|
Series: "Psychological technologies" This edition includes one of the most important works of the outstanding German psychologist and psychiatrist Ernst Kretschmer - the creator of the theory of temperaments, based on the study of physique. In his fundamental work, Kretschmer, using extensive empirical material, shows the relationship between the main types of body structure and predisposition to mental illness. The first edition of the book in Russian appeared in 1924. It was it that formed the basis of this edition. The text is provided with the necessary notes and comments. For psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, as well as anyone interested in childhood issues. Publisher: "Academic project" (2015)
BiographySubsequently, Kretschmer identified seven temperaments, correlated with three main groups:
As the main properties, Kretschmer considered sensitivity to stimuli, mood, pace of mental activity, psychomotor, the individual characteristics of which are ultimately determined by chemism. In his work “Geniale Menschen” (“Geniale Menschen”, B., 1929), for which he began to prepare materials back in , Kretschmer made an attempt to transfer his doctrine of the types of constitution to the field of “spiritual sciences”. Conducted research on the constitutional features of criminals, on the basis of which he gave recommendations on conducting rehabilitation work with them. Subsequently, he tried to bring a biological basis to his teaching - on the basis of understanding the constitution of the body as determined by the individual characteristics of the system of endocrine glands (“Körperbau und Charakter: Untersuchungen zum Konstitutionsproblem und Lehre von den Temperamenten”, B., 1951).
NotesCategories:
Other books on similar topics:
|
German psychiatrist and psychologist, creator of the typology of temperaments based on physique.
Biography
In 1906 he began to study philosophy, world history, literature and art history at the University of Tübingen, but after two semesters he changed his specialization and began to study medicine, first at the University of Munich, where he was particularly influenced by the psychiatric studies of Emil Kraepelin, then on an internship in the Eppendorf hospital in Hamburg and in Tübingen, with Robert Eugen Gaupp, under whose guidance he prepared and defended his doctoral dissertation in 1914 on the topic “The development of delirium and the manic-depressive symptom complex”.
With the entry into military service, he was involved in the organization of the neurological department of the military hospital in Bad Margentheim. In 1918 he moved to Tübingen, where he worked as a privatdozent, at which time he published his work "Sensitive Delusions of Attitude" (1918), which Karl Jaspers rated as "close to brilliant". In 1926, Kretschmer was invited as an ordinary professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Marburg. From 1946 to 1959 he worked as professor and director of the Neurological Clinic at the University of Tübingen. After the transfer of the clinic to students, Kretschmer organized his own laboratory of constitutional and labor psychology, which he led until his death.
Contribution to science
Among the publications of Kretschmer (there are more than 150 of them), a special place is occupied by works on the ratio of physique and character.
The scientific theory of the connection between mental illness and the constitutional characteristics of a person, which received wide recognition and harsh criticism among specialists, formed the core of the book Medical Psychology, published in 1922.
In the early 1920s, he experienced a special creative upsurge, and at that time his main work appeared, which brought him worldwide fame - “The structure of the body and character” (1921), “The structure of the body and character”, (2nd edition, 1930) . Here, an examination of about 200 patients was described - based on many calculations of the ratio of body parts, Kretschmer identified the main types of body structure (clearly expressed - leptosomal, or psychosomatic, picnic, athletic, and less definite - dysplastic).
He correlated these body types with the mental illnesses described by Kraepelin - manic-depressive psychosis and schizophrenia, and it turned out that there is a certain connection: people with a picnic type of constitution are more prone to manic-depressive psychoses, and leptosomal ones are more prone to schizophrenia.
Further, he made the assumption that the same features of temperament that are leading in mental disorders can be found, only with their lesser severity, in healthy individuals. The difference between illness and health, according to Kretschmer, is only quantitative: any type of temperament is characterized by psychotic, psychopathic and healthy variants of the mental warehouse. Each of the major psychotic illnesses corresponds to a certain form of psychopathy, as well as a certain temperament of a healthy person.
The most predisposed to mental illness are picnics and psychosomatics. The cyclothymic character, when exaggerated, can reach, through an already abnormal cycloid character variation, to a manic-depressive psychosis. With the schizotimic form of temperament, in case of deviation from the norm, schizoidia occurs, which transforms, with the forcing of painful symptoms, into schizophrenia.
Subsequently, Kretschmer identified seven temperaments, correlated with three main groups:
- Cyclothymic - based on picnic physique
- hypomanic
- syntonic
- phlegmatic
- Schizothymic - based on the leptomsomic constitution
- hyperesthetic
- proper schizothymic
- anesthetic
- Viscous temperament - based on an athletic physique, as a special kind of temperament, characterized by viscosity, difficulty switching and a tendency to affective outbursts, the most predisposed to epileptic diseases.
As the main properties of temperament, Kretschmer considered sensitivity to stimuli, mood, pace of mental activity, psychomotor, the individual characteristics of which are ultimately determined by blood chemistry. In his work "People of Brilliance" (1929), for which he began to prepare materials back in 1919, Kretschmer made an attempt to transfer his doctrine of the types of constitution to the field of "spiritual sciences". Conducted research on the constitutional features of criminals, on the basis of which he gave recommendations on conducting rehabilitation work with them. In the future, he tried to bring a biological basis to his teaching - on the basis of understanding the constitution of the body as determined by the individual characteristics of the work of the system of endocrine glands.
After the war, from 1946, Kretschmer worked as a professor at the University of Tübingen and headed the university's neurological clinic.
Beginning in 1946, Kretschmer also engaged in extensive research on the morphology and physiology of development, child and adolescent psychopathology.
Great fame was brought to Kretschmer by the psychotherapeutic technique developed by him back in 1923, “active step hypnosis”, based on the patient's study of imaginary images. Introduced the concept of "key mental trauma", as affecting the most vulnerable areas of experience.
Compositions
- About hysteria. In this book, published for the first time in 1923, Kretschmer reveals the mechanism of hysterical disorders. The book has not been reprinted in Russian for more than seventy years.
- Body structure and character. The monograph, published in 1921, withstood many editions in a short time and translated into many languages, was first published in Russian in 1930
- medical psychology. This book became one of the first textbooks on medical psychology. Kretschmer based it on his theory of constitutional psychology, the central position of which is the close connection between the structure of the body and the mental life of a person.
Ernst Kretschmer
Kretschmer (Kretschmer) Ernst (1888-1964) - German psychiatrist and psychologist, creator of typology temperaments based on body characteristics. Biography. In 1906 he began studying philosophy, world history, literature and art history in Tübingen, but after two semesters he changed his specialization and began to study medicine, first in Munich, where he was particularly influenced by psychiatric studies. E. Kraepelina, then on an internship at the Eppendorf hospital in Hamburg and in Tübingen, with R. Gaupp, under whose guidance he prepared and defended his doctoral dissertation in 1914 on the topic “The development of delirium and the manic-depressive symptom complex”. With the entry into military service, he was involved in the organization of the neurological department of the military hospital in Bad Margentheim. In 1918 he moved to Tübingen, where he worked as a privatdozent, at which time he published his work "Sensitive delusions of attitude" (Der sensitive Beziehungswahn. Berlin, 1918), which K. Jaspers rated it as "close to genius". In 1926, Kretschmer was invited as tenured professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Marburg. From 1946 to 1959 he worked as professor and director of the Neurological Clinic at the University of Tübingen. After the transfer of the clinic to students, Kretschmer organized his own laboratory of constitutional and labor psychology, which he led until his death.
Research. Among the publications of Kretschmer (there are more than 150 of them), a special place is occupied by works on the ratio of the constitution of the body and character. In the early 1920s, he experienced a special creative upsurge, and at that time his main work appeared, which brought him worldwide fame: "The structure of the body and character" (Koerperbau und C.harakter, 1921 (24, Aufl., 1964); in Russian translation: Body structure and character, 2nd ed., Moscow, L., 1930, reprint: M.: Melnikov Scientific Fund, 2000). Here, an examination of about 200 patients was described - based on many calculations of the ratio of body parts, Kretschmer identified the main types of body structure (clearly expressed: leptosomal, or psychosomatic, picnic, athletic and less defined - dysplastic). He correlated these types of constitutions with the mental illnesses described by E. Kraepelin (manic-depressive psychosis and schizophrenia), and it turned out that there is a certain connection: people with a picnic type of constitution are more prone to manic-depressive psychoses, and leptosomal ones are more prone to schizophrenia. Further, he made an assumption (albeit poorly substantiated) that the same temperamental features that are leading in mental illness can be found, only with their lesser severity, in healthy individuals.
The difference between illness and health, but Kretschmer, is only quantitative: any type of temperament is characterized by psychotic, psychopathic and healthy variants of the mental warehouse. Each of the main mental (psychotic) diseases corresponds to a certain form of psychopathy (cycloid, schizoid), as well as a certain "character" (more precisely, temperament) of a healthy person (cyclothymic, schizothymic). The most predisposed to mental illness are picnics and psychosomatics. The cyclothymic character, when exaggerated, can reach - through an already abnormal cycloid character variation - to a manic-depressive psychosis. With the schizotimic form of temperament, in case of deviation from the norm, schizoidia occurs, which transforms, with the forcing of painful symptoms, into schizophrenia. Subsequently, Kretschmer singled out seven temperaments correlated with thundering main groups: 1) cyclothymic, based on a pyknic physique (a - hypomanic, b - synthonic, c - phlegmatic); 2) schizotimic, on the basis of a leptosomal constitution (a - hyperaesthetic, b - schizotimic proper, c - anesthetic); 3) viscous temperament (viskose temperament), based on an athletic physique, as a special type of temperament, characterized by viscosity, difficulty switching and a tendency to affective outbursts, the most prone to epileptic diseases.
As the main properties of temperament, Kretschmer considered sensitivity to stimuli, mood, pace of mental activity, psychomotor, the individual characteristics of which are ultimately determined by blood chemistry. In his work “People of genius” (Geniale Menschen. Berlin, 1929), for which he began to prepare materials as early as 1919, Kretschmer made an attempt to transfer his doctrine of types of constitution to the “spider of the spirit” area. Conducted research on the constitutional features of criminals, on the basis of which he gave recommendations on conducting rehabilitation work with them. Subsequently, he tried to bring a biological basis to his teaching - on the basis of understanding the constitution of the body as determined by the individual characteristics of the endocrine gland system (Korperbau und Charakter. Untersuchungen zum Konstitutionsproblem und Lehre von den Temperamenten. Berlin: Springer, 1951). Within the framework of this approach, he developed the concept of violation of motives. He singled out the following types of impulse disturbances: weakness and delay in the achievement process, for example, akinetic motor decline (angormia); superstrong and excessively harsh reactions, in particular psychomotor psychokinesis (hyperhormia); uneven functions of motives (disgormy). Studied the systematics of affects. Starting from the theory of emotions W. Wundt, Kretschmer organized all emotions on two independent scales: sensitive - strong (psychastetische); cheerful - sad (diatherische). Starting in 1946, Kretschmer also engaged in extensive research on the morphology and physiology of development, child and adolescent psychopathology. Introduced the concept of a key mental trauma as affecting the most vulnerable areas of experience.
Methods. Kretschmer gained great fame for the psychotherapeutic technique he developed back in 1923 (active stepwise hypnosis), based on the patient's elaboration of imaginative images.
Kondakov I.M. Psychology. Illustrated dictionary. // THEM. Kondakov. - 2nd ed. add. And a reworker. - St. Petersburg, 2007, p. 278-279.
Read further:
Historical Persons of Germany (biographical guide).
Compositions:
Medizinische Psychologic. Stuttgart, 1922 (in Russian translation: Medical psychology. M.; L., 1927); Constitution tind Psychose, 1926; About hysteria / Per. with him. M.; L.; Gosizdat, 1928; Der Tonus als Constitution problem, 1941; Das Ende den Rassenwahn, 1945; iiber gestufte aktive Hypnoseuebung und den Umbau der Hypnosetechnik // Deutsche medicinische Woc.henschrift 1946. 71; Gothe als Patient, 1948; Hystery, Reflex and Instinct. Stuttgart, 1948; Psychotherapeutische Studien. Stuttgart, 1949; Der schizophrene Mensch und seine Behandlung, 1961; Gestalten und Gedanken, 1963; Vorlesungen Uber Psychoanalysis. 2 Aufl., Stuttgart, 1973; About hysteria. St. Petersburg: Peter, 1998; Body structure and character. M.: EX.MO, 2003.
Literature:
Eysenck H.J. Cyclothimia and schizothimia as a dimension of personality // Journal of Personality. 1950. No. 19.
Chief ideologist constitutional typology was a German psychiatrist E. Kretschmer, who published in 1921 a work entitled "The structure of the body and character" (in Russian translation, the book was published in 1924, the last reprint in 1995). He drew attention to the fact that each of the two types of diseases, manic-depressive (circular) psychosis and schizophrenia, corresponds to a certain type of physique. This allowed him to argue that body type determines the mental characteristics of people and their predisposition to the corresponding mental illnesses. Numerous clinical observations prompted E. Kretschmer to undertake systematic studies of the structure of the human body. After making many measurements of its various parts, the author identified four constitutional types.
1. Leptosomatic (Greek leptos - “fragile”, soma - “body”). It has a cylindrical body, a fragile physique, high growth, a flat chest, an elongated egg-shaped face (full face). A long thin nose and an undeveloped lower jaw form the so-called angular profile. The shoulders of the leptosomatic are narrow, the lower limbs are long, the bones and muscles are thin. E. Kretschmer called individuals with extreme severity of these features asthenics (Greek astenos - “weak”).
2. Picnic (Greek pyknos - “thick, dense”). He is characterized by excessive obesity, small or medium stature, a swollen torso, a large belly, a round head on a short neck. Relatively large perimeters of the body (head, chest and abdomen) with narrow shoulders give the body a barrel-shaped shape. People of this type are prone to stoop.
3. Athletic (Greek athlon - "fight, fight"). It has a good musculature, a strong physique, high or medium height, a wide shoulder girdle and narrow hips, which is why the front view of the body forms a trapezoid. The fat layer is not expressed. The face is in the form of an elongated egg, the lower jaw is well developed.
Depending on the tendency to different emotional reactions, E. Kretschmer identified two large groups of people. The emotional life of some is characterized by a dyadic scale (i.e., their characteristic moods can be represented as a scale, the poles of which are: “joyful - sad”). Representatives of this group have a cyclothymic type of temperament.
The emotional life of other people is characterized by a psycho-aesthetic scale (sensitive emotionally dull, unexcitable). These people have a schizothymic temperament.
4. Schizothymic (this name comes from "schizophrenia") has a leptosomatic or asthenic physique. With a mental disorder, it reveals a predisposition to schizophrenia. Closed, prone to fluctuations in emotions from irritability to dryness, stubborn, inflexible to change attitudes and views. With difficulty adapts to the environment, prone to abstraction.
5. Cyclothymic (the name is associated with circular, or manic-depressive psychosis), the opposite of schizotimic. Has a picnic physique. In violation of the psyche reveals a predisposition to manic-depressive psychosis. Emotions fluctuate between joy and sadness. Easily contacts with the environment, realistic in views.
E. Kretschmer also singled out a viscose (mixed) type of temperament.
The relationship between body type and some mental properties or, in extreme cases, mental illness, E. Kretschmer explained by the fact that both the type of body structure and temperament have the same reason: they are due to the activity of the endocrine glands and the chemical composition of the blood associated with it ; thus, the chemical properties depend largely on certain features of the hormonal system.
Carried out by E. Kretschmer, a comparison of body type with emotional types of response gave a high percentage of coincidence.
Depending on the type of emotional reactions, the author distinguishes cheerful and sad cyclothymics and sensitive or cold schizothymics.
The theory of temperament by E. Kretschmer has become widespread in our country. Moreover, it seemed to some (for example, MP Andreev, 1930) that the question of the relationship between the physique and the mental appearance of a person was finally resolved. In proof of the correctness of Kretschmer's theory, P. P. Blonsky referred to the work of a livestock professor who gave a description of "dry and wet" breeds of horses, pigs, cows and sheep. P. P. Blonsky, in this regard, considered human "biotypes" as special cases of the manifestation of common biotypes of the animal world.
Soon, however, disappointment set in, since attempts to reproduce the results described by E. Kretschmer showed that most people cannot be classified as extreme options: the relationship between body type and emotional response did not reach the level of reliability. Critics began to say that it was unlawful to extend the patterns identified in pathology to the norm.
Loading...