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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Squiggles on August 8, 2007, at 17:34:00
Perhaps this belongs to Psychology-- sorry
if i have misplaced it.As long as i can remember i have noticed that
i often have shifting perspectives about situations and people, and politics. I construct an idea based on the evidence i have (which is never 100% certain) and then if i get contrary evidence, i shift the "paradigm" if you like.There would be nothing really wrong with this personally, if the content of such "paradigms" were data-based only, but when they deal with emotional shifts as well, they deprive me of a peaceful, harmonious perspective in the world.
Is it supposed to bother you are are you supposed to keep looking for certainty so it doesn't bother you?
Can anyone relate to this?
Squiggles
Posted by JohnnyBLinux on August 9, 2007, at 21:29:23
In reply to A Cognitive problem?, posted by Squiggles on August 8, 2007, at 17:34:00
You might be interested in learning about cognitive-consistency theories.
Posted by Squiggles on August 10, 2007, at 4:12:25
In reply to Re: A Cognitive problem?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on August 9, 2007, at 21:29:23
> You might be interested in learning about cognitive-consistency theories.
>
>I'll look up the term; tx JBL
Squiggles
Posted by Squiggles on August 10, 2007, at 8:38:03
In reply to Re: A Cognitive problem? » JohnnyBLinux, posted by Squiggles on August 10, 2007, at 4:12:25
Posted by Squiggles on August 11, 2007, at 8:45:16
In reply to Re: A Cognitive problem? (nm), posted by Squiggles on August 10, 2007, at 8:38:03
JBL,
Sorry for mucking up the post; i meant to reply to yours a couple of days ago and hesitated at my mistake; i think that 3x is the limit.
I wanted to say that I looked up "cognitive dissonance". I recall the concept when i was in school-- part of the Gestalt movement in psychology. Here is an interesting general link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
I think conflicting theories about the world is a human frailty, and many areas of human affairs run into it -- politics, legal, personal, social and economic. When emotions are involved in decision-making, they may actually provide a distortion role in assessing a situation where not all the evidence is available. Like Hume said, "reason is the slave of the passions".
So, any therapist taking on a case, is going to have be not only a smart cookie analyzing motives, but also knowledgeable in the contextual picture of a person's situation-- sort of like detective work with the facts all at his disposal.
As for the patient, he is far more likely to fall prey to emotionally driven interpretations when in a weak state. Agencies who have done brainwashing know this very well, when they first "break the person down". A person can then believe anything, as in "1984" -- "how many fingers do you see?".
So, conflicting theories is a knowledge problem, and in the case of people in emotional stress, becomes an even greater problem. That's why i think that cognitive therapy might be very helpful to get out of disturbing illusions.
Squiggles
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