The Phenomenon of Perfectionism as Socio-Cultural Pathology

1295

Abstract

This article focuses on domestic and foreign theoretical ideas about the nature of perfectionism tendencies. The views of theorists and clinicians on the socio-cultural contribution to the pathopsychological structure of perfectionism formation are described. The author supports the tendency to consider perfectionism as a phenomenon of socio-cultural pathology that has roots in the culture of narcissism and that marks the risk-groups in regard to borderline identity development. Perfectionism is seen as a specific syndrome of potentially destructive psychological features. The growing interest in the phenomenon of perfectionism and attempts to explain it using various sociological, ethical, psychological and clinical-psychological models reflects the cultural and axiological changes harmful to the individual and society. On the basis of main ideas of cultural-historical and activity paradigms on the unity of the social and psychological aspects of normal and abnormal development of the psyche, on the dynamic interaction of affective and cognitive components of personality as well as on the syndromic approach we make an attempt to describe the specific for perfectionists features of the Self image, cognitiveaffective style and interpersonal interaction.

General Information

Keywords: deformation of self-identity, cognitive-affective style of personality, culture of narcissism, perfectionism, socio-cultural pathology

Journal rubric: Discussions and Discourses

Article type: scientific article

For citation: Paramonova V.V. The Phenomenon of Perfectionism as Socio-Cultural Pathology. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-Historical Psychology, 2009. Vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 34–41. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Alkemajer T. Sociologija sporta. Telesnye praktiki subjektivacii i samoinscenirovki // Zhurnal «Logos». 2006. № 3.
  2. Bratus' B. S., Zejgarnik B. V. Ocherki po psihologii anomal'nogo razvitija lichnosti. M., 1980.
  3. Bredshou D. Imja mne - Jadovityj Styd // Zhurnal «Uranija». 1999. № 2.
  4. Vudman M. Strast' k sovershenstvu. Jungianskoe ponimanie zavisimosti. M., 2006.
  5. Garanjan N. G., Holmogorova A. B., Judeeva G. Ju. Perfekcionizm, depressija i trevoga // Moskovskij рsihoterapevticheskij zhurnal. 2001. № 4.
  6. Garanjan N. G. Perfekcionizm i psihicheskie rasstrojstva (obzor zarubezhnyh jempiricheskih issledovanij) // Nauchno prakticheskij zhurnal «Terapija psihicheskih rasstrojstv». 2006. № 1.
  7. Dorozhevec A. N., Sokolova E. T. Issledovanija obraza fizicheskogo Ja: nekotorye rezul'taty i razmyshlenija // Telesnost' cheloveka: mezhdisciplinarnye issledovanija. M., 1993.
  8. Zimin V. A. Funkcija transgressii. Problema narushenija granic mezhdu polami i pokolenijami na materiale fil'ma P. Al'modovera «Vsjo o moej materi» // Zhurnal prakti cheskoj psihologii i psihoanaliza. 2003. № 2.
  9. Kernberg O. Agressija pri rasstrojstvah lichnosti. M., 2001.
  10. Krizisnyj socium. Nashe obwestvo v treh izmerenijah / Pod red. N. I. Lapina, L. A. Beljaevoj. M., 1994.
  11. Mak-Vil'jams N. Psihoanaliticheskaja diagnostika. M., 2001.
  12. Marson P. 25 kljuchevyh knig po psihoanalizu. Ural, 1999.
  13. Modernizacija v Rossii i konflikt cennostej / Pod red. S. L. Matveevoj. M., 1994.
  14. Morua A. Pis'ma neznakomke. M., 2004.
  15. Moskovichi S. Mashina, tvorjawaja bogov / Per. s fr. T. P. Emel'janovoj. M., 1998.
  16. Nikitin E. P., Harlamenkova N. E. Fenomen chelovecheskogo samoutverzhdenija. SPb., 2000.
  17. Sokolova E. T. Izuchenie lichnostnyh osobennostej i samosoznanija pri pogranichnyh lichnostnyh rasstrojstvah // Sokolova E. T., Nikolaeva V. V. Osobennosti lichnosti pripogranichnyh rasstrojstvah i somaticheskih zabolevanijah. M., 1995. Сhast' I.
  18. Sokolova E. T., Chechel'nickaja E. P. O metakommunikacii v processe proektivnogo issledovanija pacientov s pogranichnymi lichnostnymi rasstrojstvami // Moskovskij psihoterapevticheskij zhurnal. 1997. № 3.
  19. Sokolova E. T., Il'ina S. V. Rol' jemocionil'nogo opytazhertv nasilija dlja samoidentichnosti zhenwin, zanimajuwihsja prostituciej // Psihologicheskij zhurnal. 2000. T. 21. № 5.
  20. Sokolova E. T., Burlakova N. S., Leontiu F. K obosnovaniju klinikopsihologicheskogo izuchenija rasstrojstva gendernoj identichnosti // Voprosy рsihologii. 2001. № 6.
  21. Sokolova E. T., Burlakova N. S. Svjaz' fenomena diffuznoj gendernoj identichnosti s kognitivnym stilem lichnosti // Voprosy psihologii. 2002. № 3.
  22. Sokolova E. T., Chechel'nickaja E. P. Psihologija narcis sizma. M., 2001.
  23. Sokolova E. T. Cheloveknarciss: portret v sovremennom sociokul'turnom kontekste // Psichologiya. Sovremennye napravleniya mezhdisziplinarnych issledovaniy / Рod red. A. Zhuravleva, N. Tarabrinoj. M., 2003.
  24. Sokolova E. T., Sotnikova Ju. A. Svjaz' psihologicheskih mehanizmov zawity s affektivnokognitivnym stilem lichnosti u pacientov s povtornymi suicidal'nymi popytkami // Vestn.Mosk unta. Ser. 14 Psihologija. 2006. № 2.
  25. Sokolova E. T., Korshunova A. R. Affektivnokognitivnyj stil' reprezentacii otnoshenij JaDrugoj u lic s suici dal'nym povedeniem // Vestn. Mosk unta. Ser. 14.Psihologija. 2007. № 4.
  26. Sokolova E. T. Narcissizm kak klinicheskij i sociokul'turnyj fenomen // Voprosy psihologii. 2009. № 1.
  27. Stolin V. V. Samosoznanie lichnosti. M., 1983.
  28. Thostov A. Sh. Psihologija telesnosti. M., 2002.
  29. Uroki francuzskogo psihoanaliza / Pod red. P. V. Kachalova, A.V. Rassohina. M., 2007.
  30. Fenihel' O. Psihoanaliticheskaja teorija nevrozov. M., 2005.
  31. Holmogorova A. B., Garanjan N. G. Jemocional'nye rasstrojstva i sovremennaja kul'tura: na primere somatoformnyh, depressivnyh i trevozhnyh rasstrojstv // Moskovskij psihoterapevticheskij zhurnal. 1999. № 2.
  32. Horni K. Samoanaliz. M., 2002.
  33. Jenciklopedija glubinnoj psihologii / Per. i nauch. red.A. N. Bokovikov: V 4 t. M., 2002.
  34. Bardone-Cone A. M., Wonderlich S. A., Frost R. O. et al. Perfectionism and eating disorders: Current status and future directions // Clinical Psychology Review. 27 (3). Apr 2007.
  35. Encyclopedia of Psychology / Ed. Allan E. Kazdin.Oxford, 2000.
  36. Hamachek D. Psychodinamics of normal and neurotic perfectionism // Psychology. 1978. Vol 15.
  37. Handbook of Sport Psychology / Robert N. Singer at al. N.Y., 2001.
  38. Hewitt P., Flett G. Perfectionism in the Self and Social context: conceptualisation, assessment and association with psychopatology // Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1991. V. 60. № 3.
  39. Kilborne B. Disappearing Persons: Shame and Appearance. Albany, 2002.
  40. Mann M. P. The adverse influence of narcissistic injury and perfectionism on college students' institutional attachment // Personality and Individual Differences. 2004. V. 36 (8).
  41. Pacht R. Reflections on perfection // American Psychologist. 1984. V. 39.
  42. Perfectionism. Theory, Research and Treatment / Ed. by G. L. Flett and P. L. Hewitt. Washington, 2002.
  43. Shafran R., Mansell W. Perfectionism and psychopathology: a review of research and treatment // Clinical Psychology Review. V. 21 (6). Aug. 2001.

Information About the Authors

Valeria V. Paramonova, Medical Psychologist, Post-Graduate Student, Department of Psychology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: lera-trauff@mail.ru

Metrics

Views

Total: 5652
Previous month: 35
Current month: 11

Downloads

Total: 1295
Previous month: 15
Current month: 3