Brent Dean Robbins
Biographic Data
| ID | 4439508 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Brent Dean Robbins |
| GIVEN NAMES | Brent Dean |
| FAMILY NAME | Robbins |
| SIGNATURE | ROBBINS B D |
| AFFILIATIONS | Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2314-9049 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 36 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
A Humanistic Mission
Point Park University’s PsyD in Clinical Psychology was granted accreditation by the APA’s Commission on Accreditation (CoA) in May of 2024. It remains one of the few APA-accredited doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology with an explicit mission to train clinical psychologists in humanistic psychological and human science-oriented practices and research methodologies. The success of this program hinged upon a strategy based on building a succes…
Introduction to metabletics
James J. Dillon, The Joy of Duty
Book Reviewsbecome socially real and comprehensible, and we gain the common understandings that make us a society, through the images and narratives they supply.This "in-formation" (De Corte sometimes uses that spelling) thus becomes literal imposition on experience of the forms that make man, society, and the world what they are.That function is necessary in a democracy, which abolishes, in the name of equality, natural ties of family, region, p…
The phenomenology of joy
Getting a Grip on Normativity
Maslow suggests that a study of “superior” human specimen might have the potential to identify biological traits that distinguish flourishing individuals from those who are languishing. Maslow’s recommendation is open to criticisms. First, his method is circular. Second, the thrust of Maslow’s project has a eugenic ring to it. However, while Maslow’s eugenic vision should be sidelined, his call for an understanding of normativity and the need to …
Tom Greening
In honor of Tom Greening, who recently passed from this world, this reflection explores Greening’s poetry and activism for peace in light of his theory of existential psychology. Greening faithfully served as an Editor of Journal of Humanistic Psychology for many years, but perhaps his most public face was the poems he often shared on the Society for Humanistic Psychology’s email listserv, many of which were also published. His often humorous, ir…
Student Activism in the Neoliberal University
Student activism is a highly underresearched topic in psychology despite the field’s commitment to studying person–environment interactions and advancing social justice aims. Furthermore, less is known about the ways in which student activists navigate the neoliberal or “corporatized” university in the United States. This research study utilizes a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative method in order to attempt to describe the experience of be…
Introduction to the Fifth Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
Standards and Guidelines for the Development of Diagnostic Nomenclatures and Alternatives in Mental Health Research and Practice
Diagnostic nomenclatures have been central to mental health research and practice since the turn of the 20th century. In recent years, an increasing number of mental health professionals have proposed that a paradigm shift in diagnosis is inevitable. The Standards and Guidelines for the Development of Diagnostic Nomenclatures and Alternatives in Mental Health Research and Practice are intended to serve as a reference for the development of scient…
Introduction to the Third Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
Introduction to the Fourth Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
Open Letter to the DSM-5
In October 2011, the Open Letter to the DSM-5 was posted as an online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dsm5/ . To the surprise of its authors, the petition garnered the endorsements of over 15,000 individuals and over 50 professional organizations, including 15 additional divisions of the American Psychological Association. It is here reproduced in print for the first time. For more details on the history of the Open Letter, see Rob…
DSM-5 Reform Efforts by the Society for Humanistic Psychology
Since 2011, the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32 of the American Psychological Association) has taken a lead in organizing an international coalition of organizations and individuals that share major criticisms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth edition ( DSM-5) diagnosis and the search for alternatives. Inspired by the British Psychological Society’s public criticism of the DSM-5, Society for Humanistic …
Introduction to the Special Issues on Diagnostic Alternatives
Introduction to the Second Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
The integrated heart of cultural and mindfulness meditation practice in existential phenomenology and humanistic psychotherapy
Introduction to Special Issue on Community Psychology and the Hermeneutics of Love
In this introduction to the special issue on humanistic community psychology and the hermeneutics of love, a context is provided for the emergence of a community psychology founded on a hermeneutics love. The origins of the concept are traced to the development of a humanistic community psychology program at Point Park University. The introduction also provides a basic overview of hermeneutics and its relevance and importance for humanistic psych…
The Heart of Humanistic Psychology
Through a philosophical analysis, guided by phenomenology, humanistic psychology is interpreted as a way of knowing that is guided by an interpretive stance of love. Hermeneutics, the study of interpretation, understands that interpretation is guided by certain moods or dispositions. Agape love, or a good will toward others, is an interpretive stance, or hermeneutic, by which others can be understood through an empathic attitude of charitability,…
Mindfulness at the heart of existential-phenomenology and humanistic psychology
The mindfulness ‘foundations’ of existential-phenomenology appeared at the turn of the 20th century. Humanistic psychology's affinity with phenomenology emerged in the latter half of the mid-20th c
The negative shadow cast by positive psychology
Resiliency is the ability to survive, or even thrive, during adversity. It is a key construct within both humanistic and positive psychology, but each sees it from a contrasting vantage. Positive psychology decontextualizes resilience by judging it as a virtue regardless of circumstance, while humanistic psychology tends to view it in a more holistic way in relationship to other virtues and environmental affordances, clarifying how resiliency can…
A cultural-existential approach to therapy
Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological philosophy provides the basis for a form of cultural-existential therapy. Through an examination of Merleau-Ponty’s analysis of the phantom limb and anosognosia, we develop a cultural-existential approach to “psychopathology” and its treatment. In the course of this analysis, ego-syntonic labels are seen in the light of culture-syntonic considerations, depth analysis is married to breadth analysis, empathi…
The self-regulation of humor expression
This study utilized a mixed method, phenomenological approach to better understand the lived experience of suppressed laughter. Study 1 utilized an empirical, phenomenological analysis of 17 first-person descriptions of suppressed laughter, which identified various essential themes, including the key findings that suppressed laughter occurred within a social context in which laughter was not appropriate and in which the presence of a confidant in…
Lessons from the Dead
Dissection of a human cadaver is a time-honored tradition for teaching anatomy in medical education. However, in recent years, for a variety of reasons, including costs and ethical concerns, some medical programs have ceased cadaver dissection in exchange for virtual dissection of cadavers in cyberspace. Past research suggests that students find work on a cadaver to be distressing, but also rewarding. This study analyzed journal entries from 21 u…
Introduction to our special issue on positive psychology
What is the good life? Positive psychology and the renaissance of humanistic psychology
Positive and humanistic psychology overlap in thematic content and theoretical presuppositions, yet positive psychology explicitly distances itself as a new movement, despite the fact that its literature implicitly references its extensive historical grounding within humanistic psychology. Consequently, humanistic psychologists both celebrate diffusion of humanistic ideas furthered by positive psychology, and resent its disavowal of the humanisti…
The Heart of Humanistic Psychology
Through a philosophical analysis, guided by phenomenology, humanistic psychology is interpreted as a way of knowing that is guided by an interpretive stance of love. Hermeneutics, the study of interpretation, understands that interpretation is guided by certain moods or dispositions. Agape love, or a good will toward others, is an interpretive stance, or hermeneutic, by which others can be understood through an empathic attitude of charitability,…
Student Activism in the Neoliberal University
Student activism is a highly underresearched topic in psychology despite the field’s commitment to studying person–environment interactions and advancing social justice aims. Furthermore, less is known about the ways in which student activists navigate the neoliberal or “corporatized” university in the United States. This research study utilizes a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative method in order to attempt to describe the experience of be…
Open Letter to the DSM-5
In October 2011, the Open Letter to the DSM-5 was posted as an online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dsm5/ . To the surprise of its authors, the petition garnered the endorsements of over 15,000 individuals and over 50 professional organizations, including 15 additional divisions of the American Psychological Association. It is here reproduced in print for the first time. For more details on the history of the Open Letter, see Rob…
Introduction to the Special Issues on Diagnostic Alternatives
Introduction to the Second Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
DSM-5 Reform Efforts by the Society for Humanistic Psychology
Since 2011, the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32 of the American Psychological Association) has taken a lead in organizing an international coalition of organizations and individuals that share major criticisms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth edition ( DSM-5) diagnosis and the search for alternatives. Inspired by the British Psychological Society’s public criticism of the DSM-5, Society for Humanistic …
Getting a Grip on Normativity
Maslow suggests that a study of “superior” human specimen might have the potential to identify biological traits that distinguish flourishing individuals from those who are languishing. Maslow’s recommendation is open to criticisms. First, his method is circular. Second, the thrust of Maslow’s project has a eugenic ring to it. However, while Maslow’s eugenic vision should be sidelined, his call for an understanding of normativity and the need to …
Standards and Guidelines for the Development of Diagnostic Nomenclatures and Alternatives in Mental Health Research and Practice
Diagnostic nomenclatures have been central to mental health research and practice since the turn of the 20th century. In recent years, an increasing number of mental health professionals have proposed that a paradigm shift in diagnosis is inevitable. The Standards and Guidelines for the Development of Diagnostic Nomenclatures and Alternatives in Mental Health Research and Practice are intended to serve as a reference for the development of scient…
Introduction to the Third Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
Introduction to Special Issue on Community Psychology and the Hermeneutics of Love
In this introduction to the special issue on humanistic community psychology and the hermeneutics of love, a context is provided for the emergence of a community psychology founded on a hermeneutics love. The origins of the concept are traced to the development of a humanistic community psychology program at Point Park University. The introduction also provides a basic overview of hermeneutics and its relevance and importance for humanistic psych…
The phenomenological truth of visual emissions
The phenomenological truth of visual emissions
The Unwanted Exposure of the Self
The self-conscious emotion of embarrassment has been the focus of much attention by phenomenological and cognitive researchers in psychology. However, although a variety of theoretical models of embarrassment have been proposed, there has been little consensus in the literature. Through a synthesis of prior theory and empirical research, these authors propose a model of embarrassment in which embarrassment is understood to signify the core, essen…
Introduction to our special issue on positive psychology
What is the good life? Positive psychology and the renaissance of humanistic psychology
Positive and humanistic psychology overlap in thematic content and theoretical presuppositions, yet positive psychology explicitly distances itself as a new movement, despite the fact that its literature implicitly references its extensive historical grounding within humanistic psychology. Consequently, humanistic psychologists both celebrate diffusion of humanistic ideas furthered by positive psychology, and resent its disavowal of the humanisti…
The self-regulation of humor expression
This study utilized a mixed method, phenomenological approach to better understand the lived experience of suppressed laughter. Study 1 utilized an empirical, phenomenological analysis of 17 first-person descriptions of suppressed laughter, which identified various essential themes, including the key findings that suppressed laughter occurred within a social context in which laughter was not appropriate and in which the presence of a confidant in…
Lessons from the Dead
Dissection of a human cadaver is a time-honored tradition for teaching anatomy in medical education. However, in recent years, for a variety of reasons, including costs and ethical concerns, some medical programs have ceased cadaver dissection in exchange for virtual dissection of cadavers in cyberspace. Past research suggests that students find work on a cadaver to be distressing, but also rewarding. This study analyzed journal entries from 21 u…
A cultural-existential approach to therapy
Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological philosophy provides the basis for a form of cultural-existential therapy. Through an examination of Merleau-Ponty’s analysis of the phantom limb and anosognosia, we develop a cultural-existential approach to “psychopathology” and its treatment. In the course of this analysis, ego-syntonic labels are seen in the light of culture-syntonic considerations, depth analysis is married to breadth analysis, empathi…
The negative shadow cast by positive psychology
Resiliency is the ability to survive, or even thrive, during adversity. It is a key construct within both humanistic and positive psychology, but each sees it from a contrasting vantage. Positive psychology decontextualizes resilience by judging it as a virtue regardless of circumstance, while humanistic psychology tends to view it in a more holistic way in relationship to other virtues and environmental affordances, clarifying how resiliency can…
Mindfulness at the heart of existential-phenomenology and humanistic psychology
The mindfulness ‘foundations’ of existential-phenomenology appeared at the turn of the 20th century. Humanistic psychology's affinity with phenomenology emerged in the latter half of the mid-20th c
The Heart of Humanistic Psychology
Through a philosophical analysis, guided by phenomenology, humanistic psychology is interpreted as a way of knowing that is guided by an interpretive stance of love. Hermeneutics, the study of interpretation, understands that interpretation is guided by certain moods or dispositions. Agape love, or a good will toward others, is an interpretive stance, or hermeneutic, by which others can be understood through an empathic attitude of charitability,…
The integrated heart of cultural and mindfulness meditation practice in existential phenomenology and humanistic psychotherapy
Introduction to Special Issue on Community Psychology and the Hermeneutics of Love
In this introduction to the special issue on humanistic community psychology and the hermeneutics of love, a context is provided for the emergence of a community psychology founded on a hermeneutics love. The origins of the concept are traced to the development of a humanistic community psychology program at Point Park University. The introduction also provides a basic overview of hermeneutics and its relevance and importance for humanistic psych…
Open Letter to the DSM-5
In October 2011, the Open Letter to the DSM-5 was posted as an online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dsm5/ . To the surprise of its authors, the petition garnered the endorsements of over 15,000 individuals and over 50 professional organizations, including 15 additional divisions of the American Psychological Association. It is here reproduced in print for the first time. For more details on the history of the Open Letter, see Rob…
DSM-5 Reform Efforts by the Society for Humanistic Psychology
Since 2011, the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32 of the American Psychological Association) has taken a lead in organizing an international coalition of organizations and individuals that share major criticisms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth edition ( DSM-5) diagnosis and the search for alternatives. Inspired by the British Psychological Society’s public criticism of the DSM-5, Society for Humanistic …
Introduction to the Special Issues on Diagnostic Alternatives
Introduction to the Second Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
Standards and Guidelines for the Development of Diagnostic Nomenclatures and Alternatives in Mental Health Research and Practice
Diagnostic nomenclatures have been central to mental health research and practice since the turn of the 20th century. In recent years, an increasing number of mental health professionals have proposed that a paradigm shift in diagnosis is inevitable. The Standards and Guidelines for the Development of Diagnostic Nomenclatures and Alternatives in Mental Health Research and Practice are intended to serve as a reference for the development of scient…
Introduction to the Third Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
Introduction to the Fourth Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
Student Activism in the Neoliberal University
Student activism is a highly underresearched topic in psychology despite the field’s commitment to studying person–environment interactions and advancing social justice aims. Furthermore, less is known about the ways in which student activists navigate the neoliberal or “corporatized” university in the United States. This research study utilizes a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative method in order to attempt to describe the experience of be…
Introduction to the Fifth Special Issue on Diagnostic Alternatives
James J. Dillon, The Joy of Duty
Book Reviewsbecome socially real and comprehensible, and we gain the common understandings that make us a society, through the images and narratives they supply.This "in-formation" (De Corte sometimes uses that spelling) thus becomes literal imposition on experience of the forms that make man, society, and the world what they are.That function is necessary in a democracy, which abolishes, in the name of equality, natural ties of family, region, p…
The phenomenology of joy
Getting a Grip on Normativity
Maslow suggests that a study of “superior” human specimen might have the potential to identify biological traits that distinguish flourishing individuals from those who are languishing. Maslow’s recommendation is open to criticisms. First, his method is circular. Second, the thrust of Maslow’s project has a eugenic ring to it. However, while Maslow’s eugenic vision should be sidelined, his call for an understanding of normativity and the need to …
Tom Greening
In honor of Tom Greening, who recently passed from this world, this reflection explores Greening’s poetry and activism for peace in light of his theory of existential psychology. Greening faithfully served as an Editor of Journal of Humanistic Psychology for many years, but perhaps his most public face was the poems he often shared on the Society for Humanistic Psychology’s email listserv, many of which were also published. His often humorous, ir…
Psychology (25 works) · Philosophy (20 works) · Epistemology (19 works) · Humanism (10 works) · Psychotherapist (10 works) · Social Psychology (10 works) · Sociology (9 works) · Humanistic psychology (8 works) · Mental Health and Psychiatry (8 works) · Engineering ethics (7 works)