Rollo May "Existential Psychology" Flashcards
Existentialism roots in the writing of
Søren Kierkegaard
What is existentialism
Existence takes precedence over essence
Existentialist opposes the split between subject and object
People search for some meaning of life
Existentialist holds that ultimately each of us is responsible for who we are and what we become
Existentialist are basically anti theoretical
A German word mean to exist there
Dasein
Being-in-the-world three main areas
Umwelt
Mitwelt
Eigenwelt
People experience this when they become aware that their existence or some value identified with it might be destroyed
Anxiety
Two kinds of anxiety
Normal anxiety
Neurotic anxiety
Proportionate to the threat, doesn’t involve repression
Normal anxiety
Disproportionate to the threat, involves repression
Neurotic anxiety
Arises when people denies their potentialities
Guilt
Gives meaning to experience and allows people to make decisions about future
Intentionality
The source of love
Care
Delight in the presence of other people
Love
Capacity to organize oneself
Will
Forms of love
Sex
Eros
Philia
Agape
A biological function that satisfied through sexual intercourse
Sex
A psychological desire that seeks procreation
Eros
Intimate nonsexual relationship
Philia
Esteem for the other, typically, the love of God for man.
Agape
Capacity to know that he is the determined one
Freedom
Existential freedom
The freedom of action
The freedom of being
The freedom of doing
The freedom of action
The design of the universe speaking through the design of each one of us
Destiny
May believed that people communicate with one another on two levels
Rationalistic language
Through myths
truth takes precedence over the peo-
ple who are communicating.
Rationalistic language
the total
human experience is more important than the empirical accuracy of the communication
Through myths
