Emotional Spin Cycle:
Data Collection and Analysis

Date:  April 10 ~ 2002
by: Korey Molyneaux       Dr. Leon James, Instructor

Instructions for This Report #2

Introduction

Data & Analysis

Discussion

 Introduction

Report one introduced Dr. Leon James's Emotional Spin Cycle theory and how it is relevant to  cognitive schemas, behavioral routines, cognitive appraisals, and emotional intelligent thinking.  I examined behavioral routines in relation to socialization, cognitive scripts in relation to motivation, cognitive appraisal in relation to self enhancing behavior, and emotionally intelligent thinking in relation to productivity.  In this investigation I concluded the following:  

As we develop throughout life we learn ways to behave in diverse situations, these guides are called Cognitive Scripts.  These Cognitive Scripts are individual and unique ways to organize knowledge and control behavior as situations arise that individuals must face.  They will be unconsciously used when a situations requires them.  In relation to motivation, cognitive scripts take the part of an important role because they are what guide an individuals behavior.  We all have unique scripts, and in different situations we will be motivated by the scripts to behave in diverse ways.

Behavioral routines are the culturally learned ways to deal with life and the challenges that it accompany it.   They are patterns of behavior that we learn from our parents and our peers.  These patterns are maintained unconsciously.  An example of behavioral routines would be an individuals need to find the closest parking spot at the mall, because of the socialized feeling of accomplishment if he finds one. 

Cognitive appraisals are the tools we use to re-evaluate our cognitive scripts and behavioral routines.  By doing this we are asking ourselves if our actions are harmonious with our beliefs, through this questioning  we can change our behavior to make our actions similar to our beliefs.

Emotionally Intelligent Thinking is the ability to be aware of your unconscious emotions, feelings and behaviors.  This thinking helps individuals to asses situations with empathy and not to allow their thinking to be ruled by their feelings.  Emotionally intelligent thinking occurs when individuals can control their moods, asses situations with empathy, and handle relationships with little conflict.  Individuals who are able to asses their cognitive appraisals are emotionally intelligent thinkers.   This type of thinking is relevant to success because individuals who think with emotional intelligence are more productive and waste little time bickering.  

If you would like to see Report 1 for a better understanding of the emotional spin cycle you are invited to click here before reading further. 

The Nature of Rage for Society 

    Rage has become a normal, socialized, reaction to feelings of anger.  "Our society accepts acts of rage as normal behavior, creating a culture of disrespect (James & Nahl, Road Rage and Aggressive Driving28-32)".    We are socialized to believe that it is normal to loose our tempers and act upon heated, angry emotions.  We become socialized to  behave by routines that are aggressive and violent, instantly activating defensive cognitive schemes to protect our selves when we experience conflict.   "Displaced Anger is a common defense mechanism used in many situations (James & Nahl, Road Rage and Aggressive Driving 57)". Our natural and socialized defense response enables us to rationally act out  in rage, never questioning our thoughts and behaviors but acting out on our emotions.  Negative thoughts act like mental pollutants which decreases the enjoyment of life and results in contaminated by-products like stress.  This stress further creates less effective mental productivity that influences health, work place and family life.  Society has been plagued with acts of rage, we have accepted it as part of our culture and is prevalent in Movies, Cartoons, Books, and real life experiences.  Children accept these behavioral routines as "normal" and their cognitive scripts are the guides for these emotional behaviors.  

What is Happening to Our Society?

    As social norms make it okay to act out in rage, individuals will continue to act upon their anger.  These aggressive and destructive behaviors will make the individual feel negative not only to others but to the self also; rage against self becomes depression while feelings of arrogance against ones self becomes feelings of inadequacy.  Individuals will begin to flip-flop between a  negative attitude toward others & negative to self, causing them to spin through the negative emotional spin cycle.  This negative flip flop effect will produces feelings of Rage, arrogance, depression and inadequacy.  If individuals harbor negative feelings about themselves they will inevitable experience feeling of negativity toward others and vise-versa; if individuals harbors feelings of negativity towards others they will end up with feelings of inadequacy and depression.  This flip-flop effect is what the spin-cycle is representing. So as you can imagine our society is filled with depression, rage, arrogance and inadequacy.  All these feelings are socially acceptable and perfectly viewed as normal.  The problem is that all these negative feelings are effecting societies thinking, creating emotionally impaired individuals who also are pessimistic and cynical thinkers, that are living life by acting out in self/socially destructive ways. 

Click Here to view Dr. James's Diagram of the Emotional Spin Cycle.

Expectations for the Future

    Sadly, this problem is getting worse and things are most likely not going to become better for future generations.  Violence and acts of rage are seen in almost all forms of entertainment in American society.  The act is continually socialized and adapted in to the cognitive scripts of our future generations.   Video games, such as Simpson's Road Rage, not only show the acts of rage visually but award individuals for making them.  Viewing acts of aggression can make individuals (especially children) less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, begin to view the world as a fearful place, and will be more likely to act out in aggressive behaviors.  "Practicing acts of murder and torture, especially with graphic multimedia effects, can weaken inherent inhibitions against performing acts of violence" (James & Nahl, Road Rage and Aggressive Driving 52).   Desensitizing individuals towards others feelings of pain and suffering  leaves no room for feelings of empathy.  When individuals are unable to resolve situations with empathy they are going to end up with feelings of rage and arrogance; placing them in a negative emotional spin cycle.  When individuals fear the world around them they are unable to interact with others and the world leaving them with feelings of depression and inadequacy.  

What Society Needs to Do NOW!

    Society must change now!  In this age of Rage we are living we are killing, injuring and monetarily costing ourselves and others great amounts.   Individuals need to recognize their socialized habit to defend oneself,  then change thinking so behaviors may become more constructive and supportive.  Habits are learned and socialized (i.e. thinking and acting in a certain way) and in order to change the habit must be changed.   When society can begin to resolve situation with understanding and compassion then they will begin to change the way they think.  The result of this change in thinking will be behaviors that are self-enhancing and socially supportive.  The way to change individual thinking is by thinking  pro-social and positive self thoughts.  By doing this we are using Dr. Leon James's bridge technique.  Individuals must think pro-social thought when they are trying to cross the red bridge; changing thinking from emotionally impaired to emotionally intelligent, promoting productivity and leadership.   Individuals must combat pessimistic and suspicious thinking in order to cross the blue bridge; this results in emotional health and objective self confidence.  When individuals can learn to asses their emotions properly, resolving conflict with empathy and inadequacy with self confidence or are able to use the bridge technique then they are able to maintain a healthy and positive emotional spin cycle.  The final product will be behaviors that are supportive and constructive towards others while also being self-enhancing towards the self.  

Society must stop the socialization or rage and learn how to asses our emotions quickly and properly; thus changing  our behaviors so our future generations will not learn to be ragers.  We must distinguish between fantasy and reality, teaching ourselves and others (especially children) that real life violence does have consequences.

Data Collection and Analysis

My Three Fold Self

As products of socialization, individuals acquire habits in three areas of human functioning; feelings, thinking, and sensory motor.  Guides (Cognitive Schemas) for these three domains of behavior are available to us as a part of our social upbringing, trained by society, so we know how to behave;  when to be happy, sad, or compassionate.    The term three fold self, coined by Dr. Leon James, is the concept that these three domains of behavior perform together.  It greatly improves thinking to look at individuals as a three fold self because the three individual parts, although intertwined,  can be isolated for observation and modification.  It is this three fold self of feelings, thoughts, and sensory motor, that exists in side the two life arenas; positive and negative.  

Previous to meeting Dr. Leon James,  I had not thought of myself to exist in three domains of behavior.  I considered myself composite of the three domains, not separable or changeable.  Examining myself through the three domains of behavior makes it possible for observations to be made and changes to occur.  At first this seemed impossible, but with self observation and modification I was able to examine and record how my three domains of behavior function.   I also was able to recognize stimulants that set my threefold self through the negative spin cycle.  By addressing these stimulants I was able to modify my behavioral routines through cognitive appraisal.   I found this to be extremely useful, because negative thoughts often plague my mind as a result of hurt feelings.  These toxic thoughts would provoke and justify acts of destructive behavior not only against myself but also towards others.  Once I figured out how to change my habits of thinking I was able to change my habits of behaving.    

This theory of examining individuals as three fold self is very useful, it enables people to recognize or resolve conflict with empathy by knowing that others behaviors may be a result of sickness, emotionally impaired thinking or perhaps pessimistic thinking.  To be able to understand that an individual is acting out in an irrational manner because they are a slave to their socialized habit of feeling and to see how this effects thinking which produce behaviors, is the ability to see others as three fold selves.  This concept is very important to psychology, whether it be social, behavior, cognitive, or developmental.  Psychology is a study that very often deals with mental process and behavior.  With the mass amounts of depression, suicide, road rage, homicide, and violence in the American culture, psychologists should be interested in ways to help individuals change.  The three fold self is a way to asses an individuals habits of feeling, thinking, and behaving to help them to exist in the positive life arena.  This theory is congruent to what I know about psychology, and is very similar to the Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) which examines how thoughts and behaviors are linked.  Cognitive theory states that individuals will act in ways that are consistent with their beliefs and that when an individual is under stress maladaptive processing systems are activated.  These theories are very similar to the idea of how the three fold self functions, but  it takes the CBT  one step further.  The CBT theory examines how thoughts produce behaviors and if an individual wants to change their behaviors then they must change their thinking.  Emotions play a much less important role in CBT and are basically bi-products.  

In looking at the diagram above you can see that CBT assesses individuals by observing   thoughts and behaviors in separate groups and then experimenting to see how they interact.  

Using the Base Line Intervention Approach 

The approach used in this project was a Baseline Intervention Approach.  This was an approach for us to collect data on our own negative emotional spin cycle options.  Our goal was to move from negative options to positive options.  We observed our behaviors for a three days period, two weeks in a row.  We were required to observe two activities;  Activity A ~ negative red experience with others and Activity B ~ negative blue experience with self.   The first week of observations is labeled the baseline week ( no behavior interventions took place, observation only).  The second week is labeled the intervention week, (practicing using the bridge technique).

While observing our three fold self in the red options and blue options we were to keep records in a journal or on a tape recorder.  The observation took place three days in a row.    The next week was the intervention week, we did the same recording of our three fold self but also implemented the bridge technique.  After we experimented and recorded we were able to see changes in the spin cycle by By using the Baseline Intervention Approach, I was able to compare changes in my three fold self in the emotional spin cycle by comparing the data from the intervention week to that of the base line week.  By gathering data and comparing the two weeks I will be able to see any improvements or changes in my options for the emotional spin cycle.  

The Bridge Technique************************************************************

The bridge technique is a way for individuals to change their behavior by changing their thoughts.  This technique was designed by Dr. Leon James and is a tool for individuals to learn to use to escape a negative, unhealthy, emotional spin cycle.  This technique relies on the theory that if we are able to improve are thinking then we can improve out behavior.  There are two bridges, Red & Blue, that connect negative thinking to positive thinking.  Red is used to represent our options of the spin cycle that deal with others and the world because of the statement I saw red, referring to anger and rage.  Red is also symbolic of passion and love and can represent the positive option of interaction with others and the world.  The Red bridge is  used to change thinking with others and the world from negative to positive and produces work productivity.  This crossing of the red bridge requires individuals to think in a pro-social manner and question biased and hostile thoughts.  Blue is used to represent the options of the self because it may symbolize blue feelings (depression and inadequacy).  The color blue also represents the positive feelings of self confidence and enthusiasm.  The blue bridge is used to change thinking from negative towards the self to positive towards the self, resulting in emotional health.  This crossing is done through  questioning pessimistic and cynical thinking, combating suspicious thoughts.  Dr. Leon James had come up with a list of Self Regulatory Prompts for both bridges, and in order to cross the bridge one must use the proper self regulatory prompts.   Here are examples of what these prompts entail:

Examples of Blue Bridge Prompts:

** question your assumptions that lead to negative conclusions
** tell yourself you're catastrophizing in an irrational way
** tell yourself "Stop it!" when you witness yourself ruminating compulsively
** do a scenario analysis of the situation, writing down all the versions
** reject the idea that the worst is going to happen
** do a re-appraisal of the situation and find some good things about it
** go over in your mind what others have said to you
** remind yourself there's a big difference between fantasy and actuality
** remind yourself there's a big difference between possibility and probability
** tell yourself you don't want to be known as a cynical person
** tell yourself you don't want to be known as a pessimist
** reject any idea that you don't need anyone's support or that you are self-sufficient
** remind yourself that change is possible
** reaffirm your belief that you deserve dignity and love
** tell yourself you want to be civilized and not break things
** tell yourself you're going to feel better about yourself by switching emotional style
** tell yourself you're going to be more productive by switching emotional style
** tell yourself you have the capacity to be successful and your turn has come
** reassure yourself that you are capable and review your accomplishments
Examples taken from General Instructions

Examples of Red Bridge Prompts: 

** order yourself to stop ruminating (the compulsive rehearsal of how you're going to get even and retaliate)
** question your cold logic or negative conclusion by qualifying it, saying to yourself:  "Not necessarily" or            "Maybe, maybe not" etc. which help weaken the intensity of your negative persuasion
** make yourself think of relevant counter-information you've been ignoring so far
** restore balance by reminding yourself to think of both sides of the issue
** remind yourself that retaliation hurts people including yourself and it's not good
** remind yourself that all people have an inherent right to be treated with decency
** remind yourself that aggressive behavior won't bring you what you want
** consciously reject any fantasies of revenge as uncivilized and beneath you
** reject violence as ineffective in bringing about your goal
** reaffirm the human responsibility you bear to be fair and forgiving
** think of the consequences you will have to deal with and how much trouble that will be
** think of alternative options you have available
** figure out a more effective course of action
** communicate your ideas to the other person and try for reconciliation or compromise
** convince yourself it's better for you to forgive and forget insults
** put yourself in the other's shoes and try to picture their perspective (empathy)
** decide to gather more information before you act
** decide to consult someone before you act
** remind yourself that the way you appear in face and tone of voice is a visible message and counts as acting    or doing
** act the opposite of what you feel and say nice things instead of not nice
** decide you're going to pursue this without anger but with resolve or determination with compassion
Examples taken from General Instructions

Previously to this class, I had before been able to changed my thinking by using my own personal self regulatory prompts, but I never had considered it a bridge to change my behavior.  I usually used my own regulatory prompts to calm myself down in times that I was upset or feeling sad.  It was my own personal way of trying to maintain healthy emotions. 

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The Components of the Daily Emotional Spin Cycle 

    The daily emotional spin cycle is a phenomenon that occurs in every individuals life, many times a day.  The Emotional Spin Cycle is a term coined by Dr. Leon James that describes the "flip-flop" action of experiences by individuals as they have four options of life functioning to choose from.  There are two life arenas that individuals may exist in; positive or negative.  With in these two life arenas there is interaction with the self and others.   To see this idea of the    4 Options Diagram Click Here!  If an individual acquires negative habits of feeling about the world around them (rage or arrogance)  then they will experience the negative habits of thinking (emotionally impaired thinking) that follow negative feelings.  These negative habits of thinking about others will in turn produce negative habits of aggressive and destructive behavior towards others .  This individual has now experienced negativity throughout the three fold self about others and the world around them.  This negativity towards others leaves the individual with feelings of inadequacy and depression, these negative habits of feelings towards the self produce pessimistic thinking that results in self destructive behavior.  The term spin cycle represents this flip-flop effect that occurs when individuals begin to spiral between their three fold self in experiences with the self and with others.  If individuals are negative toward others they with be negative toward the self, and that will result in negativity towards others.  This spin cycle is will produce feelings of depression or inadequacy which will produce feelings of rage and arrogance.  As long as individuals choose a negative option they will continue to spin between negative self and negative towards others.  

Habits are a learned, socialized way for individuals to feel think and behave.  Individuals three fold self is composed of socialized and learned habits.  Personality is an individuals mental, behavior and emotional traits.  So in a since personality is the term used to represent a way an individual thinks, feels, and behaves; the three fold self.  Personality is related to the spin cycle because it often is our socialized set of habits of how to deal with a situation.  The choices we will make in the four options diagram (i.e. compassionate thinking), will define our personality (i.e. compassionate person).

I believe that there are gender differences when it comes to the emotional spin cycle.  I think that women carry more negativity towards them self while men appear to be more negative toward others and the world.  I think that often men are able to cross the blue bridge but struggle at the red bridge.  I feel that this is opposite for women, they have an easier time crossing the red bridge but a more difficult time with the blue bridge.  From the beginning of time women were the gathers that stayed back and cared for the children, while men were ones that went out to hunt.  Women tend to be the nurtures, trying to keep piece in the world but often times neglect their own needs to provide for their family.  I believe that women are much harder on them selves than men are; this can be seen in the large amounts of depression and eating disorders seen in the female population.  As we have discussed in Dr. James class, men seem to be very self destructive when it comes to relationships.  While women choose to "stay" and work things out men often get defensive and "run away".  One of the most obvious ways to see that men have more negativity towards other and the world is to see the numbers of men, compared to women, in jail for violent crimes.  There is a definite difference in the amount of women who commit violent act when compared to men; something is quite different in the behaviors of men and women.  

Explanation of the Rating Scale Used in this Report

The ratings we used to collect additional data at the end of each day were Global Ratings .  The scale is based on a 1 - 10 choice on a continuum of self assessment.  It questioned over all levels of satisfaction with self, dissatisfactions with others,  stress points of the day, productivity, ability to cope with feelings, hope for the future, and worst levels of negativity experienced around you.  I thought these ratings were helpful, especially when comparing the baseline and intervention week.  The Global Rating assessment measure the negative and positive three fold self and provide use full information of areas of strength and weakness and individual has in choosing options from the four options diagram.  With the data I gathered from the Global ratings I was able to graph the ratings and see changes in my three fold self.

The Global Ratings scale was very useful for comparing the data from base line to intervention week.  There are other scales of measurement that can be used, the Motivation Assessment Scale could be used in conjunction with the global ratings to see what is motivating negative behaviors.  The Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI) could also be used in assessing individuals change in reporting their quality of life, by comparing  the intervention week with the baseline week. 

Recording Process & Record Sheets

In order to examine changes in the three fold self through the daily emotional spin cycle (habits of feelings, cognitions, and sensory motor) for this project we needed to keep accurate and descriptive records.  This record keeping involved keeping a hand written journal and a voice recorded  journal of my feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.  I found it easier to use the hand written journal for my data collected for Sample Activity A and a journal of voice recordings for Sample Activity B.  My records of observations were taken with in minutes, some times seconds of the incidences of negative red and negative blue experiences.  The same close recording was also taken while using the bridge technique.  Some areas of weakness that this self observation may have is the ability for individuals to not properly record what they are thinking, feeling, and acting, mislabel the aforementioned 3 things, and individuals may behave differently in a situation because they are self monitoring.  Often I felt more angry when I would try and record my negative three fold self, writing it down often affected me by reliving the experience.  Below are a few examples of data that I collected in my records:

This is a sample of my baseline week observations; negative red.

This is a sample of my baseline week observations; negative blues.

This is a sample of my intervention week observations; positive blues.

These are just a few samples of my observation recordings, if you are interested in seeing the rest of my observation  Click Here! 

Putting the Bridge Technique to Work 

In the second week of observations an intervention was implemented, this intervention was the Bridge Technique.  The Bridge Technique is used in order to help get the three fold self out of the negative spin cycle and into the positive.  There are two bridges; The blue bridge is used to change negative habits of thinking towards the self, it is the path to change pessimistic & cynical thinking to optimistic and realistic thinking.  The red bridge is used to change negative thoughts about others, so that emotionally impaired thinking may become emotionally intelligent thinking.  This intervention (trying to cross the bridge)  was done by using self regulatory prompts to change thinking.  When the proper self regulatory prompts are used, individuals are able to change negative habits of thinking. Once the  thinking has changed to positive then individuals have successfully crossed the bridge to the positive option, resulting in constructive, supportive, self enhancing behaviors.  This intervention technique works well because it helps individuals to question their thinking before their behavior may get out of control.  

I used the bridge technique as the intervention technique during week 2  to try and change my thinking.  In order to implement this technique I had to learn how to properly use the self regulatory prompts (these can be see above in the Bridge Technique Section).  I often told my self to STOP ruminating about things and asses the situation with realistic thoughts when I was trying to cross the red and blue bridge.   This STOP technique was very successful for crossing both bridges.  In using the prompt that assesses realistic thinking I was able to often see my irrationality and distorted view of the situation.  I found that by thinking positive things that others had said in the past was very helpful in crossing the blue bridge, it gave me feelings of warmth and goodness along with a sense of belonging.  These positive feelings about myself intern produced positive thinking about the world around me.  The most successful prompt I found for crossing the red bridge was to think pro-social thoughts and to resolve my conflicts with empathy.  I constantly tell myself that I can not change the world, I can only change my reaction to the world.  This help to dissolved any thoughts of trying to change the world, relieving me from a huge responsibility thus lessening my overall stress levels. I did notice on days that I felt better about my self, I felt better about the word around me and the days  I felt bad about myself I reported higher levels of dissatisfaction with those around me.

As my level of self-satisfaction increased, my level of dissatisfaction with others decreased.

 I found the bridge technique to be more successful in changing my red thinking rather than my blue thinking.  I was able to cross the red bridge more frequently than the blue bridge, often I could change my blue thinking period of time but it would return to negative.  In trying to change my blue thinking, old negative habits of thinking would often not allow the bridge technique to work.  It was a constant struggle and I often felt like I was fighting myself.  I often felt like it was easier to think negative thoughts and absolutely exhausting to constantly use pro-social thinking.  Below is an excerpt from my records sheet at a time when I was unable to properly use the bridge technique.  

Although the bridge technique was very useful it was not always possible to do.  Because of my socialized habits of thinking, I often returned to my previous negative thinking.  In order to change I need to be able to assess if my thinking routines and practice implementing the bridge.  Due to my learned nature to be defensive and protect my self in conflict I struggle with in my thinking.  Until I can change these habits, I will continue to activate schemas that may be unrealistic and irrational.  Once I am able to adapt my thinking response to be emotionally intelligent, optimistic and realistic, I will be able to behave in self enhancing and supportive ways. 

I am currently trying to teach this technique to my boyfriend, who has some serious problems with aggression.  First and foremost I am trying to convince him that he can not change the world, he can only change his reactions to the world.  I am also trying to get him to recognize when he is defensive and why he is acting defensive.  He has picked up a few of the self regulatory prompts and uses them in situations of conflict to diffuses his feelings of frustrations.  it is hard to teach this technique to others if they do not want to change.  This is the determinant of the bridge technique: Individuals must want to make a change.  If individuals are not ready to change then the bridge technique will never work.  It is hard for humans to change their thinking, re-evaluate schemas and behavioral routines and this only works against individuals trying to change. Peoples ability to justify and rationalize their destructive and aggressive behavior is what keeps them from having the ability to use this technique to reach happiness and perfection.  These individuals believe that their acts are justified and they have no reason to make a change in their three fold self.

I believe that the Bridge Technique has a few limitations.  First, the individuals must want to make changes.  These changes are time consuming and not easy, it is human nature to lean toward the "path of lease resistance"', making the bridge technique way too much trouble.  Secondly, like animals,  we have physiological arousals and it is hard to calm these quickly.  This often leaves the individual with feelings of despair (fight or flight feelings), requiring a physiological response.  It is very hard to asses feelings quick enough to change thinking.  It is possible to spin through a negative emotional spin cycle and not realize it has happened until it is over.     

Discussion 

First and foremost, in doing this project I have learned that I am able to make changes in my interactions with myself and others.  I have begun to understand the impact my thoughts have on my behaviors, and how my three fold self works together to maintain negative and positive habits of feeling, thoughts and behaviors.  I have self witnessed irrational and unrealistic thoughts result in self destructive and aggressive behaviors: A negative emotional spin cycle can be very destructive to oneself and to others.  I have also witnessed positive interactions with myself lead to positive interactions with others.  I have gained the understanding that my three fold self (feelings, thoughts, actions) are often guided by socialized schemas and in order to change my behavior I must change my cognitions.  In order for me to asses my three fold self I have had to learn to distinguish between my thoughts and my feelings, once I can address my feelings I can change my thoughts.    

I will continue to use this technique for the rest of my life.  I believe that it is a path to a better, more fulfilling life.  This  technique is freedom from emotional behavior that often ends in tragedy.  This technique also will help me to free myself from the process of socialized aggression and anger.  If I can manage to change my behavior routines to maintain healthy, and constructive ones then I can break the cycle of socializing negative habits to my children.  My goal is to constantly exist in the positive life arena and be able to teach my children to do this also.  If they can learn to be aware of their emotion from birth and asses situations with emotional intelligence then they will be able to be more productive and leaders in our society.  I believe that this technique has the ability to completely change peoples lives.  The outcome of a negative spin cycle is often depression and feelings of inadequacy which is a serious problem in American society.  It has been said that everyone experiences mild depression or self esteem issues in life, if individuals are able to maintain a positive emotional spin cycle then they will be freed from depression and inadequate feelings.   

This technique is very helpful and  I have put together a copy of Dr. Leon James General Instructions and given them to friends and family.  This technique is very useful for people who face self-esteem issues and aggression problems.  I have a co-worker who is Bi-polar, he is on medication and in therapy.  I have told him about this technique and how it can help him with his self esteem issues.  He has been working at changing his thoughts with the bridge technique and is beginning to feel a more positive out look on life.  I have noticed a change in how he interact with myself and others, he is more patient and understanding.  Using Dr. James technique in the work place can help individuals to effectively communicate and work together more efficiently.  When using the bridge technique there is no room for a defensive three fold self, and by eliminating defensiveness it is easier to work together as a team.   I believe that this technique would be useful to all who are willing to work at changing their behavior.  It also would be very useful for parents to teach their children and teachers to use in class rooms: This would help to socialize healthier more productive behavioral routines to the future generations, changing our culture of disrespect to one based on respect. 

I believe that people would only want to use this technique if they could see immediate positive outcome.  We live in a society that wants a quick fix; a pill or a surgery.  Well this is not that easy, and it requires a lot of will and a lot of work.  The diagrams are a bit confusing at first but with a little instruction and some examples it is possible to figure them out.  The theory behind the Spin Cycle is very similar to the Cognitive Behavioral Model,  which I don't feel is very hard to understand.  Our feelings evoke thoughts, which intern produce behaviors and these can either be positive or negative!  It is not a very complex idea, and can be self witnessed if individuals are willing.  Below is an example of a spin cycle taken from generation 15 forum discussion so you can see the negative spin cycle in another individuals three fold self: 

In examining this individuals spin cycle you can see that it is very negative.  The frustration began with a feeling of discomfort in the crowded store.  As the girl tried to go down the isle she was stopped because of a lady blocking the isle on a cell phone.  The feelings of frustration of not being able to move, lead her to emotionally impaired thinking.  The girl thought thought this "stalling" was something she should take personally, an act against her.  This caused the girl to yell out at the woman in a aggressive and sarcastic way.  She justified her own behavior by thinking how she could not stand "stupid people".  This name calling (stupid people) is a speech act, not a description of someone.  All individuals have speech acts and these acts make it very hard to cross the bridge.  When you condemn or judge someone your thinking becomes impaired, this impaired thinking results in very destructive behaviors to the self and to others.   By  name calling and using abusive language and individual is placing them self above other individuals, this is arrogance (a negative feeling).  Feeling prideful is the wrong way to feel superior, it is corrupting and throws individuals off into unrealistic arrogant thinking.  Individuals need to care about a mental solution by exercising adaptive choices because when you abuse others your also abusing yourself.  

In learning how to maintain a healthy and positive emotional spin cycle, you are not only helping yourself to live a better life, with emotional health but you are also becoming a more productive member of society.  I think that if individuals could realize, their depression is an inward manifestation stemming from the rage they feel toward society, they could then gain a better understanding of how to stop this vicious cycle.  If individuals can lean to turn their negative feelings into positive by using the self regulatory prompts then their feeling of self confidence will intern enable then to resolve conflict with compassion, allowing them to be this productive member of society.  The problem is that we don't make this  decision all the time or even some of the time.  Why do we reject this happy and productive life?   Well many times it is because it seems impossible to change and easier to maintain unhealthy schemas and routines.  Also many individuals are unable to properly understand their emotions and feelings, some have been socialized to suppress.   And finally I found that many times negative behaviors are justified, so that the individual thinks they did no wrong.  This was a weakness I discovered in learning about my three fold self in the emotional spin cycle.  Society as a hole needs to make changes with in their three fold self,  and take responsibility for their own actions: The outcome can only be positive!

Sources Used for Report #2

Books

Road Rage and Aggressive Driving, Steering Clear of Highway Warfare.  James & Nahl, 2000. Prometheus Books, NY.

Web Sources

http://www.aloha.net/~dyc/articles/red-blue.htm

 http://www.aloha.net/~dyc/surveys/rage_depression.htm 

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy16/g16reports-instructions.html

Lecture Notes

Lecture notes taken from Dr. Leon James :  January 2002 ~ April 2002.

Report One

Report Records File

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