It is well understood that psychoanalysis began with Freud’s encounter with hysteria and his work with illnesses of the mind which manifested in bodily terms. However, despite its close connection to the body and the understanding that psychoanalytic theory and practice develop hand-in-hand, psychological conflict that expresses itself in physical terms and more especially the role of the two bodies in the therapy room has received relatively little attention. The topic of this research project is captured in its title: “Minding the Body”, and the four journal articles it presents interrogate the relationship between the mind and body of both the patient and therapist. The thesis begins with two published papers which focus on the body of the patient, rehearsing and extending the psychoanalytic theory of bodily psychopathology and the implications that the different understandings of the relationship between body and mind in different forms of psychosoma have for clinical interventions. The second two papers examine what the analyst’s interpretation of her somatic responses to the patient, and the patient’s engagement with the analyst’s body, can reveal about the dynamics of the therapeutic dyad. The project concludes with a discussion of the clinical implications of a greater focus on the two bodies in the room, suggesting that the techniques developed to make sense of the patient’s physical symptoms can be usefully applied to decode the somatic countertransference as it manifests in a particular therapeutic dyad. That process, coupled with an awareness of the patient’s engagement with the therapist’s body, can create conditions under which the analyst’s body may become an analytic object and this can add significantly to the analytic repertoire.

This thesis examined the developmental differences in inhibition and theory-of-mind of 4-8 year olds as a function of the suggested presence of a supernatural agent. All children played four games designed to assess their current level of inhibition and theory-of-mind performance; Children in the experimental condition, only, were also introduced to an invisible Princess Alice and were told that she was watching during the games. Following these measures, all children engaged in a resistance-to-temptation task to determine any differences in inhibition resulting from Princess Alice's suggested presence. I found that children exhibiting a well-developed theory-of-mind were more likely to express belief in Princess Alice than were children lacking this cognitive ability. This research provided support that cognitive maturity, rather than immaturity, may be necessary for children to express belief in novel supernatural agents, and highlighted the importance of context as a mediating factor in children's behavioral inhibition. / by Ashley King. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The objective of this study was to compare the acute heart rate variability responses to relaxation alone versus relaxation preceded by Hatha yoga. Twenty women and men (aged 18-50 years) participated in the study. Participants completed a yoga plus relaxation (YR) session and a relaxation only (R) session. The YR condition showed significant changes from baseline in HR (bpm, p < 0.001), RR (ms, p < 0.001), pNN50 (%, p = 0.009), LF (% p = 0.008) and HF (% p = 0.035). The R condition showed significant changes from baseline in HR (bpm, p < 0.001), RR (ms, p < 0.001), HF (ms2, p = 0.004), LF (%, p = 0.005), HF (%, p = 0.008) and LF/HF (%, p = 0.008). There were no significant differences between conditions for the changes from baseline for any of the variables. The results demonstrate that relaxation produces favorable changes in indices of heart rate variability whether alone or preceded by about of Hatha yoga. / by Nina Markil. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

A expressão mente primitiva é frequentemente encontrada no âmbito da psicanálise, porém não é um conceito sem problemas no vocabulário psicanalítico, por não haver consenso quanto ao seu uso, ou ser utilizado de forma ampla e genérica, sem apresentar uma definição mais precisa que indique com maior exatidão a que se refere. Muitos autores têm usado esse termo ou um equivalente, com diferentes posicionamentos. Tem como principal objetivo clarificar o processo de construção do conceito de mente primitiva e seus desdobramentos por meio da análise da produção psicanalítica escrita. Trata-se de uma investigação conceitual segundo os pressupostos de natureza qualitativa, caracterizando-se como descritivo-exploratória do ponto de vista de suas finalidades. Procura tornar possível o estabelecimento de meios de refinamento ao examinar minuciosamente os elementos, os contextos em que se insere esse conceito em seu processo de construção, suas transformações e tentativas de consolidação, tanto no seio de determinada corrente teórica psicanalítica quanto na interface das múltiplas perspectivas. O material selecionado é composto por produções publicadas na Revista Brasileira de Psicanálise (FEBRAPSI) e no International Journal of Psycho-Analysis (IPA), no período de 1990 a 2005. Não se trata apenas de propor uma revisão sobre o tema, mas de uma tentativa de ir além, buscando o que pode ser apreendido e os sentidos que puderam emergir do contato com o material, identificado mediante levantamento em bases de dados on line, tanto nos periódicos selecionados quanto em outras fontes, que contribuíram para a fundamentação e aprofundamentos. Localizado e recuperado o material, iniciou-se o processo de imersão por meio da leitura. Na Revista Brasileira de Psicanálise foram lidas 1.069 produções e destas foram selecionadas as 109 em que aparece a expressão mente primitiva ou termos congêneres, tendo aquela sido encontrada 29 vezes em 14 artigos e 01 (uma) resenha, e estes últimos, por vezes inúmeras em todas as produções selecionadas. No International Journal of Psycho-Analysis foram encontradas 318 referências de artigos no mesmo período, sendo selecionadas 50 delas. A partir do percurso da literatura psicanalítica em geral e do material selecionado, foi elaborada uma síntese geral que contribui para a clarificação do conceito em pauta, pois apresenta um conjunto de caracteres que permitem a detecção das condições necessárias para descrever, classificar e identificar o que pode ser circunscrito pela expressão mente primitiva. De modo geral, é possível compreender esse termo como: 1) referente ao funcionamento mental peculiar dos primeiros meses de vida do bebê, desde sua centralização nos processos corporais a partir dos quais se originam os desenvolvimentos progressivos do psiquismo e a constituição do sujeito; 2) parte constituinte do psiquismo, oriunda dos estados iniciais do funcionamento mental tanto da espécie (filogênese) quanto do indivíduo (ontogênese), que permanece dinamicamente atuante por toda a vida junto com os desenvolvimentos posteriores, sendo imperecível / The expression primitive mind is frequently found in the realm of psychoanalysis. However, it is not a concept devoid of problems in the vocabulary of psychoanalysis, as there is no consensus regarding its use or it is used is a broad and generic sense, without a more precise definition that can indicate with more precision its true meaning. Several authors have used this term or an equivalent to it, with different standings. Starting from the plurality of approaches on this topic, the present investigation contributes, not because it intends to unify propositions or establish standards, but by pointing out its specificities and discussing it in order to broaden its understanding. The main objective is to clarify the process of constructing the concept of primitive mind and its developments, through the analysis of written psychoanalysis output. It is a conceptual investigation according to the qualitative assumptions, and can be characterized as descriptive-exploratory in its purposes. It aims to make it possible to establish means of refinement when examining in detail the elements, the contexts in which this concept is inserted in its construction process, its transformations and attempts at consolidation, both in the heart of a given psychoanalytical current and in the interface of multiple perspectives. The selected material consists of scientific output published in the Brazilian Journal of Psychoanalysis (FEBRAPSI) and in the International Journal of Psycho-Analysis (IPA), in the period between 1990 and 2005. This is not a mere revision on the theme, but an attempt to go beyond, seeking what can be absorbed and the meanings that emerged from contact with the material, which was identified from an assessment in online databases, both in the selected periodicals and in other sources that contributed to the formulation and expansion. After the material was located and retrieved, the process of immersion began through reading. From the Brazilian Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1,069 productions were read, of which 109 were selected, where the expression primitive mind was found 29 times in 14 articles and one review, in addition to other similar terms. In the International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 318 references were found of articles for the same period, of which 50 were selected. From the exploration through general psychoanalysis literature and the selected material, a general synthesis was devised that contributes to the clarification of the concept at hand, as it presents a set of characters that allow the detection of the necessary conditions to describe, classify and identify what can be circumscribed by the use of the expression primitive mind. In a general sense, it can be understood as: 1) referring to the peculiar mental functioning during the babys first months, from its centralization in body processes from which develop the progressive developments of the psyche and the establishment of the subject; 2) as the constituent part of the psyche, resulting from the initial stages of mental functioning, both of the species (phylogenesis) and the individual (ontogenesis), which remains dynamically active throughout the life along with the later developments, imperishable

Thesis advisor: Liane L. Young / Thesis advisor: Elizabeth A. Kensinger / Theory of mind refers to the process of representing others’ mental states. This process consistently elicits activity in a network of brain regions: the theory of mind network (ToMN). Typically, theory of mind has been understood in terms of content, i.e. representing the semantic content of someone’s beliefs. However, recent work has proposed that ToMN activity could be better understood in the context of social prediction; or, more specifically, prediction error—the difference between observed and predicted information. Social predictions can be represented in multiple forms—e.g. dispositional predictions about who a person is, prescriptive norms about what people should do, and descriptive norms about what people frequently do. Part 1 examined the relationship between social prediction error and ToMN activity, finding that the activity in the ToMN was related to both dispositional, and prescriptive predictions. Part 2 examined the semantic content represented by moral claims. Prior work has suggested that morals are generally represented and understood as objective, i.e. akin to facts. Instead, we found that moral claims are represented as far more social than prior work had anticipated, eliciting a great deal of activity across the ToMN. Part 3 examined the relationship between ToMN activity and metaethical status, i.e. the extent that morals were perceived as objective or subjective. Objective moral claims elicited less ToMN activity, whereas subjective moral claimed elicited more. We argue that this relationship is best understood in the context of prediction, where objective moral claims represent strong social priors about what most people will believe. Finally, I expand on this finding and argue that a theoretical approach incorporating social prediction has serious implications for morality, or more specifically, for the motivations underlying normative compliance. People may be compelled to observe moral rules because doing so maintains a predictable social environment. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Psychology.

Thesis advisor: Ellen Winner / Despite the widespread involvement of individuals in drama either as performers or audience members, psychologists know very little about the cognitive and affective underpinnings of acting. Acting may provide a powerful lens through which to understand how we understand our own and others' minds. In this dissertation, I review research on theory of mind, empathy, and emotion regulation, show how these three skills are related to acting theory and acting training, and discuss studies I have previously completed demonstrating correlations between skill in acting and skill in theory of mind, empathy, and positive emotion regulation. I then completed four studies. Study 1 was a longitudinal study comparing children (ages 8-10) receiving acting vs. visual arts training over the course of one academic year testing the hypothesis that acting training in childhood is causally related to development of advanced theory of mind, positive emotion regulation, and empathy. Study 1 found that children in acting classes gain in empathy and expression of emotion over a year above children involved in other art forms. Study 2 was a qualitative study designed to determine the kinds of habits of mind taught, explicitly and implicitly, in acting classes for children (ages 8-10). The purpose of Study 2 was to determine the extent to which acting teachers strive to teach theory of mind, empathy, and adaptive emotion regulation in their acting classes. Study 2 found that children in acting classes at this age are taught about physicality and motivation, with no emphasis on empathy or emotion regulation and only a slight emphasis on theory of mind. Study 3 was parallel to Study 1, but with young adolescents, aged 13-15. Study 3 found that adolescents involved in acting classes gain in their empathy, theory of mind acuity, and expressive emotion regulation over the course of a year over and above adolescents involved in other art forms. Study 4 was parallel to Study 2, with acting classes for adolescents. Study 4 found that adolescent acting classes focus on theory of mind and motivation, without any emphasis on empathy or emotion regulation. I conclude by considering the potential impact of this research on our understanding of typical development in theory of mind, empathy, emotion regulation, and on our understanding of individuals deficient in these skills. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Psychology.

Thesis advisor: Thomas D. Stegman / Thesis advisor: Christopher R. Matthews / The history of interpretation of the phrase nous Christou, which Paul employs in 1 Cor 2:16, mainly focuses on tracing the Hellenistic influence on his writings. No doubt, the Greek language Paul employs in explaining the gospel and the dominant culture of his world make this scholarly proclivity a credible one. But Paul, being a faithful Jew and a creative writer, is capable of appealing to his rich and diverse religious heritage, and his literary ingenuity to communicate his message. This angle of interpretation is seldom explored in discussing the nous Christou. / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

Thesis advisor: Richard Cobb-Stevens / Thesis advisor: Jean-Luc Solere / This dissertation attempts to locate the origins of Descartes' concept of mind in his early, unfinished treatise on scientific method, the <italic>Regulae ad directionem ingenii</italic>. It claims that one can see, in this early work, Descartes' commitment to substance dualism for methodological reasons. In order to begin an analysis of the <italic>Regulae</italic>, one must first attempt to resolve textual disputes concerning its integrity and one must understand the text as a historical work, dialectically situated in the tradition of late sixteenth and early seventeenth century thought. The dissertation provides this historical backdrop and textual sensitivity throughout, but it focuses on three main themes. First, the concept of <italic>mathesis universalis</italic> is taken to be the organizing principle of the work. This methodological principle defines a workable technique for solving mathematical problems, a means for applying mathematics to natural philosophical explanations, and a claim concerning the nature of mathematical truth. In each case, the <italic>mathesis universalis</italic> is designed to fit the innate capacities of the mind and the objects studied by <italic>mathesis</italic> are set apart from the mind as purely mechanical and geometrically representable objects. Second, Descartes' account of perceptual cognition, the principles of which are found in the <italic>Regulae</italic>, is examined. In this account, Descartes describes perception as a mechanical process up to the moment of conscious awareness. This point of awareness and the corresponding actions of the mind are, he claims, independent from mechanical principles; they are incorporeal and cannot be explained reductively. Finally, when Descartes outlines the explanatory bases of his natural science, he identifies certain "simple natures." These are the undetermined categories according to which actual things can be known. Descartes makes an explicit distinction between material simples and intellectual simples. It is argued that this distinction suggests a difference in kind between the sciences of the material world and the science or pure knowledge of the intellectual world. Though the <italic>Regulae</italic> is focused on physical or material explanations, there is a clear commitment to distinguishing this type of explanation from the explanation of mental content and mental acts. Hence, the <italic>Regulae</italic> demonstrates Descartes' early, methodological commitment to substance dualism. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Philosophy.

A versão infantil do Teste de Ler a Mente nos Olhos (Reading the Mind in Eyes Test - Child Version ) de Simon Baron-Cohen, é composto por 28 fotografias da região dos olhos de indivíduos com diferentes expressões e tem como objetivo uma quantificação da habilidade do indivíduo em inferir estados mentais a partir de expressões faciais, sendo usualmente utilizado como um instrumento para avaliação de Teoria da Mente. Neste trabalho foi feito um estudo de validade de uma versão em português do teste, visando maiores esclarecimentos acerca de suas propriedades psicométricas. O teste foi aplicado em uma amostra controle de 434 crianças de dois estados brasileiros, São Paulo e Santa Catarina, cursando o ensino fundamental e em uma amostra clínica de 20 crianças diagnosticadas com Transtornos do Espectro do Autismo. Foram encontrados um índice de consistência interna (alfa de Cronbach) de 0,718 e variância estatisticamente significativa de acordo com o ano escolar. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas com relação ao sexo e Estado. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa nos escores dos grupos controle e clínico. Os resultados foram, portanto, parcialmente favoráveis para validade de construto, mas não foram encontradas evidências de validade critério / The \"Reading the Mind in Eyes Test - Child Version\" by Simon Baron-Cohen, consists of 28 photographs of the eye region of people with different expressions and aim a quantification of the individual\'s ability to infer mental states from facial expressions, and is usually used as an instrument for assessing Theory of Mind. This paper is a study of validity of a Portuguese version of the test, seeking further clarification about its psychometric properties. The test was applied to a control group of 434 children from two Brazilian states, Sao Paulo and Santa Catarina, in elementary school and a clinical group of 20 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. We found an index of internal consistency (Cronbach\'s alpha) of 0.718 and statistically significant variance in accordance with the school year. There were no significant differences with regard to gender and state. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores of clinical and control groups. The results were therefore partially favorable to construct validity, but there was no evidence of criterion validity

No seu Tratado sobre os Princípios do Conhecimento Humano, publicado em 1710, George Berkeley realiza uma filosofia da mente, da ideia e da linguagem, através do ponto de vista da imaterialidade da realidade percebida pelo homem, explicada por uma teoria do conhecimento com base na totalidade perceptiva compreendida pela mente, ou espírito, ou percipiente. Historicamente, a questão da inexistência da matéria como um ser exterior à mente, inerte, independente do percipiente, interpretada dentro de um contexto filosófico rigidamente empirista, é o cerne da contenda que Berkeley propõe à filosofia de Locke. Porém, ultrapassando os limites de seu século, o ponto de vista de Berkeley doravante não poderá ser ignorado em qualquer debate concernente à teoria do conhecimento posterior à sua época, articulando-se com traços de importantes correntes filosóficas, tais como o idealismo em Kant e a filosofia da linguagem em Wittgenstein. E por conter em seu núcleo a problematização da falha intrínseca ao dualismo do pensamento, a filosofia de Berkeley ainda é capaz de alimentar e iluminar a natureza do artifício dessa falha, cujo apagamento é denunciado por Habermas no final do século XX, mas cujo ponto de partida parece ter sido estabelecido pela remota herança de Anaxágoras, a qual implica a reiteração da radicalidade existencial no espírito, ponto central da filosofia de Berkeley. / In A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge published in 1710, George Berkeley realizes a philosophy of the mind, the idea and the language through the point of view of the immateriality of the reality perceived by man, explained by a theory of knowledge based on the perceptive totality understood as the mind, the spirit or the perceiver. Historically, the issue of the inexistence of matter as a being external to the mind, inert and independent from the perceiver, interpreted in a rigid empirical philosophic context, is the core of the debate offered by Berkeley to the philosophy of Locke. Overpassing the limits of his century, Berkeley\'s point of view, articulated on important philosophical currents such as Kant\'s idealism and the philosophy of language of Wittgenstein, could not be ignored anymore in any debate about the theory of knowledge posterior to that time. In spite of ncompassing in its core the problematic of the intrinsic fissure of the dualism of thought, Berkeley\'s philosophy is still able to feed and enlighten the nature of the device of this fissure, which deletion is denounced by Habermas at the end of the twentieth century, but which starting point seems to have been established by the remote inheritance of Anaxagoras which involves the reiteration of existential radicalism in the spirit, core point of Berkeley\'s philosophy.