Mind, body & spirit healthy people have positive world views, and this is important.
Dr.
Charles Bacinelli, Marywood University, has studied and wrote extensively about the process that an individual goes through in the development of their respective world view.
Throughout this section, much of Dr.
Bacinelli's work on this process is discussed.
The origin of world view comes from the German word, Weltanschauung, which means our own life perspectives.
Individuals' life perspectives are un-testable sets of beliefs regarding humans and reality.
These beliefs allow people to make assertions, form opinions and develop emotional reactions to generate feelings about life.
Individuals' views of human nature lend meaning and purpose in life.
These views really determine what people strive for in life, what they ultimately become in life, and what social changes they would like to make in their lives.
These beliefs, synonymous with world view, drive human behavior.
The fundamental aspect of human behavior is motivation.
Theories of personality can be referred to as theories of motivation.
When considering individual development, theories of personality play a major role.
Our personality deals with a wide range of human behavior.
It deals with our mental, emotional, social and physical beings.
Research (Allport, 1971) has shown that personality is a dynamic organization within individual psycho-physical systems that determines thought and behavior.
Allport believes that an individual must have a proactive view of human motivation to explain their plans, intentions, self- image, and long-range goals.
Futrell (2000) believes that personality traits are acquirable and learned far beyond developmental years.
Bandura (1973) theorizes that individuals are more likely to adopt a behavior if that behavior results in outcomes they value.
Allport (1971) feels all human beings have a need of a philosophy or set of values that gives "significance & worth to their lives".
These traits initiate and guide consistent forms of behavior.
All of this research points to the ideas that people behave in ways throughout their lives that not only add meaning to their lives but also facilitate their development of personality traits well past their early developmental years.
Unfortunately, life creates many tough behavioral choices for us.
On an individual level, we choose to work out at the gym or do nothing, save for a rainy day or spend now, get the job done now or put it off until tomorrow.
We choose between immediate gratification and delayed gratification.
We have choices of whether to eat healthy or eat fast food and to work or to play.
Individual behavioral decisions are based on the social content of competing values, and what choice is made depends on our individual accountability for a decision.
In terms of this responsibility, if we are to answer for our behaviors, in what ways are we held responsible? Connected to accountability for behaviors is the concept of values.
Rokeach (1973) said that a value is an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct is preferred.
Thus, our value system is enduring beliefs concerning modes of conduct.
But what functions do our values serve? Values act as standards that guide our activities.
They give expression to human needs.
They determine how we treat our fellow man.
We use them to evaluate, judge and praise ourselves.
We really look at our values to determine our morality, and ultimately we try to use our value system on other people to persuade them toward our set of beliefs or our attitude.
Max Webber (1962) said that values are a function of our quest for meaning.
Human beings seek conceptual frameworks, systems of ideas, symbols or beliefs in their lives.
Values, therefore, represent for us the desirable end state.
By focusing on individual beliefs, values and goals, researchers have learned a great deal about the reasons individuals act the way they do.
In summary, this research section about happiness indicates studies that point to the following ideas: the "American Dream", or true happiness, is one of finding meaning, not of obtaining materialistic possessions; we need to focus on improving our holistic health-our mind, body and spirit-in order to find this meaning; we need certain components (i.
e.
conceptual frameworks, systems of ideas, symbols or beliefs) in our lives to help facilitate our health development and to give meaning to our lives; this development is also fostered by the learning of strategies and strengths that promote holistic health development; we utilize these specific strategies and strengths to develop a positive life perspective; our individual behaviors are contingent on our life perspective and our value systems; we need motivation and accountability to change our behaviors; we can change our life perspectives at any time in our lives; we will continue a new behavior pattern if we see value for ourselves.
Thus, research says that people need a philosophy or a set of values that give significance to their lives, and that is exactly why I created The Power Of Three series.
The Power Of Three series instructs individuals on how to develop this philosophy and is comprised of a framework and system needed in order to improve one's mind, body and spirit.
Dr.
Charles Bacinelli, Marywood University, has studied and wrote extensively about the process that an individual goes through in the development of their respective world view.
Throughout this section, much of Dr.
Bacinelli's work on this process is discussed.
The origin of world view comes from the German word, Weltanschauung, which means our own life perspectives.
Individuals' life perspectives are un-testable sets of beliefs regarding humans and reality.
These beliefs allow people to make assertions, form opinions and develop emotional reactions to generate feelings about life.
Individuals' views of human nature lend meaning and purpose in life.
These views really determine what people strive for in life, what they ultimately become in life, and what social changes they would like to make in their lives.
These beliefs, synonymous with world view, drive human behavior.
The fundamental aspect of human behavior is motivation.
Theories of personality can be referred to as theories of motivation.
When considering individual development, theories of personality play a major role.
Our personality deals with a wide range of human behavior.
It deals with our mental, emotional, social and physical beings.
Research (Allport, 1971) has shown that personality is a dynamic organization within individual psycho-physical systems that determines thought and behavior.
Allport believes that an individual must have a proactive view of human motivation to explain their plans, intentions, self- image, and long-range goals.
Futrell (2000) believes that personality traits are acquirable and learned far beyond developmental years.
Bandura (1973) theorizes that individuals are more likely to adopt a behavior if that behavior results in outcomes they value.
Allport (1971) feels all human beings have a need of a philosophy or set of values that gives "significance & worth to their lives".
These traits initiate and guide consistent forms of behavior.
All of this research points to the ideas that people behave in ways throughout their lives that not only add meaning to their lives but also facilitate their development of personality traits well past their early developmental years.
Unfortunately, life creates many tough behavioral choices for us.
On an individual level, we choose to work out at the gym or do nothing, save for a rainy day or spend now, get the job done now or put it off until tomorrow.
We choose between immediate gratification and delayed gratification.
We have choices of whether to eat healthy or eat fast food and to work or to play.
Individual behavioral decisions are based on the social content of competing values, and what choice is made depends on our individual accountability for a decision.
In terms of this responsibility, if we are to answer for our behaviors, in what ways are we held responsible? Connected to accountability for behaviors is the concept of values.
Rokeach (1973) said that a value is an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct is preferred.
Thus, our value system is enduring beliefs concerning modes of conduct.
But what functions do our values serve? Values act as standards that guide our activities.
They give expression to human needs.
They determine how we treat our fellow man.
We use them to evaluate, judge and praise ourselves.
We really look at our values to determine our morality, and ultimately we try to use our value system on other people to persuade them toward our set of beliefs or our attitude.
Max Webber (1962) said that values are a function of our quest for meaning.
Human beings seek conceptual frameworks, systems of ideas, symbols or beliefs in their lives.
Values, therefore, represent for us the desirable end state.
By focusing on individual beliefs, values and goals, researchers have learned a great deal about the reasons individuals act the way they do.
In summary, this research section about happiness indicates studies that point to the following ideas: the "American Dream", or true happiness, is one of finding meaning, not of obtaining materialistic possessions; we need to focus on improving our holistic health-our mind, body and spirit-in order to find this meaning; we need certain components (i.
e.
conceptual frameworks, systems of ideas, symbols or beliefs) in our lives to help facilitate our health development and to give meaning to our lives; this development is also fostered by the learning of strategies and strengths that promote holistic health development; we utilize these specific strategies and strengths to develop a positive life perspective; our individual behaviors are contingent on our life perspective and our value systems; we need motivation and accountability to change our behaviors; we can change our life perspectives at any time in our lives; we will continue a new behavior pattern if we see value for ourselves.
Thus, research says that people need a philosophy or a set of values that give significance to their lives, and that is exactly why I created The Power Of Three series.
The Power Of Three series instructs individuals on how to develop this philosophy and is comprised of a framework and system needed in order to improve one's mind, body and spirit.