Language
Country/Area
No result found
The power of shocking beliefs: How does trauma change our worldview?
In social psychology, there's an idea called "shattered assumptions theory," which suggests that experiencing a traumatic event can dramatically change how victims and survivors think about themselves and the world. Developed by psychologist Ronnie Yanoff-Bulman in 1992, the theory focuses on the impact of negative events on three basic human assumptions: the overall goodness of the world, the meaning of the world, and one's sense of self-worth. These core beliefs form the cornerstone of our conceptual system and are our least visible and least easily challenged assumptions.
These beliefs can be thought of as our “what-if world,” a system of firmly held beliefs that enables us to identify, plan, and act.
According to Shattered Assumptions Theory, traumatic life events destroy these core assumptions, and the process of coping with trauma is about rebuilding a workable world of assumptions.
Historical BackgroundThe theory was developed and elaborated in Ronnie Yanoff-Bulman's 1992 book Shattered Assumptions: Toward a New Psychology of Trauma. Her early research focused on victimization and trauma, and the theory quickly became widely studied and connected to other psychological theories such as terror management theory.
Basic Assumptions
According to Yanov-Bulman, people generally have three basic assumptions about the world, which are gradually built up and confirmed through older experience: first, that the world is good; second, that the world is meaningful. ; Third, you are valuable. These assumptions are underlying and they provide the basis for our sense of well-being and guide our behavior in everyday life.
While conducting research with different victim groups, the most common response Yanov-Bulman heard was: “I never thought it would happen to me.”
The world is kind
This assumption concerns an individual's impression of the overall goodness or virtue of the world. It consists of two sub-assumptions: the goodness of the world as an entity, and the goodness of the people in this world. These core beliefs are often formed through early interactions with caregivers.
The world has meaning
The second basic assumption concerns not only why events occur, but also why these events occur to specific people. In a meaningful world, events occur according to a certain logic and predictability.
Sense of self-worth
The last assumption evaluates the individual self as positive, moral, and therefore deserving of good life outcomes. This assumption promotes individual effectiveness and success on tasks.
Broken AssumptionsAccording to the theory, extreme events can upend these worldviews, challenging or even shattering people's basic assumptions about the world and themselves. For example, unexpected violence that destroys a loved one, severe injury, or physical or mental abuse by others are particularly traumatic events. For people who generally lead positive lives, these events are more traumatic because their overly optimistic assumptions collapse under the intense shock.
Reconstruction Hypothesis
Once an individual has experienced the trauma of such shattered assumptions, it becomes critical to rebuild or revise old assumptions in order to recover from the traumatic experience. Psychologists Hansen and Janoff-Bulman point out that even seemingly minor incidents of victimization can cause strong psychological reactions, causing individuals to question previously taken-for-granted views of the world.
The process of coping with traumatic experiences begins with the individual re-establishing a valid conceptual system, which takes time and will vary from person to person.
During the reconstruction process, individuals need to incorporate their experiences as victims into their new worldview, which can be achieved through self-reflection and having a strong social support system.
Therapies and Applications
Some trauma-related therapies can help people rebuild shattered assumptions. For example, prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy have been found to help patients restructure their worldview. Prolonged exposure therapy allows patients to reduce negative thinking by becoming familiar with the traumatic event, while cognitive processing therapy allows patients to understand the traumatic event in a different way.
Evidence and Criticism
Research shows that religious beliefs can contribute to the cognitive construction of traumatic events. This suggests that traumatic experiences among people of faith often change their beliefs. In addition, some psychological studies have shown that the "broken assumptions theory" has certain limitations in empirical research, but its intuitive appeal still exists.
ConclusionShattered Assumptions Theory provides a perspective on how trauma affects our view of the world. As we rebuild our belief systems, we may be able to pave the way for deeper self-exploration and understanding of the world. In the process of such reconstruction, can we update our understanding of the world and our own values to adapt to the new reality?
