sensory deprivation
(from Latin sensus - feeling, sensation and deprivatio - deprivation) - a prolonged, more or less complete deprivation of a person's sensory impressions, carried out for experimental purposes (see). S. d. per person is studied by immersing him in water in special equipment (sound chamber, box, etc.). Under the conditions of S. d., a person actualizes the need for sensations and affective (see) experiences, which is realized in the form of sensory and emotional hunger. In response to the insufficiency of afferentation, the processes of imagination are activated, which in a certain way affect the figurative. There are bright eidetic representations projected outside, to-rye are estimated as protective (compensatory) reactions. As the time spent in S.'s conditions increases, at the stage of unstable mental activity, people develop an emotional one with a shift towards a lowered mood (lethargy,), to-rye for a short time are replaced by euphoria, irritability. There are memory impairments that are directly dependent on the cyclicity of emotional states (see). The rhythm of sleep and wakefulness is disturbed, hypnotic states develop with the appearance of hypnogogic representations, to-rye, unlike the sleepy states that occur under normal conditions, drag on for a relatively long time, are projected outward and are accompanied by the illusion of involuntariness. The more severe the conditions of S. d., the faster the thinking processes are disrupted, which manifests itself in the inability to concentrate on anything, to consistently think about problems. With an increase in the time of exposure to SD, eidetic ideas can get out of control of the actual "I" and manifest themselves in the form of hallucinations. In the genesis of this process, asthenization (see) of the nervous system and the development of hypnotic phases in the cerebral cortex are clearly traced.
Brief psychological dictionary. - Rostov-on-Don: PHOENIX. L.A. Karpenko, A.V. Petrovsky, M. G. Yaroshevsky. 1998 .
sensory deprivation Etymology.
Comes from lat. sensus - feeling, sensation and English. deprivation - deprivation.
Category.A sharp decrease in incoming information.
Specificity.It can be observed under special working conditions (space flight, wintering), or in the clinic of nervous and mental illnesses (with damage to the analyzers, with mental illness). For experimental purposes, it is achieved using various techniques (for example, by immersion in an amorphous medium or being in closed cabins of small volume). Under such conditions, side effects appear in the form of states of drowsiness, apathy, irritability, color perception and perception of the depth and constancy of the size of objects are disturbed (objects seem to be drawn on the same plane), there is a loss of temporal orientation, the ability to think and remember. Illusions or hallucinations may develop.
Synonym.Sensory isolation.
Literature.Solomon P. Sensory Deprivation. Cambridge, 1961;
Siffre M. Alone in the depths of the earth. M., 1966
Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000 .
See what "sensory deprivation" is in other dictionaries:
sensory deprivation- partial or complete deprivation of one or more sense organs of external influence. The simplest deprivation devices, such as a blindfold or earplugs, reduce or remove the effects on vision and hearing, while more ... ... Wikipedia
sensory deprivation- a decrease in the flow of impulses to the central nervous system of a person from the organs of hearing, vision, smell. Occurs in conditions of isolation of a person or a group of people in a confined space (submarine, deep-sea vehicle, etc.). Maybe ... ... Marine Dictionary
sensory deprivation- (English deprivation - deprivation, loss). Sensory isolation, information hunger, lack of communication. It is observed in extreme situations (prolonged loneliness of a person in the taiga, in a cave, ocean, etc.). Studied under experimental ... ... Explanatory Dictionary of Psychiatric Terms
sensory deprivation- (English deprivation - deprivation, loss) - a natural or artificial situation of limiting the flow of sensory information entering the brain. Relatively short periods of sensory deprivation can be relaxing and subjective... ...
SENSOR DEPRIVATION- Description of a situation, natural or experimentally created, in which there is a significant reduction in incoming sensory information. Relatively short periods of sensory deprivation can be pleasant and relaxing; lengthy…… Explanatory Dictionary of Psychology- prolonged, more or less complete deprivation of a person of sensory impressions, implemented for experimental purposes (see extreme psychology). Its impact is studied by immersing a person in water in special equipment ... ... Great Psychological Encyclopedia
Sensory Isolation- Sensory deprivation - partial or complete deprivation of one or more senses of external influences. The simplest deprivation devices, such as an eye patch or ear plugs, reduce or eliminate the effects on vision and hearing ... Wikipedia
Deprivation- (eng. deprivation deprivation, loss) - 1. deprivation or a feeling of the appearance of a significant shortage of objects to meet basic needs; 2. psychological state, directly caused by the loss of objects of actual needs; 3. in… … Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology and Pedagogy
Do you know what a sensory deprivation chamber is (more often they are called floating capsules, from the English word float- swim freely, stay on the surface)? This is a tank filled with an aqueous solution of Epsom salts, plunging into which a person loses the ability to feel anything.
It sounds crazy, and for animals, early sensory deprivation is really harmful, but in humans, things are a little different: the results of many scientific studies prove that a short stay in a sensory deprivation chamber has several positive aspects:
“Short periods of sensory deprivation have a good effect on a person’s mental health and activate the processes of internal subconscious analysis; at the same time, prolonged or forced sensory deprivation causes a feeling of anxiety and fear, can cause hallucinations or deep depression.
What is sensory deprivation?
Sensory deprivation is the partial or complete deprivation of the senses of external influences.
In a completely unthinkable, at first glance, state absolute sensory deprivation, a person is completely isolated from any external stimuli: no sounds, smells, visual images or tactile sensations. Agree, it is rather difficult to imagine what a person experiences while in such a state: what does he think about, what happens to his body, does he feel the touch of water, etc.?
In 1954, the American neuroscientist John Cunningham Lilly invented the sensory deprivation chamber to study the nature of human consciousness. However, in the course of numerous experiments, the scientist found that floating itself (swimming in a capsule) is a much more interesting area for various studies.
How does a floating capsule work?
How are sensory deprivation conditions created in the capsule? A modern floating session goes like this: you undress, take a shower, put on special earplugs and dive into a cocoon-shaped capsule filled with an aqueous solution of Epsom salts (382.5 kilograms). Thanks to the high concentration of salt, which prevents the risk of drowning, you easily float and feel almost weightless.
Climbing inside, you yourself close the door of the capsule (it does not lock from the outside, so you can get out of there at any time), lie down on your back and for the next 60 minutes you will be alone with your thoughts. At the same time, your eyes can be either open or closed - pitch darkness inside the chamber will not let you feel the difference.
“I walked into the La Casa spa one morning, walked up the stairs, went into a small room, took off all my clothes, took a shower and climbed into a huge water tank. I closed the door behind me, plunged into the water, and with the push of a button turned off all the lights.
After a few seconds, I realized that I was swimming in absolute silence and darkness. To be honest, this is a rather unusual feeling. The high concentration of salt made my body weightless - my face, stomach and knees seemed like a group of islands in the middle of a small ocean.
How does sensory deprivation affect brain function?
Considering that we all react differently to the same situations, it is quite obvious that the sensations we experienced during our stay in sensory deprivation chambers will be different:
“For the first 15 minutes, I didn’t leave the thought that coming here was not a good decision. I thought about my plans for the evening, about the articles I was working on, about how the refrigerator at home was almost empty. All in all, I felt stupid. Frankly, at first this capsule got on my nerves. I was close to getting out of it and leaving with my head held high, water splashing everywhere.
But after some time, the process of transformation began. This feeling can only be compared with the action of hallucinogenic mushrooms: your body persistently signals to the brain “Something is happening! Something is happening!”, but he does not react at all. When the storm ended, I felt that my mind was cleared of unnecessary thoughts. Everything seemed unusually simple and understandable.
Being isolated from the influence of any external stimuli, our brain sharply reduces the level of stress hormones produced (norepinephrine, adrenaline, cortisol, etc.).
Graham Talley, owner of the Sensory Deprivation Center in Portland, puts it this way:
“The absence of the need to constantly analyze the events happening around us gives our body the opportunity to reduce the level of stress hormones. Instead, the human brain activates the areas responsible for the production of happiness neurotransmitters - dopamine and endorphins.
Being in a sensory deprivation chamber, a person does not have to constantly fight gravity, so nothing prevents his muscles, joints and bones from completely relaxing. His spine becomes an inch longer, chronic joint pain disappears, and his body becomes weightless.
Also during the floating session, the brain actively generates theta waves. This process is accompanied by vivid memories, sudden insights, free associations and creative solutions. However, for a long time, scientists were not able to thoroughly study their influence, because as soon as the unequal system begins to produce theta waves, a person immediately falls asleep:
“Each of us is capable of generating theta waves. But the problem is that as soon as this process begins, we immediately fall into sleep. The surest sign of theta wave effects is the vivid ephemeral images that we experience for a few seconds before we fall asleep or before we wake up. Only experienced mediators can reach this state on their own and stay in it for some time.
Being in a floating capsule, a person absolutely consciously perceives all the images and ideas that come to his mind. What's more, theta waves continue to stimulate his imagination for weeks after the float session."
Benefits of Sensory Deprivation
Sensory deprivation is very actively used as a means of dealing with many emotional states and diseases. The most common of these are:
- stress;
- depression;
- fear of making decisions;
- problems with the musculoskeletal system, etc.
In 2011, Canadian researchers also found that short-term sensory deprivation had a positive effect on the playing of young jazz players:
“For four weeks, 8 students - 6 boys and 2 girls - underwent sensory deprivation sessions. For just one hour a week, they spent inside a floating capsule, swimming in an Epsom salt solution that was kept at the temperature of the participant's body.
At the same time, each of the 8 students recorded two five-minute tracks with their own improvisation: the first recording was made before the start of the floating sessions, the second - in the first week after they ended. By comparing the recordings, the researchers found striking differences between the skill levels of the participants before and after the experiment.”
In addition, scientists have identified a very strange pattern: the more time passes after the end of the floating session, the weaker the positive effects are:
“A prerequisite for almost all experiments was to measure the various abilities of the participants immediately after they exited the floating capsules. As it turned out, the positive impact of short-term sessions of sensory deprivation becomes weaker and weaker over time.
Instead of a conclusion: how to isolate yourself from external stimuli?
Now that you are well aware of what a floating capsule is and how short-term emotional and sensory deprivation affects the human body, the only thing left is to sign up for a floating session. :)
However, if the cocoon capsule we talked about today doesn't inspire confidence in you, or if you just don't feel the need to boost your creativity immediately and hide from the world for a little while, there are a few milder forms of sensory deprivation that you can try.
1. Reducing the number of visual impulses
To get started, try lying in a room with the lights off or the curtains drawn. If you want to simplify the task, you can use a regular blindfold. Try not to move and focus on the noise around you - after a while, after your eyes get used to the darkness, you will begin to recognize sounds that were not distinguishable in the usual turmoil.
2. Noise reduction
Sounds follow us everywhere: if it's not music or the conversation of passers-by, then the neighbor's drill is on the floor above; if it's not the barking of a dog under the window and not the sound of a car passing by, then the crying of a small child in a neighboring apartment. It would seem that in this case, hardly anything can help, but it's still worth a try.
Arm yourself with a pair of earplugs, choose a comfortable spot by the window, and watch painfully familiar places for a while. It is quite possible that after a while you will notice several new objects in your yard, on a neighboring street or in an apartment across the street. :)
3. Insulation
It is not so easy to get rid of any external irritants, being surrounded by other people, because by nature a person is a rather noisy living being. Therefore, do not neglect the opportunity to be alone with your thoughts, wherever and whenever you are lucky - it happens in a floating capsule or in an empty cafe. :)
The term "sensory deprivation" is translated from Latin as "absence of feelings". Quite often, the considered state of the human psyche is denoted by the phrase "stimulus deprivation", which is a prolonged absence of sensory stimuli that are perceived by the human brain through certain channels. This state can be compared with an emotional “hunger strike”, in which a person lacks various information. Such problems activate the work of the part of the brain that is responsible for the imagination. Against the background of increased activity of this brain department, a person has attacks of visual hallucinations, which are a kind of protective mechanism. Let's look at what sensory deprivation is and why this condition is dangerous.
Sensory deprivation - partial or complete cessation of external influence on one or more sense organsCharacteristics of the deprivation syndrome
Prolonged deprivation leads to the appearance of various mental disorders, expressed in the form of insomnia, problems with the perception of the surrounding world, emotional instability and lability. It should be noted that often people deliberately limit their own contact with reality in order to discover new boundaries of perception in themselves. However, a long stay in isolation can bring a lot of different problems to a person’s life.
Sensory deprivation is quite often used in various experiments, the purpose of which is to reveal the capabilities of the human brain in a state of isolation from various external stimuli.
In everyday life, a person interacts with the outside world through special channels. These channels include vision, hearing, and touch. The absence of incoming information from one of these channels can lead to the appearance of various states in the individual.
Possible Complications of Sensory Deprivation in Children
The presence of sensory deprivation in childhood, caused by a violation of the perception of various signals coming from the environment, can provoke the development of mental disorders. Most often, such problems lead to a decrease in mental and intellectual development. According to experts, most often in children there is an auditory and visual form of the syndrome in question. Of particular danger to the development of the psyche is the lack of close contact between the infant and the mother, in the first few weeks of birth.
Children who do not have a family and are brought up in special institutions often experience a lack of new experiences. Constant stay in a boarding school leads to a slowdown in the development of motor functions. In addition, such children often have problems with the functionality of the speech apparatus and a low level of intellectual development.
Short periods of sensory deprivation have a relaxing effect on the individual
Possible Complications of Sensory Deprivation in Adults
At a more mature age, this condition appears either spontaneously or intentionally. A prime example of intentional sensory deprivation is the use of special bandages and earplugs during sleep. The use of such devices limits the perception of stimuli such as sound and light. Often people find themselves in similar conditions due to the peculiarities of their own profession. Such people include submariners, astronauts and speleologists. Staying in isolation away from the usual conditions leads to the appearance of certain changes in the human mind.
Some people deliberately "block" some channels of perception in order to achieve a certain state. These people include monks and yogis who use the rejection of the channels of perception to achieve the state of nirvana.
Reasons for the development of sensory deprivation
Problems with the perception of the world around us are most often caused by physical deficiencies of the human body or extreme situations. It should also be noted that the state under consideration has two forms of manifestation: hidden and explicit. A clear form of stimulus deprivation is typical for children in orphanages and people serving sentences in correctional institutions. A hidden form of deprivation can manifest itself even in the presence of favorable conditions for life.
Sensory deprivation is a multifactorial disorder, the causes of which can have both internal and external "roots". Most often, such a disorder in a child manifests itself when the parents refuse it. Also, the external causes of the development of the disease include a lack of parental love and disturbances in the functioning of the sensory organs. Often, a defective family and a child's long stay in a boarding school are considered as the cause of such problems. However, according to experts, the main cause of this syndrome is the neglect of the child's need to learn about the world around him.
The influence of sensory deprivation and sensory enrichment on the development of the child is of particular importance in the formation of personality. Both temperament and other personality traits can complicate this process. Experts from the field of psychology say that in the life of every child there are moments in which he needs maternal care. Parental attention is of paramount importance between the ages of eighteen and thirty-six months. Having reached the age of three, the baby begins to learn the world around him on his own. Until that time, all processes of building relationships with surrounding objects are carried out with the help of parents. The lack of relationship between parents and the child can lead to disturbances in the perception of incoming information.
Sensory deprivation is very actively used as a means of combating many emotional states and diseases.
Factors leading to loss of sensory perception in adults:
- Restriction of incoming information while in institutions that restrict freedom (military schools, prisons, closed hospitals).
- Prolonged stay in the same room, provided there is no opportunity to go outside or enter into another form of contact with the "outside" world.
- The use of special techniques to reduce their own perception (meditation, yoga).
- Features of the professional sphere.
- Problems with perception that have arisen against the background of diseases and injuries that provoke loss of vision, hearing or sensitivity.
- Various extreme situations that are not related to the desire of a person to reduce the quality of interaction with the outside world.
It is important to note the fact that sensory deprivation can have both constructive and destructive effects on the human psyche. An important role in this matter is assigned to the level of emotional and mental preparation for such hardships. In the case of an unprepared person, the appearance of problems associated with perception can cause the development of various diseases. Research on this topic has helped scientists understand the characteristics of various phobias and a disease such as autism. The presence of a certain preparation for such hardships allows a person to better know his inner world and discover new facets of his intellectual and creative abilities.
Clinical picture
Sensory deprivation in psychology is a term that refers to emotional and sensory "hunger". Deliberate reduction of incoming information from various channels of perception allows you to activate the development of the imagination. According to experts, such actions are a kind of figurative memory training. But you should pay attention to the fact that a long stay in such conditions can adversely affect the psyche. Bouts of apathy, frequent changes in mood and lethargy are the main symptoms of prolonged exposure to limited perception.
Unfortunately, today there is no single classification to describe the clinical picture of this phenomenon. But, experts managed to identify some of the symptoms characteristic of the syndrome in question. These symptoms include:
- problems with concentration, memory, logical thinking and the work of the speech apparatus;
- attacks of hallucinations and crazy ideas;
- problems with orientation in space and time;
- temporary mental disorders.
Among the physiological symptoms of sensory deprivation are frequent migraine attacks, as well as a feeling of itching and dryness in the mouth. Often, stimulus deprivation acts as the cause of the development of depersonalization disorders and degenerative changes in the cells of the nervous system. In addition, patients experience disturbances in the wake-sleep cycle.
Sensory deprivation in moderate doses has a relaxing effect and, most importantly, provokes intense inner work.
Deprivation is one of the causes of unreasonable fears and phobias. In addition, a person shows increased dissatisfaction with his own physiological and personal characteristics. This condition can be complicated by causeless aggression, apathy and prolonged depression. Under the influence of deprivation, people have an increase in suggestibility and weakness before hypnotic influence.
The key role in this issue is assigned to the sphere of emotional perception. To date, there are two separate manifestations of changes in emotional perception in sensory deprivation. The first type is characterized by an increase in emotional lability, against the background of a general decrease in the sensitivity of the psyche. With this form of development of the syndrome, a person shows an acute reaction to various events. For example, consider a situation in which a feeling of fright can give rise to a kind of euphoria and cause a smile. The second form of manifestation of emotional changes leads to a decrease in the level of sensitivity to events that previously had great significance for a person. In this situation, hobbies and hobbies cease to bring positive feelings and become indifferent.
Treatment Methods
Sensory deprivation rarely manifests itself as an independent disease. Most often, this syndrome develops in conjunction with other forms of deprivation, which leads to the need for complex therapy. In order to normalize the patient's condition, specialists should find the true cause of the disorder. The complexity of diagnosis is explained by the fact that in order to identify the causes of deprivation, one should study not only the patient's life, but also understand the individual characteristics of his personality. Most often, the therapy of this mental disorder is carried out by the joint efforts of a psychotherapist and a psychiatrist. In order to normalize the state of the patient's psyche, both medication methods and mental correction sessions are used.
Medical therapy
To date, there is no specific method of drug treatment that would be used for each patient. It is possible to use various drugs only after carrying out diagnostic measures and identifying physiological changes in the body. Most often, hypnotics, sedatives and antidepressants are used as part of complex treatment.
The simplest sensory deprivation devices are a tight blindfold and ear plugs.
Mental correction
Sessions of psychocorrection are an integral part of the complex treatment of this disease. The main task of the doctor is to achieve the state of the patient in which he was before the onset of the deprivation syndrome. A long stay in such a state leads to a loss of contact with the outside world, therefore the primary task of psychotherapeutic treatment is to restore the lost relationship.
It should be noted that this syndrome requires mandatory medical intervention. Otherwise, complications may develop that will affect both the mental and physiological health of the patient. The symptoms of deprivation syndrome are easier to diagnose in childhood, as it is much more difficult for adult patients to “open up” to the doctor. The main task of a specialist is to create special conditions in which the patient will be exposed to various stimuli. This method allows you to get positive results that you want to consolidate with psychotherapy sessions.
Sensory deprivation is a long-term partial deprivation of a person's auditory, visual sensations, as well as deprivation of mobility, communication, emotional outbursts. In psychology, three types of deprivation are known:
1) touch;
2) emotional;
3) social.
Sensory deprivation causes a state of temporary psychosis, various mental disorders, and prolonged depression in a person. Prolonged sensory deprivation leads to organic changes or degenerative changes in nerve cells.
It has been experimentally proven that the conditions of sensory deprivation cause disinhibition of the cerebral cortex, hallucinations that do not correspond to reality, but are perceived by the brain as such in a variety of forms (tactile sensations, visual, sound, tangible, etc.). Such visions of certain images and sensations lead to lateral inhibition of the cerebral cortex. The process of sensory derivation can produce two opposite outcomes.
Firstly, disinhibition of the cortex can occur, and secondly, it can lead to inhibition of the cortex.
Psychologists have been studying the processes of sensory deprivation for a long time. In 1913, J. Watson published his work "Psychology from the point of view of a behaviorist." In this work, he sets out the essence of a new direction in psychology, which was called the behavioral direction in psychology. Simultaneously with this theory, J. Watson put forward an idea that is essentially the opposite: he called for relying on objective methods that have been developed in the natural sciences.
The practical purposeful study of the neuropsychic activity of a person began in the second half of the 20th century, the main work in applied experimental psychology was the work carried out under the direction of D.N. Biryukov. He established the dependence of an increase in the need for strong sensations and experiences in conditions of sensory deprivation, when imagination and figurative memory are activated. Such processes begin to take place only as a result of sensory hunger, isolation, that is, as a protective mechanism against forced isolation in an effort to keep in memory all existing reactions and functions of thinking. Prolonged exposure to sensory deprivation causes a gradual development of apathy, depression, inhibition of mental processes, as well as frequent changes in mood (irritability, euphoria). Memory impairment may also occur, a person may experience hypnotic and trance states. If the impact of sensory deprivation does not stop, then the destructive processes in the psyche and logical thinking of a person become irreversible. There is a direct dependence of the rate of destruction of the human psyche on the time and conditions of sensory deprivation.
12 The concept of "social deprivation", its impact on the development of the child's psyche
The concept of deprivation in special psychology means a certain state of a person in which this person or group of people has a feeling of loneliness, deprivation of attention and misunderstanding by the surrounding society. There are two types of deprivation.
The first type of deprivation describes the state of people who understand and are aware of the causes of the situation.
The second type of deprivation implies an unconscious state of people who do not understand and are not aware of the reasons for their loneliness.
Both types of deprivation are accompanied by a strong desire to overcome the state of isolation.
The state of deprivation is unnatural, but there are exceptions, such as caste in India. There are five types of deprivation in total, including social deprivation.
The concept of "social deprivation" reveals the desire of any society to distinguish and evaluate the abilities of each person or certain social groups. Belonging to a certain social group allows you to solve many issues related to human activities. In addition, this concept can restrict the freedom or rights of people under certain conditions.
Social deprivation is expressed in various kinds of incentives, positions, prestige, status, the possibility of moving up the social ladder, and other advantages in society.
Most often, the principles for determining social deprivation are an immutable unwritten law of society.
Thus, the rights and desires of young people are valued more highly than the elderly, with the generally accepted equality of men and women, men still have more rights and powers than women.
More gifted people have more rights and privileges than ordinary people.
Social deprivation is in addition to the other four types of deprivation, such as economic deprivation.
This relationship is expressed in direct proportion: the better a person is financially secure, the higher his social status, and vice versa.
A change in social deprivation can occur as a result of education, promotion, etc.
In children in a state of social deprivation, the development of all mental processes and speech activity may be delayed. All these restrictions lead to the suspension of the speech-intellectual function.
For full-fledged mental development and functioning, a person needs an influx of various stimuli: sensory, emotional, cognitive, etc. Their deficiency leads to adverse consequences for the psyche.
The problem of deprivation has historically been studied in relation to children brought up in boarding schools. The lag in the development of such children, observed in a number of parameters, was associated primarily with the impoverishment of the emotional environment due to a lack of communication with a close adult. Such emotional deprivation was considered a negative factor. Today, this phenomenon is considered much more widely.
Almost all people experience deprivation, and much more often than it might seem at first glance. Depression, neuroses, somatic diseases, overweight... Often the roots of such problems are associated with a lack of bright colors in a person's life, a lack of emotional communication, information, etc. But the true causes of violations often remain unidentified.
It is known that the condition for normal mental development is communication with people. Examples of "children of Mowgli" confirm this. But what are the consequences of social isolation for the psyche of an already adult person? Is deprivation always associated with specific, extreme situations? Studies show that this phenomenon is much more common than it seems, especially in today's society. Social deprivation can be experienced by people who live in a big city and have many social contacts.
The difficulty of recognizing deprivation is that it is often hidden and appears under different masks. In such cases, even a special term is used - “masked deprivation”. Against the background of externally favorable living conditions, a person may experience internal discomfort associated with the impossibility of satisfying needs that are significant to him. Such a long-term traumatic situation can lead to neurosis, etc. Moreover, the true causes of violations often remain hidden not only from the environment, but also from the person himself.
Understanding the phenomenon of deprivation allows you to better see the sources of many psychological problems and, therefore, ways to solve them.
The concept of sensory deprivation
Sensory deprivation is a long-term partial deprivation of a person's auditory, visual sensations, as well as deprivation of mobility, communication, and emotional outbursts. Several types of deprivation are known:
1) touch;
2) emotional;
3) social.
Sensory deprivation causes a state of temporary psychosis, various mental disorders, and prolonged depression in a person. Prolonged sensory deprivation leads to organic changes or degenerative changes in nerve cells.
It has been experimentally proven that the conditions of sensory deprivation cause disinhibition of the cerebral cortex, hallucinations that do not correspond to reality, but are perceived by the brain as such in a variety of forms (tactile sensations, visual, sound, tangible, etc.). Such visions of certain images and sensations lead to lateral inhibition of the cerebral cortex.
Psychologists have been studying the processes of sensory deprivation for a long time. The practical purposeful study of the neuropsychic activity of a person began in the second half of the 20th century, the main work in applied experimental psychology was the work carried out under the direction of D.N. Biryukov. He established the dependence of an increase in the need for strong sensations and experiences in conditions of sensory deprivation, when imagination and figurative memory are activated. Such processes begin to take place only as a result of sensory hunger, isolation, that is, as a protective mechanism against forced isolation in an effort to keep in memory all existing reactions and functions of thinking.
Prolonged exposure to sensory deprivation causes a gradual development of apathy, depression, inhibition of mental processes, as well as frequent changes in mood (irritability, euphoria). Memory impairment may also occur, a person may experience hypnotic and trance states. If the impact of sensory deprivation does not stop, then the destructive processes in the psyche and logical thinking of a person become irreversible. There is a direct dependence of the rate of destruction of the human psyche on the time and conditions of sensory deprivation.
The concept of deprivation in special psychology means a certain state of a person in which this person or group of people has a feeling of loneliness, lack of attention and misunderstanding by the surrounding society. There are two types of deprivation.
The first type of deprivation describes the state of people who understand and are aware of the causes of the situation.
The second type of deprivation implies an unconscious state of people who do not understand and are not aware of the reasons for their loneliness.
Both types of deprivation are accompanied by a strong desire to overcome the state of isolation.
The concept of "social deprivation" reveals the desire of any society to distinguish and evaluate the abilities of each person or certain social groups. Belonging to a certain social group allows you to solve many issues related to human activities. In addition, this concept can restrict the freedom or rights of people under certain conditions.
Social deprivation is expressed in various kinds of incentives, positions, prestige, status, the possibility of moving up the social ladder, and other advantages in society.
Most often, the principles for determining social deprivation are the law of society, for example, caste in India. Thus, the rights and desires of young people are valued more highly than the elderly, with the generally accepted equality of men and women, men still have more rights and powers than women. More people have more rights and privileges compared to ordinary people.
Social deprivation is an addition to a person's economic status. This relationship is expressed in direct proportion: the better a person is financially secure, the higher his social status, and vice versa.
A change in social deprivation can occur as a result of education, promotion, etc.
In children in a state of social deprivation, the development of all mental processes and speech activity may be delayed. All these restrictions lead to the suspension of thinking, the main instrument of which is speech.
Conclusion
Under conditions of sensory deprivation, the organization of cognitive activity is often disrupted. In this case, first of all, higher mental functions suffer: verbal-logical thinking, mediated memorization, speech.
Thus, there is evidence that after several years of complete isolation, prisoners forgot how to speak or spoke with great difficulty; in sailors who were alone for a long time on uninhabited islands, the level of abstract thinking decreased, speech function weakened, and memory deteriorated.
The main reason for this violation is the lack of organized and purposeful cognitive activity.
According to L. S. Vygotsky, genetically earlier types of consciousness are preserved in a person as an adjustment, in a “removed” form in leading forms and can, under certain circumstances, come to the fore. This phenomenon is likely to be observed under conditions of sensory deprivation.
As you understand, the state of deprivation should not be allowed. This is easy enough to do, just be more active, move more, visit new places, communicate with people live, etc. Then your mental state will be normal and you will be able to successfully develop and fulfill yourself.
Bibliography
1. Psychology of personality in the works of domestic psychologists / Comp. L. V. Kulikov. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2011.
2. Psychology. Textbook for economic universities / Ed. V. N. Druzhinina. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2012.
3. Rubinshtein S. L. Fundamentals of general psychology. - M.: Pedagogy, 1989; St. Petersburg: Peter, 2012
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Sergei Marchenko
Creator of "CyRiOS" and website
Coach for conscious self-realization
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