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The place of the unconscious in mental health nursing.

This paper acknowledges the concept of the unconscious in psychiatric discourse and explores the importance of this for mental health nursing practice. Mental health nursing practice has always been strongly influenced by psychiatric discourse because of its dominance in the clinical setting. The most recent edition of the American Psychiatry Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual has signalled that the concept of the unconscious is re-emerging in psychiatric discourse. This re-emergence provides the opportunity for mental health nurses to re-affirm or develop their psychotherapeutic skills in the nurse-patient relationship. The psychotherapeutic relationship could focus on ways for the patient to find meaning in their lives that recognize and value difference and multiple ways of being.

Defense Mechanisms↗

Attitudes toward the unconscious.

As a keynote to a conference bringing together psychoanalysts and analytical psychologists, this paper addresses different mythic attitudes toward the unconscious, starting with the caricatures of Oedipus and Narcissus that the author feels Jung and Freud originally projected onto each other in the course of their quarrel. He moves on to the fairytale-like stories of Perseus and Beauty and the Beast to discover more complex images of the stance taken in relation to the unconscious by present-day analysts working within both the Jungian and the Freudian traditions.

Attitude↗

Unconsciousness, automatisms, and myoclonic jerks with diffuse rhythmic 9-Hz discharges.

A 25-year-old man presented with seizures characterized by unconsciousness, automatic behavior, and myoclonic jerks lasting 0.5 to 8 sec. Videotape analysis of 300 simultaneously recorded electroencephalographic and clinical attacks revealed 8- to 9-Hz 150 to 200 muV sharp waves beginning in both medial temporal areas during eyelid flutters. When discharges spread diffusely on both sides and lasted 2 to 3 sec, 20 degrees forward flexion of the head, unconsciousness, pupil dilation, and staring became evident. Asymmetrical myoclonic jerks invariably appeared. When paroxysms were greater than 3 sec, automatisms and tonic posturing occurred. The electroencephalographic and clinical seizures appeared during the awake and relaxed states, i.e., with normal alpha rhythm. They were suppressed during physical and mental activities and during sleep, i.e., in the absence of alpha rhythm. Our studies suggest that these seizures associated with diffuse electroencephalographic alpha-like activities are subcortical in origin and should be tested in their responsivity to alpha suppressants and inducers.

Adult↗

From Freud to cognitive science: a contemporary account of the unconscious.

We present an account of two influential approaches to the unconscious; those of Freud and of cognitive science. It is argued that although Freud's ideas require updating in some respects, in other ways many of them have stood the test of time. We describe the similarities and differences between the two approaches and the attention each pays to innate cognitive and emotional competencies. Finally, we provide a contemporary cognitive account of the unconscious that attempts to combine the best both approaches within an information-processing framework.

Awareness↗

An unbiased errors-in-variables approach to detecting unconscious cognition.

Greenwald, Klinger and Schuh (1995) have proposed a regression approach for detecting unconscious cognition. An errors-in-variables approach is presented that corrects for measurement error in the predictor and takes into account that the latent predictor variable is assumed to be non-negative. The new approach requires the same input as the uncorrected regression analysis and provides consistent estimates of regression weights as well as valid statistical tests of their significance. In particular, the method yields a consistent estimate of the regression intercept that provides critical evidence for unconscious cognition. A simulation study illustrates these aspects of the new technique. Several data sets are then reanalysed by means of the new method.

Algorithms↗

Predisposition to emotional distress and psychiatric illness amongst doctors: the role of unconscious and experiential factors.

This paper explores the contribution of unconscious and experiential factors in accounting for the high rates of depression, alcohol and drug abuse and suicide within the medical profession. The first part of the paper reviews the literature on motivations to study medicine and proposes that, for some doctors, a component of their decision is a response to unconscious drives to compensate for childhood experiences of parental impotence, or emotional neglect. The second part of the paper utilizes the theoretical framework of Kohut to argue that these childhood experiences may also result in the development of a narcissistic disturbance, and a vulnerable self-esteem. A model is outlined of how this may contribute to the development of emotional distress and psychiatric illness through the creation of a state of dependence on patients, emotional detachment and the denial of personal vulnerability. It is proposed that preventative strategies will need to include changing the emotionally 'abusive' nature of medical education, which tends to exacerbate this process.

Affective Symptoms↗

Activation of pontine cholinergic sites implicated in unconsciousness following cerebral concussion in the cat.

Low levels of cerebral concussion in the cat produce reversible behavioral suppression presumably associated with unconsciousness. This injury is also associated with increased rates of glucose utilization in regions within the dorsomedial pontine tegmentum. Microinjection of carbachol into these regions produced behavioral suppression resembling that following concussion. These data, together with previously published observations on cholinergic responses to brain injury, suggest that concussive unconsciousness may be attributable in part to activation of cholinergic pontine sites.

Animals↗

Coordination of swallowing and respiration in unconscious subjects.

We investigated the coordination of swallowing and breathing in 11 unconscious patients with an endotracheal tube in place during the recovery period from general anesthesia. Swallows occurred during both the inspiratory and expiratory phases with no preponderant occurrence during either phase. When a swallow occurred during inspiration, the inspiration was interrupted immediately and was followed by expiration, but the durations of both inspiration and expiration were progressively increased as the time from the onset of inspiration to the onset of swallowing was progressively delayed. A swallow coinciding with the expiratory phase progressively prolonged the duration of the expiration that had been interrupted as the timing of swallowing was progressively delayed. Repeated swallows invariably and in a predictable manner caused changes in the breathing pattern. Thus when the frequency of regularly repeated swallows was relatively high, the breathing pattern was characterized by regular, shallow, and rapid breaths. When the frequency of regularly repeated swallows was relatively low, the breathing pattern was characterized by regular, deep, and slow breaths. When the frequency of repeated swallows was irregular, the breathing patterns were characterized by inconsistent changes in tidal volume and respiratory frequency. Our results indicate that, in unconscious subjects, some mechanisms integrating respiration and swallowing are operative and responsible for changes in breathing patterns during swallowing.

Adult↗

Unconscious fantasy: developmental and self-psychological considerations.

The authors view unconscious fantasy from the perspective of self psychology as a significant addition and emendation of the classical framework. A selective review of the pertinent literature is presented, followed by clinical material illustrating the contribution of self-psychological concepts to the understanding of unconscious fantasy formation.

Child, Preschool↗

Are we puppets on a string? The contextual meaning of unconscious expressive cues.

In three studies, the authors show that unconscious expressive cues can lead to opposite evaluations, depending on the context in which they occur. In Study 1, brow (vs. cheek) tension reduced preferences in an easy judgment context but increased preferences in a difficult context. In Study 2, head shaking (vs. nodding) either increased or decreased prosocial affect depending on the context in which the judged character was presented. In Study 3, a subliminal smile (vs. frown) led to higher self-ratings of performance when paired with one's own actions but to lower self-ratings of performance when paired with a competitor's actions. Together, these results suggest that the meaning of unconscious expressive cues is not fixed.

Affect↗

Unconscious affective reactions to masked happy versus angry faces influence consumption behavior and judgments of value.

The authors explored three properties of basic, unconsciously triggered affective reactions: They can influence consequential behavior, they work without eliciting conscious feelings, and they interact with motivation. The authors investigated these properties by testing the influence of subliminally presented happy versus angry faces on pouring and consumption of beverage (Study 1), perception of beverage value (Study 2), and reports of conscious feelings (both studies). Consistent with incentive motivation theory, the impact of affective primes on beverage value and consumption was strongest for thirsty participants. Subliminal smiles caused thirsty participants to pour and consume more beverage (Study 1) and increased their willingness to pay and their wanting more beverage (Study 2). Subliminal frowns had the opposite effect. No feeling changes were observed, even in thirsty participants. The results suggest that basic affective reactions can be unconscious and interact with incentive motivation to influence assessment of value and behavior toward valenced objects.

Adult↗

Change in unconscious concern with body image following treatment for obesity.

The Secord Homonym Test was used to elicit unconscious concerns about the body in one normal and two obese samples. The first sample of nonobese subjects was used to gather baseline data and also to examine the discriminant validity of the test as a measure of unconscious rather than conscious body concern. In a second sample of obese subjects a significantly greater concern with the body was observed. A third sample of obese subjects was tested before and after weight reduction counseling. Initial measures showed them to have similar levels of concern to the second sample; however, following treatment the levels matched those of the nonobese subjects.

Adolescent↗

Medical student dreams about medical school: the unconscious developmental process of becoming a physician.

This paper is a report on a collection of almost four hundred dreams of medical students and postgraduate trainees with the manifest content about medical training. It is a unique dream collection from a defined population that experiences a developmental sequence of observable, reality events. The reality events appear in the manifest content of the dreams along with their symbolic alterations. The dreams are used as a psychodynamic database. The data may illustrate which reality experiences seem psychologically formative, their emotional developmental sequences and their specific emotional content. This is a pilot project exploring whether dream material collected from a discrete task group might give information about a group's emotional adaptation. The dreams seem to show an unconscious developmental process in response to medical training and becoming a physician that unfolds in overlapping stages as trainees learn to master skills and tolerate care-giving responsibility for human life. A progressive, unconscious hero-healer fantasy seems to form. It becomes elaborated in masochistic and then sadistic fantasies. These fantasies are evoked by, and used as a defense against, inevitable but painful anxieties of emotional adaptation to medical education experiences.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

How limited is the unconscious? A brief commentary.

This report discusses the problems associated with the prevailing view that the province of unconscious influence is highly restricted. It is argued that present empirical data neither strongly support nor argue against a circumscribed notion of the unconscious.

Cognition↗

The first dream as the chief complaint of the unconscious, and its utilization by the primary physician.

Based on the theory that the dream represents an important conflict of wishes essentially occurring between the id and superego, with some participation by the adaptive ego, the first dream reported by the patient is considered to be the chief complaint of the unconscious. Eighteen first dreams, chosen at random, were tentatively interpreted in re the unconscious conflicts. These tentative interpretations were amplified by a battery of projective tests. It is proposed that the primary physician with a talent for understanding the nature of inner conflicts, revealed by the frist or early dreams, may slowly venture into the area of psychotherapy by including in the history of the patient a study of inner conflicts indicated by the dream material. In this way, the conscious chief complaint may be utilized by the physician with ability to impart to the patient his understanding of the inner fears of the patient. In general, it may be assumed that improved somatic therapy results when the patient realized that the physician is trying to treat not just the pathological organ, but the patient as a whole, including subtle processes within the psyche itself.

Adolescent↗

Unconscious perception: the need for a paradigm shift.

According to Snodgrass, Bernat, and Shevrin (2004), unconscious perception can be demonstrated convincingly only at the objective detection threshold, provided that the conditions of their objective detection/strategic model are met, whereas both the subjective threshold model of Cheesman and Merikle (1984, 1986) and the objective threshold/rapid decay model of Greenwald, Draine, and Abrams (1996) are inconclusive. We argue on theoretical, metatheoretical, and empirical grounds that all three dual-process models, which are based on both conscious and unconscious perception, should be rejected in favor of the single-process conscious perception model.

Humans↗

Strengthening the activation of unconsciously activated memories.

Reading a word activates a set of associated words-for example, reading CAB activates car, driver, and other associates. This research was conducted to determine whether the unconscious activation of these associates adds activation to other associates in the same set. Words were studied, and recall was tested with cues comprised of associates directly activated by the target. On the basis of preexisting links, the associates serving as test cues also received strong (e.g., car) or weak (e.g., driver) additional inputs from other associates in the set. Cues receiving stronger inputs from other associates were more effective, indicating that unconsciously activated associates strengthen one another. This effect declined when conditions disrupted the retrieval of context features linked to the episode. Attending to another task during or after study or receiving implicit test instructions decreased the effects of input from other associates. Importantly, disruptions affected input from other associates more than direct input from the target, suggesting that the influence of context wanes as the links in the network become more distant.

Association↗