The Historical and Psychological Significance of Yoruba Myths

A reprint of an essay from ODO: Journal of Yoruba and Related Studies, Jan­uary, 1955, No. l.

PSYCHOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HARDINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR OVERCOMING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The psychological content of the phenomenon of hardiness, its main structural components, predictors and mechanisms of its formation are revealed. The main functions of hardiness are determined, its importance in the development of a teenage personality is analyzed. Hardiness is presented as an important factor of self-determination, adaptation and internal balance. It is emphasized that the main psychological feature of hardiness is that it helps to minimize the negative consequences of unfavorable external influences and turn them into new opportunities, to gain autonomy in their life. The problem of the need to transform the educational system, rethink the entire content of education and improve the educational process is raised. The emphasis is made on the fact that the implementation of new educational reforms should be based on taking into account the psychological component - the development of the hardiness of the individual.

The Historical and Psychological Significance of the Unorganized Games of New Zealand Primary School Children

<p>In the Spring of 1948 while teaching at a primary school, I observed a small group of girls playing a game called "Tip the Finger". During the game one of the players chanted the following rhyme: "Draw a snake upon your back And this is the way it went North, South, East, West, Who tipped your finger?" I recognized immediately and with some surprise that this rhyme contained elements which were not invented by the children and were probably of some antiquity. I knew, for example, though only in a vague and unlearned manner, that the four pattern of the North, South, East and West and the Snake symbolism were recurrent motifs in mythology and folklore. I was aware also that there did not exits any specialized attempt to explain the part that games of this nature played in the lives of the players.</p>

The Historical and Psychological Significance of the Unorganized Games of New Zealand Primary School Children

<p>In the Spring of 1948 while teaching at a primary school, I observed a small group of girls playing a game called "Tip the Finger". During the game one of the players chanted the following rhyme: "Draw a snake upon your back And this is the way it went North, South, East, West, Who tipped your finger?" I recognized immediately and with some surprise that this rhyme contained elements which were not invented by the children and were probably of some antiquity. I knew, for example, though only in a vague and unlearned manner, that the four pattern of the North, South, East and West and the Snake symbolism were recurrent motifs in mythology and folklore. I was aware also that there did not exits any specialized attempt to explain the part that games of this nature played in the lives of the players.</p>

The significance of the emphasis in the dialogue of the brothers of Yusuf: An analytical rhetorical study: دلالة التوكيد في حوار إخوة يوسف: دراسة بلاغية تحليلية

This study aims to clarify the significance of the affirmation in the dialogue of the brothers of Joseph, peace be upon him, in the light of the science of semantics. Which makes the hypothesis that their constant feeling that they are under suspicion makes them confirm their words; so that its content would reach the hearts of their listeners, even if those listeners were not in denial of their words; This behavior made the emphasis in their dialogue the most prominent stylistic feature worthy of contemplation and study. This study came in two sections: the first is the theoretical one; It dealt with the emphasis in the Arabic language, its reasons, and the characteristics of the dialogical text; To take from this a knowledge base to move towards the analysis and interpretation of the noble verses that included the dialogue of the Joseph brothers, in the second topic, which is the applied part of the study; Where I extrapolated the noble surah and extracted from it the places that included the dialogue of Joseph’s brothers with their father mostly, and with the entourage of Al-Aziz sometimes, and with Al-Aziz at other times, and then with Joseph himself; target From that extrapolation, classification and analysis, arriving at the psychological significance of the use of emphasis in this intense manner in the dialogue of the brothers of Joseph, peace be upon him, and I interrogated the text itself first, then I used the sayings of the commentators in what I am about to analyze, and I found that they did not pay attention to what I meant; It is an indication of the emphasis on the emotional state of Yusuf’s brothers, with the exception of three modern interpretations in which a passing reference was made to this aspect that I made the subject of my care, and these interpretations are: Tafsir al-Manar, Liberation and Enlightenment, in the shadows of the Qur’an.

The quest of finding the self in the Bedhaya: Unravelling the psychological significance of the Javanese sacred dance

The Bedhaya is the avant-garde of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Java, Indonesia) court dance. This classical dance replete with Javanese symbols, spirituality and cultural values embedded in its aesthetic elements. Furthermore, the Bedhaya was created not for entertainment but rather as a meditative medium that would allow individuals to gain wisdom and higher consciousness. These noble characteristics of the dance suggest that the Bedhaya has psychological purposes for the performers and the spectators. We may gain insight into the process of attaining mental growth through studying the embodied wisdom and aesthetic ideal of the Bedhaya, which reflects the development of the human’s psyche. Therefore, the author proposes an interpretation of Bedhaya’s underlying symbolism, aesthetic experience, and potential as means of psychological growth. The paper’s primary argument is delivered by studying a set of theoretical ideas that present Bedhaya as a distinguished aesthetic with psychological capacities. Further, art as an embodiment of cultural wisdom and ethics is also discussed by connecting Bedhaya and other artistic forms drawn from varied cultures.

Apologizing after the July 2018 bushfire in Attica: A mixed-methods analysis of constructions and perceptions of political apology in the aftermath of the disaster

Political leaders tend to apologize for wrongdoings. This article focuses on a disaster occurred on July 2018 in east Attica, Greece, where wildfires destroyed houses and left dozens of people dead. This article approaches the Greek Prime Minister’s apology following the wildfires as performance, pointing on a neglected so far dimension of a political apology; its dramaturgical nature. Through a number of images of the Prime Minister’s apology, a qualitative approach was firstly used to interpret these images and their actions. In a next phase, 2 pilot and 1 main study were conducted testing perceptions of apology, trust, emotional climate and the role of participants’ political positioning. 180 participants were recruited for the 2 pilot studies overall and 222 participants for the main study. Participants were recruited from the disaster zone of east Attica. Results confirmed our hypotheses, detecting a main effect of apology condition on the dependent measures, as well as indirect effects of perceived sincerity, trust and positive emotional climate on political support towards the government. Political and psychological significance of a performance-based approach to apologies is discussed.

Female Factors of Infertility in a Couple

The problem of infertility is relevant to the whole world, that is explaned both by the prevalence (at least 50 million couples on the planet are diagnosed) and by the enormous medical, ecoomic, social and psychological significance. Another important aspect of infertility is the heterogeneity of its causes – about 40% of infertile marriages are caused by the female factor, 35% – male, 20% – a combination of male and female factors and 5% – have no identified factor. In 2019, the American Collegue of Obstetricians and Gynecologists updated the guidelines for the timing and scope of examinations of infertile couples. In particular, if a woman is 35–40 years old, examination and elimination of the probable factor of infertility should be started after 6 months of non-pregnancy, and in the case of age older than 40 years – immediately after the couple’s accost. The expected tactics should not be used if the patient has oligo- or amenorrhea, known uterine and fallopian tube abnormalities, grade III or IV severity of endometriosis, and the couple has known male infertility factors. Ovulation disorders as a factor of infertility include hypothalamic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, premature ovarian failure and hyperprolactinemia, which differ in the content of gonadotropic hormones and ovarian hormones. The adhesion process of the pelvic organs, which restricts the transport of sperm and fertilized egg through the fallopian tubes, is a consequence of endometriosis and inflammatory diseases caused mainly by sexually transmitted pathogens. Endometriosis, in addition to the formation of adhesions in the pelvic cavity, which is characteristic of stage III and IV of the disease, is also a factor in infertility due to elevated concentrations of prostaglandins and proinflammatory cytokines, failed endometrial reciprocity. Among the uterus abnormalities in the violation of fertility are the uterine membrane, leiomyoma with submucosal localization of the node and uterine synechiae. As part of a comprehensive examination of patients with infertility, it is necessary to take into account the study of thyroid function.

A Jungian Analysis of the Chinese Kitchen God Image

This article studies the impact of Kitchen God beliefs and worship on Chinese mentality and behavior, both consciously and unconsciously. At the conscious level, the evolution of the Kitchen God beliefs has gone through four stages; Nature God, Animal God, Half-animal/Half human God, and finally Human God. The evolution of the Kitchen God in China displays the features of a couple, aging and secularization. The experience of “returning to the sacred origin” can be obtained through Kitchen God worship by burning an old paper image of the Kitchen God and pasting of a new one of him beside the kitchen stove year after year during the Kitchen God festival. The secret to continuity of life lies in repetition. The image of the Kitchen God as an important graphic symbol is formed by a constellation of images; good pot and evil pot, two dragons playing with a bead, rooster and dog, the psychological archetypes as yin and yang, unity of opposites, transformation and integration. This ritual serves as a bridge between Chinese people and their “ancestors,” “the other realm” (nirvana), and “the Self.” On an unconscious level, the psychological significance of Kitchen God beliefs is analyzed through “the family hexagram.” The collective unconscious for the Chinese can be revealed by a continuous pattern of concentric circles structure, that is, “heaven and earth—the Kitchen God—ancestors—parents—offspring.” Through a clinical case using Sandplay Therapy, this article will show that Kitchen God imagery unconsciously shows the constellation of “family.” Family is the place of belonging and home for Chinese people, helping the client return to his inner source and gain strength through acceptance and transformation. The implication of Kitchen God beliefs for today’s Chinese society is to return to the most primitive “Tao,” which presents a possible cure for many kinds of psychological problems we are facing. It suggests that researchers pay attention to the psychological phenomenon of clients’ using the Kitchen God image to express their cultural feelings toward family in psychological practice.

Dilemmas in Managing the COVID-19 Crisis

The aim of this article was to present the current research on coping with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and, on this basis, to indicate the implications of risk management in the situation of adaptation to the crisis or re-adaptation after its end. This article considers the psychological significance of the socially experienced situation based on the latest research conducted in Poland during the first wave of the pandemic. It is an attempt to show both the risk and protective factors, as well as possible remedial effects against unfavorable social and health phenomena, which are related to the increase in costs incurred by individuals in the process of experiencing the crisis and adaptation to the conditions after its end. These are considered in the context of the costs of adaptations used by individuals and of re-adaptation in the period of coping with COVID-19. This study conducted a meta-analysis of 13 psychological and sociological studies conducted so far in the first period of the pandemic. The results of the research show that the most difficult issue in the risk situation of the next wave of a pandemic is the lack of definition of its timeframe but also disinformation and fatigue. The results of the conducted analysis may become useful material for risk management professionals. An additional value of the article is that it presents ways of applying the conclusions resulting from the research, not only during the second wave of the pandemic but also in the necessary processes of re-adaptation to life without COVID-19.