Understanding Trauma: Sexual Assault & Domestic Abuse Cycles
Psychological Consequences of Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is experienced by victims as an attack not primarily against sex, but mainly against their physical and psychological well-being. The major psychological consequences of sexual assault on a victim’s emotional balance are as follows:
Short-Term Psychological Effects
- Physical complaints
- Changes in appetite
- Sleep disorders and nightmares
- Low morale, generalized anxiety, and fear
- Tendency to isolation, difficulty returning to everyday life
Medium-Term
Read MoreTherapeutic Modalities: Person-Centered, Motivational Interviewing, Gestalt, ACT, CBT
Person-Centered Approach
Core Concepts of Person-Centered Therapy
- People are trustworthy.
- Have the potential for self-understanding.
- Possess the capacity to resolve their own problems.
- Capable of self-directed growth.
Person-Centered View of Human Nature
- Congruence or Genuineness
- Unconditional Positive Regard
- Accurate Empathic Understanding
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Primary Goal: Reducing Ambivalence, Increasing Motivation
The primary goal of Motivational Interviewing is to reduce clients’ ambivalence
Read MoreEssential Communication Skills for Healthcare Professionals
Foundations of Effective Communication
Characteristics of Effective Listening
- Empathy: Putting yourself in the patient’s shoes, trying to perceive the world from their perspective, and understanding their behavior and feelings.
- Unconditional Acceptance: Respecting and accepting the patient as they are, without critical judgment.
- Authenticity: Being and appearing as one truly is, without pretense or pretending.
Consequences of Ineffective Communication
- Patients may become withdrawn and less likely to participate
Social Psychology Essentials: Group Dynamics & Influence
Why Milgram Experiment Results Were Unpredictable
The results of the Milgram experiment were difficult to predict due to a fundamental attribution error. Researchers and participants alike underestimated the powerful influence of the situation and overestimated the role of individual personality traits in determining behavior.
Conformity vs. Obedience: Key Differences
While both conformity and obedience involve yielding to social pressure, they differ in several key aspects:
- Conformity: The pressure
Psychological Science: Historical Roots, Key Theories, and Research Design
Cognitive Biases in Thinking
- Confirmation bias: Ignoring evidence that opposes our beliefs (e.g., on vaccines).
- Failing to accurately judge source credibility (e.g., celebrity endorsements).
- Misunderstanding or not using statistics (e.g., gambler’s fallacy).
Scientific Foundations of Psychology (Antiquity–18th Century)
Psychology originated in philosophy, with roots in epistemology (the study of how we gain knowledge).
Plato: Founder of Rationalism
- Advocated rational analysis to understand the world
Effective Data Collection in Observational Research
Challenges in Observational Data Collection
Visual Recording: Reactivity and Privacy Concerns
Visual recording methods often trigger reactivity in research subjects. Cameras, in particular, can be highly intrusive, leading to an explicit loss of anonymity. While their use in open environments might sometimes be overlooked, it frequently faces strong rejection. When observing actions in private spaces, the use of visual recording requires an intense and arduous negotiation process.