Freud,Jung and The Great Chain of Being

For some time, it has been clear that psychoanalytic theories are built upon the kind of master narratives Roy Schafer, a New York psychoanalyst, described in 1980. As such, psychoanalytic theories may today have lost some of their initial scientific credibility in that they can no longer be seen as summarizing findings from data collected in a research environment. As aids in participating in their patients’ process of healing, however, narratives continue to be used by practitioners and reflect allegiance to core beliefs and propositions with roots in long‐standing Western thought. In this article, the metaphors in master narratives of Freud and Jung are compared with a conceptual system identified by cognitive linguists as ‘The Great Chain of Being’. Based on this analysis, the article proposes that theoretical formulations have mainly a secondary role to play in achieving good outcomes. The most critical element is the therapist's capacity to access a specific narrative for what transpires throughout each treatment.     

Integration versus conflict between schools of dream theory and dreamwork: integrating the psychological core qualities of dreams with the contemporary knowledge of the dreaming brain

The various ways schools of psychotherapy relate to dreams have been marked by isolationism and mutual conflict rather than self-examination and then integrating the discoveries and methods of other schools. Jung’s method was in opposition to Freud’s psychoanalysis. Existential psychology was dismissive of Freud’s and Jung’s discoveries, while cognitive dream interpretation and cognitive therapy sought other roads entirely. In addition, scientific and neuropsychological dream research has been only insignificantly tied to the psychotherapeutic dream theories. These conflicts and the lack of a comprehensive dream theory has made it convenient for the current rationalist collective consciousness and treatment systems to reject the often times challenging knowledge about ourselves that dreams can provide. This paper describes how contemporary theories of complex cybernetic information networks can create an overriding, constructive framework for uncovering common traits within the above-mentioned branches of dream research and dreamwork. Within this framework, ten core qualities are delineated, supported by both therapeutic knowledge as well as scientific research: 1) Dreams deal with matters important to us; 2) Dreams symbolize; 3) Dreams personify; 4) Dreams are trial runs in a safe place; 5) Dreams are online to unconscious intelligence; 6) Dreams are pattern recognition; 7) Dreams are high level communication; 8) Dreams are condensed information; 9) Dreams are experiences of wholeness; 10) Dreams are psychological energy landscapes. For each core quality I describe short dreamwork sequences from my own practice and a schematic image of how I perceive the overriding interaction between systems in the dreaming brain. For each core quality recommendations for practical dreamwork are provided. Finally, I draw attention to dreams as a huge psychological resource for humankind.     

Humor as a protective factor against anxiety and depression

Background/ObjectivesEven though humor its part of everyday life, only in the last 40 years has Psychology begun to discern its impact on mental health. The aim of this paper is to explore the role that humor styles may have as protectors against anxiety and depression and their relationship with optimism.MethodA sample of 804 participants (M = 39.28; SD = 14.71) was used to analyze the uses of humor, optimism and clinical symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, the influence of sociodemographic variables such as sex, geographic location, age and educational level on different uses of humor was studied. Through an analysis of structural equations, the variables that had a protective or facilitating role in depression and anxiety were analyzed.ResultsMen and women differ in the use of a more aggressive humor style, and the use of affiliative humor styles decreases with age. The structural equation model indicated a good fit to the proposed theoretical model.ConclusionsHumor is a tool of everyday life and it can act for or against an individual’s mental health.     

Predicting adaptive and maladaptive responses to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak: A prospective longitudinal study

Background/ObjectiveThe outbreak of COVID-19 and the lack of vaccine made extraordinary actions such as social distancing necessary. While some individuals experience the restrictions on daily life as a heavy burden, others adapt to the situation and try to make the best of it. The present longitudinal study investigated the extent and predictors of the burden induced by the outbreak of COVID-19 in Germany.MethodData were assessed in October 2019 using the DASS-21 and the PMH-Scale, and in March 2020 adding a six-item measure of burden and a 2-item rating of sense of control.ResultsIn a sample of 436 participants, about 28% stayed in self-quarantine, 22 persons had relevant symptoms and one person was positively tested for COVID-19. Most participants experienced medium to high levels of burden but tried to make the best of it. Stress symptoms in 2019 predicted a higher level of burden and PMH predicted a lower level of burden in March 2020. Remarkably, depression and anxiety symptoms did not significantly predict burden. The protective effect of PMH and the negative impact of stress symptoms were mediated by perceived sense of control.ConclusionsThe results emphasize the protective effect of PMH in extraordinary situations such as the current outbreak of COVID-19.     

Cognitive flexibility and response inhibition in patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Background/ObjectiveThe main aim of this study was to analyze differences in inhibition and cognitive flexibility, taking into account some variables that may influence results (non verbal reasoning, depression, anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, comorbidity, medication consumption).MethodThe participants were 95 adults aged 17-61 years old (M = 33.48, SD = 11.13), primary (most severe) Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and a healthy control group. Neuropsychological neasures were completed using computerized Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Color Word Test and Go/NoGo Task.ResultsClinical groups presented worse results in cognitive flexibility to the control group. The obsessive-compulsive group showed worse scores in flexibility than the generalized anxiety group, once non-verbal reasoning and tolerance to uncertainty were controlled. Comorbidity and medication use did not affect results in the obsessive compulsive group but did however influence the generalized anxiety group.ConclusionsCognitive flexibility could be included treatment in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.     

Acculturative Stress,Parental and Professor Attachment,and College Adjustment in Asian International Students

This study examined parental and professor attachment as buffers against acculturative stress and as predictors of college adjustment of 210 Asian international students (AISs). Moderated hierarchical regression analyses revealed that acculturative stress negatively and secure parental and professor attachment positively predicted academic integration. Secure professor attachment positively predicted grade point average. Mother attachment may buffer against acculturative stress on academic integration; father attachment may exacerbate it. Counselors may use these findings to enhance AISs' attachment functioning for their college adjustment. Este estudio examinó el apego parental y el apego al profesor como protectores contra el estrés aculturativo y como indicadores de adaptación al entorno académico en 210 estudiantes internacionales asiáticos (AIS, por sus siglas en inglés). Los análisis de regresión jerárquica moderada revelaron que el estrés aculturativo fue un indicador negativo de integración académica, mientras que el apego parental y el apego al profesor fueron indicadores positivos. El apego seguro al profesor fue un indicador positivo de la media de las calificaciones académicas. El apego materno puede proteger contra el estrés aculturativo en la integración académica; el apego paterno puede agravarlo. Los consejeros pueden usar estos descubrimientos para enfatizar el funcionamiento del apego en los AIS para su adaptación al entorno académico.     

El reconocimiento de emociones a través de la voz

RESUMEN

Este artículo constituye un intento de evaluar la exactitud con que los sujetos pueden reconocer cuatro estados emocionales básicos -alegría, tristeza, miedo y cólera- a partir de la información vocal no verbal del habla. Para ello los sujetos fueron expuestos a una misma frase de contenido neutro repetida por un actor profesional simulando los cuatro estados emocionales básicos y un estado neutro. Se pretende también evaluar la contribución relativa de un parámetro acústico concreto: el perfil de tono en el reconocimiento emocional a través de la presentación de frases neutras cuyos valores en el perfil de tono fueron artificialmente aproximados a los de las frases juzgadas como emocionales mediante la utilización de técnicas de procesamiento y síntesis digital de voz (modelo LPC). Los resultados indican que los rasgos vocales no verbales del habla transmiten la suficiente información como para permitir altos porcentajes de acierto en la identificación de las cuatro categorías emocionales manejadas. Asimismo, los sujetos fueron capaces de reconocer las emociones de tristeza y cólera a partir únicamente de sus perfiles de tono característicos.     

Entrevista con Alan Baddeley

RESUMEN

Tras presentar a este profesor inglés -director de la Applied Psychology Unit- como uno de los investigadores más importantes en psicología cognitiva, la entrevista se centra en la denominada “memoria operativa” o “memoria de trabajo” (working memory) y alguna de sus implicaciones. En primer lugar el autor nos habla de sus estudios sobre el desarrollo de la lectura, afirmando que se puede caracterizar el retraso en el lenguaje como un déficit en la memoria operativa. Seguidamente trata el tema del aprendizaje humano desde la perspectiva de la psicología cognitiva, así como la relación entre su enfoque y el de los procesos automáticos y controlados de Shiffrin y Schneider o el de asignación de recursos de procesamiento de Navon y Gopher. Esta entrevista finaliza analizando las relaciones entre aprendizaje y memoria operativa.     

Actitudes,evaluación y racionalidad

RESUMEN

Crespo comienza manifestando que su propósito es sondear, aunque sea de forma elemental, la posibilidad y potencial productividad de una consideración de la racionalidad como elemento explicativo dentro de una teoría social de las actitudes. El autor explica que un concepto no exclusivamente utilitario o instrumental de la racionalidad puede ser de utilidad para comprender ciertos desarrollos de la dinámica actitudinal, en concreto, aquellos en que es posible pensar que cambiamos de actitud porque somos argumentalmente convencidos. Crespo resalta la posibilidad de considerar las actitudes, entendidas como procesos de significación evaluativa o toma de postura respecto a otros significativos, como procesos sociales susceptibles de enjuiciamiento y eventualmente necesitados de legitimación o justificación. El autor finaliza su trabajo repasando extensamente algunas características del concepto de actitud en relación con su carácter evaluativo y su vinculación a la acción. Los comentarios de Amalio Blanco, Charles Antaki y M^a Dolores Avia valorando esta exposición siguen a la misma, al igual que la respuesta de Crespo a estos autores.     

La influencia de las creencias causales en la construcción de inferencias predictivas y diagnósticas

Resumen

En este artículo se investiga la habilidad de los sujetos para evaluar el impacto de los datos dentro de un contexto causal. Las investigacion es realizadas sobre el razonamiento humano han mostrado que las teorías causales que las personas poseen sesgan con frecuencia su evaluación de la evidencia. En este experimento se analizan los juicios que emiten los sujetos sobre datos cuando tienen un esquema de razonamiento causal implícito (Cheng y Holyoak, 1985; Kuhn, Amsel y O'Loughlin, 1988) en contextos predictivos y diagnósticos (o abductivos). Para ello, se manipuló el tipo de información presentada a los sujetos, presentá ndole, a un grupo, datos consistentes con sus creencias causales previas y, a otro, datos inconsistentes con sus creencias causales. Los resultados obtenidos señalan que las teorías implícitas de los sujetos no fueron substancialmente modificadas por las condiciones experimentales, aunque sí fueron sensibles a la evidencia. Se discuten estos resultados desde un modelo de interacción creencias causales y datos en el ámbito de las inferencias predictivas y diagnósticas.