Poststructural theory grapples with the hiddenness and complexity of oppression by questioning Western understandings of the self as a unitary, self-created, autonomous, essentialist entity. Feminist psychologists have shown that autonomy as a measure of maturity implies that women will never "grow up" because women's lives tend to be…

Although aging is a process that affects everyone, individuals can choose how they will behave as they become older. Some persons choose to focus on the negative, becoming more and more self-centered and driving away those around them, becoming a burden to themselves and to society. Others, often prompted by a midlife crisis or period of…

As individuals and social beings, at whatever the level and complexity of organization, a gentle spirit and manner weaken aggressiveness and mean-mindedness. The idea that peaceful persons make for a peaceful world can be explored by considering philosophical Taoism. An examination of the first nine chapters of D. C. Lau's translation of "Lao…

This article, based on the keynote speech for a career day at Concord Academy, defines the concepts of a career and the career planning process, with emphasis on the personal aspects of work and the need for self-analysis in the selection of a career. (SJL)

Survival analysis computes functions for occurrence or non-occurrence of an event over a time period for a particular group of subjects. This study compared survival analyses to traditional ANOVAs and Chi-square analyses on a data set of imitation scores of 18-month-old toddlers. The 48 subjects were randomly assigned to two experimental…

How do people know what gender they are? An action or physical characteristic becomes meaningful only when interpreted through its cultural framework. The difference between male and female communication styles has recently engaged national attention, and the frameworks that men and women use to understand the world have been observed by scholars.…

The purpose of this paper is to link several sets of ideas in personality theory to each other and to Christian theology; link several sets of ideas in personality theory and cultural anthropology to each other and to Christian theology; and demonstrate that various social phenomena are not the domain of any particular social or behavioral science…

The expansion of human potential and the accompanying increase in self-esteem and self-actualization is the key to emotional and physical health, social relations, learning problems, self-discipline, and future survival. Self-knowledge, obtained through such measures as keeping records of moods and through biomechanical devices, can enable…

Numerous areas associated with brain dominance have been researched since Bogen and Sperry's work with split-brain patients in the 1960s, but only slight attention has been given to the connection between brain dominance and personality. No study appears in the literature seeking to understand optimal mental health as defined by Maslow's…

For the healthy midlife adult, the second half of life provides a balance for the first half: men become more nurturant while women become more aggressive. The definition of the midlife woman is tied to the family cycle, when her children leave home. Marital satisfaction often increases after the children are gone and relinquishing her role as…

Volunteerism is increasing today and helps to fill in the gaps created by funding and staff cutbacks in service-oriented agencies. It is critical not only to recruit new volunteers but to retain volunteers. This study examines hospice volunteers for motivation and rewards. Previous studies have found motivations to include altruism and…

The art of poetry is being worn away by democracy, the rule of the average, and by an attitude of narcissism which equates sincere endeavor with significant endeavor. The opening lines of several poems taken from a poetry journal reveal a distinct lack of significant emotion. While poetry is the most significant expression of the Self, the…

Behavior therapy is by no means simplistic and mechanistic. It is possible to expand the horizons of behavior therapy to include such concepts as cognition and awareness without resorting to mentalistic or Freudian speculation. A new technique, the Idealized Self-Image (ISI) has been devised for the enhancement of self-esteem and learned…

The struggle for self discovery is the major task of adolescent development. That struggle can be magnified by certain psychosocial forces which retard such ego identity development. American Indians share a centuries old, psychohistorical experience of massive disenfranchisement, powerlessness, and enforced dependency. Its symptomatic legacy is…

Within a therapeutic relationship, there are two levels functioning simultaneously: first is the working level of the client and counselor; and second is the basic human level in which the counselor offers a stance of mutual respect and equality. This paper expands upon the second level by examining its nature and qualities. It posits a basic…