Metathoughts for psychology provide adequate information on our way of thinking and how our review affects people’s attitudes. Individuals should not blame their own decisions on others but themselves because they can make informed decisions. Multiple studies have explored critical thinking and its impact on the thought process. In this regard, the findings demonstrate significant contemporary influences that highlight self-indulgent methods of obtaining an opinion on different topical issues. This review focuses on the relevance of meta thoughts to real-life situations. It highlights the positions adopted by various scholars who elaborate and incorporate their teachings in real-life cases.
Daniel Levy Methathoughts
The words people use prescribe rather than describe, and in this case, one is limited to the language they use. The attitude affects the language and the thought process adopted by individuals when confronted by different situations. Notably, reification is the act of confusing abstract and concrete concepts. For instance, confidence is conceptual and cannot be touched. In the same vein, thoughts cannot be measured because of their abstract nature. Differentiating the physical and abstract nature of existential elements is a complex process that requires more attention to understand. When developing a theory about some constructs, it is essential to focus on the part of the story. For example, doctors diagnose patients to establish whether the illness is triggered by mental or physical health aspects when someone is sick. Levy and Snir (2017) present a question that provokes individuals to question whether bodies exist because we feel them. From this realization, there is a need to measure different issues physically to evaluate the way people see them.
When a patient becomes anxious, an increased heartbeat is only measurable using a technical device. The patient may be experiencing fearful thoughts that induce a fast heart rate (Levy, 2010). From this observation, exposing the patient to a different situation or injecting something into their system can change their current mood. An example is when an individual takes tranquilizers or talks to another person who makes them feel more special. Importantly, exercising caution when differentiating between correlation and causes enables individuals to make informed decisions when faced with challenging scenarios. Words are essential in communication and other aspects of life because of their ability to utilize the symbols that improve the interaction process.
Tautology exemplifies circular reasoning and demonstrates a person’s ability to convey the same meaning twice using different words. For example, mentioning that someone is insane does not explain it exactly. An instance of tautology is when someone tells another to switch light being on or off, which brings about dichotomous minds and focuses on two states. Action is compared to a variable condition, such as the number of grey shades between white and black. Priority should pay attention to the difference between dichotomous and a variable that is continuous. The more people identify the different shades of black, is when they can think clearly. Daniel Levy clearly emphasized that childhood drugs and physical factors cause depression. People will do things according to their way of thinking and also due to external environments. He emphasizes that people should not blame others because of their decision but rather appreciate them because that is what they are.
Szasz’s Book on Myth and Mental Illness
Thomas Szasz believes that mental illness is not similar to other mental disorders. Instead, he argues that the condition is a social aspect of medicine that lives and robs people’s self-pride. According to Szasz, medication, physiotherapy, and hospitalization are coercive and deprive individuals of their dignity. He argues that it is not logical to distinguish psychological disorders as a disease. He goes ahead and argues that the term “mental illness” is not the correct definition, given that there is no illness of the mind, and in his position, he has distinguished between physical and mental health.
Szasz’s view on drug addiction has been emphasized when he argues that even though there is the freedom to take any drug, continued and addictive qualities are not realistic. Szasz was logical in his thinking because he explained that a person’s addictive nature is because of themselves. Individuals are well informed about the consequences of the substances they consume. If they become addicted, they are aware of their actions. The decisions should not blame drug producers and suppliers, but individuals should be responsible enough to make informed decisions.
Szasz’s logic is very impressive because he argues that an individual who sells food to an underweight person is not questioned about the person’s state. Instead, the individual is responsible for their weight. He explains that even those who sell drugs and alcohol to individuals are held accountable when the person gets addicted. He says that even the lottery system is not held responsible for an individual’s addiction to the lottery. He says that drug legalization translates to a free and flow exchange of businesses without government interference which means an individual is responsible for their behavior.
Other Meta Thoughts
Freud, in his book, wrote about reaction formation, which means we specify with polar opposite within us. He came up with an example of a woman who criticizes lesbianism wanting to take part in the act. Considering the practical aspects will reveal that the individual might be passionate and talks well about it. Similarities and differences depend on an individual perspective. For example, which one does not belong to the group? Automatically the mind does not belong. One might choose the knee because it had a silent letter. Various people clearly define and explain things differently from perceiving things. Even though a phenomena carry the same thoughts, there will be a place where they differ, and at this point is called Point of Critical Distinction (PCD).
This methought is used in various locations, such as evaluating analogies such as broken relationships. The evaluations are actual, but one has to be keen about it. This idea does not let the differences cover up the similarities. After all, they cannot compare these two because they possess different characteristics. An example is when a physiotherapist treats every individual as new, missing out on love, security, and history. There is a need to know and understand an individual’s record before an evaluation is done.
Methathoughts are essential in approaching a problem and also crucial in solving an existing problem. It can also be applied to psychology in undergraduate and postgraduate courses such as introducing psychology, abnormal psychology, clinical practicum, and contemporary issues in psychology. Metathoughts enable individuals to develop innovative and practical ideas that can be applied in real-life scenarios. An example is a clinical practicum which is practiced physically on the patients. The concepts taught in class are implemented in the medical context by treating patients and other affected individuals.
Self-questioning is another way of coming up with metathoughts. Self-questioning enables individuals to be humble and aware of themselves. At times, people should ask themselves questions like, is that the best way to tackle a given task? Questions enable one to do the work ideally, given that the human conscience haunts individuals by triggering guilt. Mediation is a way of clearing one’s mind, and there are various ways to clear one’s mind, such as reaching a calm environment suitable for learning. Meditation has become the standard norm in the classroom whereby educators allow children to meditate. The results are impressive in the sense that it creates self-awareness for them.
There are learning styles such as Gardner’s multiple intelligence and learning theories that dispute how people know. An example is when an individual feels good learning using images rather than using words. Some of the expected learning styles, such as visuals, will increase the capacity of a student to gain more knowledge. Visuals have a long-lasting effect. The images tend to remain in mind for the longest time compared to the writings.
Conclusion
Daniel levy’s ideas clarified that what we think impacts our ability to interpret and describe something according to our way. The description can be nice, and at the same time, it can be uncouth. The attitude affects our language. Szasz pointed out that mental illness is not similar to other mental disorders, but people should not blame our decision on other service providers. Our day to day activities enables us to appreciate meta thoughts, especially in schools when teaching employs problem-solving technique.
