Phenomenal field theory is a contribution to the psychology of personality proposed by Donald Snygg and Arthur W. Combs.Snygg, Donald, Combs, Arthur W. (1949) ''Individual Behavior: A New Frame of Reference for Psychology'', HarperCombs, Arthur W., Snygg, Donald (1959) ''Individual Behavior: A Perceptual Approach to Behavior'', Harper According to this theory, all behavior is determined by the conscious self, described as "the

phenomenal A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried W ...

field" of the behaving organism, and can only be understood if the researcher sees the world through the individual's eyes and mind. As the saying goes "''You cannot understand a person until you've walked a mile in their shoes''".

Description

The phenomenal field (or

self The self is an individual as the object of that individual’s own reflective consciousness. Since the ''self'' is a reference by a subject to the same subject, this reference is necessarily subjective. The sense of having a self—or ''selfhood ...

) is our subjective reality, all that we are aware of, the "field" of our experiences, including objects and people, and our behaviors, thoughts, images, and ideas like justice, equality, and so on. Snygg and Combs emphasize that self is the true subject-matter for psychology. According to the authors,

motivation Motivation is the reason for which humans and other animals initiate, continue, or terminate a behavior at a given time. Motivational states are commonly understood as forces acting within the agent that create a disposition to engage in goal-dire ...

is "the basic need of everyone to preserve and enhance the phenomenal self, and the characteristics of all parts of the field are governed by this need".

Learning Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, value (personal and cultural), values, attitudes, and preferences. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals, and some machine learning, machines ...

(L) takes place through differentiation, being a matter of improving the quality of one's experiences by extracting some meaningful detail from the confusion that surrounds us.

Psychopathology

Psychopathology Psychopathology is the study of abnormal cognition, behaviour, and experiences which differs according to social norms and rests upon a number of constructs that are deemed to be the social norm at any particular era. Biological psychopatholo ...

is caused by a threat, which is the awareness of a menace to the phenomenal self. If the person reacts appropriately to the threat, mental health is preserved. If not, the threat leads to defenses, neurotic and psychotic symptoms, and even criminal behavior. Consequently, psychotherapy consists of freeing clients from inappropriate perceptions, behaviors, cognitions, and emotions they have set up to protect themselves from threat.

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{{psychology Personality theories

Description

Psychopathology

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References