Reflections on Kretzmann & McKnight’s Building Communities from the Inside Out (pp. 109-170) 16 October 2016 Kretzmann & McKnight (1993) have codified, more or less what I have done to research necessary information, be it looking for research materials for a report, digging up an obscure musical recording, and especially resources to help individuals with personal or health crises. Here it is codified neatly into one compact place, this time with… Read More
Neuroscience and Consciousness: A Critical Review of Zelinski, et al’s The Happy-Productive Worker Thesis Revisited 13 October 2016 Zelenski, J. M., Murphy, S. A., & Jenkins, D. A. (2008). The happy-productive worker thesis revisited. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9(4), 521-537. Introduction Zelinski, et al (2008) look at over 70 years of research realizing that little has been revealed regarding whether happier workers are more productive. Utilizing a longitudinal literature review and experience sampling… Read More
Reflections on Tomlinson & Aron’s Relationship neuroscience: Where we are and where we might be going and Robbins’ Eugenics and psychiatry: A brief overview and history 7 October 2016 Neuroscience and humanistic psychology are part of an area of study that I believe is, by definition, designed to help people achieve, in one form or another, their highest possible evolutionary state. Both are part of a long evolutionary process, within psychology, of learning and growth. While Eugenics may be part of that evolutionary process,… Read More
Reflections on Kretzmann & McKnight’s Building Communities from the Inside Out (pp. 1-107) 6 October 2016 Kretzmann & McKnight (1993) provide us with the equivalent of a bible, one to implement asset-based community (or capacity-focused) development from the ground up. This isn’t about assessing needs, deficiencies, and problems, but discovering a community’s capacities and assets. This is an important distinction because it takes the standard way of solving community problems with… Read More
Reflections on Approaches to Quantitative Research and Butler, et al’s Meditation with yoga, group therapy with hypnosis, and psychoeducation for long-term depressed mood and Schenker and Rumrill’s Causal-comparative research designs and Implications for My Own Research 5 October 2016 While quantitative research is easier to understand after several readings (Locke, et al, 2010; Creswell, 2014), I am still not as comfortable with statistics as I would like to be in spite of two statistics classes and the insistence of a professor that I would eventually understand it. If I utilized any method, be it… Read More
Reflections on Silos in Neuropsychology, Hoffman &Dash’s Using neuropsychology to enhance existential psychotherapy, Motschniig-Pitrik & Lux’s The person-centered approach meets neuroscience, and Taylor’s William James and the humanistic implications of the neuroscience revolution 1 October 2016 Existentially and in every other way, I see everything as connected. But philosophically? Yes. Since my immersion into the social sciences a few years ago, I have noticed that the American Sociological Association (ASA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) divide themselves into several divisions each. Even with major philosophical differences, I can still see… Read More
Reflections on Personality Theory, Blatt’s Polarities of experience, Hoffman, et al’s Toward a sustainable myth of self, and Patterson’s Person-centered personality theory 29 September 2016 What is personality? It is made up of thoughts, ideas, relationships, feelings, dreams, aspirations, environment, even rebellion. At the same time, it is nothing but the figment of our dreams if one takes the Eastern and Buddhist view of existence. The readings here are becoming more fascinating and challenging, though I still find flaws in… Read More
Reflections on Correlational Research and Locke et al (Chapters 6-9), Rashid, et al’s Relationship between home literacy environment and reading achievement in children with reading disabilities, and Zelenski, et al’s The happy-productive worker thesis revisited 29 September 2016 While, I still don’t see a benefit to relying upon quantitative studies to the exclusion of all others when complex conversations, action research, and asset-based community development yield so much more nuance into a study, I do see the benefits of employing some quantitative methods to determine a direction for a qualitative study, but I’ll… Read More
Personal Reflections on My Role within Unconquered Minds and a Critique of Minkler & Hancock’s Community health assessment or healthy community assessment: Whose community? Whose health? Whose assessment? 29 September 2016 Understanding Health, Community, and Community Health How health, community, and community health are examined, utilized, and defined depend upon the representatives of the community involved. All are key, all are vital, and all are based upon the perspective of key individuals and groups. A politician will obviously differ from a health care provider, a social… Read More
Reflections on Locke, et al’s Reading and understanding research (Chapters 6-9), Creswell’s Quantitative Methods, and Krause et al’s Exploring interpersonal relationships and music listening survey 22 September 2016 While a research methods class isn’t necessarily an ideal venue to receive revelations of a personal nature, the latest readings on quantitative analysis have made me aware of how my ever devouring mind works as it continues to seek out and absorb valuable information and higher-level knowledge. Here, there is the qualitative side that is… Read More