Coherence and its Effects on Scam Victims – 2024

Coherence and its Effects on Scam Victims

Coherence is a Necessary Component in a Healthy Life and Mind – for Scam Victims it is Ripped Away but it Can Be Recovered!

Primary Category: Scam Victim Recovery Psychology

Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

Coherence is a key element in a healthy, balanced life, but for scam victims, it is often shattered by the betrayal and deception they experience. Psychological coherence refers to the alignment of one’s thoughts, emotions, and life experiences, creating a unified sense of self and understanding of the world.

When scam victims lose coherence, they may feel emotionally fragmented, confused, and overwhelmed. This disconnection can impact their recovery, leaving them struggling to make sense of what happened. However, through recovery efforts such as therapy, emotional processing, and rebuilding trust, scam victims can gradually restore coherence.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-09-17T02:02:05-04:00September 17th, 2024|Categories: • PSYCHOLOGY, • FEATURED ARTICLE, • FOR SCAM VICTIMS, • PHILOSOPHY, 2024, ARTICLE, Tim McGuinness PhD|0 Comments

A Philosophical Comparison Between Gambling and Scam Victims – 2024

A Philosophical Comparison Between Gambling and Scam Victims

Understanding Blaise Pascal’s work on probability and decision-making on Scam Victims by analyzing the gambler’s behavior through Pascal’s Wager

Primary Category: Scam Victim Recovery Psychology

Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

Blaise Pascal’s analysis of the gambler provides valuable insights into the psychology of scam victims.

Pascal observed that gamblers are driven by the hope of winning, even when logic dictates the risks outweigh the potential reward. Scam victims mirror this behavior, focusing on the promised benefits of a scam and ignoring warning signs.

Cognitive biases such as optimism bias, the sunk cost fallacy, and confirmation bias reinforce this behavior. Both gamblers and scam victims rely on emotional impulses over rational thought, making it difficult to break free from destructive cycles of hope and risk.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-09-12T12:56:13-04:00September 12th, 2024|Categories: • PHILOSOPHY, • FEATURED ARTICLE, • FOR SCAM VICTIMS, • PSYCHOLOGY, • VICTIMOLOGY, 2024, ARTICLE, Tim McGuinness PhD|Tags: Gamblers, Gambling, Philosophical, Philosophy, Scam Victims|0 Comments

Why Do Scam Victims So Often Allow Themselves To Accept Failure? – 2024

Why do Scam Victims so often Allow Themselves to Accept Failure?

The Challenge is to Understand Why This is So!

Primary Category: Scam Victim Recovery Psychology

Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

The human tendency to allow failure, particularly among scam victims, is influenced by both psychological and philosophical factors. Psychologically, fear of success, imposter syndrome, and self-sabotage cause victims to subconsciously undermine their recovery.

Philosophical perspectives, such as existentialism and stoicism, view failure as an inherent part of life that exposes vulnerabilities, encourages personal growth, and helps individuals confront their limitations.

Scam victims may crave failure as it provides comfort, control, or a familiar sense of inadequacy, allowing them to avoid responsibility, accountability, or emotional growth.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-09-11T17:04:40-04:00September 11th, 2024|Categories: • PSYCHOLOGY, • PHILOSOPHY, 2024, ARTICLE, Tim McGuinness PhD|Tags: Fail, Failure, Philosop[h, Recovery Psychology, Scam Victim Recovery, Scam Victims|0 Comments

The Four Basic Regrets and How They Apply to Scam Victims – 2024

The Four Basic Regrets and How They Apply to Scam Victims

Understanding the Basic Human Regrets that are Common to all Scam Victims

Primary Category: Scam Victim Recovery Psychology

Authors:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Based on the work of Daniel H. Pink, is the author of several provocative, bestselling books about business, work, creativity and behavior.

About This Article

Regret is a natural human emotion, and understanding its four basic types—foundation, boldness, moral, and connection—can offer scam victims valuable insights for recovery.

Foundation regrets focus on failing to establish stability, such as not saving enough money or taking preventive steps to avoid scams.

Boldness regrets involve missed opportunities, like not asking questions or seeking help during the scam or recovery process.

Moral regrets stem from ethical missteps, such as not warning others or unintentionally enabling a scam.

Connection regrets arise when victims fail to reach out to loved ones for support or advice.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-09-09T06:45:40-04:00September 9th, 2024|Categories: • PSYCHOLOGY, • FEATURED ARTICLE, • FOR SCAM VICTIMS, • PHILOSOPHY, 2024, ARTICLE, Tim McGuinness PhD, VIDEO / AUDIO|Tags: Regrets, Scam Victim Recovery, Scam Victims|0 Comments

Morality, Ethics, and the Victimhood Mentality – A Philosophical Review – 2024

Morality, Ethics, and the Victimhood Mentality – A Philosophical Review

Understanding the Difference Between Being a Victim and Victimhood

Primary Category: Philosophy of Scam Victim Recovery

Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

The moral difference between being a victim and embracing victimhood lies in how an individual responds to the harm they have experienced. Being a victim is a temporary condition caused by external factors beyond one’s control, such as falling for a scam. It does not imply moral blame, and it is possible to recover from this state with time and effort. Victimhood, however, involves adopting a mindset where a person continues to define themselves by the harm they’ve endured. This mindset can lead to feelings of powerlessness, entitlement, or resentment, which may hinder personal growth and responsibility.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-09-08T18:34:07-04:00September 8th, 2024|Categories: • PHILOSOPHY, • FOR SCAM VICTIMS, • PSYCHOLOGY, 2024, EDITORIAL / COMMENTARY, Tim McGuinness PhD|Tags: 'Ethics, Desperation, Morality, Scam Victim, Victimhood|0 Comments

The Philosophy of Scam Victim Recovery: Understanding Why Recovery is Important – An Essay – 2024

The Philosophy of Scam Victim Recovery: Understanding Why Recovery is Important

An Essay about the Deeper Meaning of Scam Victim Recovery

Primary Category: Philosophy of Scam Victim Recovery

Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

The Philosophy of Scam Victim Recovery, as explored by the SCARS Institute, emphasizes that recovery is not just about fixing the financial or emotional damage caused by a scam, but about a deeper journey of reflection, healing, and personal growth. Scam victims experience profound betrayal that shakes their confidence and trust in themselves and others. Through a philosophical lens, recovery involves understanding vulnerability, finding meaning in adversity, and learning self-compassion.

Drawing from ideas like Thomas Nagel’s “Moral Luck,” it becomes clear that many factors contributing to the scam were beyond the victim’s control, helping them release feelings of guilt and self-blame. The process of recovery is about taking responsibility for one’s healing, reflecting on the experience, and rebuilding trust in a more balanced way.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-09-07T13:40:50-04:00September 7th, 2024|Categories: • PHILOSOPHY, • FEATURED ARTICLE, • FOR SCAM VICTIMS, • PSYCHOLOGY, 2024, ARTICLE, Tim McGuinness PhD|Tags: Philosophy, Scam Victim Recovery|0 Comments

• PHILOSOPHY