PSYC 3400 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Existentialism, Existential Crisis, Rollo May
30 Apr 2018
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Chapter 12: Existentialism
1.) Existentialism short term life review:
a. What would you like to accomplish with reminder of life?
b. Whom do you cherish most?
c. Have you ever been able to tell them?
d. Is there anyone you would like to reconcile with?
2.) Can a view of death impact personality?
a. Near death experiences
b. Cultural differences: Individualism vs collectivism, family perspectives on death, role
of religious and spiritual beliefs, how patient and family communicate, patient’s own
views. Collective decision making is very common in many cultures. Some cultures
forbid talking about death or illness.
3.) Existentialism
a. Means to “stand out.” Gives priority to existence over essence. How I live is more
important than what I’m composed of.
b. Existence trumps exercise, anxiety and anguish are unavoidable, absurdity abounds,
void of nothingness, death is ultimate nothingness, alienation and estrangement
c. Existential angst: Anguished awareness shared by all human that we’re going to die
d. Existential crisis: Finding and fulfilling one’s purpose
e. Ontology: Branch of philosophy focused on extremes
4.) Frankl: Logo therapy
a. Studied patients upon release of Holocaust concentration camps. Noticed 3 stages:
1. Depersonalization: What is freedom?
2. Release of pressure and danger of deformation
3. Bitterness and disillusionment
b. Existential frustration: Frustrated will to meaning by existence itself and striving to
find concrete meaning
c. Despair: Suffering without meaning
d. Boredom: The sign of an existential vacuum
5.) Rollo May
a. Main terms
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