What are factors that contribute to the misconception that changes occur linearly?
- Analysis of means
- treatment of intra-individual fluctuations as noise
- some statistical designs such as pre-post analysis
How can a dynamic system be defined?
As a set of elements that interact and evolve over time.
What is the relatively stable state called, a system converges to?
Homeostasis
When a fluctuation is critical, ___ is not possible.
Assimilation
The point around wich a system converges during homeostasis can also be called…?
Attractor
What is a central feature, that often precedes fundamental system transitions?
Critical variability
What is posttraumatic growth?
When accumulation of adverse events leads to a dramatic positive life transition.
What is a clinical psychologists example of changes happening non-linearly?
Relapses as well as recovery
What is a factor, that increases the likelihood of discontent leading to a positive life transition? (Crystallization of Discontent)
When the discontent arises from multiple sources
What is a typical non-linear feature in the recovery from depression?
The Depression Spike ~10 sessions into the process
What are the four main types of attractors?
- Discrete Point
- Simple Oscillation
- Quasiperiodic cycles
- Chaos
What happens in a type 3 quasiperiodic attractor?
there is a recurrent pattern but also a degree of unpredictability.
What are the characteristics of a chaotic attractor?
The variables are bounded but irregular in this space.
Why is isolating one single factor as an independent variable often not adequate to study the behavior of a system?
The variables are interdependent and sensitive to general conditions
When is a systems said to be self-organizing?
When a pattern of activity emerges without being manipulated from the outside
What are some methods of testing hypotheses in dynamic systems?
- Using multiple equations
- If it is possible to reconstruct a nonlinear attractor from a data set, then this should be tried
How can a high degree of resilience be shown graphically?
It is a deep “pool” in the 3D-landscape, where the metaphorical ball cannot easily escape. This pool is also called “basin of attraction”.
What are some observations that support a complex-systems view in psychopathology?
- Sudden shifts in symptoms
- Symptom changes are related to resilience of the system - sometimes changes are independent from visible causes
- Feedback loops in mental states exist contributing to self-organization
- Recovery is not linearly related to the removal of a cause
- Symptom level changes can be predicted by warning signs such as critical variability
How are early warning signs of a developing psychopathology shown in a 3D Graph?
they are visible as forming “canyons” connecting two basins of attraction
What are characteristics of intractable conflicts?
- Stable in their chaotic state
- Many sources of hostility
- Positive reinforcement between sources of hostility
- Generalization of conflict dimensions
To promote lasting change in an intractable conflict, it is necessary to change the ___ of the system.
Attractors
What is the principle of Hysteresis?
Depending on the history of the system, there are two possible current states for a certain range of independent variables.
What are two terms of catastrophe theory that promote a conflict becoming intractable?
increased self-organization and reduced multidimensionality
What is a phenomenon that is a result of positive feedback loops in inter-group conflicts?
The conflict on a group level is more intense than the sum of conflicts on an individual level.
