T.O.P. Prelim Lectures: Existential Psychology

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Questions and Answers

Which philosopher is considered one of the early influencers of existential psychology?

Sigmund Freud

Søren Kierkegaard (correct)

Carl Rogers

B.F. Skinner

What did Rollo May believe many people lack in relation to their destiny?

The ability to make choices

Understanding of its significance

Courage to face it (correct)

Knowledge about it

Which modern existential psychologist is known for his works alongside Rollo May?

Abraham Maslow

Victor Frankl (correct)

Erik Erikson

Carl Jung

What major concern did Søren Kierkegaard address regarding postindustrial societies?

Dehumanization of individuals Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes Rollo May's view on human responsibility?

It is linked to one's freedom. Signup and view all the answers

What was the relationship dynamic within Rollo May's family during his childhood?

Characterized by conflict and separation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a focus of existential psychology, as discussed by Rollo May?

Freudian analysis Signup and view all the answers

Who were among the first existential psychologists that influenced the field?

Ludwig Binswanger and Medard Boss Signup and view all the answers

What is the foundational idea of existentialism regarding existence and essence?

Existence takes precedence over essence. Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to the basic unity of person and environment in existential philosophy?

Dasein Signup and view all the answers

What does alienation in existentialism manifest as?

Separation from nature and self. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following defines 'Umwelt' in existentialist terms?

The environment around us. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cause of anxiety according to existential philosophy?

Awareness that existence might be threatened. Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of 'Non-Being' primarily address?

The dread of not existing. Signup and view all the answers

How can the concept of 'Mitwelt' be described?

Our relationships with other people. Signup and view all the answers

How does existentialism view theories in relation to human existence?

Existentialists are generally antitheoretical. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes normal anxiety from neurotic anxiety?

Normal anxiety can be confronted constructively. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about ontological guilt is correct?

It refers to the nature of being. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cause of separation guilt?

Separation from nature. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of neurotic anxiety, what happens to values?

They transform into dogma. Signup and view all the answers

What does intentionality provide in human experience?

A framework for understanding the outside world. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is not associated with normal anxiety?

Involvement of repression. Signup and view all the answers

How is guilt related to the perception of others according to the content?

It results from inability to accurately perceive others. Signup and view all the answers

What defines the concept of care?

An active process where something does matter. Signup and view all the answers

How does May define 'will'?

The capacity to organize oneself to move toward a goal Signup and view all the answers

What does May suggest about love and will in mature individuals?

They both involve reaching out toward another person Signup and view all the answers

Which form of love is characterized as 'disinterested love'?

Agape Signup and view all the answers

What type of freedom is described as 'the freedom of doing'?

Existential Freedom Signup and view all the answers

How does May define 'destiny'?

The design of the universe speaking through each individual Signup and view all the answers

According to May, how do freedom and destiny relate to each other?

They are interdependent parts of life Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the four kinds of love identified by May?

Charm Signup and view all the answers

What need does May identify within Western civilization?

An urgent need for myths Signup and view all the answers

What does May believe is the main malaise of modern times?

Apathy and emptiness Signup and view all the answers

How does May view the purpose of psychotherapy?

To help individuals make better choices Signup and view all the answers

What did May see as a crucial component of psychopathology?

Communication breakdown Signup and view all the answers

Which concept does May emphasize as more important in understanding human behavior?

Teleology Signup and view all the answers

What does May believe myths provide in society?

Explanations for personal and social problems Signup and view all the answers

In terms of personality development, where does May stand on the influences of conscious versus unconscious forces?

He assumes a moderate stance on both Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of May's view on humanity?

Emphasis on uniqueness over similarities Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes May's approach to therapy?

A combination of science, friendship, and religion Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

T.O.P. Prelim Lectures: Chapter 8 - Existential Psychology

Course: Existential Psychology
Topic: Overview of Existential Psychology
Existential psychology is rooted in the philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, and other European philosophers.
Early existential psychologists and psychiatrists include Ludwig Binswanger, Medard Boss, Victor Frankl.
Rollo May believed people are responsible for who they become and that many lack the courage to face their destiny.
Post-industrial societies show a trend towards dehumanization of people.
Kierkegaard addressed both person's experience and experiencing person.
Kierkegaard and later existentialists emphasized balance between freedom and responsibility.

Topic: Biography of Rollo May

Rollo Reese May was born April 21, 1909, in Ada, Ohio.
He was the first son of six children.
He had a somewhat distant relationship with his parents.
His parents frequently argued, and separated.
He followed a course very similar to Erik Erikson's, 10 years earlier.
His books, articles, and lectures established May as the best-known American representative of the existential movement.

Topic: Background of Existentialism

Existentialism is interpreted differently by philosophers and psychologists.
Common elements found in existential thought include: existence precedes essence, opposition to the subject-object split, search for meaning in life, responsibility for who one becomes, and anti-theoretical basis.
The increasing dehumanization in postindustrial societies is a focus of existentialist thought.
Basic concepts: Being-in-the-World; Alienation in three areas (separation from nature, lack of meaningful relationships, alienation from oneself).
Three simultaneous modes in being-in-the-world: Umwelt (environment), Mitwelt (relationships with others), and Eigenwelt (relationship with oneself).
Dread of not being (non-being or nothingness); Death is most obvious avenue, but fears can cause people to live defensively and avoid confrontation with non-existence.

Topic: The Case of Philip

Philip, an architect, struggles with a complex and turbulent relationship with someone named Nicole.
Their idyllic summer together morphs into concerns about marriage and growing mistrust.
Philip experiences betrayal and abandonment.
Philip's reaction to this love-loss reveals features of May's work around anxiety, intentionality, destiny, psychopathology, and psychotherapy.
Philip sought therapy from Rollo May.

Topic: Anxiety

Anxiety arises when people realize their existence or something connected with it may be destroyed.
May defined anxiety as the subjective state of an individual realizing the potential destruction of their existence, thereby becoming nothing.
The acquisition of freedom leads to anxiety.
May differentiated between normal and neurotic anxiety.
Normal anxiety is proportionate to the threat.
Neurotic anxiety is disproportionate and involves blocking from awareness including repression.
Normal anxiety can be positively productive when a person gains insight into their life; Neurotic forms lead to dogma instead of genuine understanding.

Topic: Guilt

Guilt arises when people deny their potential, misunderstand others' needs, or are oblivious to their reliance on the natural world.
Both anxiety and guilt are ontological rather than reactive.
May identified three forms of ontological guilt: separation guilt, relational guilt, and self-imposed guilt (all based on different aspects of being-in-the-world: Umwelt, Mitwelt and Eigenwelt).

Topic: Intentionality

Intentionality is the structure that gives meaning to experience and allows people to make future decisions.
Without intentionality, people cannot choose or act.
Intentionality is the structure of meaning that enables us as subjects to understand and interpret the objective world.

Topic: Care, Love, and Will

Care is the opposite of apathy, a state where something matters.
Love is delight in (and valuing) the presence and development of another, as much as one's own.
Will is the capacity to organize oneself toward a certain goal or direction.
May identified four kinds of love: sex, eros, philia, and agape (biological, psychological, friendship, and altruistic).

Topic: Freedom and Destiny

Freedom is the ability to understand that one is determined.
It comes from an understanding of one's destiny.
Existential freedom represents freedom of action, freedom of doing.
Essential freedom represents freedom of being.
Destiny isn't preordained, but rather our goal or terminus.

Topic: The Power of Myth

People in Western civilization feel a need for myths.
Myths are not false but rather conscious and unconscious system beliefs for interpreting personal and social problems.
Rationalistic language prioritizes truth, whereas myth prioritizes communication of an experience.

Topic: Psychopathology

Defined by May as a lack of communication and interpersonal connection (inability to know others and to share oneself).
Apathy and emptiness are major maladies of modern times.
May views symptoms (like headache) as temporary or permanent, based on early childhood experiences.

Topic: Psychotherapy

He advocated facilitating greater self-awareness/conscious experience to support freedom of choice.
Psychotherapy should improve people, help them expand consciousness, and enable them to become more freely human.
May viewed therapy as a combination of religion, science, and friendship.

Topic: Concept of Humanity: May's Existential Psychology

May valued notions of free will
May considered a nuanced view of human nature, without becoming overly pessimistic.
May emphasized teleology (understanding actions in context of future), rather than causality (cause and effect).
May supported that conscious and unconscious force play important role in development.
May supported that social & biological forces both play a role in development.
May emphasized uniqueness in human experience.

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Description

Explore Chapter 8 of the Existential Psychology course, focusing on the philosophical underpinnings and key figures in the field. Delve into the works of thinkers like Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Rollo May, while examining the impact of existential philosophy on human responsibility and societal dehumanization.