Psychological Trauma and Fixed Ideas in Pierre Janet’s Conception of Dissociative Disorders
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This article describes Janet's concept of psychological trauma and the formation of rigid thought complexes (fixed ideas). This concept forms the basis for Janet's functional nosology of the neuroses, and is related to his dynamic psychology of conduct or action. It can be viewed as an early self-regulation model, because it contains a stratified bio-, socio-, and psycho-genetic hierarchy of behavioral "tendencies" that produce a more or less adaptive act by means of two hypothesized intervening variables: psychological force and psychological tension. Fixed ideas are viewed within this framework as an outcome of deficient processes of adaptation to psychological trauma. The article closes by pointing out affinities between Janet's psychological concept and modern cognitive and behavioral therapies.
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A fixed idea encompasses unprocessed material and contributes to the formation of dissociative processes.
“Thus, a fixed idea encompasses unprocessed material and contributes to the formation of dissociative processes (Heim & Bühler, 2006).”
From The Role of Early Trauma in the Formation of Belief in Reptilian Conspiracy Theories: A Psychoanalytic Perspective (2023) · cites this paper as Heim & Bühler, 2006
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Pierre Janet and the breakdown of adaptation in psychological trauma
(1989) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.146.12.1530 · Cited by 658 · see citing works
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Cited by
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Reconsidering the autohypnotic model of the dissociative disorders
Dell, P. F. (2019) · Journal of Trauma & Dissociation · doi:10.1080/15299732.2018.1451806 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Dixon, A. M. (2023) · British Journal of Psychotherapy · doi:10.1111/bjp.12856 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
- Authors
- Heim, G., & Bühler, K.-E.
- Affiliations
- Psychotherapie Praxis, Düppelstr. 29, D 12163 Berlin
- University of Würzburg (DE)
- Venue
- American Journal of Psychotherapy
- Published
- 2006-04
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 111-129
- ISSN
- 0002-9564 (ISSN-L)
- 2575-6559
- OpenAlex
- W129474394
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- American Journal of Psychotherapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › General Psychology › Academic and Historical Perspectives in Psychology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- Pierre Janet, psychological trauma, fixed ideas, dissociative disorders, self-regulation, psychological forces, psychological tension, adaptation, cognitive therapy, behavior therapy
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Dissociative Disorders, France, Humans, Psychological Theory, Social Control, Informal, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Thinking, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century
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