Operational Psychology presents cognitive concepts, principles and techniques for psychopathology, psychodiagnostics and psychotherapeutics.
Operational Psychology is built upon five basic principles.
I. The mind is an individual’s personal system of desires, fears and priorities.
II. Feelings are reactions to realizations of desires, fears and priorities.
III. Feelings develop in a sequence of Desire -> Realization -> Feeling, which is the Desire/Realization/Feeling Sequence, or D/R/F Sequence:
1. Desire: _____ (?) [Wanting a person, a thing, or an event]
2. Realization: _____ (?) [The person(s)/thing(s)/event(s) achieved]
3. Feeling: _____ (?) [The reaction to the realization of the desire]
IV. Mental problems [mental disorders] are unrealistic desires, fears and priorities.
V. Mental solutions [mental health] are realistic desires, fears and priorities.
The five basic principles of Operational Psychology will be presented,
defined, described, and explained in this exposition.
The universe is the location/place/site/arena/theatre/space in which all
things and events exist.
Within the universe are three realities:
1. The Spatial Reality: Space = Unbounded spatial reality; dimensionless emptiness, wherein must exist all things/events that exist in contrast to being the content of ideas; if things/events do not exist, space would be total emptiness, a total vacuum; things/events cannot exist anywhere else other than space.
2. The Temporal Reality: Time = The use of periodic motions or regularly recurring cycles to create time-intervals to use in clocks for measuring the occurrences of events in temporal sequences; time-intervals are variable, as found in clocks which are subject to the effects of the causes of changes of velocity or/and gravity, or invariable (invariant), as found in clocks which are velocity/motion/gravity sensing and self-adjusting; invariable time-interval clocks read the same measurements regardless of velocity/gravity and thus measure Absolute Time (AT); AT clocks once started will measure time into the future, providing an arrow of time which is irreversible and infinite, meaning one way only and without limit to the number of measured/counted time-intervals.
3. The Physical Reality: Physics = Things/events comprised of matter/energy,
or matter/energy which comprise all things/events; By the First Law of Thermodynamics,
the Law of the Conservation of Matter/Energy, matter/energy cannot be destroyed,
only changed in form, wherein matter can be converted into energy, as described
by m = E/c2, and energy can be converted
into matter, as described by E = mc2; matter/energy
is infinite in duration but finite in quantity—the sum total of matter/energy
is a constant; the electric charge found in matter/energy is a constant and
is infinite in duration but finite in quantity.
To exist is to be real, to be actual, in contrast to being the content or
subject matter of ideas, dreams, fantasies, and imagination.
All reality consists of things and events.
A thing is an object, a unity which retains its identity over a longer period
of time than related events.
Examples: Jane, a ball, and Dick.
A concept is a mental representation [idea] of a thing.
A true concept is an accurate mental representation [idea] of a thing.
A false concept is an inaccurate mental representation [idea] of a thing.
An event is a relationship between/among things, occurs at a specific period of time and is of lesser duration than related things.
Example: Jane throws the ball to Dick. Jane’s throwing the ball to Dick is a relationship among Jane, the ball, and Dick; Jane’s throwing the ball to Dick is a specific event ocurring at a specific timepoint and is of lesser duration than the duration of the things/objects/unities Jane, the ball, or Dick.
A principle is a mental representation [idea] of an event.
A true principle is an accurate mental representation [idea] of an event.
A false principle is an inaccurate mental representation [idea] of an event.
A technique is an application of a principle.
Example: To move a ball to Dick, Jane can use the technique of throwing it.
Example: To increase his muscle strength, speed and endurance, Sam can use the technique of lifting weights.
A practical technique is an effective application of a principle.
Example: [As shown above] To move a ball to Dick, Jane can use the technique of throwing it.
Example: [As shown above] To increase his muscle strength, speed and endurance, Sam can use the technique of lifting weights.
An impractical technique is an ineffective application of a principle.
Example: To move a ball to Dick, Jane can use the technique of giving it to her dog, Spot, and hope that he will carry it to Dick.
Example: To increase his muscle strength, speed, and endurance, Sam can use the technique of pushing the buttons on his TV/VCR/etc. remote control.
Causes are things and events.
Example: Jane, a thing, is the cause of the effect which is the event in which the which is the ball is thrown to the thing which is Dick.
Effects are also things and events.
Example: John, a thing, may be a cause of an effect which is the event in which a new watch is designed and created from which results the effect which is the thing which is the new watch.
Matter and energy cannot be destroyed but can be changed in form.
Matter can be converted into energy by m = E/c2.
Energy can be converted into matter by E = mc2.
Matter/energy has been demonstrated to be infinite in duration.
Matter/energy has been demonstrated to be finite in quantity: The sum total of matter/energy is a constant.
The Source of Causality is matter/energy.
Operational definitions can be created using structured sentences such as the following:
Type 1: _____ [Term being defined operationally] IS _____ [Description of the things/events relevant to the term being defined].
Example: The mind [Term being defined operationally] IS an individual’s personal system of desires/fears/priorities as evidenced by his observable actions and reactions, in particular, as evidenced by his approach behavior to people/things/events he desires and his avoidance behavior from people/things/events he fears [Descriptions of the observable/measurable people/things/events--in this case the events of approach/avoidance--relevant to the term being defined].
Type 2: _____ [Term being defined operationally] IS WHEN _____ [Description of the things/events relevant to the term being defined].
Example: Love [Term being defined operationally] IS WHEN someone says they like you and they do nice things for you and with you [Description of the things/events relevant to the term being defined].
Type 3: IF _____ [Description of the things/events relevant to the term being defined], THEN _____ [Term being defined operationally].
Example: IF someone says he likes you and does nice things for you and with you [Description of the things/events relevant to the term being defined], THEN that is love [Term being defined operationally].
Type 4: WHEN _____ [Description of the things/events relevant to the term being defined], THEN _____ [Term being defined operationally].
Example: WHEN someone says he likes you and does nice things for you and with you [Description of the things/events relevant to the term being defined], THEN that is love [Term being defined operationally].
Most Famous Example of an Operational Definition: Happiness is a warm puppy.
By operational definitions, abstract concepts/principles can be defined by the descriptions of real-world things/events/techniques; thus, by operational definitions, abstract concepts/principles/techniques can be made concrete/made into concrete concepts/principles/techniques.
If a person cannot provide a description by means of the observation(s)/measurement(s) of the people/things/events related to a term he wishes to define/use in a discusssion, then there is an excellent chance that (A) the people/things/events he is trying to define/discuss do not exist or (B) he does not know what he is talking about.
Operational definitions are required for The Code of Science is to ensure that scientists can communicate with each other and with nonscientists.
II. Scientists must create operational definitions of the terms
they wish to use so they can communicate effectively with themselves, with
other scientists, and with nonscientists.
Operational definitions are definitions which present
the observations and/or measurements [descriptions] of the people/things/events
who/which are natural phenomena; operational definitions can be used to define
complex and abstract concepts, principles and techniques. For example, children
often use sentence structures of "_____ [concept/principle being defined]
is when _____ [observation/measurement/description of the actions/reactions
of people/things/events being operationally defined]." A child may create
an operational definition of love in the following way: "Love
is when someone says they like you and they do nice things for you and
with you ." The child's observation/measurement/description of the actions/reactions
of someone who loves provides an operational definition of the term love
.
III. Scientists must follow the scientific method in determining the causality of people/things/events.
IV. Scientists must list the scientific principles they have determined to be scientific principles/laws of nature, so other people can know what the scientists claim to be knowledge. Moreover, scientists must publish/present the observations and measurements of natural phenomena (units of study) by which they created and by which they confirmed/verified their causal hypotheses in order that other scientists may replicate/duplicate their observations and measurements to confirm/deny their causal hypotheses and claims of scientific principles.
Science began when a Greek Hippocrates, the Greek father of medicine, observed a man suffering from what we now know as epilepsy and rejected the claims of priests that the cause of the victim's condition was his inability to reject demons and his consequent possession by demons. Hippocrates thought epilepsy was caused by natural causes, not supernatural or mystical causes, and he began to look for those natural causes. Hippocrates is still remembered for the Hippocratic oath taken by modern doctors.
Key to Hippocrates' thinking was his determination to reject the authority of priests and to observe people/things/events in the real world to learn the causality of natural phenomena. Key to the Code of Science and the scientific method is reliance upon the observation of and the experimentation with people/things/events and the rejection of any claims of scientific knowledge not based upon observation or experimentation.
When scientists are required to provide detailed descriptions of their
observations and experiments, other scientists can replicate their observations
and experiments and thereby confirm their claims of scientific knowledge.
By this process of constant checking of claims of knowledge, the Code of Science
and the scientific method produce an increasing body of scientific knowledge.
Scientific knowledge created by scientists who follow the Code of Science
and the scientific method may overturn the claims of “experts” or “authorities”
including priests. That has happened throughout the centuries. People must
have the truth—the facts—for making rational decisions, and the Code of Science
including the scientific method offers a way to discover and learn the truth/facts
that is more reliable than the claims of those who refuse to observe and
experiment with the real world people/things/events who/which are natural
phenomena.
The mind (1) is an individual’s personal system of desires/fears/priorities and (2) is the cause of his behavior—his actions and reactions—including (A) his feelings as his reactions to his realizations of his desires/fears/priorities, as (A1) physiological feelings or sensations as reactions to realizations of physiological or unlearned desires or as (A2) psychological feelings or emotions as reactions to realizations of psychological or learned desires; (B) his personality as his mind-in-action and reaction, his revelation of his desires/fears/priorities as the causes of his actions and reactions by his actions and reactions; (C) his mental problems as his unrealistic desires/fears/priorities, specifically, as (C1) his unachievable desires and/or his inappropriate proactive desires and as (C2) his inappropriate reactive desire—his subjective reactive desire vs. his objective reactive desire]; and (D) his mental health as his realistic desires/fears/priorities, specifically, as (D1) his achievable and appropriate proactive desires and (D2) his appropriate reactive desire—most often his objective reactive desire.
Desire = Wanting a person, a thing, or an event.
Evidence: The evidence of a desire is the individual's approach behavior in which he moves toward desired people/things/events.
Example: Jane wants a thing called a ball and the event of throwing the ball to Dick.
Fear = Not-Wanting a person/thing/event.
Evidence: The evidence of a fear is the individual’s avoidance behavior in which he moves away from feared people/things/events.
Example: Jane does not want (1) a thing called a beanbag to throw to Dick; (2) the event of not finding a ball; (3) Jane does not want Harry to catch the ball.
Desires and fears are interrelated by being opposites.
Example: The desire to live is the interrelated opposite of the fear of dying.
Example: The desire to earn money is the interrelated opposite of the fear of not making money, or of losing money.
Priority = The importance of each desire or fear compared to the importance of all other desires and fears.
Evidence: The evidence for a priority is the length of time of an individual’s
approach/avoidance behavior to achieve
a desire/avoid a fear compared to all other approach/avoidance behaviors related
to other desires/fears.
Example: The desire to live is more important than the desire to make money.
Example: Sam’s desire for Suzy is more important than his desire for Sybil.
Atoms act as if they prefer stability wherein they can find a balance between the number of protons in their nuclei and the number of electrons in their orbits.
Ions are atoms with (1) too few or (2) too many electrons which therefore act as if they have (A) a desire to gain an electron or (B) to get rid of an electron.
Ions interact with other atoms to form compounds of the same atoms or molecules of different atoms. The ions interact by sharing/exchanging electrons.
Molecules which are unstable because of deficiencies or excesses of electrons act as if they seek stability and thus interact with other molecules to form larger compounds.
Molecules split into life forms and nonlife forms.
The life forms increase in complexity from cells to organs to organisms [individuals].
Physiological/unlearned desires, fears and priorities are inherent in the cells and the organs of the individual's body and lead to the development of psychological desires, fears and priorities.
Example: Sam’s desire to obtain a liguid to slake his thirst is a physiological desire—it was inherent in his body at birth and is thus unlearned.
Examples: Sam’s desires for companionship, sex and reproduction are all physiological desires—they are inherent in his body at his birth.
Example: Sam’s general desire for a soda instead of water or milk, and his specific desire for a Schweppes™ Ginger Ale instead of a Coca-Cola™ or a Pepsi-Cola™ for slaking his thirst are psychological desires—they were not inherent in his body at his birth and are thus learned desires.
Example: Sam’s desire for a specific woman named Suzy who can realize [achieve] his physiological desires for companionship, sex and reproduction is a psychological desire—Sam’s desire for Suzy was not inherent in his body at his birth and is therefore a learned desire.
Psychological desires ultimately fulfill physiological desires.
Proactive desires are desires for the general and specific characteristics of people, things and events.
E/Existence is the property of being real as opposed to being an idea (being the content of an idea). For a person/thing/event to have value, it must have the property of existence, of being real.
L/Location is the position (given by space-time coordinates) of a person/thing/event.
I/Identity is the duration in time of a thing or an event. Where a thing usually retains its identity over a longer duration of time, an event usually has shorter duration in time. Identity also relates to the specific characteristics of a thing or an event, but, as a general characteristic, identity relates to and is defined by the duration in time of a thing or an event.
Achievability is the characteristic of a person, a thing or an event of being achievable/obtainable (positively realizable) to an individual who desires that person, thing or event. The individual must be able to achieve his desire for a person, a thing or an event, or his desire will become a liability, and the general characteristic of achievability is a characteristic the subject of a desire must have for that desire to be an asset.
The opposite of achievability is unachievability.
Unachievability is the characteristic of a person/thing/event of being nonachievable/nonobtainable (negatively realizable) to an individual who desires that person/thng/event. If an individual has a proactive desires for a person/thing/event he cannot achieve, then that desire will become a liability.
Appropriateness is the characteristic of a person, a thing or an event of being able to achieve an individual’s proactive desires. The individual must have his proactive desires fulfilled by the subject of a desire or that desire will become a liability, and the general characteristic of appropriateness is a characteristic the subject of a desire must have for that desire to become an asset.
The opposite of appropriateness is inappropriateness.
Inappropriateness is the characteristic of a person/thing/event of not being able to achieve an individual’s proactive desires. If an individual has a desire for a person/thing/event who/which cannot achieve his other proactive desires, then that desire is inappropriate and will become a liability.
Any person/thing/event who/which cannot achieve an individual’s proactive desires is inappropriate.
A/Appearance is the set of specific physical features of a person, a thing or an event. The A’s are dimensions such as height, width, weight, length, etc. Physical beauty is a combination of physical dimensions, and physical dimensions are A/Appearance.
B/Behavior is the specific actions and reactions of a person, a thing or an event. The B’s are what is said or done. Each individual has a mind, his mind consists of his personal system of desires, fears and priorities, and that personal system of desires, fears and priorities causes and therefore controls his actions and reactions which are his behavior, his B/Behavior characteristics, including his feelings as reactions to realizations of his desires, and his personality as his desires, fears and priorities in action and reaction, as his mind in action and reaction. What a person, a thing or an event says or does is his/her/its B/Behavior.
C/Connection is a specific feature of a person, a thing or an event which is a link between an individual and the achievement of his desires. C/Connections include formal education, artistic talent, athletic ability, technical, political, social, business, and economic knowledge, wealth, relationships, possessions, interests, work, hobbies, etc. Beyond A/Appearance and B/Behavior, the specific characteristics an individual might desire in a person, a thing or an event are the C/Connections that link the individual to the achievement of a desire. John’s athletic ability, interest in golf, and political, social, business, and economic interests might be the C/Connections that link him to Sam’s achievement of his [Sam’s] general proactive psychological desire for playing golf with a person who is good at playing golf and who has similar political, social, business, and economic interests.
Example: Sam’s desire for a soda instead of water or milk for realizing [achieving] his physiological desire to slake his thirst is a general proactive desire—any generic soda [within reason] will realize his physiological desire to slake his thirst.
Example: Sam’s desire for women for realizing [achieving] his physiological desires for companionship, sex, and reproduction is a general proactive desire—any generic woman [within reason] will realize his physiological desires for companionship, sex and reproduction.
Example: Sam's desire for a Schweppes™ Ginger Ale in preference to a Coca-Cola™ or a Pepsi-Cola™ for satisfying his general desire for a soda and his physiological desire for a liquid to slake his thirst is a specific proactive desire—a Schweppes™ Ginger Ale is Sam's choice for a soda.
Example: Sam's desire for Suzy for realizing [achieving] his general proactive desire for a woman for realizing [achieving] his physiological desires for companionship, sex, and reproduction is a specific proactive desire—Suzy is Sam's specfic choice for a woman.
| III. | Specific Proactive Desire for a Specific Person/Thing/Event: _____ (?) |
Specific Learned Desire |
| II. | General Proactive Desire for a Generic Person/Thing/Event: _____ (?) |
General Learned Desire |
| Environmental Choices: _____ (?) [Experiments/Experience/Learning] |
People/Things/Events | |
| I. | Physiological Desire: _____ (?) | Unlearned Desire |
Example: Sam has a physiological desire [unlearned desire] for a liquid
to slake his thirst:
| III. | Specific Proactive Desire: | Schweppes™ Ginger Ale | ||
| II. | General Proactive Desire: | Sodas | ||
| Enviromental Choices: | Water | Milk | Sodas | |
| White Milk | Schweppes™ Ginger Ale | |||
| Chocolate Milk | Coca-Cola™ | |||
| Pepsi-Cola™ | ||||
| I. | Physiological Desire: | For Liquid |
Example: Sam has a physiological desire [unlearned desire] for companionship/stimulation/fun:
| III. | Specific Proactive Desire: | Suzy | ||
| II. | General Proactive Desire: | Women | ||
| Environmental Choices: | Toys | Pets | Women | |
| Airplane | Dog | Suzy | ||
| Boat | Cat | Shirley | ||
| Motorcycle | Parakeet | Sally | ||
| I. | Physiological Desire: | Companionship/Stimulation/Fun |
Example: Sam wants Suzy, who wants Sam.
Example: Sam’s general proactive desire for a generic woman who is beautiful and loyal who fulfills his physiological desires for companionship/sex/reproduction being fulfilled by his specific proactive desire for Suzy who is beautiful and loyal and wants him (and who therefore might not get pregnant by another man).
Example: Sam wants Sophia, who does not want him.
Example: Sam’s general proactive desire for a generic woman who is beautiful and loyal who fulfills his physiological desires for companionship/sex/reproduction not being fulfilled by his specific proactive desire for Shirley who is beautiful but not loyal (and who therefore might get pregnant by another man).
Reactive desires include (1) a desire for an affective reaction and (2) a desire for an impulsive reaction.
Feelings are reactions to realizations of desires.
The definition of a feeling as a reaction to a realization of a desire shows the connection between a desire and a feeling but also a feeling and a desire. Moving forwards—first comes the desire. No feeling develops without a preceeding desire. Next comes the realization. No realization, no feeling. Then comes the feeling. The feeling, as a reaction to a realization of a desire, cannot occur without the realization or the preceeding desire. Moving backwards—the feeling as a reaction to a realization of a desire is ultimately caused by the preceeding desire. Without the desire, no feeling.
Example: Sam’s achievement of his general proactive desire for a generic soda is a positive realization, and his achievement of his specific proactive desire for a Schweppes™ Ginger Ale is also a positive realization.
Example: Sam’s achievement of his general proactive desire for a generic woman is a positive realization, and his achievement of his specific proactive desire for Suzy is also a positive realization.
Example: Sam’s avoidance of his general proactive fear of losing money
is a positive realization, and his avoidance of his specific proactive fear
of not making $1000.00 this week [Sam earned $1000.00] is also a positive
realization.
Example: Sam’s nonachievement of his general psychological/learned desire for a generic soda is a negative realization, and his nonachievement of his specific proactive desire for a Schweppes™ Ginger Ale is also a negative realization.
Example: Sam’s nonachievement of his general desire for a generic woman is a negative realization, and his nonachievement of his specific proactive desire for Suzy is also a negative realization.
Example: Sam’s nonavoidance of his general proactive fear of losing money is a negative realization, and his nonavoidance of his specific proactive fear of not making $1000.00 this week [Sam earned only $250.00] is also a negative realization.
Example: Sam is happy being with the real Suzy.
Example: Sam is happy imagining being with Suzy when he is away from her.
Feelings develop in a sequence of Desire/Realization/Feeling:
1. Desire: _____ (?) [Wanting
a Person/Thing/Event]
2. Realization: _____ (?) [Person/Thing/Event Gotten]
3. Feeling: _____ (?) [The Reaction
to the Realization of the Desire]
Physiological feelings/sensations are experienced along a tripolar continuum:
Psychological feelings/emotions are experienced along a bipolar continuum:
All terms and phrases used to designate emotions are (A) synonyms of basic emotions; (B) combinations of basic emotions; or (C) situations to which an individual reacts with basic emotions.
Examples:
Synonyms for happiness include contentment, ecstacy.
Synonyms for sadness include despair, depression.
Synonyms for anger include irritation, rage.
Synonyms for fear include anxiety, terror.
Combinations include embarrassment—comprised of sadness from the perception of no hope of achieving a proactive desire and fear from the perception of the threat of a verbal attack; guilt—comprised of the sadness from the perception of an actual loss of self-regard and of anger resulting from a personal violation of an expectancy, a promise, a contract, a law, or an ethic and an impulsive desire to attack oneself; disgust—comprised of sadness resulting from a perception of an unwanted person/thing/event and anger from the perception of a violation of an expectancy.
Situations to which an individual reacts with basic emotions include —
—Surprise—an unexpected realization of a proactive desire or fear [the unexpected perception of a desired or feared person/thing/event], to which the individual reacts with the basic emotion of happiness if the unexpected person/thing/event is perceived as achieving a proactive desire or avoiding a proactive fear, sadness if the unexpected person/thing/event is perceived as a loss or as a sign of no hope of achieving a proactive desire or avoiding a proactive fear, anger if the unexpected person/thing/event is perceived as violating/frustrating an expectancy, a promise, a contract, a law, or an ethic, or/and fear if the unexpected person/thing/event is perceived as a threat of a loss, an accident, an illness, or a verbal or physical attack;
—Anticipation—a mental realization consisting of imagining the perception of the achievement of a desired person/thing event or/and the avoidance of a feared person/thing/event to which the individual reacts with the basic emotion of happiness, or imagining the perception of the nonachievement of a desired person/thing/event or/and a nonavoidance of a feared person/thing/event to which the individual reacts with the basic emotions of sadness if he perceives a loss or no hope of achieving a proactive desire or avoiding a proactive fear, or/and anger if he perceives a violation/frustration of an expectancy, a promise, a contract, a law, or an ethic, or/and fear if he perceives a threat of a loss, an accident, an injury, an illness, or a verbal or physical attack;
—Love—a positive realization of high-priority psychological and physiological proactive desires for a romantic interest to which the individual reacts with the basic emotion of happiness;
—Hate—a negative realization of high-priority psychological and physiological proactive fears of persons/thing/events who/which are perceived (A) as violating/frustrating an expectancy, a promise, a contract, a law, or an ethic, to which perception the individual reacts with the basic emotion of anger and a destructive/negative impulse to attack the person or thing or the persons involved in an event, or/and (B) as a threat of a loss, an injury, an illness, or a verbal or physical attack, to which perception the individual reacts with a basic emotion of fear and a negative impulse to run away from the person or thing or from the persons/things involved in an event.
NOTE: It is possible that an individual will react to the basic emotion of fear resulting from the perception of a nonavoidance of a feared person/thing/event with a destructive/negative impulse to attack the feared person/thing or persons involved in a feared event—such fear attack has many if not most if not all the symptooms of an anger attack. In short, the individual develops a proactive desire to get rid of the basic emotion of fear and subjectively reacts with the negative affective reaction/emotion of anger and the negative/destructive impulsive reaction to attack directly the feared person/thing/event.
Perceptual errors can cause problems.
1. The individual may not perceive that a person/thing/event exists and
could achieve his proactive desire/could be a realization of a proactive desire.
2. The individual may not recognize that a person/thing/event achieves/realizes
positively a proactive desire.
3. The individual may not evluate the extent to which a person/thing/event
achieves/realizes positively a proactive desire.
1. Desire: _____ (?) [Wanting a person/thing/event.]
2. Realization: _____ (?) [The person/thing/event achieved/not achieved.]
A. Perception of the person/thing/event.
B. Recognition of the desire(s) realized.
C. Evaluation of the extent/degree the desire(s) is/are realized.
3. Feeling: _____ (?) [The reaction to the realization of the desire.]
A. Happiness if the desire is achieved.
B. Unhappiness if the desire is not achieved.
1.) Sadness if an actual loss or no hope of achieving
the desire.
2.) Anger if a violation/frustration of an expectancy,
a promise,
a contract, a law, or an ethic.
3.) Fear of a threat of a loss, an accident, an
injury,
an illness, or
a verbal or physical attack.
The subjective reactive desire consists of (1) a desire for no self-control of negative emotional reactions of unhappiness as (A) sadness, (B) anger or/and (C) fear and (2) a desire for a negative impulsive reaction of (A) [sadness] giving up any hope of achieving a proactive desire, (B) [anger] attacking oneself or someone/thing else, or/and (C) [fear] running away from oneself or someone/thing else.
The objective reactive desire consists of (1) a desire for self-control of negative emotional reactions of unhappiness as (A) sadness, (B) anger or/and (C) fear and (2) a desire for a positive impulsive reaction of (A) cooperating with oneself or other people, (B) negotiating achievable desires, compromising within reason when necessary, and (C) initiating the problem-solving process and decision-making methods to see people/things/events as they are, look for new choices [new people/things/events] who/which can achieve proactive desires, refuse to blame oneself or/and someone/thing else.
The IF ... or condition is an achievement [positive realization] or a nonachievement [negative realization] of a proactive desire or an avoidance [positive realization] of a fear or a nonavoidance [negative realization] of a proactive fear.
The THEN ... or consequence is the reactive desire for reacting to the IF ... condition.
IF ... I achieve my proactive desire/avoid my proactive fear, THEN ... I will react with my subjective reactive desire for no self-control of my positive emotional reaction of happiness and for no self-control of my positive/constructive impulse to celebrate.
IF ... I do not achieve my proactive desire/avoid my proactive fear, THEN ... I will react with my subjective reactive desire for no self-control of my negative emotional reactions of sadness/anger/fear and for no self-control of my negative/destructive impulses to [sadness] give up hope of achieving my proactive desire/avoiding my proactive fear, [anger] to attack myself or someone/thing else, and/or [fear] to run away from myself and/or someone/thing else.
IF ... I do not achieve my proactive desire/avoid my proactive fear, THEN ... I will react with my objective reactive desire for self-control of my negative emotional reactions of sadness/anger/fear and for self-control of my negative/destructive impulses to [sadness] give up hope of achieving my proactive desire/avoiding my proactive fear, [anger] to attack myself or someone/thing else, and/or [fear] to run away from myself and/or someone/thing else and my positive/constructive impulses to cooperate [with myself or with someone else], to negotiate proactive desires [with myself or with someone else], and to initiate the problem-solving process and decision-making method(s) [with myself or with someone else].
| II. | The Objective Reactive Desire: For Self-Control: | |
| Affective Reactions [Emotional Reactions] |
||
| Impulsive Reactions | ||
| Experience the benefits and detriments of the objective reactive desire: | ||
| Personal experience | ||
| Observing others | ||
| Being taught by someone | ||
| Experience the benefits and detriments of the subjective reactive desire: | ||
| Personal experience | ||
| Observing others | ||
| Being taught by someone | ||
| I. | The Subjective Reactive Desire: For No Self-Control: | |
| Affective Reactions [Emotional Reactions] |
||
| Impulsive Reactions |
1. Desire: _____ (?) [Wanting a person/thing/event.]
A. Proactive Desire:
1.) Specific Proactive Desire: Specific Person(s)/Thing(s)/Events(s).
2.) General Proactive Desire: Generic Person(s)/Thing(s)/Event(s)
B. Reactive Desire:
1.) The Subjective Reactive Desire:
A.) For No Self-Control Of Negative Affective/Emotional
Reactions:
1.)) Sadness: Perception
of an actual loss or of no hope.
2.)) Anger: Perception
of a violation/frustration.
3.)) Fear: Perception
of a threat.
B.) For a Negative Impulsive Reaction:
1.)) [Sadness] To
give up hope/become depressed.
2.)) [Anger] To attack
oneself or/and someone/thing else.
3.)) [Fear] To run
away from oneself or/and someone/thing else.
2.) The Objective Reactive Desire:
A.) For Self-Control Of Negative Affective/Emotional
Reactions
1.)) Control Sadness
2.)) Control Anger
3.)) Control Fear
B.) For a Positive Impulsive Reaction:
1.)) Cooperate with
oneself or/and someone else.
2.)) Negotiate achievable
desires, compromising within reason
and/or when necessary.
3.)) Initiate the
Problem-Solving Process and the Decision-Making Method
to look for new choices for achieving proactive desires.
2. Realization: _____ (?) [The person/thing/event achieved/not achieved.]
A. Perception of the person/thing/event.
B. Recognition of the desire(s) realized.
C. Evaluation of the extent/degree the desire(s) is/are realized.
3. Feeling: _____ (?) [The reaction to the realization of the desire.]
A. Happiness if the desire is achieved.
B. Unhappiness if the desire is not achieved.
1.)) Sadness if an actual loss or no hope of achieving
the desire.
2.)) Anger if a violation/frustration of an expectancy,
a
promise, a contract, a law, or an ethic.
3.)) Fear if a threat of a loss, an accident, an
injury,
an illness,
or a verbal or physical attack.
An individual never develops mental problems unless he has conflicts.
If a person achieves all of his proactive desires, then he has no conflicts, and he develops no mental problems.
But if a person has conflicts—differences of desires within himself or with someone else, then he has a problem—learning how to achieve his proactive desire(s) and if he does not solve his problem using the problem-solving process and a decision-making method, then he will develop a mental problem.
Mental problems are and are caused by unrealistic proactive desires [unachievable and/or inappropriate proactive desires] and reactive desires [inappropriate reactive desires]—the individual is unable to learn how to achieve his proactive desires and has chosen and activated his subjective reactive desire with negative consequences.
Thus, a mental problem is cause by an unrealistic subjective reactive desire which results in not learning how to achieve a proactive desire.
A conflict is a difference of desires (A) within oneself or (B) with someone else.
Example: Sam may want to go to a movie with Suzy and go bowling with Fred; his (A) proactive desire to go to the movie with Suzy differs from and thus conflicts with his (B) proactive desire to go bowling with Fred, and Sam therefore has an internal secondary conflict.
Example: Sam may want to go away for a romantic weekend and has a proactive desire to be with Suzy and a proactive desire to be with Sophia; his (A) proactive desire for Suzy is different from and thus conflicts with his (B) proactive desire for Sophia, and therefore Sam has an internal secondary conflict.
Example: Sam and Suzy may have mutual proactive desires to be with each other but conflicting proactive desires wherein Sam (A) wants to go bowling but Suzy (B) wants to go to a movie, therefore Sam has an external secondary conflict with Suzy.
An internal primary conflict starts with an internal secondary conflict which is a difference of proactive desires which is not resolved effectively because the problem-solving process and decision-making methods are not used or are not used effectively and leads into a personal primary conflict between (A) the subjective reactive desire for no self-control of negative affective reactions/emotional reactions [sadness/anger/fear] and for destructive/negative impulsive reactions versus (B) the objective reactive desire for self-control of negative affective reactions/emotional reactions linked with constructive/positive impulsive reactions for cooperating with oneself, negotiating a proactive desire within oneself, and initiating the problem-solving process and decision-making method within oneself to achieve the negotiated proactive desire.
Example: Sam has an internal secondary conflict within himself between (A) his proactive desire to be with Suzy and (B) his proactive desire to be with Sophia which he does not negotiate effectively and leads to an internal primary conflict between his (X) subjective reactive desire for no self-control and his (Y) objective reactive desire for self-control.
An external primary conflict starts with a difference of proactive desires with someone else which if not negotiated effectively leads to a primary conflict of reactive desires in which one person is trying to control the other.
NOTE: In an external primary conflict, one person has a subjective reactive desire to control the other person, but the other person may have either a subjective reactive to control the first person or an objective reactive desire to not be controlled by the first person. In an external conflict the issue is control, and the conflict results from a difference of reactive desires concerning who controls whom, or who is controlled/not controlled by whom.
Example: Sam and Suzy have proactive desires to be with each other but they have a external secondary conflict in which Sam has (A) a proactive desire to go bowling and Suzy has (B) a proactive desire to go to a movie, they do not negotiate effectively a coompromise mutual proactive desire, and Sam has (X) a subjective reactive desire to control Suzy and Suzy has (Y) EITHER a subjective reactive desire to control Sam OR an objective reactive desire to not be controlled by Sam.
An individual’s self-esteem is (A) his perception of himself and (B) his reaction to his perception of himself. Thus, self-esteem involves a self-perception and a feeling which is a reaction to that perception.
For example, if Sam wants to earn $1000 next week, his level of happiness is 100% if he earns $1000 (or more) and less than 100% as he earns less than $1000—75% if he earns $750, or 50% if he earns $500, etc.
This can be expressed as —
SEi = Ri/Di x 100%
Where
SE = Self-Esteem
D = Desire [Wanting a Person/Thing/Event]
R = Realization of a Desire [Person/Thing/Event Achieved/Not Achieved]
i = Identification number, i
NOTE: Happiness = SEi = 51% (or higher); Unhappiness = SEi = 49% (or lower).
NOTE: The SEi expression describes a straight-line or linear function wherein
increases or decreases in R/Realizations produce direct increases or decreases
in an individual’s SEi; the individual may not experience such direct
linear functions, and, if so, then the SEi expression may require a function
number that would produce a curvilinear (nonlinear) increase/decrease in
SEi.
If D1 = $1000; R1 = $1000, then —
SE1 = $1000/$1000 x 100% = 100%
If D2 = $1000 and R2 = $750, then —
SE2 = $750/$1000 x 100% = 75%
If D3 = $1000 and R3 = $500, then —
SE3 = $500/$1000 x 100% = 50%
The SEi mathematical expression serves for one Desire, Di, and its Realization, Ri.
SET = (R1/D1 x P1 x 100%) + (R2/D2 x P2 x 100%) + ... + (Rn/Dn x Pn x 100%)
Where:
SET = Self-Esteem Total
D = Desire [Wanting a Person/Thing/Event]
R = Realization of a Desire [Person/Thing/Event Achieved/Not Achieved
P = Priority [The Importance of Each D/Desire]
i = identification number, i, for each D/Desire, R/Realization, and P/Priority
n = The last number, n, of a series
NOTE: All P/Priorities must sum up to (add up to) 1.00.
NOTE: Happiness = SET + 51% (or higher); Unhappiness = SET = 49% (or lower).
NOTE: The SET expression describes a straight-line or linear function wherein
increases or decreases in R/Realizations produce direct increases or decreases
in an individual’s SET; the individual may not experience such direct
linear functions, and, if so, then the SET expression may require a function
number that would produce a curvilinear (nonlinear) increase/decrease in
SET.
NOTE: The SET expression recognizes that an individual has a multitude of
D/Desires (and F/Fears), each having its own P/Priority, and each having its
own R/Realization.
NOTE: The SET expression also recognizes that as a result of changes in an
individual’s physiology (body) and psychology (mind) his D/Desires, P/Priorities,
and R/Realizations change, and, as a result, his SET changes from moment
to moment, and yet, over a period of time, his SET is likely to maintain
a average level.
NOTE: The SET expression suggests that an individual is not likely to achieve
100% of his D/Desires at R/Realizations of 100% and thus experience a long-term
SET of 100%; but it also suggests that an individual is likely to achieve
at least some of his D/Desires at R/Realization levels and thus never experience
a long-term SET of 0%.
If Sam has has the following D’s, R’ and P’s, then his SET can be caculated by the SET expression.
D1 = 1; Sam desires to love and be loved by Suzy;
R1 = 1: Suzy loves Sam and Sam loves Suzy;
P1 = .50; Sam’s priority for Suzy is high.
D2 = $40,000; To earn $40,000/yr. as a professional musician playing the
piano;
R2 = $30,000; Sam earns $30,000/yr. playing the piano;
P2 = .35; Sam’s priority earning money is not as high as his priority for
loving Suzy.
D3 = 4; To fly his airplane at least four hours per month;
R3 = 2; Sam flies his airplane 2 hours per month;
P3 = .15; Sam’s priority for flying his airplane is not as high as his priorities
for earning money and loving Suzy.
NOTE: Sam’s P/Priorities sum up to 1.00 (.50 + .35 + .15 = 1.00).
Running Sam’s numbers gives his SET:
SET = (R1/D1 x P1 x 100%) + (R2/D2 x P2 x 100%) + ... + (Rn/Dn x Pn x 100%)
SET = (1/1 x .50 x 100%) + ($30K/$40K x .35 x 100%) + ... + (2/4 x .15 x 100%)
SET = (50%) + (26.7%) + ... + (7.5%)
SET = 84%
Thus, Sam experiences happiness at a high self-esteem of 84%.
If Suzy should leave Sam, then his R1 = 0 and his SET is thus:
SET = (R1/D1 x P1 x 100%) + (R2/D2 x P2 x 100%) + ... + (Rn/Dn x Pn x 100%)
SET = (0/1 x .50 x 100%) + ($30K/$40K x .35 x 100%) + ... + (2/4 x .15 x 100%)
SET = (0%) + (26.7% + ... + (7.5%)
SET = 34%
Thus, Sam would experience unhappiness at a low SET of 34%.
Thus, if a scientist knew all of an individual’s desires/fears and priorities, and his realizations—his achievements of his desires and his avoidances of his fears, then that scientist could determine the individual’s self-esteem—how he perceives himself and his reaction to himself as a feeling, particularly as an emotion of happiness or unhappiness as sadness, anger or/and fear. An individual is his desires/fears/priorities.
In summary, an individual’s mind—his 'I' and his ‘me’ and his ‘myself’—is his personal system of desires/fears/priorities, and an individual functions according to (an individual’s self-esteem is described by) the SEi and SET mathematical expressions:
SEi = Ri/Di x 100%
and
SET = (R1/D1 x P1 x 100%) + (R2/D2 x P2 x 100%) + ... + (Rn/Dn x Pn x 100%)
All problems involve learning how to achieve a desire or how to avoid a fear.
1. Specify the problem.
2. Determine the options/choices/alternatives/solutions which are the persons/things/events
who/which could solve the problem.
3. Evaluate the imagined consequences (positive benefits and/or negative detriments)
for each choice.
4. Choose the better/best choice.
5. Implement the better/best choice.
6. Evaluate the actual consequences of the implemented better/best choice.
Expanding the Problem-Solving Process:
1. Specify the problem.
[Specify the desire(s) to be achieved; determine which people/things/events
are desired.]
2. Determine the options/choices/alternatives/solutions which are the persons/things/events
who/which could solve the problem.
[Try “What if ... ?” creative questions.]
[Try “What is the worst case?” creative questions.]
3. Evaluate the imagined consequences (positive benefits and/or negative detriments)
for each choice.
[Ask “What if ... ?” and “Then what ... ?” questions.]
[Look for benefits and detriments for each choice; then look for priorities
among the benefits and detriments.]
4. Choose the better/best choice.
[The better/best choice has the most benefits and least detriments, but priorities
among the benefits and detriments are critical.]
[This requires a decision-making method.]
5. Implement the better/best choice. [Try it!!!]
[This may require a decision-making method to determine if or not the better/best
choice is worth implementing.]
6. Evaluate the actual consequences of the implemented better/best choice.
[Are you happy with the better/best choice?]
1. Determine the choices/alternatives/solutions for solving a problem.
2. Evaluate the imagined consequences of the choices.
3. Choose the better/best solution.
Expanding the Decision-Making Process:
1. Determine the choices/alternatives/solutions for solving a problem.
2. Evaluate the imagined consequences of the choices:
Choice A: Benefits: _____ (?) vs. Detriments: _____ (?)
Choice B: Benefits: _____ (?) vs. Detriments: _____ (?)
Etc.
3. Choose the better/best solution.
[The better/best solution will have the most benefits and the least detriments
adjusted for priorities among the benefits and detriments.]
Priorities determine decisions. Therefore priorities must be determined for each of the benefits and detriments of each choice.
The SET mathematical expression can be used to evaluate the imagined consequences of each choice in a decision-making process.
SET = (R1/D1 x P1 x 100%) + (R2/D2 x P2 x 100%) + ... + (Rn/Dn x Pn x 100%)
Where:
SET = Self-Esteem Total
D = Desire [Wanting a Person/Thing/Event]
R = Realization of a Desire [Person/Thing/Event Achieved/Not Achieved
P = Priority [The Importance of Each D/Desire]
i = identification number, i, for each D/Desire, R/Realization, and P/Priority
n = The last number, n, of a series
The SET expression requires determining a number for each D/Desire, a number for each R/Realization, and a number for each P/Priority.
The D/Desire has to be quantified. Quantifying D/Desires for money is easy because money is numbers; quantifying D/Desires for people is not easy because people are not numbers, but if a D/Desire for a person is quantified as one (1.00) then the R/Realization can be quantified as 1.00 if positive (the person is achieved/appropriate) and as 0.00 if negative (the person is not achieved/inappropriate).
The P/Priorities for all choices should sum to 1.00. By this the P/Priorities are relative for all choices. By means of P/Priorities each Ri/Di x Pi can be related to all other Ri’s/Di’s x Pi’s.
If Sam has a choice among Sophia, Suzy, and Shirley for achieving his general proactive desire for a woman, then he must set P/Priorities among them and his P/Priorities must sum to 1.00.
If Sam has three choices, he can arbitrarily set the priorities initially at 1/n where n is the number of choices: n = 3; 1/n = 1/3 = .33
Thus, where Sam initially thinks he has three choices for a woman, Sophia, Suzy, and Shirley, then his n = 3, and 1/n = 1/3 = .33, and P1: Sophia = .33 + P2: Suzy = .33 + P3: Shirley = .33 = 1.00
P/Priorities:
Sophia: P1 = .33
Suzy: P2 = .33
Shirley: P3 = .33
P/Priority Sum: 1.00
| Sophia: | P1 |
|
.33 |
| Suzy: | P2 |
|
.33
|
| Shirley: | P3 |
|
.33
|
| P/Priorities Sum: |
1.00
|
Thus, each choice starts off with the same priority as each other choice, and all choices have the same priority.
Decisions are made because of priorities.
Sam must find priorities among his choices, and he must account for how those priorities affect his decision. If P1: Sophia = .34, P2: Suzy = .33, and P3: Shirley = .32, then the priorities will determine the decision.
But usually the priorities are much more, or less, than 1/n.
If Sam thinks Sophia is fabulous, Suzy is solid, and Shirley is a genuine risk although available, then the priorities are more likely to vary significantly from 1/n.
Let’s say that Sam gives Sophia a higher priority number (P1 = .50) than Suzy’s priority number, and Suzy a higher priority number (P2 = .35) than Shirley’s priority number (P3 = .15).
P/Priorities:
Sophia: P1 = .50
Suzy: P2 = .35
Shirley: P3 = .15
P/Priority Sum: 1.00
| Sophia: | P1 | = |
.50
|
| Suzy: | P2 | = |
.35
|
| Shirley: | P3 | = |
.15
|
| P/Priority Sum: |
1.00
|
D/Desires:
Sophia: D1 = 1.00
Suzy: D2 = 1.00
Shirley: D3 = 1.00
D/Desires Sum: 3.00
| Sophia: | D1 | = |
1.00
|
| Suzy: | D2 | = |
1.00
|
| Shirley: | D3 | = |
1.00
|
| D/Desires Sum: |
3.00
|
R/Realizations:
No Sophia: R1 = 0.00
Yes Suzy: R2 = 1.00
Yes Shirley: R3 = 1.00
Total R’s: 2.00
| Sophia: | R1 | = |
0.00
|
| Suzy: | R2 | = |
1.00
|
| Shirley: | R3 | = |
1.00
|
| R/Realizations Sum: |
2.00
|
SE1 = R1/D1 x P1 x 100% = 0.00/1.00 x .50 x 100% = 0.00%
SE2 = R2/D2 x P2 x 100% = 1.00/1.00 x .35 x 100% = 35%
SE3 = R3/D3 x P3 x 100% = 1.00/1.00 x .15 x 100% = 15%
Sam sees his SE1 will have to be 0.00% because Sophia does not want him, he sees that his SE2 is 35% because Suzy wants him and might be loyal to him and his SE3 is 15% because although Shirley wants him she might not be loyal to him.
Sam has to make one of the most difficult decisions any person can ever try to implement, which is to give up a high priority but unrealistic desire. His desire for Sophia is much stronger than his desire for Suzy or Shirley. But the fact is that Sophia does not want him, has a right to not want him, and therefore is unachievable. His desire for her is unrealistic. Sam has to face that fact. If he does not, then he will severely damage his peace-of-mind wanting who/what he cannot have.
Human beings, being adaptable, basically get over social rejections as well as other negative realizations and reset their priorities.
This is what Sam now has to do.
Sophia, fabulous though she may be, is now out of the picture/unachievable
(R1 = 0.00) and Sam must give up his D/Desire for her (D1: Sophia)
and his P/Priority for her (P1: Sophia = .50).
It is a fact of life that quite often people tend to chase people they cannot achieve; they have D/Desires for people who do not want them, and they tend to not appreciate the people who do want them. This generally means half the people of the Earth are chasing the other half, with the resulting confusions and unhappiness that can only be resolved by accepting the fact that people have a right to reject each other socially and therefore it is necessary to focus upon being happy with those with whom it is possible to achieve mutual social acceptance.
It is therefore necessary to want those people one can have, to go where one is wanted, to want to be with those who want to be wanted, and to love those who want to be loved and who can love in return.
Fortunately for Sam, Suzy and Shirley are still available.
With Sophia not a possibility because her R = 0.00, instead of three choices (n = 3) Sam has two (n = 2).
1/n = 1/2 = .50
P/Priorities:
Suzy: P2 = .50
Shirley: P3 = .50
P/Priority Sum: 1.00
| Suzy: | P2 | = |
.50
|
| Shirley: | P3 | = |
.50
|
| P/Priorities Sum: |
1.00
|
Sam next resets his P/Priorities for Suzy and Shirley: P2: Suzy = .65 and
P3: Shirley = .35
| Suzy: | P2 | = |
.65
|
| Shirley: | P3 | = |
.35
|
| P/Priorities Sum: |
1.00
|
SE2 = R2/D2 x P2 x 100% = 1.00/1.00 x .65 x 100% = 65%
SE3 = R3/D3 x P3 x 100% = 1.00/1.00 x .35 x 100% = 35%
Sam can now see that he will be happy with Suzy (65%) and not happy with Shirley (35%).
To be sure, Sam will have problems whenever he sees Sophia with whoever she thinks is fabulous, but he must continually control his reactions or he will lose the love he can have with Suzy or Shirley.
Thus, SEi = Ri/Di x Pi x 100% can be used for making a decision among any
n/number of D/Desires and R/Realizations provided that all P’s sum to 1.00;
the initial P/Priorities can be set to 1/n, and can be reset from 1/n as
the individual determines (imagines) differences between the benefits and
detriments among his choices.
| Choices: |
|
|
|||
|
(Factors/Goals) |
(Weight) |
(Imagined Value) |
(Priority x Realization) |
(Imagined Value) |
(Priority x Realization) |
| 1. Desire: _______ |
|
|
|
|
|
| 2. Desire: _______ |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3. Desire: _______ |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4. Desire: _______ |
|
|
|
|
|
| 5. Desire: _______ |
|
|
|
|
|
| Feeling Totals: |
|
|
|||
NOTE: A pure mental problem is a cognitive problem—dealing with faulty ideas—faulty concepts, principles and techniques; pure mental problems have no physical causes.
The individual develops mental problems when he develops unrealistic desires.
He wants more than he can have, he wants what is not good for him, and/or he chooses to react to not getting what he wants with inappropriate feelings and impulses.
Realistic desires are achievable and appropriate; unrealistic desires are unachievable or/and inappropriate.
Mental problems can develop among specific proactive desires, general proactive desires, and reactive desires.
When an individual has specific proactive desires (A) he cannot achieve or otherwise (B) are inappropriate, he will desire people who do not want to be with him or/and will not achieve other desires and he will desire things/events which he cannot achieve or/and will not achieve other desires.
If Sam has a general proactive desire for a generic woman and a specific proactive desire for Sophia but she does not desire him, Sam has a specific proactive desire which is unachievable and unrealistic.
Sam will never know if or not his specific proactive desire for Sophia is unrealistic until he tries to communicate his interests to her. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Everyone has a right to reject the social approaches of people with whom they do not want to socialize. Sophia therefore has a right to reject Sam.
But once Sam learns that he is being rejected, although he may suffer for a while, he must, out of necessity, focus upon his general proactive desire for a woman and look for new choices who can fulfill this general proactive desire and thus become specific proactive desires. This will require that Sam learn and adopt the objective reactive desire for dealing with negative realizations, with negative situations such as social rejections.
If Sam has (A) a general proactive desire for a woman and (B) a general proactive desire for loyalty from a woman and both desires are potentially achievable by a specific desire for Shirley, who desires Sam but is known to not be loyal, then Sam has an unrealistic specific proactive desire (for Shirley) which is achievable (because she desires him) but is inappropriate because Shirley is known to be disloyal and thus will not achieve Sam’s general proactive desire for a loyal woman.
When Sam learns that Shirley is known to be disloyal, he will be forced to make a choice between accepting Shirley as she is and looking for a new choice for a loyal woman. Again, Sam may have minor mental problems for a short time until he gets over the realization that Shirley is inappropriate and therefore unrealistic even though she is achievable. Sam will need to adopt the objective reactive desire to get himself into the problem-solving process that will prompt him to look for new choices—new women—who can fulfill both his general proactive desires for a woman and for loyalty.
The symptoms of minor mental problems are easy to observe and measure. The individual who has unrealistic specific proactive desires repeatedly approaches people who reject him, goes where he is not wanted, and annoys to a degree the people who are his specific proactive desires. He wants things and events he cannot have, and he continues to seek to achieve them. Objective observers see his actions and reactions as what they could objectively describe as ineffective and therefore useless behavior. Although “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is a good slogan to encourage someone to at least try to achieve his specific proactive desires, there has to be a standard by which the individual can determine when a venture is not producing a gain and therefore his specific proactive desire is unrealistic. But standards are not often easy to determine. Many romantic interests may act as if they are not interested but in fact are, and this can only be determined by making repeated attempts/approaches/ventures, and yet even herein there must be a standard by which the individual can determine that the romantic interest is truly not interested and that he must look for someone else to achieve his general proactive desires.
Reactive desires are desires for reacting to realizations of proactive desires.
No one has problems reacting to positive realizations of proactive desires because no one has serious problems reacting to achieving appropriate desires.
But people have problems reacting to negative realizations of proactive desires because they are not achieving what they believe to be appropriate desires. Reactive desires may be achievable but most often the major mental problem is caused by an inappropriate reactive desire for reacting to negative realizations.
Reactive desires are comprised of a desire for an affective reaction and a desire for an impulsive reaction.
There are two reactive desires: (1) the subjective reactive desire; and (2) the objective reactive desire.
The subjective reactive desire for reacting to negative realizations consists of a desire for no self-control of (1) negative affective reactions of unhappiness as (A) sadness, (B) anger, or/and (C) fear and (2) negative/destructive impulses (A) to give up (sadness), (B) to attack (1)) oneself or/and (2)) someone else, or/and (C) to run away from (1)) oneself or/and (2)) someone else.
An individual may not be aware of the possibility of the objective reactive desire.
If Sam chooses the subjective reactive desire for reacting to a negative realization of a proactive desire, then he eliminates the possibility of achieving his proactive desire. It is this ineffectiveness that makes the subjective reactive desire inappropriate. An inappropriate desire is achievable but inappropriate. If the individual cannot achieve proactive desires then the subjective desire is inappropriate. This is a difficult fact of human nature and therefore philosophy and psychology that individuals must learn to accept.
The objective reactive desire for reacting to negative realizations consists of a desire for self-control of (1) negative affective reactions (negative emotions) and (2) negative (destructive) impulsive reactions and replacing the negative impulses with positive (constructive) impulses (A) to cooperate with oneself by negotiating acceptable proactive desires by initiating the problem-solving process and decision-making methods and by seeking to achieve negotiated proactive desires, or (B) to cooperate with other people by negotiating acceptable common desires by initiating the problem-solving process and decision-making methods, by compromising one’s personal desires, within reason, where necessary, and by seeking to achieve negotiated proactive desires.
If Sam chooses the objective reactive desire for reacting to the negative realization of his proactive desire for Sophia then he controls his negative emotions and destructive impulses and negotiates an acceptable proactive desire within himself for another woman by initiating the problem-solving process and decision-making methods and seeking to achieve his negotiated proactive desire for another woman. If Sophia does not want him, Sam accepts that fact and resets his priorities for Suzy and Shirley. Sam thus finds happiness as he can, where he can, and with whom he can.
The symptoms of an unrealistic inappropriate reactive desire are also easy to observe and measure. The individual who chooses an inappropriate reactive desires acts as if he has given up the possibility of achieving a proactive desire.
In the case of choosing an inappropriate subjective reactive desire, the individual will be observed to have negative emotions of sadness/anger/fear and negative/destructive impulses to give up [sadness]/attack himself or/and someone else [anger]/run away from himself or/and someone else [fear].
In the case of a criminal attack, the subjective reactive desire is entirely appropriate. Protecting one’s life, person and property, and the lives, persons and properties of other people, especially those one loves, are the proactive desires herein and the subjective reactive desire maybe necessary for summoning the courage and determination to effectively attack the criminal and thereby defend oneself or/and someone else.
In the case of choosing an inappropriate objective reactive desire, the individual will be observed to over-control his negative emotions and negative impulses.
In the case of a criminal attack, the objective reactive desire may not be appropriate. Some criminals are so vicious they will not negotiate and severe defensive actions may have to be taken which include summoning the energy which is available when one reacts with no self-control of negative emotions. especially anger, but some times fear, and sometimes both anger and fear, and with no self-control of negative impulses, which though destructive for the criminal may very well be constructive for the victim (or rescuer). Sometimes the best defense is a good offense, and attacking a criminal may be much more appropriate than trying to negotiate with him.
But in some cases of a criminal attack, the subjective reactive desire could be inappropriate. If hostages are taken, the better/more appropriate reactive desire may be the objective reactive desire. Negotiations may have to be made, and cooperation necessary, within reason.
But in cases of social rejections, the subjective reactive desire is usually inappropriate. People have a right to socially reject other people. and this right has to be respected and therefore accepted. To give up hope [sadness], to attack oneself or someone else, or something else [anger], or to run away from oneself or someone else, are all inappropriate for dealing with social rejections. What IS appropriate for dealing with social rejections is to accept whatever is the reality and go on to cherish those people who are acceptable and who accept.
In summary, problems are desires for learning how to achieve desires, minor mental problems are unrealistic proactive desires (unachievable or/and inappropriate proactive desires), and major mental problems are unrealistic reactive desires (inappropriate reactive desires).
When an individual has a mental problem he needs a mental solution.
If a mental problem is an unrealistic (unachievable/inappropriate) desire, then a mental solution is a realistic (achievable/appropriate) desire.
If a minor mental problem is an unrealistic proactive desire (an unachievable or/and inappropriate proactive desire), then a minor mental solution is negotiating a realistic proactive desire (an achievable and appropriate proactive desire).
If a major mental problem is an unrealistic reactive desire, then a major mental solution is a realistic reactive desire (an appropriate reactive desire).
If Sam cannot have Sophia, then he can benefit from focusing upon Suzy, Shirley, and Sally—all generic women—and determine which he likes best and who then can become for him a specific proactive desire.
We can therefore analyze the individual’s specific proactive desires to determine how achievable and/or appropriate they are and therefore if or not they are realistic, and if we find the mental problem is an unachievable/inappropriate specific proactive desire, then we can teach the individual that he has both general and specific proactive desires and we can encourage him to focus upon seeking to achieve his general proactive desires, using the (A) cooperation, (B) negotiating proactive desires, and (C) initiating the Problem-Solving Process and/or a Decision-Making Method part of the objective reactive desire.
We might find, however, that an individual may have an unrealistic general proactive desire. The individual who needs a liguid to slake his thirst may not find any liquids immediately available and thus will have to focus upon other physiological desires until he can find liquids, not easy to do but absolutely necessary to avoid mental problems.
If we observe the symptoms of exaggerated negative emotions—extreme sadness, anger, or/and fear and exaggerated negative/destructive impulsive actions/reactions—[sadness] giving up any hope of achieving a proactive desire or/and becoming depressed, [anger] attacking himself or/and someone/thing else, or/and [fear] running away from himself or/and someone/thing else, then we can confirm that the individual has a subjective reactive desire.
We can analyze an individual’s life circumstances to determine if or not he is aware that he could have an objective reactive desire.
Quite often people do not know and have to learn through personal experience, by watching someone else, or through being taught by someone else, that they choose the objective reactive desire instead of the subjective reactive desire.
3. Feeling: _____ (?) [The Reaction
to the Realization of the Proactive Desire.]
2. Realization: _____ (?) [The Person(s)/Thing(s)/Event(s) Achieved/Not
Achieved.]
1. Desire: ___ (?)
[Wanting a Person/Thing/Event.]
Conflicts are differences of desires.
Conflicts can be analyzed as differences of desires either within oneself [internal conflicts] or with someone else [external conflicts].
We thus need to determine if a conflict is within or without the individual—a difference of desires within the individual or with someone else.
Conflicts can be secondary conflicts as differences of proactive desires.
We thus need to determine if a conflict is a secondary internal conflict as a difference of proactive desires as a secondary conflict within the individual or without the individual as a secondary conflict with someone else.
Secondary conflicts of proactive desires often can be negotiated and if negotiations are effective/successful, then primary conflicts of reactive desires can be avoided.
Conflicts can be primary conflicts as differences of reactive desires.
Primary conflicts as differences of reactive desires can occur within the individual between his subjective reactive desire for no self-control and his objective reactive desire for self-control and without the individual (A) between his subjective reactive desire for no self-control and someone else’s subjective reactive desire, (B) between the individual’s subjective reactive desire and someone else’s objective reactive desire, (C) between the individual’s objective reactive desire and someone else’s subjective reactive desire.
C conflicts between the individual and someone else’s subjective reactive desire most often do not cause the individual mental problems.
A and B conflicts most often do cause mental problems because they originate in the individual’s subjective reactive desire which he will not modify without either learning of the benefits of the objective reactive desire vs. the detriments of the subjective reactive desire.
Nevertheless, when an individual has a mental problem the problem is the individual’s unrealistic subjective reactive desire.
Psychotherapy is a term which is synonymous with the term psychtherapeutics.
Therapy is the application of psychological concepts, principles and techniques to help the disturbed individual deal with his mental problems and establish/re-establish his mental health.
When a specific proactive desire is unrealistic because it is unachievable or/and inappropriate, then the individual must learn to concentrate on achieving his general proactive desires and he therefore must look for new specific choices for achieving his general proactive desires.
1. The individual must learn why a specific person/thing/event is unachievable
and/or inappropriate.
2. The individual must accept the fact of the unachievability or/and inappropriateness
of the desired person/thing/event.
3. The individual must accept the fact that other people have a right to
reject him, just as he has a right to reject other people.
4. The individual must learn and use the problem-solving process and the
decision-making methods.
5. The individual must look for new person(s)/thing(s)/event(s) who/which
can achieve general proactive desires and who/which are appropriate and who/which
thus can become new specific proactive desires.
When a general proactive desire is unrealistic because it is unachievable or/and inappropriate, then the individual must learn to concentrate on achieving his related physiological desires and he therefore must look for new generic choices for achieving his physiological desires.
1. The individual must learn why generic persons/things/event are unachievable
and/or inappropriate.
2. The individual must accept the fact of the unachievability or/and inappropriateness
of the desired persons/things/events.
3. The individual must accept the fact that other people have a right to
reject him, just as he has a right to reject other people.
4. The individual must learn and use the problem-solving process and the
decision-making methods.
5. The individual must look for new person(s)/thing(s)/event(s) who/which
can achieve general proactive desires and who/which are appropriate and who/which
thus can become new general proactive desires.
There are two reactive desires: (1) the subjective reactive desire and (2) the objective reactive desire.
Most often the subjective reactive desire is the chosen reactive desire but is unachievable or/and inappropriate.
Often the subjective reactive desire leads to cycles of subjective conflicts—internal or external primary conflicts—that cannot be broken until the individual learns (A) what is the subjective reactive desire and what are its detriments and (B) what is the objective reactive desire and what are its benefits.
When a reactive desire is unrealistic because it is unachievable or/and inappropriate, then the individual must learn the contrasting opposite reactive desire, how to use it, and he must begin to use it.
When a subjective reactive desire is unachievable or/and inappropriate, then the individual must learn the objective reactive desire and look for new choices for achieving proactive desires.
The objective reactive desire can be unachievable and inappropriate during a criminal attack. At such times the individual may be forced to chose the subjective reactive desire and for an affective reactive either get angry (an affective reaction of anger) and attack the criminal (an impulsive reaction which if successful is negative/destructive to the criminal but positive/constructive for the individual) or become fearful/scared (an affective reactive of fear) and run away from the criminal (an impulsive reaction which if successful is positive/constructive for the individual). Therefore, during a criminal attack the subjective reactive desire may be realistic and appropriate.
The individual must learn to develop self-control of emotions [emotional reactions].
The individual must learn to develop desires for positive/constructive impulsive reactions to cooperate with oneself or someone else, to negotiate achievable and appropriate desires with oneself or someone else, and to initiate the problem-solving process and the decision-making method to find new choices for achieving proactive desires.
The individual must learn the theory of causality—that people/things/events who/which are causes cause/create other people/things/events who/which are effects of the previous causes and causes of new effects.
The individual must learn that a scientific explanation is a description of causality.
The individual must learn what are operational definitions and why they are required for scientific exploration and explanations.
The individual must learn The Scientific Method.
The individual must learn that there is no scientific explanation that says not being able to achieve a proactive desire is intolerable.
The individual must learn the theory of logical arguments and the basic types of logical arguments and the requirement that all premises must be verifiable/falsifiable/verified before they can be used in a logical argument. [And the fact that most false logical arguments are false because of unverifiable/unfalsifiable/unverified/falsified premises.]
The individual must learn to use logical arguments to challenge unrealistic desires/irrational beliefs/maladaptive thoughts.