Change

Just an FYI to let you know that as of yesterday we're now located at http://www.psychcentral.wordpress.com.

Our Five Senses

Ever been to a Japanese restaurant and wondered just exactly what that distinctive taste was? It's "umami."

You're familiar with sweet, salty, sour, and bitter taste sensations, but did you know that recent research suggests that there is a fifth one? It's for monosodium glutamate, a widely used flavoring in oriental or Asian foods, and is known as "umami." Umami was actually identified nearly 100 years by Kikunae Ikeda and cannot be produced by any combination of the other four tastes.

Have you heard of this fifth taste before? Can you think of other foods also flavored with glutamate that have that same umami taste?

No Regrets

A topic that often comes up when we study human development is that when middle aged and older adults are asked about any regrets they might have, the most consistent finding is that they regret the things they DID NOT DO. Even if they failed miserably in a business venture, lost in love, never passed the bar, didn't win the gold medal, or didn't write a best seller, at least THEY TRIED. They didn't stand on the sidelines wishing and hoping their lives were better or richer somehow. They took risks and packed in all the living they could.

Today in one of my general psychology classes, we listened to an NPR segment from "This I Believe" in which the woman was talking about living her life so that she'd have no regrets. She said that at each moment we are all dying; its also true that at each moment we are all living. Which do you want to do more of? She chose to live, and although she had been diagnosed with cancer, she stated that she still planned to savor each moment of the rest of her life.

Is there something you'd really like to try but are afraid to? In other words, what would you do if fear were not a factor? What is something you can do to LIVE the rest of your life so that you'll have no regrets?

Meth Labs and Children

One of the topics we’re currently studying in my Human Growth and Development online courses is child abuse, and while the text reports that it can occur in any SES, it’s more prevalent in settings involving stress, poverty, single parenthood, and parental conflict. While many think of abuse as being primarily physical, we’ve learned that there’s also psychological maltreatment in which a child might be neglected, belittled, frightened, exploited, or humiliated. In this type of abuse/neglect, caregivers (I use that term loosely) harm a child’s behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or physical functioning, and the effects can be long lasting.

The State newspaper is running a series on meth labs in SC, and alarmingly, I’ve learned that there have been hundreds of children involved. Exactly how many we don’t know since no one has counted. Here’s what we do know: When children are found, they are removed from the scene immediately, stripped of their clothing, hosed off, and examined and treated for exposure to toxic chemicals. Leaving toys and other belongings behind, they’re placed in emergency custody and are not returned to a parent if that person is connected to meth lab activity.

According to The State, no other drug, including heroin, cocaine, and crack, exposes a child to the same level of poisons. DSS assistant director Sue O’Toole is quoted as saying that the “chemicals they breathe in have restructured the synapses in their brains.” Since their lungs are larger compared to the rest of their bodies, children take in more air, faster…thus putting them at greater risk.

What kind of parent exposes a child to this toxic drug? Would the person have a profile similar to that of other abusers? Could it be possible that the parents might be ignorant about the effects of meth and the chemicals used to make it? What might be some long term effects of meth exposure on children?

Mental Jogging

All introductory courses cover the brain and its miraculous workings during the first week or so of class, and one of the things that’s always included in the discussions is the nervous system. Just how do messages get conveyed to and from the brain? What about synapses within the brain itself? How can we keep those synapses in good working order?

I came across some “neurobic” exercises proposed by Lawrence Katz, Duke University neurobiologist, and Manning Rubin in The Owner’s Manual to the Brain (love that book!). Each exercise is designed to form new associations among previously unassociated parts of the brain and bring new resources to a person’s consciousness. This “mental jogging” results in the formation of new synapses and the rejuvenation of already established synapses. I’m all for that. What about you? Which of the following seems like a “doable” exercise in your life? Can you think of other suggestions?

Make different smells available from morning to night.
Occasionally use your unaccustomed hand to brush your teeth.
Switch what you normallly wear (pins, wristwatch, pocket contents, hair part, etc.) on the left side to the right side and vice versa.
Take a different route to a frequent destination, such as work.
Try picking out the right coins (and other objects) without looking.
Turn things literally upside down, such as a picture in your office.
Chat with people whom you (and others) tend to overlook (e.g., store clerks).
If you’re not an artist, try painting or drawing a picture. If you are an artist, try doing it with your feet.
Try searching for food in the wild.
If you exercise indoors, try switching occasionally to outdoors and vice versa.
Master some new piece of technology from time to time. This could range from something as simple as a new wine bottle opener to a digital camera.
Try eating and preparing ethnic foods you’ve never experienced.
Acquire a new hobby.

How NOT to Spoil Kids

When I logged onto the computer this morning, I spotted this short piece that outlines five tips to improve parenting skills and decrease the chances of having a spoiled child. Read it and let me know what you think. Briefly, the tips are to say no, set limits, prepare for a fight, avoid tempation, and make them work. When you click the link and read the article, you'll find an elaboration on each of the guidelines.

Do you agree or disagree? Are there some tips that you like more than others?

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/20777582/?GT1=10357

Do We All Hit the Top at Some Point?

I found this to be a curious article/discussion about the glass ceiling effect that sometimes is discussed in our Human Growth & Development classes. I was particularly taken by the few men that have gone into nursing as a career.....but it does appear these numbers are increasing.

http://encarta.msn-ppe.com:443/encnet/Departments/CareerTraining/?article=ReverseGlassCeiling1

Do you think a man may experience a "reverse" glass ceiling in a profession that has traditionally been dominated by women?

Your Suggestions?

Although the brain continues to develop throughout life, it is especially plastic during childhood. Do you have any suggestions that might help parents in facilitating cognitive development and language acquisition in children? In other words, what would you recommend as ways to aid in brain growth and development? For instance, does Sesame Street help? What about reading to children? Does talking to them increase language skills and vocabulary?

Something New

I had a great time reading the journals submitted by my General Psychology students...some great writing. What really struck me is that psychology is still new to everyone and that I've been putting topics on the blog that you haven't covered or even thought about yet. Consequently, today I decided to try something different. What I'd like for you to do is to write about something you learned in class or in your text that you didn't know before. You might even go the "second mile" and tell of a situation that you observed that relates to psychology.

Development of Thinking During College

This morning I came across an interesting reading about the development of thinking during college, and I thought the information was worth sharing with inquiring minds. William Perry, Jr. of Harvard has identified three different development phases that typically occur during one’s college career. This information was lifted directly from page 571 of Pierce Howard’s The Owner’s Manual to the Brain, 3rd edition.

*Dualism. The entering student tends to see the world in terms of right and wrong , good and bad, and searches throughout freshman and sophomore courses to find the right answers.
*Relativism. The maturing student tends to eschew (great word) the notion of a single right approach or answer, instead embracing a pluralism in which multiple points of view and value systems may be simultaneously good or right.
*Commitment. The mature student, while still embracing relativism and pluralism, affirms a personal set of values. This commitment is integrative and accepting of other systems, unlike earlier commitments that were unexamined and based on unquestioned authority.

What I’d like for you to do is to apply these findings to you and your current level of thinking. Do you accept that something is true or right based on what your teacher, textbook, or some other authority says? Have you found yourself doubting some of your earlier beliefs? Do you find that you are occasionally “at odds” with others with whom you associate because of differing beliefs?

Please respond to this post with an experience or observation of your own. After I hear from a couple of you, then I’ll share some of my development thinking milestones that might not have happened had it not been for college.

Power of Thoughts

All this talk about cognitive psychology and the power of thoughts has reminded me of a great book by Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements. My son gave it to me for my birthday a few years ago, and when I finally got around to reading it, I was amazed at the power of the agreements. They're so simple and yet so profound.

Back to the subject at hand...thoughts. The first agreement is "Be impeccable with your word." Dr. Ruiz reminds the reader that impeccable comes from the Latin word pecatus which means sin, and adding the im to peccable means without sin. He then goes on to say that everything we feel or believe or say that goes against ourselves is a sin. Bottom line: Don't engage in negative self-talk. Anytime you tell yourself "I can't," or "I'm a loser," or "I'm stupid, ugly, mean," then you're sinning against yourself.

To quote him from page 45: "Tell yourself how wonderful you are, how great you are. Tell yourself how much you love yourself. Use the word to break all those teeny, tiny agreements that make you suffer....Impeccability of the word can lead you to personal freedom, to huge success and abundance; it can take away all fear and transform it into joy and love.... you can transcend the dream of fear and live a different life."

It's a great little book, one that you can read in a couple of hours but that will affect your thinking forever (or at least for a long time). For now, react to the gist of the the "agreement." Do you think that thoughts are so powerful that by changing them, we can transcend the dream of fear and live a different life? Are the thoughts we have about ourselves really that important?

Change your Thoughts

This past week we discussed several perspectives of psychological thought in the introductory psychology classes, and a couple of students wanted to know my favorite. “I like them all,” I replied to their inquiries. I truly do, for they all offer insight into the mysteries of human thought and behavior. However, this afternoon I must admit that I’m leaning towards the cognitive school of thought, the one that concentrates on memory, perception, dreams, daydreams, problem solving, and thoughts.

One reason I like this perspective is that we always have our minds with us. Granted, sometimes we don’t think as clearly as we need to. Sometimes our emotions, state of fatigue, or just plain fuzzy thinking can really do a number on us. Still, I agree with Shakespeare who said, “There’s nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” If we can control our thoughts, we can better control our worlds.

I’ve been reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, and I think one reason I’m enjoying it so much is because of funny and insightful way that she describes the psychological and spiritual nature of her opinions and experiences. While in India (her travels take her to Italy, India, and Indonesia), she realizes how ultra important it is for a person to choose and control her own thoughts. In fact, she states that if a person who can’t control her thoughts is “in deep trouble forever.”

When Gilbert began saying, “I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore,” her mind latched onto the word “harbor,” and she began thinking about how it could be both a noun and a verb. While we think of a harbor as a safe place, a haven, and a refuge, sometimes we might let ships into our harbors (minds) that are negative and hurtful. Ships, like thoughts, can bring disease, death, despair, plague, doubt, and so forth. Who needs that? Her intention is to stop the entry of any negative thoughts into the harbor of her mind. In addition, she plans to eliminate any thoughts she might be currently harboring that have the potential for harm.

I’m bringing up Shakespeare and Gilbert simply because they’ve written about the cognitive perspective as applied to their lives. Do you agree with their beliefs about the power of thoughts in affecting our behavior and sense of well-being (or its opposite)? Have you ever deliberately changed your thoughts and thereby changed your world…or at least the way it looked to you?

High Heels and Piercings

As we discussed in class, the goals of psychology are to describe, explain, predict, and control (or influence) behavior. Psychologists want to know the WHY of behavior. With that in mind, let's think about something that a blogger posted a few hours ago in response to a statement made in class about wearing high heeled shoes. This is sort of a "he said, she said" thing. In class, he said that women who wear high heeled shoes are asking for it. Online, she said that yes they are...they're looking for bad backs and physical problems.

These comments made me wonder for the umpteenth time: what motivates people to go to such lengths in the name of fashion, acceptance, or enhanced appearance? I'm talking about anything from piercings to nose jobs to liposuction and any and everything in-between. Is it to enhance self-esteem and perhaps give a boost of confidence? Is it to say, "Look at me!"? In the case of high heels, could it be something as simple as the statement made in class by a young lady: "I wear them because it makes me feel pretty."

The choice of shoes is quite different (in degree at least) from having surgery or covering one's body with tattoos or piercings, but the concept is the same. Why do we do the things we do to ourselves that alter our appearance? What motivates us to choose the clothing, hair styles, shoes, jewelry, and so forth that we wear?

I realize that there are several questions to respond to, but the unifying theme is WHY?

Opinion or Fact?

In my General Psychology classes today, our primary topic was the scientific method, and we discussed topics such as empircism, methods of collecting data, theory development, and so forth. Here are some comments made during class:
*Once a woman has children, her place is in the home with them.
*Marijuana should be legalized. Look at how it helps people with glaucoma and those experiencing nausea resulting from chemotherapy.
*My grandmother says that the even the dumbest woman is smarter than the smartest man.
*Most females are catty and sneaky.
*Smokers who are exposed to "scare tactics" will quit smoking.
*Smokers who are exposed to "scare tactics" do not necessarily quit smoking.
*My mother says the best way to deal with a bully is to hit back.
*Women who wear high heeled shoes are asking for it.

Do the above statements seem like topics that psychologists would tackle? Why or why not? Could any of them be altered in such a way that would make them more scientific?

SES and Development

Getting this blog off the ground has been a bit more challenging that I imagined. Truly, I thought students would jump right in with insightful comments and thought-provoking questions. However, such has not been the case, and I'm wondering if it's because of the topics themselves or because of the unfamiliarity of blogland. If it's the latter, I can't help you much with that beyond a few instructions. However, I can try to come up with interesting topics.

In my Human Growth and Development online courses, I posed a question on the discussion board about the effects of SES on one's development. Everyone who responded agreed that socioeconomic status affects humans as they journey through life; however, it was interesting to read that many students used the beginning of school as the time when SES first began to affect people. I responded that I feel it begins even BEFORE BIRTH because of the foods the mother eats, the medical attention she receives, her stress level, her knowledge about the growing fetus, and so forth. After birth, the effects continue. Will a baby's mother live in a safe, stable environment with enough food, clothing, and appropriate shelter? Will the baby receive well-baby checkups? Will the mother talk to the baby?

In The Owner's Manual to the Brain, the author (Pierce Howard) reports that the children of professional parents hear an average of 2,100 words per hour, the children of working-class parents hear 1, 2000 words per hour, and children of welfare parents hear 600 words per hour. In addition, professional parents speak directly to their children three times as much as parents in the other two groups. "So what?" you might ask. The "what" is that that these language patterns are influential in determining differences in measurements of mental age at age three.

Can you think of additional ways in which a person's development might be affected by SES? Also, do you think these issues should be swept under the rug if they make us feel uncomfortable? Why or why not?

A Few Applications

Knowing that I'd meet my PSY 201 classes for the first time, I wanted to do a little "research" on topics in psychology that exist in the "real world." Between 6:00 and 6:25 this morning, I read these blogs about the following:

A woman who declared today to be the first day of her fast. She weighs 267 pounds and is apparently ready to take extreme measures to trim down.

Another woman who wrote several entries about breast implants (why she decided to get them, how her recovery is going, and how thrilled she is with the results).

Yet another woman who is grieving over the death of her 20-something-year-old son. Currently his ashes are in a box on the dining room, and she's open to suggestions about what to do with them.

A 37 year old man who is "re-beginning" college and is anxious and fearful about the experience. He's afraid that he's the oldest freshman in the United States.

A teen (couldn't tell whether it was a male or female) who feels that his or her parents are total losers.

A young woman (teenager) who's disgusted by the old geezers (40 year olds) who have asked her to be friends on facebook.

How, in your opinion, do these examples relate to the science of behavior and mental processes? Choose one, some, or all to discuss; better yet, share one of your own.

That E Word Again

In Human Growth and Development, we discuss exercise at every stage of the lifespan except perhaps infancy. It seems especially important now as the obesity issue continues to grow (didn't intend that pun but could think of no better verb). In The State newspaper this week, a study again reported that 30 minutes of exercise five days a week is sufficient to keep a person in reasonably good health. If that's impossible, then try three or four days for 20 minutes. If that's not possible, then the article suggests that you check your pulse to make sure you're alive. Pretty amusing, huh?

Why do you think more people don't exercise despite all the evidence pointing to its positive results. Not only can moderate exercise help with weight control, but it can also help work out emotional kinks, relieve stress, enhance cognition, and build confidence.

So what' s your opinion? Why don't more people head for the gym, fitness center, or local track? Also, if exercise has helped you, please share how...and perhaps offer a tip on getting us started.

No More Headaches

Have you read about the German woman who, after being plagued for over five decades with a pencil lodged in her brain, has now had it safely removed? When she was four years old, she fell , and the 3.15 inch long pencil went through her cheek into her brain. Her words: "It bored right through the skin and disappeared into my head...It hurt like crazy." Ouch.

51 years later, technology enabled a doctor to locate and remove the pencil...or most of it. Looks like now perhaps the woman's headaches and nosebleeds will cease, or at least diminish in number and severity. I'm astounded by these remarkable events--that she lived with a pencil in her brain for 51 years and that her doctor was able to remove it successfully.

Is anyone out there as awed by this situation as I am?

Grandmother's Pink iPod

One of the fun things about teaching Human Growth and Development is that we get to discuss the many changes that occur during a person’s life. “Life” (in this course) begins at conception and ends at death, so the social, emotional, spiritual, cognitive, and physical changes are numerous. When we add societal influences into the mix, things really get interesting.

This morning, for example, I read an article in The State about seniors and technology. While many of them might still think of a blackberry as a cobbler ingredient, others know better. In fact, the number of Americans 65 and older using the Internet went up 160 percent from 2000 to 2007, according to a Pew Internet and American Life Project. They email family and friends, listen to music on iPods, conduct online research, write books, use digital cameras, play video games, shop, read blogs, produce home slide shows, and burn DVDs.

What I LOVE about this article is that it reaffirms that growth, change, and development can happen at any stage of life I’m hoping someone will respond to this posting with an instance of an older adult who has embraced technology in some way. Another question to consider might be how technology can change seniors’ lives.

TV and Relativity

There's been a recent study on the effect of Baby Einstein videos on children. It looks to be supportive of the view that children under 2 years of age should not view any TV.

This is not likely to sit well with many parents that park their children in front of the TV every week, albeit "educational" videos or not. The research is slowly mounting that TV and young children may not be a good combination. Particularly for young children who are likely negotiating through some important critical periods for language development. Looks like we might want to grab the old reliable Dr. Suess and other children's books instead of the remote.

Read the article here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650352,00.html

Resilient Children

I just got through reading this great book entitled The Crystal Castle by Jeannette Walls. A I read it, I not only thought of what a great book this would be for anyone interested in Human Growth and Development but also of a concept known as the resilient child.

The book is an autobiographical account of the author and her siblings as they struggled (understatement) through their many challenges including poverty, neglect, alcoholism, and a set of eccentric parents. The Walls children were resourceful, intelligent, and “scrappy” as they endured the many privations and humiliations of their young lives. Amazingly, they all triumphed and are now successful adults.

How can this be? While pondering this, I kept thinking of the parents and their great love for their children. Despite their personal inadequacies, the love for their four children was strong and evident, and it occurred to me that LOVE was the X factor (or one of them). This morning as I was perusing my new edition to Pierce Howard’s The Owner’s Manual to the Brain, I was reminded of the resilient child. Howard lists two factors, the first being the child’s relationships with prosocial adults, whether they are in the immediate family or not. The second factor is the possession of good intellectual functioning, including problem solving ability and language comprehension and vocabulary. The Walls children fit these criteria perfectly.

I love it when I can see a real life application of a psychological principle. I’m hoping that someone will share an example of a resilient child or perhaps just offer an opinion or observation on the subject.

Where was/is Dad?

I decided to go ahead and post something about this tragic event since it brings to light several topics we discuss in Human Growth and Development.

Everyone is abuzz with talk about the woman who left her small children in a hot car while she went to work. The children were later found dead in trash bags beneath their kitchen sink, bathed and dressed by their mother. Apparently, she was afraid to lose her job and had no one to help her with the care of her children. No one.

Caught in what psychologists call an avoidance/avoidance conflict, she chose work over the children. Or did she choose work because of the children? Being the only breadwinner, Shawn and Triniti depended on their mother for sustenance. I’m not condoning her actions by any stretch of the imagination. I’m just saying that I can sense the agonizing decision that she had to make, wistfully hoping that the children would be waiting for her when her workday was over.

This issue brings to light many social issues, one being deadbeat dads. Where was the father of these babies? Isn’t he responsible too? So many times fingers are pointed at the unfit, neglectful mother while the father of these little ones isn’t even mentioned. In our society, four of ten children are born to single mothers, and many people seem fine with that. Huh??? I just don’t get it. Call me old-fashioned, but I know from experience, observation, and tons of research that children fare better with both parents around to raise them, to tag team.

What are the answers? I don’t know. Indeed, how many of us would have helped this young woman with her children that day or any day? Even as I write this, there are thousands of mothers and children who need us. What are we doing…that is, what are we doing besides talking about the issue?

Obesity and Friends

Obesity is a hot topic in psychology today, especially in Human Growth and Development. In this course, we discuss the relationship between chubby babies and overweight children, and then as we continue our journey "from the womb to the tomb," we touch on obesity in adolescence and adulthood. What causes it? What are the consequences? What can be done to curb this growing problem?


In class, we examine the role of genetics (is there a fat gene?), parents as role models, the media, sedentary lifestyles, fast food, video games, and just plain laziness as possible causes. Last week a new study revealed that friends have more of an impact on obesity than anything else, including family. If your friends are weight conscious, you will be too. If they exercise and watch their calories and fat grams, you will do the same. This is true even when friends are geographically separated. On the other hand, if friends follow their steak and potatoes meal with dessert, you'll probably do the same...and you won't do anything to burn off those calories.

What do you think? Do you think there's some truth to this study?

Adaptation Level Principle

Everything’s relative. While reading Friday’s State newspaper, I was impressed by a short article about students in Guinea. In fact, it was so brief that I probably would have missed it entirely except for the almost surreal looking photograph of people sitting under what appeared to be streetlights. Turns out they were students who had come to the airport in order to read.

Apparently there are about 10 million people who live in Guinea, and only about 1/5 of them have electricity. Consequently, the young people who are fortunate enough to go to school and who are serious about their studies flock to the airport to study at night. Why? Because that’s where the lights are. I stared at the picture for a few moments because it was both weird AND wonderful. Around and behind the readers was complete darkness, but shining down on their books was the gauzy glow of the street lamps. It crossed my mind that their books and their minds were both being illuminated. As a teacher and avid reader, I found this picture and the story it told absolutely wonderful.

The reason the adaptation level principle came to mind is because we talked about it in Human Relations while we were discussing happiness. Apparently, we think we'll be happy as soon as we get____ or have _____. You fill in the blanks for yourself with whatever it is that you think will make you happy. And guess what? When we get the dream job, meet the love of our lives, or buy that cool car, we are happy...at least for a short time. Then we grow accustomed to it and start dreaming and thinking again about what else it would take to really make us happy.

I thought about this principle when looking at this photograph because here in America we have so much that we've become somewhat jaded. When's the last time that you went to an airport to read? I've had students who lose electricity in their homes and therefore can't/don't study for tests or fulfill other assignments, and yet in Guinea these young people are so thrilled at the opportunity that the lights provide that they come there every night.

Just Do It!

When interviewed about the things they might have regretted about their lives, one of the things that middle aged and older adults report is that they most regret the things they DID NOT DO. Even if they failed miserably or got rejected, they were happier to have tried and not succeeded than to have stood on the sidelines shaking with anxiety and fear. What are your reactions to this? Do you agree or disagree? Are there some things that you're thinking about doing but are letting your apprehensions hold you back? Are there situations when you DID do something and feel great about it?

Ripple Effects

This morning in PSY 103 we discussed that sometimes the ripple effect from changes in our lives are more stressful than the actual change itself. For instance, death of a loved one is painful and stressful, but so are the ripples that come from the event. For starters, there are insurance and estate challenges. Then there's the issue of what to do with the loved one's belongings...and how to handle the mail that continues to arrive, sometimes months and years after the person dies. As another example, having a baby join the family is a positive change that also has its ripple effects. Actually, any big change has them, and I'm hoping that you'll share an example.

Cognitive Appraisal

When I first learned of Martin Seligman's cognitive appraisal system as a means of coping with stress, I knew immediately that it was a workable model. As a review for those who may have been daydreaming in class, there are three steps: primary appraisal, secondary appraisal, and reappraisal. In primary appraisal a person decides whether or not a person, situation, or event is stressful or not...and whether it's potentially harmful, positive, or neutral. In secondary appraisal, the individual decides whether or not she can cope and HOW (what method or strategy). Reappraisal takes place after a period of time and basically involves asking, "Is this working?" If not, then the person needs to begin the process anew.

Now that you've been reminded of the steps, please share a situation in which you think this model might help you OR a situation in which you wish you had applied it.

"The choices we make when we're young cast a long shadow on our futures." That's a paraphrased quote I often use in Human Growth and Development as we study young adulthood. The purpose is to encourage students to consider how the decisions and behaviors of their 20s and 30s might affect the quality of their middle and later adult years. Does anyone have any ideas to share...or perhaps a personal experience that changed the course of your life?

The "E" Word

We’re beginning our study of young and middle adulthood in Human Growth and Development, and yesterday the “E” word (exercise) was mentioned several times. No matter what the study, who conducted it, who the participants were, or where it took place, research validates the importance of exercise in successful aging…and in overall health.

Yesterday we talked about the social, physical, emotional, and cognitive development of humans and agreed that exercise could benefit a person in all four domains. And it doesn’t have to be triathlon training to be beneficial. Just thirty minutes of moderate exercise four times a week can aid in weight control, increase confidence, decrease anxiety and depression, improve cardiovascular fitness, clarify problems, and so forth.

Is there anybody out there who can think of disadvantages to exercise? If so, let’s hear them. If not, then please share reasons why you think more people are not jumping on the exercise bandwagon.

Happiness

It seems so frivolous a topic, and yet there it is: happiness. If you think of the mysteries of the mind, especially the "twisted" mind, as psychology's primary area of interest, you need to think again. William James, author of the first psychology text book (at least in America) and brother to Henry James (in case you need that information for Jeopardy) said, "how to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness is in fact for most men at all times the secret motive of all they do." Aristotle would agree. So would the Dalai Lama.

What do you think? Is the desire for happiness behind all of our strivings and yearnings? What are some characteristics of happy people? Are they healthy and wealthy? Are they all in relationships with soul mates? Are they religious? Is happiness something everyone can actively pursue and gain?

A current human growth topic is the changing American family. Single parents, gay parents, and blended families are examples of some of the lifestyles that are becoming more common. The question we most often address is: How do certain family configurations affect the developing child? However, when it comes to definitive answers, there are few. Plus, it seems that (in my class at least) we tend to skirt the issues and candy coat the consequences so as not to offend anyone. Is this the right approach?

When reading The State today, I came across a straightforward message from Senator Barack Obama. Warren Bolton, associate editor, quotes Obama as saying “There are a lot of men out there who need to stop acting like boys; who need to realize that responsibility does not end at conception; who need to know that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one.”

Bolton states that Obama is bringing attention to one of the “biggest impediments to strong families and productive stable children” and goes on to say that children growing up without fathers have a tougher time succeeding and becoming well-rounded. They’re more likely “to become pregnant at an early age, be high school dropouts, use drugs or become juvenile delinquents.” Fatherhood is important because it’s related to employment, education, poverty and other key issues America faces.



Fatherhood is related to tomorrow. Do single parents understand this? I appreciate the Senator's hard-hitting honesty and Bolton's invitation to absent fathers to "do something they aren't known for doing--man up."

We’re beginning our discussion of middle childhood in Human Growth and Development this week, and in addition to the usual topics of average weight and height gains of school-age children, SCHOOLING is an important topic. While re-reading the importance of learning to read, the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling, and the incidence of ADHD, I began thinking about these children and how their school experiences might impact their futures.

According to a report from Education Week, SC has the nation’s worst graduation rate. Huh? Utah has the highest. What’s going on? Why does SC continue to be rated at the bottom of the list, especially since the state has funded so much money towards public education? Is it because SC requires an exit exam, something only half of the other states require? Or could it be because SC requires 24 credits to graduate, four hours more than the national average and 11 more than California? In other words, the graduation standards are higher. Is there something else going on that parents, educators, and students need to know?

Sometimes a daily newspaper contains information pertinent to Human Growth and Development. In The State (June 12), there are a couple of articles of interest right on the front page, the first dealing with children and the second with retirees.

The article about children caught my interest because it brought up (in an indirect way) SES and all of its many ramifications. In class, we OFTEN discuss how money or the lack thereof affects one’s development all through life. From the schools we attend, the neighborhoods we live in, the food we eat, and the health care we have, SES affects us from the cradle to the grave. The article about children deals with the fact that “hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation” and goes on to explain that at least two SC school districts plan to serve children in summer feeding programs. This is great news! More than once, a student has shrugged off the problem of hungry children and malnutrition with comments such as, “They can get free or reduced lunches at school.” True, but don’t children get hungry in June, July, and early August as well?

The second article discussed that many baby boomers are putting off retirement for various reasons—primarily financial challenges, decreasing health benefits, and collapsing pension plans. As a boomer approaching retirement, I’m wondering if being “forced” to continue working might be a good thing. Involvement and a feeling of being needed and productive are good, right?

The Shrink Has Shrunk?

Wow.....It just seems there are many good psychology articles being published lately. Here's one from Newsweek regarding the possible problems with psychotherapy. Maybe we aren't helping as many people as we think.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19121639/site/newsweek/

Trouble With Day Care?

Although Psychology Today isn't a publication I often read, I found this interesting article about day care: http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20050504-000004.html . Students in my summer classes (PSY 201 and PSY 203) will be submitting their views on the topic as a written assignment.

Personally I am very interested in bias in research and wonder if we are seeing some here. Do you think we are inclined to report results that are favorable to our hypothesis? And maybe aviod results that are not supportive?

M. Williams

An Overheard Conversation

Monday afternoon found three of us chatting about our various experiences and observations of the past few days. One of the English instructors told of a weird and interesting situation that had occurred while she was visiting an ENT the week before. Knowing that she’d have to wait to see the doctor, the teacher came armed with a book, When Things Fall Apart. Interestingly, the chapter she was reading dealt with letting go of the importance of self-image. As she pondered this wise philosophy, she became aware of a conversation between two other patients, one of whom was ultra-concerned about her underarm hair. Even after shaving, there was still faint evidence of hair! Horrors! Something akin to the so-called five o’clock shadow, I suppose. To heighten the “weirdness” of the situation, the other woman began talking about Botox treatments. The young instructor was struck by the stark contrast between the Buddhist philosophy of self-image and that of the two patients, both of whom appeared to be focused on external appearance. Ordinarily, she might have found this conversation amusing; today she found it especially interesting because of what she was reading.

In psychology, a positive self-image is linked to other important “self” words like self-concept, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. In a recent class discussion, the students agreed that while many people define themselves in terms of their possessions, their careers, their money, and their appearance, those things can be very fleeting. People lose fortunes everyday. Jobs are lost through downsizing, mergers, and plain old incompetence. Looks…well, looks fade. What happens then? We agreed that our internal value system and emotional makeup were better sources of a positive self-image and self-esteem than tangible things or outward appearances.

Behavioral Genetics

The topic under discussion on this morning's discussion board was behavioral genetics, and I was interested to see what the students had written about the topic. I expected to read the usual comments about alcoholism or schizophrenia, so I was surprised to read one about OCD in a two-year old who had been demonstrating obsessive-compulsive behaviors since he was six months old! The child's father has OCD tendencies, but since he and the mother live apart, the mother (the student in this case) feels that her baby's behavior is more nature than nurture.

I was a little skeptical until I read some great examples. According to his mother, he loves to carry dice around (usually several at the time), and they all must display rows of five or six; none of them can show a different number or he becomes quite upset. Another example is that he hoards everything and will not put anything down. On the surface this sounds like a typical two year old who simply doesn't want to share, and yet this isn't the case. He's quite generous and sharing AS LONG AS HIS HANDS REMAIN FULL OF THINGS.

His mother feels that the child's behavior couldn't possibly be learned since neither parent displays such behavior. She wonders if it could be hereditary, and if so, whether or not his behavior can be changed. She adds, "If a person is born with a behavior such as OCD, ADD, or even Schizophrenia, it may be something that cannot be changed or if it can be changed, it would pose a real challenge for that person."

I don't have my DSM handy, so I'm hoping someone out there can shed some light on this issue. Does OCD have a genetic component?

Psychology instructors are accustomed to hearing people use (misuse) the term shrink. What they don't realize is that psychologists and psychology teachers actually want to enlarge and enhance a person's knowledge, self-awareness, and self-concept. While "shrink" might be a catchy slang term with popular appeal, shrinking is definitely not what those involved in the science of behavior and mental processes want to do.

Following through with the slang aspect, we decided that perhaps another term from popular culture, rapping, is something we could do. Perhaps by communicating with students, "lay people," and other psychologists and psychology teachers, we can expand everyone's understanding of this relevant social science.

For starters, if I hear another person confuse identity disorder with schizophrenia, I'm going to SCREAM. And another pet peeve...calling Alzheimer's disease Old Timer's disease. Where do people get such ideas???