When I first heard about nature and nurture I thought of outdoors and animals for nature, and a mother caring for her child and people being there when tragedy or disasters strike when I thought about nature. My perspective had changed greatly. I learned that nature is similar to genes and that nurture is environments and together they shape our development.
One of the things I really thought were interesting were the twin studies. My favorite section was the one about separated twins. I liked the story about Jim Lewis and his twin brother Jim Springer who were identical twins that were separated at birth. They were adopted by blue-collar families and had no contact with each other for 38 years. The thing that really caught my eye was how they both had a son named James Alan, a faithful dog named Toy, liked woodworking, driving Chevys, watching stock car racing, and drinking Miller Lite beer. They also had similar voices which allowed them not to be able to tell each other apart on voice recordings.
The second thing I found interesting was on the section of evolutionary explanation of human sexuality. This section was a little intimidating and uncomfortable but somehow it caught my interest. It says that male and female eat the same foods, avoid the same predators, see, learn, and remember similarly, but when it comes to sex, things are different between a man and woman. Men desire more frequent sex, think more about sex, initiate more, and sacrifice more to gain sex. I found it disgusting and strange that in a study of half or more, the men agreed to go bed with a stranger whereas women didn’t.
Last but not least I found out that at all ages but mostly during childhood and adolescence we seek to fit in with groups and our subject to group influences. The things we do and choices we make are influenced more by our friends and people we hang around with. For example, some of the foods we eat, the words we say, and the decisions we make even the good or bad ones. When it comes to popularity or inventing styles of interaction we develop from people of our own age. Parents are more important though when it comes to education, discipline, responsibility and interacting with authority figures. Parents have a say in their children’s influence by selecting the child’s neighborhood and school. I think it also has to do with the amount of freedom your parents give you and how much they spoil you.
In twin studies they were many studies done involving identical and fraternal twins, separated twins, biological and adopted twins. The studies gave examples of how identical twins have same genes but not always the same number of copies and why one might be more at risk for more illness. It also showed how even though they shared the same placenta one might have a better nourishment. Fraternal twins develop from separate fertilized eggs even though they share a fertile environment they are genetically no more similar than ordinary brothers and sisters. It was cool how separated twins still had many things in common and how regardless of personality differences between parents and their adoptees, children benefit from adoption.
This shaped my thinking about nature and nurture when it said people with identical genes but with different experiences have similar but identical minds and how one twin might fall in love with someone completely different than the co-twin’s love.
When I listened to the Evolutionary Psychology and Sexual Attitudes video, I agreed when they said how men and women don’t look for the same qualities in a mate like they did in the older days because of how we evolved.
When I listened to the Natural selection and Evolutionary Psychology video, the part I found interesting was when he talked about adoption, and how many people adopt other peoples children, but how in nature the only way to “adopt” is to persway another animal to look after a child is to deceive it into thinking its their own.
Nature and nurture sound very interesting but it seems like there is a lot of information. How could one sum it all up?
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
"Thinking Critically"
Research is very important to everything I think. Research leads us to new discoveries all the time. It is used as a way for people to find more information on a subject. It allows us to go deeper into our studies to learn new things about something and can answer who, what, when, where, and why. Without research what would are world be like today? Research helped lead many scientists like Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin to huge discoveries.
From psyblog, I choose the article; “Why Groups Fail to Share Information Effectively.” In this article I found a few things interesting. Researchers Stasser and Titus found that when people are asked to make a group decision, they tend to repeat information that everybody already knows instead of sharing vital information known only to themselves. There are three points the show why it’s likely that people fail to share information that they only know. The three points are: memory, pre-judgments, and anxiety. How do these three things support their research? Well, it says for memory that shared information is likely to be brought up by someone, which gives a greater possibility that it will be brought up. For pre-judgments, it says that people usually only bring up information that supports their pre-judgments, and anxiety shows that people prefer to stick to repeating things that everybody already knows, because it seems easier and less stressful. As weird as it may be, other people tend to like them better. How is this relevant to my life? Well, after reading this article and highlighting the main points, I would have to say that I somewhat agree. For example; in school when we are doing projects that are suppose to teach the class new things, most of the things they say are already known. It may be that the things they are teaching us were taught from over the years so they said it because they heard it before. So, I think it goes along with this article because one may not want to tell someone new information, fearing that what they read or learned may have been interpreted wrong.
After reading chapter two, one of the things that caught my interest were the paragraphs pertaining to the question; “Is psychology free of value judgments?” I found out that psychology is not value-free. I’m not really sure what free of value judgment is, but I think its how people can view things differently and how the things we do differ from the way someone else would do the same task. I liked how the explanation gave a word for an example and how it’s positive and negative. An easy one to understand and the one I thought was pretty clever was the word Knowledge. The phrase was, “Knowledge, like all power, can be used for good or evil.” I agree, and believe that it is so true.
The second thing I learned or found interesting was the statistical reasoning in everyday life and how they talked about descriptive, correlation, and experimental research. I learned that a person doesn’t have to memorize complicated formulas to think more clear. I think this is important because people can learn from a simple way of learning thing just as well as a complicated way. I was a little confused though on the “point to remember” under that section. Is it saying that by applying more simple principles to life, it makes us smarter?
The last thing I learned in this chapter was that there are a lot of different ways to do experiments. There is the random assignment, the double-blind procedure, the placebo, the experimental group and the control group. I think it is very important to have different experiment groups because each one looks at different things and stuff in different ways.
In this chapter I took an interest in Illusory Correlations but was a little confused. Is it saying that when we vision something, but then it doesn’t end up how we like, we then make ourselves forget about it?
From psyblog, I choose the article; “Why Groups Fail to Share Information Effectively.” In this article I found a few things interesting. Researchers Stasser and Titus found that when people are asked to make a group decision, they tend to repeat information that everybody already knows instead of sharing vital information known only to themselves. There are three points the show why it’s likely that people fail to share information that they only know. The three points are: memory, pre-judgments, and anxiety. How do these three things support their research? Well, it says for memory that shared information is likely to be brought up by someone, which gives a greater possibility that it will be brought up. For pre-judgments, it says that people usually only bring up information that supports their pre-judgments, and anxiety shows that people prefer to stick to repeating things that everybody already knows, because it seems easier and less stressful. As weird as it may be, other people tend to like them better. How is this relevant to my life? Well, after reading this article and highlighting the main points, I would have to say that I somewhat agree. For example; in school when we are doing projects that are suppose to teach the class new things, most of the things they say are already known. It may be that the things they are teaching us were taught from over the years so they said it because they heard it before. So, I think it goes along with this article because one may not want to tell someone new information, fearing that what they read or learned may have been interpreted wrong.
After reading chapter two, one of the things that caught my interest were the paragraphs pertaining to the question; “Is psychology free of value judgments?” I found out that psychology is not value-free. I’m not really sure what free of value judgment is, but I think its how people can view things differently and how the things we do differ from the way someone else would do the same task. I liked how the explanation gave a word for an example and how it’s positive and negative. An easy one to understand and the one I thought was pretty clever was the word Knowledge. The phrase was, “Knowledge, like all power, can be used for good or evil.” I agree, and believe that it is so true.
The second thing I learned or found interesting was the statistical reasoning in everyday life and how they talked about descriptive, correlation, and experimental research. I learned that a person doesn’t have to memorize complicated formulas to think more clear. I think this is important because people can learn from a simple way of learning thing just as well as a complicated way. I was a little confused though on the “point to remember” under that section. Is it saying that by applying more simple principles to life, it makes us smarter?
The last thing I learned in this chapter was that there are a lot of different ways to do experiments. There is the random assignment, the double-blind procedure, the placebo, the experimental group and the control group. I think it is very important to have different experiment groups because each one looks at different things and stuff in different ways.
In this chapter I took an interest in Illusory Correlations but was a little confused. Is it saying that when we vision something, but then it doesn’t end up how we like, we then make ourselves forget about it?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Prologue
Before I opened up my Psychology book, I really didn’t have any idea what Psychology was all about. I mean, I knew it had something to do with humans and our brains, but I wasn’t really sure how everything fit together. After reading the prologue I now know that Psychology is about way more than just one’s brain. I found that Psychology deals with our emotions, individual differences, our responses, how we retrieve and process information, and how behavior and thinking vary with different situations and cultures around the world. I also learned the definition of Psychology which is; the science of behavior and mental process, which I never knew before.
I think Psychology is huge in our lives. Everybody around us is completely different. We all adapt in different ways to certain situations for example; someone who just moved from a small town to a larger one would probably adapt faster than a person moving from let’s say India to the United States, just because the change is way bigger. It would be harder to adjust to a new language, government and completely different culture, than getting use to a bigger surrounding within the same area. People also have different fears. One person may fear spiders, bugs, and snakes like a lot of people, or one might be different and fear dogs, birds, and cats; things that most of us have as pets. I think fears come from experiences and we only fear something because of our past, I don’t think people are born being afraid of certain things or afraid because of what they may have heard. I think fear just like likeness, comes from one’s own experience.
Just from reading the prologue and following along with the PowerPoint, I already found a lot of what I read to be interesting. One of the two things I learned and found interesting would have to be the need for Psychological Science. I learned about the limits of intuition and common sense and how one can never be sure, scientific attitude which is being open minded, having respect for evidence, suspended judgment, being honest, and being open to change ones own opinion. And I learned that the scientific method is the process to measure what is really happening. This interested me because it made me think of how these three topics really break down into different categories and how each is different, but at the same time all have to do with Psychology.
The second thing I remember learning about is that Psychology’s three main levels of analysis impact who we are. I thought about it and it makes sense. Biological, Psychological and Social Cultural influences all connect the behavior or mental process because each one involves either thinking out one’s next action or acting out in an external way to show our emotion.
I found the short clip for NPR to be very interesting. I can’t understand how only five numbers would make a difference in a person’s choice, but I guess it all kind of makes sense. Is it saying that people with more things to think about (numbers) don’t take or have the time to decipher the pros and cons of their decision? Thinking back to the second day of class, I remembered that we talked about our actions and if we have control of what we do. After listening to the NPR clip and thinking back on class, I find myself a little bit confused. I understand both discussions, and I have learned that we have a pretty good control over our decisions, but maybe not all of them all of the time. The thing that confuses or brings up a question, is why does our brain decide some things for us without us being able to control our actions?
While I was reading the prologue, a certain question didn’t really pop into my head. I’m really just excited to go deeper into Psychology. So far it seems very interesting!
I think Psychology is huge in our lives. Everybody around us is completely different. We all adapt in different ways to certain situations for example; someone who just moved from a small town to a larger one would probably adapt faster than a person moving from let’s say India to the United States, just because the change is way bigger. It would be harder to adjust to a new language, government and completely different culture, than getting use to a bigger surrounding within the same area. People also have different fears. One person may fear spiders, bugs, and snakes like a lot of people, or one might be different and fear dogs, birds, and cats; things that most of us have as pets. I think fears come from experiences and we only fear something because of our past, I don’t think people are born being afraid of certain things or afraid because of what they may have heard. I think fear just like likeness, comes from one’s own experience.
Just from reading the prologue and following along with the PowerPoint, I already found a lot of what I read to be interesting. One of the two things I learned and found interesting would have to be the need for Psychological Science. I learned about the limits of intuition and common sense and how one can never be sure, scientific attitude which is being open minded, having respect for evidence, suspended judgment, being honest, and being open to change ones own opinion. And I learned that the scientific method is the process to measure what is really happening. This interested me because it made me think of how these three topics really break down into different categories and how each is different, but at the same time all have to do with Psychology.
The second thing I remember learning about is that Psychology’s three main levels of analysis impact who we are. I thought about it and it makes sense. Biological, Psychological and Social Cultural influences all connect the behavior or mental process because each one involves either thinking out one’s next action or acting out in an external way to show our emotion.
I found the short clip for NPR to be very interesting. I can’t understand how only five numbers would make a difference in a person’s choice, but I guess it all kind of makes sense. Is it saying that people with more things to think about (numbers) don’t take or have the time to decipher the pros and cons of their decision? Thinking back to the second day of class, I remembered that we talked about our actions and if we have control of what we do. After listening to the NPR clip and thinking back on class, I find myself a little bit confused. I understand both discussions, and I have learned that we have a pretty good control over our decisions, but maybe not all of them all of the time. The thing that confuses or brings up a question, is why does our brain decide some things for us without us being able to control our actions?
While I was reading the prologue, a certain question didn’t really pop into my head. I’m really just excited to go deeper into Psychology. So far it seems very interesting!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Introduction
My name is Shannon Marie Harris. I am a sixteen year old Junior at Bruce High School. I live at home with my dad, mom, brother, and sister. At home I also have 2 dogs, 2 cats, a pony, and about 115 deer. My favorite subject in school is Chemistry. I just happen to love science! Once I graduate I plan to attend either UW Platteville or UW La Crosse in the field of Criminal Justice. At school I like seeing my friends and being involved with different clubs and sports. I'm actually very involved. I am the president of Soft Maple 4-H, the bulletin editor for Key Club, and the FFA reporter. I'm also in Science Olympiad, Student Council, FCA, and Track.
My life, friends, family, and my high school has shaped me as a person. Everyday people learn from their mistakes. Every year in high school I notice myself becoming more serious. I'm a well mannered student and I try hard at everything I do. I think the good choices I make and the people I am around have a big affect on me, and have made me what I am today. Setting goals and never giving up is one of my many characteristics.
If someone were to ask me what Psychology is, I wouldn't be able to give them a very good or correct answer. Honestly, I'm not really sure what Psychology is. I feel that it is important though, otherwise it wouldn't be taught. I'm excited to find out more about it. I think that it could be a very interesting subject. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have a deeper understanding of what Psychology is and why it is so important.
I know that Psychology has to do with people. I think it's a deeper understanding of how people think and interact with others though communication, sound, actions, etc. I think it is also has to do with our brains and how we think and how everybody is different. I'm not really sure though.
Reflective writing I think is going to be a weekly assignment on out thoughts on what we learned in the past week, what we read int he text book, class discussions, and everything that you have told us. I hope its similar to my reflections from my last moodle class. I just finished Family and Jobs. Our task was to keep a weekly journal reflection on moodle of what we all did and learned. We also had to start discussion topics along with replies to other students topics and their thoughts on different things. I thought it was pretty neat and a good way to see everybody's process. I think its a good way for us to highlight the important things that we got from the class.
The brain and the way it functions is so amazing and complex. It controls our whole body. I think Psychology shows us that we all are very free. We are free to imagine, think, say, and do anything we want. Everybody's brain in capable of so much. Everybody is full of tons of knowledge. I think Psychology gives us a chance to better understand it all, and a way to help others who may struggle with certain things in life.
My life, friends, family, and my high school has shaped me as a person. Everyday people learn from their mistakes. Every year in high school I notice myself becoming more serious. I'm a well mannered student and I try hard at everything I do. I think the good choices I make and the people I am around have a big affect on me, and have made me what I am today. Setting goals and never giving up is one of my many characteristics.
If someone were to ask me what Psychology is, I wouldn't be able to give them a very good or correct answer. Honestly, I'm not really sure what Psychology is. I feel that it is important though, otherwise it wouldn't be taught. I'm excited to find out more about it. I think that it could be a very interesting subject. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will have a deeper understanding of what Psychology is and why it is so important.
I know that Psychology has to do with people. I think it's a deeper understanding of how people think and interact with others though communication, sound, actions, etc. I think it is also has to do with our brains and how we think and how everybody is different. I'm not really sure though.
Reflective writing I think is going to be a weekly assignment on out thoughts on what we learned in the past week, what we read int he text book, class discussions, and everything that you have told us. I hope its similar to my reflections from my last moodle class. I just finished Family and Jobs. Our task was to keep a weekly journal reflection on moodle of what we all did and learned. We also had to start discussion topics along with replies to other students topics and their thoughts on different things. I thought it was pretty neat and a good way to see everybody's process. I think its a good way for us to highlight the important things that we got from the class.
The brain and the way it functions is so amazing and complex. It controls our whole body. I think Psychology shows us that we all are very free. We are free to imagine, think, say, and do anything we want. Everybody's brain in capable of so much. Everybody is full of tons of knowledge. I think Psychology gives us a chance to better understand it all, and a way to help others who may struggle with certain things in life.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
