A Phenomenological Investigation of the Lived Experience of Psychopathology

We collected personal documents from various participants on the topic of "a personal experience in which you observed or experienced psychopathology." The protocols were "topical autobiographical" personal documents, which we analyzed using the procedures set forth by van Kaam, to describe—rather than attempting to explain—lived experiences. Subsequently, 15 protocols obtained from an undergraduate class in psychopathology at the University of Regina were analyzed. We feel that both the methodology used and our findings reveal a new way of viewing psychopathology, showing the inadequacy of reducing psychopathology to diagnostic labels. We found that the fullness of the pathological experience can only be understood through elucidating experienced interpersonal dynamics. Consequently, both an essential and a situational quality is evidenced, revealing the inadequacy of theories in which either the existence of psychopathology or its subjective character are denied.

Growth in Self-Actualization (Personal Orientation Inventory) in Adult Encounter Groups

To test the efficacy of the Personal Orientation Inventory in assessing growth in self-actualization in relation to encounter groups and to provide a more powerful measure of such changes, pre- and posttest data from 3 highly comparable encounter groups (N = 43) were combined for analysis. Results indicated that the Personal Orientation Inventory is a sensitive instrument for assessing personal growth in encounter groups and that a larger total sample size provides more significant results than those reported for small samples (e. g., fewer than 15 participants).

Does Sincerity Matter? An Empirical Test

I conducted 2 experiments to test the hypothesis that participants who are given more (vs. less) sincere reinforcement will achieve criterion behavior sooner or more completely, and also tested for the Greenspoon effect. In each experiment, assistants' biases were measured and they were then asked to reinforce participants' responses under conditions where that reinforcement was either congruent or incongruent with the identified biases. Assistants' effectiveness under these 2 conditions was determined by measuring the shift in participants' responses from baseline values. In Experiment 1, 20 assistants reinforced designated responses by 40 participants to a 40-item questionnaire. Results supported a sincerity effect but not the Greenspoon effect. The results of Experiment 2 were nonsignificant, which I attribute to the use of a design resulting in less assistant–participant communication.

Encountering Oneself

To be and become the person we truly are is a pervasive theme in third force psychology. In this paper, I succinctly summarize how we become ourselves by focusing on 5 distinct dimensions of personality functioning. Freeing oneself from an idealized self-image and experiencing the real self is seen as a beginning phase. A cognitive restructuring involving modifying internalized value orientations is then stressed. Assuming responsibility for one's choices and initiating self-direction is encouraged to develop authentic personhood. The growing person is conceptualized as being open to inner experiences and viewing one's life as a fluid process involving change and risk taking. Finally, vitality is generated and sustained by receptivity to one's inner life.

Mantra Meditation as a Case of Habituation: Implications for a New Theory of Consciousness

I proposed that the study of mental exercises, such as meditation, may lead to a radically different theory of consciousness than has been previously held in Western thought. The use of a mantra as a concentrative device that may undergo habituation is discussed as a possible vehicle for gaining a new understanding of mind.