1 / 21

Existential Psychology

Existential Psychology. Existential Psychology represents a synthesis of philosophy and psychology. Focuses on existence in the here and now. A person is free to choose what he or she will do and be. The most important aspect of a person is not how his/her parents treated him or her when he/she w

duy
Download Presentation

Existential Psychology

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

    1. Existential Psychology an introduction "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."   -- Henry Thoreau       

    2. Existential Psychology Existential Psychology represents a synthesis of philosophy and psychology. Focuses on existence in the here and now. A person is free to choose what he or she will do and be. The most important aspect of a person is not how his/her parents treated him or her when he/she was an infant, but how he/she interprets and responds to the world around him/her at each given instant, and the kinds of choices he/she makes about what to do next. Reject Freud's claim that the most important factor in understanding a person is early life experience. The unconscious is given little or no role to play. People need other people with whom they can empathize and from whom they can learn. People are vigilant about potential dangers to their identities.

    3. Motivation Existential psychology rejects our unconscious desires as the motive behind our behavior, so what drives people? Existential Anxiety Existential Freedom

    4. Existential Anxiety People are afraid of non-existence (death) meaninglessness No overall purpose or direction for life No ultimate justification for being Lies behind many of our mental problems. This anxiety causes us to act in certain ways.

    5. What are the symptoms of Existential Anxiety? Alienation Isolation Disorientation Identity Crisis Depersonalization Despair

    6. Question What is the definition of alienation?

    7. Alienation The state of being emotionally separated from others and from one's own feelings. Alienation is a powerful feeling of isolation and loneliness, and stems from a variety of causes. Alienation may occur in response to certain events or situations in society or in one's personal life.

    8. Question What are some instances of isolation in literature or film?

    9. Isolation The state of being physically alone or remote from others. To be separate from others.

    10. Question What is the definition of disorientation?

    11. Disorientation A temporary or permanent state of confusion regarding place, time, or personal identity.

    12. Question What do you think of when you think of someone who is having an identity crisis?

    13. Identity Crisis Distress and disorientation resulting from conflicting pressures and uncertainty about one's self and one's role in society.

    14. Question What is the definition of depersonalization?

    15. Depersonalization A loss of personal identity A feeling of being an anonymous cog in a meaningless social machine

    16. Question What are the results of despair? How does despair feel?

    17. Despair To lose all hope or confidence A feeling of hopelessness A feeling of being trapped in a meaningless and hopeless situation

    18. Some Physical Manifestations of Anxiety Sleeplessness “Laziness” Nightmares Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Suicide

    19. Existential Freedom Core concept that leads to "self-actualization" or "self-discovery“ The state of “becoming” To explore their possibilities become more than one is at any given moment ____________________________________ Stagnation, the failure to continue "becoming," is just as much an impediment to mental health as fear of non-existence or fear of meaninglessness.

    20. What are the signs of Existential Freedom? Emotional Growth Acceptance Sense of Purpose Centeredness Happiness

    21. Resources “Existential Psychology.” Spark Notes. 27 Mar. 2007 <http://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/personality/humanistic/section1.html>. “Existential Psychology.” Eastern Illinois University. 27 Mar. 2007 <http://psych.eiu.edu/spencer/Existential.html>. Hibbs, Thomas. “Craft in Translation.” National Review Online. 27 Mar. 2007. 3 Oct. 2003 <http://www.nationalreview.com/ comment/hibbs200310030924.asp>. Resources in Humanistic and Existential Psychology. Sonoma State University. 27 Mar. 2007 <http://www.sonoma.edu /users/d/daniels/humanistic.html>.

More Related