Acceptance

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Combatants accepting defeat during World War II Colorful, prisoner of war Fortepan 27271.jpg
Combatants accepting defeat during World War II

Acceptance in psychology is a person's recognition and assent to the finality of a situation without attempting to change or protest it. This plays out at both the individual and societal level as people experience change.

Contents

Types of acceptance

The term acceptance is a noun with various meanings. [1]

Self-acceptance

Self-acceptance is described as the state or ongoing process of striving to be satisfied with one's current self. It is an agreement with oneself to appreciate, validate, and support the self as it is, despite deficiencies and negative past behavior.

Some have trouble accepting themselves because of guilt, trauma, or a perceived lack of motivation. [2] Self-acceptance has an effect on a person mentally, emotionally, within relationships and overall life.

Psychological acceptance

Acceptance is a core element of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In this context, acceptance is a process that involves actively contacting psychological internal experiences (emotions, sensations, urges, flashbacks, and other private events) directly, fully, without reacting or becoming defensive. The idea is to accept the things one cannot change, such as psychological experiences, but build the courage to change the things one can. [3]

Social acceptance

Social acceptance, according to APA Dictionary of Psychology, means being included in a group, either formally or informally, and not being judged or disapproved of by others. It’s about how much people want to spend time with someone in both public and private situations. [4] In other words, social acceptance is about fitting in with those around you, like classmates, coworkers, or friends. It shows whether people include you and don’t criticize or reject you. [5]

Social acceptance can be defined as tolerating and welcoming the differences and diversity in others because most people attempt to look and act like others do in order to fit in. [6] Data shows that those with high self-acceptance scores tend to accept others and feel accepted by others. [7] This concern is heightened for children and teenagers who tend to desire being accepted by friends.

When it comes to mental disorders, social acceptance plays a big role in recovery. Many people do not understand mental illness, so they are unsure of how to embrace people who have a disease, leaving these people with feelings of isolation in friend groups. [8] Being accepted by a friend and having support can help with mental health and give a healthy sense of self. [9]

Public acceptance

Public acceptance is stated as a general agreement that something is satisfactory or right, or that someone should be included in a group. [10]

An example of public acceptance would be the LGBTQ+ community. It is a very important aspect to the movement because it involves understanding, and inclusion of many individuals with different gender identities, and sexual orientation within the public and society in general.

Cultural acceptance

Cultural acceptance means respecting people for who they are without judging their culture, traditions, clothing, or appearance. It is the ability to accept the individual for their cultural beliefs and their principles. It's about understanding and valuing what makes someone unique and treating them with kindness and respect. [11]

Parental acceptance

Parental acceptance is described[ by whom? ] as the affection, nurturance, support or simply the love a parent has for that child and the experience the children can gain from it.

Conditional acceptance

Standards specify acceptable and hazardous gaps in infant beds Infant furniture acceptable gaps.svg
Standards specify acceptable and hazardous gaps in infant beds

A type of acceptance that requires modification of the initial conditions before the final acceptance is made, is called conditional acceptance, or qualified acceptance. [12] For instance, in a contract involving two parties, adjustments or modifications may be made to ensure it aligns with the satisfaction of both parties. When a person receives an offer and is willing to agree to it, provided that certain changes are made to its terms or certain conditions or events occur, it is referred to as conditional acceptance. In a business contract between a company and an employer, both parties have the option to change and modify the terms until mutual agreement or acceptance of the contract's details is reached.

Expressed acceptance

Expressed acceptance involves making an overt and unambiguous acceptance of the set conditions. For example, a person clearly and explicitly agrees to an offer. They accept the terms without any changes. [13]

Implied acceptance

Implied acceptance refers to a situation where one's intent to consent to the presented conditions is understood or inferred, even if not explicitly stated. Acceptance is implied by an act that indicates a person's assent to the proposed bargain. [14]

Related Research Articles

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Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both conscious and unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feelings, and motives. Psychology is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between the natural and social sciences. Biological psychologists seek an understanding of the emergent properties of brains, linking the discipline to neuroscience. As social scientists, psychologists aim to understand the behavior of individuals and groups.

Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome problems. Psychotherapy aims to improve an individual's well-being and mental health, to resolve or mitigate troublesome behaviors, beliefs, compulsions, thoughts, or emotions, and to improve relationships and social skills. Numerous types of psychotherapy have been designed either for individual adults, families, or children and adolescents. Certain types of psychotherapy are considered evidence-based for treating some diagnosed mental disorders; other types have been criticized as pseudoscience.

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References

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  9. Cleary, Michelle; Lees, David; Sayers, Jan (2018-03-04). "Friendship and Mental Health". Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 39 (3): 279–281. doi:10.1080/01612840.2018.1431444. ISSN   0161-2840. PMID   29465280. S2CID   3428832.
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  14. Bowerman, William R. (April 1973). "Attribution of Responsibility Implied in a Notice of Acceptance or Rejection". Psychological Reports. 32 (2): 467–472. doi:10.2466/pr0.1973.32.2.467. ISSN   0033-2941. S2CID   143613527 . Retrieved 22 June 2022.

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