What does the analyst want? Free association in relation to the analyst’s activity, ambition, and technical innovation

The author traces the history of free association, the "fundamental rule," through the Freud-Ferenczi relationship and controversy. The use of "activity," first proposed by Freud in 1910 with phobic and compulsive patients, was then championed by Ferenczi in the early twenties. The goal of activity was to enhance-or, more accurately, "to force"--the associations into the analysis. Subsequently, Ferenczi reversed himself, concluding that his analysis was re-creating the traumatic parental environment which originally caused the patient's neurosis. The far-reaching results of Ferenczi's change of heart included a redefinition of countertransference and added the techniques of "indulgence" and "relaxation" to soften Freud's emphasis on "abstinence" and "frustration. A vignette from the analysis of a dangerously self-destructive bulimic patient illustrates the value of free association in helping a patient feel understood by the analyst without pressure to give up her symptoms. Constantly monitoring his therapeutic ambition, the analyst demonstrates the value of free association in enhancing the patient's understanding of herself and of the survival value of her symptoms. This vignette highlights the fact that the analyst's therapeutic ambition makes freedom to associate even more difficult for the patient and inevitably intrudes on the analyst's evenly hovering attention. Of course for the analyst to have a therapeutic wish is necessary and desirable but for the analyst to demand change promotes compliance and hidden rebellion which limits the analysis.     

What is a Jungian analyst dreaming when myth comes to mind? Thirdness as an aspect of the anima media natura

Listening analytically is not listening just to what is said but listening to what is just below the surface waiting to be said. This paper looks at Jung's insight into a ‘third thing’ being created intra‐psychically and within the analytic encounter. Ogden's concept of an ‘analytic third’ is used to describe the clinical aspects of this thirdness. This paper explores: how the state of thirdness is created and accessed through use of reverie and associative dreaming; how the material emerging from it is used in a from or about manner; and the eventual fate of the third in a successful analysis by a reexamination of plates four and ten of the Rosarium. The focus is particularly on the awareness and possible meanings of mythological motifs appearing in the mind of the analyst while in session. Thirdness can be viewed as the interpersonal aspect of the anima media natura and functions in a way that informs us of permeability in and between individuals, while the operation of the anima mundi means that there is always an inseparability of the individual with the world.     

What does the lateral ear advantage relate to?

The lateral ear advantage, which has been suggested to change according to environmental factors and reading ability, was determined for a large group of children for three tasks. While ear advantages were readily found, they did not relate to age, sex, reading ability, or socioeconomic status. Methodological problems and the theoretical basis of the lateral advantage are considered. It is concluded that there is little reason to expect lateral ear advantage should be related to such variables.     

What does the free man worship?

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion -     

What does the lord require of us?

Contextual therapy is a heuristic approach to intergenerational family dynamics. This article sets forth the main tenets of that approach and explores the contribution that it makes to the pastoral care and counseling of families. The concept of relational justice, which is a focal point in contextual therapy, is brought into dialogue with the biblical concept of righteousness and the theological concept of justification by faith.     

What does it mean to trust blockchain technology?

This paper argues that the widespread belief that interactions between blockchains and their users are trust-free is inaccurate and misleading, since this belief not only overlooks the vital role played by trust in the lack of knowledge and control but also conceals the moral and normative relevance of relying on blockchain applications. The paper reaches this argument by providing a close philosophical examination of the concept referred to as trust in blockchain technology, clarifying the trustor group, the structure, and the normatively loaded nature of this trust relation. The paper ends by critically reflecting on two of the most promising values (decentralization and transparency) that can invite users’ trust in blockchain technology, arguing that there is a tension between the pressing values that are intended to be achieved by developers and the predicament situations caused by current blockchain implementations.     

What will the future bring? Thoughts of children after missile bombardment

Abstract

We examined how cognitive views of the future relate to degree of exposure to trauma and to posttraumatic stress reactions in children. Following the experience of Scud missile bombardment during the Persian Gulf war, 492 Israeli pupils from grades 5, 7, and 10 from regions actually hit and from regions under threat but not hit, described what they thought life would be like next year for children of their age. Based on recent cognitive theories, it was expected that children who experienced higher levels of stress would also express more pessimistic views of the future. We found that children's dominant perception of the future was positive. However, children who expressed stronger postwar reactions also tended to have more pessimistic future views, especially in areas that were hit by missiles. Discussion focused upon views of the future as a direct consequence of the stress as well as a means of coping with stress.     

An alternative to thought suppression?

Comments on the original article, "Setting free the bears: Escape from thought suppression," by D. M. Wegner (see record 2011-25622-008). While Wegner supposed that we might have to learn to live with bad thoughts, the present author discusses the use of imagination and guided imagery as an alternative to forced thought suppression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

What does the ultrasonic activity recording device measure?

Rats were observed while their behavior was being monitored by an ultrasonic activity recording device. It was found that the device yielded more counts when Ss were being more active. But very active behavior is relatively rare, so that most of the counts over a period of time are likely to result from the more frequent but less active kinds of behavior, such as grooming.     

What Happened to the Trolley Problem?

Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research - In this paper, I provide a general introduction to the trolley problem. I describe its birth as a philosophical thought experiment, then its...     

What does doodling do?

Doodling is a way of passing the time when bored by a lecture or telephone call. Does it improve or hinder attention to the primary task? To answer this question, 40 participants monitored a monotonous mock telephone message for the names of people coming to a party. Half of the group was randomly assigned to a ‘doodling’ condition where they shaded printed shapes while listening to the telephone call. The doodling group performed better on the monitoring task and recalled 29% more information on a surprise memory test. Unlike many dual task situations, doodling while working can be beneficial. Future research could test whether doodling aids cognitive performance by reducing daydreaming. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How does the hippocampus contribute to memory?

Recently, Wirth et al. reported that hippocampal neurons signal the acquisition of new associations by altering the selectivity of their responses to crucial stimuli. The course of these changes was gradual, with some neurons recruited before, others at the time of, and yet others shortly after learning. These observations suggest the hippocampus might contribute to memory by identifying consistencies across experiences that constitute important new associations.