PICK YOURSELF UP
From the Film: Swing Time 1936
(Lyrics by: Dorothy Fields / Music by: Jerome Kern)
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers
(He)
Please teacher, teach me something,
Nice teacher, teach me something.
I'm as awkward as a camel, that's not the worst,
My two feet haven't met yet,
But I'll be teacher's pet yet,
'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst.
(She)
Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start All over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
(He)
I'll get some self assurance
If your endurance is great.
I'll learn by easy stages
If you're courageous and wait.
To feel the strength I want to,
I must hang on to your hand,
Maybe by the time I'm fifty
I'll get up and do a nifty.
(Both)
Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
The Resilience Scale
Summaries of Instruments for analyzing personal & group change in psycho-social intervention & training programs, e.g., outdoor education
Please circle a number indicating how much you
agree or disagree with each statement.
1 Strongly Disagree ....7. Strongly Agree
1. When I make plans I follow through with them.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2. I usually manage one way or another.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3. I am able to depend on myself more than anyone else.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4. Keeping interested in things is important to me.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. I can be on my own if I have to.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6. I feel proud that I have accomplished things in my life.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7. I usually take things in my stride.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8. I am friends with myself.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9. I feel that I can handle many things at a time.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10. I am determined.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
11. I seldom wonder what the point of it all is.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12. I take things one day at a time.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
13. I can get through difficult times because I’ve experienced difficulty before.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
14. I have self-discipline.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
15. I keep interested in things.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
16. I can usually find something to laugh about.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
17. My belief in myself gets me through hard times.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
18. In an emergency, I’m somebody people generally can rely on.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
19. I can usually look at a situation in a number of ways.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
20. Sometimes I make myself do things whether I want to or not.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
21. My life has meaning.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
22. I do not dwell on things that I can’t do anything about.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
23. When I am in a difficult situation, I can usually find my way out of it.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
24. I have enough energy to do what I have to do.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
25. It’s okay if there are people who don’t like me.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Please circle a number indicating how much you
agree or disagree with each statement.
1 Strongly Disagree ....7. Strongly Agree
1. When I make plans I follow through with them.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2. I usually manage one way or another.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3. I am able to depend on myself more than anyone else.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4. Keeping interested in things is important to me.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. I can be on my own if I have to.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6. I feel proud that I have accomplished things in my life.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7. I usually take things in my stride.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8. I am friends with myself.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9. I feel that I can handle many things at a time.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10. I am determined.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
11. I seldom wonder what the point of it all is.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12. I take things one day at a time.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
13. I can get through difficult times because I’ve experienced difficulty before.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
14. I have self-discipline.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
15. I keep interested in things.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
16. I can usually find something to laugh about.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
17. My belief in myself gets me through hard times.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
18. In an emergency, I’m somebody people generally can rely on.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
19. I can usually look at a situation in a number of ways.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
20. Sometimes I make myself do things whether I want to or not.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
21. My life has meaning.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
22. I do not dwell on things that I can’t do anything about.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
23. When I am in a difficult situation, I can usually find my way out of it.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
24. I have enough energy to do what I have to do.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
25. It’s okay if there are people who don’t like me.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Brooks Peterson - Cultural Intelligence A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures
Cultural Intelligence
http://books.google.com/books?id=-84MKmO-xi0C&pg=PA88&lpg=PA88&dq=%22cultural+intelligence+quotient&source=bl&ots=z2SckjFEK1&sig=d9thBU05o41dht9zl7zNaM-Ie4A&hl=en&ei=_HEQS-OxDIu0lAfG_PWOBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22cultural%20intelligence%20quotient&f=false
Cultural Intelligence
ISBN: 978-1-931930-00-0
A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures
Brooks Peterson
Paperback - 250 pp.
More details...
Price: $23.95
Increase your cultural intelligence and sharpen your business acumen at the same time! Whether traveling abroad or working at home, businesspeople routinely face the challenge of understanding cultures different from their own. When misunderstandings arise, relationships can suffer. The good news is that cultivating cultural intelligence is a skill that can be learned, and Brooks Peterson can tell you how!
Packed with dozens of engaging case studies and illustrations, Cultural Intelligence: A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures is the perfect antidote for cross-cultural differences. Dr. Peterson defines what cultural intelligence is and explores the skills and characteristics required to work effectively with international clients, customers and business partners. Using a set of twenty business-oriented dimensions, Cultural Intelligence helps readers to define their own cultural style in six vital areas: management, strategy, planning, personnel communication and reasoning. With a higher cultural IQ, you can strengthen workplace communication, build solid business relationships and improve your organization's bottom line.
“A very easy-to-read guide for companies or individuals looking to improve their business cultural awareness. I have recommended it to everyone I work with, especially my boss!”*
—Adriana Alfaro Zierten, Senior Program Manager Microsoft Corp.
*A personal opinion only; it does not represent the opinion of Microsoft Corporation
“A unique, highly practical, easy-to-read, day-to-day manual [to help] understand and handle cultural differences. It is useful for everyday business interactions with people from all over the world. A "must have" book for the businessperson's library, Cultural Intelligence can help you break through and succeed in today's competitive global arena."
—Augusto Franco, Brand Manager, Andean Region Unilever Bestfoods
“Cultural Intelligence is a must read for all HR professionals (and the clients we support!). The author offers a refreshing departure from traditional discussions of “diversity” and presents the business case for understanding and building culture intelligence.”
—Raelyn Trende, Sr. Human Resources Representative Target Corporation
"This book contains much-needed practical material and relevant advice for the professional in today's global environment. Written in clear and easy-to-understand language, it's the most approachable culture book I've read."
—Angela Qin Zhang, Regional Sales Manager, Asia Pacific, Archer Daniels Midland Company
“Cultural Intelligence is advanced life support for anyone to succeed in today’s society. It is well written, with creative illustrations, and should be a must-read for anyone in the healthcare profession.”
—Felix Ankel, M.D., Residency Director, Emergency Medicine Regions Hospital, St. Paul, MN Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
"One of the strengths of Cultural Intelligence is its easy-to-read style. Brooks Peterson manages to explain to a newcomer to intercultural communication theory or practice what the concept of culture means, why it is important, what to pay attention to in intercultural interaction and, most importantly, how to improve one's cultural intelligence."
—Markus Haag, Editor, dialogin.com Reviews
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1 What is Culture
2 The Importance of Culture in Daily Work and Life
3 What is Cultural Intelligence?
4 Applying Cultural Intelligence in Daily Work and Life
5 Knowing Your Cultural Style
6 Increasing Your Cultural Intelligence
Afterword
Appendix
Recommended Readings
About the Author
Brooks Peterson is founder and president of Across Cultures Inc., an international consulting firm serving global leaders. An experienced cross-cultural trainer, researcher and graduate-level educator, he has lived and traveled extensively around the world and now lives and works in Minneapolis. For more information, visit his website at http://www.acrosscultures.com/. He is also the creator of a variety of instruments and resources for internationally-focused businesspeople, including the widely used Peterson Cultural Style Indicator™, available online.
The Peterson Cultural Style Indicator™ is a tool that allows internationally-focused professionals to compare their cultural style to the typical style of people in 70+ countries.
http://books.google.com/books?id=-84MKmO-xi0C&pg=PA88&lpg=PA88&dq=%22cultural+intelligence+quotient&source=bl&ots=z2SckjFEK1&sig=d9thBU05o41dht9zl7zNaM-Ie4A&hl=en&ei=_HEQS-OxDIu0lAfG_PWOBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22cultural%20intelligence%20quotient&f=false
Cultural Intelligence
ISBN: 978-1-931930-00-0
A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures
Brooks Peterson
Paperback - 250 pp.
More details...
Price: $23.95
Increase your cultural intelligence and sharpen your business acumen at the same time! Whether traveling abroad or working at home, businesspeople routinely face the challenge of understanding cultures different from their own. When misunderstandings arise, relationships can suffer. The good news is that cultivating cultural intelligence is a skill that can be learned, and Brooks Peterson can tell you how!
Packed with dozens of engaging case studies and illustrations, Cultural Intelligence: A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures is the perfect antidote for cross-cultural differences. Dr. Peterson defines what cultural intelligence is and explores the skills and characteristics required to work effectively with international clients, customers and business partners. Using a set of twenty business-oriented dimensions, Cultural Intelligence helps readers to define their own cultural style in six vital areas: management, strategy, planning, personnel communication and reasoning. With a higher cultural IQ, you can strengthen workplace communication, build solid business relationships and improve your organization's bottom line.
“A very easy-to-read guide for companies or individuals looking to improve their business cultural awareness. I have recommended it to everyone I work with, especially my boss!”*
—Adriana Alfaro Zierten, Senior Program Manager Microsoft Corp.
*A personal opinion only; it does not represent the opinion of Microsoft Corporation
“A unique, highly practical, easy-to-read, day-to-day manual [to help] understand and handle cultural differences. It is useful for everyday business interactions with people from all over the world. A "must have" book for the businessperson's library, Cultural Intelligence can help you break through and succeed in today's competitive global arena."
—Augusto Franco, Brand Manager, Andean Region Unilever Bestfoods
“Cultural Intelligence is a must read for all HR professionals (and the clients we support!). The author offers a refreshing departure from traditional discussions of “diversity” and presents the business case for understanding and building culture intelligence.”
—Raelyn Trende, Sr. Human Resources Representative Target Corporation
"This book contains much-needed practical material and relevant advice for the professional in today's global environment. Written in clear and easy-to-understand language, it's the most approachable culture book I've read."
—Angela Qin Zhang, Regional Sales Manager, Asia Pacific, Archer Daniels Midland Company
“Cultural Intelligence is advanced life support for anyone to succeed in today’s society. It is well written, with creative illustrations, and should be a must-read for anyone in the healthcare profession.”
—Felix Ankel, M.D., Residency Director, Emergency Medicine Regions Hospital, St. Paul, MN Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
"One of the strengths of Cultural Intelligence is its easy-to-read style. Brooks Peterson manages to explain to a newcomer to intercultural communication theory or practice what the concept of culture means, why it is important, what to pay attention to in intercultural interaction and, most importantly, how to improve one's cultural intelligence."
—Markus Haag, Editor, dialogin.com Reviews
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1 What is Culture
2 The Importance of Culture in Daily Work and Life
3 What is Cultural Intelligence?
4 Applying Cultural Intelligence in Daily Work and Life
5 Knowing Your Cultural Style
6 Increasing Your Cultural Intelligence
Afterword
Appendix
Recommended Readings
About the Author
Brooks Peterson is founder and president of Across Cultures Inc., an international consulting firm serving global leaders. An experienced cross-cultural trainer, researcher and graduate-level educator, he has lived and traveled extensively around the world and now lives and works in Minneapolis. For more information, visit his website at http://www.acrosscultures.com/. He is also the creator of a variety of instruments and resources for internationally-focused businesspeople, including the widely used Peterson Cultural Style Indicator™, available online.
The Peterson Cultural Style Indicator™ is a tool that allows internationally-focused professionals to compare their cultural style to the typical style of people in 70+ countries.
Coping Skills
BBC Article on Coping Skills
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/coping_skills.shtml
Self-esteem
Day-to-day hassles have a detrimental effect on our physical and emotional wellbeing, but people with good support systems are less negatively affected. In general, self-esteem helps us to deal with the negative effects of day-to-day stress.
Realistic appraisals
Coping effectively with life's problems and failures requires realistic expectations. Psychologists call these expectations and judgements 'appraisals'. Life events (such as traffic bottlenecks or the boss's gruff voice) aren't a problem unless we appraise them as such. If our appraisals are realistic, we're better able to react to day-to-day life events with a sense of proportion.
The appraisals we make are a product of our belief system. If we hold unrealistic, inflexible beliefs then our appraisals may not be the most appropriate for the situation.
Irrational beliefs often include 'musts' and 'shoulds', with an emphasis on perfection. 'I must be liked by everyone' and 'I must be competent and perfect all the time' are all irrational beliefs. They're difficult - if not impossible - to achieve.
Alternative appraisals
Is it possible to put an alternative interpretation in the place of an irrational judgement? Suppose someone treats you rudely. You may be tempted to think that that person is horrible, or 'everyone dislikes me'.
An alternative interpretation could be: 'I wonder what's happening with that person for them to behave so rudely?' We have the choice how to frame our perceptions.
In addition to these 'primary appraisals', it's important to develop 'secondary appraisals' when we ask ourselves afterwards if there's anything we can do about a life event we've appraised as stressful.
If we feel helpless to change things, or incompetent when facing challenges, then we're less likely to come up with a suitable coping response.
Self-efficacy
Psychologists have theorised that people have different levels of 'self-efficacy', which is the confident belief that the responses we make to life challenges have a meaningful effect. People with strong self-efficacy face problems with energy and a 'try, try again' spirit.
But how does this quality develop, and why do some people appear to have a higher level of self-efficacy than others?
Self-efficacy comes from life experiences and from people who serve as significant models. It's built up over the years by responding to challenges with action, flexibility and persistence.
Research suggests that we can increase the self-efficacy we bring to bear on our experiences by:
Living a life of goals. We can't develop self-efficacy unless we succeed at things, and we can't succeed if we don't have goals. Set goals for your life, and give yourself credit when you achieve them.
Setting reasonable goals. Aim to set levels that are challenging but realistic enough that you'll be able to reach them.
Finding good role models. A model or mentor doesn't have to be someone you actually know, but they should be inspirational figures who demonstrate mastery.
Talking to yourself positively. Instead of belittling yourself for the tiniest faults, build yourself up for the smallest successes.
Remembering that it all takes energy and effort to succeed. Athletes know that you have to want to win and put in hours of training to make the mark; everyday life also needs that push to succeed.
Successful coping responses
Making constructive use of the network of people around you is a coping skill often forgotten by people under pressure.
Are there people you can count on to listen to you when you need to talk? Can you speak to them frankly, without worrying about what you say? And are there people in your life you can count on to support you in major decisions?
Studies have shown that people with a good support system are more successful at overcoming depression, maintaining self-esteem and overcoming loneliness.
There's also some evidence that people boasting a good support system are likely to have fewer health complaints. The mere task of building your own support system is a coping skill, because it requires personal effort.
Being proactive - instead of passively waiting for things to get better - gives us an increased feeling of competence and self-esteem.
Talking ourselves through challenges
It's only human to talk to yourself, silently or out loud. We can use this ability to coach ourselves through difficult challenges. Although you probably do this to some extent already, there are three techniques that may help you do this more effectively:
Prepare for the challenge - think in terms of how you'll cope and what you'll gain from the experience, even if it's certain to be stressful. Phrases such as: 'It may not be enjoyable, but I can handle it' and 'I'm anxious about this, but that's only natural' would be good examples.
Confront the challenge - during the actual event build yourself up by tackling the challenge head-on and talking yourself through things. 'This is tough, but I'll survive' and 'I'm getting stressed - I need to relax and stick to my original plan' might be ways of dealing with the situation.
Reflect on what you've learned - take time to think about what actually happened and ask yourself how you can improve, without being too self-critical. Visualise yourself as you were coping and getting through the situation: appreciate what you did right, and don't be too harsh while correcting what went wrong. 'I survived - and it wasn't as bad as I thought' might be an excellent reflection after a very trying task.
Exercise
The benefits of regular activity for both our physical and mental health are well-documented. Exercise helps us cope with stress and anxiety, and also seems to enhance our sense of control and self-efficacy.
However, it's possible to exercise too much and if you're new to exercise, or haven't been active for quite a while, be sure to speak with a qualified fitness coach or your GP before beginning your new fitness regime.
Good luck developing your own coping techniques, as well as searching out alternative ways of approaching daily problems and hassles.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/coping_skills.shtml
Self-esteem
Day-to-day hassles have a detrimental effect on our physical and emotional wellbeing, but people with good support systems are less negatively affected. In general, self-esteem helps us to deal with the negative effects of day-to-day stress.
Realistic appraisals
Coping effectively with life's problems and failures requires realistic expectations. Psychologists call these expectations and judgements 'appraisals'. Life events (such as traffic bottlenecks or the boss's gruff voice) aren't a problem unless we appraise them as such. If our appraisals are realistic, we're better able to react to day-to-day life events with a sense of proportion.
The appraisals we make are a product of our belief system. If we hold unrealistic, inflexible beliefs then our appraisals may not be the most appropriate for the situation.
Irrational beliefs often include 'musts' and 'shoulds', with an emphasis on perfection. 'I must be liked by everyone' and 'I must be competent and perfect all the time' are all irrational beliefs. They're difficult - if not impossible - to achieve.
Alternative appraisals
Is it possible to put an alternative interpretation in the place of an irrational judgement? Suppose someone treats you rudely. You may be tempted to think that that person is horrible, or 'everyone dislikes me'.
An alternative interpretation could be: 'I wonder what's happening with that person for them to behave so rudely?' We have the choice how to frame our perceptions.
In addition to these 'primary appraisals', it's important to develop 'secondary appraisals' when we ask ourselves afterwards if there's anything we can do about a life event we've appraised as stressful.
If we feel helpless to change things, or incompetent when facing challenges, then we're less likely to come up with a suitable coping response.
Self-efficacy
Psychologists have theorised that people have different levels of 'self-efficacy', which is the confident belief that the responses we make to life challenges have a meaningful effect. People with strong self-efficacy face problems with energy and a 'try, try again' spirit.
But how does this quality develop, and why do some people appear to have a higher level of self-efficacy than others?
Self-efficacy comes from life experiences and from people who serve as significant models. It's built up over the years by responding to challenges with action, flexibility and persistence.
Research suggests that we can increase the self-efficacy we bring to bear on our experiences by:
Living a life of goals. We can't develop self-efficacy unless we succeed at things, and we can't succeed if we don't have goals. Set goals for your life, and give yourself credit when you achieve them.
Setting reasonable goals. Aim to set levels that are challenging but realistic enough that you'll be able to reach them.
Finding good role models. A model or mentor doesn't have to be someone you actually know, but they should be inspirational figures who demonstrate mastery.
Talking to yourself positively. Instead of belittling yourself for the tiniest faults, build yourself up for the smallest successes.
Remembering that it all takes energy and effort to succeed. Athletes know that you have to want to win and put in hours of training to make the mark; everyday life also needs that push to succeed.
Successful coping responses
Making constructive use of the network of people around you is a coping skill often forgotten by people under pressure.
Are there people you can count on to listen to you when you need to talk? Can you speak to them frankly, without worrying about what you say? And are there people in your life you can count on to support you in major decisions?
Studies have shown that people with a good support system are more successful at overcoming depression, maintaining self-esteem and overcoming loneliness.
There's also some evidence that people boasting a good support system are likely to have fewer health complaints. The mere task of building your own support system is a coping skill, because it requires personal effort.
Being proactive - instead of passively waiting for things to get better - gives us an increased feeling of competence and self-esteem.
Talking ourselves through challenges
It's only human to talk to yourself, silently or out loud. We can use this ability to coach ourselves through difficult challenges. Although you probably do this to some extent already, there are three techniques that may help you do this more effectively:
Prepare for the challenge - think in terms of how you'll cope and what you'll gain from the experience, even if it's certain to be stressful. Phrases such as: 'It may not be enjoyable, but I can handle it' and 'I'm anxious about this, but that's only natural' would be good examples.
Confront the challenge - during the actual event build yourself up by tackling the challenge head-on and talking yourself through things. 'This is tough, but I'll survive' and 'I'm getting stressed - I need to relax and stick to my original plan' might be ways of dealing with the situation.
Reflect on what you've learned - take time to think about what actually happened and ask yourself how you can improve, without being too self-critical. Visualise yourself as you were coping and getting through the situation: appreciate what you did right, and don't be too harsh while correcting what went wrong. 'I survived - and it wasn't as bad as I thought' might be an excellent reflection after a very trying task.
Exercise
The benefits of regular activity for both our physical and mental health are well-documented. Exercise helps us cope with stress and anxiety, and also seems to enhance our sense of control and self-efficacy.
However, it's possible to exercise too much and if you're new to exercise, or haven't been active for quite a while, be sure to speak with a qualified fitness coach or your GP before beginning your new fitness regime.
Good luck developing your own coping techniques, as well as searching out alternative ways of approaching daily problems and hassles.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Goals of Gestalt Therapy
Science Direct Link
Goals of Gestalt therapy
This article is not included in your organization's subscription. However, you may be able to access this article under your organization's agreement with Elsevier.
Robert L. Harmana
aU Kentucky, Counseling Ctr
Available online 12 May 2007.
Considers that the basic assumption of the theory of Gestalt therapy is that the normal, healthy person responds to situations as an integrated, whole organism. This involves a continuous process of gestalt formation as figures emerge from the background into the foreground and replace or destroy the old gestalts. Aggression consists of any contact that a person initiates with his environment. It entails a destruction of gestalts which enable the individual to be selective in his search for need satisfaction. Gestalt destruction also occurs if the need is satisfied, permitting new gestalts to form. The basic Gestalt therapy goal of healthy, holistic functioning involves helping the client to fully accept his present self and regain his ability to cope. These objectives may be achieved through the attainment of one or more of the specific goals of awareness, integration, maturation, responsibility, authenticity, self-regulation, and behavior change
Goals of Gestalt therapy
This article is not included in your organization's subscription. However, you may be able to access this article under your organization's agreement with Elsevier.
Robert L. Harmana
aU Kentucky, Counseling Ctr
Available online 12 May 2007.
Considers that the basic assumption of the theory of Gestalt therapy is that the normal, healthy person responds to situations as an integrated, whole organism. This involves a continuous process of gestalt formation as figures emerge from the background into the foreground and replace or destroy the old gestalts. Aggression consists of any contact that a person initiates with his environment. It entails a destruction of gestalts which enable the individual to be selective in his search for need satisfaction. Gestalt destruction also occurs if the need is satisfied, permitting new gestalts to form. The basic Gestalt therapy goal of healthy, holistic functioning involves helping the client to fully accept his present self and regain his ability to cope. These objectives may be achieved through the attainment of one or more of the specific goals of awareness, integration, maturation, responsibility, authenticity, self-regulation, and behavior change
Gestalt Psychology
It is generally acknowledged that the Gestalt School of psychology had three founders:
Max Wertheimer (April 15, 1880 – October 12, 1943)
Kurt Koffka (Berlin, March 18, 1886 - Northampton, November 22, 1941)
Wolfgang Köhler
Some authorities believe that the school had a fourth founder, Fritz Perls .
Gestalt psychology (also Gestalt of the Berlin School) is a theory of mind and brain that proposes that the operational principle of the brain is holistic, parallel, and analog, with self-organizing tendencies; or, that the whole is different than the sum of its parts. The classic Gestalt example is a soap bubble, whose spherical shape is not defined by a rigid template, or a mathematical formula, but rather it emerges spontaneously by the parallel action of surface tension acting at all points in the surface simultaneously. This is in contrast to the "atomistic" principle of operation of the digital computer, where every computation is broken down into a sequence of simple steps, each of which is computed independently of the problem as a whole. The Gestalt effect refers to the form-forming capability of our senses, particularly with respect to the visual recognition of figures and whole forms instead of just a collection of simple lines and curves.
Berlin School of experimental psychology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Berlin School of experimental psychology was headed by Carl Stumpf (a pupil of Franz Brentano and Rudolf Hermann Lotze), who became professor at the University of Berlin where he founded the Berlin laboratory of experimental psychology (in 1893).
Among his pupils were Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Köhler and Kurt Lewin.
Only after Köhler took over the direction of the psychology institute in 1922 the Berlin School effectively became a school for Gestalt Psychology.
See also Christian von Ehrenfels
Max Wertheimer (April 15, 1880 – October 12, 1943)
Kurt Koffka (Berlin, March 18, 1886 - Northampton, November 22, 1941)
Wolfgang Köhler
Some authorities believe that the school had a fourth founder, Fritz Perls .
Gestalt psychology (also Gestalt of the Berlin School) is a theory of mind and brain that proposes that the operational principle of the brain is holistic, parallel, and analog, with self-organizing tendencies; or, that the whole is different than the sum of its parts. The classic Gestalt example is a soap bubble, whose spherical shape is not defined by a rigid template, or a mathematical formula, but rather it emerges spontaneously by the parallel action of surface tension acting at all points in the surface simultaneously. This is in contrast to the "atomistic" principle of operation of the digital computer, where every computation is broken down into a sequence of simple steps, each of which is computed independently of the problem as a whole. The Gestalt effect refers to the form-forming capability of our senses, particularly with respect to the visual recognition of figures and whole forms instead of just a collection of simple lines and curves.
Berlin School of experimental psychology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Berlin School of experimental psychology was headed by Carl Stumpf (a pupil of Franz Brentano and Rudolf Hermann Lotze), who became professor at the University of Berlin where he founded the Berlin laboratory of experimental psychology (in 1893).
Among his pupils were Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Köhler and Kurt Lewin.
Only after Köhler took over the direction of the psychology institute in 1922 the Berlin School effectively became a school for Gestalt Psychology.
See also Christian von Ehrenfels
Advanced Distributed Learning
Advanced Distributed Learning
The ADL Initiative develops and implements learning technologies across the U.S. Department of Defense and federal government. We collaborate with government, industry, and academia to promote international specifications and standards for designing and delivering learning content.
Free Course about SCORM
The ADL Initiative develops and implements learning technologies across the U.S. Department of Defense and federal government. We collaborate with government, industry, and academia to promote international specifications and standards for designing and delivering learning content.
Free Course about SCORM
Another Dutchman - Fons Trompenaars
Trompenaars and co-author Hampden-Turner use the six dimensions of culture in their work:
- universalism vs. particularism
- individualism vs communitarism
- specificity vs. diffusion
- achieved status vs. ascribed status
- inner direction vs. outer direction
- sequential time vs. synchronous time
Culture's Consequences (1984, 2nd ed 2001) - a positive review
All Amazon Reviews of the First Edition (1984)
All Amazon Reviews of the Second Edition (2001)
"This important book is based on a monumental study of the sales subsidiaries of a major multinational corporation which operates in 39 countries in the world. Since, in all countries, the respondents do the same work . . . and since the formal organization structure is the same everywhere, the important differences found in work attitudes and values can be ascribed to cultural differences among the countries. The author found four major dimensions for classifying cultures across the world: (i) power distance . . . (ii) uncertainty avoidance . . . (iii) individualism . . . (iv) masculinity. . . . The author also proposes some interesting theories to explain how cultures come to be as they are, which combine climate, economic development and historical process." --The Good Book Guide for Business "One of the most significant comparative organizational studies to date." --Industrial and Labor Relations Review "Important scientific books may be classified according to two types. . . . The second type includes those books which people like to have close at hand and consult for reference. There is little doubt that this book belongs to the second category." --Journal of Management Studies "What the author has done has been to analyze questionnaire results obtained in some 40 different countries, applied to employees of a large multinational American company, and to use the results for extracting dimensions along which to compare these different cultures, and then to evaluate and discuss the resulting groupings. . . . The book is full of interesting and important findings. . . . It should certainly be studied by anyone in the field." --New Society "Hofstede has produced an ingenious, careful, and richly stimulating book that will certainly be useful to all those concerned with managing multinational and multicultural organizations. . . . The book offers educators a new conceptual framework and a bank of data that will be highly useful in teaching." --Academy of Management Review "An important, sophisticated and complex monograph. . . . Both the theoretical analysis and the empirical findings constitute major contributions to cross-cultural value analysis and the cross-cultural study of work motivations and organizational dynamics. This book is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in a historical or anthropological approach to cross-cultural comparisons." --Personnel Psychology "One cannot help admiring the effort that went into this book and ending up more knowledgeable and wiser for having read it." --Contemporary Sociology "Should be read by every manager about to embark on an international or intercultural work assignment. To benefit most from his ideas requires great concentration on the part of the reader, but it is worth the effort. The manager should be able to substantially improve his (most international managers are men) effectiveness by applying his understanding of the culturally based differences in values among the firm's employees. In a classroom situation, this book would be appropriate for graduate students." --Reviews in Anthropology
All Amazon Reviews of the Second Edition (2001)
"This important book is based on a monumental study of the sales subsidiaries of a major multinational corporation which operates in 39 countries in the world. Since, in all countries, the respondents do the same work . . . and since the formal organization structure is the same everywhere, the important differences found in work attitudes and values can be ascribed to cultural differences among the countries. The author found four major dimensions for classifying cultures across the world: (i) power distance . . . (ii) uncertainty avoidance . . . (iii) individualism . . . (iv) masculinity. . . . The author also proposes some interesting theories to explain how cultures come to be as they are, which combine climate, economic development and historical process." --The Good Book Guide for Business "One of the most significant comparative organizational studies to date." --Industrial and Labor Relations Review "Important scientific books may be classified according to two types. . . . The second type includes those books which people like to have close at hand and consult for reference. There is little doubt that this book belongs to the second category." --Journal of Management Studies "What the author has done has been to analyze questionnaire results obtained in some 40 different countries, applied to employees of a large multinational American company, and to use the results for extracting dimensions along which to compare these different cultures, and then to evaluate and discuss the resulting groupings. . . . The book is full of interesting and important findings. . . . It should certainly be studied by anyone in the field." --New Society "Hofstede has produced an ingenious, careful, and richly stimulating book that will certainly be useful to all those concerned with managing multinational and multicultural organizations. . . . The book offers educators a new conceptual framework and a bank of data that will be highly useful in teaching." --Academy of Management Review "An important, sophisticated and complex monograph. . . . Both the theoretical analysis and the empirical findings constitute major contributions to cross-cultural value analysis and the cross-cultural study of work motivations and organizational dynamics. This book is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in a historical or anthropological approach to cross-cultural comparisons." --Personnel Psychology "One cannot help admiring the effort that went into this book and ending up more knowledgeable and wiser for having read it." --Contemporary Sociology "Should be read by every manager about to embark on an international or intercultural work assignment. To benefit most from his ideas requires great concentration on the part of the reader, but it is worth the effort. The manager should be able to substantially improve his (most international managers are men) effectiveness by applying his understanding of the culturally based differences in values among the firm's employees. In a classroom situation, this book would be appropriate for graduate students." --Reviews in Anthropology
Geert Hofstede's Ideas
Of course a good place to start to find out about Gerd Hofstede is in the Wikipedia:
Wikipedia Article on Hofstede (see especially the section on criticism of his conceptualization of culture as static and essential)
Gerd Hofstede's Five Demensions of Culture
The original four dimensions of culture:
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- Power Distance
- Uncertainty Avoidance
- Individualism & Collectivism
- Masculinity & Femininity
- Long- versus Short-Term Orientation
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