Pathological Altruism

Pathological Altruism PDF Author: Barbara Oakley
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190453818
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 496

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Book Description
The benefits of altruism and empathy are obvious. These qualities are so highly regarded and embedded in both secular and religious societies that it seems almost heretical to suggest they can cause harm. Like most good things, however, altruism can be distorted or taken to an unhealthy extreme. Pathological Altruism presents a number of new, thought-provoking theses that explore a range of hurtful effects of altruism and empathy. Pathologies of empathy, for example, may trigger depression as well as the burnout seen in healthcare professionals. The selflessness of patients with eating abnormalities forms an important aspect of those disorders. Hyperempathy - an excess of concern for what others think and how they feel - helps explain popular but poorly defined concepts such as codependency. In fact, pathological altruism, in the form of an unhealthy focus on others to the detriment of one's own needs, may underpin some personality disorders. Pathologies of altruism and empathy not only underlie health issues, but also a disparate slew of humankind's most troubled features, including genocide, suicide bombing, self-righteous political partisanship, and ineffective philanthropic and social programs that ultimately worsen the situations they are meant to aid. Pathological Altruism is a groundbreaking new book - the first to explore the negative aspects of altruism and empathy, seemingly uniformly positive traits. The contributing authors provide a scientific, social, and cultural foundation for the subject of pathological altruism, creating a new field of inquiry. Each author's approach points to one disturbing truth: what we value so much, the altruistic "good" side of human nature, can also have a dark side that we ignore at our peril.

Pathological Altruism

Pathological Altruism PDF Author: Barbara Oakley
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190453818
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 496

Get Book Here

Book Description
The benefits of altruism and empathy are obvious. These qualities are so highly regarded and embedded in both secular and religious societies that it seems almost heretical to suggest they can cause harm. Like most good things, however, altruism can be distorted or taken to an unhealthy extreme. Pathological Altruism presents a number of new, thought-provoking theses that explore a range of hurtful effects of altruism and empathy. Pathologies of empathy, for example, may trigger depression as well as the burnout seen in healthcare professionals. The selflessness of patients with eating abnormalities forms an important aspect of those disorders. Hyperempathy - an excess of concern for what others think and how they feel - helps explain popular but poorly defined concepts such as codependency. In fact, pathological altruism, in the form of an unhealthy focus on others to the detriment of one's own needs, may underpin some personality disorders. Pathologies of altruism and empathy not only underlie health issues, but also a disparate slew of humankind's most troubled features, including genocide, suicide bombing, self-righteous political partisanship, and ineffective philanthropic and social programs that ultimately worsen the situations they are meant to aid. Pathological Altruism is a groundbreaking new book - the first to explore the negative aspects of altruism and empathy, seemingly uniformly positive traits. The contributing authors provide a scientific, social, and cultural foundation for the subject of pathological altruism, creating a new field of inquiry. Each author's approach points to one disturbing truth: what we value so much, the altruistic "good" side of human nature, can also have a dark side that we ignore at our peril.

Standing at the Edge

Standing at the Edge PDF Author: Joan Halifax
Publisher:
ISBN: 1250101344
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 301

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Book Description
"[This book is] an ... examination of how we can respond to suffering, live our fullest lives, and remain open to the full spectrum of our human experience"--Amazon.com.

Does Altruism Exist?

Does Altruism Exist? PDF Author: David Sloan Wilson
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300189494
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 190

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Book Description
Argues that altruism is an inherent factor of group functionality and discusses how studying group function can promote positive changes to the human condition.

Cold-Blooded Kindness

Cold-Blooded Kindness PDF Author: Barbara Oakley, PhD
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1616144203
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 373

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Book Description
In this searing exploration of deadly codependency, the author takes the reader on a spellbinding voyage of discovery that examines the questions: Are some people naturally too caring? Is caring sometimes a mask for darker motives? Can science help us understand how our concerns for others can hurt everything we hold dear? This gripping story brings extraordinary insight to our deepest questions. Is kindness always the right answer? Is kindness always what it seems?

Jane Austen and Altruism

Jane Austen and Altruism PDF Author: Magdalen Ki
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 9781032173849
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
Jane Austen and Altruism identifies a compelling theme, namely, the view that Jane Austen propounds a rigorous, boundary-sensitive model of altruism that counters the human propensity to selfishness and promotes the culture of cooperation. In her days, altruism was commonly known as benevolence, charity, or philanthropy, and these concepts overlap with Auguste Comte's later definition of altruism as otherism. This volume argues that Austen's thinking co-opts the evolutionary idea that altruism is seldom truly pure, egoism cannot be eradicated, and boundless group altruism is not sustainable. However, given that she comes from a naval and clergy family, she witnesses the power of wartime patriotism, the Evangelical revival, the Regency culture of politeness, and the sentimental novels. In her novels, she locates human relationships along an altruism continuum that ranges from enlightened selfishness to pathological altruism. Unconditional love is hard to find, but empathy, kin altruism, reciprocal exchange, and group altruism are key to the formation of self-identity, family, community and the nation state.

Groupthink in Science

Groupthink in Science PDF Author: David M. Allen
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9783030368210
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
This book discusses one of the hottest topics in science today, i.e., the concern over certain problematic practices within the scientific enterprise. It raises questions and, more importantly, begins to supply answers about one particularly widespread phenomenon that sometimes impedes scientific progress: group processes. The book looks at many problematic manifestations of “going along with the crowd” that are adopted at the expense of truth. Closely related is the concept of pathological altruism or altruism bias—the tendency of scientists to bias their research in order to further the ideological or financial interests of an “in-group” at the expense of both the interest of other groups as well as the truth. The book challenges the widespread notion that science is invariably a benevolent, benign process. It defines the scientific enterprise, in practice as opposed to in theory, as a cultural system designed to produce factual knowledge. In effect, the book offers a broad and unique take on an important and incompletely explored subject: research and academic discourse that sacrifices scientific objectivity, and perhaps even the scientist’s own ethical standards, in order to further the goals of a particular group of researchers or reinforce their shared belief system or their own interests, whether economic, ideological, or bureaucratic.

Evil Genes

Evil Genes PDF Author: Barbara Oakley, PhD
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1615920021
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 475

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Book Description
Have you ever heard of a person who left you wondering, "How could someone be so twisted? So evil?" Prompted by clues in her sister’s diary after her mysterious death, author Barbara Oakley takes the reader inside the head of the kinds of malevolent people you know, perhaps all too well, but could never understand. Starting with psychology as a frame of reference, Oakley uses cutting-edge images of the working brain to provide startling support for the idea that "evil" people act the way they do mainly as the result of a dysfunction. In fact, some deceitful, manipulative, and even sadistic behavior appears to be programmed genetically—suggesting that some people really are born to be bad. Oakley links the latest findings of molecular research to a wide array of seemingly unrelated historical and current phenomena, from the harems of the Ottomans and the chummy jokes of "Uncle Joe" Stalin, to the remarkable memory of investor Warren Buffet. Throughout, she never loses sight of the personal cost of evil genes as she unravels the mystery surrounding her sister’s enigmatic life—and death. Evil Genes is a tour-de-force of popular science writing that brilliantly melds scientific research with intriguing family history and puts both a human and scientific face to evil.

Bio-Psycho-Social Contributions to Understanding Eating Disorders

Bio-Psycho-Social Contributions to Understanding Eating Disorders PDF Author: Yael Latzer
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319327429
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
This book uniquely combines cutting-edge medical, psychological, and sociocultural topics pertinent to eating disorders. In the medical realm, the book focuses on Eating Disorders’ newly investigated associations with ADHD and sleep disorders, and on innovative treatments of osteoporosis in anorexia nervosa. Novel contributions in the psychological realm address families’ trans-generational transmission of Eating Disorders-related difficulties and novel internet-based treatments for such families. Lastly, in the sociocultural realm, the book discusses social contagion and Pro-Ana websites as increasing risk for disordered eating in young women around the globe. This volume provides readers with more holistic perspectives of each realm and their interplay, to promote Eating Disorders’ understanding, treatment, prevention, and research. It provides various professionals including mental health providers, physicians, nutritionists, and graduate students in these professions.

The Wiley Handbook of Positive Clinical Psychology

The Wiley Handbook of Positive Clinical Psychology PDF Author: Alex M. Wood
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111846821X
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 512

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Book Description
Edited by the founder of the field, this is the first handbook on positive clinical psychology—a revolutionary approach that places equal importance on both the positive and negative aspects of mental health and well-being. The first handbook on positive clinical psychology, a revolutionary approach that places equal importance on the positive and negative aspects of mental health and well-being Brings together new work from authorities in positive psychology and clinical psychology to offer an integrated examination of well-being as it relates to personality, psychopathology, psychological treatments, and more Discusses theory, research, and practice across a broad range of topics such as optimism, positive affect, well-being therapy, childhood well-being, evolutionary perspectives, and clinical implementation Contains essential information for researchers, instructors and practitioners in clinical psychology, positive psychology, mental health, and well-being in general

The Organ Donor Experience

The Organ Donor Experience PDF Author: Katrina Bramstedt
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442211156
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description
Despite starting slowly with some academic jargon about altruism and people's motivations to donate organs, the book quickly takes a right turn and gets interesting. The authors sprinkle little informative tidbits along the way-Asian-Americans constituted only 3.4% of U.S. donors-and bring their points alive through little vignettes when examining the origins of altruism. The authors would make brilliant sales reps: they put forth a convincing argument about what a great humanitarian effort living donation is then patiently explain the evaluation process to reassure readers of the minimal costs. The few downsides are reviewed and discussed-for example, how to deal with family members who do not support the decision to donate or the devastation donors might experience when a recipient dies. Resources, bibliography, and index occupy a full 36 pages, yet for the most part this book escapes the drudgery of a research-laden study and instead reads as a fascinating story about a very human issue. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.