On being eager and uninhibited: narcissism and approach-avoidance motivation

This article demonstrates the validity and utility of conceptualizing narcissistic personality in terms of relative approach-avoidance motivation. Across three studies (N = 1,319), narcissism predicted high approach and low avoidance motivation. That is, narcissists reported being strongly motivated to approach desirable outcomes but only weakly motivated to avoid negative outcomes. Relative approach-avoidance motivation was shown to be useful in terms of explaining behavioral tendencies associated with narcissism (i.e., functional and dysfunctional impulsivity) and distinguishing different "flavors" of narcissism (i.e., overt and covert narcissism). Discussion focuses on how approach-avoidance motivation may be used to explain prior findings in the narcissism literature and generate novel future hypotheses.     

Psychoanalysis and theology: Two dialectics

In the vocabulary of psychoanalysis, health means something roughly correlative to salvation in the vocabulary of theology. Both health and salvation assume some manner of change from a previous pathological or doomed state. Against this background this paper seeks to delineate two different possible models of change: One in which realityper se is changed as opposed to one in which theperception of reality is changed. In theology, the former can be represented by Paul and the latter by John. In psychoanalysis, Freud represented each point of view in his structural and topographical paradigms respectively. In contemporary psychoanalytical therapy, Otto Kernberg represents the former and Jacques Lacan the latter.He maintains a private practice of psychotherapy at the Parkwood mental Health Center. This paper is based on a presentation to the Faculty Reseacrh Forum of Candler School of Theology. For their editorial assistance, the author is grateful to jean E. Levenson, M.Div., and David M. Moss, Ph.D.     

Charismatic theology: approaches and themes

Ever since the irruption of Pentecostal spirituality within Protestant and Roman Catholic denominations, there has been a gradual emergence of what might be called ‘charismatic theology’. To be sure a lot of this theology is and has been written at a popular level, but within the last twenty years there has evolved a distinct theology with discernable approaches and common themes expressed at an academic level. This survey article seeks to articulate such a charismatic theology and discusses some critical questions en route.     

Cultural psychology and theology: Partners in dialogue

Cultural psychology stresses the importance of the historical and socio-cultural in the formation of the self, and, in its more sophisticated versions, acknowledges the importance of embodiment, emotions and intra-psychic factors too, making it a promising dialogue partner for theology. Following a brief summary of bridging issues between psychology and theology, Benson's recent cultural psychology framework is outlined. Its relevance for theology is considered under three headings: incarnational categories, self-knowing and God-knowing, and theological method. The essay concludes with a short reflection on the self in Eucharistic space, and the limits of cultural psychological accounts.     

Alcohol recovery in self-help groups: Surrender and narcissism

This study was designed to determine if subjects participating more actively in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) were higher on surrender and lower on pathological narcissism than those less involved in AA or participating in Rational Recovery. Male subject groups scored as predicted on surrender. As hypothesized, surrender also correlated negatively with pathological narcissism and was not associated with nonpathological narcissism. Results failed to support the predicted relationship between levels of participation in AA and pathological narcissism. A sex difference was found both on pathological narcissism and on surrender. Females scored lower on narcissism and higher on surrender than males.     

Psychoanalysis and theology: Jacques Lacan and Paul

The nature of humanity—or the human situation-has been an area of thought intensely studied by theologians and philosophers for centuries. In more recent times, however, psychology has made serious advances into this field of inquiry. It has been able to provide insights applicable to previous theological ideas. The author brings to the reader's attention his twofold purpose: to present an interpretation of the human situation as understood by Jacques Lacan—as informed by such forerunners as Sigmund Freud and Martin Heidegger— and expressed by psychoanalytic method. These same ideas are then examined in light of the writings of St. Paul. From a sensitive study of these two thinkers the author has been able to draw numerous correlations pertinent to contemporary studies within religion and psychology.is in the private practice of psychotherapy at the Peachtree-Parkwood Mental Health Center in Atlanta. He is an Episcopal priest. For their thoughtful suggestions and editorial assistance, the author is grateful to: Dr. David M. Moss, The Seabury Institute for Pastoral Psychotherapy, and Jean Levenson, M.Div., Darby Printing Company, Atlanta.