Therapy Near Me Mental Health Articles

Manifesting, a concept often associated with the Law of Attraction and New Age thinking, involves the idea that one can bring about tangible changes in their life through focused thought, belief, and positive visualization. While largely considered a pseudoscientific belief, its principles intersect with various psychological concepts. This article examines manifesting from a scientific viewpoint, exploring related psychological theories and research.

1. Positive Thinking and Optimism: The core of manifesting is positive thinking. Scheier and Carver’s (1985) research on optimism shows that positive expectations can improve one’s attitude towards challenges, potentially leading to better outcomes. Optimism is linked to various beneficial outcomes, including better health and coping strategies.
2. Goal Setting and Self-Efficacy: Manifesting involves setting specific goals and believing in one’s ability to achieve them. This is akin to Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy, which suggests that belief in one’s capabilities can influence the likelihood of goal attainment (Bandura, 1977).
3. Visualization Techniques: Visualization, a key aspect of manifesting, aligns with mental rehearsal techniques used in sports psychology. Driskell, Copper, and Moran (1994) found that mental practice can enhance performance in various tasks, suggesting that visualization can play a role in preparing for certain outcomes.
4. The Placebo Effect: The belief in one’s ability to manifest change can be considered a form of the placebo effect. The placebo effect, as shown in medical research, demonstrates that belief and expectation can physically and psychologically influence the body (Stewart-Williams and Podd, 2004).

Despite overlaps with psychological concepts, manifesting as a practice lacks empirical support. Critics argue that it oversimplifies complex life situations and disregards external factors that are beyond individual control. It can also lead to self-blame in cases of failure, as it implies control over all life circumstances.

While the practice of manifesting aligns with certain psychological principles like optimism, goal setting, and visualization, it remains outside the realm of scientific validation. As with any belief system, it is important to approach manifesting with a critical mind, recognizing its limitations and the role of external factors in life outcomes.

• Scheier, M. F., & Carver, C. S. (1985). Optimism, coping, and health: Assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies. Health Psychology, 4(3), 219.
• Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191.
• Driskell, J. E., Copper, C., & Moran, A. (1994). Does mental practice enhance performance? Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(4), 481.
• Stewart-Williams, S., & Podd, J. (2004). The placebo effect: dissolving the expectancy versus conditioning debate. Psychological Bulletin, 130(2), 324.

How to get in touch

If you or your patient/NDIS clients need immediate mental healthcare assistance, feel free to get in contact with us on 1800 NEAR ME – admin@therapynearme.com.au.