Adding the term “depth” extends traditional psychology beyond the confines of the individual mind and invites us to consider how the groups we live within and the societies of which we are a part also have a collective psychology. Things like culture impact a person’s psychology, and with depth psychology we can also examine the psychology of that culture.
Both traditional psychology and depth psychology agree that an event that happens in our external environment, for example if a certain behavior is rewarded, creates an impact in our internal experience, for example the desire to repeat the behavior. However, depth psychology also realizes that the way we pass down behaviors (often through the sharing of stories, I.E. myths and fairy tales) from one generation to the next, influences the way each individual relates to the behavior, and is reflective of our cultural psychology. To the authors of this blog, what gets very interesting is to examine when our responses to our inter-cultural behaviors is so commonplace that we forget this is a choice, and we think this is “just the way nature is.” In fact, many instincts and motivations are universal (for example the desire for pleasure); however, it is our behaviors to satisfy the motivation that are unique.
A fascinating aspect of depth psychology that illuminates a culture’s psychology is the examination of its customs. These can be shown through a review of things such as popular art (film, music), or through investigating a culture’s relationship to its neighbor cultures, or even through an analysis of how individual members of the culture are treated.
Depth psychology respects the inherent nature of the individual, and also of each culture. In this way, depth psychology does not bind its concepts to the individual mind, but instead extends them to include how individuals, groups, cultures, nations, and the planet are each affected by the ways in which we all interact.
In writing this blog, we want to share depth psychology topics in a way that is accessible to everyone. Often these topics take so many terms to define them, that the resulting discussion is difficult to understand. As students of this vast and exciting field, we plan to share our thoughts in fun and provocative ways, and to learn together with those who read and comment on our perspectives.
would love anything that takes into account the whole world .. one small example, sanskrit has five separate words for aspects of "mind" and consequently provides a basis for a far more sophisticated understanding of person or being or awareness or qualities of personality than anything english-based …
so as you go along with this project please try to be as universal as possible … the world needs that, far more than more culturally-specific academia ..
enjoy, gregory
In reading this introduction and the following comment, I find myself excited about the possibility of more Depth Psychologists developing the container to hold both the socio-political and the universal at the same time. To me, Depth Psychological theories can be both severely limited AND the most able to bring together both aspects of life; far beyond any other psychological theories I have studied. The tension in these opposites is moving toward a bursting point as our world is rapidly changing. Conflict is inherent at this point in history's development of these opposites. At this time, purposeful attempts at transcendence based in fear or lack of understanding would only serve as a defense, temporarily blocking the full birthing process. It is my belief that what is meant to be birthed will be birthed. My hope is that I will sit with my fear, while actively facing the pregnant conflict that occurs when we allow ourselves to view the separation that is required prior to transcendence.