by abby coutureAs a psychology student, I sometimes wonder whether my 6 years of learning about the intricacies of the brain and theories about human behaviour have had any negative consequences on my own mental health. One concern I sometimes hold is whether it has made me overly analytical, extra critical even, of my anxieties and mild traumas.
It seems, at times, that being a psychology student is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I do think learning about the brain and behaviour has empowered me to be more inquisitive and proactive about how I address my own cognitive distortions, biases, and personal anxieties. On the other hand, I worry that I take it too far to the point where I have now become biased toward my own maladaptive thinking. Sometimes, this lends itself to manifesting anxiety.
27 Comments
by lea satalaDoes being an artist mean you are “dysfunctional”? David Bowie thought so. In a video with over 1 million views, he explained that expressing oneself in an artistic way is a sign of certain social dysfunctionality, as it goes beyond the basic purpose of life – survival. Many artists could be great examples of the tormented creative genius. David Lynch, the director of Mulholland Drive, seems to be one of them. He blatantly rejected psychotherapy, stating his fear that it would affect his creativity. Both Bowie and Lynch were extremely creative and successful artists. They also agreed that there is a certain abnormality or pain in being an artist, adding a more practical insight to the “tortured artist” argument. The belief that creativity and genius go in pair with psychopathology has deep roots in Western Culture. Dating back to ancient philosophy, Aristotle (who lived in the 4th Century BC) attributed extraordinary talent to melancholic temperament (Becker, 2014). This concept is widely present in our everyday culture across various media. Schlesinger (2009) proposes that this concept demystifies geniuses and makes them more accessible. If talent comes at the price of abnormality or dysfunctionality, we are less likely to be envious of it. How valid is the “tortured artist” argument from today’s perspective? Is it a myth or truth?
by gabriela zurawowiczRefuge and asylum-seeking is a global issue in dire need of attention and, more importantly, realistic political action. The problem is not with the people who seek safety but with a common controversial response to their potential arrival (Ferwerda et al., 2017; Poushter, 2016). They are often labelled as unworthy of protection (Simeon, 2018), while great efforts are made, for example by European politicians and media, to employ tactics born from dehumanisation (Kirkwood, 2017; Berry et al., 2015; Ames, 2019), such as push-back – forced removal of people over a country’s border (European Center for Consitutional and Human Rights, n.d.). This is done on top of creating a divide between ‘us’ and ‘them’, which allows leaders to escape from the moral and legal responsibility to protect refugees and asylum-seekers (Kirkwood, 2017).
by sophia eliopoulosPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2017). In fact, one in thirteen adults will develop PTSD symptoms at some point in their lifetime (The Recovery Village, 2019). Intrusive symptoms may include re-experiencing the traumatic event through vivid nightmares, flashbacks or random thoughts (Van der Kolk, 2015). Since the classification of PTSD as a psychiatric disorder in 1980, research on the brain’s response to trauma has increased tremendously. This article will briefly outline the changes in brain functioning after a traumatic event, and discuss an interesting case study provided by Bessel van der Kolk in his book ‘The Body Keeps the Score’.
by ilse alfonsiDo you believe in horoscopes? The Barnum effect (sometimes referred to as the Forer effect) is a psychological phenomenon that suggests people tend to accept generic personality descriptions, such as horoscopes, as highly accurate and specifically relevant to their unique personalities (Fichten & Sunerton, 1983). This phenomenon was first noted by psychologist Bertram Forer (1949) when he gave psychology students a test and told them they would be given a personalised personality profile based on their results. In reality, they were given the same generalised Barnum profile, which included thirteen general statements such as “you are often critical of yourself,” “you have a lot of unused potential,” and “at times you are extroverted and sociable, while at other times you are introverted and reserved” (Rogers & Soule, 2009). Students considered their personality descriptions as very accurate even though they were all given the same exact profile. Horoscope writers, tarot card readers, and psychics employ similar tactics to convince others that they can predict their future (Ivtzan, 2007; Fichten, & Sunerton, 1983).
by ryan whalleyWe as humans pride ourselves on the belief that we are cunning, and that if needed to, we can tell a white lie and get away with it. Whether it be testifying that you didn’t eat that cookie or looking your teacher dead in the eye while proclaiming your math homework is complete when it’s actually at home, you could get away with it, right? The average person lies around 1.65 times per day (Saad, 2011). This behaviour may be fruitless labour, as there seem to be many indicators that we are not aware of when lying that might give the act away. In this article, I wish to highlight a number of these actions and the research behind them as well as the applications of having this knowledge, besides it being an entertaining party trick.
By eilidh mcnaughtonAn electroencephalogram (EEG) is a recording of brain activity where small sensors are attached to the scalp to pick up brain signals (NHS, 2022). More specifically, these sensors detect tiny changes in electrical voltage at the scalp surface caused by groups of neurons firing within the brain (Johnson & de Haan, 2015).
by eilidh mcnaughtonCan money buy happiness? Maybe, but in an unexpected way. Figuring out what Christmas presents to buy for your loved ones can be stressful, and buying gifts can also be expensive. However, gift-giving might be a good way to promote your own happiness, according to science.
by sophia eliopoulosHave you ever experienced a memory you were convinced was correct, but later found out it was actually false? The Mandela Effect is a phenomenon where a large number of people retain a memory of an event or fact, when actually it did not occur. (Cuncic, 2020). This phenomenon was first observed in 2009. Researcher and author Fiona Broome was at a conference speaking about how she remembered the tragedy of Nelson Mandela’s death in a South African prison in the 1980s. However, after some discussion with her peers at the conference, Broome realised that Mandela did not die in prison in the 1980s. He, in fact, passed away in 2013, 23 years after his release from prison (Cuncic, 2020).
by eilidh McnaughtonWhy do people care about justice? Why do people some people care about justice more than others? What do people consider as fair and unfair? These are some typical questions that psychological justice research has been exploring for many years. Research seeking to understand what underlies individual people's views of justice have mainly focussed on three topics: Justice motivations, personality traits, and the “moral self” (Gollwitzer & van Prooijen, 2016).
|