Self-Perception
APA Psychology Dictionary:
self-perception
Subconscious Mind
Cambridge Dictionary:
the part of your mind that notices and remembers information when you are not actively trying to do so, and influences your behaviour even though you do not realize it
Subconscious Mind:
It’s not uncommon to hear about conscious and unconscious types of actions when scientists talk about the brain. As a result, most of us are familiar with the idea that our behavior is less rational than we believe to be.
Whether we like it or not, our ability to control thoughts, synchronize movements, or experience emotions depends on the depth of information processing.
The idea of deeper levels of information processing was developed and extensively studied by famous Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) who introduced the 3 level mind model. According to his model, the mind could be divided into following levels:
Three-level mind model
- Conscious – defines all thoughts and actions within our awareness. For example, the beauty and pleasance of the smell of a red tulip
- Subconscious – defines all reactions and automatic actions we can become aware of if we think about them. For example, our ability to drive a car: once we get skilled we stop thinking which gears to use, which pedals to press, or which mirror to look at, yet can always become aware of what was done once we think about it.
- Unconscious – defines all past events and memories, though at times inaccessible to us no matter how hard we try to remember to bring things up. For example, the first word we’ve learned to say, or how it felt to be able to walk on our own.
Positive Thinking
What Is Positive Thinking?
Positive thinking does not necessarily mean avoiding or ignoring the bad aspects of life. Instead, it involves making the most of the potentially bad situations, trying to see the best in other people, and viewing yourself and your abilities in a positive light.
- Optimistic explanatory style: People with an optimistic explanatory style tend to give themselves credit when good things happen and typically blame outside forces for bad outcomes. They also tend to see negative events as temporary and atypical.
- Pessimistic explanatory style: On the other hand, individuals with a pessimistic explanatory style often blame themselves when bad things happen, but fail to give themselves adequate credit for successful outcomes.3 They also have a tendency to view negative events as expected and lasting. As you can imagine, blaming yourself for events outside of your control or viewing these unfortunate events as a persistent part of your life can have a detrimental impact on your state of mind.
Positive thinkers are more apt to use an optimistic explanatory style, but the way in which people attribute events can also vary depending upon the exact situation. For example, a person who is generally a positive thinker might use a more pessimistic explanatory style in particularly challenging situations, such as at work or at school.
Positive Psychology vs. Positive Thinking
While the terms "positive thinking" and "positive psychology" are sometimes used interchangeably, it is important to understand that they are not the same thing. Positive thinking is about looking at things from a positive point of view. It is a type of thinking that focuses on maintaining a positive, optimistic attitude. Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that studies the effects of optimism, what causes it, and when it is best utilized.
Health Benefits of Positive Thinking
Positive thinking is linked to a wide range of health benefits including:
- Better stress management and coping skills
- Enhanced psychological health
- Greater resistance to the common cold
- Increased physical well-being
- Longer life span
- Lower rates of depression
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease-related death
How to Practice Positive Thinking
While you might be more prone to negative thinking, there are strategies that you can use to become a more positive thinker. Practicing these strategies regularly can help you get in the habit of maintaining a more positive outlook on life.
- Notice your thoughts: Start paying attention to the type of thoughts you have each day. If you notice that many of them are negative, make a conscious effort to reframe how you are thinking in a more positive way.
- Write in a gratitude journal: Practicing gratitude can have a range of positive benefits and it can help you learn to develop a better outlook. Experiencing grateful thoughts helps people to feel more optimistic.
- Use positive self-talk: How you talk to yourself can play an important role in shaping your outlook. Studies have shown that shifting to more positive self-talk can have a positive impact on your emotions and how you respond to stress.9
Rewire the Mind
“Neuroplasticity” refers to your brain’s ability to restructure or rewire itself when it recognizes the need for adaption. In other words, it can continue developing and changing throughout life.
Emotional Stability
The ability to deal with psychological stress. In an intercultural context one is confronted with different cultural and interpersonal situations that must be coped with.
Emotional stability (the opposite of neuroticism) is a fundamental personality trait that has to do with being even-tempered, particularly in the face of challenges and threats
emotional stability enables the person to develop an integrated and balanced way of perceiving the problems of life. This organizational ability and structured perception helps one to develop reality-oriented thinking, judgment and evaluation ability.
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