MORPHEÚS: Digital Journal of Pfychology of the Marista University of Queretaro
MORPHEÚS is the digital Psychology journal of the Marist University of Querétaro. Published annually, it is fully committed to open access: free of charge for both authors and readers, with every submission undergoing a double-blind peer review process to ensure academic quality and integrity. The journal aims to be a space where research, critical reflection, and creativity converge. Its pages explore psychological phenomena from diverse perspectives —academic, methodological, clinical, psychoanalytic, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary— alongside literary works that, through narrative, poetry, or drama, open new ways of thinking about the human condition. In this way, MORPHEÚS brings together scientific foundation, critical insight, and creative sensibility, offering a plural space for dialogue between psychology, psychoanalysis, and related disciplines.
This text offers a fictional chronicle tracing Mexico's most severe economic crises over the last four decades (1982-2023). Through the life of Julián and his family, the narrative illustrates the devastating impact of devaluations, stock market crashes, and mortgage crises on family assets and dynamics. The story outlines the evolution of a generation that transitioned from scarcity to globalization, culminating in a contemporary era dominated by unbridled consumption and credit. Ultimately, the work weaves a sharp critique of current narratives of status and success, demonstrating how superficial financial abundance masks a profound intergenerational disconnection and a new form of economic and subjective vulnerability.
Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This text offers a literary review of the novel Ashes in the Mouth by Mexican author Brenda Navarro. It explores the complexity of human events through the voice of an anonymous protagonist coping with the painful suicide of her brother, Diego. The narrative delves into the deep ambivalences of family relationships, particularly fraternal and mother-child bonds. Furthermore, the work bravely and lucidly exposes the problems of a social system marked by inequality, addressing urgent themes such as migration, feminisms, discrimination, and poverty. Navarro's commitment is highlighted as she invites reflection on contemporary injustices through powerful and highly sensitive writing.
Analysis and Description of the Importance of Thinking About the Indigenous Being
This article analyzes the conception of the indigenous being in contrast to Western psychology, based on Beyond Indigenous Psychology and the Otomi culture's experience . It posits that indigenous subjectivity possesses an animic plurality; health lies in integral and community unity, while illness arises from excess and separation . The psychologist's role is criticized for objectifying the subject without engaging in authentic dialogue . To properly disseminate and transmit this worldview, it concludes that abandoning the Eurocentric perspective is vital . This requires a deep commitment to halt de-indigenization, ensuring accessibility to other forms of knowledge and acknowledging the solidity of the Mesoamerican experience .
Perceiving the Scent of Time: A Path to a Genuine Experience of Life in the Work of Byung-Chul Han
This article reflects on the contemporary temporal crisis, characterized by acceleration and dispersion, based on the work of Byung-Chul Han . It argues that modern society experiences a "de-temporalization" that atomizes identity and strips life of its existential meaning . The author proposes recovering the "scent of time" through vita contemplativa and the ability to linger, allowing experiences to concatenate with meaning and memory instead of being reduced to peaks of mere current events . In conclusion, perceiving this scent is not an escape from the present, but a necessary return to a genuine experience and the freedom granted by contemplation in the face of the animal laborans automated routine .
his essay analyzes the psychic implications of contemporaneity through "trauma" within the positive society, based on Byung-Chul Han and Colette Soler. It argues that the current imperative of positivity and happiness sterilizes human experience by expelling negativity and contemplation. By systematically rejecting pain, the subject is stripped of the necessary solidity to assimilate anguish, paradoxically becoming more vulnerable to the real. Thus, the excess of positivity and information saturation act as a traumatizing agent, leaving the individual helpless against an unattainable demand for continuous well-being. In conclusion, the positive society, in its attempt to annihilate discomfort, engenders its own form of trauma, making an authentic commitment to genuine subjective integration impossible.
Analysis of Suicidal Behavior in the Book "The Sorrows of Young Werther"
The study of suicidal behavior has been a topic that has gradually become more relevant, due to the increase in cases world-wide. However, although suicide is an extremely present issue in contemporary society, there have also been models of suicide since the beginning of human history, which due to different cultural and time contexts have been modified. Therefore, within this research is presented a systematic analysis of a suicide model that represented a great influence on the thinking of the so-called “Age of Enlightenment”, that is, the 18th century. This model is found in the book “The Sorrows of Young Werther”, by the author Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe; book that has played a great role in the study of suicidal behavior over time. In this regard, a clear analysis is established based on various theoretical contributions of suicidology in the psychological field.
This essay analyzes trauma and grief through Haruki Murakami's novel Dance, Dance, Dance . In contemporary society, the demand for productivity and the pursuit of quick pleasure incapacitate individuals from tolerating discomfort, avoiding introspection . Through the protagonist, the text explores how the unassimilated loss of a woman and memories of the Dolphin Hotel return in dreams, re-traumatizing the subject every night . By evading pain, the individual falls into a profound existential void . The essay concludes that the return of trauma forces the subject to scrutinize their memories to give meaning to the absence . It thus demonstrates that integrating loss provides emotional solidity and is an essential commitment to recover subjectivity .
An Approach to Toxicomania from Psychoanalysis
This article explores toxicomania from a psychoanalytic perspective, contrasting with the traditional psychiatric approach. Instead of categorizing the individual, psychoanalysis focuses on the active subject who builds a specific relationship with the object known as a "drug". Based on Freud's studies, substance use operates as an intoxicating substance against three unavoidable sources of suffering: one's own body, the external world, and human relationships. Thus, addiction manifests a suspension of desire and an auto-erotic enjoyment aimed at anesthetizing pain. In conclusion, the psychoanalytic clinical approach does not seek a medical "cure", but rather aims to provide solidity by opening a space where the subject assumes their subjective responsibility and discovers the meaning behind their consumption.
The publication MORPHEÚS: Digital Journal of Psychology of the Universidad Marista de Querétaro is the result of a joint effort between the academic and administrative staff of the MUQ Faculty of Psychology, with the valuable support of the Faculty of Design and the Queretaro Normal School, ensuring the quality and excellence of the content presented. With this first issue, MORPHEÚS aims to establish itself as a prestigious academic journal, with the purpose of significantly contributing to the development of knowledge in the field of psychology, both nationally and internationally. We cordially invite you to explore this first issue and continue promoting the exchange of ideas among professionals.
Death has become an ordinary condition of the present. Not as an exceptional event but as atmosphere; something that coexists with the everyday, that breathes alongside us in the conflicts that persist, in the displacements that turn loss into geography, in the technologies that extend existence beyond the body and in the bonds that shift without fully disappearing. The third issue of MORPHEÚS dwells in that question without attempting to resolve it. It gathers reflections from psychology, psychoanalysis and the human sciences that examine death as phenomenon, as metaphor and as experience; not to look toward the end, but to read in it the mark of how we live, relate and make meaning. Life and death are not states that exclude each other, they are conditions that run through one another, and thinking that tension is the condition of any elaboration worth having. Because even in the midst of the end, something keeps breathing.
Edgar Allan Poe's Anti-psychological Perverse Demon
This paper presents a series of arguments to reflect on the possibility of a critique of psychologization as a phenomenon present in our time, where the dominant discourse is that of capital. This is done using an example from the literature of Edgar Allan Poe to develop a series of arguments about the discourse of capital and the project of designing a psychological individual interconnected by a network of cognitariat, which makes them self-managing. Similarly, a review is made of the discursive material bases of psychologization and psychologism that shape the guidelines for the creation of this psychological individual. Likewise, passages from authors such as Freud, Lacan, and Foucault are drawn upon, allowing us to problematize all of the above and critically examine this psychologization inherent in the discourse of capital. This work concludes, in part, with a proposal of some basic elements to consider for this critique of psychologization and an discussion of its importance.
This article discusses how when art and creativity are taken to an experience, become a path that connects us with spirituality and increases our well-being. Art allows us to contact the deepest and most intimate part of the creative being that each individual is. Therefore, when used as a therapeutic tool, art therapy becomes a means in the field of Psychology, which allows the individual to expand their possibilities of responding to the environment, modifying functional and dysfunctional neurotic behaviors, thus generating more adequate responses to the situations they face. Art as a therapeutic instrument provides physical, mental and emotional well-being through the experience of creative activities. Art therapy combines art, creativity and attention to consciousness to promote the reduction of stress and anxiety, promoting the exploration of the person's feelings in their circumstances, through sensitive, creative and artistic expression that, as an inevitable result, generates self-knowledge in relation to the environment for their development and well-being.
This research presents a conceptual analysis of intermodality from an educational psychology perspective, examining its neurocognitive foundations and specific applications in Three-Dimensional Immersive Digital Environments (3D-IDE). Through documentary literature review and conceptual analysis, intermodality is differentiated from multimodality, establishing that the former involves active cognitive integration while the latter represents mere coexistence of modalities. The study identifies fundamental principles of intermodal processing, including temporal synchronization of stimuli, semantic coherence, and strategic cognitive load management. Results reveal that intermodality optimizes learning in virtual environments by facilitating construction of richer and more durable mental representations. Specific instructional design principles are established: temporal coherence, contextualized multisensory feedback, and distinction between beneficial and detrimental redundancy. Conclusions demonstrate that 3D-IDE enhances intermodal integration when pedagogically designed, surpassing limitations of traditional approaches.
Copyright (c) 2026 Martin Joaquin Aguilar Muñez, Christian Jonathan Angel Rueda, Alexandro Escudero-Nahón (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Gamification and Ludification in Three-Dimensional Immersive Digital Environments
This article presents a comparative theoretical analysis of the didactic effectiveness between gamification and ludification strategies for developing critical thinking in university students using Three-Dimensional Immersive Digital Environments (EDIT). Through an integrative theoretical review with systematic search criteria, it examines how these pedagogical approaches specifically influence the cognitive processes of analysis and synthesis. The findings reveal fundamental methodological differences: while in many gamification designs, especially those centered on points, badges, and leaderboards, there is a risk that external reward systems may compromise meaningful learning, ludification preserves intrinsic motivation by integrating play as a natural knowledge construction process. In EDIT, this distinction gains a spatial dimension: Hall's (1966) proxemic zones theory, comprising four zones (intimate, personal, social, and public), helps explain how the spatial distances encoded in three-dimensional environments differentially shape the learning experience in gamified versus ludified settings. The analysis demonstrates that gamification favors structured and sequential analytical skills, while ludification promotes holistic analysis and creative synthesis, with EDIT amplifying each approach differentially. It is concluded that there is no absolute superiority of one approach over another, but that effectiveness depends on contextual factors such as student profile, content complexity, and specific learning objectives.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ricardo Rivera Carrillo, Christian Jonathan Angel Rueda, Martin Joaquin Aguilar Muñez (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The essay The Dying Nature of Being develops a critical reexamination of the drive theory originally proposed by Sigmund Freud, centered specifically around the constant tension between Eros and Thanatos. Working from this conceptual foundation, the authors present a highly disruptive hypothesis: the life drive does not necessarily orient itself toward preservation as an ultimate goal. Instead, it might operate merely as a subordinated mechanism serving the death drive, purposefully extending existence with the primary objective of eventually leading it toward its unavoidable dissolution. At a metapsychological level, this text prominently highlights the dynamic, conflictual character of the drives. The neurotic symptom is thus conceived as a complex compromise formation that effectively allows for the partial discharge of repressed tensions. Repetition compulsion alongside self-destructive behaviors are directly interpreted as indirect expressions of Thanatos, oriented specifically toward the absolute reduction of tension, functioning in strict accordance with the nirvana principle. In this manner, pain unequivocally acquires a foundational structural status within psychic life. On a socio-historical level, an explicit correlation is established between this dynamic and broader collective processes. Human technological and cultural development evidences a recurrent tendency toward destruction, prominently visible through the military instrumentalization of science. Violence emerges as a primary element, while normative institutions like morality, religion, or law attempt to contain it. Finally, the essay acknowledges Eros as a force for sublimation and meaning creation; artistic production and affective bonds transform primary impulses into socially significant forms. However, this capacity always coexists within an unavoidable destructive interdependence.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zazil Merari Reyna Osorno, Azor Geraldo Osornio Gualito, Pablo Andrés Reynoso Lomelín (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Griefbots, artificial intelligence systems that emulate the voice and narrative of deceased individuals, exert a dual influence on the grieving process of adults. Empirical research indicates that while some users find comfort and a continued connection, which can have a therapeutic effect in addressing unresolved issues, others express concern about a possible delay in accepting the loss and developing emotional dependencies. The advanced personalization of these chatbots or avatars intensifies both the sense of connection and the ambiguity in the digital mediation of grief (Jiménez-Alonso & Brescó de Luna, 2022). In the posthumous construction of digital identity, the ability to reproduce the narrative of the deceased is valued for its potential to preserve memories. However, this also raises questions about authenticity and the possible manipulation of the image of the deceased. The studies reviewed identify ethical tensions in three main areas: psychological risks (such as emotional harm, dependency, and difficulties in differentiating between life and death), threats to personal autonomy (including issues of informed consent and the potential loss of control over digital representation), and deficiencies in regulatory safeguards (such as privacy gaps and the lack of clear frameworks for overseeing these systems). These findings, based on research ranging from interviews with small samples (between 3 and 112 participants) to conceptual analyses, suggest that the therapeutic and narrative preservation possibilities coexist with significant ethical challenges that must be addressed in the design and regulation of these technologies (Hollanek & Nowaczyk-Basińska, 2024).
The digital journal MORPHEÚS, published by the Faculty of Psychology at the Universidad Marista de Querétaro, opens its call for submissions for the third issue, titled The End Also Breathes, centered on the theme death in its final consideration. In this edition, the section Amapolas (Poppies) invites reflections on death from a variety of dimensions—physical, symbolic, social, clinical, emotional, or philosophical. Submissions may include articles, essays, theoretical analyses, clinical reflections, and interdisciplinary proposals that engage critically with the topic.
Copyright (c) 2025 MORPHEÚS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This story takes place in a future where all crimes are punished in the same way; from stealing a pencil to robbing a bank. Nobody knows what the punishment is, but everyone avoids it, and those who don’t, disappear. Where there seems to be security in the absence of delinquency, many demand the truth, asking what is really happening. Elías is one of them. Upon getting his answer, his cleverness leads him to a terribly unexpected end.
Copyright (c) 2025 Adela Padilla Sámano https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Since childhood, I have enjoyed thinking and intellectual stimulation, first through exact sciences and later through philosophical questions. I often found little space to share these interests, but after six semesters of Nanotechnology Engineering, I discovered a course focused on philosophical texts, science, and science fiction. In my story, The Vast Meagerness of a Literate Path, I reflect on communication: beyond words, intention, tone, and interpretation shape our understanding. The narrative offers a nonlinear reading experience, where the only requirement is to begin with the epilogue, inviting readers to find different meanings based on the order they choose.
Copyright (c) 2025 Aldo Nahúm Chávez López https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Review of “The Strength of the Psychotherapist: Countertransference” by José de Jesús González Núñez
This review explores the book The Strength of the Psychotherapist: Countertransference by José de Jesús González Núñez, originally published in 1989. Across eight chapters, the author offers a theoretical and practical analysis of countertransference as a core phenomenon in the therapeutic relationship, emphasizing its clinical implications, diagnostic potential, and value as a tool for therapist self-awareness. The review highlights the book’s key contributions and underlines its continued relevance for both training and professional practice.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Toward a Humanistic Vision of Clinical and Psychological Health
This text stems from the need to define the concepts of “clinical” and “health” in a way that is coherent with psychological practice. To this end, the medical definitions of both terms are taken as a starting point, in order to move toward a more suitable conceptualization within a humanistic approach that promotes an integrated perspective in the work of mental health professionals. The aim is to propose new ways of understanding psychological intervention in the clinical setting, seeking greater consistency across its various approaches and methods. The text also highlights the importance of recognizing each individual’s uniqueness within the therapeutic process, and of both the therapist and the client taking an active and responsible role in it.
Copyright (c) 2025 Daniel Ibarra Rodríguez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Dis-encounter Between Psychoanalysis, Hermeneutics, and Spirituality
This article addresses some reflections on Michel Foucault and Paul Ricoeur's ideas, who, each in their own way, seek to hermeneutical aspects in relation to psychoanalysis as a form of interpretation. The work is structured in three parts: the first explores Foucault’s reflections on psychological apparatuses and the hermeneutics of the subject; the second discusses the views of Jean Allouch and Jean-Luc Nancy on psychoanalysis as a spiritual exercise; and the final section examines Paul Ricoeur’s position on psychoanalysis as hermeneutics.
Copyright (c) 2025 Carlos Leobardo Jaimes Díaz (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Many authors have written about therapeutic interventions to support grieving patients, and less attention has been given to the grieving process that therapists face and its impact on their professional practice. This article addresses grief as one of the aspects of the therapist's personal life, highlighting the obstacles and supports, and revisits Gestalt theoretical proposals to understand grief from a relational perspective.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hilda Gutiérrez Pérez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This essay explores Freud’s psychosexual theory as a foundation for understanding clinical structures: neurosis, psychosis, and perversion. Through the analysis of the psychic apparatus, drives, defense mechanisms, and developmental stages, it examines how the subject’s experience of these phases leaves imprints on their psychic functioning. Key concepts such as libido, the pleasure principle, and repression are discussed, along with the role of fixations and mnemonic traces in the formation of character. Finally, it addresses how clinical structures manifest as organized responses to unconscious desire.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hilda Camila Rico Coronado, Karen Ritter Ayuso, Jacqueline Gaona Díaz (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Functional Psychology and Human Development
Functional Psychology, rooted in the body-centered psychotherapy of Wilhelm Reich and later systematized by Luciano Rispoli, proposes an integrated view of the human being, where mind and body are not separate entities but interdependent functions. From a multidimensional perspective, this approach explores human development through the interaction of neurophysiological, emotional, symbolic-cognitive, and postural systems. This article discusses how early life experiences—referred to as basic experiences of the self—leave imprints on an individual’s psychocorporal functioning, affecting self-regulation and relational capacities. Based on these alterations, Functional Psychology develops therapeutic interventions aimed at reconstructing such experiences, restoring vitality, spontaneity, and the integrated self.
Copyright (c) 2025 De. Ivana Monzani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This issue marks a milestone in the history of MORPHEÚS, as it is the first to be published under the editorial seal of the Universidad Marista de Querétaro. Titled Evolutions and Transformations: Studies on Human Development, it reaffirms the journal’s commitment to the production and dissemination of knowledge as a core component of academic life. In line with a critical and collaborative vision of psychology, this volume represents the strengthening of an editorial project that aims to project thought beyond the classroom and establish itself as a legitimate space for research, reflection, and creativity.