Difference between revisions of "OCT 20"

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(Created page with "==15: OCT 20== ===Assigned=== :*Haidt, Chapter 7, "The Moral Foundations of Politics" (34) ===Note on "Sympathetic Interpretation"=== :*What is it? Focus on understanding...")
 
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==15: OCT 20==
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==14: OCT 20==
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===Assigned===
  
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===Assigned===
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:*Haybron, C5, “The Sources of Happiness” (24)
 +
:*Csiksentmihalyi, C2, “The Content of Experience’ (17)
 +
 
 +
===In-class===
 +
 
 +
:*Background on Cskisentmihalyi
 +
 
 +
===Haybron, “The Sources of Happiness”===
 +
 
 +
:*Acknowledges cultural relativity of what counts as happiness. (Note universality of happiness itself.)
 +
:*Focusing on things we don’t adapt to.  But also that we can change.
 +
:*Haybron’s list (expanding from Ryan Deci’s theory of basic needs)
 +
::*1. Security -
 +
:::*material, social, project, time.  Rational approach to risk.
 +
::*2. Outlook -
 +
:::*the “internal strategy” -external H-makers vs internal H-making skills.
 +
:::*positivity (savoring, gratitude, pos focus) and acceptance (not passivity or low ambition)
 +
:::*caring for others. -volunteering next to dancing in joy. (But maybe not for you?)
 +
:::*extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation. 
 +
::*3. Autonomy - general human desire for self-determination. 
 +
:::*Option freedom v autonomy. (Paradox of Choice - still current)
 +
:::*Makes a case for autonomy as universal - takes diff shape in kin-culture.
 +
::*4. Relationships
 +
:::*Component h-makers: understanding, validation, caring, trust (also a security item)
 +
::*5. Skilled and meaningful activity.
 +
:::*development of skills, meaningful activity (work or not), appreciative engagement.
 +
 
 +
:*Money —
 +
::*shows an Easterlin graph. 
 +
::*income affects H-l more.
 +
 
 +
===Csiksentmihalyi, Finding Flow, Chapter 2 ===
 +
 
 +
====The Content of Experience====
  
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:*Haidt, Chapter 7, "The Moral Foundations of Politics" (34)
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:*Theoretical position, p. 21:  In story of woman with two jobs: looking for patterns of human commitment to a life.  Wants to ask less for self-reports of happiness and more about the moods and affect that might be functionally related to happiness. 
  
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===Note on "Sympathetic Interpretation"===
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::*Two big points:
 +
:::*1. Happiness is positive emotion that might be driven by behavior. And,
 +
:::*2. It may be especially evident in a life of commitments and goals which reduce "psychic entropy." (Negative emotions are “entropic” for C.)
  
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:*What is it? Focus on understanding how someone might have come to a view, especially one that you disagree with.  How it might be reasonable to them.
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:*Discussion of emotions, goals, and thoughts in terms of the organization of "psychic entropy", 22 roughly, the cognitive / emotive state of order in my mind at a particular moment or during an activity.   
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:*Why would you want to practice it?  Various research we have been looking at suggests that we have psychological tendencies that might lead us to discount the reasonableness of someone's view, especially if....  So, you might see sympathetic interpretation as a practice to avoid following automatic inferences (intuitions) that would otherwise color your view (and activate your inner lawyer to supply arguments). 
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:*Intentions and goals inform and order our psychic energy.  Most prefer intrinsic motivation, next extrinsic, finally least productive of positive affect is no goal state.  :*William James: self-esteem is a ratio of expectation (goals) to success.  Set goals too high, lowers success and self-esteem. 
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:*Shift in question focus in response to a view you disagree with: 
 
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::*Less on: Is this other compatible with my view?  Should I defend my view now?  Isn't this about who's right?
 
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::*More on: Given what I know about evolutionary psychology, the evolution of social behavior, the nature of moral foundations and political orientation, can I understand the view in question as arising from or being conditioned (note the avoidance of determinist lingo) by a foundation or orientation difference?
 
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::*Examples of engaging from sympathetic understanding.   
 
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::*Not to deny that truth (the best course of action) is still a goal.   
 
  
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===Haidt, Chapter 7, "The Moral Foundations of Politics"===
+
:*Note distinction between Eastern philosophical suspicion of origin of goals and "superficial reading" that suggests it counsels renunciation of goals. 
  
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:*Homo economicus vs. Homo sapiens -- column a b -- shows costs of sapiens psych. commitments "taste buds"
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:*Three contents of consciousness: emotions, intentions, and thoughts.  Their integration allows for flow.  Concentration is necessary for flow, but can be impaired by lack of motivation and emotion.   
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:*Note on Innateness and Determinism: "first draft" metaphor; experience revises - pre-wired not hard-wired. innate without being universal.  (Note this is the same anti-determinism disclaimer we got from Hibbing & Co.)
 
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:*Notes on each foundation:
 
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::*'''Care/Harm''' -- evolutionary story of asymmetry between m/f interests/strategies in reproduction, attachment theory (read def). current triggers.  Baby Max and stuffed animals -- triggers. 
 
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:::*Implicit theory about "re-triggering" note red flag.  unexplained. Consider plausibility. 
 
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::*'''Fairness/Cheating''' -- We know we incur obligation when accepting favors. So,... Trivers and reciprocal altruism.  "tit for tat" ; equality vs. proportionality.  Original and current problem is to build coalitions (social networks) without being suckered (exploited).  Focus on your experience of cooperation, trust, and defection (which could just be declining cooperation).  Public goods game research also fits here.
 
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::*'''Loyalty/Betrayal''' -- Tribalism in story of Eagles/Rattlers.  liberals experience low emphasis here.  (also Zimbardo); note claim that this is gendered 139.  sports groupishness is a current trigger.  connected to capacity for violence.  Liberals can come across as disloyal when they think they are just being critical.  Note current culture conflicts over confederate symbols and statues fits here. 
 
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::*'''Authority/Subversion''' -- Cab driver story.  Hierarchy in animal and human society; liberals experience this differently also; note cultural work accomplished by the "control role" -- suppression of violence that would occur without hierarchy.  Alan Fiske's work on "Authority Ranking" -- suggest legit recognition of difference and, importantly, not just submission.  Authority relationships are a two way street (maybe esp for conservs?).  Tendency to see UN and international agreements as vote dilution, loss of sov.  (Digressive topic: Should we mark authority relationships more?)
 
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::*'''Sanctity/Degradation''' -- Miewes-Brandes horror.  Mill's libertarianism might be evoked. ev.story: omnivores challenge is to spot foul food and disease (pathogens, parasites).  (Being an omnivore is messy. One should not be surprised to find that vegetarians often appreciate the cleanliness of their diet.) Omnivores dilemma -- benefit from being able to eat wide range of foods, but need to distinguish risky from safe.  neophilia and neophobia.  Images of chastity in religion and public debate.  understanding culture wars.
 
  
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:*'''Two part group activity''':  
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:*FLOW, p. 29ff.  (What a quiet mind is getting ready for.)  
−
::*'''1. Finding Moral Foundations in your experience''': In a small group discussion, take each of the moral foundations and try to examples of either personal or political morality that might be understood more sympathetically using Haidt's Moral Foundations.
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::*effortless action, being in the zone, altered time consciousness.
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::*For example, you might recall a reaction your had to something that showed your "trigger" for one of the foundations. Maybe you are liberal and found yourself judging a conservative as uncaring, when MFT might point out that they emphasize fairness also.  Or maybe as a conservative you found yourself agreeing with a talk show host that liberals want to control you through big government.  MFT might create a more sympathetic interpretation by suggesting that it is a typical concern of liberals to address harms more in the short term.   
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::*clear set of goals, focusing attention.
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::*Please identify one person in your group to report 1-2 examples from your discussion.
+
::*often at limits of skill and challenge level.
 +
::*absorption in task, dynamic feedback.  "All in."
 +
:*Theoretical Problem about the Relation of Flow to Happiness:
 +
::*"It is the full involvement of flow, rather than happiness, that makes for excellence in life. When we are in flow, we are not happy, because to experience happiness we must focus on our inner states, and that would take away attention from the task at hand." [Theoretical note:  choice of "rather than happiness".  Also could be "causes LS" or savoring model.]  Think about place of flow in hierarchy of daily goals.  Intensity of flow varies widely from extreme to mundane activity.  Note related states.
 +
::*Data on frequency of flow experiences, p. 33.  About 20% yes, often. 15% no, never. (Again, you need to ask how much flow you want or need.  Might depend upon how you feel when challenged.  Ok, to live life staying “inside your game”.)
  
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::*'''2. Bumper Sticker / Slogan reading'''
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:*Small Group Discussion: Tracking Affect
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::*Extending Haidt's examples of using bumper sticks and slogans to illustrate the moral foundations, please use either this link [http://www.cafepress.com/+political+bumper-stickers] or your own searches of moral and political slogans and bumper stickers.) "Morality slogans" "morals quotes" "political bumper stickers".
+
::*1. Think about a recent cycle of affect changes that you have experienced (similar to the example given). What are some of the personal practices you follow to bring negative affect (e.g. Anxiety, Worry, Apathy, Boredom) around to more positive states.
−
::*Can you offer an account of the slogan or expression in terms of one or more moral foundations?  Look also for expressions that do not fit the foundations.
+
::*2. Share with your group some of the experiences that produce “flow” in your life.  What are the obstacles to states of flow?  How important is flow in your list of happiness makers? Does a happy life have to have flow?
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::*Please post the urls from your search in the Shared Content document "Bumper Sticker Links" document.
 

Revision as of 21:44, 20 October 2021

14: OCT 20

Assigned

  • Haybron, C5, “The Sources of Happiness” (24)
  • Csiksentmihalyi, C2, “The Content of Experience’ (17)

In-class

  • Background on Cskisentmihalyi

Haybron, “The Sources of Happiness”

  • Acknowledges cultural relativity of what counts as happiness. (Note universality of happiness itself.)
  • Focusing on things we don’t adapt to. But also that we can change.
  • Haybron’s list (expanding from Ryan Deci’s theory of basic needs)
  • 1. Security -
  • material, social, project, time. Rational approach to risk.
  • 2. Outlook -
  • the “internal strategy” -external H-makers vs internal H-making skills.
  • positivity (savoring, gratitude, pos focus) and acceptance (not passivity or low ambition)
  • caring for others. -volunteering next to dancing in joy. (But maybe not for you?)
  • extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation.
  • 3. Autonomy - general human desire for self-determination.
  • Option freedom v autonomy. (Paradox of Choice - still current)
  • Makes a case for autonomy as universal - takes diff shape in kin-culture.
  • 4. Relationships
  • Component h-makers: understanding, validation, caring, trust (also a security item)
  • 5. Skilled and meaningful activity.
  • development of skills, meaningful activity (work or not), appreciative engagement.
  • Money —
  • shows an Easterlin graph.
  • income affects H-l more.

Csiksentmihalyi, Finding Flow, Chapter 2

The Content of Experience

  • Theoretical position, p. 21: In story of woman with two jobs: looking for patterns of human commitment to a life. Wants to ask less for self-reports of happiness and more about the moods and affect that might be functionally related to happiness.
  • Two big points:
  • 1. Happiness is positive emotion that might be driven by behavior. And,
  • 2. It may be especially evident in a life of commitments and goals which reduce "psychic entropy." (Negative emotions are “entropic” for C.)
  • Discussion of emotions, goals, and thoughts in terms of the organization of "psychic entropy", 22 roughly, the cognitive / emotive state of order in my mind at a particular moment or during an activity.
  • Intentions and goals inform and order our psychic energy. Most prefer intrinsic motivation, next extrinsic, finally least productive of positive affect is no goal state. :*William James: self-esteem is a ratio of expectation (goals) to success. Set goals too high, lowers success and self-esteem.
  • Note distinction between Eastern philosophical suspicion of origin of goals and "superficial reading" that suggests it counsels renunciation of goals.
  • Three contents of consciousness: emotions, intentions, and thoughts. Their integration allows for flow. Concentration is necessary for flow, but can be impaired by lack of motivation and emotion.
  • FLOW, p. 29ff. (What a quiet mind is getting ready for.)
  • effortless action, being in the zone, altered time consciousness.
  • clear set of goals, focusing attention.
  • often at limits of skill and challenge level.
  • absorption in task, dynamic feedback. "All in."
  • Theoretical Problem about the Relation of Flow to Happiness:
  • "It is the full involvement of flow, rather than happiness, that makes for excellence in life. When we are in flow, we are not happy, because to experience happiness we must focus on our inner states, and that would take away attention from the task at hand." [Theoretical note: choice of "rather than happiness". Also could be "causes LS" or savoring model.] Think about place of flow in hierarchy of daily goals. Intensity of flow varies widely from extreme to mundane activity. Note related states.
  • Data on frequency of flow experiences, p. 33. About 20% yes, often. 15% no, never. (Again, you need to ask how much flow you want or need. Might depend upon how you feel when challenged. Ok, to live life staying “inside your game”.)
  • Small Group Discussion: Tracking Affect
  • 1. Think about a recent cycle of affect changes that you have experienced (similar to the example given). What are some of the personal practices you follow to bring negative affect (e.g. Anxiety, Worry, Apathy, Boredom) around to more positive states.
  • 2. Share with your group some of the experiences that produce “flow” in your life. What are the obstacles to states of flow? How important is flow in your list of happiness makers? Does a happy life have to have flow?
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