Author: doc. PhDr. Mária Machalová, CSc.
FOREWORD
The textbook we present to students and professionals working in the social field in theory and practice is the second, revised, and expanded edition of our publication Biodromal Psychology for Helping Professions - Study Guide, Brno: IMS, 2010.
We would be glad if we could motivate readers of this publication to think about life themes, also through the study of a textbook in which they can find inspiration for their way of living. The topics of biodromal psychology, that is, life-path psychology, are close to everyone because they directly concern how to know and understand thinking, emotions and feelings, motivation, behavior, and the actions of oneself as well as of other people.
The never-ending task of personality was expressed long ago by the sentence, “Know thyself.” This wise admonition of people is connected with the main life task of every human being, namely to know one’s life vocation and strive to fulfill it during one’s own life. We remind this because biodromal psychology is an applied psychological science that helps people discover their own possibilities, called individual potential, and motivates them to knowledge and action in the context of the unique configuration of the individual life path.
Within biodromal psychology, professionals formulate not only theoretical, but also practical ways to guide people so that they live their life authentically, that is, in accordance with their life vocation, i.e., in harmony with themselves—their inner self. The findings of this science are applied in various kinds of counseling aimed at developing people’s potential and their ability to adapt psychologically and socially in society, to integrate themselves as a person, and to cultivate their personality over the course of their life.
At the end, we permit ourselves to paraphrase the words of Confucius, with which we simultaneously express our respect and appreciation for the readers of this publication.
Life wisdom can be reached by three paths: through imitation, this is the easiest path, through experience, this is the most difficult path, through reflection, this is the most noble path.
BRATISLAVA, 2011 MÁRIA MACHALOVÁ
The complex – holistic approach to knowledge and research is also one of the progressive psychological attitudes towards personality. A person is an object conceived of as a unique and indivisible whole of biological, psychological, spiritual and social qualities that together comprise a human being. A person’s ability to grow, develop and evolve is not only assumed, but even emphasized in his qualities of an individual, of personality and individuality.
A person can be analyzed by taking apart his constituent parts, but none of them can be studied and understood in isolation. The whole functions according to rules that cannot be determined when it is broken down into pieces. Individuals have a tendency to try to realize their aims and develop as a person their entire lives. Life’s wisdom, it is said, is revealed when a lifetime draws to a close. What happens with one’s psyche, and with one’s experiences and behavior during the course of one’s lifetime from point X, one’s birth, until point Y, the end of one’s life on Earth, is the subject of Lifespan psychology (biodromal developmental psychology). People’s own efforts and life-long learning are crucial to their psychological development.
This publication has two goals: to contribute to the development lifepath psychology, and to encourage readers to put the ideas of biodromal developmental psychology to use in their professional activities and personal lives.
Mária Machalová
Bratislava, 2011
CONTENTS
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CHAPTER
PSYCHOLOGY IN HELPING PROFESSIONS 1.1 The goal and importance of psychological preparation for helping professions -
CHAPTER
THE CONCEPT OF BIODROMAL PSYCHOLOGY 2.1 Terminological explanation of relevant concepts 2.2 The biodromal concept of psychological development and growth of a person 2.3 Life stages and developmental tasks 2.4 Individuation process and individual potential in psychological development -
CHAPTER
TEXTBOOK 3.1 Biodromal psychology - Psychology of the life path 3.1.1 Psychological development and growth of a person. Concepts - growth, development, maturation, maturity 3.1.2 Life path. Life events. Life developmental and growth tasks 3.1.3 Concepts - individual, personality, subject, individuality 3.1.4 Uniqueness and generality of personality, person as subject and individuality 3.2 Sources of knowledge in biodromal psychology - selected theories of personality psychology 3.2.1 Humanistic psychology 3.2.1.1 Abraham Maslow - approach to personality development 3.2.1.2 Carl Rogers - client-centered theory and therapy 3.2.2 Sigmund Freud - classical psychoanalysis 3.2.3 Carl Gustav Jung - analytical psychology 3.2.4 Erik Erikson - contemporary psychoanalytic theory 3.2.5 Gordon Allport - theory of personality uniqueness 3.2.6 Albert Bandura - personality as social learning
Title: BIODROMÁLNA PSYCHOLÓGIA PRE POMÁHAJÚCE PROFESIE (TEXTBOOK)
Author: doc. PhDr. Mária Machalová, CSc.
Reviewers: doc. PhDr. MARTA ČERNOTOVÁ, CSc. PhDr. LEA SZABOVÁ - ŠÍROVÁ, PhD. PhDr. TOMÁŠ HANGONI, PhD.
Summary translation: Mgr. Darina Reguliová
Published by PREŠOVSKÁ UNIVERZITA V PREŠOVE, PRAVOSLÁVNA BOHOSLOVECKÁ FAKULTA, PREŠOV
Year of publication: 2011 Second revised and expanded edition Number of pages: 107 Printed by: CUBE consulting, s.r.o.
ISBN 978-80-555-0321-9 EAN 9788055503219