experiences and interpersonal relationships in explaining human behaviour.
How Does Single Parents Living Status Affect Their Daily Coping Strategies For Maintaining Mental Wellbeing
How Does Single Parents' Living Status Affect Their Daily Coping Strategies For Maintaining Mental Wellbeing? Abstract The paper aims to investigate how single parents' living in poverty adopt their daily coping strategies to solve difficulties and minimize their psychological impacts to maintain mental wellbeing. This report employs explore 2 female single parents transcripts from an interview study (Lea, Burgoyne, Jones, & Beer, 1997) and use Grounded Theory(GT) to analyze and then generate 2 main themes which is: the difficulties from both living in poverty and being in a single parents' position will generate risk factors of mental wellbeing; Both participants had a set of daily coping strategies to minimize the impact of risk factors of mental health. The reason for using GT and both demerits and merits have been discussed. Introduction Qualitative approaches are employed in order to acquire an comprehension of underlying motivations and reasons, to bring insights to obscure problems for developing testable theories; facilitating to gather in depth understanding of how people make sense of their experiences, lives and their structures of the world . qualitative are different from quantitative approaches, they do not involve statistic or measurement but nonnumeric context or representation. Qualitative approaches cover a wide range of methods, including Content