scholarly journals THE CONCEPTS OF IMAGINATION, FANTASIES, DREAMS, AND HALLUCINATIONS IN MENTALLY HEALTHY PEOPLE

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-402
Author(s):  
N.S. Shilko ◽  
◽  
E.M. Ivanova ◽  
S.N. Enikolopov ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Healthy People ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Mental Processes ◽  
Subjective Reality ◽  
Reality Testing ◽  
Internal Level

Imagination, fantasies, dreams, and hallucinations are contiguous mental processes that reflect various forms of image processing at the internal level. The ability to maintain boundaries between them, reflecting as they do either external or profoundly internal, subjective reality (reality testing), is considered to be one of the most widely accepted criteria of mental health. Nevertheless, traditionally these processes have been investigated independently by different authors adopting different approaches, and there is a discernible lack of studies dedicated to the comparative analysis of these phenomena, both in their theoretical and empirical aspects. At the same time, such data could be used to develop diagnostic methods of investigating mental processes in normal conditions as well as in cases of mental disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate people's common ideas about imagination, fantasies, dreams and hallucinations, as well as the subjective experience of them in comparison with each other. The study's group of participants consisted of 45 nominally mentally healthy people (32 women and 13 men) aged between 17 and 29 years old. The following methods were used during the study: a semistructured interview aimed at studying the respondents' ideas about imagination, fantasy, dreams and hallucinations, and visual drawings of the forms, which these processes took. According to the results of the study, in the case of 15% of the respondents, their ideas about imagination, fantasies, dreams and hallucinations differed from their scientific definitions. The drawings of the images of imagination, fantasies, dreams and hallucinations varied in terms of emotional experience. The more the mental process is voluntary and subjectively controlled, the more these images are associated with positive emotions. In particular, images of imagination are mainly associated with a positive emotional charge, images of fantasy more often evoke positive emotions, but also ambivalent experiences, and drawings of the images of dreams and hallucinations are most often associated with negative emotions.

scholarly journals Stimulus Features of the Object Relations Technique Affecting the Linguistic Qualities of Individuals’ Narratives

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Attà Negri ◽  
Martino Ongis
Keyword(s):  
Object Relations ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Referential Activity ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Italian Version ◽  
Referential Process ◽  
Linguistic Style ◽  
Reality Testing ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Stimulus Features

AbstractPrevious studies on projective techniques have investigated the effects of variation in stimulus features on individuals’ response behavior. In particular, the influence of chromatic colors and form definition on the images elicited by the stimuli has been tested. Most studies have focused on the Rorschach and TAT and have examined effects in terms of variables such as reality testing and reactions to perceptual details. This is the first study to examine the effects of variation in visual stimuli as represented in features of the Object Relations Technique (ORT) cards on linguistic indicators of connection to emotional experience using measures of the referential process. The ORT was administered to 207 Italian non-clinical participants to explore effects of color, form and content variation on language style. The sample was stratified by age, gender, marital status and education to be representative of the Italian population. The stories told in response to the card images were rated using computerized linguistic measures, including the Weighted Referential Activity Dictionary—Italian version (IWRAD) which indicates the degree to which language is connected to nonverbal experience, and the Weighted Reflection/Reorganization List—Italian version (IWRRL) which detects a linguistic style of personal re-elaboration of emotional experience. The results provide support for the color-affect and form-reality testing hypotheses. Cards with better form definition, including color definition, and with fewer silhouettes of people elicited responses that were higher in IWRAD and lower in IWRRL, and also higher in the degree to which the two measures varied together. Implications of the results for use of ORT in clinical assessment and intervention are discussed.

scholarly journals The Interpretation of E-Motions in Faces and Bodies Derived from Static Artworks by Individuals with High Functioning Autistic Spectrum

Vision ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Maria Elisa Della-Torre ◽  
Daniele Zavagno ◽  
Rossana Actis-Grosso
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Affective State ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Emotional Expressions ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Dynamic Component ◽  
Specific Emotion ◽  
Similar Range

E-motions are defined as those affective states the expressions of which—conveyed either by static faces or body posture—embody a dynamic component and, consequently, convey a higher sense of dynamicity than other emotional expressions. An experiment is presented, aimed at testing whether e-motions are perceived as such also by individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), which have been associated with impairments in emotion recognition and in motion perception. To this aim we replicate with ASD individuals a study, originally conducted with typically developed individuals (TDs), in which we showed to both ASD and TD participants 14 bodiless heads and 14 headless bodies taken from eleven static artworks and four drawings. The Experiment was divided into two sessions. In Session 1 participants were asked to freely associate each stimulus to an emotion or an affective state (Task 1, option A); if they were unable to find a specific emotion, the experimenter showed them a list of eight possible emotions (words) and asked them to choose one from such list, that best described the affective state portrayed in the image (Task 1, option B). After their choice, they were asked to rate the intensity of the perceived emotion on a seven point Likert scale (Task 2). In Session 2 participants were requested to evaluate the degree of dynamicity conveyed by each stimulus on a 7 point Likert scale. Results showed that ASDs and TDs shared a similar range of verbal expressions defining emotions; however, ASDs (i) showed an impairment in the ability to spontaneously assign an emotion to a headless body, and (ii) they more frequently used terms denoting negative emotions (for both faces and bodies) as compared to neutral emotions, which in turn were more frequently used by TDs. No difference emerged between the two groups for positive emotions, with happiness being the emotion better recognized in both faces and in bodies. Although overall there are no significant differences between the two groups with respect to the emotions assigned to the images and the degree of perceived dynamicity, the interaction Artwork x Group showed that for some images ASDs assigned a different value than TDs to perceived dynamicity. Moreover, two images were interpreted by ASDs as conveying completely different emotions than those perceived by TDs. Results are discussed in light of the ability of ASDs to resolve ambiguity, and of possible different cognitive styles characterizing the aesthetical/emotional experience.

Connotative Meaning of Time in Therapists' Conceptualization of Psychotherapeutic Interventions

1993 ◽  
Vol 72 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1211-1221
Author(s):  
Dawn S. O'Neil ◽  
Anthony F. Grasha
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Connotative Meaning ◽  
Treatment Interventions ◽  
Psychotherapeutic Interventions ◽  
Experience Of Time ◽  
Perception Of Time ◽  
Selection Of

This study examined the connotative meaning which beginner ( n = 15), intermediate ( n = 14), and advanced ( n = 15) therapists assigned to time in psychotherapy and their perception of time as a factor in designing therapeutic interventions. Therapists' conceptualization of the subjective experience of time as a component of psychotherapeutic interventions was assessed by examining their selection of metaphors for time, their semantic differential assessments of past, present, and future perspectives, and through their responses to a semistructured interview. Therapists at all three levels of experience appeared to view time for their clients as moving slowly, promoting growth, and allowing progress, with an emphasis on the importance of future time-based interventions for growth while the clients' past was viewed as reflective of distress. Responses appeared to be atheoretical and idiosyncratic, showing lack of clear integration of time with specific treatment interventions.

scholarly journals Emotional experience in individual and cooperative traditional games. A gender perspective.

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pere Lavega ◽  
Unai Sáez-de-Ocáriz ◽  
Francisco Lagardera ◽  
Jaume March-Llanes ◽  
Nuria Puig
Keyword(s):  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Action Theory ◽  
Sex Role ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical Education Teachers ◽  
Motor Action ◽  
Sex Role Stereotypes ◽  
And Gender

<p>This study explored the effect of gender (GE) and group gender composition (GGEC) on men’s and women’s experiences of emotions when taking part in different games. To formulate our hypotheses we used a theoretical framework formed by the theories of Lazarus and Bisquerra on the construct of emotional competence and well-being and their relationship with gender stereotypes, Parlebas’s motor action theory and previous results of empirical research related to games, emotions and gender relations. The participants (218 university students, <em>M<sub>age</sub></em> = 20.3, <em>sd</em> = <em>2.73</em>) completed twelve sessions of individual games (IG) and cooperative games (CG). The results showed that GE and GGEC were predictors of the experience of positive emotions and that males were more likely to experience negative emotions in both games. The findings highlight gender differences and could help physical education teachers to avoid activities that reinforce the hierarchies and inequalities associated with gender and sex role stereotypes.</p>

scholarly journals Maternal Distress/Coping and Children's Adaptive Behaviors During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Mediation Through Children's Emotional Experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Petrocchi ◽  
Annalisa Levante ◽  
Federica Bianco ◽  
Ilaria Castelli ◽  
Flavia Lecciso
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Distance Measures ◽  
Maternal Distress ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
The Impact

The present study focused on the psychological impact that the lockdown due to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) had on families in Italy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian government imposed a strict lockdown for all citizens. People were forced to stay at home, and the length of the lockdown was uncertain. Previous studies analyzed the impact of social distance measures on individuals' mental health, whereas few studies have examined the interplay between the adults' functioning, as parents, during this period and the association with the child's adjustment. The present study tested if maternal distress/coping predicts children's behaviors during the COVID-19 lockdown, hypothesizing a mediation effect via children's emotional experience. Participants were 144 mothers (Mage = 39.3, 25–52, SD = 5.6) with children aged 5–10 years (Mage = 7.54, SD = 1.6, 82 boys); mothers answered to an online survey. Results indicated that mothers with higher exposure to COVID-19 showed higher levels of distress and higher display of coping attitudes, even if in the structural equation modeling model, the COVID-19 exposure was not a predictor of mothers' distress. Compared with mothers with good coping skills, mothers with higher stress levels were more likely to attribute negative emotions to their children at the expense of their positive emotions. Moreover, children's emotions acted as mediators between maternal distress/coping and children's adaptive/maladaptive behaviors. In conclusion, it is important to support parents during pandemic emergence, by providing them with adequate information to manage the relationship with their children, to reduce their level of distress and to enhance their coping abilities.

scholarly journals “We Thought We Were Alone”: The Subjective Experience of the Siblings of Anorexic Adolescent Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Persico ◽  
Salome Grandclerc ◽  
Catherine Giraud ◽  
Marie Rose Moro ◽  
Corinne Blanchet
Keyword(s):  
Support Group ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Family Based ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Sibling Group

Objective: The siblings of patients suffering from Anorexia Nervosa (AN) are potentially affected by a disturbed emotional experience that often remains undetected. In order to bring them a psychological support, the Maison de Solenn proposed a support group program for these siblings. The current research explores their mental representations of AN and their emotional experience in the support group named “sibling group.”Method: This exploratory study is based on a phenomenological and inductive qualitative method. Four girls and three boys aged between 6 and 19 participating in the “sibling group” were included in a one-time focus group session using a semi-structured interview guide. The thematic data analysis was performed by applying the methods of interpretative phenomenological analysis.Results: Themes that emerged from the interview fall into four categories: AN explained by siblings; the individual emotional experience of siblings; the family experience of siblings and the experience inside the “sibling group.”Discussion: According to our participants, the “sibling group” thus functions as a good compromise between keeping an active role in the anorexic patient's care and taking a step back to avoid being eaten up by the illness. Sibling-group participants retrieved a sense of belonging, which is normally one of the functions of being a sibling. It is important to note that the “sibling group” is part of the comprehensive (or global) family-based approach included in an institutional multidisciplinary integrative care framework.

scholarly journals Positive Psychology 2.0 in a Foreign Language Classroom: Students’ Emotional Experience in English Classroom Interaction in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingna Wang ◽  
Mateusz Marecki
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
English Language ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Reflective Journals

The second wave of positive psychology (PP 2.0) focuses on the way positive and negative psychology complement each other in social contexts. It offers a balanced interactive model that aims at enhancing the optimal learning outcome through the interplay of positive and negative emotions. Building on a large qualitative study of students’ and teachers’ experiences in EFL classrooms in China, this paper argues that adopting the principles of PP 2.0 could deepen our understanding of learners’ emotional experience in SLA. Using one illustrative case, it shows the dynamic and complexity of students’ shifting emotions as they interact in the classroom over a span of 2 months. One major finding is that the students’ positive emotions could transcend negative emotions and influence their engagement in classroom interaction. This study contributes to the existing research into emotional experiences of classroom interaction that integrates the observable, reflective, and participatory. It draws on interrelated sets of data, including a student and teacher profile questionnaire, classroom observation and recording, student and teacher reflective journals documenting their classroom interaction experiences, and stimulated recall interviews based on recordings and reflective journals. The study in the first place has implications for English teachers and teacher trainers in China and abroad as well as researchers interested in the role of emotional experience in English language learning and teaching.

Retractors of false memories: The evolution of pseudo-memories

1995 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold I. Lief ◽  
Janet Fetkewicz
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
False Memory ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Telephone Interview ◽  
Family Members ◽  
False Memories ◽  
False Memory Syndrome ◽  
Reality Testing ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Study Population

The formation of pseudomemories and the subsequent methods used by subjects to eventually distinguish between true and false memories are the primary foci of this study. A survey instrument was distributed to 100 “retractors” after an initial telephone interview with False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF) staff. Forty respondents (40% of the subjects) who returned the questionnaire comprise our study population. The survey inquired about personal and family information, events surrounding the subject's accusations of sexual abuse, childhood history, and the subject's reflections on his or her experience. The process of the development of pseudomemories is highlighted. Subjects also described their feelings and experiences in open-ended questions, including their subjective experience as memories evolved, factors influencing thoughts, feelings and doubts, the process of questioning memories, the process of restoring relationships with family members, and uncertainties about views of memories currently held. We focus on the evolution of pseudomemories, especially the influence of the therapist; we explore the nature of therapy, one that makes an ill patient much worse and that eventually becomes so onerous that patients who still have some remaining reality-testing flee from therapy.

Change of Emotional Experience in Major Depression and Borderline Personality Disorder During Psychotherapy: Associations With Depression Severity and Personality Functioning

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Dinger ◽  
Magdalena Fuchs ◽  
Johanna Köhling ◽  
Henning Schauenburg ◽  
Johannes C. Ehrenthal
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Depression Severity ◽  
Personality Functioning ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Patient Groups

This study examines emotional experience in major depressive disorder (MDD) with and without comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD). It investigates if depression severity or personality functioning mediates group differences and which aspects of emotional experience change during psychotherapy. The emotional experience of MDD-BPD patients (n = 44) was compared to MDD-only patients (n = 35) before and after multimodal short-term psychotherapy. Emotions were classified based on valence and an active/passive polarity. MDD-BPD patients exhibited more active-negative emotions. This group difference was mediated by the level of personality functioning, but not by depression severity. Although passive-negative emotions decreased and positive emotions increased during therapy, there was no significant change in active-negative emotions. The two patient groups did not significantly differ in the change of emotional experience. Lower levels of personality functioning in depressed patients with BPD are associated with a broader spectrum of negative emotions, specifically more active-negative emotions.

Subjective experience and causes of affect in high-functioning children and adolescents with autism

1994 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Jaedicke ◽  
Sharon Storoschuk ◽  
Catherine Lord
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Mentally Handicapped ◽  
Verbal Iq ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
High Functioning ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Female Children ◽  
Mean Length Of Utterance

AbstractThe ability to use language to identify causes for emotion and to describe the subjective experience of various emotions was examined in 28 male and female children and adolescents with autism compared to 28 normally developing and mentally handicapped subjects of equivalent chronological age and mean length of utterance. Mentally handicapped and lower functioning autistic subjects were also similar in verbal IQ. Individuals with autism did not grossly differ from other participants in their descriptions of emotion but were less likely to relate emotions to either reaching a goal or social interaction and more likely to attribute positive emotions to concrete events (e.g., going on a trip). Results are discussed in terms of current cognitive and affective theories of autism.

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