Sharon Carnahan wrote: > > This is unbelievable. What would personality theory have to say about > it? > > SLC > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > Subject: A new way to be mad > Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 08:48:06 -0500 (EST) > From: Stephen Black <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: TIPS <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > For anyone who would like to contemplate just how bizarre life > can be, consider the case of otherwise normal people who > passionately desire to have a healthy arm or leg amputated. And > some do. > > The condition, called apotemnophilia, and its practitioners, > known as "amputee wannabees", are described in a long, graphic, > and thoughtful piece in the current of _Atlantic Monthly_ > (available on-line at > http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2000/12/elliott.htm ). > > It will certainly gross you out. But for those who can take it, > the essay insightfully touches on many apparently unrelated > fields: the role of the Internet, what is abnormality, the use of > surgery to treat psychological disorders and to produce body > modification (lobotomy, gender-identity disorder, plastic > surgery), diagnosis and its role in the creation of disorders > (multiple personality disorder). > > It makes me realize just how far we have yet to go in our > understanding of what makes people do what they do. > > -Stephen > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 > Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 > Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Lennoxville, QC > J1M 1Z7 > Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy > Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at: > http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/southerly/tips/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Interestingly, the "non-scientific" oldtimers (Freud, Jung, maybe Adler) would have something meaningful to say on this kind of thing. "Scientific" theories such as learning theory, five factor theory, evolutionary, etc. could not explain this kind of phenomenon. Was the person "conditioned" to desire amputation? The desire for amputation falls under which of the five factors? And how does amputation serve the instinct to reproduce? This is a good example of why we must not consider earlier theories of historical interest only. Thanks for sharing this, Bob
