Thinking Clearly pt. 1

Thinking Clearly

1. Dichotomous Thinking

  • Dichotomous thinking refers to the tendency to reduce complex concepts into two mutually exclusive categories.

  • Common examples include:

    • Right vs. Wrong

    • Good vs. Evil

  • It simplifies complexities and can skew understanding.

2. The Physiological-vs-Psychological Dichotomy

  • This concept is seen in common inquiries about behavior and biology:

    • Is behavior inherited or learned? (genes vs. environment)

    • Is behavior physiological or psychological? (body/brain vs. mind)

Learning Objectives (LOs)

  • Understand problematic aspects of the physiological-psychological dichotomy and its implications in behavior description and treatment strategies.

Descartes’ Influence

  • René Descartes (17th-century philosopher):

    • Famous for: “Dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum” (I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am)

    • Advocated for Cartesian Dualism:

    1. The universe is composed of:

      • Physical matter

      • The human mind (soul/spirit)

    2. Proposed interaction via the pineal gland between the body (including the brain) and the mind.

Contemporary Views

  • Despite Cartesian dualism, there is a division in beliefs about the basis of behaviors and cognitions:

    • Some argue for a purely physiological basis; others suggest certain aspects transcend physiology.

    • Raises questions about the relevance of the physiological/psychological dichotomy in current understanding.

Political Views and Biological Basis

  • Reference to research by Oxley et al. (2006):

    • Suggests political views may have a biological rather than purely experiential origin.

Case Study Illustration

  • A patient presented with symptoms:

    • Headaches, odd smells, shortness of breath, fatigue, seizures.

    • An EEG revealed seizures were non-epileptic due to conversion disorder.

    • Quote from the patient:

    • “Dr. Sams stated everything was in my head and it was all PTSD related.”

    • Patient questions treatment:

    • “If it is mental, then why am I going to physical therapy for it?”

Understanding Conversion Reactions

  • Definition from Hurwitz & Pritchard (2006) quoted in Hustvedt (2013):

    • “Conversion reactions are fixed beliefs of somatic dysfunction arising from psychological distress that control cortical and subcortical pathways to produce patterns of loss or gain of function that are not organic in the conventional sense.”

Placebo Effects in Depressive Disorders

  • Observation of clinical depression:

    • Many can be effectively treated with a placebo (e.g., sugar pill).

    • Raises the question of whether such depression is “all in their mind.”

  • Similar concerns arising in cases of Parkinson’s disease:

    • If symptoms improve through placebo, does it indicate the condition is “all in their mind” as well?

Aspects of Cartesian Dualism

  • Two key aspects:

    1. The brain is not capable of complex functions, which necessitates the existence of a mind.

    2. Only humans possess minds, and therefore, only humans can think.

Morgan’s Canon

  • Quote from Morgan (1903):

    • “In no case is an animal's activity to be interpreted in terms of higher psychological processes, if it can be fairly interpreted in terms of processes which stand lower in the scale of psychological evolution and development.”

Recent Findings in Animal Behavior

  • Mention of cow that astonishes scientists with rare tool use (source: BBC news).

Implications of Damage and Cognition

Problems: Physiological or Psychological?

  1. Acknowledgment that even complex human cognitions can be influenced by brain damage or stimulation.

Example of Asomatognosia

  • Asomatognosia: a condition where an individual lacks awareness of parts of their body.

    • Typically results from damage to right frontal and parietal lobes.

    • Affects the left side of the body (contralateral side).

Patient Testimonial

  • A case study description:

    • Patient describes his reaction to seeing his own leg:

    • “Look at it! Have you ever seen such a creepy, horrible thing?… How can a thing like that belong to me?”

    • Example emphasizing disconnection between self and body due to psychological factors.

Reference to Arzy et al. (2006)

  • Supports the concept that complex human cognition is affected by brain functionality.

Summary

  • The dichotomy of physiological vs. psychological is a complex issue arising from historical philosophies, contemporary research, and clinical observations. Each side has implications for understanding behavior, therapy approaches, and the nature of mental health disorders, indicating a need for a more integrated approach instead of binary categorizations.