Psychology as a function of culture

"Within the Western model, we recognize and define 'psychosis' as a suboptimal state of consciousness that views 'reality' in a distorted way and does not recognize that distortion. It is therefore significant to note that from the mystical perspective, our usual state fits all the criteria of psychosis in that it is suboptimal, has a distorted view of reality, and does not recognize that distortion. Indeed, from the ultimate mystical perspective, psychosis can be defined as being trapped or attached to, any one state of consciousness, which by itself is necessarily limited and only relatively 'real'." (Ram Sass)
theme: Within different cultural contexts, cultural belief systems form the basis of cultural psychologies which in turn produce the social realities.
A 'psychology' is a model of human nature originating within a given cultural context and its beliefs. The cultural beliefs become the premises upon which psychologies are built. Different psychologies are produced within the context of cultural belief systems. In this way the psychologies are consistent with cultural beliefs. Freudian psychology is based on the pessimistic view of human nature which was a part of the general beliefs of his culture. Freud accepted the traditional notion of the basic 'evil' of human nature. He believed that the human individual is naturally antisocial with 'antisocial instincts'. It was this belief which became the premise upon which he built his psychology. The psychology produced within a cultural context influences the culture. Cultural beliefs are formalized and they permeate the culture when the psychology is popularized. A dynamic interplay is set up between the psychology and cultural beliefs. The psychology becomes a world view or 'paradigm' which is shared by all members of the community. The paradigm is perpetuated and propagated in a socialization process of propaganda. The social reality produced is considered 'normal' if it coincides with culturally accepted behaviour. Normative reality which is validated by consensus becomes the arbitrary convention. The psychology of Buddhism outlines four truths in the prescription of mental training for the attainment of enlightenment. The first is the 'noble truth' that 'all life is imbued with suffering.' The other three truths show the way out of suffering. 'The cause of all suffering is attachment'; 'the relief of suffering comes from the cessation of attachment'; and 'the cessation of attachment comes from following the eightfold path of ethical living'. Most cultural traditions acknowledge a wide spectrum of consciousness states or 'levels'. The higher state or 'mind level' represents the innermost consciousness or 'supreme identity' of humanness. The 'existential level' represents the level of identity as a psychophysical organism existing in space and time. Influenced by the familial and cultural context of the individual's experience, it is the source of rational thought processes and personal will. The 'ego level' represents the state of mind and body separation and the individual's identification with a self-image. The 'shadow level' represents those facets of the personality which are not accepted at the 'ego level'. The different levels of consciousness are also known as 'modes of knowing'. Each of the different modes represents a different level of expression of the human consciousness. Each involves the functioning of the entire brain but with a different part dominating. An individual's level of consciousness or 'state of awareness' determines their sense of identity or 'self'. The mind's perception of self determines its thinking about itself and its perception of the social reality. The levels are similar across different human societies and cultures. It is the way in which they are perceived - the 'societal perception' - which varies from one culture to another. Each of the modes of knowing has a different function but whether or not that function is recognized depends on the norms of the culture. Whether a given level is appropriate in a given social situation depends on existent cultural norms and whether they fit with the accepted cultural psychology. It is the cultural norms which determine people's state of awareness and their perception of reality and human nature. All individuals in all cultures have the potential for expressing the different levels of consciousness. They all share the instinctive striving to attain awareness on the transpersonal level of consciousnes i.e. happiness. The difference between the various psychologies lies in the degree of emphasis which is placed on the different levels. The Western psychology of behavioural science emphasizes the 'ego level' and the importance of conditioned learning. The Eastern psychology of the consciousness disciplines emphasizes the 'mind level' and the importance of altered states or 'meditation'. The various 'psychologies' are complementary, each representing a different perspective on the fundamental question 'what is human nature'? Each psychology is based on a different model of human nature and its corresponding theory of human potential.The different psychologies differ in the degree of emphasis which they place on the various dimensions of the complex multidimensional human personality as a whole. Implications for education: Traditional education is based on the paradigm of behavioural psychology which emphasizes conditioned learning and indoctrination. A new vision of education emerges with the integration of Western behavioural psychology with Eastern consciousness discipline into a tranpersonal psychology. Education is concerned with all aspects of human experience, inner experience as well as outer, transpersonal experience as well as personal. All human individuals have the capacity to transcend the limits of social conditioning and to take responsibility for designing their lives in harmony with themselves, with others and with nature. This is clear to those who commit themselves to the self-exploration and the self-knowledge which is necessary for direct experience of the deeper nature of their being. When the individual lives on the transpersonal level of consciousness, life is experienced as an unbroken pattern of interconnection with all of life. The person's conscious and direct engagement with life extends from the details of daily existence to the largest scale features of cosmic existence. Living on the transpersonal level makes it impossible to escape from worldly responsibilities. In the new paradigm, the task of education as is to bring one's life and its diverse expression, into increasingly conscious and harmonious alignment with the changing web of relationships of which one is an inseparable part. links: Freud, evil, paradigm, Buddhism, human nature, consciousness states, brain, behavioural science, consciousness disciplines, traditional education transpersonal psychology Freud... Freud accepted the traditional notion of the basic 'evil' of human nature. evil... Freud accepted the traditional notion of the basic 'evil' of human nature. paradigm... A psychology is a 'paradigm'. Buddhism... The psychology of Buddhism outlines four truths in the prescription of mental training for the attainment of enlightenment. human nature... Each psychology is based on a different model of 'human nature' consciousness states... Most cultural traditions acknowledge a wide spectrum of consciousness states or 'levels'. brain... Each involves the functioning of the entire brain but with a different part dominating. behavioural science... The Western psychology of behavioural science emphasizes the 'ego level' and the importance of conditioned learning. consciousness disciplines... The Eastern psychology of the consciousness disciplines emphasizes the 'mind level' and the importance of altered states of or 'meditation'. traditional education... Traditional education is based on the paradigm of behavioural psychology which emphasizes conditioned learning and indoctrination. transpersonal psychology... A new vision of education emerges with the integration of Western behavioural psychology with Eastern consciousness discipline into a transpersonal psychology.

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