Michael: For the sake of parsimony *and* the aforementioned likelihood of harming someone's enjoyment needlessly, I would stick with a behavioristic explanation. Mildly ironic? :) I might add that it is one of the few sports where those who are less strong and more empathic can equal or exceed the accomplishments of those who are stronger and less "sensitive" - thus may be more rewarding or reinforcing for some than for others (Not even getting to the complexities of male and female developmental differences, anthropological and cultural issues, etc.). I think it is more likely that one can find a parsimonious explanation by looking to the effects environmental variables (e.g., parents and their expectations) rather than attempting to explain it based on far more complex phenomena. (Also, is this backed up by data that females are more involved with horses or are we speaking purely from anecdote? I honestly do not have a clue on that. Apologies if this is more terse than I intended- I recognize that most of what's been said is light-banter - this was constructed rather quickly and I hope does not reflect a dismissive tone). :) Tim
_______________________________ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor, Department of Psychology The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 83605 email: [email protected] teaching: intro to neuropsychology; psychopharmacology; general; history and systems "You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." Dorothy Parker ________________________________________ From: Alejandro Franco [[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2010 1:53 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] Girls and Horses - Archetype? Hi Michael: Bruno Bettleheim wrote this in his book: The uses of enchantment: the meaning and importance of Fairy Tales (1975). p. 56-57 (you can find it in Amazon.com). "Many girls of an older age group are deeply involved with horses; they play with toy horses and spin elaborate fantasies around them. When they get older and have the opportunity, their lives seem to rotate around real horses, which they take excellent care of and seem inseparable from. Psychoanalytic investigation has revealed that overinvolvement in and with horses can stand for many different emotional needs which the girl is trying to satisfy. For example, by controlling this powerful animal she can come to feel that she is controlling the male, or the sexually animalistic, within herself. Imagine what it would do to a girl's enjoyment of riding, to her self-respect, if she were made conscious of this desire which she is acting out in riding. She would be devastated -robbed of a harmless and enjoyable sublimation, and reduced in her own eyes to a bad person. At the same time, she would be hard-pressed to find an equally suitable outlet for such inner pressures, and therefore might not be able to master them". Now you can add this explanation to the Jungian one :) Alejandro --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=5941 or send a blank email to leave-5941-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
