Self-defeating Behavior Research Articles

Shame Coping Styles and Psychopathic Personality Traits

The convergent validity of the primary and secondary psychopathy scales of the Levenson, Kiehl, and Fitzpatrick (1995) Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRPS) were investigated by contrasting correlations between the two SRPS scales and self-report adaptive and maladaptive shame coping scales. The results, from a sample of 305 undergraduates, supported the convergent validity of the SRPS primary (selfish, uncaring, manipulative interpersonal style) and secondary (impulsivity and self-defeating behavior) scales; both possessed small but significant negative relationships with adaptive shame coping and small but significant positive relationships with externalizing shame coping. An opposing pattern of convergent validity was evidenced by partial correlations (controlling for SPRS scale covariance) that indicated the SRPS primary scale had a negative relationship and the secondary scale had a positive relationship to internalizing shame coping.

Whose Bad Objects Are We Anyway? Repetition and Our Elusive Love Affair with Evil

What allows us to explain the repetitive cycles of self-destructive, self-defeating behavior that we all struggle to help patients overcome? What explains the malignancy that can infuse certain transference—countertransference relationships, often suddenly and without warning? Why do some patients come to hate us despite our best efforts? Why do we come to hate some of them? Perhaps more to the point of this paper, why do we come to hate that version of ourselves that emerges when we are with them? This paper explores these questions, examining the issues of repetition and repair with regard to our most toxic introjects—the patients' and our own. Whereas Melanie Klein helped us to understand why we come to hate that which is good in others, this author explores the complementary question of how loving that which is bad in others keeps the self innocent, good, and sane. A fundamental dissociative split in two necessary but incompatible self–other organizations is posed. With reference to a detailed clinical example, the author investigates how the evocation of intensely shame-riddled bad self representations in both the patient and the analyst can perpetuate a need to provoke, find, and sustain that badness clearly in the psychic domain of the other, blocking entry into certain necessary therapeutic enactments that may therefore fail to occur. Both self—other organizations must occur, first in oscillating moments and ultimately in simultaneous awareness, in order for the analytic work to proceed.

Reconceptualizing Self‐Esteem: Implications of Kegan's Constructive‐Developmental Model for School Counselors

This article introduces school counselors to a developmental theory that may assist them in their conceptualization of students' self‐esteem. Components of R. Kegan's (1982) constructive‐developmental model that are relevant for K‐12 school counselors are reviewed. Case studies of and implications for counseling interventions are presented.

Procrastination and counterfactual thinking: avoiding what might have been.

The possible negative consequences of counterfactuals were explored in the current study by examining the relationship between counterfactual direction and trait procrastination, a self-defeating behavioural style. Eighty participants generated counterfactuals in response to two experimental anxiety inductions. Trait procrastination was overall related to avoiding thoughts about how things could have been better (making more downward and relatively fewer upward counterfactuals) in response to the two anxiety-provoking scenarios, suggesting the involvement of a self-enhancement motive (mood repair). Evidence for the involvement of this self-motive in procrastinating behaviour also emerged, as procrastination was more related to making more downward counterfactuals for a delay-specific anxiety scenario than for a general anxiety scenario. The pattern of results supports the proposal that downward counterfactuals may be associated with negative behavioural styles such as procrastination and implicates self-enhancement motives in this relationship. The behavioural and motivational consequences of downward counterfactuals are discussed and possible connections between downward counterfactuals and other self-defeating behaviours are presented.

The Song of the Siren: Dealing with Masochistic Thoughts and Behaviors

Masochism is a complex emotion that can be tenacious and ruthless in inflicting psychic pain on selected patients. It is the authors' intent to illuminate the intrapsychic dynamics of two patterns of self-defeating masochism. One is cognitive in nature, in which the patient's masochism is limited to their thoughts, without acting it out behaviorally. When, on the other hand, masochism becomes behavioral as well, the punitive super-ego dictates surrender to self-defeating and self-depriving behaviors. Theoretical discussions and case studies will show how Family, Cultural, and Religion contribute to the patient's mental and behavioral suffering. Various treatment strategies, such as modeling, creating distractions, identifying the sources of the voices of the past by analyzing the roots of masochistic feelings, providing the “corrective emotional experience,” are discussed as techniques designed to heal the struggles of the masochistic patient.

Cultural themes in rites of passage: Voices of young African American males

In recent years, our society has begun to take a closer look at the plight of urban adolescent African American males. This population has come under close scrutiny because of the seemingly pervasive negativity they face on a daily basis. Hill (1992) candidly punctuated the negative forces that are taking their toll on young African American males in cities across the country. Black males, particularly adolescents in urban areas, have been a vulnerable group in relation to such destructive activities as substance abuse and gang involvement (Wright & Anderson, 1998; Hill, 1992). Families in crisis add more gloom to this picture as many of these adolescent males are in various out-of-home placements. Frustration and confusion abound for these youth as they grapple with low self-esteem and a bruised sense of ethnic identity. The increase in substance abuse and violent behavior among today 's adolescents could be l inked to society 's underutilization of Rites of Passage (Blumenkrantz & Gavazzi, 1993; Campbell & Moyers 1988). Informal indicators of adulthood such as drinking, promiscuous sexual behavior, and gang involvement serve as socially proscribed transit ional markers (Quinn, Newfield, & Protinsky, 1985; Hill, 1992). Contemporary Rites of Passage (RITES) that are culturally specific in design denounce such self-defeating behaviors and promote pro-social and pro-familial lifestyles. Such programming

Social exclusion causes self-defeating behavior.

Four experiments tested the idea that social exclusion leads to (unintentionally) self-defeating behavior. Exclusion was manipulated by telling some people that they were likely to end up alone later in life. This randomly assigned feedback caused people to take irrational, self-defeating risks (Experiments 1 and 2), choose unhealthy, rather than healthy, behaviors (Experiment 3), and procrastinate longer with pleasurable activities rather than practicing for an upcoming test (Experiment 4). A control group, who heard that their future would be marred by frequent accidents, did not show these self-defeating patterns. Thus, the effect goes beyond just hearing bad news. Emotional distress did not significantly mediate these effects across 3 different mood measures.

Healing through social and spiritual affiliation.

Two very different approaches can be employed to promote recovery from psychiatric disorders. One approach is grounded in an understanding of individual psychopathology, and it is clearly central to contemporary care. The second approach to recovery, which is based on group psychology and the support derived from participation in a group, can also be valuable in promoting recovery. In examining this second approach, I consider Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other movements that operate through social and ideologically grounded support. The term “spiritual recovery movement” (1) can be applied to them. On the basis of studies that I and my colleagues have conducted, I describe a psychological model to clarify the operation of such groups. Charismatic groups Social and spiritual recovery can be considered from the perspective of naturally occurring, highly cohesive, and religiously oriented cultic groups, two of which I have studied. One was the Divine Light Mission, headed by a guru who began preaching at the age of six in his native India. Members’ responses to a research questionnaire indicated a reduction in their symptoms of psychological distress after they joined the group, and the extent of the reduction was significantly correlated with the intensity of the social cohesiveness a member felt toward the group (2). Further clarification of the psychology of cultic groups emerged from our studies of the Unification Church, the “Moonies.” Using two scales I found that the stronger an individual’s affiliative feelings toward the group, the greater his or her psychological wellbeing (3). A study of long-term members who were matched to their future spouses by the Reverend Moon

Use of Object Relations and Self-Psychology as Treatment for Sex Addiction with a Female Borderline Patient

Object relations and self-psychology were utilized in an outpatient setting with a female patient who initially presented with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress and borderline personality disorders and exhibited compulsive sexual thoughts and behaviors. The patient engaged in self-defeating behaviors in an attempt to survive, to cope with, or to avoid painful emotions associated with original trauma. She reenacted sexual and physical traumatic themes, and further endured mistreatment by professionals unaware of how to address her collateral sexual compulsivity. Longer recovery was obtained only when a therapist provided a consistent holding environment.

Breakdown of Will

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Book ReviewsFull AccessBreakdown of WillMohamed El-Sabaawi, M.D.Mohamed El-SabaawiSearch for more papers by this author, M.D.Published Online:1 May 2002https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.53.5.638AboutSectionsView EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail In this book, George Ainslie offers a compelling and novel theory that enhances our understanding of human successes and failures in attempts to achieve greater self-control. Ainslie first proposed what he terms a "hyperbolic discounting theory" of the mind in his Picoeconomics a decade ago (1). Breakdown of Will seeks to provide a summary clarification of the earlier publication and to present new research, observations, and theoretical findings in validation of the original theory.At issue in Ainslie's work are our basic assumptions about self-control among individuals who knowingly engage in addictions and other self-defeating behaviors. The paradox of human inconsistency in making self-defeating choices has provoked the development of a proliferation of theories from various disciplines, including behavioral science, cognitive psychology, philosophy of the mind, economics, and social sciences. Integrating approaches from several of these disciplines, Ainslie proposes a unique model of motivation that accounts for the successes and failures of the will that are at the core of decision making.The book's 12 chapters are organized into three parts. Part 1, "Breakdowns of Will: The Puzzle of Akrasia," begins with a review of the conundrum of self-defeating behavior, from the views of early theologians and Greek rationalists through the evolution of the concept of will. Ainslie dissects the limitations of present-day utility and cognitive psychology models in explaining irrational choices and puts forth his alternative, namely, hyperbolic theory, which holds that we employ temporary preferences in valuing or discounting future events and their associated rewards, depending on their temporal distance, their magnitude, and their duration. Present decisions are made against what we expect our future selves to want, with complex, if not fully conscious, personal valuations on a time scale underpinning those decisions. If plotted, these time-scale valuations would assume the shape of a hyperbolic curve —hence the name of Ainslie's theory. The result is an elegant model in which the mind works like a population of conflicting interests bargaining in a marketplace.In Part 2, "A Breakdown of the Will: The Components of Intertemporal Bargaining," Ainslie elaborates on the intricate interactions between different personal interests as they constrain or partially cooperate with one another in a process he calls intertemporal bargaining. Ainslie emphasizes the role of the will as the primary agent in this process. In part 3, "The Ultimate Breakdown of Will: Nothing Fails Like Success," Ainslie discusses his formulations of the will's failures—compulsions and impulsive behavior—in the context of the hyperbolic model.Readers will be impressed with the depth of Ainslie's thinking, creativity, and synthesis. Breakdown of Will is an important resource for professionals and students of the philosophy of the mind, experimental psychology, and behavioral economics. It is also worthwhile background reading for addiction therapists. While Ainslie presents a means of theoretical understanding, he does not seek in this book to offer practical applications of the theory to clinical practice. He also assumes that the reader will have a basic familiarity with philosophical jargon, so clinicians with limited reading time looking for pragmatic approaches to helping patients conquer self-defeating behaviors are likely to find it too abstract.Dr. El-Sabaawi is director of the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Falls Church, Virginia, and associate clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.by George Ainslie; New York, Cambridge University Press, 2001, 258 pages, $17.95 softcoverReference1. Ainslie G: Picoeconomics: The Strategic Interaction of Successive Motivational States Within the Person. New York, Cambridge University Press, 1992Google Scholar FiguresReferencesCited byDetailsCited byNone Volume 53Issue 5 May 2002Pages 638-638 Metrics History Published online 1 May 2002 Published in print 1 May 2002

Families and Self-Sacrifice: Alternative Models and Meanings for Family Theory

The concept of sacrifice used to be a dominant theme in social scientific theorizing, but it is now so neglected that recent work speaks of the need for a recovery of sacrifice. Similarly, self-sacrifice in the service of family members, formerly seen as high virtue, is now often characterized as personality defect or self-defeating behavior. Neither self-sacrifice nor family love play a significant part in the prevailing family theories, grounded as they are in the assumption of self-interest and framed in the logic of utilitarian individualism and the rationalized marketplace. This silence is more ideologically based than reflective of family process. The absence of a language of sacrifice and love limits our ability to give voice to our experience, and the professional neglect of these concepts diminishes our understanding of the processes they name. Some recent work on sacrifice by scholars in other disciplines has implications for family theory. We draw from the disciplines of economics, history, philosophy, literature, sociology, and from life as lived by everyday people in making the case that self-sacrifice is a powerful and essential part of social life generally, and family life in particular. It merits a more substantial place in contemporary theory. Some theoretical approaches compatible with self-sacrifice as principle and practice are offered.

The utility of change models in the design and delivery of thematic group interventions: Applications to a self-defeating behaviors group.

The utility of change models in the design and delivery of thematic group interventions: Applications to a self-defeating behaviors group.

The utility of change models in the design and delivery of thematic group interventions: Applications to a self-defeating behaviors group.

The utility of change models in the design and delivery of thematic group interventions: Applications to a self-defeating behaviors group.

A centipede for intransitive preferrers

In the standard money pump, an agent with cyclical preferences can avoid exploitation if he shows foresight and solves his sequential decision problem using backward induction (BI). This way out is foreclosed in a modified money pump, which has been presented in Rabinowicz (2000). There, BI will lead the agent to behave in a self-defeating way. The present paper describes another sequential decision problem of this kind, the Centipede for an Intransitive Preferrer, which in some respects is even more striking than the modified pump. In the new problem, the BI reasoning that implies self-defeating behavior does not rest on the controversial robustness assumption concerning beliefs in one's future rationality. This strengthens the claim that foresight cannot save the intransitive preferrer from a self-defeating course of action.

Children and youth in foster care: disentangling the relationship between problem behaviors and number of placements

Objective: The purpose of this research was to provide a prospective look at the relationship between change in placement and problem behaviors over a 12-month period among a cohort of foster children. Method: The sample contained 415 youth, and was part of a larger cohort of children who entered foster care in San Diego, California and remained in placement for at least 5 months. The Child Behavior Check List was used to assess behavior problems. Every change of placement during the first 18 months after entry into the foster care system was abstracted from case records. Results: The results suggest that volatile placement histories contribute negatively to both internalizing and externalizing behavior of foster children, and that children who experience numerous changes in placement may be at particularly high risk for these deleterious effects. Initial externalizing behaviors proved to be the strongest predictor of placement changes for the entire sample and for a sub-sample of those who initially evidenced problem behaviors on at least one broad-band CBCL scale. Our findings also suggest that children who initially score within normal ranges on the CBCL may be particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of placement breakdowns. Conclusions: On the basis of these findings we argue for an analytical approach that views behavior problems as both a cause and as a consequence of placement disruption. Children who do not evidence behavior problems may in fact constitute a neglected population that responds to multiple disruptions of their primary relationships with increasingly self-defeating behaviors.

Ideology, Irrationality and Collectively Self‐defeating Behavior

Ideology, Irrationality and Collectively Self‐defeating Behavior

The ultimate resignation: suicide and search activity

This paper presents an integrative approach to suicidal behavior in terms of search activity concept. Search activity concept displays a broad and holistic approach to behavior, adaptation to environment, body resistance, brain amine metabolism, and REM-sleep functions. Search activity is defined as activity that is oriented to change the situation (or at least the subject's attitude to it) in the absence of a precise prediction of the outcome of such activity, but taking into consideration outcomes at all previous stages of activity. According to the proposed hypothesis, renunciation of search (a state opposed to search activity) leads to a feeling of helplessness, problem–solution deficits, inefficient coping, dreams that represent renunciation of search, and a drop in the activity of amines. All these factors further exacerbate the state of renunciation of search and elevate suicidal risk. In addition, the remnants of search activity are misdirected to self-defeating behaviors that increase mental pain and contribute to renunciation of search. This hypothesis integrates findings from a number of fields of study of suicidal behavior, resolves some paradoxes, suggests new lines of research, and raises suggestions for assessment and treatment of suicidal behavior.

Hard choices and weak wills: The theory of intrapersonal dilemmas

Social dilemmas occur when individuals make choices that are in their own best interest but not in the interest of society as a whole. Intrapersonal dilemmas occur when people make choices that are in the best interest of themselves at the moment of choice, but not in the best interest of themselves in the long run. A number of writers have observed that we can usefully model this self-defeating behavior by treating each individual as an aggregate of selves which have competing interests, like the individual selves in a population. We undertake to synthesize and extend these contributions, applying the theory of intrapersonal dilemmas to addiction and procrastination, and discuss how the concept of multiple selves can explain why people attempt to control their behavior by imposing costs or constraints on themselves in the future, and how it can also help us develop new strategies of (personal) behavior control.

Dead End Kids: Gang Girls and the Boys They Know

Girls are no less important to gang life than boys. Young women get trapped in cycles of victimization and self-defeating behaviour despite their tough talk to the contrary. This book aims to expose gang life as seen through the eyes of a teen-aged girl named Cara. It provides an account of Cara's life as a member of a Kansas city gang, the Fremont Hustlers. Drugs and guns, shootings and assaults, boyfriends and pregnancies, ratty apartments, broken-down cars, minimum wage jobs, strained relationships with family and peers, dodging the police and praying for peace fill her days. The book describes in detail the social and economic pressure on Cara and fellow gang members whose lives were shaped by poverty, family disorganization and parental neglect.

Forecasting financial markets: the psychological dynamics of successful investing

The ability to make money in financial markets depends most critically on an individual's ability to make decisions independent of the crowd. This work shows traders how, by being aware of the forces at work in the financial markets, they can use them to their own advantage. It focuses on: the way that the crowd influence creates specific price movements and patterns, rhythmic oscillations and mathematically-related price movements; the design of trading systems; knowing when to enter a position or exit a position; how market price movements trigger negative and self-defeating behaviour patterns; how best to recognize these patterns and override them; and how to enhance confidence in one's ability to succeed. This edition is fully revised and updated, giving fresh insights into the psychology of trading and market activity, and showing how to achieve trading advantage.