Family as a Cradle for Human and Spiritual Formation

Authors

  • Tony Sam George CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru

Keywords:

Psychology, Spirituality, Neurobiology, Bible, Family, Human Formation, Spiritual Formation, Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity, Personality Development

Abstract

The article explores the crucial role of understanding the perspective of a psychological-spiritual-neurobiological and-Biblical role that family plays in human and spiritual formation. The family is symbolized using the metaphor of a cradle to explain the early formative period in the person’s life. Research on neuroscience and brain plasticity did on infants in the womb to those in their later years shows promising data that the human brain is conducive to change. Therefore a positive and intentional program in formation, which focuses on the family as the key to the change, can accelerate development of personality dimensions previously considered as fixed for life.

Author Biography

Tony Sam George, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru


Associate Professor of Department of Psychology, Christ University, Bengaluru, India

References

Ainsworth, M.D.S., Blehar, M., Waters, E., Wall, S., 1978, Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation, Lawrence Erlbaum, Oxford, England.

Bowlby, J., 1979, The making and breaking of affectional bonds, Tavistock, London, UK.

Bowlby, J.A., 1988, Secure Base, Basic Books, New York, NY.

Cassidy, J., Jones, J.D., & Shaver, P.R., 2013, ‘Contributions of Attachment Theory and research: A framework for Future Research, Translation, and policy’, Development and Psychopathology 25, 1415-1434. doi: 10.1017/S0954579413000692

Coan, J.A., 2008, Toward a neuroscience of attachment, In Cassidy J., Shaver P.R., Editors. Handbook of attachment theory, research, and clinical applications 2nd, Guilford press, New York, NY, 241- 265.

Hamlin, J., &Wynn, K., 2011, ‘Young infants prefer prosocial to antisocial others’, Cognitive development 26, 30-39. doi: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2010.09.001

Kolb, B., 2009, ‘Brain and behavioural plasticity in the developing brain: Neuroscience and public policy’, Paediatrics & Child Health 14(10), 651–652.

Main, M., Kaplan, N., Cassidy, J., 1985, ‘Security in infancy, childhood, and adulthood: A move to the level of representation’, Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development 50, 66–104.

Sherman, L,J., Rice, K., & Cassidy, J., 2015, ‘Infant capacities related to building internal working models of attachment figures: A theoretical and empirical review’, Developmental Review. doi: 10.1016/j.dr.2015.06.001

Shonkoff, J.P., & Phillips, D.A., (eds), 2000, From Neurons to Neighbourhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

Downloads

Published

2016-12-30