Psychology Today Blog

The Power of Coincidence

2011-05-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

In this article i read that researchers have been trying toprove coincidence

and none have been able to prove whether or not it can me controlled or predicted. something that can be considered as a coincidence is if someone that you know is in the same place as you and you didnt know the person was going to be there.

my questions is Can coincidence be predicted or controlled?

Can Creativity Be Taught? - Per 1 (Jared Cyr)

2011-05-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

In this article, it poses the question can creativity be taught? It compared the teachings such as the ones in art classes, to be similar to giving a plumber or carpenter the tools necessary to do the job, but without him/her having the knowledge necessary to become great at their profession. The author believes that creativity is something someone has to be born with, and that it cannot be taught, only shown ways it can be expressed. The question I ask you is; Can creavitivy be taught, or is it something someone has to be naturally born with?

Eating Disorders and who support them (Ashley P 8)

2011-05-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

In the article that I read it talked about what type of supporters people with eating disorders have. The article described six different types of people who support there loved ones or friends with eating disorders. The type that everyone should be is called "The Dolphin", which is the ideal caregiver and shows the person with the eating disorder the right behaviors they should be displaying. The other types of supporters can be too controlling like "The Terrier" or even too anxious and angry at the person with the disorder like "The Jellyfish". "The Ostrich", "The Rhino" and "The Kangaroo" are the other types of supporters a person could have.

Question: Do you think that the type of caregiver can help or harm the patient? If so why?

7.5 million Facebook users are under 13: study Period 1

2011-05-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

This article I read is mainly concerned with the young children using Facebook. In a recent study, researchers found that 7.5 million out of 20 million users are minors, under the age of 13. This wouldn’t be a big deal if it weren’t for the fact that 7.5 % of these children reported being bullied, harassed, or taken advantage of while using this site.

Do you believe young children are at risk if they spend too much time on Facebook un-supervised by an adult?

Why Dont Women Ask Males Out On Dates? (Danielle Gopie: PD 5)

2011-05-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

This article was basically talking about why women dont ask men out on first dates. Women typically tend to be more shy than men are and dont have the confidence men do to get asked out on dates. The article proceeds to explain that there are two kinds of ways to come about the situation. There are verbal an non verbal initiatives. Women are more prone to non verbal initiatives because they rather give signs than full out speaking to the man on how they feel. This dosent really make it a diffrence because today in society asking a women out on a date is just always the right thing to do and what society expects of the male human being to do. Do you think it is awkward for a women to ask you out males? and women do you think its awkward for you to ask a male out on a date? and why?

E-Connections: Do Social Media Help or Hurt Our Relationships? (Ivona Golowiejko Period 5)

2011-05-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

We currently live in a world full of electronics that surround us in our everyday lives, whether it is in school with computers or out and about with an iPod or a cell phone. This has been causing a few problems between relationships, let alone growing to be an “ongoing debate over the impact of social media.” Many people have been isolating themselves from the rest of the world and focusing on staying in contact through an electronic device. In 2009, a study by Miller McPherson, Lynn Smith-Lovin and Matthew Brashears showed that “since 1985, Americans have become much more socially isolated and have fewer connections with their neighbors…one cause may be the dramatic rise in…mobile devices…” This study lead to many other investigations done by other organizations. One done by the Pew Research Center found that in a “typical year, face-to-face contacts occurred an average of 210 days compared to 195 days of mobile phone contact, 125 days of text messaging, 72 days of email contact, and 55 days of instant messaging.” This is now being viewed as a way of life instead of a type of popular trend. I have to agree that the cell phones, and the internet alone with all of its social networks have messed up the way that people communicate; and soon growing to a point where people won’t even know how to approach each other on the street. Sometimes there is no other way of contacting a person but through an electrical device, but I think there should be more of an effort made to limit the use of electronics. Some people even sleep with their phones right next to them causing them to have a lack of sleep, or when on vacation with the family ruining a moment that should be cherished as a family.

Does the Social media help or hurt our relationships with people?

New Extreme Couponing show: Celebrated or frowned upon? Taylor Gagnon Period 5

2011-05-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

I listened to the narrator as he introduced the "Double Saving Divas," a pair of ebullient twins from Chicago, who have couponing down to an art form. I watched them on their birthday cashing in on every type of free birthday meal, ice cream, and jewelry they could. With a modest budget for the day, they cashed in big time. I saw their "stockpile" which included shelves of diapers....for the babies they do not have.
At moments, I was thoroughly hooked, and felt a miracle curing of my cold due to all the excitement. I watched a woman shopping for a family of seven, and a woman who began couponing after her husband temporarily lost a job, as well as a man making 1,000 care packages for the troops. Their rationales seemed reasonable enough. And watching the numbers on grocery bills drop from over $1000 to less than $50 is truly exciting.
While a fascinating show indeed, I worry that perhaps the whole story is not being told. Is there something compulsive about this behavior, or at least marginally unhealthy? Why is a man buying up dozens of women's deodorant? Just because it's free, does it mean we must have it? I think one woman purchased about 70 bottles of mustard, even though her husband doesn't even like mustard. Sure, it's non-perishable, but what are you going to do with all that mustard?

Do you think that using coupons like these people is somthing you can look up to because of how much they save, or are they just wasting supplies that can go to other people who may need it more?

The Psychology of Revenge by John T. Fountain (Period 1)

2011-05-05T23:20:00.000-07:00

The Psychology of Revenge: Why We Should Stop Celebrating Osama Bin Laden's Death was my http://www.psychologytoday.com/ article written by Dr. Pamela Gerloff. This article took the stance of someone who opposed feeling happy about the death of another human--no matter who inhumane he may have seemed. The death of Osama makes many question themselves on how they view life as a principle: do those who disregard life deserve to have theirs taken? Should the law be upheld when dealing with characters such as this? As Dr. Gerloff stated, "Regardless of the percieved degree of "good" or "bad" in any of us, we are all, each of us, human. To celebrate the killing of a life, any life, is a failure to honor life's inherent sanctity."

QUESTION: Considering Bin Laden and his actions toward America, do you believe one can find closure in "getting justice" or "getting even"?

The Problem With Perfection. By Shai Hayes Period 5

2011-05-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

The problem with prefection is written by Mel Schwartz, I found this article on the website psychologytoday.com. This article is written by a psychotherapist, and in this article the topic of wether perfection is a burden or good thing. Some people who try to be perfect may feel trapped or have a burden on them causing uncessary stress. Other people who try to be perfect may believe that seeking perfection is a good thing because it allows them to set high goals for themselves. no matter the side effects of pursing pefection, such as stress. People who strive to be perfect want to be flawless, without any defects, a person may also want their performance with any activity to be at a level of excellance that cannot be exceed by others. To some people perfection is vital to there happiness, others do not strive for perfection, they strive to make themselves happy, whether they are perfect or not, every person is different.

Question: Do you believe a person who is trying to achieve perfection is putting uncessary stress on themselves? Or do u believe perfection is a common goal that many people should try to achieve?

Lies: A Taint of Death (Period 8)

2011-05-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

In today's society, we tend to put out trust in people we don't know that well. For example, when we ask for directions we are trusting that the person would give the right directions. Or even when we are at the doctors, we are putting our trust into the doctor that he or she will give us the right medicines and treatments.

But once that trust is broken, we become more cautious of what to believe. Like if a close friend or boyfriend/girlfriend breaks your trust, you treat them differently. You will mostly likely question the things they are doing , where they are or what they said. Its hard for them to gain your trust back.

Question:

Do you think this is true? Do you think we tend to trust others too easily?

When's The Best Time To Get A "Yes"? (per. 8 Chao Lai)

2011-04-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

The article was about whether or not people more inclined to say 'yes' to a question throughout different parts of the day. According to the article, more people are likely to say yes earlier on throughout the day and after eating. The percentage of people that will say 'no' is directly related to how hungry that person is.

This article interviewed a judge, and as shown by the graph, the judge said 'yes' directly after breaks where he ate food. Food breaks are shown with a dotted line and this graph starts immediately after breakfast.

Question:
Is there really a better time to ask someone to make a decision? Why or why not. If yes, when do you think this time is?

Worry, Anxiety, and Worse (Period 1, Magda)

2011-04-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

People worry about many things everyday, the smallest things in their mind always have something big if we go deeper into it. Worries and anxieties are parasitic states when you drain your mental and emotional resources by thinking of potential calamities and you gain nothing healthy in return. The good thing is that we can always control that, if we really would want to. There is a state of mind where you recognize that you can directly command only yourself. When you are in charge of yourself, that is when you know that you can do better than what you have already done. Many people also have a problem with catastrophizing, where it is taking a potentially bad situation and making it even worse. This is what kills many people in their thought and where they think of way too many things that could go wrong.

The question is...
Do you think that worrying is just a waste of time? Why?

If you do something too much, is it an addiction? (per 5 Emily Januszczyk)

2011-04-28T18:35:00.000-07:00

This article deals with addictions and how to differentiate between a repetitive behavior and an actual addiction. There are habits and everyday things we do that can be an addiction; or it can merely be something of the norm. Drinking, gambling, and eating problems, for instance, aren't necessarily addictions. A specific setting can sometime trigger an increase in these things, but don't directly relate to a deep emotional factor. If you drink or do certain behaviors with friends, it can sometimes just be an excessive behavior. The difference between a habit and an addiction is usually willpower. However, because these two things are very similar, there has been a lot of question of how to actually diagnose an addiction.

Question:
What is the difference between doing something excessively and doing something as an actual addiction? Do you think it is easy for people to claim others have addictions when they really don't? Or, just the opposite, do you think people who actually have addictions go undiagnosed?

Life Happens, But What About the Stress It Generates? - period 8 Emi Zysk

2011-04-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

This article suggests an idea of how to deal with the normal stresses of every day life by identifying them, listing them and then working to reduce them. You would create the list by placing the more stressful items at the top and the least at the bottom of the list. The article gives the advice of startng on the bottom of the list to work out the issues causing the stress. If the issue is connected to other people in your life it also suggests that you enlist their help in clarifying the stress and working it out. Working from the bottom of the list is intended to kee you from becoming overwhelmed and once you complete a few items, you will feel you have accomplished something. It also describes that your goals of accomplishing things should be realistic because if it isn't then you set youself up for feelings of frustration and failure. Important ideas are to plan a time line, stay positive and pause from time to time to pat yourself on the back for your progress.
Questions
Do you ever get stressed? When you find you are stressed do you think a technique like this could work? What do you do when you get stressed out ?

They Are Watching Us (Olivia Klimek P.5)

2011-04-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

"The apple never falls far from the tree" We often hear this being said but it is in fact true. Are children prone to frequently imitate their family's characteristics or is it simply a coincidence?The below image shows a child doing exactly what she saw the older women doing around her. Much of our society today illustrates the importance of winning, and often young children are exposed to this belief and imitate the message by berating their competitors, whether it’s in work, sports, and even school. Many of today’s television programs, movies, and video games seem to promote violent and ill mannered behavior. As adults, people should be providing their children with positive messages instead of negative ones.

Question: Do you believe that children imitate negative behavior from adults around them, if so do you think this will affect their behavior in the future?

Can UV Rays actually be good for you? (period 1)

2011-04-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

Growing up, our parents and elders would always tell us to keep sunscreen on to protect us from getting cancer from the harmful UV rays of the sun. But actually, the sun is the biggest source of vitamin D, which prevents ailments from autoimmune disorders and many different types of cancer. Since times are changing and how we go about our daily lives, we tend to not spend as much time in the sun as our parents, aunts, and uncles did when they were our age.

So instead of "hiding from the sun" like our parents told us to, we should be enjoying it, since it only takes about 15-30 minutes for us to get about 20,000 IU of vitamin D, which is like drinking 200 glasses of milk.

And my question is: "Do you think the sun's rays are helpful or deadly?"

“Does Facebook make us sad?” Period 1-Holly

2011-04-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

It is human nature to compare yourself to others. It is also human nature and habit to overestimate other people’s happiness and compare it to yours. Many people log on to their facebook and read about all the new relationships, babies, and exciting events that people post thinking that their life isn’t as great. Most people don’t post the negative things that happen in their life giving others a false picture of their life and reality. Thinking that everyone around you is so much happier leads you to feel more sad and depressed, and even alone.

Question: Do you ever feel that people seem so much happier than you do when you log on to facebook and read other’s statuses?

Transitions From Work to Home -Period 5

2011-04-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

Summary:

Over the past decade or so, many psychologists have noticed that the majority of couples and marriages with problems are no longer brought on by the typical issues: alcohol use, money, sex, children, etc. In fact, much of arguments are now more triggered when a spouse returns home from work. “Something is said or not sad, done or not done, which eventually results in a distress-laden night” (Stosny). Much of this anger is brought on during the transition time of getting home from work. Some factors may be: traffic congestion, aggressive driving, stress, overwork, sleep-deprivation, etc. The transition from one’s everyday job to home though is nothing compared to what military families have to go through. Being in the military compared to being at home is such a different world. Therefor, it’s very hard for soldiers to come back home and re-adjust to the “home” lifestyle. To avoid argument-triggers after returning home from duty, many have come up with little tricks to help them transition from work to home. Many choose to take off pins, bandanas, or anything removable that reminds them of their job. So not only can soldiers learn from this, civilians can too by remembering little tricks. Some tricks may consist of taking a moment before entering home to think about the great people living behind those doors, immediately seek out your loved ones as soon as you walk in and greet them with love, or before you go to work, recognize the importance of your loved ones. Overall, I think Steven Stosny says it best; “If you want to love big, you must frequently think small.”

Question:

Do you believe that fights between couples occur most in the transition time when one of the partners first arrive home from work?

Stress and Your Social Memory Period 5

2011-04-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

Memory and stress dont go well. When you are under stress you should not panic, just calm down and don't make a big deal. Managing your stress could be done so easily by five simple steps: practice "deep" processing, think while you speak, repeat the person's name after you are introduced, correct your mistakes early, and don't get rattled if you make a mistake. Social memory should be improved when you follow these steps.

Do you feel that when you're under social stress that these steps could help you get through the situation?

Homesickness isn't really about 'home' Period one

2011-04-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

Summery
In my article they studied homesickness in people and how it affects them. They said what really causes homesickness is a distinct adjustment disorder with identifiable symptoms and what causes it. They define homesickness as “distress and functional impairment caused by an actual or anticipated separation from home and attachment objects such as parents”. Those who suffer from the condition, fee a type of anxiety, sadness and nervousness. Their mind is obsessed with preoccupation with thoughts of home. During this study they found that homesickness isn’t necessarily the missing of your “home”. It’s the human need for love protection and security, which is usually associated with home.

In the article they studied how homesickness can be prevented. They found that it’s and emotion that comes in waves, and is just your mind telling you that you are out of place. The found that the less reminders of “home” you have that easier coping with the homesickness will get. They recommend you only have contact with your parents once a week and those parents let their kids remain in the place away from home. They say that this independence will help them make friends and become more independent.

Question:
Do you think that less contact with your home will make it easier or harder to deal with home sickness?

Is Technology Stealing Your Sleep? (Mike Nahmias P. 5)

2011-04-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

My article discusses how using electronics before you go to bed can affect your sleeping. The National Sleep Foundation recently took a poll and discovered that 95% of Americans use an electronic device before sleeping. Teens are shown to be more likely to use electronics before bed than their parents (about 2 times more likely). Most teens text people right before they sleep, and some people have done this so much that they have begun to have issues with texting while sleeping.

Using an electronic device can have numerous effects on your sleep. The screens on electronics produce light which can prevent your body from producing melatonin, which is a hormone that helps control sleep and is naturally produced when you’re in the dark. It is also difficult for you to relax if you use these devices before bed and you won’t be able to fall asleep easily. The author of this article also states that “the bedroom should be a sanctuary reserved for sleep,” so you shouldn’t bring electronic devices in there with you.

To prevent sleep deprivation caused by the use of electronic devices it is recommended that everyone has an “electronic curfew.” Teens should have limited use of their cellphones before bed and putting your electronic devices such as phone and computer in another room before bed can help.

Do you typically use electronic devices within an hour before you go to sleep? Do you think it’s easier to fall asleep when you don’t use electronics before bed?

Stop Fixing People Period 1

2011-04-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Helping people can actually serve to stunt their development. Not only do you take away their ability to think for themselves, when your goal is to help people do things "the correct way," you are functioning from a position of greater power. You are stronger than the person you are helping who has lesser capability, knowledge and strength. Others sense this unequal relationship. If they came to you as unequal--that you are the one with the knowledge in this situation--they may eagerly listen and do what you suggest. This relationship can work when people are starting new ventures and clearly lack skills, experience and knowledge. They want your help.
On the other hand, if the people you are trying to help do not see you as the great one with all the knowledge, they won't hear you. Their resentment speaks louder than your words. They may even retaliate by doing something stupid or nothing at all. Then you judge them even more harshly.

In contrast to helping, being of service is a relationship between equals. It is mutual. Serving is responding to a problem and collaborating with others to find the solution. You honor the perspective and knowledge of the people you are serving and then seek to open their eyes to new possibilities and ideas. You give information they are lacking and ask questions to make them think more fully about the situation. You explore possible consequences of their ideas. When they come up with plans for action, you ask them what particular support they need from you to be successful.

My question is "Do you serve or fix people?"

Is there anyone you don't get along with? Do you think these methods would work? Why or why not?

2011-04-01T05:24:00.000-07:00

Paige Pytel Period 8

This article was called Everybody Marries the Wrong Person by Christine Meinecke, PhD, and was all about giving in to other’s demands and setting limits so they don’t take the mile when you give them an inch. It talks about how you can’t change people, and the only way to help the situation is to change yourself, your reactions to things, expectations and negative thoughts. When you want someone to change something, you can ask them directly, but only once. Asking once is responsible, more than once is nagging. These are the four steps: Reinforce desired behavior, do not reinforce undesired behavior, let natural consequences emerge, and do not punish. These are similar to child development tactics. These also work on adults! You just have to praise them for doing the right thing, do no praise them for the wrong behaviors, let the consequences for their actions affect them, and don’t punish them for behaviors-you’re not their parent. The change to make is the last one- eliminate punishment, it’s ridiculous how effective it is.

Is there anyone you don't get along with? Do you think these methods would work? Why or why not?

Sexting Teens (P.5 SPerez)

2011-03-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

Sexting? Is it a positive or negative thing?

So, what is "sexting"? Well, believe it or not, this is a new rage where teens are sharing sexually risqué messages and/or nude pictures of themselves or others via text or on-line. While many teens openly admit that they know it's wrong to post these sexual photos, they feel the odds of getting caught are so low that they are willing to run the risk. Why are teen's sexting? Peer pressure! This is the most common answer reported by teens. They state they did it because someone asked them to. I know, it seems like they could easily say no, but imagine you're a teenage girl or boy who has a serious crush on someone, yeah you remember those days. You think you're in love and you'll do anything to keep your true love happy. So, you take that revealing photo and send it to the person you love, Its done in 30 secs. All it takes is a bad break up and that photo can be shared with more people than you can fathom in less than another 30 seconds. In fact, in less than a minute a teen's life can be "virtually" ruined, no pun intended

So my question is...
Is sexting Positive or Negative to teens?

Wolf of Hate (Tyler Barrett)

2011-03-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

My article basically discusses whether or not hate is naturally present in human society. The article touches upon the evolution of hate and why it can be present in many people. In addition to this, the article also discusses how hate is processed through the brain. From a brain standpoint, it consistently talks about the fight or flight response that is present in most human beings when their adrenaline is pumping. However, my question is do you think that hate is natural in human beings or is it something that is aquired?

Facebook's Impact on Your Self-Esteem - Period 1

2011-03-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

Since its launch in 2004, Facebook has become a frequent part of the average person's day. With over 500 million active users who have an average of 130 friends and people spending over 700 billion minutes per month on the site, it is clear that Facebook impacts the lives of several people. Some people spend more time than others on the site because they love the interaction and see it as a major self-esteem boost. However, some dread checking their Facebook knowing that they won't have any notifications at all and thus find their self-esteem lowering.

Question: Do you feel as though Facebook affects your self-esteem at all?

Letting Go of Worry - Period 5

2011-03-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Do you think worrying is healthy or not?

The brain’s exists to keep people alive and safe. This leads the brain to skew thoughts and to become pessimistic and worry about the worst things that can happen. Women mostly verbalize what they are thinking. Men will often internalize their worries and lie awake at night thinking about solutions. One way to treat worrying all the time is figuring out what the brain is protecting the person from. Another way is to be easier on yourself. When the brain is relaxed, it is easier to see new possibilities and solutions. “Worrying is an alarm for you to explore the possibilities of danger in a situation.”

Do you think worrying is healthy or not?

Is Technology Stealing Your Sleep?

2011-03-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

In the article,"Is Technology Stealing Your Sleep" by Michael J. Breus Ph.D it mainly stated that technology infers with people's sleep. In addition to this, there was a poll from the National Sleep Foundation that was taken that concluded that 95% of Americans use some kind of technology within an hour before they head to sleep. Not only this but it was also said that teenagers are twice as likely to than their parents to use technologies such as their cellular phones within that hour before they go to sleep. According to the article, they state that people should set an electronic curfew however a number of people wont follow through with doing so but it would increase the amount of sleep you recieve nightly.

Question: Do you belive that using technology before bed can affect the amount of sleep you get?

Claude Cardoso-Period 8

To Socialize or Not? That Is The Question. (Period 8 Kelly Dougherty)

2011-03-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

Researcher William Fleeson and his colleagues tracked a group of people, every three hours for two weeks, recording how they'd acted and felt during each chunk of time. They found that those who'd acted "talkative" and "assertive" - even if they were introverts - were more likely to report feeling positive emotions such as excitement and enthusiasm.

My question is: Do you believe that even having a small chat with someone can brighten up your day, or make you feel more positive? Even if you are an introvert?

TheTtruth about Beauty period 5 Rebecca Bazzano

2011-03-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

In nature men are naturally attracted to women with big eyes, youth, clear skin, a symmetrical face and body, feminine facial features, an hourglass figure. Research shows that men prefer women with full lips, smaller chins, and large eyes because they are indicators of higher levels of estrogen. these are what indicating that a woman would be a healthy, fertile candidate to pass on a man's genes. All of these vary from different cultures around the world. Women in America and industrialized countries struggle to stay thin while others force themselves to eat to be fat to appeal to men. This is what is to be considered to be healthy in a female.

Do you think that physical aspects are the only role that attracts you to the opposite sex?

Fantasy Weddings Can Hurt More Than Your Wallet (Period 5, Hillary )

2011-03-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

Summary

This article I found on psychologytoday.com was put together by psychology today editors. It talked about how divorces increased but so did weddings. The weddings may be about the bride and groom but really the bride is all about setting up and preparing that “perfect fairytale” wedding. The price for a wedding ranges from $19,000 -$30,000. What really gets a brides attention is the bridal advertisements, especially in magazines, the ads in these magazines are magnificent the way they are put together because they grab the bride’s attention. The bride wants to be treated like a princess for the day and she wants everything to be perfect, and in order. “Dr. Laurie Rudman at Rutgers University was interested in finding out the effects of romantic fantasies on women’s psyches.” Rudman found subconscious and the way they viewed romantic fantasies was big when thinking of their wedding day.

My question to you is do you really need alot of money to have your fairytale wedding ? Why ?

Major Depression Per. 5 Laura Scerrato

2011-03-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods of time. True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with our everyday life for a long period of time.Many researchers believe depression is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, which may be hereditary or caused by events in a person's life. Some types of depression seem to run in families, but depression can also occur in people who have no family history of the illness. Stressful life changes or events can trigger depression in some people. Most of the time a combination of factors is involved. Men and women of all ages, races, different levels of people can have depression. Depression can also occur in children and teenagers.

So why do people go through minor depression and some go through major depression? What do you do?

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Why is it so Important to be right? Period 1

2011-03-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

This article discussed how we're taught from a young age to always be right. If we are wrong, it can be looked at as embaressing. We sarcrifice relationships and friendships by arguing our points just to prove we are right. It takes away from our happiness because of the arguments. We sometimes don't even stop to think about what we are doing.
Would you rather be right or happy?

The other side to billboards (Period 1) Mike Rivera

2011-03-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

My article starts off by talking about an obesity billboard, obesity is said to be suffered by the African American and Hispanic population. The billboard was intended to promote good health in children. The only thing controversial about the billboard is that it is in a predominantly African American and Hispanic neighborhood. If the supposed obesity children see similar billboards in their common surroundings they may feel fat and self conscious. The billboard could bring up the thought that, “since thin is what people want to be, maybe I don’t belong.” It could even graduate to an “I shouldn’t exist.” According to the article, “placement of the billboard is stigmatizing a population that already deals with the mundane, extreme stress or classism, and racism.

Question to you all: Do you think children are affected by these billboards or is it something doesn’t faze them?

Make Your Own Luck - Matthew Manuele (Period 8)

2011-03-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

As you know from the presentation, the article presented in class was pretaining to the creation of what we call commonly as "luck." Do you as a psychology student believe that luck can be created by the methods and techniques discussed in class, or that luck is some sort of supernatural force that happens by chance to humans? Why?

The Dark Side of Friendship

2011-03-11T02:44:00.000-08:00

This article discusses how when we are envious of someone, we are hopeful to see them fail. Maryanne Fisher, an associate professor in the department of psychology compares this to tabloids and celebrities. We, as a society are waiting to see them become human, to trip up and make a mistake. It also speaks about people in our lives that we may be envy of which are called “tall poppies” such as a friend, co- worker or leader. Those in high positions, who stands out from the crowd in a positive and desirable way we tend to feel a sense of resentment towards them. It’s hard for us to figure out if someone is truly a friend or a user. So, it’s up to you to figure out if a genuine friend is indeed genuine.

My Question to you is:

Why do you think people envy others success?

By: Kadian Thompson

Period 5

Commited relationships.. Cultural or Natural?

2011-03-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

Rachael Thatcher Period 5

This article is about how there are chemicals in the brain that cause you to want to be attached to one person and to fall in love. It explains that it's natural for humans to do so and it's not only a result of our cultural influences. It says that some people will engage in sexual activity for 'recreation' but it's not the same as if you're with your partner you have fallen in love with and is primarily linked to procreation. Basically, it's saying that all social bonds are purely in the brain and not learned by our society. It says that by nature everyone deep down wants someone to be their "mate" and to become attached to and once you find this person that others do not seem as appealing. My question is that if this is true, why do you think people still cheat on their partners?

Stealth Super-Powers Mike Treviso Period 5

2010-12-17T06:18:00.000-08:00

In this article it discusses a recent incident while leaving the mall. A man named Tom Boyle Jr. was sitting in his truck in a line of cars waiting to exit the parking lot of a shopping mall. As him and his wife sat there waiting, they saw a car turn out of the lot with sparks flying out from the back. Tom Boyle Jr. sees a bike under the car and along with it is a bicyclist. Before he knew it he jumped out of his truck running after the car. Banging on the trunk of the car to get the driver to stop, the car comes slowly to a stop. Under the car he hears the bicyclist screaming for help. Tom slowly lifts the end of the car; as the boy yells keep lifting he does just that and all of the sudden you hear from under the car, “it’s off me!” Someone then comes over and drags the bicyclist out from under the car. The boy is bleeding badly, Tom then holds the bicycles until the ambulance came. He then walked to the curb and sat down, physically drained he felt like he was going to throw up. He walked back to his car and had his wife drive him home.

My question to you is do you think that stealth super-powers is real as in that people are able to do unbelievable things in extreme times?

FACEBOOK OCD (Kristi Xhaxho, Period 5)

2010-12-17T05:39:00.001-08:00

In this article, psychologist Seth Meyers argues that Facebook is compared to OCD with
most people with today’s society. Not only that it’s a problem, but it is also the cause for many
relationship problems. They believe that Facebook is giving many people symptoms of jealousy
and paranoia. When people are interested in someone, they will end up checking their Facebook
page obsessively every time they are on. This is because they try to get more information on the
person to see if they are with someone else or what have they been recently up to. But when they
actually get into a relationship with the person, then the Facebook stalking gets worse, because
they try to see who else is writing on their partners walls and how do they know each other.
Also, people tend to get worried whether they are being mentioned in their partners statuses or
if they have posted and pictures on them two together yet for everyone else to see. The article
compares the Facebook situation to “OCD” because it is basically at the same level as OCD
since people are always on Facebook and use it for so many things that is has now become a
problem. One of the worst things about Facebook is that it breaks a lot of relationships because
of someone posting up pictures or a wall post that upsets the partner. Or even sometimes it’s
because of misinterpreting something that was meaningless. Another thing is that when going
on the social network to look someone’s Facebook, it will sometimes ruin people’s day because
they would see something that upsets them and even though they knew they should have not
looked at it, they now did and it makes them feel sad and lonely.

My Question to you is: Do you think you have Facebook OCD? And has is affected any of your relationships?

Holiday Mall Shopping: Stuffed with Sameness (Period 7)

2010-12-16T19:59:00.000-08:00

This article was about how every year when it comes time to buy gifts for the holidays, everything gets to be the same. We tend to shop in the same stores no matter what malls we go to because there a lot of chain stores. We also tend to buy the same types of presents every year and sometimes it gets difficult to find new presents that no one has ever received before. The author of the article also said that we sometimes end up getting gift cards when we can't think of anything better to buy and when we're running out of time to buy something. The article goes on to say that because of the same routine that people go through every year when they do their holiday shopping, they end up getting tired and bored of it. When people get tired of doing the same things every year, it takes the excitement out of going shopping for the holidays.

Do you go through the same routine every year when you have to do your holiday shopping? Have you ever become bored because of your routine?

In the Name of Love: I Am Only Second Best (Period 1)

2010-12-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

In I am Only Second Best the author, Aaron Ben-Zeev, explains the effect of feeling second best. Studies show that an athlete who wins third place, versus an athlete who wins second place, feels happier and more accomplished. This is because athletes who train for long periods of time to reach their goal of being first, will not accept losing by a small margin compared to a larger margin. This shows true for track runners; it is harder for them to accept a loss by just a few seconds or less. This also shows true in relationships. One partner may be holding on to a previous person or putting their current partner on a pedestal. This causes the partner to compare their new boyfriend/ girlfriend to their previous partner which makes their relationship a constant competition. Society in general has a "winner-take-all" attitude and is generally very competitive. American society does not like coming short of perfection and will do anything to be the best.

Do you agree with the statement that " A second place winner is happier than a third place winner?" Why or why not? Do you think it is equally possible to be just as happy being second best? (In both athletic competitions and in relationships)

By: Erica Smith
Period 1

13 Tips for Sticking to Your New Year's Resolutions. Taylor Tufano Period 5

2010-12-16T15:10:00.000-08:00

New Year’s Eve is just a few weeks away, and that means it’s the season for resolutions. Do you want to stick to your new year's resolution? Take some tips. 1. Be specific. Make sure your resolution is something specific not just a general thing. 2. Write it down. 3. Review your resolution constantly. If your resolution is buzzing through your head, it’s easier to stick to it. 4. Hold yourself accountable. Tell other people about your resolution, or join or form a like-minded group. 5. Think big. Maybe you need a big change, a big adventure – a trip to a foreign place, a break-up, a move, a new job. Let yourself imagine anything, and plan from there. 6. Think small. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only radical change can make a difference. Just keeping your fridge cleared out could give you a real boost. Look close to home for ways to improve and grow. 7. Ask for help. Every time you ask for help, it'll get a little easier for you. 8. Consider making only pleasant resolutions. We can make our lives happier in many ways. If you're struggling to keep your resolutions, try resolving to “Go to more movies,” "Find more time to read," or whatever resolutions you’d find fun to keep. Often, having more fun in our lives makes it easier to do tough things. Seeing more movies might make it easier to keep going to the gym. 9. Consider giving up a resolution. If you keep making and breaking a resolution, consider whether you should relinquish it entirely. Put your energy toward changes that are both realistic and helpful. Don't let an unfulfilled resolution to lose twenty pounds or to overhaul your overgrown yard block you from making other, smaller resolutions that might give you a big happiness boost. 10. Keep your resolution every day. It's easier to do something every day, then every few days. 11. Set a deadline. 12. Don’t give up if something interferes with your deadline. 13. “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”EX. Instead of starting your new exercise routine by training for the marathon, aim for a 20-minute walk each day. Instead of cleaning out the attic, tackle one bureau drawer. If you break your resolution today, try again tomorrow. This article was just basically the 13 tips to help you keep your resolution and to not break it! DON'T BE LAZY!

So my question to you is...

Do you have a New Year's Resolution? If so, what is it?

Too Much Stress? Try Pleasure Nicole Valenti Period 1

2010-12-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

This article is about when people turn to pleasurable activities when they feel stressed. Sometimes the pleasurable activities are considered as being an “escape” or an unhealthy coping mechanism which could include over-eating or resorting to sexual behavior. At the University of Cincinnati their recent research demonstrated that food or sexual activity can actually reduces stress because brain pathways inhibit anxiety responses. They also found that small amounts of “yummy” foods can reduce a person’s stress level for a week but they are just pushing away the stress not necessary taking care of it. Foods help reduce a person’s stress because of the taste of the food instead of the quantity; the foods can include spicy, sweet, or any other kind of food that is appealing to the person. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati also found that the access to a sexual partner has the same effect as food, which helps explain why people seek activities during stressful times. A person with a stressful situation can take try numerous activities to relieve stress but sometimes the activities that people can exhibit unwanted behaviors such as over-eating, or sexually acting out which can lead to a sexual addiction. Other activities such as exercise can help reduce stress even if the person finds it to be time consuming or they feel that they have to do it.

Question: Do you have a coping mechanism to relieve stress? If so what is it?

Facebook causes relationship problems-Rachel Wallace p 7

2010-12-14T16:06:00.000-08:00

Facebook can cause problems in relationships. How? You check your boyfriend/girlfriend/person you like page and when you see something that makes you jealous, say talking to a member of the opposite sex, a fight ensues. Seth Myers talks about how we check the persons Facebook page everyday, and how it is an addiction to us. When we see a picture of the person we like with the opposite sex, we automatically assume something is going on between them and another fight is caused. The ways to end this is to get rid of your Facebook so you won't be tempted to look at theirs, or to temporarily deactivate your account. This hopefully would break your addiction to checking the persons Facebook and end all of the fights.

Article

Is money the main reason we go to work?

2010-12-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

This article talked about how most people go to work just for the money. Money is an internal motivation for most to work but when we see other people working hard, then we strive to do the same. Money forces people to work and most people dont like being forced. For example, in the article, it talked about how group of kids were giving pens to play with and most of them enjoyed it but when some of them were getting paid to play with them, they lost their interest. This is because that play turned into a form of work that they had to do. No one is really excited about going to work and that's why people need to be paid to do the work. Money finds a way to control the workers. Some findings do show that some employees do like their job. Testing shows that when people win lottery, some have intentions right away that quitting their job is the first thing but some others choose to keep their jobs. The same thing goes with retirement. Some people like to enjoy their hobbies and never think about working again and others just to want to get out of the house so they decide to stay on the job. Being good at something also motivates the person into working. If you're good at the job then feeling of superior or knowing everything makes a person feel better.

Do you think money is the only reason people go to work?

Too Much Stress? Try Pleasure. (Jasmine Sanchez period 7)

2010-12-03T06:03:00.000-08:00

When people are feeling stressed out they usually turn to things that give them pleasure. Sometimes these pleasurable things or activities can be considered as an unhealthy coping mechanism because whatever it may be is not solving the problem; it is only putting it off for the moment. Common pleasurable “escapes” are food and sex. Recent studies at the University of Cincinnati have showed that pleasurable activities like food and sex actually does reduce stress levels through brain pathways by inhibiting anxiety responses in the person’s brain. Even small amounts of food can reduce a person’s stress levels for a week—this is due to the taste of the food not the quantity. It doesn’t matter whether its sweets, spicy food, or any other kind of food, all that matters is that it is appealing to the person. The same effect comes from sexual intimacy.

Research has shown that people crave food or just want to engage in certain activities even if it is out of their norm during times of stress because it is their body’s way of trying to relieve itself of the stress. Stress leads people to overeat and even act-out sexually which in turn can lead to obesity and sexual addiction. These findings prove that these pleasurable activities reduce stress so therefore other pleasurable activities can serve as an alternative in reducing stress. Past research has shown that there are many different activities out there that the body finds pleasurable and effective in reducing stress even if the person themselves does not think of it as enjoyable. There are many different activities out there, it is up to the individual to find which one is pleasurable to them.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-the-wild-things-are/201011/too-much-stress-try-pleasure

Q: What kinds of activites are pleasurable to you during periods of stress?

Ten Careers with High Rates of Depression (Period 7 Nadiyah Bell)

2010-12-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

Jobs can make people become depressed. New studies have shown that people might choose jobs that have a high rate of depression. There are ten jobs that have the highest rates of depression. Nursing is number one; nurses don’t get any feedback and this can lead into depression. Food service has low salary and costumers are very rude. Social workers can become depressed while working with abused children. In health care depression is a factor due to ling shifts and knowing that their patient’s lives are dependant on them. Writers, artist, and entertainers have odd hours and are not happy with their salary. Teachers have to put up with long hours, unruly students, and cranky parents. Administrative support staff can be frustrating because the demands are so high and there is a rare opportunity for control. Maintenance always has to clean up after someone else. Financial advisors don’t have any control over the market and handle other people’s money and has a lot of responsibility. Number ten is in sales department; this consists of long hours, impatient costumers, and not a steady income.

What job do you think can lead to depression and why?

Revenge of the Introvert (Period Five)

2010-12-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

The article I chose was about the differences between introverts, and extroverts in society. Introverts are the people who tend to prefer the safety of their mind versus socializing. They would be the students in a classroom who spend most of their time listening and not talking. Extroverts on the other hand are naturally outgoing people, they get board easily by solitude. They would be the more talkative students in a classroom who always have a question. Research show that introverts brains, are more active in the frontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making, planning, and problem solving. This is partly why they prefer solitude. An extrovert’s brain on the other hand, shows less brain activity, that’s why they tend to seek out social situations.

My question for you is.... If you had to label yourself would you call yourself an introvert or and extrovert? Or do you think you are a mixture of both, and why?

Tetris As A Vaccine Against PTSD (Period 5)

2010-12-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

My article that I chose was about, how playing Tetris after a tragic event may eventually decline symptoms that you would get from having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is when you have horrible flashbacks that may interfere with someone's normal daily life and in some cases this may make the person become suicidal. Surprisingly, by playing Tetris this makes less flashbacks happen. No body yet knows why Tetris is a reliever of PTSD but it seems to be working on some people. This may be the start of a new way for scientist to find a cure for stress.

My question for you is....Do you think that games like these can really get rid of peoples stress? What do you do to relieve stress?

On Being Homeless for 35 Minutes in Central London Period 5 (Danielle Sumoski)

2010-12-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

In this article, the author was on a layover in London, and ended up sitting down and talking to a homeless guy named John. John told his story how he had lost all his money, got a divorce, and is now living on the streets. He asked for some money, and then asked for the author to watch his stuff while he went to wash his clothes. He ended up leaving his backpack, which was just full of trash, and an empty cracker box. The author was at first upset with this, but figured out that this guy needed the money he stole more than he did.

My question to you is, would you be able to live in the life of a homeless person for a day? Why or why not?

For Article Click Here

Family Therapy for the Holiday Period 5. (Desire Raynor)

2010-11-30T06:46:00.000-08:00

This artical was about how family members and friends stress out when it is time for the holiday's. Most people stress because they never know what gift they should buy the next family member or friend. Others stess about the money that can buy gifts for family and friends, not everybody has the time or the money to get people what they want and make sure that they are satified. According to Jacqueline Hudak, familes should come up with a stategic plan for change. I think coming up with a plan so that things are less stressful for everyone is a great idea.

My question to you is...

Do you get stressed out when holiday's come around and why?

Keeping Promises Period 7

2010-11-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

My article, Social Media: The Ties That Broaden And The Ties That Bind, talks about the fact that texting and technology takes more time away from staying in touch with people face-to-face. It talks about how certain words like maybe could be an excuse for not wanting to hang out with the person because you know you could easily get away with it through text or IM when you don't have to deal with the person. The article states how it's not a bad idea to stay in touch through text or facebook with a family member far away or a long lost neighbor. Although once technology becomes more of a factor through communication than from face-to-face conversations in a relationship, there are more personal information between the two people that could be lost. We don't really share actual emotion with people because texting and facebook doesn't equate to actual conversation. A emotion can't be deciphered through texting, but there are certain times when it is appropriate to use texting like when you're busy. An australian study showed that strong social ties create healthier brains because we are social by nature.

Do you, from your experience, think that texting/social networking sites can affect your relationships with people face to face?

Dumb and Tired? Sleep helps on both accounts - period 5

2010-11-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

Researchers already know that sleep can help us manage stress and improve health but it can also make you smarter. Science Big Wig stated that sleep can help us store and reorganize new info and memories so we can use them when we wake up. Researchers at the University of York found out that sleep helps people remember and incorporate new info. To prove this a study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience identifying brain activity during sleep that help organize memories. A study was done where the participants were taught new words then took a test. Then they went to sleep and their brain activity was studied. In the morning those participants remembered more words than the day before. Of course most people have problems falling asleep because of stress and other factors but there are ways to help that.

My question to you is....Do you think getting enough sleep contributes to a better memory and retaining information? Does getting enough sleep help you in school?

Teens,Sleeping, and Eating... Period 7

2010-11-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

In the article "Teens Sleeping and Eating" the author talks about the links between teens sleeping habits and eating. The article was about teens that sleep less on average eat more then teens that are getting the recommended time each night. The scientists have found that teens that sleep less hours then their bodies need have a greater craving for fatty foods and sugary snacks. Researchers found out that for one hour more of sleep, the odds of eating or drinking high amounts of calories decrease by about twenty percent which will lower the chance of gaining weight. By teens sleeping less they are messing with their metabolisms which it slows down and it’s a gateway to weight gain and over time obesity.

What are your eating habits like and Do you think that sleep really has an effect on ones weight over time?

"What's the Link Between Eating Disorders and Vegetarianism?" (Period 7)

2010-11-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

In the article: "What's the Link Between Eating Disorders and Vegetarianism?" the author describes the possible links between eating disorders and vegetarianism during, before, or after an eating disorder. The author explains the average age of eating disorders starting at age sixteen, and the average age of vegetarianism starting at age seventeen. The author furthermore explains reasons why someone with an eating disorder might become a vegetarian. Some examples are the excuse of rapid weight loss and becoming a "vegetable junkie". She then mentioned how vegetarianism can help overcome eating disorders.

Do you think there is a possibility of eating disorders and vegetarianism being linked together?

Why the addiction-brain connection has to be part of the picture

2010-11-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

This article explained how addiction is not just all about the users pleasure receptors being stimulated but an individual's environment, social influences, and the individual them self, and not to mention if the person has an addictive personality. People who have an addiction have activated pleasure centers in their brain activated when thinking about or doing their addiction whether it's a drug addiction or an addiction such as compulsive eating. Also, the article tells how only why a small percentage of drug users are addicts and that most people don't get addicted because of their drug metabolism in which is the way that the addict goes through withdrawal, some people get the sweats and not feel any pleasure due to lost dopamine receptors while other people might just have the drug or habit on their minds all the time.

What do you think is the greatest factor of addiction in a person?

Are Out-of-Body Experiences Always Spiritual? (Period 1)

2010-11-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

This article brings up the question of whether 'out-of-body experiences' are spiritual happenings, or whether they are just a result of malfunctions in the brain. People who have out-of-body experiences report things like going through a tunnel, being enveloped by "the light", and floating above their bodies. The article discussed 3 case studies about 3 different people who have had some sort of out-of-body experience. "Patrick" reported floating above and being able to see his body in the emergency room after suffering a heart attack while driving an ambulance. "Karen" reported drifting around her bedroom while trying to fall asleep after a stressful day. "Matt" reported chronic sleep paralysis, out-of-body experiences, and hallucinations. All three of these cases involve out-of-body experiences, but they involve different experiences. Out-of-body experiences are most common during REM sleep, when the temporoparietal region of our brain that helps bind our sense of consciousness, is turned off.

My Question To You: Do you think out-of-body experiences are spiritual signs of the soul leaving the body, or do you think they are just a result of electrical impulses in the brain during REM sleep? Or do you think it is a mix of both?

How Psychopaths Choose Their Victims- Period 5

2010-11-04T12:48:00.001-07:00

This article talked about how psychopaths choose their victims. Many people can't pick out a psychopath considering most act like normal, everyday people so avoiding them could be difficult. Studies have been shown that psychopaths can easily pick out more vulnerable and weak people. People who weren't outgoing, who have low self confidence, or the socially submisse (things like fidgeting, or no eye contact). The way they pick them out depends on how psychotic a person actually is, the higher the level of being psychotic, the easier it is to pick out the weak. The psychopaths watch the overall body language of the victims. So, these people can pinpoint exactly who good victims would be.

Do you think you could be picked out by a psychopath as a victim based on this article? Why or Why not?

The Deadly Games That Teens Play - Period 5

2010-11-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

This article went into depth about 3 games that teens play. The three games in this article were the chocking game, huffing, and car surfing. The point of the chocking game is to cut the blood flow to your brain so that you get lightheaded and hopefully hit a high. The second game called, huffing, is inhaling chemical vapors to also get light headed or even hit a high. And the third and final game was car surfing, in this game a person stands on the car like a surfboard and stays there while the car moves.

Question: Which game do you believe sounds most deadly, the chocking game, huffing, or car surfing, and why?

Big Moments (Period 7)

2010-10-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

The article I read was bout a woman who, after a 10 year slump, went on a trip to an island in northern Canada in order to see a Kermode bear which is beleived to be spirttual. The woman's name was Dagney McKinley and after seeing the bear, she gained a feeling of self-worth and had an experiance known as a "peak experiance" which is a term coined by Abraham Maslow. Everyone has these peak experiances because it is hard waired into our brains. Everone's is different.

Do you beleive that you have already had a peak experiance?

Leave Marijuana Regulation to the States Period 5

2010-10-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Christina Hanan

As most people know, the Obama Administration is considering revising the law against Marijuana. My article gave facts and statistics that both aid to the repeal, and go against repealing the law.

Some background:

The 21st amendment to the constitution repealed the ban of alcohol, and that is what the debate is for over marijuana.

Many people think that it should be up to each individual state to decide who marijuana can be used.

Proposition 19 is similar to the 21st amendment, in that it would allow people 21 years old or older to possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana for personal use.

Why people like it so much:

relaxing,

helps tune into music

foods can taste better

time slows down

- all effects depend on the person, what they choose to do, how they are feeling at the time, and whether of not they consumed alcohol or any other drugs with the marijuana

So my question to you....

Pretending that you lived in the state of California, and were going to vote to either support or reject the use of marijuana, would you get rid of the law or keep it? Why?

What Are Good Girlfriends Good For? The Talking Cure Revisited

2010-10-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

The article was about how beneficial it is to grow up with a sibling or having a special person to talk to can really help relieve stress and keep your body healthier. Most people don't realize that even useless chit chat can be considered "strong medicine." For men, this talk can be about weather, sports, or cars while for women it can be about something as unimportant as a recipe, shopping, and people at work. Just being able to engage someone face-to-face relieves stress. Human interaction is crucial to our mental health. Although men and women speak and act differently, the built-in social support of having a sibling is equally important.

Question: Do you agree that having a sibling or best friend to talk to about your troubles helps to relieve stress and anxiety and why?

Could You Survive 24 Hours Without Technology?

2010-10-25T07:22:00.001-07:00

My article was about students, and people in general going without technology for 24 hours, most people were not able to handle this senario, could you?

Can Men and Women Be Friends? Per. 1

2010-10-21T19:31:00.001-07:00

The article entitled "Can Men and Women Be Friends?" explains how a male-female relationship can be difficult. The author Camille Chatterjee describes that although it is hard to form this type of relationship, they can be very rewarding. Some challenges one can face are "jealousy plagues many rational people when a significant other befriends someone of the opposite sex." Other challenges are, "defining the friendship, dealing with sexual attraction, seeing each other as equals, facing people's responses to the relationship, and meeting in the first place." You must overcome all of these challenges before you can have a true cross-sex friendship. Male-female friendships are necessary because both sexes must learn to communicate and understand the other. This type of friendship is also necessary because men confide in women things they normally wouldn't in their male friends, and women look for insight on how men really think. Overall, Chatterjee comes to the conclusion that men and women can in fact be friends, but there are many challenges you must overcome before you can have a cross-sex friendship.

Question: What do you think? Can men and women truly be equal friends? Why or why not?

Ditch the “I’m a Procrastinator” Label

2010-10-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

People can procrastinate a little or a lot if they have labeled themselves as a “procrastinator.” Procrastination is an automatic problem habit where you put off a timely, relevant, activity until later. For example, by just calling yourself a procrastinator, you can cause your brain to fall under the idea that you’re a procrastinator that will wait until the last minute to get things completed. This self-label is an identity trap when overgeneralization occurs. You generalize yourself as a member of the procrastination club because you notice this behavior in yourself and have done it several times, if not more. So, if you can find good traits, characteristics or even a talent that help lose the identity deception. For example, giving yourself multiple labels can cause you to put aside the procrastination. The article mentions “If you can predict procrastination, you can teach yourself to control the process and procrastinate less,” is the best way to get rid of the habit.

Question: Do you believe it is possible to resolve procrastination issues? Why?

Does Attending College Increase Young People’s Drinking? Period 7

2010-10-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

The article "Does Attending college Increase People's Drinking" is mainly about how people who go to college drink significantly more than those who do not. A study conducted has shown that "44% of students reported recent heavy-drinking episodes" while in college. Researchers believe that it is due to the lack of parental supervision and the fact that universities somewhat support this habit by allowing resources such as shot glasses to be sold in school stores.

Question: Do you think that people who attend college drink more than those that don't?

What's So Wrong With "Sounding Black"? Period 5

2010-10-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

Recently, the DEA (Drung Enforcement Administation) posted a call for people who could be able to translate Ebonics. Ebonics is a nonstandard form of American English characteristically spoken by African Americans in the United States, also known as African American Vernacular English. Well this arose a huge problem with people because they felt that if someone could actually understand and mimic Ebonics then they weren’t worthy of being part of the DEA. This issue even arouse in the white house. Obama and some of his famous, high- profiling supporters were criticized of “talking black” when around other African Americans. A caller even called into a national political talk show to speak about their mistrust for Obama. The caller felt as though Obama should talk “regular”, indicating that “white” pronunciation and their way of speaking is the regular way to speak. In recent years, most African American people have the pressure of flip flopping the way they speak when among different groups of people. The way you speak could determine whether you get the job or not, or if you get that dream apartment. I believe that the way someone speaks shouldn’t determine if they are educated or not. What we bring to the table and how we handle ourselves should be what makes us who we are and how people perceive us. As of now black vernacular English is unacceptable, but I still don’t see the reason why sounding “black” is so bad.

So my question to you class is, do you sometimes judge or make assumptions of people based on how they speak. Also, what does sounding "white" or "black" mean to you?

“Why Intelligent People Drink More Alcohol” Per 1

2010-10-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

Trevor Colossa

The article “Why Intelligent People Drink More Alcohol” was about why more intelligent people are more likely to binge drink and get drunk. Both studies done in the United States and the United Kingdom have shown that more intelligent (based on IQ) middle school students, high school students, college students, and adults on average drink nearly twice as much as those classified as very dull intelligence. This study was done with a number of controlled variables, including sex, race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, number of children, education, earnings, depression, satisfaction with life, frequency of socialization with friends, number of recent sex partners, childhood social class, mother’s education, and father’s education. Also, income and education, as well as childhood social class and parents’ education, were controlled, therefore, meaning that it is not because more intelligent people have higher-paying, more important jobs that require them to socialize and drink with their business associates that they drink more alcohol. Instead, the article suggests that more intelligent individuals are more likely to engage in “evolutionarily novel behaviors” and since binge drinking and getting drunk is evolutionarily novel, more intelligent people are doing it. The fact that binge drinking and frequently getting drunk is detrimental to health has few, if any, influence on the study.

Do you believe that the statement "more intelligent people drink more alcohol" is actually true?

Facebook & Narcissism Period 1

2010-10-14T15:28:00.001-07:00

Facebook has officially become the new Myspace. Its so common to have one or the other, probably even both. We can "connect and share with the people in our lives" But maybe we share a bit too much .. For example , people automatically post good news or bad news as soon as they get it. its like they want the reassuring attention from people who will take interest in their actions. Constant updates such as these will lead to a gap of our time being taken up by checking on our profiles, reflecting upon our lives as well as other, which is really unreasonable since facebook is completely unrealistic. It gives us a chance to get our thoughts and feelings out, yes so maybe in a way it is therapeutic, but we definitely all have reached that point when were looking at the screen with nothing let to do , no messages to return , no chats to wait for .. and we refuse to close the internet window. Maybe its because we unconsciously want to talk to someone, or maybe were too attached to the online community. either way it allows us too much time to sit at the screen without any purpose, what happened to aim & myspace profile where there was music & 'about me's' . Facebook also gives business's the opportunity to publicize themselves and expand through out advertisement But can cause compulsive disorders, Psychologists have actually developed a new mental condition called: Facebook Addiction Disorder.

Facebook Facts

More than 500 million active users
Average user has 130 friends
People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook
There are over 900 million objects that people interact with (pages, groups, events and community pages)
Average user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events
Average user creates 90 pieces of content each month
More than 30 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each month.
More than 70 translations available on the site
About 70% of Facebook users are outside the United States

Do you think too many people post personal information to public websites such as Facebook ? What do you think is their intention of displaying statuses ... do you agree that we spend too much time reading others, and stressing about what's going on in the unrealistic online world rather than realistic issues such as finishing homework, or distract us at work ?

Men and Women Just Being Friends-Period Seven

2010-10-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

It is thought for it to be impossible just for men and women just to be friends. It's found that from research, it is hard to have such a relationship because of the possible attraction to one another. The boundaries between two people of the different sexes are sometimes minunderstood and can ruin a relationship. Men have different impluse controls than woman. It's thought that just because a man finds a woman beautiful doesn't mean they necessarly want to be with them. However, the famous saying for this type of situation is "Familiarity leads to intimacy." The relationship between two people may change over time, but it is rare. People have troube accepting this but it's just become part of life for good friends to fall for each other.

Question: Do you think that a man and a woman who are both heterosexual can just be friends? or do you think that if a man and woman are friends, that they will become "more than friends," over time?

The Upside of Anger-Period 7

2010-10-08T04:56:00.001-07:00

People typically prefer to feel such emotions as pleasant, and exitement and try to avoid emotions that are unpleasent, and angry. Recent studies of anger have shown that it can actually improve individual's to complete a task, rather than making an individual uneasy and confused. Researchers have found that Anger has increased motivation and focus, due to particular tasks. They compared angry and nonangry participants to do the same tasks and found that the angry individauls were able to score higher in tasks related to confrontational situations.However, The non angry particpants had scored higher in the non confrontational situations. Now a day's individuals try to listen to anger-inducing music, and recall past events in which they were angry to help them focus and succeed. While, others tend to relax and become more calm to help them acheive certain tasks.

From previous experiences, does anger benefit success? or does it make it worse? and why?

Microaggressions in Everyday Life-Period One

2010-10-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

This article talks about how many people are discriminatory in there everyday lives. From verbal to unconscious decisions many interpersonal reactions are based off of an internal bias that makes these racial microaggressions common-place in our lives. Even well- mannered people can have these aggressions without noticing them. Such incidents can be separated into 3 parts.

Microasults are conscious and intentional actions like displaying white supremest symbols, or not letting a child date someone of opposing races.
Microinsults, both verbal and nonverbal convey rudeness and insensitivity that demean a persons race or ethnicity. For example, giving a job to a white person instead of a black person with the same background.
Microinvalidations, or communications that subtly negate the thoughts or feelings of someone colored. For instance asking a Latino where they were born, hinting at the fact that they are foreigners in there own land.

These small aggressions are sometimes so subtle neither the target or perpetrator entirely understand what is happening but it has been proven that in all public and social settings microaggressions are just a part of our way of life. It is also one reason why our society is still unequal.

Question: Do you think that these aggressions take place in the school environment? And is it possible that well intentioned people have these microaggressions without noticing something is wrong?

Jealousy: Love's Destroyer-Period 1

2010-10-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

Jealousy: Love’s Destroyer, it talks about how someone’s jealousy can either ruin or help a relationship. Jealousy is a person’s way, whether it is a guy or girl, of subconsciously saying her or she feels threatened. The feelings that usually cause jealousy are: fear, abandonment, loss, sorrow, anger, betrayal, envy, and humiliation. But do not be confused, jealousy is not the same as envy, even though people do interchange them for each other. Jealousy has to deal with threats of sexual or romantic infidelity or the loss of a partner to another person, whereas, envy is more of a physical emotion as to a girl being resentful to her because of what she has. Envy is the cousin to jealousy. The emotion called jealousy also has something to do with being insecure. The more insecure a person is, the greater their jealousy. But, “In small doses it is an expression of caring. It’s a way to test whether it’s safe to invest more emotion.” The threat of losing it (meaning a relationship) is a test of how much you value it.

Question: Do you believe that jealousy is an emotion that’s actions help a relationship or destroy them and why?

Harley; Period 1

Your Love Period 7

2010-10-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

It is said that romantic love is made up of two aspects, the attraction to external appearance and praiseworthiness (Positively appraising personal characteristics). However it’s not that basic for every one because everyone’s romantic love is different. Individual’s romantic love runs different from person to person; romantic love comes at different points in their life because everyone has certain expectations for love/weight they carry in looking for a lover. Many people wish they could have less attachment to attraction and many people think the opposite, they wish they could be more spontaneous and less calculated. Still people usually aren’t aware of the great weight they assign to the pattern of attractiveness. They tend to claim they assign greater weight to the pattern of praiseworthiness. It also differs for men and women; Women tend to look at men’s eyes, whereas men initially look at women’s bodies. That study also proves why women are more attracted to a mans personality because eyes are perceived as the best indicators of one’s character.

We may love a person who is objectively not the most handsome or the wisest person in the world, but nerveless has other characteristics which are highly regarded by the lover. Accordingly, love maybe around the corner, but not every corner is the proper one.

Do you think you are aware of the expectations/weight you carry for your future lover ?

Men's LIB Period 1

2010-09-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

Quick Article Summary: Just to refresh everyone's memory, this article talks about how men need to start communicating more with their families and children, and become the "manly" standard that used to be. Instead of the male yelling at the wife, he needs to come home and be loving and more caring. Sweden, and other countries around the world have been giving fathers more paid time off to be with their families when a baby is born. Between the husband and the wife, they are allowed 390 days to divide between the two. It is mandatory that the father takes at least one month of that paid leave time.

Question: Do you agree with the article's statement that men should spend more time with their children and families? Also, do you believe that the new law giving fathers paid leave time is a good idea to benefit the family?

Painkillers for Heartbreak?

2010-09-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

Getting rejected by another person (emotionally) is different from when you physically get hurt by falling off your bike. But, according to a new study in your brain it's closely related. In the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, (a portion of your brain designated for pain) holds the key to both emotions a physical pain. This new study says that you can take a painkilling drug such as Tylenol for temporarily relief of heartbreak. Also knowing that hugs and kisses can help ease the pain

Knowing the study was so small and just the beginning, Do you believe that if you take a painkiller it will help you not feel emotional heartache like not feeling a physical pain, or do you believe old fashion hugs and kisses from a loved one will help ease the pain?

How to Win Friends; The Sad Truth...period one, Kirsten Raynock

2010-09-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Brieft Summary: Kids tend to become best friends with other kids who are similar to themselves. A team of scientists studied 5th and 6th graders for about a year and came to the conclusion that the kids that made and kept best friends over the whole year were "similar others." At the same time, kids who tend to become friends with someone of another racial background are more open to world wide issues involving that race, as opposed to those who dont. Finally, kids only being able to create relationships with people who are like them is an unconcious bias that might also close our minds to pople from other groups. Instead we should try to encourage ourselves and others to be open to people who are unique and different from you.

Question: From your own experice, would you agree that people who are best friends are alot like one another? Also, do you have a friend of another race, if so, are you more open to world wide issues involving that race?

Welcome Fall 2010 Bloggers

2010-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to welcome everyone to the fall 2010 blog. Be sure that you post your weekly comment in the correct period to ensure that you get credit for your blogs. If you have any questions please be sure to email Mrs. Hunt at ehunt@npsct.org

Are vegetarians smarter than carnivores?

2010-06-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

In the article that I read on Psychology Today hypothesized that vegetarians have a higher childhood IQ than that of meat eaters. A study that took place in the United Kingdom showed that people that were vegetarians by the age of 42 had a significantly higher childhood IQ than those that were meat eaters by the age of 42. Eleven different cognitive tests took place at three different before the subject turned 16. Vegetarians had a mean childhood IQ of 109.1, whereas meat eaters had a mean childhood IQ of 100.9. In the United States, vegetarians had a mean childhood IQ of 101.5, whereas meat eaters had a mean childhood IQ of 98.5. Even though the difference wasn't as great in the United States compared to the United Kingdom, there was still a difference between the IQ's of vegetarians and that of meat eaters.

Do you think that vegetarianism can contribute to a higher IQ?

-Brett Bishop, Period 2

Can stress be benificial? Period 1

2010-05-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

In a study done in 1981 it was shown that some people actually thrive on stress rather than fall. While some have problems others take it as an oportunity to improve their life. There were three common aspects with these people.
1. Commitment- tendency to see your task as important enough to hold all of your attention.
2. Control- the feeling that whatever happens you can still try to change the outcome.
3. Challenge- The understanding that life doesn't have to be completely worry free.

Question: Do you believe that stress can be benificial to people?

-Ashley Fontana

Alzheimer's Disease-Period 8

2010-05-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

In this article scientists say that people can have the Alzheimer's disease without having any symptoms. Scientists conducted a study in which they did a brain autopsy of healthy people who passed away. They found that about 20-25 percent of them had the accumulation of a certain brain chemical that indicates that they have Alzheimer's disease. But none of these people had any symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Is it possible to have Alzheimer's disease or any other types of disease without showing any symptoms?

Hannah Thomas-Period 8

Food Cravings

2010-05-26T11:16:00.001-07:00

Do food cravings affect you to work on various tasks?

The Most Amazing Self Control!

2010-05-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Humans are capable of a lot more then what we are expected to believe in the first place. Being able to hold your breath for over a minute, withstanding very cold conditions, and being able to remove your own appendix? Leonid Rogozov, a medic for the Soviet Antarctic research station, had been forced to remove his own appendix. How? This began while on an expedition, he began to felt very ill, then lethargic. As the day went on he became more and more weak and more and more nauseous. It became obvious that he needed to take his appendix out or he could have died. Without any medicine available to ease the pain and no where near any type of hospital, Rogozov was then only limited to taking out his own appendix. This action saved his life.

My Question: Would you be able do anything like Leonid did?.. Even if it was to save your own life?

-Dorothy Henderson

"Money and Happiness"

2010-05-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

I read in a recent article that money can actually make us happy. People who spend more money on experiences that affect their social life, improve their chances of becoming happy. The author examined the data of a research that sampled 500 household over a four year period. They found out that the families that could spend more money on things that could create positive experiences increase peoples happiness. The author found out that the best way to increase happiness is to buy smaller purchases rather than just one big purchase. This is because you will keeping increasing you happiness with the purchases of the small things, rather than purchasing something big and only not getting happier any other time.

Can money buy happiness?

Malik Golden

"Make Love Not Texts" Period 1

2010-05-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

The article I did was about how people are constantly glued to their cell phones. Cell phones have become so much as an addiction that people are starting to become lost with out them. God forbid we forget are cell phones at home because our whole day would be ruined. Cell phones have become so addictive that people are sending "sext" messages. And even texting during actual sexual intercourse.

My question to you is do you think that the use of cell phones and texting has become to much of an obsession?

Creative Teaching - Period 1

2010-05-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

The article 'Creative Teaching' questions our current education system and forces us to think about how it might be impacting students. It directly says that our basic schools suppress and discourage creativity in their students, starting at a young age, in order to push in the more "sensible" skills a person will need to get jobs and survive as an adult. In studies, the research has even shown that teachers themselves will prefer a less creative student.

Do you believe that our education system discourages creativity? Is this a positive or negative thing?

Catherine Haverkampf

I Cannot tell a Lie

2010-05-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Many people find it easier sometimes just to tell a lie when they want to get out of a certain situation. But sometimes, that's not the case. Althought some people tell the truth in some situations, it can be a rarity. Brandon Mendelson who is a 26 year old web publisher from NY, says that "I think its a moral imperative to tell people the truth." People who tell the truth, however, are commited to honesty regardless of the social repercussions. That means that those who tell the truth do so even thought it might not be the best thing to do or the most accepted thing to do.

My Question: Why and in what situations do you lie?

-Kevin Pelkowski

Feelings: Why Do They Get A Bad Rap? Period 2

2010-05-14T06:04:00.000-07:00

This article is about how feelings can be so overwhelming and most people don't know how to cope with them. Many people will result in having addictive behaviors rather than working them out in a healthier way. This article also says that because of how much humans have advanced and how busy we always are, we don't have time to listen to how another person feels. It's as if it's wrong to have feelings and we just try to avoid these feelings or get over them as fast as possible.

Do you think that what this article is saying is true? Do you think that people now-a-days are so caught up in their daily lives that they ignore theirs and/or everybody else's feelings?

Cassie DeCorleto

Are you a compulsive hoarder? Period 2

2010-05-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

This article talked about what it means to be a hoarder and how hoarding can affect one's life who has the disorder. Hoarding isn't just a desire to keep items, but an obsession with the thought of not being able to give up items because of the value they might have for the person. One example was a case of two Manhattan brothers, Langley and Homer Collyer, who were hoarders to an extreme point. Their apartment was filled with not just papers and garbage, but with over five grand pianos and even a Ford Model-T car, or over 170 tons of debris. Hoarding can also vary anywhere from collecting papers, to garbage, to stray animals, and even food. My question is, what would you do if someone you knew had a hoarding problem, like the Manhattan brothers? Would you help them overcome the disorder? How do you think hoarding starts?

Make Love not Texts Period 6

2010-05-11T04:47:00.000-07:00

This article talks about how people in this generation have become so obsessed with texting that they would text during times that require full attention like driving and even sex! People have become so attached to their phones that they cant even leave their house without clenching their cell phone in one of their hands. People risk their lives when texting while driving, and its because they have become so attached to their phones. Have cell phones and texting become an addiction to us? If so what can we do to help it?

-Joe Reali

Jealousy: Love's Destroyer

2010-05-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Jealousy is the fearof losing something you perceive you have. Even though jealousy is a survival mechanism, its can be harmful as well to our brains. The intensity that jealousy falres into burns a hole in our brains and affects our behavior, causing us to push away the person we desireto be. Jealousy is said to be unavoidable by experts because all it takes is one insecureperson to "infect" the other. Jealousy is in no way connected to love, it's in fact just a test of commitment and determines whatwe value and how much we value it.

Knowing that jealousy is a strong survival mechanism, do you think it can be controlled?

“The real reason atheists have higher IQ's”

2010-05-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

The article stated a few reasons why countries that are more focused on religion result on average a lower overall IQ. My question is do you agree with this statement and why?

- Jonathan Rusczyk

The Secret of the World: Experiments Suggest We’re the Key to the Universe - Period 1

2010-05-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

This article was a about a study made by Robert Lanza and he stated that everything is a result of a combination if occuring information in your mind. Nothing would exist if we didn't observe it such as space and time. Space and time are a result of our mind putting things to together so that it makes sense, for example if we did not do this tecnically time would not exist because it is not an object. It also stated that we couldn't see or experience anything without our conscious, since we do do this with this reality is possible.

Do you agree with Robert Lanza that reality would not exist if we did not observe it and that what we percieve is a result of our mind?

- Michele Jacome

Sleep Deprivation, Social Networking and Drugs Psychology Per. 1

2010-05-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

A recent study from Harvard showed a connection between the lack of sleep in teens, social networking and drugs. It showed that on networking sites, people connected with marijuana through every 4 people. Also, the lack of sleep within teenagers which may be caused by social networking led to a higher use in drugs, especially cocaine, ecstasy and heroine.

-Do you believe there is a connection between the lack of sleep, social networking and the use of drugs?

Disarming the Jealousy Complex. Period 2.

2010-05-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

This article talked about the four steps to disarm complex jealosy. They were, 1-Don't trust obesssions, 2-Regulate core hurts, 3-Focus on compassion,not trust, and 4-Follow the self-correcting motivation of simply jealousy.

Do you believe if you follow these steps it can disarm complex jealosy, and lead your relationships in the right direction?

~Jennifer Giomblanco

Hypochondria: The Impossible Illness Period 6

2010-05-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Hypochondria is a mental illness. Hypochondria is a preoccupation with fears of having, or the idea that one has, a serious disease, based on a misinterpretation of bodily symptoms. This preoccupation must have been present for at least six months and persists despite adequate medical reassurance. One can mentally convince themsleves that they are dying. To a hypochondriac a cough is not merely a cough; it’s a drumroll of death, and no amount of diagnostic assurance can convince them otherwise.
Researcher say that hypochondria is inhereted while others say that you can learn to bo one through your parents or some one close to you that has the mental illness. It is said that the crosswalk between the mind and the body in such a way that we all may have a bit of Hypochondria.

Do you believe that everyone has a bit of hypochondria?

~Breena Salwocki

Period 8 Personality: Dare to be Yourself

2010-05-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

Authenticity of oneself is a concept desire by all but known to few. To become ones “true self’ takes serious selfishness and discipline to achieve. It is a life long journey that begins around eighteen to twenty-five months. The older you get the stronger you desire to discover your true self. Testing yourself ad exploring different things like relationships, friendships, and even religion up until you find your perfect fit.

Do you think it's possible to find your authentic (your true self) or is it an impossible goal?

~Hodan Musa~

Sleep talkin, sleep eatin, sleep dreamin.. I Jus wanna sleep Psychology Period 2

2010-04-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

Sleep talking is one of a number of unusual sleep behaviors known as non-rapid eye movement sleep parasomnias. Other forms of NREM parasomnias include sleep eating, sleep walking, confusional arousals, night terrors.The different stages of sleep are characterized by distinct brain wave patterns, as well as by differences in other physiologic parameters, such as muscle tone, eye movement, heart rate, breathing rate and patterns, and blood pressure. NREM parasomnias are frequent when a person is sleep deprived,or when one is sleeping in a strange location (such as a hotel room)

The question here is why do you believe you sleep talk or dream? Do you sleep talk/dream or any of your family? They say it happens in a strange location such as a hotel room, why do you think the setting influences your chance of sleeptalking?

-Nick Lebron

Period 2, Surviving Your Child's Adolescence

2010-04-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

According to what Carl Pickhardt Ph.D. said in this article that parents think adolescents are lazy because when we come home from school we sit around and watch tv and don't do anything to help much around the house, when in reality we have responsibilities of our own. Without them understanding fully what a day in our shoes would be like, it would make them better understand why at times we are so lazy. He wondered what some teenagers do with their time. This was before he understood what we really do on a normal day as a high schooler.

The question is: As teenagers, are we really lazy, or do we just have too much going on that we don't have the energy to put up with what our parents make us do in the house? Should our parents follow a day in our footsteps to really understand how complicated our lives can be?

Caroline F.

Why Positive Thinking is bad for you?

2010-04-16T20:20:00.000-07:00

Many people swear by positive thinking and some have been helped by it. But positive thinking is not very effective and can be down right harmful in some cases. You first accept the fact that the situation is bad, then you move onto thinking, how can I make this less bad? It is like you are playing games with yourself. Some people can make the bad a good but many cannot. This is why positive thinking can be harmful. One thing you can do is train yourself not to label if things are good or bad.
So do not label what happens to you. Now you wont need positive thinking and much of your stress will disappear.

Do you think positive thinking is good or bad for you?

Margot Madden