Date of Award

1977

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

James Cox

Second Advisor

Mark Tannenbaum

Abstract

Large numbers of people in our society are affected by visual problems. Visual problems are generally held to be the result of heredity, disease, or the structural condition of the eye itself. This study explores a fourth factor, the effect of emotions in visual performance.

This study hypothesizes that the emotional state of the person affects vision. Secondly, changes in the emotional condition of the person will result in changes in vision. Thirdly, changes in vision will in turn affect the personality.

The data to explore this hypothesis was obtained through a review of the literature in the area of the psychological factors affecting vision. I also, with the aid of my faculty sponsor Or. James Cox, selected six people to interview who had spent many hours in therapeutic relationships. The selection was not a random sample. The people were chosen to test my thesis because they had had visual problems and also had a commitment to explore intensively their personalities through therapy. I discussed with these six interviewees what changes, if any, in their visual performance they noted as they progressed through therapy. It is beyond the scope of this study to determine what relative degree of problems are caused by which factors or if the emotions affect vision through affecting the structure or condition of the eye, or by affecting the brain and glandular system.

This study does not propose that therapy is a panacea for visual disorders, or that it is an alternative to good medical care. However, since most neuroses are accompanied by disturbances of sensation, this study should prove useful to counselors, therapists, and medical personnel. This could happen through application of the study 's hypothesis that emotional problems affect vision. A sub-issue presented is that the emotional state of the person is reflected in the ·appearance of the eyes and this may be an aid in character analysis and interpretation.

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