Acceptance

Acceptance (from the Latin " accipere " for approve, accept, endorse ) is to accept a nominalization of the verb, which is understood as accept, acknowledge, agree, accept, approve, be with someone or something in agreement.

Accordingly, acceptability can be defined as the willingness to accept some or someone ( Drosdowski, 1989).

It is clear that acceptance is voluntary. Moreover, there is an active component, as opposed to passive toleration described by the word tolerance. Acceptance expresses an affirmative value judgment and therefore forms the contrast to rejection ( aversion).

The acceptance concept gives a first frame of reference, by subject acceptance, acceptance and acceptance context object can be distinguished.

Acceptance object

Acceptance is always related to an object, for example,

• A certain behavior or of the other,
• A person or a group that represents a specific role or function exercised,
• Offers such offers or proposals from third parties
• Objectives and values ​​that are alien first.

In detail, acceptance can relate

• To persons or their behavior,
• On their emotions (see also Encounter )
• As well as comments and suggestions.

It relates

• One hand encounters in the social micro level ( couple relationship, dyad, group)
• But is expressed and felt also at the macro level of society, culture and politics.

As object-related property called acceptance, support for the represented, interested or nominee. So you are preceded by a conscious or even unconscious assessment based on subjective measures of value.

So important is the question of acceptance as "Acceptance of what? ". So, for example, refers to Heidelberger acceptance scale ( Weimer et al., 1999) on the acceptance of migration, in concretion on the acceptance of migrants.

Acceptance subject

Acceptance is a subject- related concept, that is, it is bound to accepting people, recognize the situations or facts for themselves as relevant and valid for their actions. This leads to the question, " acceptance by whom? " And therefore requires a free will (see will) advance.

Acceptance context

Both the objects as the subjects of acceptance are, thirdly, for its part in changing social contexts. This acceptance context, for example, provide a relevant benchmark groups represent the normative influence the target group ( Lucke, 1995). Thus, the acceptance would be through the question " acceptance of what by whom and under what terms and conditions? " Below.

Alternative definition

Defines the " Brockhaus " (1986), acceptance ' as " first affirmative or intolerable attitude of individuals or groups against normative principles or regulations on substantive area opposite the development and diffusion of new technologies or consumer products; then also the behavior and actions in which this attitude is expressed. " In this definition, acceptance ' (at first ) as a (positive ) setting, but then a from the psychological point of doubtful identification with behavior. It also remains unclear what kind of behavior is meant or would look like an appropriate behavior.

The " Dictionary of Sociology " ( Günter Endruweit & Gisela Trommsdorff, 1989) defines acceptance ' as " the property of an innovation to achieve when introduced positive reactions of those affected. " Is critical to see the use of the property concept ( cf. Lucke, 1995). It stresses the implementation process, that is, something new is to be considered as accepted when responding approvingly in the introduction. By this definition, there is no (non) acceptance of something existing.

Acceptance can be achieved by understanding (ie knowledge, it may be so ), ignorance ( the displacement, the finding of a setting) or resignation ( the despairing consent ).

In the German politician jargon is "acceptance" an abbreviation for an agreement which brings votes.

Philosophical definitions

In philosophical terms, the word " accept " as accepting of action structures / meaning contents understood that for yourself takes the individual as true / relevant and from which it justifies its own action structures.

Acceptance is not to be confused with " stubborn " regulatory compliance, since acceptance includes the deliberate choice of a topic and the plot from accepting the validity of a matter for the individual, without further reflection on societal norms, results.

Acceptance in psychotherapy

Acceptance of the Inevitable - for example, the temporary nature of their own existence, the limited influence on the behavior of other people as well as the occurrence of aversive emotional reactions - is in various schools of psychotherapy in addition to the change in problem behavior, an important therapeutic target. In particular, the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and other mindfulness- based approaches in the context of behavioral therapy aimed explicitly from to strengthen the ability or willingness of suffering people to accept the inevitable part of their suffering. This is done inter alia through a distancing from control-oriented thought and action impulses and by emphasizing values ​​that can give the life of the individual dignity and orientation in spite of difficult tolerable external and internal circumstances.