Damaged

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on March 28, 2011).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Thesis advisor: Dr. Josephine Stealey.M.F.A. University of Missouri--Columbia 2010.I have always been fascinated by the psychology [i.e. of] human and what motivates behaviors and choices made in life. This interest is more profound than merely my own inactive and proactive conduct, it also involves others behaviors as well. In other words what influences our attitudes and actions towards others and ourselves? My work is an investigation into why we do the things that we do. In my self-exploration and observation of others I have discovered that one motivating factor for human behavior is based on pass [i.e. past] experiences and events, specifically traumatic events that have happened in the course of life. One commonality is that we all bear physical, emotional and psychological damage from traumatic events, often from childhood. We carry these experiences in our memories physically and emotionally like scars. Scars mark time, record personal histories, shape our mental processes, directed our life course, define who we are and how we behave and treat others. I am spotlighting these areas we often disregard to gain insight into the nature of human behavior.Includes bibliographical reference