We are all social creatures. Each person belongs to a specific social group. Developing normally, a child communicates with parents, peers and other children and adults, and his basic needs are met. If physical or mental development is difficult, then the communication of such a child will suffer, therefore, he will not be able to communicate his needs and will not receive their satisfaction. But there are situations when, with seemingly normal personality formation, personal contacts and other needs are limited. This phenomenon is called “deprivation”. In psychology, this concept is considered very carefully. A deprived personality cannot live and develop harmoniously. What does this concept mean and what types of deprivation are there? Let's figure it out.
What is deprivation in psychology?
In psychology, deprivation means a certain mental state in which a person cannot satisfy his basic needs. This also occurs in the case of depriving a person of any benefits to which he is already very accustomed. It should be noted that this state does not arise for all rejected needs. There are a large number of desires and aspirations of a person, but if he does not achieve them, there is no significant damage to his personal structure. What is important here is the satisfaction of vital needs and requirements. Deprivation in psychology is not any deviation from a person’s usual life activities. This state is a deep experience.
Kinds
The concept of sensory deprivation has allowed scientists to classify this phenomenon into several types:
- Cognitive discomfort. Probably everyone has experienced this state. In everyday life, we often have to make decisions in conditions of a lack of information, under the influence of external stimuli. Or another example: a person cannot choose between two new positions (let’s say his education requires retraining for both of these professions), as a result he remains in his previous job, and the need to study and master a new type of activity remains unrealized.
- Tactile deprivation. This type of sensory deprivation occurs at home as a result of the mother’s emotional coldness towards the child. A lack of hugs, stroking, and kisses distorts the normal intellectual and emotional development of children.
- Motor restriction. Scientists have found that a ban on freedom of movement leads to a person becoming apathetic and depressed after a few weeks. Under conditions of motor sensory deprivation, a person’s intellectual abilities are dulled.
- Emotional hunger. This condition occurs as a result of a lack of communication in conditions of social isolation of the individual.
- Existential discomfort. This type of deprivation arises as a result of the distorted formation of a sensory image of life goals and guidelines in people during crisis periods of life.
- Educational and cultural deprivation. This disorder is caused by a decrease in educational motivation and cognitive interest of the individual. It manifests itself in the individual’s refusal to study new material, the inability to apply existing knowledge in practice, and ignoring cultural and educational events.
The difference between frustration and deprivation
These two concepts are close in meaning, but are not identical. Frustration is considered in science as a reaction to a personal stimulus. A person can feel sad, withdraw into himself for several hours or even days after some stressful situation, then return to normal life. Deprivation in psychology is a much more severe and painful condition. It can have a destructive effect on a person. It differs from frustration in intensity, duration and severity. Deprivation can combine several unmet needs at once; in this case, various types of this condition are observed.
What causes deprivation?
There are certain internal causes of deprivation. This condition affects people who, for some reason, have an internal vacuum of values. What does deprivation have to do with this? In psychology, this condition and many others are interconnected. After all, personality is holistic in its versatility. If a person has been alone for a long time, in prison, in a sick state, he loses the ability to follow all the norms, rules and values of society. As a result, his concepts do not coincide with the hierarchy of values of the people around him, and an intrapersonal vacuum arises. He cannot be in this state all the time, since life goes on and a person needs to adapt to its course and the demands that society places on him. As a result, the individual stands on the path to the formation of new ideals on the basis of an already destroyed hierarchy of needs and values.
Deprivation in human psychology has long been considered by scientists in search of methods to neutralize it. After all, such feelings as deprivation, hopelessness, a sense of lost personal dignity and others do not bring positive aspects for personal development.
Types of deprivation
There are several criteria for classifying the concept of “deprivation”. According to the degree of damage, there are 2 types of deprivation:
- Absolute deprivation
. This is a complete lack of access to various benefits and the ability to meet basic needs. - Relative deprivation
. This concept implies the subjective experience of a discrepancy between value possibilities and personal expectations.
Based on the nature of the unmet need, the following types of deprivation are distinguished:
- Sensory deprivation
. With this type of deprivation, a person is deprived of the opportunity to satisfy his needs related to the senses. Sensory deprivation is also divided into visual, auditory, tactile, and tactile. Scientists also highlight sexual deprivation, when a person has no intimate relationships for a long time. - Paternal
. Deprivation is typical for children who grow up in a dysfunctional family. - Social
. This type of deprivation is typical for people who are in prison, undergo treatment for a long period, boarding school residents, etc. - Motor
. Deprivation develops as a result of restricted movement. This may be due to disability, illness, or specific living conditions. Motor deprivation leads not only to mental, but also physical disorders.
Sensory and social deprivation require separate consideration.
What are the types of this concept?
Deprivation in Russian psychology is of three types:
- emotional;
- sensory;
- social.
These are the main types of deprivation, but in reality there are many more. Probably, as many suppressed and unsatisfied needs exist, there are as many types of this condition. But many of them are identical in their manifestation. In mental terms, deprivation is in psychology such sensations as fear, constant anxiety, loss of vital activity, dissatisfaction with oneself, one’s life and others, prolonged depression, outbursts of aggression.
But despite the similarity of sensations and experiences, the degree of immersion of the individual in this state is different for everyone. This depends on a person’s resistance to stress, the degree of hardening of his psyche, as well as on the power of the deprivation effect on the individual. But just as there are compensatory capabilities of the human brain at the physiological level, the same property of the psyche manifests itself. When other human needs are fully satisfied, the deprivation state regarding one unsatisfied one will be less intense.
Emotional deprivation in psychology
It happens that this condition arises due to unexpressed emotions when a person is completely or partially deprived of various emotional reactions. Most often it is a lack of attention from other people. This condition rarely occurs in adults, but the psychology of childhood deprivation pays quite a lot of attention to this phenomenon. In the absence of love and affection, the child begins to experience the sensations described above. Emotional deprivation is very closely related to maternal deprivation, which we will talk about below.
For adults, much greater destruction is caused by so-called motor deprivation. This is a condition in which a person is limited in his movement due to injury or illness. Sometimes a disease or physical abnormality is not as terrible as a person’s reaction to it. It is very difficult for specialists to return people in this condition to active life.
My recommendations
Sensory deprivation is a common cause of various phobias and decreased self-esteem in children. Practicing psychologists have to not only form a positive image of the “I” in a child, but also correct negative behavioral deviations.
In my opinion, effective methods of working with clients who have experienced sensory hunger are hypnosis and all areas of art therapy.
One day a young man came to me complaining of panic attacks. I suggested that such an effect in the emotional-volitional sphere could be caused by sensory deprivation: the young man practiced yoga alone, meditated for hours, sitting without moving. Their reason was the guy’s passion for meditative techniques and yoga. It was difficult to work with him: achieving mutual understanding between me and the client was hampered by his conviction that independent yoga classes at home could not cause harm to the body.
In my opinion, the best prevention of sensory deprivation is full-fledged live communication, a rich life with vivid impressions, a balanced diet and systematic exercise.
Sensory deprivation
Sensory deprivation in psychology involves depriving a person of various sensations. Most often, it is provoked artificially to study a person’s ability to withstand difficulties. Such experiments are carried out to train aviation professionals, government power plant workers, intelligence officers, military specialists, and so on.
In most cases, such experiments are carried out by immersing a person to depth in a box or other limited device. When a person spends a long time in this state, a state of mental instability is observed: lethargy, low mood, apathy, which after a short time are replaced by irritability and excessive excitability.
Complications
The effect of prolonged experience of sensory deficits negatively affects the functioning of the nervous system and brain. The simplest consequences of this phenomenon are: insomnia, absent-mindedness, mood swings. In severe cases, the disorder is associated with complications such as:
- distorted perception;
- memory impairment;
- disruption of biological rhythms in the body;
- increased personal and situational anxiety;
- loss of the ability to distinguish between hallucinations and reality.
It is impossible to cope with the severe consequences of sensory deprivation on your own. In these cases, consultation with a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist is required.
In children
Children with sensory deprivation often experience:
- exhaustion of the nervous system, decreased resistance to stress;
- mental disorders, neuroses;
- depression and stress;
- psychosomatic diseases;
- lag in the rate of motor, speech and intellectual development;
- emotional coldness, lack of empathy;
- deviant behavior, aggressiveness;
- formation of a victim position, lack of leadership qualities in the character structure;
- difficulties of social adaptation.
Social deprivation
Deprivation manifests itself in different ways in psychology. Various groups of society are also susceptible to this condition. There are societies or social groups that deliberately deprive themselves of communication with the outside world. But this is not as scary as complete social deprivation for one person. All members of youth organizations, sects and national minorities who have separated themselves from society at least communicate with each other. Such people do not have irreversible effects on their psyche caused by social deprivation. The same cannot be said about long-term prisoners in solitary confinement or people who have experienced psychotic disorders.
Being alone with oneself for a long time, a person gradually loses social communication skills and interest in other people. There are also cases where a person stopped speaking because he forgot the sound of his voice and the meaning of words. Social deprivation can also affect people with a fatal disease that can be transmitted. Therefore, there is a law on non-disclosure of such diagnoses.
Maternal deprivation - what is it?
Phenomena such as deprivation are studied quite carefully in developmental psychology, since the consequences of such a state for an immature personality can be detrimental. When an adult experiences this feeling, he feels uncomfortable, bad and lonely. In a child it evokes emotions that are much more intense than those listed. Children are like receptive sponges that absorb negativity much faster and stronger than adults.
A clear example of maternal deprivation is hospitalism. This is the state of loneliness of a child due to his separation from his mother. This syndrome began to be noticed especially strongly after the war in the 50s, when there were many orphans. Even with good care and proper feeding, children experienced a revitalization complex much later; they began to walk and talk late, they had much more problems with physical and mental development than those who were raised in families. After this phenomenon, experts noted that deprivation in the psychology of children entails great changes in the psyche. Therefore, methods to overcome it began to be developed.
Sleep deprivation
Normal, full sleep is the key to good health and well-being. If for some reason a person is deprived of the opportunity to get enough sleep, this affects his physical and mental state. When it comes to an isolated case, it will not have a negative impact on health. But when a person is regularly deprived of proper sleep, he develops deprivation disorders.
During a night's rest, the hormone of joy is produced. If a person does not get enough sleep, the functioning of his endocrine system is disrupted, and metabolic processes slow down. This type of deprivation leads to weight gain, depression, and headaches.
What else happens to a person who is deprived of proper sleep?
- 1 day without sleep – worsening reaction, loss of strength;
- 2 days without sleep – impaired motor activity, decreased mental reactions;
- 3 days without sleep – the appearance of unbearable headaches;
- 4 days without sleep – suppression of will, occurrence of hallucinations. This is the most dangerous form of deprivation, after which serious and irreversible processes occur in the body. There is a threat to human life.
Interesting fact.
Scientists have proven that depriving a person of sleep can bring him not only harm, but also benefit. As a result of numerous studies, it was found that depriving a person of a certain phase of sleep helps him get rid of a prolonged depressive state. Despite the paradox, this phenomenon has a simple explanation.
Sleep deprivation is stressful for the body. In this state, the production of catecholamines begins - special hormones responsible for emotional tone. Thanks to shock psychotherapy, an interest in life appears and a person begins to be active. Doctors do not recommend resorting to such treatment methods on your own. It must be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.
Consequences of deprivation in children
We have already decided that the main types of deprivation in the psychology of children are emotional and maternal. This condition has a detrimental effect on the development of cognitive processes in the child’s brain. He grows up unsmart, deprived of a sense of confidence in love, support and recognition. Such a child smiles and shows emotions much less often than his peers. Its development slows down, and dissatisfaction with life and oneself forms. To prevent this condition, psychologists have determined that a child needs to be hugged, kissed, stroked and supported (patted on the shoulder or arm) at least 8 times a day.
How does deprivation affect the behavior of adults?
Deprivation in the psychology of adults can arise on the basis of a long-standing childhood or due to unmet needs of adulthood. In the first case, the harmful effects on the psyche will be much stronger and more destructive. Sometimes when working with such adults, specialists feel powerless. In the second case, behavior correction is possible by searching for ways to satisfy a deprived need. A person can get out of a state of self-dislike, apathy and depression with the help of a specialist.
Treatment methods
At the initial stages, auto-training techniques, deep relaxation, and self-regulation help cope with the symptoms of depression or depressed state. In other cases, corrective methods are selected by a psychologist or psychotherapist. Sometimes it is necessary to work with the person’s environment (environmental therapy) or change the patient’s lifestyle.
The instability of the current world is one of the main causes of sensory deprivation. People of all ages, races and nationalities are at risk of finding themselves in information and sensory isolation. Men and women get married and maintain the appearance of a strong family, remaining cold and indifferent to each other, only for the sake of children.
At the same time, their own emotional needs remain unsatisfied. To maintain status or social security, people go to boring jobs. Many are afraid of poverty, emotional instability, and fear of unemployment.
