Terry Osborne's Archive

I really like Rodgers! I really like his perspective on the client. I agree with him about the client setting the goals of therapy and the direction to get there. I thought it was cool to learn that he came up with the idea of client, instead of patient. I think it makes the person feel like a real person, instead of a sick patient. When the client is engaged and involved in the process, it makes them feel like a productive participant. I do feel that deep down that we all have the answers inside; its just a matter of digging deep to find the truth. Also, I found the battle between rodgers and Skinner to be interesting. Enventhough they had there differences, they both have contributed to the school of psychology. Though they dissagreed, I am sure that deep down they had some sort of respect for one another. I find it also interesitng that the way they were raised by there parents had such an impact in there lives. I really learned many valuable theories in this course. I will be able to use these theories to help others in my career. I feel that we all have something to offer the school of psychology.

I really like what William James had to say about human behavior. He felt that behavior was governed by instinct. He states that these behaviors develop with in a lifetime and he called these patterns of behaviors habits. I would have to agree. God gave us all some basic instincts of survival such as acceptance, security, or even sex. But we take these basic instincts and develop terrible habits. We allow the world to condition us to these instincts to the extreme, or better yet, not take them serious at all. We allow money, power, and sex to rule our lives for pure pleasure and prestige; then we are conformed to the world! James states that a habit is formed by repetition. But he adds that we have to place our self in circumstances that encourage good habits and discourage bad ones. He also adds that we should force ourselves to act in ways that are beneficial to us, even if it is at first distasteful and requires effort. Today, we act on what feels good at the time. We have become a society that is in it for mere convenience and pleasure. As I see what is taking place in the world today, I hope that we all can learn from James’ wisdom.

I found Rousseau to have some interesting and influential ideas in society and psychology today. The most interesting thing for me was his idea on education. He felt that education should take advantage of natural impulses rather than distort them.  He felt that education should create a situation in which a child’s natural abilities and interests can be nurtured. I like this concept. I feel that today we concentrate to much on students weaknesses instead of their strengths. I can remember growing up and always hearing about the areas that I need to  improve in but not much feed back on what I was good at. Also, I like the ideas of the “General Will”. He states that we each have a private will and a general will. The private being the selfish side and the general will that acts in the best interest of the community. This comes from his work ” Social Contract”. It kind of reminds me of social psychology in regards to conformity. I do think that we are all selfish in many ways and we do conform to the greater good of others. I think that is part of what we call today, humility!

As I read the Allegory of the Cave by Plato, it reminds me a lot of parenting. As a non-traditional student, and a parent, it reminds me of how I felt when I left my parents house for the first time. I had the lowest form of understanding reality and the real world. Man I thought that I knew it all and was on top of the world. But the truth was that my knowledge and experience was more than lacking. As I made mistakes, I can remember many times when I went back to my parents house like the individual that left the cave for the first time. I had to learn from experience.

Now as a parent, the tables have turned and I will attempt to teach my children the very best that I can of how the world really is. Boy, I hope that I do a good job. But the truth in that is that I can’t teach EXPERIENCE! My children will have to venture out and see that illuminating light like the man from the cave did. I feel that experience is the true root of knowledge! As we all journey in this life, we are all like the man in the Allegory of the Cave!!!