Psychology of peace is focus of new studyNov 16, 2004; Posted 01:59 pm EST (06:59 GMT) Researchers at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology are studying the relationship between experiences of another culture and peaceful traits. This study may have important implications for creating and supporting peace in the world. The research concludes on November 30th, 2004.Palo Alto, CA - As war continues to rage in Iraq, peaceful psychological qualities like empathy and compassion are being studied by researchers. At the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP) in Palo Alto, California a research group is focusing intensely on those traits. They are asking if certain experiences of other cultures coincide with peaceful psychological traits. This research group is gathering data online until November 30th.The ITP peace psychology research class has run at continuously since January 2002. The course was created to constructively respond to the tragedies experienced in America on September 11th, 2001. The enrolled students, instructed by Residential Academic Dean Paul Roy, Ph.D., have explored the nature and history of peace psychology; developed research questions; created an experiment to test their hypotheses; and now are in the data gathering stage of their research. Participants in this study respond to a series of questions about themselves and their experience of other cultures. The participants then answer a series of questions that measure responses on psychological scales that relate to peaceful tendencies. On December 1st, the ITP students and Dr. Roy will begin analyzing the data. The research group will compare reported experiences with scores on the relevant peace scales. It is hoped that compelling patterns will emerge from the data so that the research group can make recommendations that increasing certain types of life experience may increase peace in the world. Current student Eric FitzMedrud says of the research, “We may discover that studying a language makes someone more empathic. This could lead to curriculum changes in schools. We might discover that someone becomes more compassionate if they live in another country for a long time. This might validate exchange programs. We may find that we’re barking up the wrong tree entirely. Right now, we just don’t know. That’s why this research is important.” The ITP peace psychology research students hope to discover through their research the kinds of experiences that correspond with peaceful traits. These experiences may then be chosen consciously for ourselves, our children, and our communities, to promote peace in the world.
More information regarding this research, including how to participate online, is available on Institute of Transpersonal Psychology Peace Psychology webpage at, http://www.itp.edu/academics/PeacePsychology.cfm.
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