The Psychology Thread

@ Euo. Kinda. I'm saying that people are diagnosing people (although I do not suggests that we automatic diagnostics! That is dangerous >_>), and there is an element of... well, peopley-ness. However, I would trust a professional because they're a profession and can pretend that they're not a hydrogen atom.

Then again, the American way of Psychology does seem to depend more on drugs — the methods I've had here has always involved counselling. I've actually avoided drugs because, otherwise, I'd be stuck on them for the rest of my life and I don't want that. More then that, I've got a family history of mental problems, which doesn't help.

As has been said psychology and counselling gives you the tools. Like losing weight, actual change won't happen unless you want it and have the willpower to make it happen.

As well, different methods of counselling work for different people. Some people have better results with one school, such as CBT, others work better with the mixture of theories*

. It helps to get the right counsellor.

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In general, in Britain, Mental Health is a Taboo subject — it is definitely not something that can be brought up in a Job Interview, for instance.

edited 25th Mar '13 12:45:45 PM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On

Because Stiff Upper Lip and all that?

I'm a (socialist) professional writer serializing a WWII alternate history webnovel.

Partly. Lack of knowledge about conditions (depression isn't "being sad", stress isn't a "lazy excuse"). Mental health is seen as a semi-serious thing. Recent NHS campaigns have rightfully tried to suggest that they're serious things, and all three major parties acknowledge that mental health is a larger problem than people want to admit.

Also I believe you can get psychological help on the NHS. Which is something.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran

Quality is a postcode lottery, though. Charities and the Voluntary Sector also offer mental health services as well, some for free.

Keep Rolling On

Oh, its a postcode lottery. I mean, sure it exists, but its either great or bad, depending on where you are. I'm pretty well-served in Bham, but the waiting lists for psychotherapists in some parts of England is longer than that for cancer patients.

Come to think of it, I never heard of any famous psychologist originating from Britain; Germany, Swiss, and French seem to be pretty popular in that regards.

I'm a (socialist) professional writer serializing a WWII alternate history webnovel.

Hey

Hey

Fucking Bowlby man.

He's the reason why cognitive psychology exists.

Sorry, never heard of him. My reference pool is small.

I'm a (socialist) professional writer serializing a WWII alternate history webnovel.

Ah, wait. I didn't mean Bowlby.

Fuck, I forgot his name. I know that he was funded by the Post Office, and he worked on the multi-store model, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME.

Sir Cyril Burt: you doing Psychology? You swearing about the Stats? Annoyed by some of the basis of isometric standardisation (particularly when it comes to IQ testing)? Here's a name to direct the swears at (and, he may even have cheated). <bows>

On a related issue (yup, they worked together): not so much a psychologist as a dual physicist-psychologist combo, so, ramping his annoying up doubly for those doing analysis in the social sciences... in this corner I give you William Stephenson who made our lives hell by inflicting the notion of Q-sorts on us! Yes: a Durham University alumnus by the way...

So, no... I've never had to do either of 'em. Nope. Uh-uh.

And, then there is the Daddy of both of 'em Charles Spearman. If you do Psychology, you're going to use Spearman's Rho at some point. <shrugs>

The English: boring people with numbers by looking at people with numbers.

edited 25th Mar '13 2:25:29 PM by Euodiachloris

Spearman was a g. Only because of his name.

SPEARMAN'S RHO.

ITS A STATISTICAL DERIVATION THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD MAKE YOU SHIT YOUR PANTS TO DEATH.

Oh, Spearman's Rho is great fun... (when you can get somebody else to double-check if you've got it right... preferably from the Maths Department — and, bribe them liberally with coffee to explain just what the hell they did that you didn't).

edited 25th Mar '13 2:22:49 PM by Euodiachloris

@ Euo: I've used Spearman's before, in a more Geographical context.

Keep Rolling On

Yup. The social sciences creep everywhere.

Uh... just had a thought. Does David Hume count as a psychologist? His... work is key to laying the foundations of most of the modern social sciences, though... <shrugs> Very English Scottish (but, just look at him: that high-cut, you're packing a lot of English in the ancestral skeleton closet, surely? ). Quite bonkers, too (well, he had to be: he made a career out of thinking both outside and inside the box).

edited 25th Mar '13 10:22:17 PM by Euodiachloris

Sir Francis Galton. One of the earliest psychometricians (which is not a mathemetician serial killer).

Also a cousin of Charles Darwin, and part of the Darwin–Wedgwood family.

Keep Rolling On

I am not sure if this is the right thread, but

What do you call a children's desire for parental approval? Also, what can make a boy a "Well Done, Son" Guy? Neglect?

I'm a (socialist) professional writer serializing a WWII alternate history webnovel.

There probably isn't a special term for that. And the "Well Done, Son" Guy thing can come from parents who have high expectations but never bother to actually let the child know about them. Basically, a lack of communication.

Not Three Laws compliant.

I guess the "Well Done, Son" Guy thing can also come from the child themselves, thinking their parents have higher expectations then they actually share?

Keep Rolling On

Lack of reassurance, lack of clear boundaries or goals (except for a couple), alternate praise and silence over mundane or even special accomplishments... the list is a long one. <_<

A while back, there was this group I kept hearing about that had a lot of "Autism Awareness" campaigns. They made Autism sound like some sort of life threatening disease that was spreading and dooming children everywhere, that desperately needed to be cured or else. But, despite all of the "awareness" of Autism, very few people seem to understand what it is.

It's not something that can be compared to cancer or the plague; it has to do with the wiring of the brain, and can be summed up as the brain not having the proper paths needed to organize and put to use certain information, so the brain has to make more paths and connections.

This isn't to say that everyone with Autism has an easy or average life without struggles caused and related to Autism, I just think that the representation of Autism as 'a poor little kid that can't walk, talk, or function' is very misleading, and is more harmful than helpful.

I think the entire 'searching for a cure' campaign is probably just as harmful, because 'cure' is such a loaded word that seems to imply some sort of shot or drink that will Un-Autistify you. It's like they're under the impression that you can completely re-wire someones brain without any sort of harmful results.

"With hard work and dedication, I will become a splendid ninja!"

^

A cure for people who currently have autism is one thing, but I think the main goal should be to keep people from being born with it.

Barkey: Many people with high functioning autism/aspergers appreciate what they see as the benefits of their condition, so a cure might be better than a prevention because it helps preserve freedom choice.

As for the negative implications of the term "cure", maybe we can call it a "cognitive adjustment"? What we really need is a way to fine tune the brain just they way one wants it.