Action in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: an Enactive Psycho-phenomenological and Semiotic Analysis of Thirty New Zealand Women's Experiences of Suffering and Recovery

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dc.contributor.authorHart, M J Alexandra
dc.date.accessioned2011-07-11T02:14:31Z
dc.date.available2013-07-11T12:20:06Z
dc.date.issued2010en
dc.description.abstractThis research into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) presents the results of 60 first-person psycho-phenomenological interviews with 30 New Zealand women. The participants were recruited from the Canterbury and Wellington regions, 10 had recovered. Taking a non-dual, non-reductive embodied approach, the phenomenological data was analysed semiotically, using a graph-theoretical cluster analysis to elucidate the large number of resulting categories, and interpreted through the enactive approach to cognitive science. The initial result of the analysis is a comprehensive exploration of the experience of CFS which develops subject-specific categories of experience and explores the relation of the illness to universal categories of experience, including self, ‘energy’, action, and being-able-to-do. Transformations of the self surrounding being-able-to-do and not-being-able-to-do were shown to elucidate the illness process. It is proposed that the concept ‘energy’ in the participants’ discourse is equivalent to the Mahayana Buddhist concept of ‘contact’. This characterises CFS as a breakdown of contact. Narrative content from the recovered interviewees reflects a reestablishment of contact. The hypothesis that CFS is a disorder of action is investigated in detail. A general model for the phenomenology and functional architecture of action is proposed. This model is a recursive loop involving felt meaning, contact, action, and perception and appears to be phenomenologically supported. It is proposed that the CFS illness process is a dynamical decompensation of the subject’s action loop caused by a breakdown in the process of contact. On this basis, a new interpretation of neurological findings in relation to CFS becomes possible. A neurological phenomenon that correlates with the illness and involves a brain region that has a similar structure to the action model’s recursive loop is identified in previous research results and compared with the action model and the results of this research. This correspondence may identify the brain regions involved in the illness process, which may provide an objective diagnostic test for the condition and approaches to treatment. The implications of this model for cognitive science and CFS should be investigated through neurophenomenological research since the model stands to shed considerable light on the nature of consciousness, contact and agency. Phenomenologically based treatments are proposed, along with suggestions for future research on CFS. The research may clarify the diagnostic criteria for CFS and guide management and treatment programmes, particularly multidimensional and interdisciplinary approaches. Category theory is proposed as a foundation for a mathematisation of phenomenology.en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10092/5294
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.26021/4267
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of Canterbury. Social and Political Sciencesen
dc.relation.isreferencedbyNZCUen
dc.rightsCopyright M J Alexandra Harten
dc.rights.urihttps://canterbury.libguides.com/rights/thesesen
dc.subjectactionen
dc.subjectChronic Fatigue Syndromeen
dc.subjectMyalgic Encephalomyelitisen
dc.subjectChronic Immune Deficiency Syndromeen
dc.subjectChronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndromeen
dc.subjectenactionen
dc.subjectsocial enactionen
dc.subjectsocial enactivismen
dc.subjectenactiveen
dc.subjectpsycho-phenomenologicalen
dc.subjectpsychophenomenologicalen
dc.subjectvipassanaen
dc.subjectgroundlessnessen
dc.subjectmind-bodyen
dc.subjectkorperen
dc.subjectleiben
dc.subjectco-generativeen
dc.subjectFocusingen
dc.subjectco-creativeen
dc.subjectenvironmenten
dc.subjectAntonio Damasioen
dc.subjectreciprocal constraintsen
dc.subjectPierre Vermerschen
dc.subjectClaire Petitmenginen
dc.subjectAntione Lutzen
dc.subjectnarrativeen
dc.subjectdiscourseen
dc.subjectphenomenal invariantsen
dc.subjectEvan Thompsonen
dc.subjectMerleau-Pontyen
dc.subjectAlgirdis Julien Greimasen
dc.subjectHusserlen
dc.subjectfirst-personen
dc.subjectFransisco Varelaen
dc.subjectmodelling invariantsen
dc.subjectNatalie Deprazen
dc.subjectisotopeen
dc.subjectJohn Boyden
dc.subjectOODA loopen
dc.subjectJonathan Shearen
dc.subjectShaun Gallagheren
dc.subjectArthur Kleinmanen
dc.subjectHumberto Maturanaen
dc.subjectsecond-personen
dc.subjectAlva Noeen
dc.subjectDan Zahavien
dc.subjectstagesen
dc.subjectEmbodied Minden
dc.subjectCanterburyen
dc.subjectWellingtonen
dc.subjectNew Zealanden
dc.subjectnon-dualen
dc.subjectnon-reductive embodieden
dc.subjectphenomenologicalen
dc.subjectthird-personen
dc.subjectgraph-theoretical cluster analysisen
dc.subjectcognitive scienceen
dc.subjectexperienceen
dc.subjectsolutionen
dc.subjectsubject-specific categoriesen
dc.subjectuniversal categoriesen
dc.subjectuniversal categoriesen
dc.subjectselfen
dc.subjectenergyen
dc.subjectillness processen
dc.subjectintersubjectivityen
dc.subjectMahayana Buddhismen
dc.subjectcontacten
dc.subjectnarrativeen
dc.subjectrecovereden
dc.subjectmaking senseen
dc.subjectrecursive loopen
dc.subjectperceptionen
dc.subjectdynamical decompensationen
dc.subjectneurologyen
dc.subjectdiagnosisen
dc.subjectempathyen
dc.subjecttreatmenten
dc.subjectmanagementen
dc.subjectneurophenomenologicalen
dc.subjectneurophenomenologyen
dc.subjectconsciousnessen
dc.subjectveracityen
dc.subjectagencyen
dc.subjectmultidimensionalen
dc.subjectinterdisciplinaryen
dc.subjectcategory theoryen
dc.subjectenculturationen
dc.subjectmathematisation of phenomenologyen
dc.subjectinterviewen
dc.subjectnomenclatureen
dc.subjectdiagnostic criteriaen
dc.subjectincidenceen
dc.subjectprevalenceen
dc.subjectcoping strategyen
dc.subjectetiologyen
dc.subjectepidemiologyen
dc.subjectpsychosomatic medicineen
dc.subjectmeaningen
dc.subjectwomenen
dc.subjectgirlen
dc.subjectfemaleen
dc.subjectanthropologyen
dc.subjectsociologyen
dc.subjectcognitive behavioral therapyen
dc.subjectexercise therapyen
dc.subjectrecoveryen
dc.subjectmindful awarenessen
dc.subjectsufferingen
dc.subjectsymbolisationen
dc.subjectPrasangikaen
dc.subjectno-selfen
dc.subjectaggregatesen
dc.subjectwheel of karmaen
dc.subjectcognitionen
dc.subjectbasic element analysisen
dc.subjectmental factorsen
dc.subjectoperational closureen
dc.subjectstereotypesen
dc.subjectenactive ontologically fragile selfen
dc.subjectgriefen
dc.subjectprocess-knowledgeen
dc.subjectepocheen
dc.subjectphenomenal invariantsen
dc.subjecttextual invariantsen
dc.subjectcompound meaningen
dc.subjectsaturationen
dc.subjectformalisationen
dc.subjectcluster analysisen
dc.subjectinter-session reviewen
dc.subjectinter-individual validationen
dc.subjectexplicitation interviewen
dc.subjectintricacyen
dc.subjectconfidenceen
dc.subjectpsychophenomenologyen
dc.subjectself-esteemen
dc.subjectsanctionen
dc.subjectself dis-integrationen
dc.subjectpermanenceen
dc.subjectcontinuityen
dc.subjectego-selfen
dc.subjectemotionen
dc.subjectsurrenderen
dc.subjectsemiotic squareen
dc.subjectmeditationen
dc.subjectempathyen
dc.subjectsemioticen
dc.subjectcompassionen
dc.subjectexistential feelingsen
dc.subjectgoal obstructionen
dc.subjectmovementen
dc.subjecttransformationen
dc.subjectchangeen
dc.subjectsomaticen
dc.subjectGiovanna Colombettien
dc.subjectagoraphobiaen
dc.subjectpanicen
dc.subjectanxietyen
dc.subjectpsychotherapyen
dc.subjectsleepen
dc.subjectresten
dc.subjectpainen
dc.subjectweaknessen
dc.subjectstrengthen
dc.subjectstaminaen
dc.subjectDiego Cosmellien
dc.subjectheavinessen
dc.subjectfooden
dc.subjectchemicalsen
dc.subjectallergyen
dc.subjectrecoveringen
dc.subjectdespairen
dc.subjectfrustrationen
dc.subjecthelplessnessen
dc.subjectfearen
dc.subjectefferenceen
dc.subjectvalenceen
dc.subjectafferenceen
dc.subjectas-if-body-loopen
dc.subjectconsciousnessen
dc.subjectrepresentationen
dc.subjectattentionen
dc.subjectrecoveryen
dc.subjectintentionen
dc.subjectsustainableen
dc.subjectsustainabilityen
dc.subjectneurastheniaen
dc.subjectexistential feelingsen
dc.subjectastheniaen
dc.subjecthysteriaen
dc.subjectmononucleosisen
dc.subjectsamatha-vispasnyaen
dc.subjectprajnaen
dc.subjectvijnanaen
dc.subjectEugene Gendlinen
dc.subjectAbhidharmaen
dc.subjectdukkhaen
dc.subjectshamathaen
dc.subjectinterdependenceen
dc.subjectvipashyanaen
dc.titleAction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: an Enactive Psycho-phenomenological and Semiotic Analysis of Thirty New Zealand Women's Experiences of Suffering and Recoveryen
dc.typeTheses / Dissertations
thesis.degree.disciplineSociology
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Canterburyen
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen
uc.bibnumber1652545
uc.collegeFaculty of Artsen
uc.embargo24en
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