This external locus of control is located in mystical, animistic and magical forces, and is seen as operating from the past into the present. These forces drive and influence every life over which he or she has absolutely no control. person’s IV. Optimal development and mental health How do traditional Africans attain optimal development and how does this differ from the development of Westerners?  Because of their connectedness with their physical and spiritual environments and the balanced use of the left and right hemispheres of the brain, Pasteur and Toldson (1982) believe that traditional Africans are better equipped to reach and sustain optimal development and psychological health than modern Westerners. The functioning is dominated by the left hemisphere of the brain in an attempt to  Westerner’s investigate, analyse and take things apart in order to understand and explain them logically. This functioning is subject to an imbalance of the right and left hemispheres and causes  tension and stress, which induces Westerners to seek help to relieve the tension. The holistic view of the person and the worldview of Africans, on the other hand, give rise to  the balanced use of both hemispheres. According to Pasteur and Toldson of one-sided dominance of the left  (1982), “Instead hemisphere, the right hemisphere is not repressed in the African mind and is therefore allowed to freely interact with the left, infusing it with creative imperatives. This is how the wonderful blend known as harmony comes to reside in the personality”. A further factor that Pasteur and Toldson (1982) identify as promoting optimal development  and functioning among Africans is their collective existence. The and tension can, to a large extent, be ascribed to the emphasis on  Westerner’s stress responsibility for themselves, which places them predominantly in competitive individuals’ relationships with their fellows. By contrast, the selflessness of Africans, who are wholly rooted in their collective existence, offers the essential security that can counteract anxiety and tension.
This external locus of control is located in mystical, animistic and magical forces, and is seen as operating from the past into the present. These forces drive and influence every person’s life over which he or she has absolutely no control. IV. Optimal development and mental health How do traditional Africans attain optimal development and how does this differ from the development of Westerners?  Because of their connectedness with their physical and spiritual environments and the balanced use of the left and right hemispheres of the brain, Pasteur and Toldson (1982) believe that traditional Africans are better equipped to reach and sustain optimal development and psychological health than modern Westerners.  The Westerner’s functioning is dominated by the left hemisphere of the brain in an attempt to investigate, analyse and take things apart in order to understand and explain them logically.  This functioning is subject to an imbalance of the right and left hemispheres and causes tension and stress, which induces Westerners to seek help to relieve the tension.  The holistic view of the person and the worldview of Africans, on the other hand, give rise to the balanced use of both hemispheres.  According to Pasteur and Toldson (1982), “Instead of one-sided dominance of the left hemisphere, the right hemisphere is not repressed in the African mind and is therefore allowed to freely interact with the left, infusing it with creative imperatives. This is how the wonderful blend known as harmony comes to reside in the personality”.  A further factor that Pasteur and Toldson (1982) identify as promoting optimal development and functioning among Africans is their collective existence.  The Westerner’s stress and tension can, to a large extent, be ascribed to the emphasis on individuals’ responsibility for themselves, which places them predominantly in competitive relationships with their fellows. By contrast, the selflessness of Africans, who are wholly rooted in their collective existence, offers the essential security that can counteract anxiety and tension.
PYC2601-African-Perspectives-Chapter-17.docx