Psychology Articles

History:

Forensic psychology came in light in the twirl of the twentieth century. In 1901, William stern studied on recollection of memory course. He made his students to analyze a picture for few seconds and then asked questions to them relating to it. He then concluded from his research that memories which are recalled are in general not precise. Lead-in query are frequently use in police force cross-examination and in inquiring spectators. The first forensic psychologist is often said to be “Hugo Munster berg”. He wrote a book which was published in 1908 which was titled as “On the Witness Stand”. There were some other scientist who has created some test which is helpful for the legal proceeding is Sigmund Freud and Alfred Bi net. There studies suggested that the time taken by an individual to answer a question may possibly be an aspect in determining guiltiness or incorruptibility.

About forensic psychology:

It is the interface between psychology and the law, so all psychosomatic services offered for the official community is forensic psychological services. The services provided are both medical and forensic in nature. It is also known as the application of science and its answers to the queries relating to the rules and regulation of the legal system. The term “forensic” came from “forensic” which means the forum it is a Latin word. Presently it refers for the purpose of technical and scientific principles to carry out a challenging process which is possible with a well-educated and highly professional scientist.

Key terms:

Some key terms in forensic psychology are Insanity, Expert Witness, Competency, Jury Consulting and Criminal Profiling. Some motivating Sub fields contained by this Psychology are social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, criminal investigative psychology and clinical-forensic psychology.

Pros and cons in the field of forensic psychology:

Pros: Helping Others, Opportunities, Varying surroundings, acknowledgment and Personal Fulfillment, long-lasting Education, threat of Injury, no independent work it always teamwork, and Burnout Risk.

Cons: long-lasting Education, threat of Injury, no independent work it always teamwork, and Burnout Risk.

Qualities needed in Forensic Psychologist:

Desirable ability, aptitude, and acquaintance are the key qualities for forensic psychology. Those with an aspiration to work must be patient, flexible, at ease working with others, and take pleasure in doing research. One also have to be a good quality speaker for the reason that a lot of people who do work in this field work as specialist spectators at a few point through their career. An expertise in irregular, motivational, scientific, and social psychology is also main features to be victorious in this field. Additionally, working in this field requires continuing education throughout career, even after 5-7 years of graduate school. One cannot be a certified psychologist with out a doctoral degree.

Institutions for Master degree courses

A few Terminal Master Degree courses for practicing a profession in Forensic Psychology are Forensic Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the University of Melbourne.

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From two Greek words: psyche, which means the mind or the soul and logos, which means study, the science of Psychology has been studied and defined by many people throughout the ages. Hilgard, Morgan, Silverman, and Schlesinger are just a few. A careful analysis of their foregoing definitions of psychology reveals common points: Psychology is the scientific study of the behaviors of living organisms; the term behavior must not be solely attributed to man’s physical reactions and observable behavior; and thoughts, feelings, and attitudes are also connected to the term behavior.

The primary goals of Psychology are mainly to describe, identify, understand and explain behavior, to know its factors, and to control or change behavior. Psychologists often apply their knowledge and understanding of human behavior to solve issues and help in our society. Different areas of specialization in Psychology are studied to provide better understandings of this science.

Among these are the traditional fields consisting mainly of: Clinical Psychology which deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of psychological problems. It also relates to Psychiatry which pertains to more serious problems; Counseling Psychology which deals with administering, storing, and interpreting psychological exams; Educational or School Psychology which deals with students’ learning and adjustment; Community Psychology which deals with problems of the aged, prisoners, and other problems in the community.

It also focuses on providing accessible care for these people; Social Psychology which deals with the behavior of man individually and in groups; Industrial or Organizational Psychology which deals with issues of people in the workplace; Personality Psychology which is concerned with the uniqueness of a person; Developmental Psychology which deals with factors affecting human groups; Experimental Psychology which focuses with the basis of scientific research; Physiological Psychology which is concerned with the functions of the brain; and Comparative Psychology which targets the differences of the species.

Aside from these, several branches of Psychology were discovered during the 70’s. Forensic Psychology deals with legal, judicial, and correctional systems. Environmental Psychology is primarily concerned about issues relating to the environment. Computer Science, on the other hand, uses computer programming for behavioral analysis. There is also Engineering Psychology which seeks to make the relationship between man and machines; and Psychopharmacology which deals with the relationship of behavior and drugs.

Furthermore, the latest fields of Psychology that were recently developed consist of: Health Psychology which focuses on multidimensional approaches that emphasize lifestyle and health care systems; Sports Psychology which applies psychological principles to improve performance and enjoy participation; Cross-culture Psychology which examines the role of culture in understanding behavior, thoughts, and emotions; and Women Psychology which emphasizes the importance of promoting research and study of women.

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High Sensitivity (HS) and Highly Sensitive People (HSP) are concepts elaborated by Dr. Elaine Aron beginning with her original publication in 1997 and popularized in her book “The Highly Sensitive person: How to thrive when the world overwhelms you (1996). Dr. Aron is a psychological researcher and a practicing Jungian analyst. Much of her research has been done in tandem with her social psychologist husband Dr. Arthur Aron, who is well known for his academic research into love and close relationships.

HSP is not a DSM-IV diagnosis.

It is instead a description of the experience of the 15 to 20 % of the population who appear at the top end of the human continuum for physical and emotional responsiveness stimuli. Like left handers in a world geared to right handedness, they often struggle physically and psychologically in a cultural environment which is geared towards the 80% who are less easily stimulated.

High sensitivity is a double edged sword.

HSP’s are highly sensitive to both danger and reward in the environment. They appreciate subtlety and nuance and are often creative and empathicBut…. They are often overwhelmed by situations which others can take in stride

With prevalence in the population of 15 to 20% that makes almost one in five of our friends and relatives or clients “highly sensitive.”

HSP research suggests that High Sensitivity arises out of three predisposing factors:
Introverted Temperament: (MBTI Introversion)
Extra cognitive processing : Lower Latent Inhibition… lower ability to screen out stimuli High Arousability or “reactivity”: (High BIS – low BAS, Gray, 1997)

These three factors create a particular configuration of strong responses to stimuli …
…which lead to behaviors…
……………which lead to experiences…
………………………..which can often, but not always , lead to psycho-pathologies…
……………………………………….which then bring these individuals to therapy.

The most common problematic responses are related to stress and chronic over-arousal, such as anxiety, panic attacks and psycho-somatic responses. These individuals are also susceptible to depression, feelings of low self esteem and feelings of vulnerability created by a lifetime of being “out of step” with their peers or misunderstood by those around them.

If a therapist is not aware of the existence of this natural variation in sensitivity, it is very tempting to see the sensitive response as “neurotic” In fact the client themselves, may not debate or object to this because they do not have an alternative explanation either.

15% of the population but probably more than 15% of psychotherapy clients….

It is rare that a client will seek therapy knowing that they are HSP’s. Very often they have no understanding that their problems emerge from their sensitivity rather than the reverse.

When High Sensitivity has been mismanaged for a lifetime the cumulative effect often leads to anxiety, depression and low self esteem. It is these psychological disturbances which bring individuals to therapy.

Not “mentally ill”

Having the concept of High Sensitivity in your therapeutic repertoire takes many clients out of the category of the “mentally ill” and makes them interesting and struggling human beings like oneself. They become a person with a difference that needs to be managed and deserves to be respected.

Ordinary therapy….

Once the understanding of their sensitivity is arrived at by therapist and client the work that needs to be done is the every-day work of therapy…
Construction of appropriate boundaries,
Developing communication skills,
Re-building self esteem,
Integrating or “working through” past traumas
Overcoming learned fearful responses.

This work is appropriately done in any therapeutic modality but when they overcome their fears and feel safe in therapy, these individuals do very well in psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapies because they often have an unusually strong ability:
to be self-reflective,
to think deeply,
to be aware of their physical responses to their thoughts and feelings
to be aware of and interested in unconscious products such as fantasies, dreams and active imagination.

HSP’s are an “education” for their therapist.

There is an enormous amount that a therapist can learn through working with these clients.
Acceptance, respect for, and interest in a client’s difference is not just healing for the client but expansive for the therapist.
HSP responsiveness means that they react in ways that are strong enough to be undeniable to experiences that might also bother others but which less sensitive individuals succeed at repressing … sometimes to their cost.
The combination of responsiveness and a willingness to be reflective means that these clients can often shed light on thoughts and feelings which emerge from others with much more difficulty. They can expose and illuminate interpersonal dynamics in a way that is generally informative.
They are often sensitive to the leading edge of disturbances in their group, their society or their age cohort.

Sensitive rather than neurotic.

To suggest that someone’s response is “neurotic” is to imply that it is exaggerated or inappropriate to the circumstance. It is another way of saying that their experience is “not real.” It also implies that once the psychological “fix” is made that the problem will go away and that the individual will be “just like everyone else” in their responses to stimuli. Given that a temperament is a basic, inborn and “given” attribute of the individual which is almost impossible to alter, this proposition can only lead to frustration and a continuing feeling of being different and wrong in their experience of the world.

By contrast, when we approach an individual respectfully and curiously with the belief that what they are experiencing is “real,” we come with a more empathic point of view. Empathy and openness to individual differences are ideally the therapist’s stock-in-trade…the greatest tools for healing that we can offer. Therapeutic empathy is a big part of what makes the therapeutic relationship safe, healing and growth producing.

If you do not treat Highly Sensitive individuals as neurotic you will be better able to appreciate them as the responsive, reflective people that they are… and they may well become your favorite kind of clients!

Recommended reading for the curious therapist:

E.N. Aron (1996). The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You, New York, Broadway Books.
E.N. Aron & Aron, A. (1997b) Sensory-Processing Sensitivity and Its Relation to Introversion and Emotionality, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,73, (2), pp. 345-368
E.N. Aron (2004). Revisiting Jung’s Concept of Innate Sensitiveness.Journal of Analytical Psychology, 49, pp.337-367.

Susan Meindl, MA, is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Montreal Canada. She has a special interest in Jungian ideas and practices a Jungian approach to psychodynamic psychotherapy

http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/59983