The Need to be Authentic

Dr. Mike Heap on how authenticity and legitimacy shape peoples behaviour, beliefs and lives.

The work of social psychologists has always emphasised the extent to which our behaviour, beliefs and experiences are shaped by the requirements of the various roles - implicit and explicit, formal and informal - that we occupy in the course of everyday life. One important need for us is that the roles we occupy should be perceived as authentic or legitimate. We therefore strive to maintain the perceived authenticity of our role at any particular time. This can be seen as a mutual endeavour by participants in reciprocal role relationships such as doctor-patient or therapist-client interactions. I hope to demonstrate the usefulness of this way of thinking with reference to certain practices (orthodox, unorthodox and anomalous) and certain sexual crimes on which I have provided an opinion for the Courts.

Michael Heap is a clinical forensic psychologist in private practice. He
has a part-time contract with Wathwood Medium Secure Hospital in
Rotherham. He is a founding member of the Association for Skeptical
Enquiry (ASKE) and is its current Chairman and Secretary.

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