Hoping to Learn

In the past two weeks we have been introduced to psychology. We started off talking about how the definition of "psychology" came into being. Starting from 400 BCE where it was: psychology is the study of mental processes and ending with 1960 CE: psychology is the scientific study of mental processes and observable behavior. You can see how specific and detailed psychology is just by learning the evolution of its definition.

We then learned about Bio-psycho-social psychology. Where there are subdivisions of psychology, but without all three working together you wouldn't have the full product. We then moved into all the different types of psychology that apply to all situations. We then learned the difference of clinical psychologists and  psychiatrists. Psychologists give mental treatment, and psychiatrists give physical treatment. We then learned how scientific psychology really is by learning the scientific method and seeing how psychology uses it. We then learned about case studies and surveys-how psychologists get their conclusions and how effective it really is. 

To me, it was really interesting to learn about how there are so many different categories of psychology. Every little detail of our behavior is covered in a different type of psychology. Also, there are so many different types of psychologists that study the different behaviors and thought processes. 

Many times I have been surrounded by people whose actions I just don't understand. There are things they say and do that I just don't understand what makes them want to say that or do something like that. Many times, I just want to understand what makes them want to do that. I hope to learn this year about people's actions and why they would want to do certain things that just don't seem right to me. Also I would like to learn why it bothers me so much when someone does something I don't understand. Is it because I don't like that I don't understand? Or is it because their actions just fit with what I believe is right? 

Psychology and Autism

For the past two weeks, we have been learning the basic history of psychology. We learned about how psychology's definition has changed over time, from the thoughts of Plato and Aristotle up through modern psychologists. We also discussed whether psychology is a science or not and what forms of data gathering can be used in psychology and for what purpose they can be used.

For the project on Chapter 3a, Mrs. Perl asked us to find an outside source to discuss in our presentations. I immediately researched autism. As most all of you know, autism is particularly close to my heart because my brother was diagnosed with moderate-to-severe autism at the age of three. He is now almost thirteen. As a result of simply living in the same house as him, I probably know more about this psychological disorder and  the treatments than the average person. From a young age, my brother and I were both exposed to the world of various supplements, treatments and pills, each of which had a different purpose. Now, at the age of almost thirteen, my brother is taking anti-depressants among other medications. Why does he take these medications? What is autism?

Simply put, autism is a psychological disorder of unknown cause that causes an imbalance of chemicals, or neurotransmitters, in the brain. Every manifestation of autism is unique to the person it effects. However, common to most cases of autism is the imbalance of the chemical serotonin. As we all know, neurons communicate with each other by releasing neurotransmitters from one neuron and receiving those neurotransmitters in the next neuron. Serotonin, whose functions/messages include balancing mood and maintaining stable bodily functions, has been found in much lower (than normal) levels in autistic children. Normal children should have serotonin levels that are much higher than the average adult's levels. Autistic children between the ages of 3 and 8 were found to have only 1% more serotonin than adults. During a clinical study, autistic children were given a drug containing the extra serotonin that they were lacking. By the end of the study, the scientists found that the children's aggression was measurably reduced. This finding may lead scientists closer to finding the causes of autism as well as help them control the symptoms.

Right from the start of my study of psychology, I was intrigued by psychology's application to everyday life. Until I did this assignment, I had no idea that psychology would be so close to home. I look forward to learning more about the disorder that effects my brother and gaining a better understanding of what autism actually does to the mind. On a side note, I am grateful that scientists have created and tested drugs that can help balance the serotonin levels in my brother's brain so that he is not in a constant state of aggression and can enjoy his life.

Welcome to AP Psychology 2013-2014

Welcome to AP Psychology 2013-2014! 

In an effort to encourage collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking, each week you will be responsible to write one new blog post and to respond to two blog posts from your classmates.  In order to hold you accountable, you will be graded on these posts!

If there is a prompt on the blog, you will be required to respond to that particular prompt in your post (the prompt could be a video, article, question, cartoon etc.). If there is no prompt, you can be creative in your post and can bring in your own thoughts or resources concerning the topic that we are studying during that particular week.

I look forward to using this blog as a means to share ideas and reflections as we embark on our study of Psychology.

You will be graded according to the following rubric:

BLOG REFLECTION RUBRIC

OUTCOME ASSESSED	Beginning	Developing	Proficient		Strong	WEIGHT	VALUE
	1	7	9	10
Overall Use of Blogs	Blog entries are few and generally simple retellings of personal events. No comments are made on blogs of others.	Almost all required blog entries and comments have been completed.	A blog entry and comment is submitted, though not all of them may give evidence of a substantial contribution.	A blog entry and comment is submitted, both of which are substantial. Beyond the required post, your blog includes many more reflections.		40%
Intellectual Engagement with Key Concepts	Blog entries make no reference to issues raised through readings and/or class activities.	Blog entries make some reference to issues raised through readings and/or class activities.	Blog entries demonstrate awareness of most of the key issues raised through readings and/or class activities.	Blog entries demonstrate engagement with the important issues raised through readings and/or class activities.		25%
Personal Response to Key Concepts	Blog entries show no personal response is made to the issues/concepts raised in the readings/activities.	Blog entries convey little evidence of a personal response to the issues/concepts raised in the readings/activities.	Blog entries convey evidence of a personal response to the issues raised in the readings/ activities, and demonstrate that the author is capable of reflecting on learning, technology, and society.	Blog entries convey extensive evidence of a personal response to the issues raised in the readings/ activities, and demonstrate the author's growth through reflection on learning, technology and society.		25%
Engaged Writing	Blog entries use incorrect grammar and syntax consistently, making it difficult for others to follow.	Blog entries demonstrate some evidence of correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Audience will have little trouble reading your blog.	Blog entries show a good command of Standard English. No problems for your audience.	Blog entries show a very good command of Standard English and have some flair and originality.		10%

Changing our thought process

Learning about our psychological thoughts and the reasoning behind some of our actions has really allowed me to look at myself and my actions in a different light. Many times over the past few weeks I have been able to realize what I was doing and apply my actions to psychology. This application and the knowledge of human nature has allowed me to adjust my actions and thoughts. Some times I have the tendency to play better in a sports game when I played against others so when playing alone I began  putting in more effort. Other times I see a potential fight occurring and ensure that I am legitimately looking at the situation at hand including the position the other person in the argument. Psychology this year has really affected the way I look at myself and those around me, and I am so glad I participated in it this year. I am very excited to continue my psychological education in college.

cognitive dissidence

AP Psychology has to be one of the most applicable classes I have taken in high school. It seems like every other day a psychological idea comes up. One recent example was after after the regional board elections multiple loosing candidates experienced what seemed like cognitive dissidence. Many of the loosing candidates put on these abnormally large smiles and happy attitudes. One candidate who spent an abnormally large amount of money on his campaign continued to tell himself he was only a sophomore and that he will be able to win next year. He was also abnormally ecstatic about what was going on. His actions and thoughts were on different paths so he had to change his thoughts to agree with is actions. This was not the only time an encounter with psychology occurred over the past week. Even though these actions have always existed the terms behind them and learning about them really allow you to understand those around you better.

Social Facilitation and Inhibition

Do people act differently when they are alone than when they do when a group of people are watching? Social facilitation and social inhibition would answer, "yes." Social facilitation is the tendency to perform better at things that you are already good at when people are watching as opposed to when you are alone. If the dominant response is something that you are good at, the crowd will make your performance even better. For example, when Eli Osdoba is in games and everyone is watching, he tends to do better and tends to be more clutch than in pickup when there is no crowd. If as a response to the crowd, we get nervous because we are not so good at what we are doing, we tend to do worse. That is social inhibition. When we are not so good at something and there is a crowd watching, we tend to do worse than we normally do when we are alone.

Cognitive Dissonance

I always thought that my dad was able to "tell himself things" or "lie to himself." In other words, I knew the things that he was saying were in no way true, but I knew that he actually thought and convinced himself that they were in fact true. For example, if he drinks this nasty vegetable juice that he drinks, I know he doesn't like it, but he tells us that he loves it. Finally, thanks to Leon Festinger and Mrs. Perl, I came across a term to explain his behavior. It is not that he lies to himself or that he convinces himself of anything; it is simply called cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort that one experiences when holding two or more conflicting cognitions simultaneously. In this case, he already drank the vegetable juice and there is nothing anyone could do about it. Now that he already drank it, he is feeling discomforted because he doesn't actually like it, but yet, he still drank it. So, the cognitive dissonance theory explains that he wants to justify what he had done. Thus, eliminating the sense of discomfort. So, in this case, he says he liked it to eliminate his discomfort.

Freud was the Man

This week we did not really learn anything new, so I'm taking the freedom in picking my own topic.

Our class makes Freud out to be some super crazy, demented, old dude who knew nothing about what he was talking about. But I think some of his concepts make logical sense, even if they do seem a bit farfetched. 

Free association is a pretty cool concept. This is the Freud psychoanalysis method of psychological treatment where the psychologist is to the side and the patient just speaks about life and their problems and wherever they hit a road block in telling the story (something like a slip of the tongue, which is classified as resistance), this is where the underlying, unconscious problem is revealed. And doesn't this make sense? If someone is telling a story in general and they get up to a part that is embarrassing in anyway, they don't tell it with ease. I don't find it preposterous to say that the same can be true of one's unconcious. Free association sounds pretty solid. 

And then there are the id, ego, and the superego. These also make sense. Whenever you watch movies and there is the devil on a guy's left shoulder and an angel on his right shoulder, that is not too far from what actually goes on in someone's mind. When you are making decisions, you have what you want to do (steal the hotdog, you're starving!), but then there is society pulling you back (you could be arrested), and you make your decision based on whichever side wins. So Freud believed in that: the id is your instinctive impulse, the superego is your sense of right and wrong and society, and the ego is the mediator. Freud wasn't off his rocker with this concept.

So give Freud some slack. He was not conventional, but then again, who is nowadays? He makes sense; I respect the guy.

Problem with psychologists

We have learned quite a bit about different sorts of treatments for the mentally ill. We've also learned about many of the different kinds of disorders that plague mankind, spelled out in the DSM.

For those who are only mildly unwell, the classic "see a psychologist" may not work. The psychologist methodology can only work if the patient themselves has a desire to go along with the doctor. The psychologist is unable to really do much at all if the client does not want to be apart of the treatment. The desire to want to get better must come from the client themselves, and not from anyone else who may be wanting them to go. If the troubled client does not want to go to a psychologist, then not much can be done to solve his/her problems, despite their continued existence.

The DSM itself is also flawed. With the DSM-5 coming out soon, much controversy surrounded the process for deciding what would be included and what criteria determined a mental illness/disorder. The board of the DSM did not help itself in the manner. Shrouded in secrecy, the selection process was kept hidden from everyone else. There are numerous accounts of the psychologists on the board approving one member's choice in return for a vote of confidence on their own decision. Many newly labeled disorders, such as depression following the death of a beloved, have been ridiculed and decried. There are numerous psychologists who want to ban the whole book or who want the revision board to be reset and the process to begin again.

Psychologists need to work better to helping people solve their problems.

It's Almost Over

I'm going to talk about a term from earlier in the year: Rosy retrospection. I'm looking back at this year's course with a fairly positive attitude. Things were awesome, weren't they? We had so much fun! There was so much laughter! So many good times with our new friend, Mrs. Perl! Right?

Well, kinda. On a weekly basis, we were forced to do grueling assignments that took up to 5 hours. We were forced to pile work and work and work onto our workload, leaving no time for fun. Many of us have felt tortured in this class at some point or another.

All this being said, I still can't help but enjoy looking back at the year. This makes me think that Rosy Retrospection is more of a brief feeling - quickly ended by realistic remembering. Even so, I still look back and tend to see past the misery, the work, the painful feeling of my butt hurting from sitting on my kitchen table chair for too long. I look back and see what has been a phenomenal year with a phenomenal teacher.

It was truly rosy!