Globalizing Psychology: “Openness to the Other” for Humanity’s Better Good

'Openness to the Other' for Humanity's

Better Good

Globalizing Psychology:

Presented at the meeting of the Western Psychological Association ~24 April 2014

Robin Lynn Treptow, PhDWisdom for the Body & for the

Soul

Learning objectives:

Globalizing Psychology:'Openness to the Other' for Humanity's

Better Good

*adaptable for the general public

... name two psychological concepts from the recent

literature apropos to openness to others.

... grasp how to apply 'openness to the other' (as conceptualized by

Fowers & Davidov in 2006) to sustainable world peace.

... comprehend why challenging war's presumed inevitability can bring

lasting human harmony.

Modus operandi'Self-fulfilling prophecy'

Despite evidence that lasting peace can be achieved (Staub, 2013)


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Self-fulfilling prophecy has been implied as a driving force to war's continuation (Leidner, Tropp, & Lickel, 2013)

Objective noncontingency—>>

How Does This Work? 'Universal learned

helplessness'

perception of present & past noncontingency—>attribution for present or past noncontingency—>expectation of future noncontingency—>symptoms of helplessness

(Abramson, Seligman, & Teasdale, 1978: Figure 1, p. 52)

Flow of events leading to helplessness


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Three levels of peaceableness

3) International peaceablenesse.g., war & its sequelae

1) Intrapersonal peaceableness e.g., disease & death2) Interpersonal peaceableness

e.g., violence & crime

(Nelson, 2013)


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Absence of harmony amongst all peoples has been elusive in history

So why this peace theory now?

[C]ross-cultural & multicultural literature consistently

indicates that

APA (2003, p. 382)

• all people are multicultural beings• all interactions are cross-

cultural • all of our life experiences

Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Practice, & Organizational Change for

Psychologists

are perceived & shaped within our own cultural perspectives


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"... allAPA (2003, p.

380)

context..."

interpers

onal interactions occur within

amulticultural


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to provide

thereby promoting societal

"... psychologists are in a position

(APA, 2003; p. 382)

as agents of prosocial change,

understanding, affirmation, &

appreciation multiculturalism..."

advocacy, & social justice

leadership,

of


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Link

'the virtue of multiculturalism

' world peace!

to(Fowers & Davidov, 2006)


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• Cultural variance in balance between "me" & " we"

What is good needs to be

Wong (2011)

BOTH• for the individual • & the common good


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Defer goals & objectives to the will of the group

Collectivistic cultures Prefer interdependence Harmony with others

Conformity with social norms

A.P. Fiske (1998) Wong (2011)


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Wong (2011)

• Self esteem

• Achievement• Life

satisfaction

Positive individual outcomes

Positive group outcomes• Harmonious

relationships• Group morale• Collaborative success


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MULTICULTURALISM OVERVIEW

• Effective via ethical force

• A process of acquiring• Self-awareness• Cultural knowledge

• Skills

• Inclusion• Social justice

• Mutual respect

Fowlers & Davidov (2006)


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What is openness to the other?Capacity to recognize & appreciate differences in cultural

beliefs & practicesPersonality trait requisite to achieving mutual affirmation, inclusion, &

equity

Staying true to one's own worldview

Fowlers & Davidov (2006)

Quality of personhood

not generally naturally present in people

(per Western culture psychology)


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Robust Pacifism In The Public Square:

Yoking the Virtue of Multiculturalism to World Peace

Relevant background

Common reactions towards persons in outgroups (APA, 2003) Automatic

biases Stereotypic attitudes

Persons tend to use their worldview to categorize others (S. Fiske, 1998)

Fowers & Davidov (2006, p. 585)

• Categorize others & • Favor one's own group

1) Much effort to recognize biases2) Discomfort to set them aside3) Ongoing exertion & practice to change one's perceptions & actions

require

Unconscious processes to


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THE VIRTUE ETHICS LENSFowlers & Davidov

(2006)• Way to absorb & embody • Personal self-examination

• Commitment• Transformationnecessary to behave in aculturally competent way


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MULTICULTURALISM OVERVIEWFowers & Davidov

(2006)• Emphasizes reducing harm • Positive aims of• Social understanding• Inclusion• Affirmation• Harmony in a pluralistic world


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MULTICULTURALISM RATIONALEFowers & Davidov

(2006)A monoculture psychology is• Less accurate & generalizable

• Distortive & oppressive• Makes psychology's

promotion of human welfare less effective• Undermines very legitimacy of psychology


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Fowers & Davidov (2006)EXAMPLE

• Culturally competent therapist acts• knowledgeably• consistently

with openness to the other• Said openness is oft hard-won

• Thus, it constitutes a virtue


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VIRTUE OF MULTICULTURALISM

2) requiring strength of character

"openness to the other"3) knowledge about openness to the other 4) consistent action that is open to the other

those who are culturally different from oneself 6) guided by wise choices

Fowers & Davidov (2006, p. 584) 1) pursuit of worthwhile goals

5) motivated by anunconditional respect & interest in

(i.e., esteeming & valuing of all possible others)


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Fowers & Davidov (2006, p. 586)How one learns character strengths

• By identifying & counteracting• By altering one's cognitions in line with one's knowledge about the virtue

• Through gradual efforts

• By practicing them

who habitually engages in these cognitions & actions.

Intentionally

• Becoming the kind of person

contrary desires


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involves more than knowledge & behavioral skill.

"Knowledge about culture

when one enacts it."

"Openness to the other is only real

helps to elevate naive goodwill to a solid capacity to reach out to

others across cultural differences."Cultural competence


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(i.e., internalizing them)

spontaneous enactmentopenness to the other

is a hallmark of virtue that grows out of making these

traits SECOND NATURE

The

of generosity, honesty, courage, or


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Van Doesum, Van Lange, & Van Lange (2013)

Social mindfulness

• To act mindfully towards another person's• Skill (able to see the need)

• Interdependence-based social decision-making paradigm

leaving choice options for others

control over outcomes• Will (prosociality;

empathy)


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Van Doesum, N. J. (2013)

• Empathy

• Positively related to

• Prosocial orientation

• Social mindfulness in personality

•Agreeableness•Honesty-Humility


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Dahlsgaard, et al (2005, p. 206)Shared virtues across culture & history

• Temperance--protects against excess

• Justice-civic strengths that underlie healthy community life

• Courage-emotional strengths that involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition

• Humanity-tend or befriend others

• Transcendence-provide meaning via connections to the larger universe

• Wisdom-cognitive strengths that entail the acquisition & use of knowledge


Better Good

5/24/13

With ThoseUnlike

Oneself (wisdom)

With Oneself(courage

[authenticity])

With Truth (transcendence)

With Those One Has Never Met Or May Never Meet(justice)

With The Natural World(temperance)

With Those Whom One

Meets Daily (humanity)

HarmonyGlobalizing Psychology:

'Openness to the Other' for Humanity's Better Good

Harmony With Those

Unlike Oneself (wisdom)Harmony

With Oneself

(authenticity)

World Peace

(justice)

Harmony With The Natural

World(temperance)

Harmony With Those

Whom One Meets Daily

(humanity)

Harmony With Truth (transcendence)


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Based on Wong (2011)1) Feeling

blessed & fortunate due to

a sense of awe, gratitude, & oneness with nature or God

2) Meaning & virtue rooted in both inner goodness & the common good3) Living a fully-engaged life grounded in

social mindfulness 4) Evaluating one's life as satisfying

Assets to Self Via Openness to the Other


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References American Psychological Association. (2003). Guidelines on

multicultural education, training, research, practice, & organizational change for psychologists. American Psychologist, 58(5), 377-402.

American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists & code of conduct. American Psychologist, 57, 1060-1073.

Dahlsgaard, K., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P.(2006). Shared virtue: The convergence of valued human strengths across culture & history. Review of General Psychology, 9(3), 203-213.

Fowers, B. J. & Davidov, B. J. (2006). The virtue of multiculturalism: Personal transformation, character, & openness to the other. American Psychologist, 61(6), 581-594.

Greenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T., Solomon, S., Rosenblatt, A., Veeder, M., Kirkland, S., & Lyon, D. & Davidov, B. J. (1990). Evidence for terror management theory II:The effects of mortality salience on reactions to those who threaten or bolster the cultural worldview. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 58(2), 308-318.

Pyszczynski, T., Motyl, M., Vail, III, K., Hirschberger, G., Arndt, J., & Kesebir, P. ( 2012). Drawing attention to global climate change decreases support for war. Peace & Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology. Electronic copy available at http://SMS.com/abstract=2155355


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References Rosenblatt, A., Greenberg, J., Solomon, S., Pyszczynski,

T., & Lynn, D. (1989). Evidence for terror management theory: I. The effects of mortality salience on reaction to those who violate or uphold cultural values. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 57(4), 681-690.

Van Doesum, N. J., Van Lange, D. A. W., & Van Lange, P. A. M. ( 2013). Social mindfulness: Skill & will to navigate the social world. Journal of Social Psychology, 105(1), 86-103.

Vail & Motyl (2010). Change name to accurate title, et cetera...! nasty breeds nice: Threats of violence amplify agreeableness at national, individual, & situational levels. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 103(4), 622-634.

White, A. E., Kendrick, D. T., Li, Y. J., Mortensen, C. R., Neuberg, S. L., & Cohen, A. B. (2012). When nasty breeds nice: Threats of violence amplify agreeableness at national, individual, & situational levels. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 103(4), 622-634.

Wohl, M. J. A. & Bramscombe, N. R. (2005). Forgiveness & collective guilt assignment in historical perpetrator groups depend on level of social category inclusiveness. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 88(2), 288-303.

Wong, T. F. P. (2011). Positive psychology 2.0: Towards a balanced interactive model of the good life. Canadian Psychology, 52(2), 69--81.


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'Openness to the Other' for Humanity's

Better Good

Globalizing Psychology:

Presented at the meeting of the Western Psychological Association ~24 April 2014

Robin Lynn Treptow, PhDWisdom for the Body & for the

Soul




& interest in

...not mere tolerance...but

& directly involves an

that grows out of

affective/

emotional set

cultural differences

heartfelt appreciation of

unrestrained involvement beyond the cognitive &

behavioral elements



Magnifying the Clinical Lens

Openness to the other

Philosophical Tenets of Multiculturalism• Respect & inclusiveness

• Recognition of cultural contexts

• The role of external forces

(APA, 2003; p. 380)

for the national heritage of ALL cultural groups.as defining forces for individuals' & groups' lived experiences.such as historical, economic, & sociopolitical events.

Teaching Human Goodness at the Cultural Core Level:

A Nascent Paradigm for Peace

Globalizing Psychology: “Openness to the Other” for Humanity’s Better Good

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Transcript of Globalizing Psychology: “Openness to the Other” for Humanity’s Better Good