Applied Psychology –From Witmer to Modernity
This work, inspired by the symbolic “centenary”of Polish psychology has been dedicated to the emergence and development of applied psychology. The main protagonist of applied psychology, and clinical psychology in particular, has been, in the author’s opinion, Lightner Witmer (1867–1956), an American psychologist promoting the clinical method of getting to know the patient through a direct contact of the psychologist with the maladjusted, including contact in their everyday environment. Witmer’s message, supported by the new ideas of the systems theory, environmental psychology and the spreading concepts of social psychology, can be all found in what is currently expected from psychologists. Applied psychology is not only a “bridge”between the theory of psychology and professional practice, but most of all, it remains a science directed towards practice, open to the contemporary challenges; a science that accepts the necessity to adjust the ethos of the profession and the new tasks of environmental work for the improvement of health and the quality of life.
Type C personality – type C pattern – was introduced by T. Morris and S. Greer to define cancer personality, that is cancer-prone risk factor. It describes personality – behaviour pattern as negative emotionality: denial, non-expression of negative emotions (especially anger), helplessness, quietness, lack of self-assertion, pessimism, compliance. In time, researchers started to treat WZC as a risk factor of cancer and also other psychosomatic diseases (stomach ulcer, rheumatoid arthritis). WZC didn’t gain such recognition and popularity like type A pattern. Precise analysis of a preliminary study shows interesting factors and counterparts, and describes its significance for psychosocial functioning and health. This study presents preliminary results of the research and influence on temperamental properties, early childhood experiences and later experiences of one’s body, sense of value, gender, style of attachment, aggression, self-aggression and defensive capability for WZC development.
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