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Active imagination is a method of working with unconscious contents (dreams, fantasies, etc.) by viewing images in the imagination, conducting dialogues and verbalizing them.
Active imagination is a special method of using the power of imagination, developed by Carl Gustav Jung to describe daydreams with open eyes. At first, the patient concentrates on one specific point, emotional state, image or event, and then surrenders to fantasy activity, which becomes more and more dramatic with each step.
“By “active imagination” we mean a certain position in relation to the contents of the unconscious, through which we strive to highlight and, thereby, observe its autonomous development. We can say that we are “making it come to life,” but this is incorrect because we are simply watching what happens. The correct position can perhaps best be described as one of "active passivity." That is, to remain completely passive and perceive what emerges from your unconscious, but at the same time actively focus on what is about to happen. And this, unlike watching a movie or listening to music, is not sitting and “perceiving” what we are not doing, but what is happening, with concentration, which is also a certain kind of activity. The main difference is that with active imagination, the “film” scrolls inside.” (Gerhard Adler)
The active imagination method includes two stages. At first, the person seems to be “daydreaming,” telling the psychotherapist about all his visions and experiences, and then they discuss this experience together. At the first stage, according to C. G. Jung, “a new situation is created in which unconscious contents are visible in the waking state” of the patient. This is different from ordinary dreams. And then the patient reflects on these images, what they can mean, why they appeared in his today's experience. For example, in the active imagination, a person tells his fantasy about a brave hunter who fearlessly fights wild animals. Such a plot, of course, is archetypal, so you can recall myths and fairy tales on this topic in order to better understand what the images of a hunter, wild animals, and so on mean in a certain culture, in the collective unconscious of all humanity. But in addition, this plot also relates to the patient’s purely personal experiences, talks about his difficulties and problems, and also indicates possible ways to solve them. Talking with a psychotherapist, he discovers the relationship between these images and this plot with his own life conflicts, he himself evaluates their significance and finds in them his own, unique meaning. C. G. Jung used active imagination as a rule at the final stage of his work with the patient, when he was already quite familiar with the world of his images from working with his dreams. Active imagination has proven to be an effective method in the treatment of neuroses, but only in combination with conscious interpretations and conversations.
Active imagination - free fantasizing, daydreaming, “daydreaming.” One of the methods of working with a patient’s problem in analytical psychology. The purpose of active imagination is to become familiar with those parts of the personality, thoughts and desires that are hidden in the unconscious and therefore inaccessible to a person in everyday experience. This method was first proposed by C. G. Jung in 1935, when he lectured at one of the London clinics and talked about different types of imagination: dreams, reveries, fantasies, etc. Active imagination differs from ordinary dreams, which are familiar to every person. The main difference is that active imagination combines the work of consciousness and the unconscious. Therefore, active imagination differs from both aimless fantasies and conscious fiction. The psychotherapist asks his patient to focus on something specific - an event that has excited him, or on his feelings, or on a picture that interests him, or the plot of a work of art... One of the important advantages of this method is that the “starting point” for active imagination can be anything, you just need to be attentive to your experiences and make the right choice. The patient then talks about all the fantasies, images and feelings that arise when he is focused on the chosen topic. These images take on their own life, line up into a certain plot with their own internal logic. Fictions and fantasies, previously unrelated, suddenly reveal unexpected similarities and become more distinct. So, in this experience, a person becomes acquainted with the previously hidden parts of his soul, which in analytical psychology are called the shadow, anima, animus, as well as with the world of his archetypes. It is very important that this new knowledge, gained in the experience of active imagination, does not disappear without a trace, so that a person can remember it well and thereby expand his real capabilities. To do this, at the end of such work, the psychotherapist usually invites his patient to draw a picture, write a poem or a short story about this new experience in order to better remember and comprehend it. Moreover, even if this work is not interpreted in any way, it still has a special “healing” power for the patient. After all, it becomes a special kind of symbol, reminding him of this meeting with previously unknown internal characters, a kind of “door” to this new experience. The active imagination method includes two stages. At first, the person seems to be “daydreaming,” telling the psychotherapist about all his visions and experiences, and then they discuss this experience together. At the first stage, according to C. G. Jung, “a new situation is created in which unconscious contents are visible in the waking state” of the patient. This is different from ordinary dreams. And then the patient reflects on these images, what they can mean, why they appeared in his today's experience. For example, in the active imagination, a person tells his fantasy about a brave hunter who fearlessly fights wild animals. Such a plot, of course, is archetypal, so you can recall myths and fairy tales on this topic in order to better understand what the images of a hunter, wild animals, and so on mean in a certain culture, in the collective unconscious of all humanity. But in addition, this plot also relates to the patient’s purely personal experiences, talks about his difficulties and problems, and also indicates possible ways to solve them. Talking with a psychotherapist, he discovers the relationship between these images and this plot with his own life conflicts, he himself evaluates their significance and finds in them his own, unique meaning. C. G. Jung used active imagination as a rule at the final stage of his work with the patient, when he was already quite familiar with the world of his images from working with his dreams. Active imagination has proven to be an effective method in the treatment of neuroses, but only in combination with conscious interpretations and conversations. It does not imply the uncontrolled splashing out of all the images of the unconscious, but also the active and creative work of consciousness. The active imagination method also has its limitations, since it contains some pitfalls. One of the dangers is to “follow the lead” of the unconscious and watch the play of images, often with a very fascinating plot and beautiful pictures. However, the meaning of everything that is happening remains unclear, the problem remains unsolved, although there is a deceptive impression of the work done. Another danger is the hidden, unexpressed parts of the patient's personality. They may have too much strength, a “reserve of energy” and then, once free, they completely take possession of the patient, he loses control over himself and finds himself on the verge of a mental breakdown. Active imagination is an interesting and beautiful method of working with psychological problems. However, it contains a number of hidden dangers and therefore its use can only be done by a specialist; it should not be perceived as a fun parlor entertainment.
Basics of the method of active imagination Another way of working with the unconscious in analytical psychology is active imagination. Like other techniques, this method is aimed at awareness and perception of the deep aspects of the psyche; it is able to assimilate and integrate its disparate complexes. The main task of active imagination should be seen in bringing to the conscious level “breakaway” energy systems, whose autonomy threatens the unity of the psyche and its integral functioning. Like dream analysis, active imagination helps the individual become aware of some previously undifferentiated aspects of the dream. Such isolated areas of the psyche are a kind of separately living “I-personalities” - with their own thoughts, feelings, emotions, qualities and properties that are unrecognized by consciousness and unknown to it. The content of these complexes, originating in the collective unconscious, has a constant impact on the mental life of the individual, which manifests itself in the form of unexpected affects and moods, excessive emotional reactions, intuitive guesses and premonitions. Unlike dream images, fantasies appear in the consciousness of a waking person, which allows one to establish a connection with them without simultaneously losing orientation in the outside world. Fantasies are located, as it were, “at the intersection” of the real external world and internal mental reality. It is possible to establish contact with the archetypes of the latter through active imagination and, thereby, maintain control of consciousness over mental experiences induced by complexes. The method of active imagination was “discovered” by Jung during his mental crisis of 1913-1914: “In order to retain my fantasies, I often imagined a certain descent. Once I even tried to reach the very bottom. The first time I seemed to descend 300 meters, but the next time I found myself at some cosmic depth. It was like traveling to the moon or diving into an abyss. At first the image of a crater appeared, and I had the feeling that I was in the land of the dead. At the foot of the cliff I distinguished two figures: a gray-bearded old man and a beautiful young girl. I dared to approach them - as if they were real people, and began to listen to their conversation... Philemon and other images of my fantasies brought with them the awareness that, appearing in my psyche, they were not created by me, but are in themselves and live their own lives. Philemon represented a force that was not me. I had imaginary conversations with him and he said things that would never have occurred to me. I was aware that it was he who was speaking, not me. He explained to me that I should not treat my thoughts as if I were generating them... It was he who taught me to treat my psyche objectively, as a kind of reality” (57, pp. 183-185). As we can see, the autonomy of complexes is reflected in Jung’s text very specifically, by emphasizing the independence of actions and deeds of fantasy figures. Such ideas are very ancient; in various eras, autonomous complexes were projected onto all kinds of natural and supernatural beings. The poorly differentiated psyche of primitive man, in order to maintain its balance, instinctively externalized unconscious complexes and thus distanced itself from them. Personification of one's own unconscious contents allows one to enclose the mental image within the framework of a specific object or phenomenon. By giving it a name, we amplify, enrich and complement the disparate aspects of emotional-sensual complexes. Having clothed them in a sign-symbolic form, it is easier to retain in consciousness all the diversity, subtlety and complexity of the manifestations of the unconscious. The relationship between a person and the world in the interpretation of analytical psychology is a projective relationship. Opinions, judgments and interpretations of objects (especially unexpected and inexplicable ones) carry a significant element of the projection of unconscious contents and intentions, the awareness and understanding of which is facilitated by analytical and synthetic work within the framework of free fantasy, the production of associations, etc. Even ordinary speech cliches and idiomatic expressions (“autumn mood”, “empty room”) can indicate a depressive attitude or a feeling of loneliness. To further penetrate into the essence of unconscious contents, it is necessary to give the personified entity the opportunity to express itself. More precisely, do not prevent the unconscious from speaking out sincerely and spontaneously (it cannot do otherwise). In the technique of active imagination, it is necessary, while maintaining conscious control over the process itself, to minimize the censorship of consciousness over the activity of unconscious contents. This concerns, first of all, moral attitudes and norms, the influence of which can drown out and distort the voice of the unconscious. The core values of the active imagination process are impulsivity, originality, freedom of expression, and non-judgment, rather than social desirability, acceptability, or conformity to ethical standards. Information from the unconscious can come in the form of internal sensations, visual images, spontaneous movements, melody or voice. Suitable forms of work are drawing, modeling, free descriptions, writing stories or poems. The main task is to try to understand as best as possible the meaning of what the unconscious psyche expresses, regardless of the assessment of the artistic or other perfection of the results obtained. One of Jung's students, R. A. Johnson (16), proposes a 4-phase approach to the process of active imagination, similar to the technique of working with dreams. This is a gradual, step-by-step path into the archetypal world of internal images. The first phase is a state of detachment or emptying of the ego. It is necessary to “cleanse” the consciousness of all thoughts, images and feelings that are generated by external conditions. In a convenient place where no one will disturb the person or distract him, in the most comfortable position, he forgets about all current problems and events and is freed from rational thinking activities. At the same time, sensations and thoughts that are in an unconscious, undifferentiated state are given the opportunity to take shape in personified images. The second phase - the invitation of the unconscious - consists of the penetration of figures of the unconscious into the sphere of the ego. By imagining any landscapes, paintings or scenes, you can initiate this process. There is no need to make any special efforts—it is enough to allow the spontaneous image to “float” into consciousness and enter into a friendly dialogue with it. You can ask personalized content what they are, where they came from, what they want, etc. It is useful to establish which parts of the inner self are embodied in the images of active imagination, which aspects or intentions of the personality are suppressed by consciousness and do not find a way out or application. At the third stage, the introduction of ethical values discarded in the first and second phases takes place. Consciousness is trying to conclude an agreement with the breakaway complexes, accepting certain obligations. At the same time, it is important to reach an agreement in which the basic values and character of the individual remain unshakable. Consciousness is ready to enter into dialogue with archetypal influences, but does not allow them to seize control over the psyche and behavior of the individual. The influence of the unconscious should not turn into a destructive tornado in the system of interpersonal relationships or habitual activities. In this way, there is a gradual resolution of intrapersonal conflicts, “humanization” of the shadow sides of the psyche, integration of autonomous complexes and, ultimately, spiritual development and growth. The fourth phase is ritual. As in working with dreams, it is not enough to limit yourself to intellectual activity - specific actions or actions are required. They do not have to be grandiose or entail large-scale changes in the system of habitual life activities, but the conclusions drawn or decisions made must be recorded in the behavior of the individual, and not just in her thoughts. Regular dialogues with the “unconscious psyche” reveal and actualize new possibilities and abilities of the individual. Previously bound by complexes, psychic energy is unblocked and can be used for the purposes of growth and development. The interaction of consciousness and unconsciousness, replacing their former antagonism, allows the Self, as the essential center of individuality, to coordinate various aspects of the individuation process, contributing to a sense of maturity and inner strength. Active imagination, as well as working with dreams, are recognized ways in Jungianism to promote personal growth and self-transcendence. ACTIVE IMAGINATION (Active imagination; active Imagination) is a method of assimilating unconscious contents (dreams, fantasies, etc.) using a certain form of self-expression. The purpose of active imagination is to make it possible to hear the voices of those aspects of the personality (especially the anima/animus and shadow) that usually do not express themselves, and thereby establish a connection between consciousness and the unconscious. And even if the final products are drawings, painting, writing, sculpture, dance, music, etc. - are not interpreted, something arises between the creator and the creation that contributes to the transformation of consciousness. The term “active imagination” was first used by Jung in 1935 in his famous Tavistock Lectures, given at the London Clinic, to describe the state of imaginative activity (imaginative Tatigkeit): free reverie, reveries, phantasms, waking dreams (PT, par. 830). Active imagination must be distinguished from daydreams, which remain within the limits of personal everyday experience. The first stage of active imagination resembles dreaming with open eyes. It can occur spontaneously or be caused artificially. The second stage, in addition to passive viewing of the images themselves, involves conscious participation in them, an appreciation of what they mean, and a moral and intellectual commitment to act in accordance with the ability to penetrate into their essence. This is the transition from a simple contemplative or aesthetic attitude to a position of judgment. Active imagination can stimulate the treatment of neuroses, but only when it acts in conjunction with conscious efforts. Unlike dreams, which are experienced passively, the process of imagination requires the active and creative participation of the ego.
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THE ROLE OF IMAGINATION IN HUMAN MENTAL ACTIVITY
The role of imagination in human mental activity
Content
Introduction
1. General characteristics of imagination and its role in mental activity
1.1 Characteristics of the imagination process
1.2 The role of imagination in human mental activity
2. Differential characteristics of imagination
2.1 Individual characteristics of imagination differentiation
2.2 Stages of imagination development
2.3 Mechanisms for processing ideas into imaginary images
Conclusion
List of used literature
Introduction
Imagination, like any human ability, requires development. Currently, in psychology the following approaches to the concept of “ability” are distinguished: general psychological and differential psychological. According to these directions, abilities recognize any manifestation of human capabilities. At the heart of the problem is the question of how to more effectively develop the capabilities of all people, including their knowledge and skills.
According to K.D. Ushinsky, the mind is nothing more than a well-organized system of knowledge. Consequently, the problem of abilities takes on a psychological and pedagogical connotation. It turns out that all people are capable, everyone can do anything. In the book by V.N. Druzhinin’s “Psychology of General Abilities”, this tradition finds its continuation, since general abilities are understood as intelligence, learning ability, and creativity. In our country in the 1920-1930s. the problem of abilities was studied mainly within the framework of psychotechnics using testing methods. A new step in the theoretical understanding of the problem was made in the 1930-1940s. thanks to the works of S.L. Rubinstein and B.M. Teplova. In the subsequent period, a great contribution to the development of this topic was made by the works of T.I. Artemyeva, E.A. Golubeva, V.N. Druzhinina, A.G. Kovaleva, V.N. Myasishcheva, K.K. Platonova, V.D. Shadrikova.
Imagination is a very important and valuable mental ability; a meager or poorly developed imagination is not capable of delivering to its owner as many positive moments as someone who has it much more developed. Significant differences between people are revealed, for example, regarding the nature of the dominant type of imagination. Most often there are people with a predominance of visual, auditory or motor images of the imagination. But there are people who have a high development of all or most types of imagination; they can be classified as the so-called mixed type. Belonging to one or another type of imagination very significantly affects the individual psychological characteristics of a person and is a very important part in the development of his mental characteristics.
Man constantly comes into contact with his environment. Every second our senses are affected by dozens and hundreds of different stimuli, many of which remain in human memory for a long time. Moreover, one of the most curious phenomena of the human psyche is that the impressions received in previous practice from objects and phenomena of the real world are not only stored in memory for a long time, but are also subject to certain processing. The existence of this phenomenon has made it possible for humans to influence the environment and purposefully change it.
It should be noted that the impact of an animal on the external environment and changes in the external environment by humans have fundamental differences. Unlike an animal, a person influences the environment systematically, directing his efforts towards a predetermined goal. This nature of the change in reality in the process of labor presupposes a preliminary representation in the mind of what a person wants to receive as a result of his activity. For example, a spider performs certain operations that resemble those of a weaver, and bees, in the construction of their wax cells, resemble human builders. However, any worst specialist differs from the best bee or the most skillful spider in that he acts according to a pre-planned plan. Any work involves the development of such a plan, and only then its implementation in practice.
Thus, considering the process of a person creating something new, we are faced with another phenomenon of the human psyche. Its essence lies in the fact that a person creates an image in his mind that does not yet exist in reality, and the basis for creating such an image is our past experience, which we received by interacting with objective reality. It is this process - the process of creating new mental images - that is called imagination. [3, p.118]
So, imagination is the process of transforming ideas that reflect reality, and creating new ideas on this basis. It is generally accepted that imagination arose in the process of labor - a specifically human activity, due to the existence of a need to transform objects of the real world. For example, having before his eyes a tool of labor that was not entirely perfect in its characteristics and properties, a person could imagine another tool that corresponds to his idea of what is necessary to perform a particular labor operation. But then, in the course of the historical development of man, the activity of the imagination began to manifest itself not only in work, but also in the fantasies and dreams of man, i.e. in images that could not be created in practice at the moment. Extremely complex forms of imagination have appeared, necessary in scientific, technical and artistic creativity. However, even in these cases, imagination appears as the result of the transformation of our ideas obtained from reality.
The process of imagination always occurs in inextricable connection with two other mental processes - memory and thinking. Speaking about imagination, we only emphasize the predominant direction of mental activity. If a person is faced with the task of reproducing representations of things and events that were previously in his experience, we are talking about memory processes. But if the same ideas are reproduced in order to create a new combination of these ideas or create new ideas from them, we talk about the activity of the imagination.
It should be noted that imaginary images are created only by processing individual aspects of a person’s existing images of reality. For example, while reading science fiction novels, you probably noticed that fictional characters (aliens, monsters, non-existent animals, etc.) are still completely or partially similar in appearance to objects known to us, i.e. were transformed by the writer's imagination from reality. [7, p.16-17]
Speaking about imagination, one cannot underestimate its role in human mental activity, because a certain processing of images of reality occurs even in the simplest version of reproduction. Thus, when imagining any object or event, we are very often unable to reproduce the corresponding facts in all detail and with all the details. However, things and events are reproduced not in the form of incoherent fragments or scattered frames, but in their integrity and continuity. Consequently, a kind of processing of the material occurs, expressed in the replenishment of ideas with the necessary details, i.e. in the process of reproduction, the activity of our imagination begins to manifest itself.
To a much greater extent, the activity of imagination is present in the formation of images of objects or phenomena that we have never perceived. This is how ideas arise about natural areas where we have never been, or ideas about the image of a literary hero.
The activity of the imagination is most closely related to a person’s emotional experiences. Imagining what you want can evoke positive feelings in a person, and in certain situations, a dream about a happy future can bring a person out of extremely negative states, allowing him to escape from the situation of the present moment, analyze what is happening and rethink the significance of the situation for the future. Consequently, imagination plays a very significant role in regulating our behavior. [9, p.230]
Imagination is also connected with the implementation of our volitional actions. Thus, imagination is present in any type of our work activity, since before creating anything, it is necessary to have an idea of what we are creating. Moreover, the further we move away from mechanical labor and approach creative activity, the more the importance of our imagination increases.
It is generally accepted that the physiological basis of imagination is the actualization of neural connections, their disintegration, regrouping and unification into new systems. In this way, images arise that do not coincide with previous experience, but are not divorced from it. The complexity, unpredictability of imagination, its connection with emotions give reason to assume that its physiological mechanisms are associated not only with the cortex, but also with deeper structures of the brain. In particular, the hypothalamic-limbic system plays a major role here.
It should be noted that imagination, due to the characteristics of the physiological systems responsible for it, is to a certain extent associated with the regulation of organic processes and movement. Imagination influences many organic processes: the functioning of the glands, the activity of internal organs, metabolism in the body, etc. For example, it is well known that the idea of a delicious dinner causes us to salivate profusely, and by instilling in a person the idea of a burn, one can cause real signs of “ burn" on the skin. This pattern has been known for a long time and is widely used in the treatment of so-called psychosomatic patients during therapy sessions. On the other hand, imagination also influences human motor functions. For example, if we imagine that we are running along a stadium track during a competition, the devices will register subtle contractions of the corresponding muscle groups. [6, p.67-68]
Another example of the influence of imagination on organic processes can be a change in gas exchange at the time when we imagine performing any physical work. For example, we imagine ourselves lifting a heavy barbell in a competition. In this case, the devices will record an increase in the intensity of gas exchange. The same phenomenon will be detected in those cases when we see the face of a person lifting a barbell. [9, p.235]
Thus, we can conclude that imagination - the process of creating images of those phenomena that are not perceived at the moment - became the subject of differential analysis at the end of the last century. Imagination plays a significant role both in the regulation of the processes of the human body and in the regulation of its motivated behavior.
imagination mental image
Differentiation is the separation of parts from the whole, necessary for conscious access to psychological functions. Differentiation is both a natural process of mental growth and a conscious psychological event - it is necessary for the process of individualization. This also applies to the process of imagination. People's imagination is developed differently, and it manifests itself differently in their activities and social life. Individual characteristics of imagination are expressed in the fact that people differ in the degree of development of imagination and in the type of images with which they operate most often. [5, p.186]
The degree of development of imagination is characterized by the vividness of images and the depth with which the data of past experience is processed, as well as the novelty and meaningfulness of the results of this processing. The strength and vividness of imagination is easily assessed when the product of imagination is implausible and bizarre images, for example, among the authors of fairy tales. Poor development of imagination is expressed in a low level of processing of ideas. Weak imagination entails difficulties in solving mental problems that require the ability to visualize a specific situation. With an insufficient level of imagination development, a rich and emotionally diverse life is impossible.
People differ most clearly in the degree of vividness of their imagination. If we assume that there is a corresponding scale, then at one pole there will be people with extremely high levels of vividness of the images of the imagination, which they experience as visions, and at the other pole there will be people with extremely pale ideas. As a rule, we find a high level of imagination in people engaged in creative work - writers, artists, musicians, scientists. [3, p.120]
Even F. Galton, in a series of his extensive experiments, tried to discover what forms of imagination exist. In modern research, such a form of imagination as daydreams and daydreams is being actively studied - the independent creation of new images of what is desired.
It turns out that those who can be called "dreamers" are more self-aware, they remember their night visions well and show less tendency to suppress their thoughts. Dreamers are more clear about the things that worry them and are willing to report them. American psychologist George Singer in 1966 identified, based on the use of factor analysis of data, seven patterns characterizing individual differences in the area of secondary representations - dreams. The first two factors reflected frequency (the tendency to have often different dreams or rarely just a few) and satisfaction (perceiving dreams as a normal part of one's life, recognizing them also as a way to help solve some problems). The remaining five factors were associated with the content of dreams of this nature:
Self-blame (themes of guilt, pangs of conscience, depression are visited throughout the day by people with high scores on this factor);
Neurotic self-absorption (excessive attention to the characteristics and reactions of one's own body, associated with anxiety);
Bizarreness (for example, someone's head floating in outer space);
Kaleidoscopicity - “a stream of fragmentary pieces of images passing through consciousness” (which is typical for people who are easily distracted and bored);
Realism (positively correlates with emotional stability and curiosity about the physical world; has a positive impact on the process of planning and scientific analysis). [4, p.159]
Significant differences between people are revealed regarding the nature of the dominant type of imagination. Most often there are people with a predominance of visual, auditory or motor images of the imagination. But there are people who have a high development of all or most types of imagination. These people can be classified as the so-called mixed type. Belonging to one or another type of imagination very significantly affects the individual psychological characteristics of a person. For example, people of the auditory or motor type very often dramatize the situation in their thoughts, imagining a non-existent opponent.
It should be noted that a person is not born with a developed imagination. The development of imagination occurs during human ontogenesis and requires the accumulation of a certain stock of ideas, which in the future can serve as material for creating images of the imagination. Imagination develops in close connection with the development of the entire personality, in the process of training and education, as well as in unity with thinking, memory, will and feelings.
It is very difficult to determine any specific age limits that characterize the dynamics of imagination development. There are examples of extremely early development of imagination. On the other hand, the late development of imagination does not mean that this process will be at a low level in more mature years. [1, p.142-143]
Despite the difficulty of determining the stages of development of imagination in humans, certain patterns in its formation can be identified. Thus, the first manifestations of imagination are closely related to the process of perception. For example, children aged one and a half years are not yet able to listen to even the simplest stories or fairy tales; they are constantly distracted or fall asleep, but listen with pleasure to stories about what they themselves have experienced. This phenomenon clearly shows the connection between imagination and perception. A child listens to a story about his experiences because he clearly imagines what is being said. The connection between perception and imagination continues at the next stage of development, when the child begins to process received impressions in his games, modifying previously perceived objects in his imagination. The chair turns into a cave or an airplane, the box into a car. However, it should be noted that the first images of a child’s imagination are always associated with activity. The child does not dream, but embodies the processed image in his activities, even though this activity is a game.
An important stage in the development of imagination is associated with the age when a child masters speech. Speech allows the child to include in the imagination not only specific images, but also more abstract ideas and concepts. Moreover, speech allows the child to move from expressing images of imagination in activity to their direct expression in speech.
The stage of mastering speech is accompanied by an increase in practical experience and the development of attention, which allows the child to more easily identify individual parts of an object, which he already perceives as independent and with which he increasingly operates in his imagination. However, the synthesis occurs with significant distortions of reality. Due to the lack of sufficient experience and insufficient critical thinking, the child cannot create an image that is close to reality. The main feature of this stage is the involuntary nature of the emergence of imagination. Most often, images of imagination are formed in a child of this age involuntarily, in accordance with the situation in which he finds himself.
The next stage in the development of imagination is associated with the emergence of its active forms. At this stage, the process of imagination becomes voluntary. The emergence of active forms of imagination is initially associated with stimulating initiative on the part of an adult. For example, when an adult asks a child to do something (draw a tree, build a house out of cubes, etc.), he activates the process of imagination. To do this, the child must first create, or recreate, a certain image in his imagination. Moreover, this process of imagination, by its nature, is already voluntary, since the child tries to control it. Later, the child begins to use his own imagination without any adult participation. This leap in the development of imagination is reflected, first of all, in the nature of the child’s games. They become focused and story-driven. The things surrounding the child become not just stimuli for the development of objective activity, but act as material for the embodiment of images of his imagination. A child aged 4-5 years begins to draw, build, sculpt, rearrange things and combine them in accordance with his plan. [2, p.58-60]
Another major shift in imagination occurs during school age. The need to understand educational material determines the activation of the process of recreating imagination. In order to assimilate the knowledge that is given at school, the child actively uses his imagination, which causes the progressive development of the ability to process images of perception into images of imagination.
Another reason for the rapid development of imagination during school years is that during the learning process the child actively acquires new and diverse ideas about objects and phenomena of the real world. These ideas serve as a necessary basis for imagination and stimulate the student’s creative activity. [8, p.104]
Images recreated in the process of imagination cannot arise out of nothing. They are formed on the basis of our previous experience, on the basis of ideas about objects and phenomena of objective reality. The process of creating imaginary images from impressions received by a person from reality can occur in various forms.
The creation of imaginary images goes through two main stages. At the first stage, a kind of division of impressions, or existing ideas, into their component parts occurs. In other words, the first stage of the formation of imaginary images is characterized by the analysis of impressions received from reality or ideas formed as a result of previous experience. During such an analysis, the object is abstracted, i.e. it appears to us isolated from other objects, and at the same time, the abstraction of parts of the object also occurs.
With these images, transformations of two main types can then be carried out. Firstly, these images can be put into new combinations and connections. Secondly, these images can be given a completely new meaning. In any case, operations are performed with abstracted images that can be characterized as synthesis. These operations, which constitute the essence of the synthesizing activity of the imagination, are the second stage in the formation of imaginative images. Moreover, the forms in which the synthesizing activity of the imagination is carried out are extremely diverse. We will look at just a few of them. [4, p.161-162]
The simplest form of synthesis in the process of imagination is agglutination, i.e. creating a new image by attaching in the imagination parts or properties of one object to another. Examples of agglutination include: the image of a centaur, the image of a winged man in the drawings of North American Indians, the image of an ancient Egyptian deity, etc.
Agglutination is widely used in art and technical creativity. The processes underlying agglutination are very diverse. As a rule, they can be divided into two main groups: processes associated with a lack of criticality, or lack of analytical perception, and arbitrary processes, i.e. controlled by consciousness, associated with mental generalizations. The image of a centaur apparently arose when, in conditions of insufficient visibility, a man galloping on a horse was perceived as some kind of unprecedented animal. At the same time, the image of a winged man most likely arose consciously, since it symbolizes the idea of fast and easy movement through the air and is concretized in a sensual image.
One of the most common ways of processing images of perception into images of imagination is to increase or decrease an object or its parts. Various literary characters have been created using this method.
Agglutination can also be carried out by incorporating already known images into a new context. In this case, new connections are established between ideas, thanks to which the entire set of images receives a new meaning. Typically, when introducing ideas into a new context, the process is preceded by a specific idea or goal. This process is completely controllable, unless it is a dream, when control of consciousness is impossible. When incorporating already known images into a new context, a person achieves correspondence between individual ideas and the holistic context. Therefore, the entire process is subordinated to certain meaningful connections from the very beginning. [5, p. 199]
The most significant ways of processing ideas into images of the imagination, following the path of generalization of essential features, are schematization and emphasis.
Schematization can occur under different conditions. Firstly, schematization can arise as a result of an incomplete, superficial perception of an object. In this case, the representations are schematized randomly, and they sometimes highlight minor details that were accidentally discovered during the perception of the object. As a result, distortions arise that lead to the creation of imaginary images that distort reality. A similar phenomenon often occurs in children.
Secondly, the reason for schematization in the case of a sufficiently complete perception of the object may be the forgetting of any unimportant details or parts. In this case, significant details and features come to the fore in the presentation. At the same time, the representation loses some individuality and becomes more generalized.
And finally, thirdly, the reason for schematization may be a conscious distraction from unimportant, or secondary, aspects of the object. A person consciously directs his attention to the essential, in his opinion, features and properties of an object and, as a result, reduces ideas to a certain scheme.
Emphasis is to emphasize the most significant, typical features of the image. As a rule, this method is used when creating artistic images. The main feature of this processing of images of perception into images of imagination is that, reflecting real reality and typifying it, an artistic image always gives a broad generalization, but this generalization is always reflected in a specific image. Moreover, the processing of ideas when creating a typical image is not accomplished by mechanical addition or subtraction of any features. The process of creating a typical image is a complex creative process and reflects certain individual characteristics of the person creating this image. [8, p.106]
Thus, the following conclusions can be drawn: firstly, most often people differ in the degree of vividness of their imagination. In modern research, such a form of imagination as daydreams and daydreams is being actively studied - the independent creation of new images of what is desired. Significant differences between people are revealed regarding the nature of the dominant type of imagination. Despite the difficulty of determining the stages of development of imagination in humans, certain patterns in its formation can be identified. Thus, the first manifestations of imagination are closely connected with the process of perception, then with the appearance and mastery of speech, later with an increase in practical experience and the development of attention, and also the stage of development of imagination is associated with the appearance of its active forms.
Imagination is a person’s ability to construct new images by processing mental components acquired in past experience; the mental process of creating an image of an object or situation by restructuring existing ideas. The differentiation of imagination occurs primarily from the fact that people’s imagination is developed differently, and it manifests itself differently in their activities and social life. Individual characteristics of imagination are expressed in the fact that people differ in the degree of development of imagination and in the type of images with which they operate most often.
Imagination is the process of creating images of phenomena that are not perceived at the moment. Imagination plays a significant role both in the regulation of the processes of the human body and in the regulation of its motivated behavior.
Secondly, people most often differ in the degree of vividness of their imagination. In modern research, such a form of imagination as daydreams and daydreams is being actively studied - the independent creation of new images of what is desired. Significant differences between people are revealed regarding the nature of the dominant type of imagination. Despite the difficulty of determining the stages of development of imagination in humans, certain patterns in its formation can be identified. Thus, the first manifestations of imagination are closely connected with the process of perception, then with the appearance and mastery of speech, later with an increase in practical experience and the development of attention, and also the stage of development of imagination is associated with the appearance of its active forms.
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Types of imagination functions and means of psychotherapeutic influence
Dreams can be classified as passive and involuntary forms of imagination. Their true role in human life has not yet been established, although it is known that in human dreams many vital needs are expressed and satisfied, which, for a number of reasons, cannot be realized in life.
Hallucinations are fantastic visions that apparently have almost no connection with the reality surrounding a person. Usually they are the result of certain mental or bodily disorders and accompany many painful conditions.
Dreams, unlike hallucinations, are a completely normal mental state, representing a fantasy associated with a desire, most often a somewhat idealized future.
A dream differs from a daydream in that it is somewhat more realistic and more closely related to reality, i.e. is in principle feasible. Dreams and daydreams occupy a fairly large part of a person's time, especially in youth. For most people, dreams are pleasant thoughts about the future. Some also experience disturbing visions that generate feelings of anxiety, guilt, and aggressiveness.
- FUNCTIONS OF IMAGINATION, ITS DEVELOPMENT
People dream so much because their minds cannot be idle. It continues to function even when new information does not enter the human brain, when it does not solve any problems. It is at this time that the imagination begins to work. It has been established that a person, at will, is not able to stop the flow of thoughts, stop the imagination.
In human life, imagination performs a number of specific functions. The first of them is to represent reality in images and be able to use them when solving problems. This function of imagination is connected with thinking and is organically included in it.
The second function of imagination is to regulate emotional states. With the help of his imagination, a person is able to at least partially satisfy many needs and relieve the tension generated by them. This vital function is especially emphasized and developed in psychoanalysis.
The third function of imagination is associated with its participation in the voluntary regulation of cognitive processes and human states, in particular perception, attention, memory, speech, and emotions. With the help of skillfully evoked images, a person can pay attention to the necessary events. Through images, he gains the opportunity to control perceptions, memories, and statements.
The fourth function of imagination is the formation of an internal plan of action - the ability to carry them out in the mind, manipulating images.
Finally, the fifth function is planning and programming activities, drawing up such programs, assessing their correctness and the implementation process.
With the help of imagination, we can control many psychophysiological states of the body and tune it to upcoming activities. There are known facts indicating that with the help of imagination, purely by will, a person can influence organic processes: change the rhythm of breathing, pulse rate, blood pressure, body temperature. These facts underlie auto-training, which is widely used for self-regulation.
With the help of special exercises and techniques, you can develop your imagination. In creative types of work - science, literature, art, engineering and others - the development of imagination naturally occurs in these types of activities. In autogenic training, the desired result is achieved through a special system of exercises that are aimed at learning through willpower to relax individual muscle groups (arms, legs, head, torso), arbitrarily increase or decrease pressure, body temperature (in the latter case, imagination exercises are used heat, cold).
- IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY
We have already touched upon the issue identified in the title of this paragraph at the beginning of the chapter. This section will focus mainly on how human fantasy is used in psychology itself, as well as on the psychological analysis of the products and mechanisms of imagination.
First of all, we note that fantasy images are never completely divorced from reality, having nothing in common with it. It has been noticed that if any product of fantasy is decomposed into its constituent elements, then among them it will be difficult to find something that does not actually exist. Even when we subject the works of abstract artists to this kind of analysis, in their constituent elements we see, at least, geometric figures familiar to all of us. The effect of unreality, fantasy, novelty of products of creative and other imagination is achieved mostly due to an unusual combination of known elements, including a change in their proportions.
There are individual, typological features of the imagination associated with the specifics of human memory, perception and thinking. Some people may have a predominant concrete, imaginative perception of the world, which internally appears in the richness and diversity of their imagination. Such individuals are said to have an artistic type of thinking. It is assumed that it is physiologically associated with dominance of the right hemisphere of the brain. Others have a greater tendency to operate with abstract symbols and concepts (people with a dominant left hemisphere of the brain).
A person’s imagination acts as a reflection of the properties of his personality, his psychological state at a given moment in time. It is known that the product of creativity, its content and form well reflect the personality of the creator. This fact has found wide application in psychology, especially in the creation of psychodiagnostic personal techniques. Personality tests of the projective type (Thematic Apperception Test - TAT, Rorschach test, etc.) are based on the so-called projection mechanism, according to which a person in his imagination tends to attribute his personal qualities and states to other people. Carrying out a meaningful analysis of the subjects' fantasy products using a special system, the psychologist uses this to judge the personality of the person to whom these products belong. In Fig. 50 illustrates one of the plot-undefined pictures, which is used in a TAT-type project test to study the need to achieve success.
Rice. 50. One of the plot-undefined pictures used in the projective technique to assess the degree of development of the motive for achieving success
After looking at such a picture for about 20 seconds, the subject must then write a whole story about it, answering the following list of questions: 1. Who are these people? What is shown in this picture? 2. What happened to these people before this? 3. What are they thinking about at this moment in time? What thoughts, desires and feelings do they have? 4. What happens next? Stories written by subjects based on three or four similar pictures are subjected to content analysis, scored, and through their subsequent processing a conclusion is drawn about the degree of development of the subject’s personality quality under study.
4. IMAGINATION AND ORGANIC PROCESSES
Imagination is one of the subjectively most vivid mental phenomena, where the quality of the psychic as ideal manifests itself most clearly. In this regard, imagination seems to be the exact opposite of the organic as material. And all the more surprising are the facts that indicate that imagination and organic processes are closely interrelated. Let's look at some of these facts in more detail.
In people with a fairly rich imagination, as a result of a highly developed imagination, organic processes can change, for example, signs that usually accompany certain emotions may appear (increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, increased blood pressure, sweating, etc.). They occur when a person imagines a situation, for example, that poses a threat to him. Insatiable imagination in especially sensitive, emotionally unbalanced people can even cause certain types of diseases, including such serious ones as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal. Some modern doctors who believe in the psychogenic nature of such diseases even argue that, for example, stomach diseases more often occur not from what we eat, but from what “eats” us, i.e. from various kinds of experiences accompanied by fantasies.
Physiological reactions to psychological states associated with imagination should be considered completely normal. They help prepare the body for the upcoming activity and thereby facilitate it. Almost all images associated with fantasy are accompanied by some kind of conscious or unconscious organic changes. A widely known phenomenon is called the ideomotor act. Its essence is that a clear idea of any movement is evoked in a person by the movement itself, which, as a rule, is not controlled either by the senses or by consciousness. If, for example, you ask a person to hold a thread with a weight suspended at arm's length and imagine how this weight rotates, then after a while you will notice that he will actually begin to describe circles and make rotational movements.
The involuntary manifestation of movements associated with corresponding emotions (facial expressions, gestures, pantomime) is widely used by people in nonverbal communication. By subconsciously noticing them, we judge the emotional states of another, understand him better and choose the right reactions to his actions. In addition to the sphere of everyday communication, the ideomotor act is used by pop artists who demonstrate from the stage the ability to find objects hidden in the hall (by capturing micro-movements of the hands or eyes made by a person next to them who knows where the corresponding object is hidden), the so-called “psychics” who guess the thoughts of people based on the movements they involuntarily make.
The theory and practice of psychotherapeutic influences, including those that have gained popularity in our country in recent years (A. Kashpirovsky, A. Chumak, etc.), are based on the facts of the existence of a connection between a person’s images and his organic states.
Of particular psychological interest is the connection between dreams and organic states. Our brain, as research shows, continues to work during sleep, involving in its activity almost all organic structures associated with psychological processes: perception, attention, memory, thinking and speech. But this usually happens at the subconscious level, against the background of the inhibitory influence exerted by the reticular formation on the human cerebral cortex. The fact of recalling the content of dreams undoubtedly tells us that memory actively works in a dream.
People who sleep are not psychologically completely isolated from the perception of the surrounding reality and are able to react to it in a certain way. During sleep, the selectivity of reactions is partially preserved. Parents, for example, especially the mother, react very sensitively to the movements of their child and instantly wake up when they hear them. In a dream, a person can even make certain decisions, form plans, which are then often implemented in reality (as consciously accepted intentions).
The sleep and wakefulness patterns of different people and children of different ages are not the same. A newborn spends all his time in a systematic change of states of sleep and wakefulness. His sleep time ranges from 13 to 16 hours a day. Most adults sleep on average 7.5 hours, but there is considerable individual variation. There are, for example, people who sleep only three hours a day, and this is enough for them. There are those who cannot be satisfied even by sleep lasting nine hours or more. Differences in individually normal sleep times are also recorded in the everyday consciousness of people, in ideas about the so-called “night owls” and “larks”. The first are those who go to bed late and get up late, and the second are those who tend to go to bed and get up early.
Together with mammals, people form a single biological group, which is characterized by a rhythm called the biological clock. In science, it is known as the circadian rhythm and represents periodic changes in the body that occur throughout the day. They are associated with states of sleep and wakefulness, and have a complete cycle period of approximately 24 hours. It increases slightly, to approximately 25 hours, when a person is unable to sleep and is not able to outwardly distinguish the time of day from the time of day. In people who are blind from birth, this rhythm may also differ somewhat from those who are sighted, but even in them its individual duration is very stable. There is a known case when in a blind man it systematically lasted 24.9 hours, and with amazing constancy, so that every two weeks he was out of rhythm and, in order not to be late for work, was forced to take sleeping pills or do something else, providing him with sleep. Attempts to change the cyclic onset of sleep and wakefulness through the use of psychotropic and other influences usually end in failure. The circadian rhythm can therefore be considered a fairly stable psychophysiological characteristic of a person.
Psychotherapeutic means
Psychotherapeutic intervention, or psychotherapeutic intervention, is a type of psychotherapeutic influence that is characterized by certain goals and a choice of means of influence, that is, methods, corresponding to these goals.
The term psychotherapeutic intervention can denote a specific psychotherapeutic technique, for example, clarification, clarification, stimulation, verbalization, interpretation, confrontation, teaching, training, advice, etc., as well as a more general strategy of behavior of the psychotherapist, which is closely related to the theoretical orientation (primarily , with an understanding of the nature of a particular disorder and the goals and objectives of psychotherapy)
General characteristics of imagination
Along with perception, memory and thinking, imagination plays an important role in human activity. In the process of reflecting the surrounding world, a person, along with the perception of what is acting on him at the moment, or the visual representation of what influenced him before, creates new images.
Imagination is the mental process of creating something new in the form of an image, idea or idea..
A person can mentally imagine something that he did not perceive or do in the past; he may have images of objects and phenomena that he has not encountered before. Being closely connected with thinking, imagination is characterized by greater uncertainty of the problem situation than with thinking.
The process of imagination is characteristic only of man and is a necessary condition for his work activity..
Imagination is always directed towards the practical activities of man. A person, before doing anything, imagines what needs to be done and how he will do it. Thus, he already creates in advance an image of a material thing that will be manufactured in the subsequent practical activity of a person. This ability of a person to imagine in advance the final result of his work, as well as the process of creating a material thing, sharply distinguishes human activity from the “activity” of animals, sometimes very skillful.
The physiological basis of imagination is the formation of new combinations from those temporary connections that have already been formed in past experience. At the same time, simple updating of existing temporary connections does not yet lead to the creation of a new one. The creation of a new one presupposes a combination that is formed from temporary connections that have not previously been combined with each other. In this case, the second signal system, the word, is important. The process of imagination is a joint work of both signaling systems. All visual images are inextricably linked with him. As a rule, the word serves as a source of the appearance of images of the imagination, controls the path of their formation, and is a means of retaining, consolidating, and changing them.
Imagination is always a certain departure from reality. But in any case, the source of imagination is objective reality .
Imagination is the figurative construction of the content of a concept about an object (or the design of a scheme of actions with it) even before the concept itself is formed (and the scheme receives a clear, verifiable and implemented expression in specific material).
What is characteristic of imagination is that knowledge has not yet formed into a logical category, while a peculiar correlation of the universal and the individual at the sensory level has already been made. Thanks to this, in the very act of contemplation, a separate fact is revealed in its universal perspective, revealing its integral meaning in relation to a certain situation. Therefore, in terms of imagination, a holistic image of the situation is built before a dismembered and detailed picture of what is contemplated.
The leading mechanism of imagination is the transfer of some property of an object. The heuristic nature of transfer is measured by the extent to which it contributes to the disclosure of the specific integral nature of another object in the process of its cognition or creation by a person.
In psychology, a distinction is made between voluntary and involuntary imagination. The first manifests itself, for example, during the purposeful solution of scientific, technical and artistic problems in the presence of a conscious and abstracted search dominant, the second - in dreams, so-called unchanging states of consciousness, etc.
A dream is a special form of imagination. It is addressed to the sphere of a more or less distant future and does not imply the immediate achievement of a real result, as well as its complete coincidence with the desired image. At the same time, a dream can become a strong motivating factor in creative search.
Types of imagination
There are several types of imagination, among which the main ones are passive and active . Passive, in turn, is divided into voluntary (daydreaming, daydreaming) and involuntary (hypnotic state, dream fantasy). Active imagination includes artistic, creative, critical, recreating and anticipating... Close to these types of imagination is empathy - the ability to understand another person, to be imbued with his thoughts and feelings, to sympathize, to rejoice, to empathize...
Under conditions of deprivation, different types of imagination intensify, so, apparently, it is necessary to give their characteristics.
Active imagination is always aimed at solving a creative or personal problem. A person operates with fragments, units of specific information in a certain area, their movement in various combinations relative to each other. Stimulation of this process creates objective opportunities for the emergence of original new connections between the conditions recorded in the memory of a person and society. In an active imagination there is little daydreaming and “groundless” fantasy. Active imagination is directed to the future and operates with time as a well-defined category (that is, a person does not lose his sense of reality, does not place himself outside of temporary connections and circumstances). Active imagination is directed more outward, a person is mainly occupied with the environment, society, activities and less with internal subjective problems. Active imagination, finally, is awakened by a task and directed by it; it is determined by volitional efforts and is amenable to volitional control.
Recreating imagination is one of the types of active imagination, in which new images and ideas are constructed in people in accordance with externally perceived stimulation in the form of verbal messages, diagrams, conventional images, signs, etc.
Despite the fact that the products of reconstructive imagination are completely new images that have not previously been perceived by a person, this type of imagination is based on previous experience. K. D. Ushinsky viewed imagination as a new combination of past impressions and past experience, believing that the recreating imagination is a product of the influence of the material world on the human brain. Basically, reconstruction/imagination is a process in which recombination occurs, the reconstruction of previous perceptions in a new combination.
Anticipatory imagination underlies a very important and necessary human ability - to anticipate future events, foresee the results of one’s actions, etc. Etymologically, the word “anticipate” is closely related and comes from the same root with the word “see,” which shows the importance of understanding the situation and transferring certain elements of it into the future based on knowledge or predicting the logic of the development of events.
Thus, thanks to this ability, a person can “with his mind's eye” see what will happen to him, to other people or to surrounding things in the future. F. Lersch called this the Promethean (looking forward) function of the imagination, which depends on the magnitude of the life perspective: the younger the person, the more and more clearly the forward orientation of his imagination is represented. In older and older people, the imagination is more focused on events of the past.
Creative imagination is a type of imagination in which a person independently creates new images and ideas that are valuable to other people or society as a whole and which are embodied (“crystallized”) into specific original products of activity. Creative imagination is a necessary component and basis of all types of human creative activity.
Images of creative imagination are created through various techniques of intellectual operations. In the structure of creative imagination, two types of such intellectual operations are distinguished. The first is the operations through which ideal images are formed, and the second is the operations on the basis of which the finished product is processed.
One of the first psychologists to study these processes, T. Ribot, identified two main operations: dissociation and association. Dissociation is a negative and preparatory operation during which sensory experience is fragmented. As a result of such preliminary processing of experience, its elements are able to enter into a new combination.
Without prior dissociation, creative imagination is unthinkable. Dissociation is the first stage of creative imagination, the stage of preparing material. The impossibility of dissociation is a significant obstacle to creative imagination.
Association is the creation of a holistic image from elements of isolated image units. The association gives rise to new combinations, new images. In addition, there are other intellectual operations, for example, the ability to think by analogy with partial and purely accidental similarities.
Passive imagination is subject to internal, subjective factors; it is tendentious.
Passive imagination is subordinate to desires, which are thought to be realized in the process of fantasy. In the images of passive imagination, the unsatisfied, mostly unconscious needs of the individual are “satisfied”. The images and ideas of passive imagination are aimed at strengthening and preserving positively colored emotions and at repressing and reducing negative emotions and affects.
During the processes of passive imagination, an unreal, imaginary satisfaction of any need or desire occurs. In this way, passive imagination differs from realistic thinking, which is aimed at real, and not imaginary, satisfaction of needs.
The materials of passive imagination, like active imagination, are images, ideas, elements of concepts and other information gleaned through experience.
