What does anger and aggression look like in A-strategies? How does it differ from C anger? How do apologies differ when the person is using cognitive self-protective strategies as opposed to affective strategies? Are intrusions of negative affect an example of a sigmoidal or bell curve spike in affective arousal? Join us for a no-host open discussion to explore these questions.
A-strategies split negative and positive, dismiss the negative and focus on the positive. But when a forbidden negative suddenly intrudes and isn’t or can’t be regulated, it can lead to a quick spike in arousal and sometimes an explosion of anger (coded as [ina]). According to the AAI coding manual, Assessing Adult Attachment, [ina]s are relatively rare, except in contexts calling for imposed restraint or protection, and are associated with high A strategies. Is that your experience in clinical or forensic practice? Do you see [ina]s in lower A strategies, even in A1-2 (some clinicians do), and if so what are the common triggers and what does the expression of anger look like?
What is unique in the way apology works in A-strategies? Why are comforting reflective statements actively rejected by some people, and what strategy is this associated with? “Wow, that must have been really difficult for you.” “Of course it was [you idiot]!”
What techniques are helpful to manage anger and aggression for people using A-strategies?
Sigmoidal curves and emotional intensity spikes
Sigmoidal curves (known also as S-shaped curves, Logistic distribution curves, growth curve, saturation curve) were introduced by Mike Blows in our last session. He related the shape of these growth curves and the quick spikes they can have, to quick shifts in mental st tes. Sigmoidal curves are similar to a bell curve, and can represent a predictable increase or decrease in something. Population growth and virus infection two examples example. Sigmoidal and bell curves describe the growth over time of the interplay of a thing (like algae) and a reactant or fuel (like oxygen and nutrients). In some cases, the spike levels off and can stay high (like human population), while in others it can reduce or die off (virus, algae blooms).
What can sigmoidal and bell curve math describe in terms of the DMM model?
One easy candidate is an [ina] spike, which has the life of sharp bell curve. What about defensive intensity when the fuel is substantial danger like rejection or divorce? Does Kasia Kozlowska’s description of Functional Somatic Symptoms in her new book describe a sigmoidal spike, triggered by multiple systems, to a persistently high state? If so, what can we learn about solutions from the math? We will start exploring these questions over the coming months, and we will start by looking at [ina]s.
For those of you interested in knowing a little more about math curves, here are some resources.
Dr. Daniel Mansfield at the University of New South Wales has somewhat accessible videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_3VVO1wzpk.
This fascinating article may explain the development of intense somatic symptoms, Kucharavy, Dmitry and De Guio, Roland (2011), Application of S-shaped curves, Procedia Engineering 9, 559-572. It discusses logistic distribution curves as something which can allow forecasting, and provide information about the natural growth of a system to help “master the future.” S-shaped curves ability to forecast is dependent on the quality of the component data. Does the DMM provide high quality data useful to input into curve math?
Session details
Date: Tuesday, November 24 (live) & Thursday, November 26 (live), 2020 (Friday, November 13 in Australia/Asia)
Length: 60 minutes
Price: Free
Host/Facilitator: no host, open discussion
Platform: Zoom meeting
Sponsor: Conflict Science Institute
Multiple sessions: Each session will be unique, please join both!
Session times: Times listed below, PLEASE NOTE, some computer calendars do not automatically handle the time zone conversion correctly.
Session A (live) (EU/US/India): Tuesday, November 24, 2020, 9:00 a.m. Seattle (UTC -7) (noon in Miami, 5:00 p.m. London, 9:00 p.m. New Delhi, midnight in Bangkok.)
Session B (live) (US/EU/AUS/Asia): Thursday November 26, at 1:00 p.m. Seattle time, 4:00 p.m. in Miami, 9:00 p.m. in London, and (in Australia/Thailand/China on Friday) at 6:00 a.m. in Auckland, 8:00 a.m. in Sydney, 7:00 a.m. in Perth/China, and 4:00 a.m. in Bangkok. (AUS/ASIA participants should confirm the start time.)