Padriag
Posts: 2633
Joined: 3/30/2005
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Overall I thought it was a good article. It generally does a good job of presenting Brehm's theory in lay terms and applied to a specific context. For those dominants who take the time to read it and understand it, it could be useful in understanding the behavior of individual submissives, as well as predicting likely behaviors at certain times under specific conditions. Sometimes knowing why something happens makes it a good deal easier to be patient with the fact that it does happen.
But, I do think in a few places the article could have done with a little more editing and better examples...
quote:
ORIGINAL: BitaTruble
Personally, I liked the article although I thought some of the terminolgy was stretching things a bit and, this may be my own perception, but it seems there were somethings which were a bit convoluted (or twisted perhaps) as if to prove a reaction when a proactive perception could have easily been applied.
For example, when he talks about 'having to select a chair' in which to sit as a stress inducer causing a negative reaction to a loss of freedom when one could easily say 'getting to select a chair' in which to sit which would embrace your freedom to choose. One is reactive, the other proactive so, in that instance, it comes down to a matter of perception.
While I think I understand the author's reasoning for mentioning having to select a chair, I don't think its was a good choice of examples. The article could have either dispensed with any specific examples of the sorts of base-line reactance a submissive experiences in everyday life (that is outside the specific context of a power exchange relationship) as they aren't really relevant to the article, or simply used better examples. But there are probably few such examples common to submissives that aren't common to virtually anyone. For example, a submissive would certainly experience reactance and subsequently anxiety and anger at having to wait an additional 30 min to pick up a pizza that was ordered 40 min previously (that is the pizza was ordered and was supposed to be ready in 40 min, but then the submissive discovers upon arrival to pick up the pizza that it will be another 30 min before it is ready)... but then who among us wouldn't? I do believe there are certain archtypes of submissives who do experience reactance and anxiety specific to their submissive nature under specific conditions... but I don't believe that is true of all submissives. That is, some submissive seek out and need a much more structured and controlled environment than others. Such submissives, from my observation, may experience greater levels of anxiety in dealing with everyday tasks, and thus seek an environment (ie, relationship) where conditions are more controlled and presented in a form that causes them less anxiety in dealing with them. But this is not true of all submissives, illustrating the wide range of behaviors, personalities, needs and "archtypes" that exist under that single grouping of "submissives".
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Padriag
A stern discipline pervades all nature, which is a little cruel so that it may be very kind - Edmund Spencer
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Reactance : explained - 
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But some of these sites do offer some good food for thought, and this particular subject matter was quite interesting and helpful to me. I'm glad the OP posted it, as maybe it will be helpful to others. 
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