31
Mar 17

Stimulus Overload In a Quiet Town, By: Kristen Jezek

Stimulus Overload in a Quiet Town
By: Kristen Jezek

Stimulus overload occurs when people are experiencing an overwhelmed nervous system to the point where they begin to shut out certain things in their environment to focus their attention (Schneider, 2012). It is easy to assume this type of overload is present only in major cities where people are flooded with traffic noises, commutes, excess of people and stimulating billboards, sounds, and smells. What people don’t realize about this type of stimulus overload is that it is not limited to overpopulated cities such as New York or Las Vegas. These distractions can occur in seemingly small towns where not much goes on. The tendency for human beings to start to shut out “unnecessary” stimuli when overwhelmed with information is beneficial for survival and quality of life, except for when it crosses the line to being blatantly ignorant to the needs of vulnerable people around us.

An example of this stimulus overload, even in regular everyday life can happen in something as innocuous as a snow storm. Recently there was a large snow storm in the Cleveland area (suburbs) and cars were trying to get to work during rush hour.  While the plow trucks knew that there was a storm coming, I don’t think they were prepared for as much snow came down, and not in this inopportune hour when so many cars were on the road.  With so much going on with people trying to pay attention to the roads, the cars in front of and behind them, and their impending work day, people undoubtedly experienced some stimulus overload.  There was a woman on the side of the road who had hit a tree and was sitting in her truck.  Perhaps because people were so busy and overloaded with stimuli, no one had attended to her for almost 30 minutes.  My boyfriend stopped his truck to make sure she was okay and simply walked up to check if she needed anything or if someone was on their way for her.  She said she had been sitting there for almost half an hour (with her young child in the backseat) and no one had stopped to check on her.  Furthermore, she had no cell phone with her and the police and road vehicles were distracted dealing with multiple accidents and road blocks due to snow.  Because she had hit her car on the tree, there could have been damage to her vehicle (which should be turned off to prevent further issues) or damage to her health or the health of her young son. After an accident, timing is of the essence and when you are stuck in the cold that window of time is even shorter. When he stopped to check on her, he let her use his cell phone and contacted the police to make sure they were on their way to help the young woman. If he had not stopped to check if she was alright, who knew how long she would have sat there with her infant son in the cold!  Being left in the cold in a smoking vehicle could have meant death for these two members of this town. In these cases, sensory overload can be incredibly damaging even in environments that are not constantly overloaded (such as cities).  Whenever a person is overwhelmed or even in an unfamiliar situation, stimulus overload can take over and valuable opportunities to help others can be hindered.

What can be done to deal with this type of stimulus overload? Firstly, understanding that to be overwhelmed with stimuli is not limited to big cities can help combat the situations where you find yourself burdened with multiple pulls on your attention. Furthermore, the prevalence of smart phones, radios, or unnecessary electronics or distractions should be eliminated so to make room for more important matters on attention, such as other people needing assistance or making sure you can pay attention enough to what you are doing to remain safe. With an ever-increasing media age, stimulus overload is possible everywhere with a click of a smart-phone device. The best offense in these situations is a good defense against the overloading stimulus of non-essential material. The difference in where you place your attention could literally be the difference between life or death for you or someone else.

Bibliography:
1) Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: Sage.


31
Mar 17

Community- Redefined

Defining community in today’s world can be challenging at best. Opportunities to relate and socialize were once pivotal points in both social/personal realms but also in the business world. Meeting the parents was a huge step and not a casual hello, closing a big deal included having the client over for a well prepared meal by your spouse, and Sundays were reserved for church picnics in some small towns. Not to say that these things don’t occur but not in the same capacity is a fair assumption. The underlying element to all of these situations were that of people coming together with a common goal, value, and philosophy otherwise community (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, 2012). Fast forward to decades later and we now are reaching for community without actually being together in the same room. A sense of community refers to the “degree in which community members feel as sense of belonging” (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, 2012, pp. 276). Today people relate to each other across locations and times through the internet, social media, and chat rooms. By being able to speak to each other without ever being together is impacting the world around and us.  This sense of community or belonging can only be superficial though as you are not there to hear the inflection in someone’s voice or read the physical cues mannerisms afford us. Another down side is people have a sense of anonymity that they can say whatever they want whenever they want with no accountability. This is a something we have to actively call out and help to eliminate. It has been done so by groups like, Anonymous, which are a group of hackers that electronically break into prominent people’s internet based private areas and expose things like affairs, leaks, and indiscretions. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in my opinion. But what about the upside? Because of technology today we are able to perform such a higher caliber of citizen participation and social action than before. “Citizen Participation is when people take active roles on issues that affect their communities” (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, 2012, pp. 277) Social action is best “described as a collective action in the community that generates the power to create change” (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, 2012, pp. 288). Excellent of positive examples of this are the push for Breast Cancer Awareness and Colon Cancer Awareness. Both of these two diseases still have no cure but by early detection a person can have better chances of survival and remission. This has been better made a part of everyone’s daily lives through our communities and social media spreading the word. Often you will see people sign up online for 5ks as a run-a-thon to donate funds to research. This not only benefits the victims of this disease but also encourages people to spend time together with a common goal while promoting health to all those running through exercise, mental health by the joy of doing something positive and spending time with others that want to make a positive change. This to me is present day creation of community. We can all challenge ourselves to go beyond this though. We can reach out to our neighbors, coworkers, and friends and create opportunities like BBQs and get togethers to share our time as our parents, grandparents, and the early generations once did. By reconnecting we can discover so many more benefits and rally behind programs and interventions that call for change like cures for disease, support of our emergency personnel, and fight disparities. This will help to build a better world and community both next door or with the person you are talking to through technology thousands of miles away. The real question is what are you waiting for?

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: Sage.


31
Mar 17

Math is for Girls

Much like Susan in our text, I can’t “do math.” I legitimately use my fingers for simple equations and need to use a paper and pencil or a calculator for anything more difficult than basic math facts. Luckily, Penn State urges their students to reach higher and encourages (forces) psychology students to take a course in statistics! So how does one student like myself get through her first statistics class after previously just getting by in a non-credit brush-up community college math class? Let’s find out.

Throughout elementary school and middle school, I took the most rigorous courses in my grade level including math. I had always done well in all academic areas and felt good about going to school, taking tests, and learning all I could about everything. Through my last year or so of middle school things began to change. I got older and wanted to do things with friends that cost money. My new step-dad wanted me to like him, so he started rewarding me for good grades. $50 for every A, $20 for a B, and nothing else for any other grade. Looking back, although I had tons of cash, I realize that this type of reward system made me lose much of my intrinsic motivation to do well in school. The truth is that math did become more difficult for me as I entered high school, but nothing that I couldn’t have done well in if I tried. But because of the overjustification effect, or losing my motivation to push myself (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012), I stopped overachieving and took the easy way out—still doing well enough to earn the cash but not pushing myself to my fullest potential. I got lazy.

Additionally, I was also the product of a society in which we tell girls that “math is for boys” and it was acceptable to be “bad at math” because everyone with a pony tail should be. In terms of self-determination theory, I fell prey to societal gender norms and didn’t feel like I could be, or should be, different (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). But school wasn’t the only place gender norms were taught. “We’re just better speakers. And writers. And helpers!” was my mother’s mantra when I would bring home a dismal math grade. My parents didn’t question why my math grades plummeted because it was expected and acceptable. So I continued on.

At this point, my academic self-concept was shoddy at best, even though I still maintained fairly decent grades in other subjects. I hated going to school and my belief that I’m going to test horribly helped to perpetuate the self-fulfilling prophecy that was my downward spiral of an academic career. The most distressing obstacle I faced was that since I was 8-years-old I had my heart set on being a Marine Biologist. But guess what subject you need to be strong in to become a scientist? You guessed it! Math. I threw away my dream (even though I do extremely well in science-based courses) and decided that I should become a helper, because that’s what girls who can’t do math do.

So here I am, a psychology student at Penn State, who yet again is faced with the dreaded numbers game. I just wanted to be a helper. Nevertheless, I persisted (yep, I went there), and prepared myself to do terrible in my class. Then it hit me! Why not prepare myself to do well in the class? Clearly anyone else with a PSU degree has gotten through statistics, and I’m a smart girl. I thought to myself, I can do this! I took a risky move, skipping over Intro to Stat and jumping head first into Elementary Statistics (yes, that’s a 200 level statistics course for someone who doesn’t “do math”). More importantly, I took an objective look at myself. I recognized that I’ve self-handicapped, or found a way to make excuses for my failures, oftentimes in my past (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). I’ve waited until it was past my bedtime to work on homework, excusing my bad grades because I was “too tired.” I’ve made other class deadlines more important than math because “I’ll actually use this in real life.”  I pledged not to do that anymore. Instead, after work I asked my parents to watch my daughter so I could devote at least an hour every evening to studying. I took initiative and reached out to a tutor early. When the tutoring didn’t go well, I asked my professor to meet with me every Thursday because I still wasn’t understanding. I kept at it, and my hard work payed off. I finished the class with an A! Just kidding. I got a C+ and failed all of my proctored exams, but I did well enough on my homework assignments (with my professors help) to get the statistics credit I need to graduate.

Even though math really isn’t my strongest subject, I do know that I am tenacious and goal-oriented and, with enough hard work, can succeed in any situation that comes my way. Which is good, because I’m taking my last math class this semester and can really use the pep talk!

 

 

 

References

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications


29
Mar 17

The Bystander Effect Should Start to be taught in Elementary School

In this week’s lesson we read about the bystander effect and the factors that inhibit people to help in emergency situations (Latane & Nida, 1981). I feel like we could tie this week’s lesson in with last week’s lesson on applied social psychology in education because school bullying has become an emergency situation in this day and age. In my blog last week I discussed the situation of my son being beat up at recess. I mentioned how there were three teachers present, not to mention the three different 5th grade classes that were outside for recess together, and not one single person noticed or stopped the fight or tried to intervene in anyway.

The other students present during the situation at recess, being 5th graders (10-11years old), I could understand that they would be unaware of the bystander effect or the factors that inhibit their willingness to help. As a matter of fact, I know that the kid who was beating up my son had friends nearby that witnessed the fight and when asked about it said that they thought my son and their friend was just playing tag. Of course they said this in defense of their friend. My son’s friends were not present and did not witness the fight; therefore my son had no one defending him and his side of the story. However, the teachers that were present on the other hand are a different story; you would think that somewhere in their educational journey to becoming a teacher, or even as an adult, they would have heard of the bystander effect. When I contacted the school about the incident the first thing I experienced from them was diffusion of responsibility. Immediately they put it all on my son saying that it is his responsibility to report the incident. His homeroom teacher, which was one of the ones “monitoring” recess during the incident, tried diffusion of responsibility by saying that she couldn’t see everything that was going on at every moment, implying that someone else should have, or might have, seen it happening. She also tried saying that she never noticed the very obvious black eye my son had by the end of the day, did she purposefully not look at him? This would be exhibiting Milgram’s second way of psychological retreating by prioritizing what we pay attention to as to avoid lower priority things, such as avoiding looking at my son’s face knowing he got hit but not wanting to have to deal with the situation (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).

Either way, I feel one possible intervention strategy to help reduce bullying could be to start incorporating lessons on the bystander effect and the factors that inhibit people to help in emergency situations in elementary school. I feel this would bring about more awareness and action at a younger age that could potentially start nipping bullying in the butt. I also feel this would be a good way to engage teachers as well to help intervene in bullying situations instead of just waiting for the child to report it (which we know rarely happens due to the fear of retaliation). What are your thoughts on this intervention? Do you feel it would be feasible? Obviously the intervention program would be modified to be geared more toward elementary aged children and bullying situations more so than like using the example of Kitty being murdered.

References:

Latané, B., & Nida, S. (1981). Ten years of research on group size and helping. Psychological Bulletin, 89(2), 308-324. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.89.2.308

Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A. & Coutts, L.M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology (2nd ed.): Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Thousand Oaks, CA. SAGE Publications, Inc.


27
Mar 17

I Am My Home

Why is it that when you first meet someone you always follow a subset of questions and it’s almost this conversation exactly: ‘what’s your name’ then followed by ‘where are you from’. Why does where you are from matter? Is it to see if you have something in common? Or perhaps it’s to just strike up a conversation? Theory states that where you are from (or claim to be from) says more about you than anything else.  For instance, I am a small-town girl from a beach town in coastal North Carolina. According to a study mentioned by Colin Ellard, “more introverted student participants reported that they preferred scenes of mountains to scenes of beaches” (Ellard, 2015). So according to this I should be an extrovert, right?

In our text (chapter 12) Lafreniere, Page, and Senn mention a theory called person-environment fit. This means that depending on where people live, they will normally act and react differently than one another(Lafreniere, Page, & Senn, 2012). I had never thought about this but I can now understand how people are different. For example, living on the east coast my whole life people often make fun of people from California because they do things the ‘cali-way’. Is there some truth to this? Well according to person-environment fit then yes. People from California are going to be different in attitude and personality than people from eastern North Carolina.

I always knew that people in different geographical locations were different (besides the typical race, religion, and cultures) but I never knew how or why. Colin Ellard poses a question that I think we can all afford to ponder, “Do environments that are conducive to quiet reflection actually change the personalities of their residents, or do more introspective types gravitate to such environments because they feed deep needs for the kinds of situations that are most adaptive for those individuals?” (Ellard, 2015). Did I stay on the coast because I am a people person or am I a people person because I grew up on the coast? Think about where you live. What drew you to that location? Was it close to shops you like or to work? Is it quiet like you like? Maybe it’s near a landmark you like to frequent? So why do we really move to certain places?

Nancy Schlossberg makes another good point about how our environment feeds into our other emotions such as happiness and stress. She discusses that in some locations you may feel one way while a different way in another location. More specifically, people in Sarasota, FL feel young at 50 but people of the same age feel old in Rockford, IL (Schlossberg, 2011). Why is that? More people go to Sarasota to retire than they do in Rockford. Therefore the community in Sarasota is more retirement friendly and has more elderly based activities making the community members feel more comfortable and at home. So, if we live in a community that makes up feel welcome and in turn we are happier, what about living somewhere with higher stress?

A study was done to determine mental health status (measured by paranoia) in lower class neighborhoods. Which leads us back to the chicken or the egg scenario, Alexandra Sifferlin says “…whether the connection was due to people reacting to the environment around them, or because those who are generally less trusting were more likely to live in troubled areas” (Sifferlin, 2014). The researcher questioned residents of two neighborhoods (low status high crime and high status low crime) and just as would be assumed, those in the high crime area harbored more feelings of paranoia and lower levels of social trust compared to the residents of the other neighborhood. This held true in the participants in the study who walked these neighborhoods for one hour.

Circling back to person-environment fit, people in low income areas would typically encounter more stressors and be subjected to harder environments than the high income areas. Is this why we want to know where people are from? Subconsciously do we ask people where they are from to get a feel for the ‘type of person’ they could potentially be? I think, in a way, we do. Whether people want to admit it or not we judge people based on where they currently live or grew up or traveled to, etc. It could be a judgment of disapproval or even envy but there is also a type of judgment when telling people where you are from.

 

References

Ellard, C. (2015, August 19). Does Where You Live Make You Who You Are? Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mind-wandering/201508/does-where-you-live-make-you-who-you-are

Lafreniere, K. D., Page, S., & Senn, C. Y. (2012). Applying Soical Psychology To Community. In F. W. Schneider, J. A. Gruman, & L. M. Coutts, Applied Social Psychology (pp. 273-296). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

Schlossberg, N. K. (2011, May 7). Location, Location, Location—You Are Where You Live. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/transitions-through-life/201105/location-location-location-you-are-where-you-live

Sifferlin, A. (2014, January 14). You Are Where You Live: How Dangerous Neighborhoods Make You Feel Paranoid. Retrieved from TIME: http://healthland.time.com/2014/01/14/you-are-where-you-live-how-dangerous-neighborhoods-make-you-feel-paranoid/

 

 


27
Mar 17

Effects of Expectation on Academic Achievement

This week’s topic of applying social psychology to education is one of the more important subjects to read and know about in my opinion. A good education is the very tool that allows us to be able to overcome a lot of the obstacles that we face in life, by allowing us to know right from wrong, to be able to make informed decisions about the next right step for us.

I was raised in a family that stressed the importance of education from early on in my childhood – so I grew up with the notion that continuing to a getting a higher education was a must for my brother and I. Although this upbringing has allowed me to be the person I am today, it also meant that my family, especially my father, had very high expectations of me. I do believe that his high expectations are what instilled a sense of mastery and achievement in me in high school, and not to toot my own horn, but I did very well in high school—I was an A student, involved in extra curricular activity, president of student council and so on. This expectation of me to go above and beyond did not only come from my family, but also from my teachers. A lot of my teachers expressed quite regularly to me about their approval of my work and how they expect me to do well on future assignments. They did pay particularly more attention to my and a couple other student’s progress in the courses. I was known as the ‘teacher’s pet’ all throughout high school, and was not particularly liked by my classmates. In retrospect, I did not know how this ‘special’ treatment could have had an effect on my academic achievement and the effects it could also have on the other students’ learning experience.

This week’s reading highlighted an experiment conducted by Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) that highly resonates with my high school experience. The impetus behind Rosenthal and Jacobson’s Pygmalion in the Classroom experiment was their observation that teacher’s had higher expectations for the achievement of good students, and wanted to explore whether this expectation could have an effect on the students’ academic performance (Schneider et. al., 2012). Rosenthal and Jacobson told teachers at the beginning of the school year that some of their students showed above-average potential, which they labeled as ‘bloomers’. In reality, the ‘bloomers’ were a group of students that were randomly selected at so did not show more potential than the other students in the class. The results at the end of the school year revealed that the students who the teachers thought were ‘bloomers’ showed significant increases in their IQ scores in comparison to the other students (Schneider et. al., 2012). Rosenthal and Jacobson suggested that the reason that these group of students thrived is because their teachers began to treat them differently when they believed that they were ‘bloomers’ – the teachers gave more attention, support and encouragement to these students, gave them more challenging material, provided them with more feedback (positive and negative) and allowed them to have more opportunity to participate in class. This ‘special’ treatment allowed this group of students, who were on average no different than the other students, to go above and beyond. The teachers did not change their treatment of the bloomers on purpose though, but fell prey to the self-fulfilling prophecy – which states that having expectations about another person will influence how you perceive and behave towards the person (Schneider et. al., 2012).

This experiment allowed me to think about my own academic experience in a new light, and made me realize that both my parents’ and teachers’ expectations and treatment of my academic life contributed to my success in that area. What could have happened is that I responded to my teachers’ high expectations of me by becoming more interested in succeeding and working harder, which could have in turn been cause for my teachers to invest even more time and energy in my schoolwork.

Knowing that the expectations of parents and teachers could have a pivotal impact on a child’s learning experience, both parents and teachers have to be aware that the same amount, or probably even more, attention needs to be geared towards students who seem to be lacking motivation and need an extra push to be able to reach their potential. Of course the teachers don’t intentionally provide special treatment to students who they perceive as ‘bloomers’, but by making this notion more salient, it could potentially allow them to be aware of their behavior, and make adjustments in order to provide every student in the class with the same opportunity to succeed and thrive.

Thank you for reading,

Hilda

References:

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications


26
Mar 17

Violence in Schools: What is going on?

Within the past decade, there have been numerous horrific incidents in the one place where children should feel safest; their schools. School shootings are undoubtedly tragic, and it leaves many questioning where this brutal violence is coming from. Just since 2013, over 200 school shootings have occurred in the United States (Everytown Research, 2017). Some of these shootings are reported as being accidental, while many report the perpetrator was intentionally attempting to cause harm. The accessibility and availability to guns is a contributing factor as to why these tragedies occur, but the focus of this blog will mostly be shifted towards the psychological reasoning behind violent and aggressive behavior.

Aside from shooting-related incidents in schools, violence is also present in bullying and cyberbullying. In general, bullying involves the use of physical violence while cyberbullying typically relies on psychological harm. Bullying itself is a violent behavior that is frequently exhibited in aggressive students, but can also lead the victim of the bullying to engage in self-harm or in some cases commit suicide. Cyberbullying has already claimed the lives of many innocent children and adolescents. With stakes as high as the safety of children’s lives, it is critical that we figure out what is going on in order to reduce violence in schools, and ultimately protect the students in attendance.

Aggressive behavior in children and adolescents is an issue that has been comprehensively studied. There are many possible explanations as to why young people display aggression, but intrapersonal and interpersonal variables must both be considered (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). An individual’s experiences within their home, school, family, community, and peer groups are all factors that contribute to how their behavior is formed. Biological influences, including temperament, are also important to consider when studying an issue such as aggression. The interactions between all of these factors provide the most thorough and accurate explanations for the causes of violent behavior. Researchers rely on this multilevel approach in order to understand the psychological development of aggression.

The environment that is created in a school setting is very significant in how the students attending that school behave. Moral climate is a term that explains how a student’s understanding of the appropriateness of aggression is formed by the beliefs of their classmates and teachers (Schneider et al., 2012). In other words, students learn what is considered appropriate regarding aggression by their pupils and teaching authorities. If a particular class has a very submissive teacher that allows for aggressive behavior with little punishment, as well as having aggressive students, remaining individuals will likely act more aggressive in that class. A study by Henry (2001) sought to understand how social processes in the classroom may be influential on aggressive behavior in children. He found that children do not perceive the level of aggression by the actual aggressive behavior, rather their expectations of how they should behave were associated with their own aggressive behavior (Schneider et al., 2012). Students were also motivated to sustain from aggressive behavior if aggressive students were punished or unpopular. When it comes to the school environment, an individual is likely to form ideas of what is appropriate versus inappropriate regarding aggression from their pupils and teachers. This information suggests that teachers must take this problem seriously, and be consistent when punishing aggressive behavior and rewarding good behavior.

Regarding life at home, a child that is exposed to family members with a history of substance abuse, domestic violence, and other types of family dysfunction have a greater risk of developing aggression (Schneider et al., 2012). When family members engage in this type of behavior, it becomes normalized for the child that is exposed to it. The child will begin to understand this problematic behavior as being normal, therefore increasing the chance they will behave similarly. It is common that students that hit, punch, and kick other students were either abused themselves, or witnessed abuse happen to another family member. This is no accident either. These two occurrences are highly correlated with one another, and is supported by social cognitive learning theory. This theory states that a child learns behaviors through the observation of others that aggressive behaviors can result in desirable or undesirable outcomes (Schneider et al., 2012). Not only does this observation allow the child to perceive aggression as normal, but it also allows them to see potential rewards for engaging in aggressive behavior. This suggests that home interventions may be necessary for certain students that exhibit violent behavior and aggression, largely in part of their familial experiences.

The community in which a child is brought up in can also be responsible for the formation of aggressive and violent ideals. Subculture theory suggests that a community with a history of violence and aggression will continue to contain individuals that behave similarly because the individuals of that community perceive the behavior as normal (Schneider et al., 2012). This theory is also similar to social cognition learning theory, which suggests children develop an understanding of what is normal through the observation of others. Community then becomes a significant aspect of understanding aggression and how it forms. Reformation within the community may lead to positive changes regarding aggression and violence.

Now that some of the important causes of youth aggression have been discussed, what can be done to decrease violence in schools? Some suggest prevention programs be implemented that address issues such as school environment and practices, academic performance, behavior management techniques, and academic climate and expectations (Schneider et al. 2012). A student’s school environment has been proven through various studies to have direct effects on what children understand as inappropriate aggression. Increased adult supervision as well as a no tolerance policy for inappropriate aggression are both useful measures to take in helping solve this problem. Students who do not perform well academically may become aggressive out of frustration. Teachers should work especially hard with these students to ensure that they are getting a proper education, and do not feel stressed about their schoolwork to the point of becoming violent. Behavior management techniques may be useful for obvious reasons. Meaningful assemblies about the harmful effects of violence, bullying, aggression, etc. should occur at least twice during the school year, and additional information about these problems provided in classes would be beneficial as well. Students who are prone to engaging in aggressive behavior should be required to see the school counselor to work out the problem with a trained professional. By understanding the causes of youth aggression we come one step closer in reducing violence in schools, and by taking these preventative measures we come closer in hopefully eliminating it.

 

References

Everytown Research (2017). The long, shameful list of school shootings in America. Retrieved from http://everytownresearch.org/school-shootings

Henry, D.B. (2001). Classroom context and the development of aggression: The role of normative processes. In F. Columbus (Ed.), Advances in psychology research. Huntington, NY: Nova Science.

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: Sage.


25
Mar 17

For a Readers’ Badge: Intervention for My First Grader’s Reading Skills

One day, my seven year old son came home from school pretty upset and said he did not want to go school next day. Why? What happened? He loved school; only a few weeks ago, he was upset that he could not go to school because of strep throat, and he recently received a mastery award in math and a music award from school. I thought he was doing well at school, but why now? I was panicking in my head to the extent which I could not formulate a coherent sentence. After taking a deep breath, I asked him what happened. He told me it was because he did not get a readers’ badge but a lot of his friends got one each. He also added that his teacher gave special coupons to those kids with badges to bring stuffed animals to school. He continued to tell me, “I’m not good at reading, mom. I can’t read many books that fast. They’re boring.” As I was listening to his rants, I knew we had to fix the problem now otherwise it would create other possible problems as he ages.

The part he said that he was not good at reading was hard for me to understand since we read at least three nights a week together before bed. He often talks about characters from the stories he read with me for days, thus, he knows the joy of reading books. Then why does feel like he is inept to read at school? One study notes that children are motivated by many factors including both intrinsic and extrinsic. In other words, children are motivated to read for their own interest or fun as well as to gain recognition or a reward (McGowen et al. 2016). My son appears to have both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation to read, but why is it difficult for him to meet the goal to receive the badge? Perhaps, it can be explained by Festinger’s social comparison theory (Schneider et al., 2012).

According to Festinger, we tend to judge our performance in comparison with those who are similar to us in our environment. It is not an exception for my son; he may have compared himself to other children in his class. When one of his friends got the badge first, downward social comparison may have occurred to make him feel better about his status. When more children got the badge, upward social comparison did not occur but he may have experienced less confidence in his reading ability (Schneider et al., 2012). As Keil, McClintock, Kramer, and Platow concerned, a repeated lack of improvement in performance may influence an individual to experience less confidence, lose motivation, and experience low feelings of self-worth (Schneider et al., 2012). When he sees more children in his class getting badges, he is feeling less confident in reading and now believing that he is just not good at reading. Another important factor is teacher’s perception and expectation on low achievers. I would like to believe that my son’s teacher is doing the best she can to help him improve his reading aptitude, yet a self-fulling prophecy cannot be negated in this situation. According to Schneider and his colleagues, low achievers are more susceptible to what their teachers thought of them and expected from them (Schneider et al., 2012). Does she unconsciously have certain expectations about my son that influence her behavior toward him? Maybe so, but it cannot be confirmed as she may not be consciously aware of her behaviors.

Then, what can I do to help my son improve his reading? Now that we have a distal goal, proximal goals should be set to cultivate competence and self-efficacy. According to Bandura and Schunk, proximal goals have three major psychological effects: 1) self-motivation can be created and sustained at its best by attaining proximal goals that lead to larger goals, 2) proximal goals provide immediate incentives and feedbacks for the performance, and 3) they play an important role in development of self-percepts of efficacy (Bandura & Schunk, 1981). How the proximal goals work is similar to what objectives do to attain goals of an intervention in applied social psychology. First proximal goal is to have him expose to different types of literature to broaden his interests. Since one of the complaints he had about reading was that he only wanted to read books that he liked, we will visit a local library where he can be exposed to different genres of books that may pique his interests. For a long time, he was a big fan of Dr. Seuss series, then he was introduced to the National Geographic for Kids which he loves reading about animals. Therefore, I think the library visit will be a great opportunity for him to find different genres of books that he may like. We are planning to pick out three fiction, three non-fiction, and one of his choice. The second goal is to increase his reading speed. Within 30 minutes, he will be reading as many books as possible. He is currently expected to read one or two books based on his past performance, but the goal is for him to read three twenty-or-less-page books for the first graders. Followed by reading, we will be having a short discussion on the books to help him identify main ideas and morale of the stories. By improving his speed with better accuracy of comprehension, he will be likely to be confident in reading among his peers, and recognition from his teacher may reinforce his behavior further.

Bandura and Schunk noted that children are likely to progress rapidly in self-directed learning, achieved mastery of a subject, and increase their perceived self-efficacy by setting and attaining proximal goals (Bandura & Schunk, 1981). I can only hope that this strategy may help him increase his perceived self-efficacy that will not be altered when he is faced with new challenges in the future. And of course, he will be getting the readers’ badge before the end of the school year as it is his distal goal. After devising this strategy, I realized that my own self-fulfilling prophecy influenced the strategy a lot which I believe the most important for my child. Regardless of factors that may have contributed to his reading experience, my belief that he is a good reader that needs a bit of guidance may improve his reading skills at school and later in his life based on the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy (Schneider et al., 2012).

 

Refences

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: Sage.

Bandura, A., & Schunk, D. H. (1981). Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41(3), 586-598. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.41.3.586

Mcgeown, S. P., Osborne, C., Warhurst, A., Norgate, R., & Duncan, L. G. (2016). Understanding children’s reading activities: Reading motivation, skill and child characteristics as predictors. Journal of Research in Reading, 39(1), 109-125. doi:10.1111/1467-9817.12060


25
Mar 17

Racism is Learned at an Early Age

Racism Learned

“New research suggests prejudices may form at a much earlier age, but also offers hope that biases can be unlearned (Boston Globe, 2012).”

            Discriminatory and racial behavior may be learned in children as young as three years old, according to Mahzarin Banaji (a psychologist, brain researcher, and racism and physical prejudice expert from Harvard University).  Children are quick to demonstrate racist behavior and form connectivity between negative biases following exposure to episodes of discrimination.

Banaji performed a study which analyzed these perceptions in which scientists revealed how kids and adults reacted to indistinctive faces.  The pictures of faces ranged in skin tone from very light to brown, in which the kids indicated whether they were happy or angry.  There were 263 subjects classified as children (ages 3 to 14).  Consequentially, the faces that could be presumed as white or black were shown to the young subjects.  As a result, the children indicated that the faces that seemed “black” or “Asian” seemed angry, compared to the faces that they considered to be “white” were happy (unveiling the white children held a pro-white bias).  Furthermore, a group of black children did not present any bias toward white or black facial expressions.

Will prejudice behaviors that children learn at a young age stick with them in future adulthood?   The biggest influence of this factor is how a child analyzes in-group and out-group biases, in which “in-group members tend to evaluate and relate to the in-group favorably and to the out-group less favorably (Schneider, 2011).”  The key component that is necessary for children to understand diversity is to observe different groups interrelating in a balanced and positive nature.  Exposure to diversity throughout their lifespan will express that there are more important qualities that define someone other than the color of their skin, physical features, expressions, ethnicity, or gender (Boston Globe, 2012).

Learned racism is the outcome of how often an individual is personally exposed to how dissimilar cultures and races of people interact with one another.  The development of negative intergroup attitudes allows us to identify the causal effect of role structure and self-identity of oneself to other groups.  In conclusion, improved relations and withheld judgments may occur if a child observes positive interactions and attitudes among diverse groups.

 

 

 

APA CITATIONS:

James H. Burnett III Globe Staff. (2012, June 10). Harvard researcher says children learn racism quickly – The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 25, 2017, from https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/06/09/harvard-researcher-says-children-learn-racism-quickly/gWuN1ZG3M40WihER2kAfdK/story.html

 

Schneider, Frank W., Gruman, Jamie A.,Coutts, Larry. M. (2011). Applied Social Psychology: Intervention And Evaluation (Second Edition., PP. 7).

 

 

 


25
Mar 17

Observation and Application

Education is by no means the least stressful event that occurs throughout our lives. From elementary school until university, there are so many expectations that are held. Not only are we fighting ourselves academically, but as growing adolescents, some of us experience unpleasant periods of rebellion, confusion, and even peer pressures or social alienation.

This week we paid great attention to the different issues and theories that undermined the learning experience. I have always been fascinated by Albert Bandura. To me, his name is as familiar as Sigmund Freud throughout my undergraduate psychology journey. He seemed like a very reasonable and intelligent man. I would love to have held a conversation with him and picked his brain.

If you can think back to most circumstances in your life, observing was how you were able to form ideas about the unknown. As an infant, we exist in the world to learn. We have no prior knowledge of what things are or what they mean. We rely on observation of those around us to learn the basics of life. Even as small children, we go into environments (i.e. school) were interactions with others are observed and encoded into us. First, we form the opinion of what is right and wrong by watching others that we see most similar to ourselves. Second, people respond to the imitated behavior we pick up with either reenforcement or punishment. Third, we observe how others are treated when they do the behavior and whether or not we should imitate it, which is also known as vicarious reenforcement (McLeod, n.d.).

These observations that we pick up can be in terms of educational content or in behavior as the way we treat others and handle situations.

This expands beyond school as well. Even as emerging adults and adults today, we still rely on observation as a main form of learning. Imagine landing a new job. During training, you are paired with an individual that management sees as a superb worker that represents the company in the best possible way. By pairing you with this individual, they hope that you will observe them and pick up their good habits and general understanding of how things work. This can be the same in educational settings. I remember, in middle school specifically, our science teacher was really good at pairing students for labs and projects. Our groups ranged from two to four individuals, but the complexity of material understanding within the group was always on varying parts of the spectrum. Our teacher was really great about finding films that related our information to things we understood. During different important aspects of the lesson’s learning, those who understood it best were able to have the opportunity to go in front of the class and explain or demonstrate to the class their knowledge and at the end of the semester, there was a prize you could win. It was nerve wrecking at the time, but thinking back on it, it allowed us to view the way the examples were given in the film, apply it, try it, and then share it with others. I would like to think that this is a subtle relation to social learning theory, but only in one small part of what it means.

 

References

McLeod, S. (n.d.). Bandura – social learning theory. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html


24
Mar 17

Power of Academics

I have only lived through the educational system one time, and that has just been through my personal experience going to school as an only child. However, relating back directly to social psychology, it is interesting to observe different motivational drives and ambition (or lack of) that different friends in my friend group had compared to one another.

Specifically, one of my best friends growing up was known to be very intelligent. She seemed to study very hard for any exam or quiz; similarly, always getting phenomenal grades. Even when she wasn’t studying as much as other friends of hers would, she still would achieve some of the highest grades in her class. A vivid memory I have of her is when we both were in the 3rd grade, had just received our scores from the spelling exam the week prior, and she was crying next to the side of our classroom outside. I ran up to her and asked her what the matter was, and she refused to tell me what was going on. I begged her to let me know why she was so upset, and she simply handed me back her graded spelling exam – she received a 17/20. I asked her why that upset her, as a B was a good grade and something to be excited about. She was sobbing so much that she could barely breathe, and she said it was one of the worst grades she had ever received. This situation seemed to greatly devalue my friend’s academic self-concept. Meaning, her views on her own success and abilities seemed to be threatened, hurt or somehow misaligned from how she previously viewed herself (Schneider & Gruman, 2012). Her self-confidence and self-esteem had been substantially depleted because of her results; amplifying the pressure she felt to do better on her next go around. In that moment, I wondered why she put so much pressure on herself to achieve flawless grades. As time continued, her behavior relating to schoolwork stayed similar. She always had about a 3.90 GPA, and went on to attend UC Berkeley and received a B.S. in Anthropology. Though we grew up four streets away from each other and attended identical elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools, our “social norms” or expectations were surprisingly very different.

This reminds me of the theory of planned behavior, drawing back to influences from (a) personal attitudes, (b) subjective norms and (c) a person’s intentions to behave in a certain fashion. My friend had adhered to having attitudes that required flawless grades, participation, and attendance (and were even present in elementary school). Though subjective norms are typically looked at on a more collective scale, I think that familial contributions would fall into this category. The pressure that my friend faced to do well in school, since both of her brothers suffered from learning disabilities, more than likely amplified the pressure she felt to succeed and live up to the dreams her mother had wanted for her.

It’s interesting to see how much of someone’s self-concept and self-esteem is composed of educational background and academic success. In our society, and as many people state, “a bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma,” and “a master’s degree is the new bachelor’s degree.” Meaning, the pressures many face to succeed and do well have become increasingly high, with educational fundamentals that have sometimes decreased substantially. This is because, as some have theorized, the public school system has deprecated in value so much that special education (gaining a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and so fourth) is the only way to meet the needs and demands of employers these days (Farrington, 2014). The real world pressures that attaining good grades, gaining acceptance into highly ranked schools, and relative job-experience are at an all time high. If someone lacks the means to deliver on any of these fronts (by not having enough money, time, or other obligations), their quality of life could drop for reasons they haven’t even contributed to. This can lead to further issues of self-handicapping, and essentially finding more reasons to tell oneself that they are already “not good enough” or ill-equipped to manage the current circumstances (Schneider & Gruman, 2012).

Though it’s much easier said than done, I think that the major lessons I have learned from academia is the power that academia has in and of itself. I think that children, adolescents, and young adults should all be taught to (as part of course requirements) keep a manageable outlook on who they are aside from what any profession or occupation would require them to be. School should teach more than just what it takes to get a job, but how to also build confidence and give praise in kids being themselves and prioritizing being themselves over the perfect employee for a job prospect. As also understood from this week’s lessons, the power that compassionate, driven and aware teachers have on helping children access themselves and nurture their talents makes all the difference.

References

Farrington, R. (2014, September 29). A College Degree Is The New High School Diploma. In www.forbes.com. Retrieved March 24, 2017.

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2012). Applied Social Psychology (Second ed., pp. 209-215). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.


24
Mar 17

Using Interventions to Improve Education

Social Psychology Theories Applied to the Classroom

There are many aspects of social psychology that apply to the classroom. Some apply to how we think about others and some apply to how we think about ourselves. When thinking about others, one cognitive error is the fundamental attribution error, which can effect students and teachers alike. Belief perseverance can also effect peer relationships and relationships between teacher and student. Social categorization is another psychological phenomena that is often observed within the education system. In regards to the way we think about ourselves, errors in self-perceptions lead to self-handicapping, self-serving bias and the overjustification effect. Understanding how these theories apply to the education system and the effect they have on student and teacher performance can help social psychologists develop educational interventions (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).

Small interventions = Big results!

Research has found that even small interventions in an educational environment can have big effects. That is to say that even a small change in a student’s way of perceiving their social environment can lead to large academic gains. These interventions are not academic in nature rather they target “thoughts, feelings and beliefs in and about school”.  There are three things that are needed for a student to learn: content, a place to learn, a teacher. These factors interact in complex ways to shape a student’s view of himself and those around him. The education system has a lot of large issues but solving these issues do not require large solutions.

A “tension system” is an elaborate set of forces that surround every attitude or behavior. Some of these forces encourage this behavior and others restrain it. In the case of education, removing some of those restraining forces can produce a large change. However the correct positive forces have to first exist. The opportunity to learn and motivation to learn must be present when these restricting forces are removed. An example of restricting forces may be negative stereotypes or self-handicapping. The theory is that all of these barriers do not have to be removed. If even one small barrier is taken away the student is more likely to experience academic success (Yeager, Walton, 2011). In the next few sections we will look at examples of removing small barriers to create big changes.

Example Intervention

One example of a narrowly focused or “small” intervention was demonstrated by researchers in a 2010 study (Kaplan, Assor). Rather than focus on a broad issue researchers focused on dialogue between teachers and students with the goal of changing student’s perceptions about their school environment. Researchers used a program that taught I-Thou dialogue to both teachers and students, training was provided in a 2 year program.  I – Thou dialogue is a concept pioneered by Martin Buber. Buber defines the I-Thou relationship as a person to person relationship where “the “I” relates authentically to the “Thou” and does not take advantage of the other for personal gain” (Kaplan, Assor, 2010). The program included theoretical learning, experiential and implementation components. Overall this program was found to have a positive effect on student’s perceptions of positive feelings within the classroom. At the conclusion of the study students perceived their teachers as more engaged and teachers reported their students as being more engaged. In other words, creating meaningful relationships between teacher and student caused both the teacher and student to feel more in control and engaged in their learning (Kaplan, Assor 2010).

Increasing student success and improving classroom dynamics can be even more difficult when one or more children in the classroom have a disability.

“Small Interventions”, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Bullying

Children with ASD have negative social interactions at a greater rate than their peers due to the underlying social deficits common to the disorder. Depending on the severity of the condition children may appear, to their peers, to either be a bit different or very different. A child with higher functioning ASD that is in a mainstream classroom may be able to cope with the social demands of a school setting. They may experience the occasional social situation where there is difficulty and may have more difficulty obtaining and maintaining friendships. To the untrained observer they may just seem “a little off”. This may actually increase the incidence of bullying because the child does not have a very obvious disability. On the other hand, children who are lower functioning will have even more difficulties navigating social situations, some with the most severe symptoms may be unwilling to interact with their peers at all. This can also create a lot of negative situations and bullying because the child is no longer a bit different, they are very different than their peers.

Social Skills groups can help to reduce bullying and increase prosocial behaviors. A 2015 study (Kasari et al. ) found that social skills groups are more effective when the group consists of non-disabled peers. The study also found benefits to the social skills group being at the child’s school and with the peers that they will be interacting with on a daily basis. Under these circumstances children with ASD were found to be able to translate more of what they learned to their classroom environment due to increased confidence interacting with trusted individuals.

So, an appropriate intervention to reduce bullying specifically in a classroom with one or two children with ASD would be to create a lesson plan that models a social skills group. Encouraging appropriate social interactions is key for both the child with ASD and the child without. The child with ASD will become more confident in his interactions with peers and the child without ASD will better understand their classmate. Some suggestions for materials could include role playing or the use of social stories. It would also be helpful for a trained personnel to observe and mediate interactions to ensure that appropriate interactions are being modeled. Peer assistance can also be a helpful strategy. This would include giving one or more children the “job” of helping their peer with ASD. This can be a very effective strategy if the peer without ASD is properly trained. It allows all participants to feel positive about the interaction. The “helper” feels good about helping and is less likely to bully the child with ASD and the child with ASD is making friends and receiving needed assistance.

Interventions such as these can improve the educational experience for all children involved. However, not every classroom needs this type of intervention or has a child with a disability. Most classrooms do contain children with many different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. For this reason it is important to include diversity training in the curriculum starting as early as possible.

Diversity Training to reduce Stereotyping, Prejudice and Discrimination

On a classroom to classroom level, diversity training should be an essential part of the program. This can include simple activities that encourage acceptance of differences regardless of race, religion, sex etc. For an example of what this may look like, my 4 year old’s preschool classroom spent the entire month of February celebrating black history month. They read books about famous black inventors and other community figures, participated in a play, made a poster etc. The most important part of the black history month module in my opinion was celebration of teachers and peers who are black. We are often taught not to acknowledge or point out another parsons’ differences, It is important to talk about our differences and understand that it is something to be celebrated not something to be quiet about. Ideally a classroom curriculum would include other modules that include the same activities in regards to race, sex and disabilities. A program such as this could assist in reducing stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination in the classroom. If started at a young age and periodically reinforced, students will carry these lessons with them throughout their educational career and hopefully have a more positive learning experience as a whole.

 

Kasari, C., Dean, M., Kretzmann, M., Shih, W., Orlich, F., Whitney, R., Landa, R., Lord, C. and King, B. (2016), Children with autism spectrum disorder and social skills groups at school: a randomized trial comparing intervention approach and peer composition. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57: 171–179. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12460

Kaplan, H., & Assor, A. (2012). Enhancing autonomy-supportive I-thou dialogue in schools: Conceptualization and socio-emotional effects of an intervention program. Social Psychology of Education : An International Journal, 15(2), 251-269. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1007/s11218-012-9178-2

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A. & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Productions, Inc.

Volkmar, F., & Rhea. (2014). Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders (1st ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,.

Yeager, D., Walton, G. (2011). Social-Psychological Interventions in Education. Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 267-301. Doi:  10.3102/0034654311405999

 


24
Mar 17

Recipe for Success in Children

Quite often parents will say they want the world or life to be better for their children than it was for themselves. So how do we create a better happier life in our children now? Children are highly impressionable as shown through Jane Elliott’s social experiment with discrimination based on eye color that she staged. In order for our children to have a healthy happy outlook on life we must consider several factors. Those factors are teacher interaction and influence, peer influence, and parenting style contribution.

Teacher interaction is one of the most detrimental influences on our children’s young minds. They learn from observation and are highly impressionable. They seek approval and achievement by their mentors. A self-fulfilling prophecy is “having expectations about another person that influences how you perceive and behave toward that person” (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, 2012, p.204). So if teachers have high expectations a child will want to perform better. One issue that can come into play is the variation of high achievers versus low achievers in the same class. It has been shown that the student’s capabilities are not indicative of their mental capabilities but more so the degree in which the teacher acknowledges and treats them differently as a result from their preconceived ideas about the student (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, 2012). For example, a teacher may think the child is an above average student and then treats them with a warmer climate by giving them more attention through more feedback given, support through more opportunity to answer questions than others, and encouragement by providing more challenging work (Schneider, Gruman, Coutts, 2012, p. 204). I believe that while our children spend a large portion of their time with their teachers we as parents can have the same influence and encouragement that will help them to be achievers. If we are generally all starting on the same level then it only makes sense that parents can take on a greater role just by asking questions, helping as needed, and emotionally supporting their children they will more greatly excel. I am a mother of three- two boys and a girl ages 11, 8, and 7. My middle child/son has mild dyslexia and has proven to be influenced by my participation in helping him. By encouraging him, communicating with his teacher, and providing a warm climate for him to make strides toward his school work I have seen personally him excel. Not long ago, I was ill for about two weeks with the flu, had a close death in the family, and heavy school work load. With this came the inability to provide him with the support I mentioned before. This is where I believe the example of self-fulfilling prophecy comes into play. Without me there to give him support and express my higher interest/expectations his grades suffered. His teacher reached out to me since he went from straight As to Cs and Ds in the matter of 4 weeks. This is when I became aware of what effect proper parenting can have on a child. He needed me and needed that impression that not only he mattered but was capable of doing more through extra practice and awareness.

It is not to say that we as parents have the only influence on our children. Their peers spend even more time with them than their teachers. If you think about how they are with them during school and outside of school due to social interaction through sports, hanging out, and possibly events like birthdays and church it is easy to see this is true. I realize that we as parents cannot choose their friends for them, but I believe it is very important to encourage healthy relationships with those that help them and they can help academically. Peer- assisted learning is a class room based strategy that involves the students helping and teaching each other on a person to person basis (Schnieder, Gruman, Coutts, 2012). We are a family that likes to read. In doing so, I taught my daughter early on to read and we have enjoyed spending time together doing so. I can see her peer interaction helping both her and a friend she has in class. They have sat together and worked on the other girl’s reading skills and she has had remarkable improvement. Her mother actually mentioned to me the impact my daughter had on hers by just showing her it could be fun and they could do it together more so than her attempts. It makes sense though. If you want to have fun or achieve something don’t you talk to your friends first before your parents? Fortunately, we have fostered this great relationship as they enjoy each other’s company, are both kind, and her daughter has taught mine other skills like cartwheels (I am clumsy and could never have done this myself). So it goes to show that happy healthy helping kids make for great friends that help each other to be great skilled little people.

Parenting styles have changed considerably though the generations. The older baby boomer age expressed less discipline but more criticism while the newer millennial generation has offered the opposite (Suh, 2015). Personally I think the encouragement given by the newer generation is producing more mentally stable happy children. It reminds me of an old adage that the voice and words you give your children becomes their inner voice. This statement alone alludes to the influence we have on these young minds. So we should encourage them to be happy and make their mental health a priority with their academics. We must show them through our kind, positive behavior that social interaction can be a good thing and that making the right choices is still up to them so they may influence others.

Overall, we all strive for the best. We want to be successful parents and I personally know that I always question if I am doing it right. But by considering not only how we influence our children but how they influence others we can encourage behaviors that are more positive and less negative/aggressive. These are the moments we have to enjoy because before we know it they will be gone and all we will have are the memories of the life we are currently living.

Resources

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A. & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Productions, Inc.

Suh, M. (2015, December 14). Parenting styles across generations. Retrieved March 24, 2017, from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/12/17/parenting-in-america/st_2015-12-17_parenting-36/


23
Mar 17

Education Experience Then and Now

How has education changed over the years, has it changed for the better or has it become an endless struggle to be better than others? I personally believe that the education system has improved although there are still some issues that have evolved to accommodate today’s society. For example, from what I remember when I was in grade school there was less pressure to be the best. Of course teachers and parents wanted the students to do their best but there wasn’t that sense of having to be the best in the class. Also attitudes and academic behavior has changed (Schneider et al, 2012). This I believe is because of all the technology now available. From personal observation I have seen students in the middle school setting lack interest in their education. There is a lot of negative perspectives regarding school and especially in the are of math. So much so that most students seem to completely give up trying to learn anything they deem hard. You would think because of all the technology available today it would be easier to find the answers. Those who have a negative perspective towards school have found that it will lead to poor performance in school (Schneider et al, 2012). This is considered self-handicapping which means that the students who fail to meet the requirements have an excuse ready for their incompetence or lack of effort (Schneider et al, 2012).

Student interaction with other students is also an issue that has changed over the years. For example, in my town the school system consists of Hispanic students and Caucasian students. Back in 2002-2005 there were tense situations that rose because of how certain individuals looked. Now I have seen less racial issues which is a great improvement. Unfortunately now the students are discriminating one another by their financial class. In my family we are not well off however we have enough to have a roof over our heads and have extra for what we want like going to Starbucks eating out and little things like that. In my area there are a lot of farm workers who have less then the normal family. Here is where the issue arose for my sister. My parents and I have always tough her to treat everyone the same regardless of race, religion , or financial stability. For that reason my sister has made many friends. There is a small group of female students that have been giving her a hard time and seem like they are mistreating her because she always has money to spend. Keep in mind that the reason she has money is because my parents give a few dollars on a weekly basis as well as my brother and I. So there is at least three incomes in our family and that is why she always has money for Starbucks or just to spend on any food related item. From what my sister has told me they seem to have an issue with her because of that reason. My family noticed that her grades have been dropping and I believe it is because of academic effects of peer interaction(Schneider et al, 2012). Meaning that because of the negative interactions she is have it has begun to affect her school work. We sat down with her and told her to just try to ignore there comments and proceed with her daily life with her friends. The more you pay attention to the instigating group the more they will try to rattle her. It worked after she ignored them for a few days they stopped harassing her.  Whether we like it or not peer interaction is very important for a student and for that reason it can benefit and destroy a student.

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A. & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Productions, Inc.


21
Mar 17

The Social Experiment: Education

Aside from your own home, starting at a very young age we are all exposed different kinds of social interactions through our educational experiences. Going to school and obtaining an education is very much a social process (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012). What social experiences are our kids really having at school though!? As a parent when you send your child to school, you expect your children to be learning such things as leadership skills, resolving conflicts, cooperation, maintaining friendships and developing positive self-concepts aside from gaining knowledge of course. What you don’t expect is for your child to come home sullen, confused on their homework when they typically do very well in the subject, and with a black eye!

This happened with my son. He is in fifth grade now and has typically been a very good student. His best and favorite subjects have been math and science. He is a little guy, usually the smallest boy in the class if not the smallest kid, but he has always had friends and is very outgoing during recess. Unfortunately though, the other week he came home with a black eye from receiving a “flying elbow” to the face. It happened at recess when he accidently bumped into a boy and the boy started beating on him. There were several (at least 3) teachers present but none “noticed” the fight. Unfortunately my son felt it was best not to report it to any teachers for fear of retaliation. However, he came to school that day with no black eye and had one by the end of the day and no teachers ever questioned him about it…it was largely ignored. Once I reported the incident the very next morning (which I was furious), my son was made to defend himself/his statements about what happened against the kid that did it and that kid’s friends and no punishment was given to the kid that beat my kid up….what kind of a lesson is that!?

My son has also been experiencing difficulties in his academics this year as well. In the very first marking period his math grade went from an “A” to a “D” and he has been struggling with math homework assignments ever since. I feel this is attributed to the teacher/student interaction, or lack thereof, that is taking place this year. And my son has been feeling a lot more disappointed with his educational experience this year. It has been very disappointing to see as a parent. We learned in our lesson readings this week that kids that experience social, behavioral and emotional difficulties in school are at a disadvantage for reaching their academic potential (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012). I am concerned that if these issues continue and are not addressed properly at my son’s school that he will fall into this category. I, as his mother, have been experiencing a huge lack of communication between his teachers and me (not by a lack of effort on my part), which I think also contributes to a negative outcome for his education. For me, this begs the question….what kind of social experiment has education become?

Reference:

Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A. & Coutts, L.M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology (2nd ed.): Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Thousand Oaks, CA. SAGE Publications, Inc.


20
Mar 17

Lesson 9-Influenced by the Media

Influenced by Media

 

In today’s times, we are exposed to so many things that can negatively impact what we do, the way we think, and how we act. Sometimes we subliminally pick up on behaviors from what we observe in the media and or entertainment industry.  Unknowingly, we often act out or portray certain actions or characteristics that we learn from observing what we see. There is a lot of violence and crime displayed in social media/internet, in the movies and in video games that are played by our youth. Being exposed to such content at such a continuous rate can have non-favorable effects on any individual.

 

One particular way of picking up bad habits that is often portrayed in our society is through vicarious learning. This type of learning involves engaging in a particular negative behavior because an individual sees one’s actions getting rewarded. (Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2012) For instance, many of our youth often see rappers who are engaged in very illegal acts such as selling and doing drugs and/or engaging in very risqué behaviors in the media, and often wish to become like them. Kids cling to this type of behavior and lifestyle because they view it as being cool. They also see rappers making a lot of money and often times wish to model their behavior to attain the same infamous success.

 

The media and entertainment industry has the power to create thoughts of whatever’s intended. In addition, they somewhat have control over what issues are important or that we think about. (Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2012) This is called agenda setting. We see this all throughout the media. When we see images of what the media believes is beauty or how one should look, this is a way for them to paint the image that “skinny is beautiful” or that you should be a certain skin color to feel pretty. In addition, the media has the power to instill fear and/or dependency. Our culture today is obsessed with what’s on the internet, what’s happening on social media, and the latest source of entertainment. It is often hard to deter away from such things which makes it easy to be influenced and impacted by the media.

Overall, it is good to have balance and to always put things into perspective. Media has its good qualities, but it can also be used for bad. We must limit the time spent surfing the web, watching violent films, or playing crime inspired games so that we are not subliminally controlled or influenced by the media.

 

Works Cited

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: SAGE.


20
Mar 17

The Presentation of Online-Self

Hello everybody,

This week’s topic for Applied Social Psychology dove into how the media, the Internet, and technology in general impact our lives and society as a whole. The assigned article this week called “Self Presentation and Gender on MySpace”, by Manago, Graham, Greenfield, and Salimkhan (2008), explored the different ways that emerging adults interacted with social networking sites, specifically MySpace, to express and explore their social identities. They found that social networking sites “provided emerging adults with new cultural tools for identity exploration” (Manago et. al., 2008).

This article, along with its title, reminded me Erving Goffman’s work The Presentation of Self In Everyday Life (1959) where he introduces a perspective called the dramaturgical approach – which parallels social interactions with theatrical performances (Goffman, 1959). In Goffman’s perspective, we are all playing various roles in our every day lives, depending on the ‘stage’, or social situation, that we find ourselves on. The Internet, with its social networking sites, can be viewed as yet another stage where we can play a role in our everyday lives. The difference, however is that on Social Media, we can play many different types of roles within the same platform, depending on who we are engaging with through a particular post, comment, or photo. Goffman also coined the term impression management, which, as the term implies, is our want to control what others think about us on the ‘front stage’ (Goffman, 1959). The interesting aspect of social media is that we can pick and choose a target audience for any posts that we make – let’s supposed I posted a sexy picture of myself on Facebook, I wouldn’t necessarily want family members to view that post, but rather I would choose the audience to be friends except family members (that I would’ve grouped beforehand). If I post a picture of just my family let’s say, I would reverse the audience. I would have just presented two different aspects of my social identity within the same platform, played two different roles, and I would have chosen to manipulate other peoples’ impressions of me through my appearance and my manner. Goffman suggests that the only part of the stage where we can shed our fronts and be ourselves is the ‘back stage’. What is worrisome about this is that nowadays, with the growing number hours we spend on social media, this back stage where we can be ourselves and not worry about what other people think is getting smaller smaller – and soon, there may not be enough room on the backstage to step back and take a breath from the social world.

Social media definitely has many good aspects to it, and I for one rely on it time and time again due to my social anxiety issues. But I guess what I’m trying to say is that we should stop this ‘impression management’ that we find ourselves doing all the time, because at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what others say or think (which I know sounds unbelievably cliché). I for one have been trying to live through this motto, being a person who constantly, and unhealthily thought about what others thought about me.

I just shed a part of my front to write this post, in an attempt to expand my backstage. Let me know if you give that a try 🙂

Hilda

References:

Goffman, E. (1959). Presentation of self in everyday life. Garden City, NY: Doubleday Anchor Books.

Manago, A., Graham, M., Greenfield, P., & Salimkhan, G. (2008). Self-presentation and gender on MySpace. Journal Of Applied Developmental Psychology29(6), 446-458. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2008.07.001

 


20
Mar 17

Nomophobia?

Nomophobia (no-mobilephone-phobia) is the fear of being disconnected from media technology such as mobile phones (Elmore, 2017). We live in a time where cell phones are not waterproof and water resistant. We anticipate communication on them more than we anticipate face-to-face conversation. According to Elmore (2017), in the United States 65% of individuals sleep with/next to their phone, around half of people never turn off their cell phones, and 66% of adults suffer from nomophobia ().

Although we spend so much of our time online, around 5% of people say they have met their significant other online although 15% of people use an online dating website or application (Emery, n.d.).

Communicating online is a great way for people with disorders to make friends. For people like me, having anxiety and being around others can be a death sentence. Having the ability to display my interests online on websites such as Facebook, I can allow myself to make friendships with people who value who I am as a human being. I met my husband on social media five years ago and we have been married for four years.

However, it is slightly unsettling to live in a world where people are used to instant gratification. Because of this, social skills are not developing to their full potential. They control what they can do on their phones, but not what happens in real life. They lose their sense of comfort.

How concerned should we be that technology is consuming our lives? As a 90s baby, I got to experience the transition into more efficient technology. I remember the dial-up internet on my giant computer when I was thirteen years old to my blue screen’d Kyocera at age fifteen. My children are three and four and can maneuver any tablet or cell phone they get their hands on with ease.

How many hours do you spend on social media? How many hours do you spend online?

How many friendships do you have right now that are maintained in person?

Are we taking face to face communication for granted?

 

References

Elmore, T. (2017). Nomophobia: a rising trend in students. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/artificial-maturity/201409/nomophobia-rising-trend-in-students

Emery, L. A. (n.d.). This is how many couples meet online vs. offline. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/articles/145766-this-is-how-many-couples-meet-online-vs-offline


19
Mar 17

Social Media and Adolescence

This week’s lesson Psych 424, discussed the media and internet and its influences on society. Our discussion group delved into how the media influences and affects the health, attitudes, and beliefs of young people. While we are all aware of the influence that the media and internet has on our society, I chose to further discuss the topic and its effects on our youth. An article by The Huffington Post titled “Influence of Social Media on Teenagers”, reported that 75 percent of teenagers in America are participating on social network sites, the bulk of them using Facebook as their main networking tool.

The American Psychological Association defines bullying as an aggressive behavior that causes discomfort to others, brought on by an individual. While there’s no denying that there are many benefits in having access to the internet, we have all likely heard of cyber bullying, internet addiction and sleep deprivation because of heavy use of the internet and social networks. Numerous studies have been conducted concerning the subject, reporting that 32 percent of online teens have admitted to experiencing menacing advances for others while online. (Ramasubbu, 2015)

Sexting is another issue that is common among teens in the social media community. A survey conducted by the National Campaign to Support Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, found that 20 percent of teens participate in sexting. The personal trauma involved in sexting may have serious ramifications, judicially, for those involved in such activities including misdemeanors and felonies.

Additionally, Facebook Depression has become a real malady for teens and pre-teens who spend a great deal of time on social media sites. Comparing themselves to others appears to be the greatest problem within this group.

A study conducted by the Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Review, claim media influences in young people’s lives produced similar outcome to that reported in The Huffington Post article. Within this study, Media Awareness Network MNet, conducted two surveys with parents and children to highlight the contrast between parents and young people’s knowledge and attitudes towards the internet. It also provided the internet’s potential impact on the healthy mental and physical development of this first generation that has grown up using the internet. The gap between parents and children and their opinions on the usefulness of the internet is continuing to widen. Many parents report feeling the internet provides less educational value than the children.

To remedy this issue MNet met with Representatives of the Child Health Community to inform them of the impact social media has on children while encouraging them to integrate media awareness into their practice settings. The problem that they found in this study, was that although many clinicians know the influence of the media is an important health issue, few have received any formal training in the area. (D’Arcy, 2004)

What do you think could help improve education on the effects the internet and media has on adolescents? What do you think would be most helpful- educating the parents or the adolescents?

 

 

 

D’Arcy, J. (2004). Media Influences in Young People’s Lives. The Canadian child and adolescent psychiatry review13(1), 2.

 

Ramasubbu, S. (2015, May 26). Influence of Social Media on Teenagers. Retrieved March 19, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suren-ramasubbu/influence-of-social-media-on-teenagers_b_7427740.html


19
Mar 17

Lesson 9 Blog

Greetings to All!

This week we focused on social issues of technology and social media. A development that much of the world is involved in. To have grown up at a young age in this era where not many had a cell phone to now small children having a need for one is surprising. It is amazing how society believes they cannot survive without a cell phone or social media when centuries before, people did just fine. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy my electronics and am also a member of social media and at times cringe when I don’t have my phone by my side, but it appears that this trend has its negative sides. So often I see groups of friends and family out for dinner or even at the movies and they are not communicating with each other but instead, are on their cell phones checking the latest post on a social media site. It truly is sad when we start to replace true physical communication and affection with that solely of empty technology.

I especially feel that our youth is even more influenced by these things. Even more so, I feel, than when I was growing up. The pressures that these technologies have unfortunately put on children, is quite depressing. At times, it seems the media is directly targeting attempts to take away a child’s youth at such an important stage when they are trying to develop their own identity but instead are being manipulated by false media portrayals. What we must note is that technology, unfortunately gives false visions and hope. I do see and understand the benefits of social media and have reaped them in certain scenarios but there is more to life than these simple technologies.

One article that I read hypothesized the benefits of social media for those that have trouble communicating face to face. As once being a shy and quiet individual, this “social media” appears to be quite a relief for those that have been “peer victimized.” This study saw small but significant benefits of social support as opposed to face to face. The results though, that Cole, Nick, Zelkowitz, Roeder and Spinelli (2017) found in their experiment of social media, “facilitates cybervictimization, the effects of which can be devastating but the other hand, social media may also generate a new kind of social support that operates in ways that are similar to, but not completely redundant of, in-person social support” (pg. 462). This statement appears to be vague and not totally supportive of the full benefits of social media.

The images and attitudes that are pushed upon society through social media and technology seem to be seen everywhere. As much as having the internet at your fingertips can be beneficial, it has also gotten to the point where it can be harmful; physically, mentally and emotionally. The lack of physical communication that our generation is encountering, can hinder views of reality. I hope that as social media and technology grows even greater, we learn to reduce the negative influences it can have on children and society.

Thank you J

Andrea

Cole, D. A., Nick, E. A., Zelkowitz, R. L., Roeder, K. M., & Spinelli, T. (2017). Online social support for young people: Does it recapitulate in-person social support; can it help? Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 456-464. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.058


19
Mar 17

It Takes a Village

All people with children (and even some without) have heard the phrase “it takes a village to raise a baby”. But your said ‘village’ may just expanded without you even thinking much about it. The relationship your child has with their teacher plays one of the biggest impacts in their little life when it comes to their academic success. But how can that be? Many parents like to take full credit for how smart their child is and for all of the good grades they are earning. Through the years this has not proven to be true.

A study conducted in 1968 by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson (as mentioned in the applied psych textbook) proved that the attitude a teacher gives towards a child can yield amazing results. In this study, several students were labeled ‘bloomers’ who were said to have above average IQ’s but in realty did not (Alexitch, 2012). Instead the teachers were not told of the false information nor was the child told of their assigned label but interestingly enough the child who began as no more than an average student received grades well above average and at the end of the year had increased their IQ significantly compared to their other classmates (Alexitch, 2012). Because the teacher believed these students to be different, they in turn treated them different. Sometimes it does not work out this well but in the case of expecting more from your child you can indeed see the importance academically.

This one study shows how important the relationship between student and teacher is. Imagine it is turned around, instead the teacher feels the student to be ‘not worth the time’ or perhaps has already developed an attitude toward this child of not being as successful as the other. This is turn would give the child little hope and though the teacher would not directly say this to the child, you can tell by the interactions. Overall though the classroom should and typically is a ‘safe space’. A place where a child is set up for success but as we know, the ‘vibe’ put forth from the teacher is important. Students who perceive that their teachers have high expectations of their academic achievement are more motivated to try to meet those expectations and perform better academically than their peers who perceive low expectations from their teachers (Muller et al., 1999).

So how can we be sure that the teacher is in fact setting a positive relationship with students but also expecting enough out of them to excel? The administration on the Pride website concludes that teachers who are effective in influencing children positively have these key features: motivation, recognize strengths and weakness, good role model, knowledgeable of teaching and of subject, and preparedness (Admin, 2012). Obviously, you as a parent cannot always assess these characteristics in a teacher. But you can tell from the start is the teacher seems to genuinely care about their students and what they can accomplish.

Many studies have been done to connect the relationship of a teacher with students’ progress as shown by Rosenthal and Jacobson in 1968 but again throughout the years. What we are learned is that the way teachers and students interact with one another directly correlates with academic achievement. So, remember, next time you think about how ‘it takes a village’ try to remember all the villagers you have gained and lost along the way with your child’s education. Each one has shaped your child in one way or another with or without your knowledge. You would not be where you are today without that village.

References

Admin. (2012, August 14). How does your child’s teacher influence academic performance? Retrieved from Pride Learning Center: http://pridelearningcenter.com/2012/08/14/how-does-a-teacher-affect-student-performance/

Alexitch, L. R. (2012). Applying Soical Psychology To Education. In F. W. Schneider, J. A. Gruman, & L. M. Coutts, Applied Social Psychology (pp. 191-215). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

Gallagher, E. (2013). The Effects of Teacher-Student Relationships: Social and Academic Outcomes of Low-Income Middle and High School Students. Retrieved from NYU Steinhardt: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/appsych/opus/issues/2013/fall/gallagher

Muller, C., Katz, S. R., & Dance, L. J. (1999). Investing in teaching and learning dynamics of the teacher-student relationship from each actor’s perspective. Urban Education, 34(3), 292-337.


19
Mar 17

The Internet: A Tool That Depends On How You Use It

The Internet: A Tool That Depends on How You Use It
By: Kristen Jezek

With the influx of media in the last few years, it is understandable to wonder if the impact media has on a developing generation is worth the bad as well as the good. Without current limitations in place on what can be posted or propagated in social media, there are undoubtedly some unhealthy behaviors and thought processes that influence viewers and readers. Children and young adults are gaining access to media and the internet earlier and with more exposure than ever before. Screen time is increasing in young adults (Schneider et al 2012) and with that increased screen time comes more of an opportunity for the bad behaviors and influences to permeate their developing minds. One of the greatest risks for concern a person could argue is the accessibility of information which may or may not be true. Young adults are consistently exposed to messages of sickness, violence, and self-hatred during years critical to their development. However, is the information presented vitally important enough to wade through the bad and come through for the better? I argue you can based on my own experience with internet information saturation.
As a person born in 1989, I was exposed to media and the internet in some respect during my high school years. These years included the advent of Facebook and social media sites that my friends and I all went on. In the beginning, because the internet was relatively new, my parents and friends instilled in me a belief that what was found online could only be taken so far, and that a lot of people could “pretend” to be something else. I saw this evidence with my own friends who presented completely different public personas and had entirely different self-conceptions based on their social media pages. Because of this boundary I had between the “real world” and “internet world”, I understood the difference between what was real and what was fabricated online. The older I got the more information overload was presented to the internet and this ability to differentiate the real from the fake became ever-more important. One day when searching information on hormones I came across a woman who works exclusively with female body systems. She posted an article about certain side effects of cancer and precancerous cells. I noticed I had one of those symptoms she mentioned. I didn’t think much of it because there are a whole host of websites that will spell doomsday on your health just for getting a common cold. I did, however, recognize the power of the internet in connecting people and sharing information. I took the information I learned online and sought out a physician (in “real life”) to help clear up any doubts I may have. (It is worth noting I also located my health insurance information and available doctors with the help of the internet). After meeting with my doctor and running a few tests, it did turn out that I had precancerous cells that could be treated in time before they developed. Without the internet and an understanding of how to interpret the information, I most likely would have let these symptoms slide and ignored them.
Is it worth saving a life to continue the availability of information on the internet and the freedom to which people post? In my opinion, of course! I can imagine a regulation in which the woman would need to be a licensed practicing doctor to express this kind of information and in which case I never would have found it. Eliminating the internet based on bad information is like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. You lose the good stuff when trying to clean out the junk. The red tape of regulation can create a sense of limitation that may negate the positive effects of a free system of information sharing. While nothing is always all good or all bad, the benefits of connecting individuals with shared experience and communicating information has in many ways outshone the negative effects that could come from misunderstanding the free system of information that the internet is. If, from a young age, children and young adults who are gaining access to the information available are educated in the possible negative effects of being exposed to information online, they can appropriately glean the benefits available to them with this vast network! The key to utilizing the internet effectively is education on how to use it, not eliminating the internet itself. Just like any other tool, it is neither inherently good or bad, it simply depends on how you use it.

Bibliography:
1) Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: Sage.


19
Mar 17

Crime is Crime, Even When Shooting Isn’t Involved

Over time society has regarded crime as being only the most severe, those which include violence or even death. Often bystanders may witness crime such as robbery, burglary, etc. and not do anything as they do not think it’s “actually” a crime or because its in broad daylight and other people are around. This behavior is a combination of the bystander effect, where people are less likely to aide in an emergency when other people are present, and the stigma society has placed on different crimes (Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts,  2012).

A couple of weeks ago I traveled down to the city of El Cajon for a race. Though I won first place for females overall and my age group, it turned out to be a not so celebratory event as I was robbed. Luckily, I was right across the street from a police station, at least that’s what I thought. When I went to the station, I spoke to an officer, asking for help because I’d never been robbed and didn’t know what to do. Seeing that I was in not imminent danger or hadn’t been shot or anything, he dismissed my fright, telling me I could go home and file a report online. Yes, ONLINE! After going to a random person who turned out to be the director of the race, who knew police officers, I was helped and took necessary steps in dealing with the situation.

Once I got home and reflected on the situation, I realized how outrageous it is to think that crimes with severe outcomes are the only ones that need attention. Society has put such an emphasis on different violent crimes as though those are the only crimes that affect people’s daily lives. I agree they do deserve a lot of attention, I do not think that, that means other crimes deserve no attention. That day when I actually got to speak to an officer to take my report, at the end I asked if they were going to act on trying to catch these individuals. They responded that I should get identity theft protection, turn off my bankcards, etc. Though we had significant details, time stamps on purchases they made with my cards, specific locations, etc., they said that they would try. Though no one was significantly hurt, it is still a crime to take other people’s items into your possession. Not much headway was made, though I shut off my cards, a few days ago these individuals were able to hack into my account online to reactivate the card they had, change the pin, and move the money from my savings into the checking account to be able to make more purchases. Crime is crime, even when shooting or violence is not involved.

The bias in crimes that are pursued is a result of societal shortcomings. All criminal deserved to be dealt with accordingly, despite the severity of their crime. One crime isn’t better than the other, no crime should go unpunished. Criminals are able to continue to nefarious activities so as long as they are not caught and handled appropriately.

 

References

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2012). Applied Social Psychology (Second ed., pp. 135-163). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.


18
Mar 17

Social Media and Todays’ Youth

As we have advanced in technology and ways to communicate, when it comes to social media and todays youth, we are not in a place that we want to be. There are some major issues with social media and how it is negatively effecting younger people’s lives. There are several different types of social media websites out there in the cyber world. Websites such as Facebook, twitter and My Space are very popular amongst younger people and even adults. What are the issues that exists when it comes to younger people and social media? How can having a Facebook or a Twitter account can be harmful to virtually anyone? What are some ways that parents can protect their children from the issues that arise from social media and harmful websites? These are some questions that are very real and need to be addressed.

We need to know exactly why social media has so much power and influence on today’s youth. Social media has greatly affected the way todays youth spend their leisure time. However, with the rise in social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, more and more people are logging in everyday just to interact and share information with friends and followers. Moreover, social media has also changed the way people socialize and interact with each other. Unfortunately, youth who spend a lot of time on social media are at higher risk for depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders and more prone to feeling isolated and disconnected (McGillivray N., 2015).

There are websites that can affect a young person’s health but glamorizing a certain behavior that will have a negative consequence on a young person’s mental and physical health. Websites such as pro anorexia emerged as a new form of thin ideal exposure. These types of websites put a positive twist on the negative truth that anorexia is not an illness but in fact a lifestyle choice (Bardone-Cone & Cass, 2007). This is a very good example on how often teens and even some adults are being misled by media through its context.

However, there are ways that we can decrease undesirable social media effects in our lives and young people’s lives. One way to decrease undesirable social media effects is by doing research and looking at different sources to see if what we are being told on one website, if in fact it’s true or not. Parents can educate their children by informing them to be very hesitant and careful on what they see on social media. Using technologies can reinforce new social behaviors and ways of thinking, including both desirable and undesirable behavior (Nelson A., 2017). Parents can also limit the amount of time their children spend on the internet and control what sites can be visible to their kids through setting parental control.

Even though social media can be a scary place for younger people, it can also be beneficial. There are countless educational websites that youth can take advantage of and use to get the help that they need in their academics. There is no doubt that the internet can either have a positive or negative effect in our lives and the lives of our children. People, especially the young, are often too open and public with personal information when online and that can have a negative effect in our lives (McGillivray N., 2015). We need to teach the youth to always limit the amount of information that they’re making available publicly. Our safety and the safety of our children on social media are mostly in our hands and we can always take precautions when posting comments, opinions and personal values online. There is always a safer and better way to socialize online, and we need to teach our youth how to stay safe and private when doing so.

References

Bardone-Cone, Anna M. and Kamila M. Cass. What does viewing a pro-anorexia websites do? An experimental examination of websites exposure and moderating effects. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 40(6). 2007. Pp. 537-548.

 McGillivray N., Turbo Future., (2015, October 12). What Are the Effects of Social Media on Youth. Retrieved March 18, 2017, from www.turbofuture.com

 Nelson, A. (2017). Lesson 9. Applied Social Psychology: Media/Communications Technology. Presented on the PSYCH 424 Course Content Site Lecture at The Pennsylvania State University.


18
Mar 17

Social Media, Not so Social

More often than not, we live and work in places far from our loved ones, forcing us to rely on communication through social media. Communication is essential; some may say a necessity, in our efforts of maintaining our relationships with friends and family that we aren’t able to physically interact with on a regular basis. The problem is we often become so wrapped up in our lives on social networks, we ignore people in our presence, we ignore real life socializing opportunities, we glue our eyes to our cellphones or watches.

In his book, Prado notes, “87 out of 100 teenagers think it is more important to answer a text or call than continue face-to-face conversation; nor is doing so thought rude…” (2017). I can attest that this behavior is not only prevalent in teenagers, but adults as well. At a going away dinner for a friend, I noticed how cell phones received more attention than my friend did. Most people had their face in their phones, more interested in conversations on social media, than real life conversations, myself included. It dawned on me how awful this was because I was in Hawaii, a place so many people can only dream of going, but I was on whatsapp or something. At other social gatherings, like parties, party goers are so often snapchatting and going live to show friends and family members what a great time their having, that they forget to actually have a great time.

Social media serves its purpose in providing distant relationships a means of maintenance with communication upkeep. However, it truly makes people less social in their present lives, as we unlearn what it is to communicate in real time. Fairfield draws attention to social media’s effect in stating “as the preference for e-communication increases, what decreases is not only communicative competence, but also the place in human experience for the unconventional, unpredictable, unplanned, imaginative, intangible, indirect, incalculable, and non-preordained” (2017). Basically, the fun and pleasure from human interaction at social events are no longer enjoyed with the increase in use of social media for communication.

It would be undeniably dramatic to suggest that people no longer use social media. A more reasonable suggestion is to put phones on airplane mode in order to enjoy in-person communication in social settings. More times than not, the conversations via social media are not that of an emergency. By putting our phone on airplane mode in social atmospheres, you give the people around you the respectful attention they deserve, and you allow the person on the other end to do the same.

 

References

Prado, C. G. (2017). Social Media and Your Brain: Web-Based Communication Is Changing How We Think and Express Ourselves. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

Fairfield, P.  (2017). Social Media and Communicative Unlearning: Learning to Forget in Communicating. In Prago, C.G. (Eds.), Social Media and Your Brain: Web-Based Communication Is Changing How We Think and Express Ourselves. (14). Santa Barbara,CA: Praeger.


18
Mar 17

Violence Comes Right to Your Home

There was a time in the United States of America when a family sat down at night in front of the television and watched various misadventures of wholesome loveable characters. These were shows like I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, and Leave it to Beaver. There were only three television stations and generally there was only one television set in the household. Today, one can watch television from anywhere and there seems to be an infinite amount of television shows and stations that one can indulge in. Moreover, people now have the ability to watch movies in the theater, on television, their tablets, and phones, etc. With the increased opportunity to view television and movies, people can now view violence at a higher rate. With the increased chance to view violence coming from our media, it is important to look back on how viewing media violence has affected people in the past.

According to Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2012), 58% of television programming had intentional violence in the 1994-1995 television season. I personally remember cartoons (I was six years-old at the time) such as Ren and Stimpy and Power Rangers having many violent scenes that my parents were not happy with. As kids, we shrugged them off our parents concern with the violence when we were that age. Even worse than the cartoons on Nickelodeon was WWE’s rise in popularity. The wrestlers were being punched, hit with chairs, knocked off of ladders, and many more violent acts. It was glorious to watch as a child. My friends and I would often pretend to be our favorite wrestlers and wrestle until one of us was hurt.

As I read chapter 7 of Applying Social Psychology to the Media I was reminded of the young boy that imitated the wrestling moves that he saw on WWE and killed a young girl. I was reminded that somebody could have been seriously injured or killed. Schneider et al., (2012) linked this to the classic bobo doll study in which children watched people play with toys. Some kids saw the people hit the bobo doll while others did not. Those that viewed people hitting the bobo doll imitated the behavior. I believe that as kids, we would have been right in the middle of the bell curve for that study.

So, it has been well established that people, especially children will emulate behavior that they see in the media. The question becomes, how can one curb that behavior so that children understand that the violence that they are seeing is not real and if duplicated could injure or kill somebody? According to Schneider et. al., (2012), children are more likely to start or continue the behavior that they see if said behavior is rewarded. Conversely, children are more likely to not act aggressively if the behavior is punished. For instance, if a child sees a wrestler slam and then pin somebody and then given a championship belt, they may copy that behavior. The reader of this blog may wonder if my parents were able to put a stop to my aggressive behavior. The answer is yes. WWE was strictly banned from our household and the punishment for watching it was loss of television privileges.

References

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications


18
Mar 17

FAKE NEWS!

My mother never leaves the house. Actually, that’s not true. She left the house when I gave birth right before Christmas. The time before that was in early summer. And so on. Because of this, she has absolutely no idea about how the “real world” works. Case in point: Once, about two years ago, I took her to McDonald’s. She asked me, “do they take cards?” because she had no cash and was worried about paying her bill. When I told her, “Mom, everyone takes cards” she just shrugged her shoulders and said, “I didn’t know that.” What does someone who leaves the house so infrequently rely on for entertainment, news, and interaction? Well, in her case, the T.V.

I know she dabbles with the internet here and there, but her computer is basically a big solitaire machine. My mom, like many her age, enjoys watching the news. She does this for hours every day, and she records the programs she misses while she sleeps so she can catch up on them later. My dad told me she records so much at once he is lucky to have a TV receiver open to watch something on cable. According to cultivation theory, her heavy viewing of television should impact her views on culture and life outside of her home (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012).

My mom only watches one news channel (let’s all take a guess at which one that is) and although I don’t have any empirical evidence, I can say that her almost constant viewing of this particular outlet absolutely influences her beliefs. Most of the coverage focuses on the political sphere, and most of the coverage leans one way—basically, this news agency is big on agenda setting, or shaping the way their viewers think about the news the agency believes is important (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). They do this so well, in fact, that my mother has absolutely no clue about an event if this news agency does not report it.

I watch this news channel as much as I watch any other so that I am receiving all viewpoints before making my own. Of course I wonder what about this channel draws so many in besides the short dresses and shiny legs of the women on camera. Every show takes advantage of the availability heuristic by not only repeatedly talking about the same issue, but also by either using on-screen text or the scrolling text to reiterate the view they take (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). One particular show actually puts the speaker’s thoughts word-for-word on screen as he’s saying them so even if the volume is muted, the point still gets across. Of course all news agencies do this to some effect; they wouldn’t if it were not so effective.

Clearly, between the framing of the stories as well as the almost constant reminder of them, it would be difficult for someone like my mom to have original, or even differing thoughts compared to this news agency. Their power is so strong that my mom has fears of things that can’t even happen to her, like her dying after a terrorist attack on a train or subway. Not only does she not use these modes of transportation, but we also do not live in a town that has either!

As you can imagine, Thanksgiving is very fun for me. On a serious note, though, my mom’s views of certain people, ethnicities, and religions are also heavily influenced by the news she consumes. As a person in an interracial marriage with a biracial child, I feel very uncomfortable being around her and sadly limit the interactions she has with my kids. This is why we all need to be aware of all news outlets, and work to keep our news agencies presenting the news in an objective manner.

 

 

References

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications


18
Mar 17

Social Media Takes Over the World

            When considering all the changes the world has gone through in the last few decades amazes me. Technology has drastically changed and shaped our world. This change has affected people’s identity, the way they communicate, policies, the economy, and job world. Social media has been the primary culprit in the heart of the technological boom along with cell phones. But the question that should come to mind is this the best thing for all or for any for that matter? Albert Einstein once said, “The human spirit must prevail over technology” (Makovsky, 2012). With consideration to all of these factors it is a profound statement that rings true. We must open a dialogue and delve deeper into what impact technology has on young developing minds, the new world it has created, and how we communicate with one another.

Being one of the last in the y generation and first in the millennial generation I can positively say my world as I knew it is extinct. I was fortunate to be in the group in a time when I enjoyed my childhood mindlessly playing outside, using my imagination, and safely exploring my freedom while developing who I wanted to be. I was also fortunate to reap the benefits of the technology boom and get to acquire and use so many amazing communication and media things. The wonder it brings about reminds me of a quote from Arthur C. Clarke. It says, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic” (The Arthur Clarke Foundation, 2016). How true this is too! I would have never imagined that I could see the world through a glass hand held iPad via the internet or to pick up and call someone without the long cord wrapping its way from the kitchen phone down the hall to my room. It seems like such an antiquated life and yet it was peaceful. Fast forward to today though and there are moments when I wished that we would have been able to grow with these advances. Being able to connect with those and find groups that are similar to you and give you the feeling of being included and can persevere through anything begs to offer such strength and comfort to an expanding mind (PSU World Campus, 2017). I think I definitely would have been more focused on my education, known all the options available to me at an early age, and figured out the question of what do I want to be when I grow up a lot sooner. Today’s youth must be handled with care when considering the relationship they have with their peers, the world around them, and the interlacing social media that combines the two. Without paying attention and helping them to develop face to face relationships you lose the value of creating interpersonal and intrapersonal life skills. Young minds can confuse with what is said behind phones and computers on places like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. as reality. They forget that not everyone has a perfect day every day or that physical appearance is not the only defining factor. In today’s world girls are objectified and boys are lead away from being gentleman which is a sad side effect. Bullying is easy when you are anonymous behind a computer and when you don’t see the instant hurt it can cause. By viewing sexual situations, provocative images, and scandalous headlines in feeds it allows impressionable to teenagers to believe this appropriate and acceptable. We as the older generation that have seen both sides of the world with and without these advances have a responsibility to mentor, guide, and develop today’s youth to see beyond the screen and all the wonder in the world and good that is still available to them.

The new world we have created is not in the future but here and now. We have set a path that alters many aspects. For instance, America was once more highly employing blue collar workers that helped to build infrastructure, make things from hand, and produce many essential parts. So now jobs are found in social media and technology fields more readily. With the automation of machines replacing humans we now enter a domain where jobs are essentially more intellectually minded and white collar oriented. Social media has become a large contributor to how many receive their news updates regardless of validity or quality information given. This could be damaging to any politician, war issues, health topics or simply the way you view your country or self. With cell phones being so advanced and computers so compact many can take them where ever they want at any given moment. There is an instantaneous response time to receive messages. This offers the issue of always being accessible and not having the down time that our minds need to decompress from the world. I often see people put in danger as they are driving with cell phones and texting which has heightened traffic accidents and mortality rates in those accidents. In fact 1 out of 4 accidents in America are due to distracted driving from texting and cell phones (Snyder, 2015). So with these great magical and wondrous creations it is easy to see we must extend our imaginations and actions to equally create and take action to use them responsibly.

Communication is in the heart and soul of the change social media and technological advancements have brought about. From the instantaneous satisfaction and responses to the equally as instant disappointment or hurt that can be caused; these advancements are beast and have a life of their own. Quiet often I see families in restaurants and they are hardly ever looking up and conversing. Children are beginning to have inadequate retention of facts as they are so easily accessible on the internet which does not require them to learn the facts. Basic language skills have been lost and somewhere in it all communication was lost in translation by way of the emoji. It seems to be quite ironic that we now have these amazing capabilities to reach each other across long distances almost the very second you reach out, but we can reach each other on an emotional level or across the table. Not all negatives come from this though. Communication and tech has helped to propel advancements in health, biological, and environmental areas profoundly. It has helped many to recognize their identity in others and collaborate on solutions quickly and effectively. Given these dramatic changes we can consider them a great gift that requires some care.

Overall, the fact is the world will never be the same. Many advantages have sprung up because of this but we must recognize the disadvantages and react accordingly. Whether it be in the youth that we are developing, the way we talk to each other, or the economic impacts and daily life impacts that this has created; we have arrived. Now we should use our great technology with these great minds and create a cohesive and advantageous world for our children, each other, and our future.

 

 

Resources

Makovsky, K. (2012, May 07). Is Technology Exceeding Humanity? Retrieved March 17, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenmakovsky/2012/05/07/is-technology-exceeding-humanity/#14dd31c06ea3

Pennsylvania State University World Campus, 2017. PSYC 424 Lesson 9: Media/Communications. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1834710/modules/items/21736686.

The Arthur Clarke Foundation. (2016). Sir Arthur’s Quotations. Retrieved March 17, 2017, from https://www.clarkefoundation.org/about-sir-arthur/sir-arthurs-quotations/

Snyder, E. (2015, April). Texting and Driving Accident Statistics – Distracted Driving. Retrieved March 17, 2017, from https://www.edgarsnyder.com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics.html


18
Mar 17

Media Boom and Its Influence on Adolescent Brain Function and the World As We Know It

Social media use has drastically increased over the past decade due to advancements in technology.  In particular, teens and adolescents have welcomed new technologies into the decade with open arms.  J. Adolescent Health (2012) indicated that U.S. adolescents spent close to nine hours a day interacting with digital devices in 2010.  The way adolescents play, socialize, and understand has drastically changed due to the wide-spread availability of virtual devices.  Media exposure has been shown to affect the brain in teens.  A brain mapping center in UCLA utilized a fMRI scanner to observe brain activity in teen.  During the scanning procedure, teens played on an app similar to Instagram.  Findings from the brain imaging indicated an increased activation of the brain’s reward circuitry complex when they received “likes” on their picture during the scan.  The reward center is stimulated in other cases such as when we see a picture of a person we love or win money.  Reward circuitry exhibit a higher sensitivity in adolescence as well.  Furthermore, another test indicated the prevalence of peer influence on brain functioning in which teens were more likely to “like” more popular pictures, regardless of what was displayed in them.

It is relevant that social learning is crucial during adolescent years.  The social media revolution has changed the way people interact with each other.  The main author of the brain imaging study, Lauren Sherman, indicated that prior to the electronic boom, people more frequently used facial expressions and gestures to see how effective their message was during face to face conversation (East, S., 2016).  Finally, changes in plasticity of the brain has been a prevalent effect in modern imaging studies.  Plasticity is utilized for brain growth after new experiences or changes occur (East, S., 2016).  Eventually, people may be able to increase the capacity of plasticity allowing individuals to effectively and rapidly switch between tasks.  In relation, behavioral studies indicate the ability on switching tasks improves until about age sixteen (Giedd, J. N., 2013).  When people learn something new, that fresh experience is encoded in their brain and causes slight alterations in the bond between synapses in the brain.  Some researchers believe that the time spent on social media could lead the brain to change and grow, while others raise questions of concern relevant to adolescent health.

 

The digital era is beneficial in many ways, but it also raises many concerns.  Some of the benefits include ease and immediacy of information, multitasking, and improvements in school systems, and instant interaction.  Although, some of the downfalls associated with the media boom are texting while driving, decreased face to face interaction, cyber bullying, fake news, and numerous dangers online.  To sum it up, media and technology has drastically changed our way of life.  The digital era is a huge step in the evolution of humans as we know it.  Although, we have to make sure that we do not let the popularization of technology and social media get to our heads and ensure that our future children understand that having access to online or the social media world is a privilege as it comes with great responsibility.

 

 

 

 

 

East, S. (2016, August 1). Teens: This is how social media affects your brain. CNN Health. Retrieved March 18, 2017 from

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/12/health/social-media-brain/

Giedd, J. N., (2012, August). The digital revolution and adolescent brain evolution. J. Adolescent Health. Retrieved March 18, 2017 from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3432415/

 

 

 


17
Mar 17

NOMOPHOBIA!?

Have you ever heard of this phobia? Nomophobia is the fear of being separated from your mobile phone (Giles, 2013). Yes, the cell phone epidemic has gotten so bad that they named a fear in association to it. How many of us could probably say, not out loud, that we suffer from some level of nomophobia? I hate to admit it, but I could probably say I suffer from some level of nomophobia. As a mother of three kids I feel responsible for them 24/7 and therefore feel I need to have the ability to be in constant contact or be able to be reached 24/7. This is one of the advantages of cell phones as well as one of the disadvantages. Being constantly connected to your mobile device can be detrimental to anyone’s health.

Using cell phones can reinforce new social behaviors and ways of thinking, including both desirable and undesirable behavior (Commentary, 2017). With the mobile ability of being connected to other people and the World Wide Web 24/7, we as a nation have developed some new and widely acceptable behaviors. Some of these include; being on our cell phones either talking, texting, emailing or etc. while in the bathroom, taking “selfies” anywhere and everywhere, recording any type of random public happening and so much more. One of the major bad habits created with the use of cell phones is texting while driving, or really, using your phone in any manner while driving. I can’t tell you the number of times I will be driving down a major highway, which is marked as 70 miles an hour now, and look over to see someone flying by watching their cell phone instead of watching the road! As a matter of fact, I almost got ran off the road into the center concrete barriers by someone that was using their cell phone instead of watching where they were driving.

There was a police report in my local paper just this week about a man wrecking his vehicle here near town because he was too busy reading a text message he had received while driving. Thank goodness the man was not injured too badly or killed, but too often death does occur. Texting while driving has been proven to be 6 times more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol (Giles, 2013). Let that sink in for a minute. I understand the desire to want to be constantly connected, however not at that cost.

References:

Giles, Kevin (2013). Treatment4Addiction.com. Cell Phone Addiction: A New Epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.treatment4addiction.com/blog/cell-phone-addiction-epidemic/

Lesson 9 Commentary (2017) Applied Social Psychology. Retrieved from: PSU World Campus https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1834710/modules/items/21736689


15
Mar 17

Applying Strain Theory to the Crime Epidemic in Chicago

In recent years, incidences of violent crime and homicide in Chicago, Illinois have risen exponentially.  According to the Chicago Police Department (2017), during the past 12 months 27,719 violent crimes have been reported, including 705 homicides.  During 2016, the rate of homicide rose nearly 50 percent, with 90 murders in the month of August alone (Davey, 2016).    The United States Census Bureau (n.d.) reports that the number of individuals living in poverty during 2011 through 2015 in Chicago was 22.3% and that the area is densely populated with 11,841.8 people per square mile in the city.  As of 2016, over 50% of Chicago residents are minorities (Suburban Stats, n.d.).  The significance of this information will be discussed through the lens of strain theory.

CHICAGO, IL. USA. September 2014

The premise of strain theory is that a something or someone in a person’s life is causing the strain that leads them to commit a crime in order to alleviate that strain (Agnew, 2001).  One such strain is real or perceived injustice.  Whether the unjust situation is a result of their own actions or hundreds of years of systematic oppression, a person who engages in criminal behavior may rationalize their actions by considering that they themselves have been mistreated.  Though the days of slavery are in the past and we are no longer living in the Civil Rights Era of the 1960s, racial injustice continues to exist and is a source of discontent for many people in Chicago and other areas, including criminals.

Another factor is the magnitude of the strain, which refers to how impactful the crime is in comparison to the consequences of not committing that crime (Agnew, 2001).  For example, robbing an individual may seem like a low-level crime that isn’t likely to have a lasting effect on that person but, without the money that the criminal obtains from the robbery, they may lose their homes, vehicles, ability to care for their children, or something else that will have long-term consequences for them.  As mentioned earlier, 22.3% of Chicago lives in poverty (United States Census Bureau, n.d.), which means that financial strain is a major, long-lasting strain on many individuals.  The criminal may feel that financial strain can be remedied, at least in the short-term, by committing robbery or theft.

Low social control is another element of strain theory, which concerns individual circumstances that a person has little or no control over, such as lack of job opportunities and available housing (Agnew, 2001).  As previously stated, poverty levels in Chicago are high, and the city is densely populated.  One can surmise that, with many people vying over available and affordable living spaces in such a small area, there will be some who are cannot obtain a residence.  The average cost of rent per year is approximately $11,580 and home mortgages cost $22,308, while the average income is $29,486.  The discrepancy between income and cost of living, which are largely out of a person’s control, are likely to cause strain that cannot easily be alleviated through legal means.  The notion that meritocracy, defined by Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2012) as the notion that hard work will yield equal and fair results for all who work hard, is simply not accurate all of the time.  Therefore, this type of strain could motivate an individual to commit crimes such as robbery and theft in order to get money to pay for the cost of living when their occupations fail to provide enough financial stability.

The final strain is pressure or incentive to engage in criminal activity in order to cope.  Anderson (2009, as cited in Agnew 2001), suggests that inner-city communities may engage in criminal coping as a response to conflicts within the community and with police.  In such a situation, law enforcement may not be able to help these individuals solve this problem through legitimate channels, so they take matters into their own hands.  For them, criminal coping is the only way to deal with this problem.  The matter of disrespectful treatment harkens back to topics of injustice and high-magnitude strains, since the situation involves unjust treatment with highly impactful consequences.  Therefore, people may engage in criminal activity in order to resolve the issue of someone mistreating them by violently attacking or even killing another.

In the city of Chicago, violent crime is an extensive problem that most certainly needs to be addressed.  One obvious solution is incarceration, but it is expensive and often ineffective.  Prisons, jails, probation, and parole services cost the United States $81 billion annually (Wagner & Rabuy, 2017).  Additionally, in the United States, up to 58 percent of violent offenders are arrested for a similar crime within 5 years of being released from prison, with the highest incidence of reincarceration being African American males (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2014).  Recent reports show that number is even higher in the city of Chicago, with over 87 percent of murder offenders having been arrested prior to committing homicide (Chicago Police Department, 2012).  If incarceration is not effective, what other courses of action may be taken to deter violent crime in Chicago?

Considering Agnew’s (2001) strain theory, there are several potential strains that are complex, and there will be no simple solutions.  Poverty, low job and housing availability, and institutionalized racial oppression are not problems that can be solved overnight, if ever at all.  The strain of pressure or incentive to engage in criminal activity, particularly the unwillingness to contact police about disputes, may be dealt with in several ways.  First, law enforcement officials may benefit from diversity training both prior to employment and periodically throughout their tenure.  They may also gain the confidence of residents by interacting with them outside of regular police calls.  Contact hypothesis (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012) suggests that prejudice can be remedied when two groups work together, as equals, to achieve a common goal.  Police and neighborhood residents could take part in fund raisers to help pay for improvements in their community that would benefit regular citizens as well as law enforcement, so they would be cooperating with one another to achieve a common goal.  Since the perception of equality is sufficient, law enforcement could dress in civilian clothing for fund raisers and act as partners rather than authority figures.  These positive interactions could help them understand one another better and foster unity between law enforcement and residents.  Additionally, if Chicago residents feel confident that law enforcement will work with them rather than having to rely on resolving conflicts on their own, this may help to alleviate some of the strain of perceived racial injustice.

 

The rate of violent crime in Chicago is staggering, and the loss of life is great.  Through understanding and implementing appropriate strategies, perhaps progress can be made.

 

 

 

 

References:

Chicago Police Department CLEARMAP – Crime Summary.  Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://gis.chicagopolice.org/CLEARMap_crime_sums/startPage.htm#

Davey, M. (2016, September 1). Chicago Has Its Deadliest Month in About Two Decades. New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/02/us/chicago-august-homicides.html

United States Census Bureau QuickFacts: Chicago city, Illinois. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/IPE120215/1714000

Agnew, R. (2001). Building on the foundation of general strain theory: Specifying the types of strain most likely to lead to crime and delinquency. Journal of research in crime and delinquency, 38(4), 319-361.

Suburban Stats: Population Demographics for Chicago, Illinois in 2016 and 2017 (n.d.). Retrieved March 9, 2017, from https://suburbanstats.org/population/illinois/how-many-people-live-in-chicago

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: Sage.

Wagner, P., & Rabuy, B. (2017, January 25). Following the Money of Mass Incarceration. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money.html

Bureau of Justice Statistics: 3 in 4 Former Prisoners in 30 States Arrested Within 5 Years of Release. (2014, April 22). Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/press/rprts05p0510pr.cfm

Chicago Police Department 2011 Chicago Murder Analysis. (2012). Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://home.chicagopolice.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/2011-Murder-Report.pdf

Ortiz, C. J. (2014). [Untitled photo of Chicago, IL. USA]. September 2014. Retrieved from http://projects.aljazeera.com/2014/chicago-homicides/ortiz_photos.html

[Untitled photo of police fundraiser]. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/316870523753045552/

 

 

 


15
Mar 17

Media and Violence

We are a society ruled by media we use it on a daily basis and multiple times a day. Unfortunately there are evil people out there that cause harm not only to themselves but to others. But by us watching the violence on the internet and on tv will we become more violent. In my personal experience I believe we don’t to a point. I’m a typical guy I like my violent movies and shows but that doesn’t make make me violent. I avoid conflict at all time I don’t like it and to me it seem like nothing really gets resolved besides maybe a little stress relief. I personally believe that everyone has violent tendencies however those who act on those violent feeling become for violent or aggressive. By watching violence on the screen I believe has no affect on anyone. For example, (Schneider et al, 2012) indicated that in a longitudinal study was conducted and found that violent people are no more likely to watch violent things than those who are not violent. By this study if two individuals watch the same amount of violent things then why is one more violent then the other.

I have worked in a medical clinic for a very long time and I have seen many of our young patients grow up. My belief that we are all born with violent tendencies came from this observation. There are two patients I know very well because they were the first patients I ever interacted with at that time they were babies. Now they’re in middle school patient A was always a happy baby as well as when he was a toddler very friendly and to this day he is the same. Patient B on the other hand not so much he was always crying when he came in and as he got older he would just be unfriendly, now as a teen he is constantly getting in trouble because he fight with other students. Patient A has both parents and it seems like they pay attention to child maybe that has to do something with the lack of violence. With patient B he came from a one parent house hold which could be the reason why he has so much aggression. The lack of supervision might have contributed to his behavior.

I am a tv fanatic I enjoy it, especially when there are historic facts. In the show Underground there was a scene where a boy asked the care taker if the boys father is bad. The care taker looked at him and stated that “every man has two wolf spirits one bad and one good depending which one he feeds that is who your father is”.  Now why am I using a scene from a movie to state my point the reason is because media comes in different forms the new, movies, shows, and the radio. Violence can come in any form but whether you decide to act on those violent tendencies that is who will become.

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2012). Applied Social Psychology (Second ed., pp. 135-163). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.


06
Mar 17

Flaws in Police Lineups

The American criminal justice system has many flaws, some of which we learned about this week. For me, the most concerning flaw that we learned about in this lesson was the police lineups which create bias in various ways. We learned in this lesson that when witnesses are asked to identify the perpetrator, they use their judgment of people in the lineup as opposed to using their memory. This clearly presents a problem since an innocent person can be accused of the crime they never committed (Nelson, 2017).

This week, we also learned that there are many solutions to reducing false accusations caused in a lineup. The lesson material suggested asking “is your attacker in the room” instead of “which one is it” in order to prevent witnesses from comparing the people within the lineup and making a guess. The lesson also suggested applying a similar technique when providing a digital or photographic lineup of suspects (Nelson, 2017).

In my opinion, the whole idea of a police lineup is very controversial. If there is even a possibility of false identification, shouldn’t this step be eliminated? Our lesson also mentioned that the witness may choose a person from the lineup that has a close appearance to the attacker but may not actually be the attacker (Nelson, 2017). To me, this is a major flaw since a falsely accused person may have to go through the mental torture of going through the process of being proven innocent instead of proven guilty. For example, Haynesworth was falsely accused of raping 5 women, 4 of whom identified him from a police lineup. Years later, DNA testing proved his innocence and he was released from prison. However, Haynesworth had to spend 30 years in prison due to a false identification in a police lineup. This is just one of the many examples of harm that can be caused by false identification. The Innocence Project found that 72% of the convictions that were overturned by DNA testing were initially caused by eyewitness misidentification. I believe it may be time for us to take a look once again on the process of police lineups.

 

References:

Nelson. (2017). Lesson 08: The Legal System/Criminal Justice. Retrieved March 05, 2017, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1834710/modules/items/21736684

Police Lineups Study Recommends Officer Reforms. (n.d.). Retrieved March 06, 2017, from http://time.com/3461043/police-lineups-eyewitness-science/

 


06
Mar 17

Why Do People Make False Confessions?

Why do people make false confessions? As long as they did not commit the crimes, how difficult is it to say “No, I did not commit the crime!”? Schneider and his colleagues explained that the self-fulfilling prophecies can influence people’s behaviors and eventually elicit a confession that is false from a suspect (Schneider et al., 2012). Kassin and Kiechel further elaborated that false confessions can be elicited by false evidence that are presented to the suspect (Schneider et al., 2012). My superficial response to the notions would be, “If you did not do it regardless of the evidence, how hard is it to say no to the coercion?”

Unfortunately, eliciting false confessions is not as simple as how Schneider and colleagues noted in the book. According to a recent study done by Larmour and his colleagues, people often cave in and take the blame for something that they did not commit due to the use of the Reid interrogative techniques which is prevalently used in North America (Larmour et al., 2014). The Reid techniques emphasize increasing the psychological pressure and using manipulation techniques that make people acquiesce in desired outcomes set by interrogators which is confession regardless of authenticity. Interestingly, individuals are aware that their behaviors are being influenced by the interrogative techniques, but they end up conforming to the demands of the interrogators for two reasons: 1) they are eager to please others and 2) they want to avoid conflict and confrontation (Gudjonsson, 1989). Now, my next question is what types of people are susceptible to interrogative compliance?

According to Larmour and colleagues, there are several factors that are related to interrogative compliance. The study revealed that females are more likely to conform to demands of interrogators, individuals with high rates of antisocial personality traits, and those with impulsivity and poor behavior control are more likely to make false confessions. In another recent study by Frenda and his colleagues, sleep deprivation increases likelihood that people will make false confessions (Frenda et al., 2016). It appears to be many different factors that elicit false confessions including the self-fulfilling prophecies. This notion makes me wonder how many innocent people have been wrongfully convicted and being punished for the acts they did not commit, and how effective the police interrogation techniques currently in use are.

References

Gudjonsson, G. H. (1989). Compliance in an interrogative situation: A new scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 10(5), 535-540. doi:10.1016/0191-8869(89)90035-4

Frenda, S. J., Berkowitz, S. R., Loftus, E. F., & Fenn, K. M. (2016). Sleep deprivation and false confessions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(8), 2047-2050. doi:10.1073/pnas.1521518113

Larmour, S. R., Bergstrøm, H., Gillen, C. T., & Forth, A. E. (2014). Behind the Confession: Relating False Confession, Interrogative Compliance, Personality Traits, and Psychopathy. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 30(2), 94-102. doi:10.1007/s11896-014-9144-3

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

 


06
Mar 17

The Origins of Crime and Incarceration in the United States

The United States is widely known for its mass incarceration rates. In recent years, there has been a decreasing trend in the number prison populations, individuals being supervised by correctional systems, and rates of incarceration. Although we are seeing these decreases, there are still entirely too many people getting charged for various crimes. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics (2016) an estimated 6,741,400 United States citizens were being supervised by correctional systems in the year 2015 (Minton & Zeng, 2016). An average day in 2015, consisted of an estimated 721,300 jail confinements.  On top of that, the population of incarcerated individuals stood at 2,173,800, approximately 1 in every 146 people (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2016).

Given these startling statistics, there is a lot at stake when such significant numbers of people are spending time in prison. Figuring out ways in which crime rates can be decreased is one goal that must be met, and to do this the origins of crime must be understood. In this blog, the causes and possible solutions to criminal behavior and incarceration will be discussed.

What kind of variables may predict or produce criminal behavior? The origins of criminal behavior involve many theories and concepts, which attempt to explain why someone involves themselves in this kind of activity in the first place. Generally, how we develop is equally dependent on both environmental and biological factors. Regarding an individual’s biology, some theories suggest criminal behavior is the result of genetics, neurological functioning, and biochemistry (Schneider, 2012). Studies have shown that sons whose biological parents were criminals, are much more likely to engage in future crime (Lytton, 1990.) Adriane Raine, a criminologist, suggests that just like there is a genetic predisposition for various mental disorders, there is also a biological basis for violence (Gross, 2013). Other biological factors, including hormone levels and gender also may contribute to criminal behavior.

Sociological explanations for crime are also commonly explored. Socioeconomic status (SES) is a measure that combines factors such as occupation, education level, and income. A lower SES includes factors such as receiving little income, living in a poor neighborhood, and a having low education level. Individuals with a lower SES are at greater risk for engaging in criminal activity. The strain theory explains why this may be. The theory suggests that criminal behavior in low SES individuals is caused by undue strain or frustration with pathological social structures (Schneider, 2012). In order to live up to middle-class expectations, lower SES individuals may engage in criminal behavior to attain goods (e.g. money). The subculture theory also provides explanation to how sociological factors may initiate criminal behavior. This theory states that criminal behavior among low SES cultures occurs because individuals of that culture are only conforming to what they perceive as normal (Schneider, 2012).

As was mentioned above, development tends to be equally influenced by biological and environmental factors. Social psychological theories keep this in mind when attempting to explain criminal behavior. According to social learning theory, criminal activity is a result of learned behaviors through a person’s interactions and experiences with the social environment (Schneider, 2012). An individual may be more susceptible to engaging in crime, if they are witnessing the criminal behavior of others. They may also realize that their criminal behavior is met with peer approval and rewards, increasing the likelihood that a future crime is committed. Antisocial personality disorder is a common psychological ailment that is seen in criminals. The presence of this disorder increases the chance that a person engages in crime and misconduct. Characteristics of antisocial personality disorder, abuse of drugs or alcohol, temperament, and negative family experiences are all considered factors in the general personality and social psychological model of criminal behavior, a comprehensive list of risk factors for crime (Schneider, 2012). The more criteria that is met from this list, the more likely an individual is to engage in criminal activity. The origins of criminal behavior is relevant in this discussion, because the first step in reducing incarceration rates is reducing crime itself. In order to do this, understanding the predispositions to criminal activity is imperative.

What are the solutions to criminal behavior? Treatment for antisocial personality disorder has been shown to be successful in decreasing criminal activity in certain individuals. A combination of therapy and medication is used to treat said patients. Typically, therapy focuses on reversing the antisocial attitudes that are present in the patient, as well as targeting the support or continuation of the criminal behavior. If the patient sees mostly rewards for their behavior, rather than the potential consequences, it is likely the behavior will remain.

By understanding where criminal behavior comes from, we become one step closer in decreasing the massive rates of incarceration in the United States. Incarceration can have many psychologically damaging effects, so it is important that social psychologists work to improve the mental state of these individuals.  A main concern is how inmates are being treated. It is vital that we treat inmates humanely to increase the likelihood that criminal activity will not continue post-prison. For many individuals, prison is only temporary and when they are released ex-inmates typically find themselves to be unemployed, financially unstable, and psychologically stressed. All of these setbacks make it more likely that future criminal activity will ensue. If the ultimate goal for the justice system is to decrease crime, attention should be centered on rehabilitation programs for people that spend an excessive amount of time in jail. With the appropriate programs being implemented, drastic changes can be made in the criminal justice system. Most importantly, we need to collectively stop viewing prisons as a wastebin for criminals, but rather utilize the prison system to help improve troubled individuals’ lives.

References

Gross, T. (2013, April 30). Criminologist Believes Violent Behavior is Biological. Fresh Air Podcast. Podcast retrieved from http://www.npr.org

Lytton, H. (1990). Child and parent effects in boys’ conduct disorder: A reinterpretation. Developmental Psychopathology, 26, 683-697.

Minton, T. D., & Zeng, Z. (2016, December 29). Jail Inmates in 2015. Retrieved March 05, 2017, from https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5872

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: Sage.


05
Mar 17

The Human Factor in Juries

In the tumultuous world of law and order nowadays there is such a whirlwind of bias and discrimination faced in selecting a jury. Everyone discriminates to some degree as a natural response and habit that Darwin would say helps to keep the strong alive and thriving. By seeing who is in your in-group, which is the group you feel you belong to and identify and help with, you are exhibiting bias. With selecting a jury the lawyer wants to pick jurors that will give them the most favorable outcome. The field of jury consultants is now the “go to” in helping to decide a client’s fate. While they perform tasks like prepping the witness or defendant and setting up mock trials; they also help to identify factors in jurors revealing their biases. Once we introduce social media into the mix there is a “treasure trove” (Nance, 2015) of more information on the juror. People tend to reveal their personal beliefs, stances, history, and group affiliations through social media (Nance, 2015). Many jury consultants tend to utilize this resource bringing into question privacy issues, but that is a matter for another day. Discrimination can vary with gender bias, race, sexual orientation, religion, and the list goes on. Even children’s books like The Lorax by Dr. Seuss present the understanding that everyone is bias and it can influence justice (Mitchell, Hofstetter, and McLaughlin, 2012). “For example, it is no secret that some individuals view corporations and their officers in a generally negative light. In The Lorax, the Once-ler is the CEO of a business that manufactures and sells “thneeds,” which “everyone, everyone, everyone needs”– frivolous garments crafted out of the silky leaves of “Truffula” trees. This business eventually becomes the Once-ler’s agent of destruction, wreaking havoc on the environment to the detriment of the story’s characters” (Mitchell, Hofstetter, and McLaughlin, 2012).  This story line alone highlights how a jury could be hateful or let their personal beliefs go against the defendant. Does it make it right or just a circumstance that we must account for though? It is said that juries are the “cog in the judicial” (Nance, 2015) system and that in today’s world our system is broken. This week we learned that there is a consequence of jury size that reflects on how a verdict may come about. In the United States and Canada juries are generally either six or twelve people that are our “peers” (PSU World Campus, 2017). When there is a larger number of jurors there is a more accountable and detailed reflection of the facts of the case and people are more likely to speak up against a verdict if it is not the right choice (PSU World Campus, 2017). I find it interesting that this parallels most social interactions in that many people have a “herd mentality” and do not deviate when there is few in the group. So while there are benefits like cost effectiveness and an expedient trial, you may want to consider what your options are when given the choice if you are in a litigating matter. So overall, while it may be true that the “people” that are our peers are in fact the injustice in some cases this is still the only system we have and the best one there is thus far. If you agree that there is discrimination and injustice in this system then I suggest that more people become active in participating in their local judicial government. This does not mean you have to run for office or go to law school but by voting for unbiased judges or actively participating in the dreaded jury duty (that everyone seems to lose the notice of in the mail) you can make the difference. By realizing that we can make a change and that a change needs to be made we can all contribute to better and more just accountability of our laws. While the human factor is the change that needs to be made; only we can put the humanity back into the system.

References:

Mitchell, J. R., Hofstetter, J., & McLaughlin, C. A. (2012). Lessons from the Lorax: Jury Selection in Difficult Cases. FDCC Quarterly, 62(3), 254-262.

NANCE, A. R. (2015). SOCIAL MEDIA SELECTION: HOW JURY CONSULTANTS CAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO BUILD A MORE FAVORABLE JURY. Law & Psychology Review, 39267-285.

Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2017). PSYCH 424: Applied Social Psychology Lesson 8: The Legal System/Criminal Justice. Retrieved from doi: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1834710/modules/items/21736682.


03
Mar 17

Personality Disorders at the Interface of Psychiatry and the Law

The relationship between mental illness and causation of crime has been a popular topic among forensic psychiatrists and the justice system.  Pin pointing a direct cause for problematic behavior is mostly caused by a varying degree of personality disorders within legal contexts.  Personality disorders are defined as, “a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning, and behaving (Mayo Clinic, 2016).” Furthermore, the Criminology Resource Center explains criminal behavior in relation to four criteria: “First, the act is prohibited by law and punished by the state.  Next, it is considered to violate a moral or religious code and is considered punishable by a supreme spiritual being.  Third, the act violates norms of society or tradition and it punishable by a community.  Finally, it causes serious psychological stress of mental damage to the victim (Regis, 2017).” The context within this blog entry will address how personality disorders are implicated in forensic cases, as well as analyze how such disorders are viewed in different legal contexts (Johnson & Elbogen, 2013).

 

The evaluation process of different mental disorders is not viewed equally through forensic law.  At which point should flawed personality traits be considered an illness by a certified psychiatric diagnosis?  When is a personality disorder considered to cross the line into becoming an abnormal or severe condition?  Relatively, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is used to systematically organize diagnostic categories of certain mental disorders.    Individuals must meet established criterion in order to be legally classified with that particular ailment.  The DSM6’s definition of personality traits as, “ensuring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and one’s self that are exhibited in a wide range of social and personal contexts (Johnson & Elbogen, 2013).”  Relatively, personality traits are considered to be mental disorders (clinically and by the law) IF they show a precedence of impairments to overall functioning, resemble faulty adaptive constituents, and present distress on a continuum.  In many cases, mental illnesses can revise the definition of the law relevant to particular criminal and civil aspects.  Clinical Neuroscience report declares that, “classification and specific definitions of personality disorders can have a major impact on how and when they serve as modifiers [for the law] (Johnson & Elbogen, 2013).”  Conclusively, the legal system’s perception of understanding the relationship between mental health and law is determined by considering the different mechanisms of functional impairment relative to a specific person.

 

Personality disorders play a significant role in legal assessments of criminal behavior.  Clinical conceptions of personality disorders attempt to explain the criminal justice system.  Additionally, the role of mental health in varying testimonies is determined by the severity of functional impairment as a causative agent of criminal behavior and other social controversies.  Mental illness has been considered the key to understanding and potentially eradicating crime.  What is the current state of acceptance for assessing personality disorders within a forensic context?  Essentially, the law develops a basis for which personality disorders hold practical significance for litigations within the court of justice.  Clinical Neuroscience justifies the code of law as, “a system that must be applicable across diverse situations and populations (Johnson & Elbogen).”  Additionally, the law addresses the impact that these disorders may have on individual’s behavioral constituents, as well as implicating that people are responsible for their own actions.  Where does the jury draw the line on what is tolerated or accepted behavior, or what crosses into a realm of symptoms from psychological distress?  Psychiatric components and the law describe behavior as either “within or outside the norm, and define behavior as acceptable or not.”

 

Personality disorders are affected by various social pressures and societal means.  Additionally, mental illness is a huge topic of interest in the study of criminal forensics because it reflects various causation principles for problematic behaviors.  It is crucial that the criminal justice system assesses the importance and reality of impaired mental health and its impact on behavior.  Although, the law must be consistent with their definition of mental illness as some criminals may claim to be mentally unstable as an excuse for their wrongdoings.  Contrarily, areas with increased crime rates typically have a high prevalence of personality dysfunction (Johnson & Elbogen, 2013).  In conclusion, mental health explains various concepts which underlie acts of criminal offense.  Forensic psychopathology is influenced by various neurological systems that coincide with discrepancies for the human mind, which results in the prevalence of certain behavioral traits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

APA CITATIONS

Johnson, S. C., Elbogen, E. B. (2013, June). Personality Disorders at the Interface of Psychiatry and the Law: Legal Use and Clinical Classification. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3811091/

Regis. (2017, January 6). What is the definition of criminal behavior? Retrieved March 3, 2017, from http://criminology.regis.edu/criminology-programs/resources/crim-articles/definition-criminal-behavior

Clinic, M. (2016). Mayoclinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/home/ovc-20247654


03
Mar 17

Scratching the Surface of ‘Making a Murderer’

Photo credit: IMDB

Written March 3, 2017 -Lia Stoffle 

Remember when all anyone was talking about was watching the Netflix Series Making a Murderer? The show was one like I had never seen before. Forbes described the series as “Netflix’s Most Significant Show Ever” (Tassi, 2016). If you haven’t seen it yet, SPOILER ALERT. Go watch it. I know, there are ten hour-long episodes, but realistically it’ll only take you around three days (or one day on a weekend) because you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen and you will be helpless when Netflix sends you right into the next episode. No joke, I had noticed the hype about the series, and maybe because human psychology is more salient to me than criminal injustice, I thought it was a case study on what life events led this person to become a murderer. Once I realized I was wrong, and that I had already accidentally watched three episodes, I called my second-year-law-student boyfriend to tell him, “come over now, and I’ll re-watch the first three episodes with you, but otherwise you’re on your own.” He came over and we watched the entire series. It’s the worst… and the best… and everything in-between. Continue reading →


02
Mar 17

Jury Do-ty or Jury Don’t

This week’s lesson was applying social psychology to the criminal justice system. One of the topics discussed was jury selection. I would like to start off by saying that I have yet to be summoned for jury duty; I have not had that opportunity yet. From what I have gathered over the years from people is that jury duty is not something most people look forward to or participate in with great enthusiasm. I, on the other hand having not had the experience yet, think that it may be exciting, or at least interesting to be able to be a part of helping to “close” a case so to speak.

With that being said, one of the concepts related to jury selection discussed in our lesson commentary as well as our chapter reading is what is referred to as generic prejudice. Generic prejudice is more likely to occur in cases where the defendant is facing murder or sexual assault charges. Generic prejudice is when a person carries general attitudes that would interfere with an unbiased evaluation of the evidence (Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A. & Coutts, L.M., 2012). In other words, the person is more likely to convict based on the nature of the crime and not the facts of the case itself (Nelson, A., 2017). Our lesson commentary also attributes this concept to what is known as the cognitive resource theory. The cognitive resource theory basically states that stressful or highly emotional information takes up more space in our brains than rational facts do and therefore we make a less accurate decision using fewer details.

After reading about that it made me stop and think. Even though I may be weird or at least the exception when it comes to wanting to experience jury duty, I am now questioning whether I would be excluded from jury duty do to generic prejudice or not. When watching the news and hearing about a trial going on, I often find myself having emotionally charged judgements of a person based on the nature of the crime rather than listening to the facts being presented. Now granted, as we also read in our lesson, we do not usually get all the facts of the case from the news media; such was the case in the Casey Anthony murder trial. As a mother of three young children though, I very negatively judged her and her parenting skills. I can’t say that I specifically felt or thought that she was guilty or innocent; I did not make that judgement because I did not know all the facts. However, when it comes to murder and sexual assault crimes involving children I do hold very strong generic prejudices against people capable of committing such acts, or that are presumed to have committed such acts because I am a mother myself. So would this prevent me from being able to be selected for jury duty…possibly? I guess it would all depend on the type of case I was being selected to jury duty for.

References:

Nelson, Anthony (2017). Type of Case. Lesson 8 Commentary, PSU World Campus.

Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A. & Coutts, L.M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology (2nd Ed.): Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Thousand Oaks, CA. SAGE Publications, Inc.


02
Mar 17

Applied Social Psychology in the Criminal Justice System

 

 

Social Psychology refers to the branch of psychology that deals with analyzing the human behaviors based on the interactions with others in society as well as the social contexts of the conduct. Simply, it deals with how people act or behave according to their social interactions. On the other hand, the criminal justice system is the branch of the law that deals with controlling criminal activities in society through imposing penalties on the offenders of the specific laws. The following article seeks to analyze how the social psychology plays a role in the criminal justice system. In specific, I will examine how the social psychology influences the jury decision making.

Criminal justice system plays a critical role in every society. It identifies the particular offenders, arrest them prosecute them and adjudge them either guilty or innocent for conviction.  Nonetheless, it entails a very delicate process to avoid convicting innocent parties. The judge of the jury has the mandate to ensure that the offenders are punished accordingly to the law and their offenses without disregarding their inherent fundamental rights and freedoms as human beings. Consequently, the criminal justice system entails a rigorous process. In the United States, the role of determining whether an individual is guilty or innocent of a crime lies with the jury. The jury selection entails a very rigorous process of selecting persons of utmost integrity and irrevocable rationale for rendering independent and sober determinations. Nonetheless, as social psychologists assert the process of jury decision-making is one that is significantly affected by the social interactions of the jury with either themselves or the society. In the subsequent paragraphs, I will discuss how the social interactions influence the jury decision-making.

According to various commentators like Asch, the size of the jury greatly influences the outcome of their decision (Asch). Indeed, he asserts that the less the number of jurors the more the likelihood of an outcome against the defendant. In contrast, where the number of jurors is high the defendant stands a position of getting some favors from the jurors.  Ordinarily, the size of the jury ranges from 6 to 12 members. As Asch opines a jury of six persons has a high probability of entering a vote of guilty to a person even if he or she is guilty (Asch). Indeed, he asserts that the jurors seem to enter a unanimous decision with no one dissenting. On the other hand, a jury of 12 jurors has significantly high possibility of multiple dissentment from the members.  One of the reasoning behind the occurrence is that in a small-sized jury, a person will be afraid of going against the majority and thus conforming to their decisions (Asch). However, where a jury comprises of 12 jurors, the probability of two or three persons exercising their independence of mind is very high.

Furthermore, quite often the jury outcomes are highly determined by the type of case. According to commentators, certain types of crimes such as murder and sexual offenses result to the offender being held guilty even if it is imprudent to do so (Fiedler and Joseph ).  One of the principal arguments for the position is the fact that such cases generate some generic prejudice against the accused persons (Fiedler and Joseph ). Consequently, the jurors acquire some form of bias against the individual. Subsequently, their minds tend to lean more to the nature of the crime as opposed to the facts of the case and the applicable law. They simply do not exercise any form of mental independence. Besides, the situation is explained based on the cognitive theory, which proposes that a human mind under stress tends to have a reduced rational decision-making.  Frequently, these types of cases tend to elicit a lot of publicity and following and hence, the resulting pressure on the jurors.

In summary, the interactions of the social psychology are very evident in the jury decision-making as discussed above. In particular, the interplay occurs in relationship to the size of the jury and the nature of the case under determination.

 

Works Cited

 

Asch, Solomon E. “Effects of group pressure upon the modification and distortion of judgments.” Groups, leadership, and men. Pittsburgh: Carnegie Press, 1951. Print.

Fiedler, Fred E, and E Garcia Joseph. New approaches to effective leadership: Cognitive resources and organizational performance. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1987. Print.


01
Mar 17

Lesson7 Fitting In

Being apart of a group is something humans all take part in. We are grouped by color, race, upper class, lower class, ethnicity and so much more. When we become a part of a group it gives us a sense of who we are and helps us to identify with others who have similar qualities or helps us to work towards a common goal.

Although groups settings create alot of positive benefits, sometimes they can often create negative effects. The book talks about group polarization which is when the group polarizes (become more extreme) then it has initially started. (group polarization, 2005) Group polarization can sway things in a direction that is less favorable and potentially cause division. It kind of reminds me of how things work in politics and how there should be one major group in the decision making. However, the groups are split up for those who have opposing views.

Sometimes the effect of changing viewpoints can have a normative influence. People can be pressured to think, act or choose a certain way due to the desire of pleasing others. This can really negatively impact the groups decisions and outcome because people are operating and deciding based off of their peer pressure.

Another type of influence that can occur is informational influence. This can impact a group when information is provided and serves as evidence to influence a groups decision. This can be beneficial because your finding out the facts and making the appropriate decision from there.

Overall, there are many factors to consider when being apart of a group. The decisions made can negatively or positively impact the group as a whole so it is important to research, gain knowledge, and not be influenced by peer pressure when making a decisions or providing input into a group.

 

Works Cited

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2005). Applied social psychology: understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.


01
Mar 17

What’s Military Law?

This week we learned about the justice system and the many ways it can apply to social psychology. The chapter discusses origins of criminal behavior, various theories, types of treatment, the prison system, and even police investigation (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). Since I don’t have first-hand experience with the law, or have heard any stories from family members regarding their experiences, I interviewed a friend who recollects some events from her childhood regarding our justice system. This blog post will examine how the social learning theory, though accurate, can actually become part of someone’s defense and allow him or her minimal charges in military law.

To give an accurate understanding of how military trials work (because it is different then what is described in the book), there are typically three main court scenarios one in the military could be tried under: summary court-martial, special court-martial and general court-martial (Military, 2016). Summary court-martial involves cases that have minor offenses and therefore have a simplified procedure, special court-martial would be the next level up and encompasses more legal bodies (military judge, defense counsel, and three military juror seats), and general court-martial is the most serious type of trail that involves five military juror members, a military judge, a trial counsel and a defense counsel. Clearly, the way this court system occurs is much different than what we would find in our civil justice system, where there are 12 jurors (all random citizens) and many court hearings and discussions are made public; whereas, they are not in military law (Justice, n.d.). In military law, everyone member of the court room is military personnel, including judges, counsel, jurors, and those being tried (one can already see the extreme prejudices and biases that would occur, since all have a common denominator).

This story is a personal story that my friend had revealed to me and one that I found strikingly interesting to share here. My friend’s father, who was a Senior Airman in the US military, had physically abused my friend for the first seven years of her life. Everyone in her family was involved with the military in some way and was ranked very high in their work and reputation around the community. For example and as she shared with me, when she would spill Coca-Cola he would hit her, when she wouldn’t cry he would hit her, when she cried too much he would hit her, and so many other devastating cases of physical abuse. She has just received court transcripts of what she had stated to legal representatives and therapists near the time the incident came to light, and what she had muttered to these officials was devastating to say the least. The abuse she suffered was apparent, documented and tangible. In the legal system we are used to hearing about today, abuse from a father to both of his children (because she has a brother who was abused, too) would easily constitute an immediate shift in parental rights, sentencing, time behind bars and a criminal record that would articulate such.

However, in this special case and because he was tried in a military court, he received hardly any punishment because his team had successfully used the social learning theory to his advantage. To set the scene, he was first and foremost only tried in summary court, which is the court that is known to only deal with cases that are the least offensive with the most minor “crimes.” How someone who has persistently abused his or her children only gets tried in summary court is hard to fathom. Secondly, and because he was a Senior Airman, they actually did request a special jury of three individuals; however, all were military officials who knew her father and respected him. As we learned in our textbook regarding dispositions and biases from jurors in a civil court of law, they would immediately be replaced if they were found to have conflicting prejudices (Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts, 2012). In the military court of law, a military judge has the personal power to order charges at lower levels, order charges at higher levels, send a case back to a lower level, or personally dispose of a case (Justice, n.d.). Clearly, the power given to these military judges and respective military court personnel is incredibly high and unjust. In conclusion, and regardless of the statements both of the Senior Airman’s children’s gave to legal officials and therapists, the Senior Airman was only asked to pay a fine, mow lawns on base for one month and do 100 hours of service work for physically abusing his children.

What ties even more interestingly into this lesson’s work is how his small legal team worked to make the entire case about the Senior Airman’s troublesome childhood based off of the social learning theory, rather than actually holding this man accountable for his actions the way your or I would be. To refresh, the social learning theory states that, “criminal activity represents learned behaviors that develop through a person’s interactions and experiences with a social environment” (Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts, 2012). The way this was used to defend the Senior Airman was that his father persistently physically abused him growing up; therefore, this was the way he genuinely felt he was properly disciplining his children. Though there is some partial truths to these claims, being that we solidify what our parents do to us as children because we are so impressionable, it doesn’t mean that excuses should be made for the most understandably criminal types of offenses. Yet, this was the winning view made by the Senior Airman’s team and his simple list of punishments needing to be executed. However, for my friend, she can’t simply mow lawns, pay a fine and do 100 hours of community service work to rid herself of these painful memories. Unfortunately, she has to carry these throughout her entire life and still find hope that a justice system in the future will be able to keep her safe.

Though we can see how truth can be brought to our society through the justice system in some cases, it sadly can also fail us in many ways that make us lose so much faith and respect in the equality of everyone. Last year we heard about the troublesome case of Brock Turner, a man who committed heinous crimes to a woman and only had to serve three months in jail. There are so many incidents, especially those under the radar, where abuse in any form goes without punishment and without concern for the victim. Regardless of flaws in our civil court system now, clearly our military court needs as much help as possible. Since abuse is incredibly personal and private, it can be difficult to discuss and it can go without acknowledgement for years. I hope that more individuals, like my friend, keep having the courage and strength to discuss their story; hopefully, inspiring others to try and find some sort of “justice” in a world that sometimes seems like it doesn’t understand the true meaning of the word in the first place.


References

Justice, . (n.d.). Military Justice Facts Sheet. In www.hqmc.marines.mil. Retrieved February 28, 2017, from http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/Portals/135/MJFACTSHTS%5B1%5D.html

Military, . (2016). Courts-Martial Explained. In www.military.com. Retrieved February 28, 2017.

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2012). Applied Social Psychology (Second ed., pp. 245-271). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.


01
Mar 17

The Casey Anthony Case and Public Perception of the Criminal Justice System

Note: I am going to try to remain impartial, my goal is to discuss perceptions of the criminal justice system not guilt. I know many people (including myself) have strong opinions about this case and that’s the point. How do our opinions, which are made on highly biased information, change our perceptions of the criminal justice system?

Right to a fair trial

The 6th amendment states that “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.”(“Bill of Rights”)

Does the criminal justice system actually follow these rights? The short answer is that yes, the criminal justice system follows these basic tenets. However modern technology and the 24 hour news cycle has made many of the “inalienable rights” difficult to provide.

The innocence movement, fueled by the fairly recent implementation of DNA testing in criminal cases has led many citizens to doubt the criminal justice system (Battaglia, 2012). It is easy enough for the average law abiding citizen to decide that a criminal “got what they deserved” but when a person is exonerated by DNA evidence after many years in jail, people lose faith. That person who sat in jail, knowing they were innocent could be them, what if they too were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?

The opposite often happens as well. The court of public opinion can be quick to come to a verdict and unwavering regardless of additional evidence. The Casey Anthony case is a notable case where the public has formed much different opinions than the justice system.

The Media

The Casey Anthony Case was heavily publicized on mainstream media. When 2 Year old Caylee Anthony first was reported missing on July, 15 2008 (30 days after she was last seen) the media went on attack. Casey Anthony was immediately blamed for being a bad mother and the public quickly formed an opinion that she was guilty. The “smell of death” in her car, Casey’ s apparent confusion about when she had last seen her daughter and pictures of Casey partying during the investigation certainly didn’t help things. By October, she was charged with murder and in December Caylee Anthony’s remains were found (Ashton, Pulitzer 2012). Each of these events, the investigation, the arrest, and the discovery of remains was played on the media almost constantly. The trial, also highly publicized, started in May of 2011 and ended in July, 2011.

Many who followed the media frenzy were shocked by her acquittal, she was found not guilty of the murder charges. While the trial was going on, I had a 1 hour commute. I often listened to Court TV on my satellite radio. I remember listening when the verdict was announced. Gasps could be heard from all around the courtroom. Everyone was shocked. Many people felt that she was wrongfully exonerated and cited the failings of the criminal justice system.

This heavy media coverage of the case likely had many implications on the defendant, the jury and the criminal justice system itself.

The Defendant

This is a well-known but not often considered aspect of “trial by media”. When a defendant in a criminal case is given a not guilty verdict that should be it. They are not guilty, they should be able to merge back into society without repercussions. However in highly publicized cases where the criminal verdict does not match the verdict handed down by the court of public opinion, the defendant can face death threats and attacks. The defendant can also expect constant media coverage and public scrutiny.  It is often hard for them to find jobs and they may have lost everything they owned if they sat in jail for a long period of time awaiting trial. Sometimes, the principals of self-verification theory can even drive the individual to attempt to justify their actions to the public which often ends in disaster. Defense attorneys often find themselves struggling to change the public perception of their client as well as convince the jury that their client is not guilty (Battaglia, 2012). Approximately 1 out of 6 people exonerated for a crime end up back in prison for smaller offenses (Look at OJ Simpson for an example). In cases where the exonerated party ends up back in prison, public opinion formed during their previous case can cause bias in their current case (Battaglia, 2012). Overall it is going to be difficult for the so called “wrongfully exonerated “ individual to blend back into society and mend relationships with family members, they may struggle with personal and social identity and find it difficult to capture who they once were before the trial.

The Jury

We have previously been speaking of the jury of public opinion. In this section, the jury refers to the actual jurors in the case. In the Casey Anthony case, there was a period of several years between the discovery of a missing child (Caylee Anthony) and the trial. This gave plenty of time for the media to fully saturate public opinion. Of course the jury selection process is designed to eliminate those that have strong opinions or large amounts of knowledge about the case but when a case is this highly publicized it is difficult to avoid bias. In particular one caution of the jury selection process was the awareness of normative prejudice (Schneider, et. al, 2012). The effect of normative prejudice causes people to make the decision that they think others would want them to make. Many jurors have come out after the Casey Anthony trial and stated they had a difficult time making a decision because they knew they were going against public opinion. In fact the sole strategy of Anthony’s attorney was to provide reasonable doubt because he knew prejudices such as normative prejudice would likely lose him the case. He simply introduced several different theories and conflicting pieces of evidence in order to provide the basis for doubt (Ashton, Pulitzer 2012). Jurors can also face some of the same social stigma and alienation experienced by the defendant if their identity is released by the public. Jurors may have a hard time reconciling their personal and social identity with the public’s perceptions of them. They may also struggle with self-verification and feel the need to justify their actions to the media.

 

The Criminal Justice System

Overall, the factors that surround a “wrongful exoneration” effect the criminal justice system the most. The stigma that is attached to the defendant is often attached to the criminal justice system as well. In the eyes of the media consumer, the criminal justice system has failed. This perceived failure can cause future jurors to be less reliable of they become distrustful of the criminal justice system. These wrongful exonerations along with the wrongful convictions that have been publicized add to the public distrust of the system. The media in general is often critical of at least some part of the trial. It could be the judge or the jury or the lawyers but either way it colors people’s future interactions with the justice system in general (Battaglia, 2012). We have many notable cases where this publicly perceived failure has happened and even have TV shows dedicated to the topic (Making a Murder). In the end this will only further hurt a criminal justice system that some believe is already crumbling.

 

Ashton, J., & Pulitzer, L. (2012). Imperfect justice: prosecuting Casey Anthony. New York: William Morrow.

Battaglia, N. A. (2012, Spring). The Casey Anthony trial and wrongful exonerations: how “trial by media” cases diminish public confidence in the criminal justice system. Albany Law Review, 75(3), 1579+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ps/i.do?p=LT&sw=w&u=carl39591&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA297426813&sid=summon&asid=c0ee8bc16f7eb8bd78b34cbeccde99ea

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 978-1412976381

Socia, K. M., & Brown, E. K. (2016). “This Isn’t About Casey Anthony Anymore”. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 27(4), 348-377. doi:10.1177/0887403414551000

The Bill of Rights: A Transcription. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2017, from https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript#toc-amendment-vi


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