basicpsychology

Basic Psychology

The Operational Definitions of the Terms and Phrases of Operational Psychology

I. Mind = An individual’s collection/system/set of desires, fears and priorities.

Desire = Wanting a person/object/event.

Example: Sam = Desire for a woman.

Physical Evidence of a Desire = Individual approaches a desirable person/object/event.

Example: Sam approaches Suzy.

Fear = Not-wanting a person/object/event.

Physical Evidence of a Fear = Individual avoids a feared person/object/event.

Example: Sam avoids Sally.

Desires and fears are interrelated by being opposites.

Example: The opposite of the desire to live is the fear of dying.
Example: Sam’s desire for a woman is the opposite of his fear of not finding a woman.

Priority =The importance of each desire/fear compared to all other desires and fears.

Example: For Sam, the priority for finding a woman is higher than the priority for flying his airplane.

Problem = Learning/Deciding how to achieve a desire and/or avoid a fear.

Example: Sam: Problem = Learning/deciding how to achieve a woman.

Solution = Knowing how to achieve a desire and/or avoid a fear.

Example: Sam: Solution = Knowing how to achieve a woman/avoid not achieving a woman.

Mind = Desires/Fears/Priorities = Cause of Behavior, Personality, Mental Problems, and Mental Solutions.

Behavior = Individual’s actions and reactions caused by his desires/fears/priorities (by his mind).

Personality = Consistent behavior in similar circumstances or situations.

Mental Problem = Unrealistic Desire (or Fear) = Unachievable/Inappropriate Desire.

Unrealistic = Unachievable and/or inappropriate.

Achievable = Can be gotten.

Unachievable = Cannot be gotten.

Example: Sam = Desires a woman.

Suzy = Desires Sam.

Sophia = Does not desire Sam.

For Sam, Suzy is achievable but Sophia is unachievable.

Appropriate = Achieves many if not most if not all relevant dedsires.

Inappropriate = May achieve some desire(s) but not another (other) relevant desire(s).

Example: Sam = Desires for a woman, (A) who is achievable--who desires Sam; (B) for a good-looking woman; (C) for a woman who is loyal.

Suzy = (A) desires Sam; (B) good-looking; (C) loyal.

Shirley = (A) desires Sam; (B) good-looking; (C) not loyal.

For Sam, Suzy is thus appropriate because she achieves Sam’s A/B/C desires; Shirley is inappropriate because she achieves Sam’s A/B desires but she does not achieve his C desire.

Mental Solution = Realistic Desire = Achievable/Appropriate Desire.

II. Feelings = Reactions to Realizations of Desires.

Realization = Achievement/Non-Achievement of a Desire or Avoidance/Non-Avoidance of a Fear.

Positive Realization = Achievement of a Desire/Avoidance of a Fear.

Negative Realization = Non-Achievement of a Desire/Non-Avoidance of a Fear.

Feelings = Sensations or Emotions.

Sensations = Reactions to Realizations of Physiological/Unlearned Desires and Fears.

Physiological Desire/Fear = Unlearned, inherent in genetics,. in the body; include desires for survival, food, water, shelter, companionship, sex, reproduction, protection of children, etc.

Emotions = Reactions to Realizations of Psychological/Learned Desires and Fears.

Psychological Desire/Fear = Learned Desire/Fear, not inherent in genetics, not in the body.

Hierarchy of Desires

3. Specific Psychological/Learned Desire: Suzy.

2. General/Generic Psychological/Learned Desire: Women.

Choices:

Animals (Dogs/Cats/)
Men (Charley/Larry)
Women (Suzy/Shirley).

1. Physiological Desires: For Companionship.

Example: Sam has a Desire for Companionship.

Problem: Learning how to achieve Companionship.

Sam’s Choices for Companionship:

Animals = Dogs/Cats.
Men = Charley/Larry.
Women = Suzy/Shirley.

Sam experiments with animals/men/women and decides he likes the companionship of women.

Sam develops a general/generic psychological/learned desire for women as a solution to the problem of achieving companionship.

Solution = Women = General/Generic Psychological/Learned Desire.

Sam experiments with Suzy and Shirley and decides he likes Suzy more than he likes Shirley.

Sam thus develops a specific psychological/learned desire for Suzy.

Solution = Suzy = Specific Psychological/Learned Desire.

III. Feelings Develop in a Sequence of (1) Desire->(2) Realization->(3) Feeling (The D/R/F Sequence):

1. Desire: _____ (?) [Wanting a person/object/event]
2. Realization: _____ (?) [Person/object/event achieved/not achieved]
3. Feeling: _____ (?) [Reaction to the Realization of the Desire]

Emotions = Happiness v. Unhappiness as Sadness, Anger, and/or Fear.

Emotion = (A) Perception, (B) Emotional Reaction and (C) Impulsive Reaction

Emotion: Happiness = General Reaction to the Achievement of a Desire/Avoidance of a Fear:

(A) Perception: The Achievement of a Desire/Avoidance of a Fear.
(B) Emotional Reaction: Happiness.
(C) Impulsive Reaction: To celebrate!

Emotion: Unhappiness = General Reaction to the Non-Achievement of a Desire/Non-Avoidance of a Fear including Specific Reaction(s) of Sadness, Anger or Fear:

Emotion: Sadness:
(A) Perception: An actual loss of life/limb/liberty/property, accident, injury, illness, genetic defect, verbal and/or physical attack.
(B) Emotional Reaction: Sadness
(C) Impulsive Reaction: Give up hope of achieving Desire/avoiding Fear; become depressed.

Emotion: Anger:
(A) Perception: A violation of an expectancy, promise, contract, law, or ethic; also, an actual or threatened loss of life/limb/liberty/property.
(B) Emotional Reaction: Anger.
(C) Impulsive Reaction: Attack oneself or someone or something else.

Emotion: Fear:
(A) Perception: A threat of a loss of life/limb/liberty/property, accident, injury, illness, genetic defect, or a verbal/physical attack.
(B) Emotional Reaction: Fear.
(C) Impulsive Reaction: Run away from oneself or someone or something else.