Rational Emotive Research Articles

The Rationality of Emotional Change: Toward a Process View*

AbstractThe paper argues against a widely held synchronic view of emotional rationality. I begin by considering recent philosophical literature on various backward‐looking emotions, such as regret, grief, resentment, and anger. I articulate the general problem these accounts grapple with: a certain diminution in backward‐looking emotions seems fitting while the reasons for these emotions seem to persist. The problem, I argue, rests on the assumption that if the facts that give reason for an emotion remain unchanged, the emotion remains fitting. However, I argue there are rationally self‐consuming attitudes: affective attitudes that become less fitting the longer they endure while the facts that give reason for them persist. A widely held synchronic view of fitting affective attitudes denies that fittingness at a time depends on the agent's attitudes at different times and therefore denies that the fittingness of an affective attitude can depend on its duration. Once we reject the synchronic view, we may see that affective attitudes are often fitting due to the fitting processes of which they are part. These fitting processes explain the fitting diminution of backward‐looking emotions as well as other diachronic aspects of the fittingness of emotions.

The fitting resolution of anger

How can we explain the rational diminution of backward-looking emotions (e.g., grief, regret, and anger) without resorting to pragmatic or wrong kind of reason explanations? That is to say, how can the diminution of these emotions not only be rational but fitting? In this paper, I offer an answer to this question by considering the case of anger. In Sect. 1, I examine Pamela Hieronymi’s account of forgiveness as the rational resolution of resentment. I argue that Hieronymi’s account rests on an assumption about the rationality of emotions (and of attitudes in general)—namely, that a rational (and fitting) change in emotion entails a change in the fact that constitutes the reason for the emotion. Then, in Sect. 2, I consider Agnes Callard’s recent criticism of accounts like Hieronymi’s as well as Callard’s alternative account of the rational resolution of anger. I argue that Callard offers a promising account but fails to explain how it avoids the criticism she levels against Hieronymi and others. Finally, in Sect. 3, I reject Hieronymi’s assumption and argue that an emotion can cease to be fitting without any change in the fact that constitutes the reason for it. I also explain how my proposal can complement Callard’s account of the rational dissipation of anger. My discussion of anger leads to a solution to the general problem about backward-looking emotions: a fitting backward-looking emotion can fittingly diminish when it is part of a process that is itself a fitting response to the past occurrence.

Emotion, Fiction and Rationality

The aim of this article is to explore in a systematic way the rationality of emotions elicited when we engage with works of fiction. I first lay out the approach to the emotions on which my discussion is premised. Next, I concentrate on two facets of emotional rationality — the first pertains to the relation between emotions and the mental states on which they are based, the second to the relation between emotions and the judgements and behaviour they elicit. These observations about emotional rationality are then applied to emotions elicited by works of fiction. After having distinguished several families of emotions, I concentrate on what I call blob-emotions (for example, one is terrified by the monster on the screen) and emotions-for (for example, one is afraid for a character in the movie). I argue that, given their nature as direct responses to a restricted range of stimuli, blob-emotions are not irrational. As regards emotions - for fictional entities, I emphasize that a subject’s rationality shows in the way her emotions - for respond to evidence. On this basis, I discard an influential reason to think that emotions-for fictional entities are irrational. Finally, I offer an argument to conclude that they are typically correct and rational.

Moral education within the social contract: Whose contract is it anyway?

ABSTRACTIn A Theory of Moral Education, Michael Hand defends the importance of teaching children moral standards, even while taking seriously the fact that reasonable people disagree about morality. While I agree there are universal moral values based on the kind of beings humans are, I raise two issues with Hand’s account. The first is an omission that may be compatible with Hand’s theory; the role of virtues. A role for the cultivation of virtues and rational emotions such as compassion is vital in accounting for the emotional aspect of morality. The second issue pertains to Hand’s foundational premise of human beings’ rough equality. Following Martha Nussbaum, I argue that contractarian approaches must be critically evaluated to ensure the social contract properly includes and accounts for the human dignity of those who are typically excluded from the benefits of society. Hand’s justificatory arguments rely upon a contractarian premise, and the contract itself needs scrutiny and adjustment if it is to support a viable theory of moral education.

Development of Rational Emotive Education Module for Stress Intervention of Malaysian Boarding School Students

This article discusses the development and validation of a Rational Emotive Education (REE) module for the stress intervention of Malaysian boarding school students. The module comprises four submo...

Commodification of Pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem Critical Study of Spiritual Tourism and the Advertising Power Based on Adorno's Critical Theory

Commodification as a shift from use value to exchange value does happen to various aspects of culture, including religious values ​​and practices. Religions cannot avoid commodification. Almost all aspects of religions have experienced it - symbols, clothings, or rituals. One example is the commodification of the pilgrimage to the Holy City of Jerusalem by the producers of culture industry, resulting in "danger" with regard to the degradation of the essence of pilgrimage into a mere entertainment value (for pilgrims) and into a profitable business prospect. They use advertising instruments as the main promotional media.
 Using a critical paradigm, this study seeks (1) to reveal the form and process of the commodification of values ​​and the practices of pilgrimage to the Holy Land (2) how the power of advertising distributes the meaning and value of the pilgrimage in shaping, accommodating, and attracting interest, and meeting people's needs of spirituality and the implications to their sustainable reality. This research mainly uses the reference to Adorno's thinking about the critique of the commodification that ends in negativity. The ultimate goal of this study is to use the concept of reconstruction as a criticism of Adorno's deconstruction in overcoming total negativity by building emancipation, participation and communication that synthesizes rationality of enlightenment and philosophical reflection so that at the same time surpasses (aufhebung) claims of unilateral progress by rationality of the mind by opening the other side of enlightenment rationality, including rational emotion or irrational faith, as something rational.
 This qualitative approach found that the capital owners of the pilgrimage trip to the Holy Land of Jerusalem and its surroundings commodify the content that is originated from religious values ​​and practices, in order to obtain maximum profits. Advertising media power is the main instrument of promotion and the dissemination of new values ​​in religious life is designed to transform existing values. This study found a dilemmatic and ironic conditions, thus an action plan and a struggle are planned, by increasing bargaining power with capital owners, emphasizing that they could survive if they accommodate and carry humanitarian development values; humans return to their nature.

The D.R.E.A.M. program: developing resilience through emotions, attitudes, & meaning (gifted edition) – a second wave positive psychology approach

ABSTRACTUp to 20% of children and youth, in general, experience significant emotional, behavioural, or social challenges, while 30% to 40% of gifted children can be identified with noteworthy difficulties in these areas. Such concerns may hinder their positive development, personal life trajectory, academic success, and inhibit gifted individuals from meeting their potential. Despite this, to date, no evidence-based, educational socio-emotional (SEL) programs exist to meet the unique needs of gifted school children. In collaboration with knowledge-users, namely gifted children, as well as their parents and teachers, we have created the D.R.E.A.M. (Developing Resilience through Emotions, Attitudes, and Meaning) program grounded in a Second Wave Positive Psychology approach called R.E.A.L. (Rational Emotive Attachment Logotherapy). The D.R.E.A.M. program uses original songs, crafts, drama, discussions, stories, and games to teach skills for resilience. The pilot program was evaluated through a Knowledge Translation-Integrated approach and was found to be acceptable to knowledge-users, feasible to implement, and credible (i.e. the program was found to enhance meaning and mental health). Suggestions for long-term sustainability of the program were also provided by the knowledge-users. Ultimately, through building a sustainable, easy to implement program, we aim to build resilience and enhance gifted children’s capacity to reach their potential.

When is Unconditional Self-Acceptance a Better Predictor of Mental Health than Self-Esteem?

In REBT, self-esteem (SE) is seen as detrimental to mental health, in comparison to more adaptive construct—unconditional self-acceptance (USA). USA represents an absence of the person`s tendency to globally evaluate his/her self-worth or ability to fully accept his/herself, regardless of the particular outcome of his/her behavior (Ellis in Reason and emotion in psychotherapy: revised and updated, Carol Publishing Group, New York, 1994). Still, in empirical studies, USA and SE often correlate moderately, while SE correlates with positive outcomes in mental health measures, sometimes more than USA (Popov et al. in J Evid Based Psychother 15(2):219–236, 2015). This study aimed to compare USA and SE as predictors of mental health when positive and negative affectivity traits are included in the same model. Indicators of mental health were subjective well-being, a state of positive and negative affect, and state of anxiety and depression. The sample consisted of 268 university students. The following instruments were used: Big five plus two (Smederevac et al. in Velikih pet plus dva: Primena i nterpretacija [Big Five Plus Two: Manual for administration and interpretation], Centar za primenjenu psihologiju, Beograd, 2010), Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (Chamberlain and Haaga in J Ration Emot Cogn Behav Ther 19:177–189, 2001a). The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg in Society and the adolescent self-image, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1965), Short subjective well-being scale (Jovanovic in Primenjena psihologija 3(2):175–190, 2010), Serbian Inventory of Affect based on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X (Novovic and Mihic 2008), Anxiety Scale (Lovibond and Lovibond in Behav Res Ther 33:335–343, 1995), The State Depression Scale (Novovic et al., in: Biro, Smederevac, Novovic (eds) Procena psiholoskih i psihopatoloskih fenomena, Centar za primenjenu psihologiju, Beograd, pp 19–28, 2009). To test the predictive power of USA in comparison with SE, a series of linear regression analyses were conducted. The results showed that besides affectivity traits, USA has significant contribution to the prediction of mental health indicators, unlike SE.

Analisa Kemampuan Mengontrol Marah ditinjau dari Penerapan REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Theraphy) pada Klien Skizofrenia di UPT Bina Laras Kras Kediri

One of schizophrenia symptoms is tantrum; to hurt people and environment, it is done to express resentment or anger which is not constructive. Anger is an aggravation which emerges as a response to anxiety or unfulfilled need and perceived as a threat. This research aims to analyze the relation between REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy) and the ability to control anger to schizophrenics in UPT Bina Laras Kras Kediri. Research design uses observational analytic with crossectional approach. The population is all schizophrenics in UPT Bina Laras Kras Kediri, the sampling technique used is purposive sampling by getting 13 respondents, the data collection used are REBT questionnaire and observation sheet of the ability to control anger. Data analysis uses Chi-Square with p value 0,001 < ɑ 0,05 means there is a relation between REBT application and the ability to control anger to schizophrenia patients in UPT Bina Laras Kras Kediri.

Effect of Rational Emotive Health Therapy on Alcohol Use Among Community-dwelling, HIV-positive Patients.

Patients who have tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who also experience alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms have worse clinical outcomes when compared with those who do not have AUD symptoms. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of rational emotive health therapy (REHT) on AUD among community-dwelling, HIV-positive patients in the Southeastern region of Nigeria. The research design included a pretest/post-test control group with a total of 124 community-dwelling, HIV-positive patients with AUD symptoms participating in the study. The measures employed for data collection included Alcohol-related Irrational Beliefs Scale (AIBS) and Alcohol Use Disorder Scale (AUDS). Repeated measures analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. The result obtained at the initial assessment indicated that AUD was severe. Furthermore, REHT intervention led to a significant reduction in AUD symptoms, as shown by a reduction in AUDS and AIBS scores with time in the treatment group compared to those in the waitlist control group after the intervention. Also, the effect of REHT was positively maintained in the treatment group participants at follow-up assessment. The presence of HIV symptoms alone does not cause HIV-positive patients to be dependent on alcohol; rather, irrational beliefs about the infection may contribute to unhealthy feelings and abuse of alcohol. Rational emotive health therapy is an effective approach that can be employed by therapists and health counselors in helping HIV-positive patients to think rationally about themselves and work to be able to overcome HIV-related, as well as alcohol-related, irrational beliefs.

Is REThink therapeutic game effective in preventing emotional disorders in children and adolescents? Outcomes of a randomized clinical trial.

Therapeutic games represent a promising solution for addressing emotional difficulties in youths. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of the REThink game, in helping children and adolescents, to develop psychological resilience. Therefore, 165 children aged between 10 and 16years were randomly assigned in one of the three groups: 54 participants in the REThink condition, 55 participants in the Rational Emotive Behavior Education condition, and 56 participants in the waitlist condition. Results indicated that the REThink intervention had a significant impact on emotional symptoms (a moderate-effect size, d = 0.46) and on depressive mood (a large-effect size, d = 0.84). Furthermore, REThink had a significant impact on children's ability to regulate their emotions, with a significant effect on emotional awareness (d = 0.64), and on the ability for emotional control (d = 0.69). In conclusion, the implications of the REThink game are discussed in relationship with resiliency building programs designed for youths. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03308981.

Changes in irrational beliefs are responsible for the efficacy of the REThink therapeutic game in preventing emotional disorders in children and adolescents: mechanisms of change analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

The mechanisms of change are rarely investigated in the field of gamified interventions for preventing emotional disorders in children and adolescents despite the wide recognition for the advantages they offer as prevention tool. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms of change of a therapeutic game (REThink), specifically mediators and moderators of its efficacy. We conducted a randomized controlled trial, involving 165 children (age range 10-16years), who were randomly distributed across three groups: the REThink group (N = 54), the Rational Emotive Behavior Education group (N = 55) and the Waitlist condition (N = 56). Results indicated that changes in irrational beliefs were significant mediators for the REThink intervention on depressive mood and overall negative emotions. Age did not moderate the effect of REThink, which indicates that the program was equally effective for children and adolescents.Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03308981.

Application of rational emotive therapy in response to stress in night shift nurses

Objective To explore the effect of rational emotion therapy on negative emotional effects such as anxiety and depression in night nurses. Methods 36 night shift nurses were selected as the research subjects.According to the different means of intervention, the nurses were divided into two groups, 18 cases in each group.The control group was not given psychological guidance, the observation group was given reasonable mood therapy.The negative emotions such as anxiety and depression were recorded in the nurses. Results After intervention, the anxiety self-rating scale, depression self-rating scale of the observation group were (48.05±2.54)points and (44.65±2.03)points, respectively, which of the control group were (54.02±4.93)points and (48.77± 4.26)points, respectively, the differences were statistically significant (t=4.567, 3.704, all P<0.05). After intervention, the depersonalization score, emotional exhaustion, personal achievement, total occupational burnout feeling of the observation group were (10.05±1.32)points, (14.43±2.13)points, (20.09±2.23)points and (44.65±3.76)points, respectively, which of the control group were (20.03±3.27)points, (34.65±5.19)points, (31.83±3.87)points, (75.54±8.71)points, respectively, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=12.007, 15.291, 11.151, 15.291, all P<0.05). The solve problems score, remorse score, help score, fantasy score, retreat score, rationalization score in the observation group were (0.92±0.14)points, (0.76±0.18)points, (0.88±0.19)points, (0.67±0.13)points, (0.54±0.19)points, (0.85±0.21)points, which were higher than those in the control group, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=9.300, 11.392, 7.499, 15.944, 9.104, 15.944, all P<0.05). Conclusion Adopting rational emotion therapy can effectively reduce the psychological resistance of night nurses, relieve psychological pressure, enhance the ability to cope with stress, and improve the well-being of nurses. Key words: Emotions; Anxiety; Depression

The ethics of narrative art: Philosophy in schools, compassion and learning from stories

Following neo-Aristotelians Alasdair MacIntyre and Martha Nussbaum, we claim that humans are story-telling animals who learn from the stories of diverse others. Moral agents use rational emotions, such as compassion, which is our focus here, to imaginatively reconstruct others’ thoughts, feelings and goals. In turn, this imaginative reconstruction plays a crucial role in deliberating and discerning how to act. A body of literature has developed in support of the role narrative artworks (i.e. novels and films) can play in allowing us the opportunity to engage imaginatively and sympathetically with diverse characters and scenarios in a safe protected space that is created by the fictional world. By practising what Nussbaum calls a ‘loving attitude’, her version of ethical attention, we can form virtuous habits that lead to phronesis (practical wisdom). In this paper, and taking compassion as an illustrative focus, we examine the ways that students’ moral education might usefully develop from engaging with narrative artworks through Philosophy for Children (P4C), where philosophy is a praxis, conducted in a classroom setting using a Community of Inquiry (CoI). We argue that narrative artworks provide useful stimulus material to engage students, generate student questions, and motivate philosophical dialogue and the formation of good habits, which, in turn, supports the argument for philosophy to be taught in schools.

Konseling Rasional Emotif Perilaku: Sebuah Tinjauan Filosofis

RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOR COUNSELING: A PHILOSOPHICAL REVIEW. Rational Emotive Behavior Counseling is a comprehensive, active-directive, philosophical and empirical counseling based on psychotherapy that focuses on solving problems of emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as delivering individuals to happier and fulfilling lives more lives. The foundation of the philosophy of Rational Emotive Behavior Counseling is phenomology, which implies that there is no problem within oneself, which causes one to be troubled is his or her own. Rational emotive behavior counseling is done by using a varied and systematic procedure that is specifically intended to alter behavior within the boundaries of objectives that counselors and counselees work on together. General Purpose Rational Emotive Behavior Counseling helps counselees to identify irrational belief systems and then modify them to become more rational. Rational Counseling Emotive Behavior is practiced around the world and has many counseling applications, over 50 years of existence, Rational Emotive Behavior Counseling has been successfully applied to individuals, groups, marriages, families and for a variety of issues.

합리적 감정에 기초한 법적 정의에 대한 연구

합리적 감정에 기초한 법적 정의에 대한 연구

Empirical Investigation of the Relationships Between Irrationality, Self-Acceptance, and Dispositional Forgiveness

Milburn (J Ration Emot Cogn Behav Ther 33:325–340, 2015) recently suggested a theoretical link between REBT and forgiving, proposing that irrational beliefs, particularly demandingness and global evaluations of human worth, play a role in lack of forgiveness. The present study investigated a quantitative link between the concepts of irrationality, self-acceptance, and dispositional forgiveness. Four-hundred and thirty-three participants (70% female) participated in a 69-item online survey combining four previously validated scales: Shortened General Attitude and Belief Scale; Heartland Forgiveness Scale; Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire; and the Transgression Narrative Test of Forgivingness—(with revised response-options). Results indicated moderate and strong negative correlations between irrationality and dispositional forgiveness. Conversely, unconditional self-acceptance was significantly positively correlated with dispositional forgiveness. Regression analyses indicated that subtypes of irrationality and self-acceptance could predict dispositional forgiveness of self, other, and situation. No significant differences were found between sexes. These findings add empirical support to the hypotheses made by Milburn, suggesting that holding irrational beliefs impedes the process of forgiving, and one’s level of self-acceptance predicts one’s disposition to forgive.

Smith te Tutarlılık Tartışması Bağlamında Görünmez El Metaforu ve Kendiliğinden Doğan Düzenin İktisat ve Toplum Açısından Önemi

This study, deals with the emergence of political economy along with the production of goods and services depending on the capital accumulation process. The Smithian impact in resolving the link between the definition of political economy and distribution and accumulation shall be explained. Moreover, the view that Smith’s works titled The Theory of Moral Sentiments and The Wealth of the Nations contain consistency rather than inconsistency are evaluated in the study. Smith deals with the market and political process in his work titled The Wealth of the Nations. Therefore, it is expressed that the bases of political economy have been established by his work. Moreover, Smith evaluates the moral philosophy in his work titled The Theory of Moral Sentiments which focuses on the importance of concepts like utility and ethics. Accordingly, that the thinkers of Scottish Enlightenment focus on emotions instead of mind and then Smith’s tendency towards emotional rationality realized in consistency are expressed and that these thinkers are turning towards the concept of sympathy is emphasized in this study. Smith, one of the thinkers of Scottish Enlightenment, attempted to describe the desire of people to be accepted, adopted and esteemed in society by the concept of sympathy . Furthermore, Smith mentions that there is a relationship between the concept of sympathy and ethical values . In this context, this study explains the assessment of the concept of sympathy from a social and ethical point of view by the thinkers of Scottish Enlightenment. In addition, it is argued that the idea of spontaneous order and the invisible hand metaphor in Smith have integrity with Smith’s Moral Sentiments Theory . Smith, with the idea of spontaneous order, claims that individuals are pursuing their self-interest in the commercial society, as a result, a collective development can be achieved by this way. In the spontaneous order, there are cooperations and exchanges in the market among people. On the other hand, Smith expresses that public good will reach the highest level with the invisible hand metaphor. Besides, the invisible hand metaphor is an instrument which balance both market and society that has the function of regulatory force. This study, discusses the importance of Smith’s invisible hand metaphor and spontaneous order for economy and society. In the study, it is emphasized on the argument that Smith’s invisible hand metaphor can be explained with work titled The Moral Sentiments Theory. Nevertheless, it is evaluated that the principle of sympathy in The Moral Sentiments Theory is referred to the sense of competition in The Wealth of the Nations and the economic life of the buyer and the seller is realized in a consistent way. In this context, the purpose of the study is to reveal and discuss whether Smith’s invisible hand metaphor and the idea of spontaneous order and also his ideas on economics, society and morality in general are linked to each other or not. As a consequence of the study, it is stated that Smith had tendency toward the ideal of integrating economics and moral behavior in The Theory of Moral Sentiments and The Wealth of the Nations . Moreover, in general, that the Scottish Enlightenment thinkers referred to moral values rather than to the self-interested reason and the discipline of the political economy has developed with Smith is manifested.

The Indonesian version of irrational beliefs tests in rational emotive behavior therapy: adaptation of irrational beliefs tests

This Indonesian version of Irrational Beliefs Test (IV-IBT) measures the irrational thoughts in accordance with the irrational belief’s concept by Albert Ellis (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy) and is the result from the language and cultural adaptation of Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT; Richard Garner Jones, 1968). There are 10 irrational thoughts contained in IBT namely demand for approval, high self-expectation, blame proneness, frustration reactive, anxious overcome, problem avoidance, dependency, helplessness, perfectionism. IBT consists of 100 items originating from 10 items for each type of irrational thoughts. The IBT adaptation process was conducted using the Guidelines for test translations (van de Vijver &amp; Hambleton, 1996), and further elaborated into four major steps, namely (1) the translation from English into Indonesian by an expert in English language and a psychologist, and from Indonesian into English by two experts in English language, (2) content validity assessment by three assessors who master the REBT concepts and psychological measurement, (3) dimensionality examination with exploratory factor analysis, (4) empirical testing to obtain the accurate, adequate, and relevant item formulation involving 302 students. The Irrational Beliefs Test consists of 31 items, 10 factors, and is unidimensional (single dimension) in nature. Results and discussion are described in the Indonesian culture context.

A Logical Foundation for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

Rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) depends on the implications A ⊃ B and B ⊃ C where A is an activating event, B is a belief and C is an emotional consequence. We use this idea to present a logical theory for REBT, and show how it can be used to create a computer program that can be used as a therapist’s aid.