Psych. Blog #11

I have a very wide idea of my personality. One major trait is that I’m very honest; even when I shouldn’t be. This can be considered a good and a bad thing. It would be a good thing because I won’t lie on how I feel on certain subjects, but when you need someone to lie on a subject that I have a strong opinion on I’m telling the truth. I do lie sometimes but mostly I tell it like I see it. Even though this is true I still care about people, even those I know that I don’t talk on an everyday basis. Especially when some one is down or they look distressed, I actually want to ask them if there okay. That reason is what also makes me considerate. I will say something and I realize it makes them feel bad so I’ll apologize. Even if I bump into someone (or something depending on the day) I say sorry because I feel it’s my fault. I trust others a lot. Even when other people say not to, I do. It’s a good thing that can go bad; for example that I put my trust in them and they disappoint me or try to harm my family or friends they lose my trust. I’m also forgiving and I believe in second and third chances, but if someone abuses this trait that I have they won’t see it often. I can also stubborn; it’s not a very good trait. This means if I know I’m right I often argue my point. I hate starting arguments, but when I know for a fact I’m right I will say something. I’ll try to control my self if I know the argument is getting nowhere though. I’m self-reliant. I like to do some things myself, not because I think I can do it better, I just feel better if I do it myself. One trait is reliability; I always try to help my family or friends. If I can’t I will refer someone who can help them and I also tell them why I can’t. Most of the time I’m bubbly. I can start a conversation with almost anyone. When it comes to sorting things I’m a perfectionist. I scold people for messing up my systems. Like at home I put can goods away, if someone else does it I have to redo it. The biggest one of all is that I’m random. I could be talking to my friends and be thinking of one thing and then say it even though the conversation is no where near what I changed the subject to. Even when someone else is talking on something I can think of some thing else just from a couple words. Or when I see something I blurt it out.




I’m both optimistic and pessimistic. I think of the positives when it comes to far future, creative projects, and serious life events. I start to think negative on test, quizzes, and what might go wrong in the near future. This impacts my life a lot. I might think one activity with friends would be fun, and then right before I think what things could go wrong with the plans. I also don’t believe that the picture of the glass and if you think it’s half empty you are pessimistic and if you think it’s half full you are optimistic. It always makes me wonder who drank half of my drink? I mean I always get a glass I fill it to the top. Now which of you did it?



I can put my trust in people even though there is a chance of disappointment I might receive from them. That might change when they steal from me or they start a malicious rumor of my family or someone I care about. I don’t care if they talk about me, fine whatever, but when some one messes with my family or my friends they have to deal with me. This is a major thing for survival; if someone trust someone no matter how many times that person has hurt them the could be killed (in caveman days/ or maybe even now). Being organized helps me survive. I need to know where things are, even when there is a pile of papers or clothes I know what’s in it incase I need it. If I’m disorganized I literally run around like a chicken with its head cut off. I start to stress if I can’t find my assignment or something important. It changes though when I’m in a project with someone else or a group. I still keep order to the information being used but I’m more relaxed and just want to finish the project instead of keeping it orderly. This adaptation allows anyone to stay focus on the bigger picture around them instead of on little things that are already in order.



One definite defense mechanism that I have done a lot is displacement. Displacement is where you shift sexual and aggressive impulses to a more acceptable outlet. When I’m mad at school or at my mother I take it out on my siblings. One time mother was saying how she is the only one doing something and yells at me even though I’m the one who did it the most I just busy with other things for a week. So I yell at my brother or younger brother for not helping out. He does help out when you ask nicely, so it’s not right but I used to do it a lot. Regression is another one I do a lot. Regression is where there is a temporary reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way. When someone uses something I love that I don’t want other people using I throw a fit. It’s so bratty and I don’t do it often. An example was yesterday my stepfather took my car instead of his truck up to Wausau, and when I asked why he didn’t tell me why but he told me my brake light was on and so was the engine light. I drove the car the day before everything with engine was fine. I got so mad I stomped up the stairs into the house and slammed the door and locked it, and pretty much scowled and ignored him all night. I probably looked like I was two, but I was so made. Suppression is one I do at school. Suppression is when you push a thought into your preconscious that is too stressful or strains your feelings. I ‘forget’ the deadlines for my College English papers because they stress me out. This being the major fact that I need this class the graduate.

Psych. Blog # 10

In chapter nine I learned that once somebody has a strong belief that they are right it is hard to get them to believe otherwise. Even when they are given evidence that suggests they are wrong they still believe that their belief is right and the statistics are wrong. Even when statistics support their belief and the opposite of it people still will not consider that both sides are somewhat in the wrong. I have beliefs that I need more proof than a bunch of people tell what happened over a centuries ago. So I'm stubborn in my beliefs just as much as anyone else. This belief that we are right on the subject can also lead to overconfidence, because we believe we know something and are dead set that it's right that we become over confident and when we are proven wrong we don't know why.

The book defines creativity as the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas. Yes I do think I'm creative. I can come up with the weirdest things, ecspecially when I'm with my friends. Exihibit A the bat squrriel, enough said. Every day you need to be creative. To write research papers or to do other assignments you need to be creative to complete them. If you have a high creative intelligence you can come up with ideas to use at work depending on your career. Even if you want to go into business you have to come up with creative ideas to attract customers.

Before chapter ten I thought there is only one type of genius and that the person had to good at math and science. I then found out that there is more like eight areas were people can be considered a genius. One amazing thing is those that are mental challenged when it comes a majority of things can listen to a whole entire syphony and then play it back on a piano, even though they only listened to it once. I wish I could do that, it would take me forever to do that. Another example is that of the twins that can give you the years that easter was in March within a 8,000 year span (or something like that). One can tell the populations of all the cities in the United States over 5,000 people, or the exact distance from a town to it's capital. Yet he only has a vocabulary of 50 words. That is impressive, I'd love to see (or hear) anyone I know do that.

Another thing I learned was the teen from California who lost his eyes to cancer. He use echo-location to get around. He does this by making a clicking noise that bounces from objects back to his ears. The most intriging thing was the story when he was three that him and his mom were driving in a city. From the back seat he asked his mom if she saw the tall building. His mom was like I can see it but how can you (since he had his eyes removed when he was one or two years old). The sound of the cars around him sound different on the side with the tall building than the side with only cars.

Psych. Blog #9: Memory

Memory is almost everything. I say almost because not everything we remember is needed for our survival. Memory does however shape who we are. We remember who we are, the people we meet and see everyday, and what we learn day to day. What we chose to remember and what to forget shapes our life and who we choose to be. How we remember something makes everyone different from one another. I think that if we didn't remember any thing we wouldn't know who anyone is (including ourselves), where we are, what we're doing, or why any of this is taking place.

I truly believe it would suck to be Clive. To lose your memory and live second by second must be so confusing. His wife is in an awkward position. She seems intrigued by what he does and what he can remember. She handles it in a way that she is always there for him and talks to him even though he won't remember it in twenty seconds. I don't know what I'd do in her case. She brings he such great joy and he writes that he loves her it's so sweet. She is literally his world in what he remembers that he will right in his journal and will not cross it out. In his journally he puts the time when he writes and that he is truly awake or waking for the first time. The next time he crosses out what he previously wrote and writes it again with a different time and sometimes context. I am so glad I can remember the moments that I have in my life. I would be lost with out the jokes, conversations, decisions, and arguements that I remember. I cherish my memory and glad that I can remember what I just wrote about.

Where do I begin? I did know we could create memories that didn't exist; this being fact that I did a report on hypnosis previously in another class this year. I, however, didn't think to realize that when someone tells us we are right we believe that we are correct even when we are not. An example being with the eye witness video we watched when Jennifer though Ron Cotton was the one who raped her. Another thing I learned is that no matter how many times we see something we don't always remember completely. I took the penny quiz where you had to guess the actually US penny. I Knew that Lincoln is the only one of the coins (quarters, dimes, pennies, and nickels) that faces right so that ruled out all the one's facing left. It took me many tries to guess the the right penny because I don't totally remember where the words are placed on the front. I just looked at a penny two days before close up so that I could see Lincoln sitting in the Lincoln memorial on the back of the penny. This was also the day I realized that Lincoln faces the right. So this just proves that my memories are not as precise as I hoped for.

One concept I learned is that when you recognized someone it only takes between 15 to 30 seconds. I use this everyday when I see someone I haven't seen in a long time. Sometimes I don't remember their names, but I remember that I know them so hopefully that counts. I think about after I graduate and many years have past if I can remember my teacher through elementary through highschool. I don't want to not remember later who they are when I should have at least recognized them when I bump into them at a store or something. So I guess it will take me less than a minute to realize I know them for future referrence.

Psych. Blog Post #8

Classical conditioning is where the test object can link two or more circumstances together with certain events. An example of this would be that every time you said hello to a person you would hug them. After repeating this every time you see that person they would automatically expect a hug. Then one time say hello but don't give them a hug. They will be ready for a hug but will not receive. I think it would be funny if that person were to have there arms stretched out and you just stare at them like they're crazy and ask what they're doing. Operant conditioning is when reinforcers or rewards are given support good behavior and punishment for bad behavior. An example of this would be doing household chores, the reward maybe allowance and a punishment could be being grounded from the computer or cellphone. I believe that parents and teachers have used both types of conditioning, and until now I didn't know what it's called. In my house if I don't get good grades I can't hang out with my friends on weekends, and if I do get good grades I don't have as many restrictions, such as when to be home on the next day when I spend the night at a friends house. All of what I just stated is operant conditioning so of course it applys to my life. I think it's interesting how the different conditionings are named. What makes it classical conditioning? Who started calling it that?

Positive reinforcement is used to increase behaviors by presenting positive actions or rewards. Negative reinforcement is the is the increasing of behaviors by stopping or reducing negative actions. Punishment is an event that decreases the behavior that follow. A positive reinforcement is that my grandpa gives all his grandchildren a reward (usually money) for getting good grades, so I get good grades I get money. The money reinforces the good behavior for getting my good grades. A negative reinforcement would be my mother telling me what to stay away from, such as people that smoke or do drugs, or other habits that are not healthy. So her preventing me from involving myself with these people doesn't allow me to create a habit that could ruin me future. Punishment would be not being able to go to a friends house if I have assignments missing or if I didn't do my chores. The outcome would be me being bored at home with my parents watching TV that I fall asleep to.

One thing I learned is that rats can be trained to sniff out landmines. I believe this is a perfect example of how we can alter another's behavior. If the rat were to find a mine it is rewarded which is under the Continuous Reinforcement Principle. This is interesting because when I think of rats it reminds me of sewage and roting garbage instead of saving lives of soldiers. This doesn't change my view on anything because I still think rats are disgusting and I would scream if I say one. I wouldn't be thinking "Hey let's go train it to detect bombs" no I'd be thinking "How do I kill it?"

Psych. Blog #7

Sensations are what we see, hear, touch, and taste. The major sensations that we use the most is the ability to see and hear. We use sight to what is ahead of use when we are walking, running, and even driving. Being able to hear lets us communicate with each other and lets us know when something is approaching or going on around us when we can't not see it. We use the sensation of touch to feel the world around us. It lets us feel pain when we hit or bump into something. Blind people need to rely on there hearing and sense of touch, because not all objects make sound.
Perception is what we see in terms how far away someone is, how deep a hole is, and when we look at things that it is what we think it is. What I mean by what you think it as is that the brain's perception on an object may be off by how far away something is or the depth of it. The brain will try to complete the object or try to make sense of what is being seen when the object is in pieces and scattered or the picture is being blurred.

One thing I learned is that when the mind sees a two-dimensional objects it tries to put them together to make a three-dimensional object. This is interesting because when we see we see in what is considered 3d. This is due to the fact that each eye sees the same thing from different angles and when both eyes open and the image is combined it causes a 3d effect. I saw this demonstration on a show that was talking about a new 3d camera that is trying to create movies where the viewers don't need 3d glasses. They used a pencil and to hold the pencil at arms length away from you and to close each eye, one at time, and look at it. What you see both times is combined to make what you see with both eyes. This information only changes the way I think about things by having this new information in my mind and realize when I watch 3d movies how the idea came to be.

The article I found was "Psychology of Magic: 3 Critical Techniques." What it is about is that psychologists are trying to find new was of understanding the human mind. They found that magicians have been using mind-bending effects, manipulating people's expectations, and misdirecting their attention, and influence their decision-making. This all intrigues psychologists. The three techniques are psychological misdirection, cognitive illusions, and mental forcing. Psychological misdirection is when the magician points to an object to divert your attention there so that a trick may work. Cognitive illusions rely on manipulating the attention also. Mental forcing like used in card tricks make it inevitable to escape.

Psych. Blog 6#

From interviewing my step-grandmother I learned that times have really changed. We now have more things that we have and want. Which is a good thing because they can help with homework or communication, but also a bad thing for it makes us spoiled. One thing I wish still holds true now to as it did then is how they hang out with friends. They went to movies or to restaurants sure, but they also went for walks or bike rides more often. They were always outside. You don't see that much anymore with all the video games and television shows. I could see myself living back then. I would spend more time with friends and wouldn't have to worry about gangs or drugs. That wasn't around in her day, it makes life seem so much more simpler.

With the parenting adolescence I learned that it's highly normal for teens to become distant from their parents. My mother always made it seem like I was dissing her in some way by not talking to her as much any more. It's also good to know that it's normal to argue with your parents. I was told to never talk back to your parents. If I did it made me seem like the worst child ever, yet my siblings do it all the time now that they became teens. There's not that big of an age difference either, so I really don't get that. Do parents use different parenting styles on different siblings?

One thing I learned in chapter four that in an abusive type of relationship that women are just as likely to throw things or hit their partners as much as men. I'm not going to lie, some of my family and others I know were in abusive relationships. 95% of the time it was the guy being abusive. I know this because I witnessed some of the events, so this information actually surprises me.

Dealing with chapter five, and the videos that go along with it, I learned that babies are legally blind. Due to the cones in the back of the cornea babies are legally blind. Their eye sight is really bad that it takes a month just to see the outline of a face up close, and two months to actually start to take in facial features. Colors don't even develop until at least three months. It's unbelievable the amount of time it takes to see and learn. There was an example in one of the videos where there was this two year-old and this little replica of the room next door. There was a miniture Snoopy and toy Snoopy, and where ever the miniture Snoopy was placed in the replica room the bigger Snoopy was place in the same spot in the actual room. The lady giving the test kept reminding that big Snoopy was in the same spot as minature Snoopy. It took the two year-old looked three times for the Snoopy before she found it. The test was then done on a three year-old. The three year-old found it right away. Thats a whole year difference in age. What they got from this is that every young children think more than we do. I would have never thought that.

Psych. Blog #5

The first thing I learned in the chapter Nature, Nurture, and Human Diversity is that fraternal twins share no more dna than the average siblings. At first I thought they would share more genetics like identical twins. Seeing that they were created around the same time, but that's not the case. The reason I thought this at first was that I assumed fraternal twins came from the same egg like identical twins but they don't.

Another thing I learned was that british want more personal space. I know it's a weird thing to learn, but I always thought that most europeans, including the British, were some what in your face type of people when it comes to talking. The reason behind this is that I've heard people say that when they went to Europe the people get more into your personal space than the do here in the United States.

A third thing that I have learned is that even though women have double the vulnerability to depression and anxiety, men are four times more likely to commit suicide or have a greater alcohol dependency. You'd think since women are more prone to depression their rate of suicide would be larger than that of a male. Also on the debate on men versus women, men are more for a war than women. Explains why most of the more famous or bloody wars had men rulers. Not to discriminate against men or anything, I'm just stating my opinion.