PSYCH 424 blog

Social Dominance Theory (SDT) and Social Identity Theory (SIT) are two psychological frameworks that offer valuable insights into the dynamics of racism and provide avenues to combat it. These theories help us grasp how individuals and groups perceive and interact with one another within the framework of social hierarchies and identities. This discussion will delve into these theories and explore their potential contributions to the fight against racism. Social Dominance Theory (SDT), conceptualized by Jim Sidanius and Felicia Pratto, proposes that societies inherently structure themselves into group-based hierarchies, where certain social groups wield more power and resources than others. This theory underscores the role of social structures in perpetuating inequality and discrimination. It posits that individuals within dominant groups often exhibit a higher degree of social dominance orientation, a psychological inclination to support and justify hierarchical systems. Such individuals may consciously or unconsciously endorse racist attitudes and behaviors that uphold the existing status quo.

SDT can help combat racism by highlighting the systemic nature of discrimination. Recognizing that racism is not merely a collection of individual prejudices but a deeply ingrained societal structure allows for more effective interventions. Addressing the root causes of racism requires dismantling these hierarchies and working toward a more egalitarian society.

Meanwhile, social Identity Theory (SIT), formulated by Henri Tajfel and John Turner, focuses on how individuals categorize themselves and others into social groups. According to SIT, people derive self-esteem from group memberships, leading to in-group favoritism and out-group bias. In the context of racism, this theory helps explain why individuals might discriminate against others based on race—because they perceive their racial group as superior or more favorable. Combating racism using SIT interventions can focus on redefining group boundaries and fostering positive intergroup relations. By promoting the idea that we all belong to a shared, inclusive group, we can reduce the emphasis on racial divisions and create a more harmonious society.

A way to combat racism effectively is by using these social dominance and social identity theories. SDT sheds light on the structural and systemic aspects of racism, while SIT helps us understand the psychological mechanisms driving discriminatory behaviors. When we address both the societal structures that perpetuate inequality and the individual biases that fuel racism, we can develop more comprehensive strategies for change. To illustrate, educational initiatives that promote awareness regarding social dominance orientation and its repercussions can motivate individuals to scrutinize their prejudices and strive for a fairer society. Concurrently, policies and endeavors to deconstruct systemic racism can address the broader societal frameworks that sustain discriminatory practices.

In summary, Social Dominance Theory and Social Identity Theory present valuable viewpoints for confronting racism. By comprehending the intricate interplay between social hierarchies, group affiliations, and biased conduct, we can formulate more potent strategies to combat racism on both personal and systemic fronts. These theories establish a robust basis for research and action in the enduring battle against racism.

Reference:

Sidanius, J., & Pratto, F. (2001). Social dominance: An intergroup theory of social hierarchy and oppression. In J. T. Jost & B. Major (Eds.), The psychology of legitimacy: Emerging perspectives on ideology, justice, and intergroup relations (pp. 139-170). Cambridge University Press

Racism. A bias against an individual or a group of individuals based on their race or ethnicity. Although the definition seems clear, the experience of racism can be one of uncertainty and confusion. Usually when people think of racism, their mind directs them to blatant racism, defined as the obvious act of racist behavior, for example, the time of segregation in the United States (Gruman et al. 2017). In recent years, blatant racism is not as common anymore. It is more likely individuals experience aversive or symbolic racism. Aversive racism is individuals who hold racist beliefs but do not acknowledge that they do (Gruman et al., 2017). These people are unconscious of their racist attitudes. Symbolic racism is a negative attitude associated with a group of people (Gruman et al., 2017). With these more subtle forms of racism in modern society, it can be confusing to navigate racist experiences when you can not be certain the other person is being racist. The relationship between prejudice, stereotypes, and microaggressions is an excellent example of the “small” ways in which some can be racist towards another and the other can be subject to it and both be unsure (the one subject to the racism) and unconscious (the one carrying out the act) to what happened. 

Prejudice and stereotypes often work hand in hand. Stereoptes are a set of beliefs about the character and behavior of a group of people in society (Gruman et al., 2017). These beliefs are often based on oversimplified and limited information. Stereotypes become harmful when individuals find themself in a situation where they fear acting a certain way will affirm a stereotype to those outside of their group, also known as stereotype threat (Gruman et al., 2017). For example, a black girl may fear getting angry when treated unfairly because she does not want to perpetuate the angry black woman stereotype. In the same light, prejudices arise from stereotypes. A prejudice is a preconceived notion toward an individual or group not based on actual experience. Let’s expand on the case of the black girl. In this situation, she was recently hired and is afraid of setting the wrong impressions amongst her coworkers. However, the other person involved in the situation mistreated her because they had a preconceived notion that Black people could not excel in their workspace. Their situation is an excellent example of the relationship between prejudice and stereotypes.

Microaggressions can be carried out as an extension of prejudice and stereotypes. These are small actions taken towards others based on stigmas, usually toward a minority group. They come in many shapes and sizes and are often carried out through casual conversation and body language. According to Kite & Whitley (2016), there are five reasons people carry out microaggressions. 

• One: a silent agreement that the minority group does not belong. 
• Two: the minority group is believed to be dangerous or criminals. 
• Three: the minority group is believed to be inferior to the majority group. 
• Four: the majority group believes all stereotypes made of the minority group are true. 
• Five: all members of a group are thought to have the same beliefs, values, and attitudes. Therefore, it takes away their individuality. 

All five reasons have one thing in common. There are unspoken agreements amongst the majority group. Thus, it is easy for these beliefs to lie in the unconscious consequence of socialization, leading to individuals who carry out aversive and symbolic racism. 

Racism, prejudice, stereotypes, and microaggressions are interconnected societal issues that afflict our world. They fuel discrimination, inequality, and division, undermining the principles of fairness and justice. In recent years, racism has not been so easily detected. It comes in subtle forms and is easy to miss. However, it is necessary to acknowledge and talk about stereotypes and prejudice surrounding minority groups in hopes of dismantling them. It is necessary to acknowledge the harm they cause and actively work to challenge them. Consequently, individuals with unconscious bias must be ready to deal with the prejudices they have against groups of people. From then, we can continue to move towards a society where people are not treated based on race or ethnicity and false assumptions. This ongoing struggle for equality and respect is a journey that calls upon each of us to be vigilant and to stand up against discrimination in all its forms, ultimately striving for a more compassionate and harmonious world for all.

References

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Kite, M. & Whitley,  B. (2016). Psychology of prejudice and discrimination. (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Hello and good evening, or morning, when you go with a group of friends are you still yourself? I know, a strange thing to ask but let me explain. Do you believe your personality changes a little bit depending on whether you are by yourself or with some friends, coworkers at the job, or just complete strangers? Well, this might not be as uncommon as some may think, but a switch everyone makes daily. Depending on the amount and type of people that are around you will decide if you display your personal identity or social identity.

Personal Identity is how one projects their own qualities and characteristics, while on the other hand, Social Identity is the projection, or performance, of oneself depending on the group we are currently with (Gruman et al., 2017). For example, when you are by yourself and one of your favorite songs comes on, you may start to dance and sing to the music without care in the world. However, when at work or with a group of people, you might keep your excitement to yourself. Why? Well, that depends on the person’s interest, personality, and circumstances. Overall, everyone has their own reasons for why they portray themselves the way they do.

Here are some more explained reasons for this personality switch. According to Social Identity Theory, people want to show off their best selves, especially when they are around a group they like (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). As social creatures, it is not surprising that we sometimes put social factors over our sense of self. The circumstances we can be in also influence how we act amongst others. If someone in a social setting decide to copy someone else, this could be normative social influence and/or informational social influence, depending on whether they want to be liked or to just do the right process respectively (Mcleod et al., 2023). Another probable reason for our difference of personal and social identity could be how introverted or extroverted some people are, so either they feel more comfortable or happy by themselves or with others. Finally, someone could feel that if they do not adapt to the situation, they will lose something they care for, this kind of adaptation is called acquiescence (Foss et al., 2013).

To sum this up, there are many reasons that someone can switch their persona based on whether people are around or not. Whether it is for personal safety, for positive social identity, or just to navigate a space they are unfamiliar with, people will warp themselves to fit the occasion. This is not them necessarily putting on a facade, or being fake, but making the best decision for their current situation. For this reason is why social psychology delves into the intricate nuances of human behavior, examining how we are warped by the influences of both perceived and actual others within our social circles, to better understand our social tendencies.

References:

Foss, S. K., Foss, K. A., & Domenico, M. E. (2013). Gender stories: Negotiating identity in a binary world. Waveland Press, Inc.

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Mcleod, S., on, U., & 11, J. (2023, June 11). Understanding conformity: Normative vs. informational social influence. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/normative-informational-social-influence.html

Culture diversity is rooted in every facet of our lives. It’s how we define ourselves and it is that difference that ultimately becomes our identity, even if we don’t want to, we are generally identified, and differentiated by our skin color, our nationality, our religion, or even our accent.

As the world is increasingly getting smaller with the arrival of globalization, and easy access to the internet, it is becoming more common that an average person is now aware of the major cultural differences, but this has appropriated a surprising, or a predictable change, depending on how you perceive it.

People in collectivist societies, make decisions which would represent and will be  beneficial to their family, group or culture, whereas people in individualistic society will base their decisions on what will be most personally beneficial (Coutts et al., 2016). I think because of the last few decades of globalization, has made our world  smaller and easier to observe each other differences, which has resulted in many changes. As someone who was brought up in a collective society, I have seen first hand how things have changed in my culture. More and more young people are looking at the individualist societies and adapting their way of thinking, that we should put our needs and ambitions ahead of what is best for society, family or culture. The surprising fact about this change is that, more and more families are expecting these changes happily, and as time is passing by it is becoming a norm that young generation will move away completely from their collective ideology. This does make me wonder if in a few decades our societies will be homogenized?

Another huge difference that I have noted is in the difference in Masculinity and femininity distinction. As we learned in our text book,  Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems,  that feminist cultures are encouraged to value relationships and emotional needs, whereas masculine societies are encouraged competition and advancement (Coutts et al., 2016)  ) we see a huge difference in definitions of masculinity and femininity in our society these days. Women are now encouraged to excel in their work lives, and be more like man, and value competition , on the other hand man these days are encouraged to get in touch with their feminine side, focus more on their mental health, and acknowledge their emotions. I have personally seen a huge change  where more and more women are the primary breadwinners of the family, while men are staying home, and becoming primary care givers. It makes me wonder if these definitions of feminine and masculine societies will change in the very near future?

Coutts, L.M., Gruman, J.A. and Schneider, F.W. (2016) Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE Publications.

Social categorization is when our brain has already detected the gender, race, and relative age of a face. This process is based on the social cognitive mechanism, which is the process of classifying people. This social categorization process is automatic, and we all do it. Social categorization can give us crucial information about our background and experiences, we are unique in the group mix and therefore stereotypes about groups will not accurately reflect our individuality and will lead to erroneous predictions if relied on too much. This has its positive side but also its counterpart which is prejudice, which is a negative attitude towards a particular social group, and discrimination, which is overt negative behavior towards a social group.

A stereotype is a belief without a good/bad evaluation. Prejudice is a negative attitude and discrimination is a behavior. In other words, stereotype = belief, prejudice = attitude, discrimination = behavior. We live in an increasingly globalized and multicultural society, where racism and segregation are still present, social psychologist Gordon Allport, argued that if people with different group characteristics could meet and work together, prejudices, stereotypes, and the impulse to discriminate would decrease. This theory is called the “contact hypothesis: states that equal status contact between majority and minority groups in the pursuit of common goals” and “sanctioned by institutional supports” should reduce intergroup tensions and promote perceptions of common interests and common humanity.

It is at this point where modern society could solve once and for all this type of negative phenomenon called racism, but the most difficult job falls on the different institutions and agencies in charge of helping to mythologize this negative social deformation, to a multitude of theories for the improvement and solution of this negative trait. Social identity, as pointed out in the textbook, is “that part of the self-concept “which is derived from their knowledge of their membership in a social group (or groups) along with the value and emotional meaning associated with that membership”. Social identity has three components according to Tajfel:  first is the belief in group membership. Second, membership in the group must be important to one’s self-concept and, lastly, the person must be committed to the group.

To approach this type of conflict we can use the Construction of coalitions theory. Coalition building has identified a set of fundamental factors necessary to make positive changes in intergroup relations. Factors include friendship potential and social relationship norms, cooperative tasks and reward systems, and the characteristics of individuals. A high knowledge potential means greater opportunity for personal and informal relationships. Intergroup interaction would serve to help members of different groups get to know each other. This would increase the potential for positive interaction between groups. Besides, cooperative tasks and reward systems would also create common cooperative goals that members from different groups could work together to achieve. It is important to note that individual characteristics are determinants and serve to influence intergroup interactions: both the individual who can maintain a negative attitude and the recipient of that attitude. How strongly people hold harmful ideas can determine how open they are to change their stereotypes about people from other groups.  Coalition building is often seen very frequently in conflict intervention is illustrated by the efforts of the United Nations to develop support for peacebuilding.

Reference

Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems, edited by Jamie A. Gruman, et al., SAGE Publications, Incorporated, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/pensu/detail.action?docID=5945490. Created from pensu on 2023-09-26 22:24:30.

Past trauma is one of the main causes for serious mental health conditions, according to Mental Health America. For people of color, traumatic experiences can occur everyday. Discrimination, negative behavior towards a certain group of people, and prejudice, a negative attitude towards a particular group, are overly prominent in today’s world, and they can have serious effects on mental health.

Racism has been an issue for centuries, dating back to the 1600’s, and while people have come a long way from that point, it still exists today. Experiencing racism causes trauma for many individuals, causing negative mindsets, doubts, and fear which all can lead to mental health conditions. Mental Health America lists ways that people of color experience acts of racism in their day to day lives including being ignored or avoided by peers, racial profiling, mass incarceration of peers, and much more. It is important to educate younger generations and help combat racism to protect the people around us.

Unfortunately, many young BIPOC develop mental health conditions, whether they stemmed from experiencing racism or not. Yet, for people of color it is much harder to find help, and professionals are much quicker to mis-diagnose. Black men are four times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to white men, mainly because mental health professionals overlook severe depression as a potential diagnosis (MHA, 2023). Along with that, black adults are 20% more likely to have psychological distress compared to white adults (MHA, 2023). Mental health resources are difficult to come by for a lot of people regardless of their race and ethnicity, yet BIPOC have a significantly harder time.

Another unfortunate outcome for a lot of BIPOC youth is the juvenile justice system. BIPOC youth are much more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system due to unfair practices and disciplinary measures in schools. Mental Health America reports that 50 to 75% of youth in the juvenile justice system meet the diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder. It is important to develop fair and safe practices for all students no matter the race so that every child in the country has equal opportunities.

To conclude, racism heavily effects mental health, triggering disorders such as depression, PTSD, and even schizophrenia. With education on diversity and cultures starting early in schools, and fair practices for all children, the amounts of youth that end up in the juvenile justice system can significantly decrease. It is crucial to treat people with respect and appreciate their uniqueness to help protect everyone from mental health disorders.

References:

https://mhanational.org/racism-and-mental-health

https://admissions.nd.edu/visit-engage/stories-news/learning-together-where-did-racism-begin/

Diversity encompasses various aspects, but my focus is on cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is a pervasive element in all our lives. Personally, I’ve encountered cultural diversity in my relationship with my fiancé, as our backgrounds are entirely distinct, despite both our families originating from different Spanish-speaking countries. Our respective cultural heritages have significantly shaped our beliefs and upbringings.

One specific example that stands out to me in terms of the differences between my fiancé and me is related to holidays. My fiancé and his family only celebrate Christmas, whereas my family celebrates Christmas, and something known as Three Kings Day. This is where the cultural diversity between us became particularly evident. As mentioned in Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems it states the following “Most urban and suburban schools no longer teach only Christmas songs in December; songs related to Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are also brought into the classroom.”  This also pertains to my fiancé and me; we now celebrate Three Kings Day as well. However, it’s intriguing to note that even though our families originate from South American countries, there are certain South American countries where Three Kings Day is not celebrated.

Culture varies from person to person, and even within my family, there are distinct cultural backgrounds. While there may be similarities, differences still abound. Consider my parents’ cultural backgrounds as an example. They both grew up in different regions of Ecuador my dad in a suburban area and my mom in a city environment. As a result, my mother’s mindset is noticeably different from my father’s. As mentioned in Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems it states “Broadly speaking, the term culture refers to factors, such as race and ethnicity, which exert differential influence over the lives of individuals in different groups.” Despite my parents both hailing from the same country, their cultural backgrounds differ significantly due to the regions in which they were born and raised. A striking example of this is their differing religious backgrounds. My dad was born and raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, while my mother grew up in the Catholic faith. When I asked them about this difference, they explained that their religious affiliations were more influenced by the areas they grew up in Jehovah’s Witnesses in suburban areas and Catholics in the city.

In conclusion, the exploration of cultural diversity within my personal experiences and family dynamics underscores the multifaceted nature of culture and its profound impact on our lives. Through my relationship with my fiancé, I’ve come to appreciate how even within Spanish-speaking countries, diverse cultural backgrounds can coexist. Our evolving holiday traditions, influenced by both our upbringings, exemplify how cultural diversity can be a unifying force, enriching our lives with new perspectives and traditions. Furthermore, my parents’ distinct cultural backgrounds, shaped by their geographic origins and religious affiliations, illustrate the intricate interplay between culture and individual identities. This diversity within my own family serves as a reminder that culture encompasses various factors, including race, ethnicity, and regional influences, which mold our beliefs and values. Ultimately, my experiences highlight the importance of embracing and respecting cultural diversity, as it not only enhances our understanding of one another but also enriches our lives by allowing us to draw from a mosaic of traditions and perspectives.

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

As a 44-year-old woman, I am no stranger to sexism. I can look back and recall sexism I faced going back to childhood. Obviously, I didn’t see it for what it was at the time. Even into my twenties, I felt ill equipped to speak up for myself when confronted with sexist remarks. This week’s lesson mentioned different types of sexism.

When I think of sexism, I often think of school dress codes. School dress codes have almost always exclusively affected girls more than boys. When I was in high school, we weren’t allowed to wear open toe sandals. I remember vividly one male teacher telling us the reason is because the sight of a girl’s feet could be distracting to the male students. When my daughter entered junior high, her female classmates and she were often “dress coded” for their shorts. I sent email after email to the principal. Before the start of her freshman year this year I attended a school board meeting regarding the dress code. The number of parents and students that showed up to dispute the proposed stricter dress code was impressive. In the end, the dress code was actually made less strict thanks to all of the parents and students speaking out against it.

I found the study in our textbook regarding diffusion of responsibility interesting. When more than one woman was present when sexist comments were made by a male, the women were less likely to speak up. The theory behind diffusion of responsibility is that when several women are present then each woman does not feel it is her responsibility alone to address the comments (Gruman et al., 2016). This is troublesome because sexism should always be called out. As I’ve gotten older, I have become less tolerant of this type of behavior. I have found my voice and use it often.

References

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology. SAGE Publications.

Racism can be defined as “bias against an individual or a group of individuals based on the individual’s or group members’ race/ethnicity (Gruman et al., 2017). Racism has been an issue for humans for as long as we can remember. Even though we are making positive steps towards eliminating this issue, many people still hold racist beliefs, even if they don’t see it themselves. Prejudice and discrimination are key aspects to racism. Prejudice is “an attitude toward others based solely on group membership” whereas discrimination is “actual behavior directed at others on the basis of category membership” (Gruman et al., 2017). Prejudice and discrimination keep racism alive, so it is important that we work to eliminate these issues.

Racism is not only overt actions such as segregation, it can come through in other forms. Other less well known forms of racism include aversive, symbolic, and ambivalent racism. Aversive racism happens when someone is racist, but does not believe they are because it is inconsistent with their other views. Symbolic racism happens when someone believes they have nothing against another race, but they reject ideas and policies related to equality. For example, symbolic racism can show up when someone does not dislike Black individuals, but does not support affirmative action policies. Lastly, ambivalent racism happens when individuals hold two contradicting views. An example could be when someone is not prejudiced, but also believes that everyone has equal opportunities for success based on how hard they work. Not all racism can be clear or overt, some forms are much harder to notice.

Next I would like to speak about microaggressions towards minority groups. But first, what are microaggressions? Microaggressions can be defined as “a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority)” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).  Even though microaggressions are not as blatant and aggressive as other forms of racism, these comments can have impacts on minority groups’ mentality and happiness. In a study by Derald Wing Sue et al., racial microaggressions were examined that related to the Asian American experience. This study used a qualitative method to identify microaggressions, explore the various forms they take, examine the impact on individuals, and determine coping methods. Results showed that there were eight major themes directed towards Asian Americans. These themes included; (a.) alien in own land, (b.) ascription of intelligence, (c.) exoticization of Asian women, (d.) invalidation of inter-ethnic differences, (e.) denial of racial reality, (f.) pathologizing cultural values/communication styles, (g.) second class citizenship, and (h.) invisibility. (Sue et al., 2009)

As we can see from the study above, even if someone does not realize they are being racist, the targeted group can be seriously affected. We have made many steps towards eliminating racism, but we still have a long road ahead of us. Hopefully research on new forms of racism can shed light on these issues and with the help of applied social psychology, form interventions to eliminate racism as a whole.

References:

Gruman, J.A., Schneider, F.W. & Coutts, L.M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks; CA: Sage Publications.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Microaggression. In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved September 27, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microaggression

Sue, D.W., Bucceri, J., Lin, I. A., Nadal, K. L. & Torino, G. C. (2009). Racial Microaggressions and the Asian American Experience. Asian American Journal of Psychology, S(1), 88-101. DOI: 10.1037/1948-1985.S.1.88

What is obvious to one could be ever so not obvious to others. The system of beliefs we have that seem obvious, no need to be proven, otherwise, implicit understandings of how the world works are known as axions (Gruman, Schneider, & Coutts, 2020). These axioms are shaped by sociocultural influences and are taught by members of a culture.

Lueng was interested in social axioms and was determined to find which social beliefs may exist. Therefore, him and his colleagues, after extensive research, used factor analysis to find five social beliefs that exist among all cultures (Gruman, Schneider, & Coutts, 2020). On of which include, fate of control.

Loosely described fate of control, is the extent to which one believes that chance or luck affects a person’s outcomes or consequences (Gruman, Schneider, & Coutts, 2020). What do you feel determines the outcome of your life? For some, they believe it is karma, for others they believe in kismet, others feel God determines your outcomes, while others believe hard work and determination.

Clearly, there are many variations of fate control. Since, this lesson mentions the importance of learning of cultural diversity, this blog will be dedicated to “Karma”. The idea that an action or behavior now will lead to a consequence in the future (Gruman, Schneider, & Coutts, 2020).

You have likely heard of Karma before, for example, if you steal some may believe you will have a negative consequence in the future. Meanwhile, if you do an act of kindness, you will face a positive consequence. The belief of karma is an important part of Buddhism. If you practice Buddhism, you are likely weary of the choices you make since you believe that the consequences in your life are dependable on them. I like to think of it as a “you get what you give” mentality.

So, while this may differ from your own beliefs, it is important to account for the differences among religions and cultures and do your part to learn about these differences. Remember, what is obvious to you may not be the same as others. Who knows maybe after learning more about Karma you may begin to practice this set of beliefs and it can make your life more meaningful like the many other believers of Karma.

My goal of this blog is to teach a deeper understanding for those who believe in karma, without making this blog entirely too long (which I am aware, it already is quite lengthy). All I ask in turn is that you maintain an open mind to why karma has taken a liking to so many.

The idea of karma offers an explanation in Buddhism to all life suffering and unlike Christianity which requires absolute faith that the Lord Jesus died for our sins; Buddhism doesn’t require such demands (Kyabgon, 2015).  I would imagine to some; this aspect may feel less constrictive and more desirable. Buddha rather created a way to explain life’s suffering and ways in which we create suffering for ourselves (Kyabgon, 2015). That is, the things we do create the outcomes of our suffering. Buddha gave individuals a role in which they experience intensity, level, degree in which they experience life’s outcomes and a way beyond suffering (Kyabgon, 2015). This makes karma unique in its ways and before Buddha, many believed karma could not be changed (Kyabgon, 2015).

Unfortunately, karma is ever so complex that many people don’t take the time to truly learn and comprehend, Buddha’s set of beliefs. Therefore, dismissing the idea of karma. I hope this vague introduction to the unique and positive aspects of Buddhism in my short intro to karma has sparked some sort of interest in learning more about karma and Buddhism, or at the least a better basic understanding.

References:

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2020). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Retrieved from https://sk.sagepub.com/books/applied-social-psychology-3e

Kyabgon, T. (2015). Karma: What it is, what it isn’t, why it matters. Boston, London: Shambhala.

This week, I was really interested in the research done by Leung and Bond on different belief systems. Leung and Bond used factor analysis to determine five clusters of social beliefs that are pancultural, meaning they exist across all cultures. (Gruman, et al., 2017) I thought this was super interesting and I liked reading about it and seeing where I fit in. I always find it fascinating how researchers are able to come to these conclusions and narrow down the findings, in this case, five categories. In order to do this, Leung, and Bond interviewed individuals in rural and urban areas of Venezuela and Hong Kong, they did this because there was already a great deal of literature on western culture contexts. This would allow them to understand how these beliefs vary or don’t vary across cultures. Leung and Bond then analyzed popular songs, literature, newspapers, magazines, and other resources that helped them understand the axioms of different cultures. (Gruman, et al., 2017) There are five categories that emerged from this research. They are Social Flexibility, Social Cynicism, Reward of Application, Fate Control, and Religiosity (spirituality).

Social Flexibility is described as being flexible in the way things get done, and that there are many ways to achieve goals. There are different ways to get from point A to point B, and that’s okay. (Gruman, et al., 2017) Social Cynicism suggests that people are often skeptical of the institutions in their country, such as their government. People who are high in social cynicism tend to hold biases against people in other groups. (Gruman, et al., 2017) Reward for Application is the belief that if one puts in the work, good things will follow. People who are high in reward for application believe that hard work pays off if you just put in the effort. (Gruman, et al., 2017) Fate control is the belief that basically what goes around comes around, and that eventually karma will catch up with you, or that actions have consequences. (Gruman, et al., 2017) Lastly, we have Religiosity, previously known as spirituality. This category refers to the belief that there is a supreme being, or higher power, but it differs from fate control. People who are high in religiosity generally believe that churches and other religious institutions are beneficial to people, as long as they positively impact society. (Gruman, et al., 2017)

I wanted to explore each of these categories and just kind of figure out where I fall in each. When it comes to social flexibility , I feel I would rate myself as high. I can appreciate that there are many ways to do things and accomplish goals, even if its not how I would do it, to each their own and what works for one doesn’t always work for another. It might seem simple, but little things around the house are an example of this for me and my boyfriend. The way I do laundry, wash the dishes, or even take out the trash are different than the way he does. He always asks me, “why do you do it like that?” I get so annoyed, because he often thinks his way is easier or makes more sense, but I just prefer to do things my way, and I don’t care much how he does things as long as we get the job done. When it comes to social cynicism, I guess I am somewhere in the middle, I trust social institutions, but I just feel like I don’t trust who runs them? Especially lately with all of the politicians getting indicted, and obviously different political views. Not too get too political, but as a dem, how would I trust a republican president to treat me and what I stand for ethically and fairly, when they already proved they can’t and won’t? I think this section of the book needs some updating, a lot has changed, especially recently after the Trump era. That’s a whole other can of worms though. I could go on and on, but I won’t.

When it comes to reward for application, I guess I am like medium-high. I do believe in putting the time in and getting good results. I believe in working hard to get the things I want and sticking to a plan. With the economic climate and state of the country, sometimes it’s hard to believe that, for example, as hard as I’ve worked for my degree and as close as I am to finishing, it will pay off. It used to seem that you go to college and then get a great job and make lots’ of money, but I don’t know if even with a bachelor’s degree, I will be well off money wise. Regardless, I love college and everything I have learned, so it makes it worth it anyway. However, I am going to grad school because I feel at this point in time, to make any decent money, you need a graduate degree. A lot of the positions around my area with a bachelors are $15/hr., I can make that at target, so what’s the incentive right now for most?

Fate control is interesting. I do believe in karma, but I believe in good karma just as much as bad. When you put good into the world, it comes back to you, same as when you put negativity into the world. Whether it’s karma, or consequence, it comes back, doesn’t mean its instant, but it comes back. However, you have to be careful because it reminds me of the people who believe in a “just world,” where good things happen to good people and bad things only happen to bad people. That’s just not how the world works, and personally, I believe we are here to learn, and we do that through good and bad experiences. There’s a lesson to be learned in both, and both are equally important.  Lastly, we have religiosity. I don’t consider myself religious, as much as I would consider myself spiritual. I believe in God, but I don’t attend church. There are a few churches in my area that fit my belief system, so I am not against it, just not something I do right now. I do think it is something I would benefit from in the future though. I definitely support people attending church or other religious institutions like mosques or temples. I am very supportive of people having the right to practice their beliefs free of judgment, as long as it doesn’t hurt or discriminate against someone else or pushes their agenda onto others.

I think that’s all for this post. I am enjoying these blogs. I love to have freedom when writing and just be myself and write about my own opinions and thoughts, not often you get to do that, and psych courses always feel like the safest place to do that because everyone is usually pretty like-minded. This was fun!

References

Gruman, J., Schneider, F., & Coutts, Lcynicism(2017). Applied social psychology. SAGE Publications, Inc, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071800591

Social support is important for all of us in general, but it becomes increasingly important when we go through hard times. Social support plays a big role in how we handle situations and shapes our experiences, which is why I wanted to talk more about how social support affects us individually, and how it is a big contributing factor in succeeding. Social support is what we get from others, and there are different types of social support. Emotional support gives love and empathy and might come from a parent or a partner. Esteem support gives us value in our ideas, and accepts us with all of our faults, which might come from close friends and family. Tangible support can come in the form of money, helping with chores, or lending a hand. Informational support provides us with advice and feedback. Lastly, network support is when we feel a sense of membership within a group, perhaps at work or church. (Gruman, et al., 2017) All of these types of supports help in a different way, but they are all beneficial.

I say this because I look at my own situation a lot when it comes to the benefits or resources I’ve had through my social support group. I have benefited from each of these types of supports a lot. It makes me realize how lucky I am and how easy I have had it, because I know that even if I was lacking in just one of these types of supports, I would have had a harder time navigating life and everything I have been through. I have gotten a tremendous amount of emotional support from my parents, mainly as a single mother to one son. When my son’s father and I broke up, my family welcomed me home with open arms and more or less took care of both of us while I got back on my feet and started school. I received esteem support from other family and friends, and from coworkers, which was much needed, because the relationship I was coming from wasn’t great. My grandparents gave me tangible support, among other types, by helping me pay for school. My two closest friends gave me informational support more times than I can remember, giving me advice and feedback when I needed it most. I also had network support from coworkers. I had several other single mothers that I worked with that were either going through the same thing or had gone through it and ended up fine when all was said and done, which gave me hope.

I often think about everyone who has helped me in different ways, and what each provided me with, and how it helped me get to where I am now. I now have a loving boyfriend, my son is six, and we live together with our three dogs and another son on the way. From everything I went through as a young single mother, I can’t believe where I am now. Emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and education wise. None of that would have happened without my social support group. People who have social support have been known to have fewer stressors and are more able to develop healthier habits. (Gruman, et al., 2017) This social support was instrumental for me, and it makes me think of the impact a lack of social support has on people. What about the single mothers who leave a bad situation with no loving family to take them in? What about someone with no close friends to act as sounding boards? What about people with no family member or partner to help out financially? How do those people make it? My life was hard, but it was made a lot easier than what some people have gone through, all because of my social support.

I think social support is extremely important, and it makes such a difference in everything we do. It’s the little things we don’t think of like our friend giving us a ride while our car is in the shop. Most of us have that go to person. Some people don’t even have that, not one person they can rely on to help them out. It is more than just support, it’s a give and take within that support system that helps us get through life in every way, every day. Poor social support has been linked to depression and loneliness, as well as increasing the risk for alcohol use, suicide, and even cardiovascular disease.( Cherry, 2023)  While social support is just a section in our book, it’s a whole story for me, one that I am very thankful for, and know that it is a privilege to have had the support I did, because not everyone does.

References

Gruman, J., Schneider, F., & Coutts, L. (Eds.) (2017). Applied social psychology. SAGE Publications, Inc, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071800591

Cherry, K. (2023, March 3). A social support system is imperative for Health and well-being. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/social-support-for-psychological-health-4119970

One of the biggest mental health disorder that has come to the surface in a rapid uproar has been social anxiety. Feels like thanks to COVID when it basically smacked us in the face back in 2020, social anxiety came to the surface in all types of different individuals.  A social anxiety is best “defined as a ‘marked fear or anxiety one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others” (sections 300.23).’ (Gruman, Schneider, & Coutts, 2016, pg. 102)”  Seems to be that you come across someone daily who sufferers from this disorder and it is one that attacks you in ways that you never thought could. I personally known a girl 16-years of age, a high school student, technically a junior this year, who has such a social anxiety that she has gotten special approval for the past year and a half that she does not have to return to school, she has the availability to do it online.  Which gives her the availability to join her classes via zoom, so she is not missing anything, she does not have to show her face and still gets the education that her fellow classmates do.  This social anxiety has been apart of her life since she was a little younger but was never as bad as it is today.  She always feared big crowds such as parties, social events, etc.  Though once she was taken out of the social interactions when COVID hit, the anxiety multiplied by a thousand.  She is basically afraid to leave her house now.  Which has given her the opportunity to learn from home but yet causes more issues such as when she gets older, begins to work and have more of an adult life.  Since there are two different approaches for treatment for the social anxiety she has been treated with both approaches.

The biomedical approach to social anxiety is known as a “brain diseases and emphasizes pharmacological treatment to target presumed biological abnormalities. A biologically-focused approach to science, policy, and practice has dominated the American healthcare system for more than three decades. (BJ;)”  Which gives indication that the biomedical factors of the social anxiety disease are from the serotonin and dopamine levels getting disrupted, which cause the anxiety.  Which in her case was treated pharmaceutically with medications that aided her anxiety.  However, not all medications for anxiety work to their full potential.  In her case, she was tried on multiple different medications to help aid, though not all worked successfully.  With the trial and error of medications she’s finally come to the point where a medication subsided the anxiety to the point that with a combined aid of another approach, the biopsychosocial approach she is able to function without a constant attack of anxiety.

“A biopsychosocial model for anxiety disorders includes an individual’s genetics, brain structure, environment, and general thinking patterns to explain etiology, effects on thinking, behaviors, and development of an anxiety disorder. (Jokinen & Hartshorne, 2022)”  Therefore, her social anxiety disorder is based off both biological and psychological makes ups that generate her attack in a social environments.  Treatments in the form of psychosocial for the attacks are teaching an individual ways to cope with the anxiety so that it does not escalate to the attack level.

So a huge part of her life the last few years has been trying to be taught and to understand the psychological aspects of life which can be tailored to her, to help her cope with the social anxiety.  Reducing her social anxiety has been tough, there are many approaches she took to help reduce her attacks.  She worked on her own stress of school, work, assignments, etc.  Her parents helped her with becoming for physically active such as walking the dogs, yoga and stretching daily.  They also helped her with a consistent schedule to be sure that she had more of a routine with sleep, waking up, eating, school, homework, etc.  Doing all of this has reduced the anxiety of stress and she is finally at the point where she has the courage to participate in small social activities.  Seeing her develop the courage is wonderful, though you have to start somewhere she has finally taken the step of being a little uncomfortable to be comfortable in social situation.  It’s not easy to do and social anxiety is a real thing, it is a disorder that overtakes the body and attacks an individual in many different environments, meaning a extremely social (multiple individuals / groups), or even a small gathering (two or more individuals).  Social anxiety has been a major disorder that has come to the surface over the last few years and is such a disorder that disrupts an individual at any given time.

Reference: 

BJ;, D. (n.d.). The biomedical model of mental disorder: A critical analysis of its validity, utility, and effects on psychotherapy research. Clinical psychology review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23664634/#:~:text=The%20biomedical%20model%20posits%20that,for%20more%20than%20three%20decadesLinks to an external site..

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology : Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications

Jokinen, R. R., & Hartshorne, T. S. (2022, May 18). Anxiety disorders: A biopsychosocial model and an adlerian approach for conceptualization and treatment. The Journal of Individual Psychology. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/855020/summary#:~:text=A%20biopsychosocial%20model%20for%20anxiety,development%20of%20an%20anxiety%20disorder.

The internet is an excellent source for information from cooking, eating, gyming, and looking for today’s world news. It can be where you get the latest information!

To dissect it further, the app TikTok can be used to see all the things mentioned above, but in this instance, it will talk about an individual’s mental health. Due to the nature of this app, sharing firsthand experiences and having peers relate to their matters are what happens in TikTok often. Sharing videos of depression symptoms, how it feels to disassociate, the multiple personalities a person has in one body and the feeling of being in a mania. These are some matters you can find yourself scrolling on your “for you page.” People share videos on TikTok that persuade kids, teenagers, and young adults to mostly self-diagnose personality disorders (A Challenge with Social Media: Self-Diagnosing Mental Health, 2021).

People in their room start having gears turn up in their minds. They think, “What if I have that too?” “That’s all too real with me.” Those are all what I have been feeling all along?” Having this thoughts, they start thinking I do have that without having a clinical diagnosis. The accurate way to properly diagnose and treat people’s emotional and behavioral issues is through a clinical diagnosis, which you receive from a medical practitioner (Gruman et al., 2016). Having the knowledge at their fingertips and the confirmation from other peers are enough to convince a person that they do have this disorder without having clinical decision-making, which is knowing what the issue is and choosing how to go with the treatment of the individual (Gruman et al., 2016). Without a proper diagnosis, how can an individual grow and develop a treatment plan in mind?

Remarkably, social media brings awareness to mental health on TikTok, but there is a negative to every positive. Misdiagnosis and mistreatment can be the duo that can harm individuals who are using the app to conclude. They could have this or that; even in the professional setting, there are false-negative and false-positive cases. The lack of a professional is a crucial component to why this is a dangerous road to go by as one of the harm, mistreatments, can worsen the condition of the individual seeking help. Without professional training, diagnoses themselves can be complicated and challenging to appropriately detect (A Challenge with Social Media: Self-Diagnosing Mental Health, 2021).

What can be done though? Can the advice of the fellow TikTokers be enough to stop individuals from feeling this way or should this just be a wake-up call to reaching out for help to professionals and seek what in range they have the resources to use by? As time goes on what can professionals as such do to stop this from happening to many influential peers? Perhaps the professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) should make their own accounts to help combat the growing number of self-diagnosing? Plus, help monitoring and reporting misleading information out there in TikTok? What can be the solution for this case?

Sources:

A Challenge with Social Media: Self-Diagnosing Mental Health. (2021). McGovern Medical School. https://med.uth.edu/psychiatry/2021/03/26/a-challenge-with-social-media-self-diagnosing-mental-health/

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506353968

Before introducing the case in question, it is important for the reader to have an understanding of the theories used to conceptualize the case. Two theories will provide the basis for the explanation of how the psychopathology presented in this particular base and they are Learned Helplessness and Health Belief Model both of which are described by Gruman and colleagues (2017).

• The health belief model is proposes that actions to maintain health are predicted by an individual’s perceptions of the following factors
  • interest/concern in being in good health
  • likelihood of becoming ill
  • likelihood of illness having severe health consequences
  • belief in treatment’s ability to work
  • confidence in personal abilities
  • barriers and benefits related to changing behaviors
  • being cued to take action regarding health and well-being
• Learned Helplessness model of depression suggests that attempts to cope learned to be useless through repeated exposure to negative experiences through the lifespan.

—————————————————————————————————————With these theories in mind, consider a female in early adulthood who recently experienced consecutive abusive relationships. Despite her best intentions to find a suitable mate, her past attempts have proven disastrous. Her mood has been at an all time low, she feels isolated, incapable, and unworthy of love. Yet, she has motivation to keep going as her young child is dependent on her. She wants a better life for her child. They move across the country, back to where she has familial supports and she begins to put the pieces of their lives back together. One of her stops along this path, is to the gynecologist. Echoing a common experience for women in the U.S., it is likely her healthcare provider suggested she begin to use some form of contraceptives, one of the commonly used methods being “the pill.” In fact, Daniels and Amba (2020) reported just over 65% of women aged 15-49 used some form of contraceptives. Did they discuss side effects? Most likely, and surely she was encouraged to report any unwanted/adverse effects of the medication. But taking the pill is just what women do. If it was that bad, more than half of women in their reproductive years wouldn’t use it, right?

Flashforward approximately six weeks, and she has hardly been able to stop crying. The all-time low she thought she had experienced before was nothing compared to the persistence in the weeping, hopeless, helpless, and worthless feelings looming over her everyday. She goes to a local counseling center desperate for answers or at least some catharsis from venting her feelings.

A new relationship filled with entanglements, crossed boundaries, and feelings of doom. Crying breaks are added into the daily work schedule because the tears seem to lack a shut off valve.

– What is wrong with me? – This must be my destiny. – Nothing I do helps. –

These thoughts are some of the few that she is brave enough to disclose to the tired-looking employee who is completing her psychosocial intake interview.

Another few weeks go by before she has her first individual therapy session. Somewhere in the sitting and stewing she reflects on what has changed. At the worst time in my life, I did not cry with this frequency or intensity. What changed? She wonders if it could possibly be the seemingly harmless birth control pill. Am I being dramatic? Maybe I just have to get used to it. Maybe this is my life now. Maybe I should stop taking it. And so she does. Her persistent weeping all but stops. Now when she cries she understands why.

Now that the reader has an idea of the theory and the case, let’s put them together.

Learned helplessness was apparent in her cognitions. Nothing I do helps. Maybe this is my destiny. In various settings, life had knocked her down enough times for her to learn giving up and accepting fate might be simpler.

The application of health belief model is a little more nuanced. Part of this is because she was defying doctor’s orders and following her own intuition which flies in the face of provider/patient roles wherein traditionally, there is no room for questioning what the white coat says (potentially a societal learned helplessness?). Considering the factors that are part of the model, it is likely she knew she wasn’t feeling right and was cued by someone she trusted saying something to the effect of, “this really isn’t like you.” There was likely some conflict regarding perceptions of likelihood and severity, after all more than half of women use some form of birth control.

To summarize, experiences can teach someone that if you get knocked down enough staying down might be less painful. And making changes is a decision that has multiple factors that play into whether the changes will be implemented. In this case, helplessness and role strain seemed to interplay to make a more difficult decision. Once the decision was made, perhaps the client wasn’t as helpless as she thought after all.

References

Daniels, K. & Abma, J. C. (October 2020). Current contraceptive status among women aged 15-49: United States, 2017-2019. NCHS Data Brief No. 388. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db388.htm

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071800591

I received an invitation to a family wedding not long ago. Throughout the event, I experienced a high level of anxiety and felt quite uneasy the entire time I was there. I made the conscious decision to attend the wedding because it was a special occasion to reconnect with family and witness two individuals, I deeply care about exchange their vows. Upon reflecting on my feelings of anxiety, I realized that my uneasiness primarily stemmed from being in a crowded room with so many people. I’ve observed that working remotely has been beneficial for managing my day-to-day anxiety, but it has also heightened my social anxiety.

I believe I fall under the negative outcome expectancies. As mentioned in the Applied Social Psychology “Negative outcome expectancies are said to mediate the association of motivation and self-efficacy to anxiety” (Gruman, Schneider, Coutts, 2016). During the event, I found myself dwelling on every possible negative scenario that could unfold during the wedding. Being accustomed to being around only my immediate family, the presence of my entire extended family triggered thoughts of all the potential mishaps that could occur. Given that I hadn’t seen my family in many years, I was apprehensive about how they would perceive the changes in my life. Meeting them as an adult after such a long time and introducing my fiancé into the mix added an extra layer of complexity. I worried they might bring up embarrassing pictures or recount awkward childhood moments, which further fueled my anxiety.

Which would also put me under the category of anticipatory embarrassment. As mentioned in applied Psychology “Anticipatory embarrassment is the name of the emotion resulting from expecting short-term harm to one’s social reputation” ((Gruman, Schneider, Coutts, 2016, p. 109-112). I was filled with anxiety, fearing what embarrassing stories or pictures might be shared with my fiancé. While my family might find them cute anecdotes, in my mind, they held the potential for short-term embarrassment. I also couldn’t help but anticipate the follow-up questions my fiancé might pose, adding to my unease.

My experience at the family wedding highlighted the impact of social anxiety, particularly in the context of family reunions. The interplay between negative outcome expectancies and anticipatory embarrassment was evident, underlining the complexity of my emotions.This reflection emphasizes the need for self-awareness and strategies to navigate social anxiety, during big family events. 

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. 

According to Psycom, depression is a common serious mood disorder that results in symptoms of persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities (Truschel, 2018). About 9.5% of American adults over the age of 18 will suffer from a depressive illness each year (Johns Hopkins, 2023). If we look at a smaller demographic, we can see that “between 30 and 60% of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender people deal with anxiety and depression at some point in their lives” (ADAA, 2023). Since individuals in the LGBTQ+ community have these high rates of anxiety and depression, primary care providers should be carefully observing these patients.

The article, The Impact of Primary Care Providers’ Bias on Depression Screening for Lesbian Women sheds some light on this issue. In this study, providers’ implicit and explicit biases were measured, as well as the decision to screen for depression. The study focused on 195 participants who could speak and read English, currently practicing as a PCP in Kentucky, and had access to the internet. This study was web-based, and included demographic characteristics, a clinical vignette, a sexuality IAT, and explicit bias measures. The clinical vignette was used to determine whether or not participants ordered a depression screening. The sexuality IAT was used to measure implicit biases that participants may not be aware of. Explicit bias measures were used to assess the PCP’s attitude toward lesbian women.

After completion of the study, results showed that PCPs preferred straight women. Most of the PCPs did not recommend depression screening for the lesbian patients, even though it is recommended by the USPSTF. Explicit and implicit bias may be the reason for this discrepancy. Another explanation may have to do with depression screening in the general population. The PCPs in the study may not be recommending screening to anyone, not just the lesbian population. This study sheds light on the issue of equal care for all groups of people, no matter their sexual orientation, race, biological sex, etc.

There is prejudice and bias in most life aspects. The LGBTQ+ community is already at a higher risk for developing serious mental illness, which can become worse without routine screening for illnesses like depression. PCPs should advocate for their LGBTQ+ patients, and treat them with the same respect as others.

Sources:

Anxiety & Depression Association of America. (2023, September 9). Understanding Anxiety and Depression for LGBTQ People. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/understanding-anxiety-and-depression-lgbtq

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2023). Mental Health Disorder Statistics. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder-statistics

Truschel, J. (2018, July 24). Depression Definition and DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria. Psycom. https://www.psycom.net/depression/major-depressive-disorder/dsm-5-depression-criteria

Sha, S. & Aleshire, M. (2023). The impact of primary care providers’ bias on depression screening for lesbian women. Health Promotion Practice, 24(3), 536=545. DOI: 10.1177/15248399211066079

Celexa
Zoloft
Lexapro
Wellbutrin
Depakote
Effexor
Buspar
Seraquel
Lithium
Depakene

This list represents only about 75% of the medications I have been prescribed over the last 6 years to treat the persistent depressive and anxious episodes that are brought on by my bipolar II disorder. Each of them was a chance offered by my healthcare provider, a beacon of hope, before ultimately failing and leaving me feeling hopeless.

After each trial, when the medication did not effectively treat my disorder, I was left feeling more discouraged and stigmatized than ever before. My healthcare provider has consistently used the biomedical model when diagnosing and treating my mental illness. This model reflects the belief that mental illnesses are brain diseases that can be treated by pharmaceuticals alone (Deacon, 2013). For those who subscribe to this model, the brain is an organ like any other. This means that the abnormality found within the organ can be treated through a medication that targets that abnormality. As research is beginning to show, this model does not adequately account for the other factors that affect mental health (Tripathi et al., 2019).

In fact, using the biomedical model for the treatment of mental illness can lead to further stigmatization within the patient being treated (Thachuk, 2011). I can attest to this through my own personal experience. When a mental illness, like my bipolar II disorder, is treated like it is an abnormality in someone’s mind, then the patient can feel like there is something inherently wrong with them. They are something “other” than human (Thachuk, 2011). And when the pharmaceutical treatments fail, then they begin to believe that there is no hope for them.

There are other options, thankfully. For instance, healthcare providers can focus on the biopsychosocial model. Unlike the biomedical model, the biopsychosocial model integrates a more holistic approach to treating mental illness (Gruman et al., 2017). Instead of treating my bipolar II disorder as strictly a malfunction inside my brain-meat, the biopsychosocial model takes into consideration my psychological and social profile, as well (Gruman et al., 2017).

For example, exposure to trauma as a developing child can contribute to the inability to properly regulate emotions as an adult (Koenders et al., 2020). Early childhood experiences can therefore exacerbate the neurological processes that trigger the emotional dysregulation present within those with bipolar II disorder. Without treating these experiences through psychotherapy, the trigger might remain in place, no matter what medications are prescribed for treatment (Koenders et al., 2020). There are also direct correlations between the amount of chronic stress in someone’s life and their inability to regulate their emotions (Koenders et al., 2020). If you simply prescribe someone with bipolar II disorder Seroquel, but you don’t address the amount of chronic stress in their lives, then you are not combating all the triggers that are contributing to their mental illness.

I might be an outlier when it comes to the persistence of my depressive episodes, but when healthcare providers use only a biomedical model to treat me, I am made to feel like an aberration. Like there is something inherently wrong with me. Like I was made incorrectly. These thoughts lead to feelings of hopelessness, and feelings of hopelessness lead to higher rates of suicidal ideation (Beck et al., 1993). To combat this, a more holistic approach is necessary.

It’s time to stop blindly accepting the work of a healthcare provider that only uses the biomedical model to treat your mental illness. It’s time to request a better, more holistic, standard of care. The biopsychosocial model provides such an approach because it takes the neurological reasons for a mental illness and combines them with the psychological and social issues that one might be facing. By treating all triggers and exacerbating factors in a patient’s life, as well as the chemical disease found within the brain, the biopsychosocial model can alleviate the feelings of hopelessness that the biomedical model can manifest.

References:

Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., Beck, J. S., & Newman, C. F. (1993). Hopelessness, depression, suicidal ideation, and clinical diagnosis of depression. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 23(2), 139–145. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1943-278x.1993.tb00378.x

Deacon, B. J. (2013). The biomedical model of mental disorder: A critical analysis of its validity, utility, and effects on psychotherapy research. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(7), 846–861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2012.09.007

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071800591

Koenders, M. A., Dodd, A. L., Karl, A., Green, M. J., Elzinga, B. M., & Wright, K. (2020). Understanding bipolar disorder within a biopsychosocial emotion dysregulation framework. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 2, 100031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2020.100031

Thachuk, A. K. (2011). Stigma and the politics of biomedical models of mental illness. IJFAB: International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics, 4(1), 140–163. https://doi.org/10.3138/ijfab.4.1.140

When gratitude isn’t practiced, where all your efforts go unnoticed, when you try to do right but your efforts are pushed to this side, is this the reason why some feel so helpless? This model can be applied to many scenarios, including, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, marriage, school, work, etc.

Take for instance a young girl whose parents pay no mind, so she dives deep into her schoolwork to distract herself. The kids at school make fun of her, meanwhile her parents never show to any of her scholarly events. She always was proud of her work, until she felt, her work was pointless. What changed in her? Was it that she felt her efforts were unnoticed, therefore she felt it was pointless and she was hopeless?

What she needed was hope and support. In the same breath toxic positivity and unrealistic goals by her supporters could also create learned helplessness. For example, say she went to her aunt for support when feeling overwhelmed from her work, her aunt would tell her not to worry you will ace this test, over and over. Each time, she would not ace her test, making her feel she wasn’t doing enough. Eventually feeling hopeless.

The book “Teaching realistic optimism: How to approach teaching and learning with hope” explores ways in which we can positively stay optimistic, rather than constantly finding oneself in a “funk”, and a cycle of fear and learned hopelessness. (Guiang-Myers, G., 2023) In this case, a teacher learns how to promote optimism to her students. Although truly anyone can benefit from this article.

Ways in which we can increase hopefulness, is by teaching the power of effort. Reminding oneself that effort is the key to achieving your goals. Secondly, setting realistic goals is key. For example, Amy has been failing her math quizzes, so it would be unrealistic to support her by telling her to aim for A. Small steps are crucial to getting where you would like. Setting realistic goals can build self-esteem and create confidence. (Lynch,2023) A very important step to foster when unlearning learned hopelessness, is teaching the power of growth. Reminding oneself that growth is crucial, and change is good. Lastly, fostering positive coping techniques when support is lacking (Lynch,2023) will teach those to remain on the side of hope rather than hopelessness.

All in all, we all should be mindful to others. Thanking them for kind acts, congratulating them on big and small life events. We all can help each other to unlearn, learned hopelessness.

References:

Guiang-Myers, G. (2023). Teaching realistic optimism: How to approach teaching and learning with    hope. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. Retrieved from https://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/books/teaching-realistic-optimism-how-approach-learning/docview/2836445069/se-2

Lynch, Mathhew (2023) Tips for teaching realistic optimism. The Edvocate. Retrieved from   https://www.theedadvocate.org/tips-for-teaching-realistic-optimism/#:~:text=As%20educators%2C%20it%20is%20our%20responsibility%20to%20help,requires%20effort%20and%20hard%20work.%20…%20More%20items

The Pasig River is a passing water that makes its way through the central urban section of Metro Manila. It is a rich body of water that helped give resources long before and during the Spanish colonial period (Sicat,2023). Looking now, it is quite the opposite. It has been neglected and heavily polluted; urbanization and industrialization played a massive part in the water quality. Untreated sewage and discharge have destroyed the quality of the water and the aquatic life that once lived there (Sicat, 2023).

What needs to be done is a change of thought about pollution, in this case water. For years, those living by the river have thrown away solid and liquid waste to the river.

It got to that point because of the lack of education and awareness of environmental conservation. There is also a lack of proper waste management as trash is still being dumped from the neighboring communities living by the river. It is their dumpster as they find it to remove their waste, “out of sight, out of mind mentality. ”

Previous Presidents of the Philippines have made many attempts to clean and restore the river. Now, the newest President, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is putting his foot down solemnly, swearing to make change in environmental issues in the country (Sicat,2023).

What is being done reflects what was found by Steg and Vlek. They describe four steps to promote behavior change for the environment’s sake (Gruman et al., 2016).

For this, an example would be water pollution; several issues exist. One matter that will be tackled is the trash thrown by the people living by the river.

(1) Change the urge to throw trash just because it is outside your house and it is convenient

(2) It is out there, and everyone thinks it is acceptable to copy what other people are doing to the river.

(3) Educating people on the importance of correctly throwing waste is a way to go and warning people of the danger that the water can never get better if they continue to do this behavior.

(4)  An intervention that may be used would be the Theory of Planned Behavior; which focuses on the way in which attitudes and beliefs interact to create behavioral intentions and actions (Gruman et al., 2016).

Here, the Theory of Planned Behavior is a psychological theory that supports and calculates human behavior based on three key factors:

(1)  attitude toward the behavior; To lessen trash in the river, people need to find a way to have a  positive attitude toward not dumping in the river. As well as education and awareness campaigns may help adjust the mentality people have to highlight the negative environmental and social consequences of river pollution.

(2)  subjective norm; having social pressure or approval from others regarding the behavior and support and encouraging the reduction of trash dumping can be a benefit for doing this behavior.

(3)  perceived behavioral control, the ability to perform the behavior; they need to feel the commitment to improve the waste disrupting the river (Asare, 2015).

Piece by piece, if people start educating themselves about water pollution and seeing the benefits of having a reliable water source again, the Pasig River can flourish again. Overcoming years of deep rooted habits and the convenience of thoughtless disposal will be challenging, but the irreversible consequences of continued neglect should serve as a wake-up call. Hopefully, people’s eyes can open, and with what the President said will take into action t cleanse the river and with the help of the theory of planned behavior advise, little by little, the river’s condition can be better.

Sources:

• Asare, M. (2015). Using The Theory of Planned Behavior to Determine the condom use Behavior among College Students. American Journal of Health Studies, 30(1), 43–50. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4621079/#:~:text=The%20Theory%20of%20Planned%20Behavior%20(TPB)%20was%20developed%20by%20Icek,behavioral%20control%20influence%20behavioral%20intention.
• Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506353968
• Sicat, A. (2023). Pasig River: A Historical Waterway of Cultural Significance. https://pia.gov.ph/features/2023/07/31/pasig-river-a-historical-waterway-of-cultural-significance

When envisioning a leader, I imagine someone who embodies strength, charisma, and sociability. One leader who immediately comes to mind is my manager, Carrie. She displayed a proactive approach and consistently maintained open and effective communication with our team. Carrie took the initiative to foster individual relationships with each team member, showing a genuine concern for our well-being. She regularly conducted weekly check-ins to ensure none of us felt overwhelmed with our workload.

Carrie actively sought feedback to identify areas of improvement and what was already working well. Additionally, she placed a strong emphasis on team collaboration and frequently acknowledged and praised team members for their contributions and willingness to step up.

One trait that I would attribute to Carrie’s leadership style is sociability. In the Northouse book it mentions sociability “is a leader’s inclination to seek out pleasant social relationships.” I strongly believe this is the most accurate description of Carrie’s leadership abilities. She radiates approachability, possesses exceptional communication skills, and demonstrates a profound understanding of her team. Carrie is a remarkably kind leader who has the unique ability to transform uncomfortable situations into comfortable ones. She consistently radiates approachability, exhibits exceptional communication skills, and showcases a deep understanding of her team members. In conclusion, my supervisor’s outstanding sociability not only encompasses the qualities I associate with this trait but also reflects her genuine care for our team’s welfare, solidifying her status as an exemplary leader.

Northouse, P.G. (2022). Leadership theory & practice. 9th Ed., Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Being a follower 

The amount of literature leadership that is available vastly exceeds that of followership. We often hear about the remarkable success of great leaders; we hear about their experiences from a leadership perspective and not a followership perspective. After having held numerous roles as a manager and leader the lessons have been many. From leading a small team of four interdisciplinary team members to leading an organization of over 100 individuals. Some of the most valuable lessons and effective lessons have not been as a leader but rather as a follower. The various lessons learned have allowed the formation of a perspective that is centered on how to be an effective leader based on the various typologies. Those lessons include which followership typology was most effective, how different typologies influenced innovation, and how specific typologies are sometimes needed based on different situations.  

Lesson Learned as a follower 

Early on one of the first lessons as a brand-new employee is that there are leaders that take a different approach to leading. Having worked various jobs that ranged from a cashier, a sales representative, a resource manager, a career counselor, and an operations manager, certain themes emerged with various similarities. Early on in my career, I noticed that a supervisor who oversaw us often dictated how and when things were to be done. Never truly pausing or explaining the purpose or the methods by which things were being done. This often left us the followers wondering why we were doing what we were doing. When we asked questions, he would often reply, because I said so. When we offered our advice on how to improve the process, he would scoff, and say, “Because you have been doing this for how many years.” Knowing that we had extremely limited experience, but a passion for making things better, we knew we would have to strategize to influence our leader. We chose not to become passive followers and instead chose to become Alienated followers (Northouse, 2021). We chose to accomplish our assignment tasks, but not with the direction or motivation of our leader (Northouse, 2021). In doing this, we chose to not be conformist and simply agree with his ideas. We instead decided to think for ourselves and take the initiative even if it meant getting yelled at (Northouse, 2021).  

As a follower, it taught us valuable lessons about the art of influence on someone who is otherwise distrustful of his subordinates. Our thought process was that the only way to become trustworthy was to be able to be technically proficient and demonstrate competency in our work. As a result, we decided to show initiative by ensuring that all our tasks were complete before they were delegated to us. Despite feeling resentment and little respect for him, we knew that performing our jobs was not for anyone but for the organization we supported (Northouse, 2021). In the process not only did our competence improve but our trustworthiness increased among others in our shop. Within a matter of months our otherwise distrustful “leader” began to address us differently and began to accept our input. Our lack of competence led our leader to be distrustful of us and hold a negative view of our perspective. In observing our “leader” we learned that often the lack of experience, and competence, prevents “leaders” from seeing the innovation and valuable insight that a fresh mind can contribute.  

A leadership approach 

By looking at it from a human cognition aspect we can see how the leadership style or approach is necessary to ensure innovation and the accomplishment of a goal or mission (Costa et al., 2023). After all the interaction between two individuals is necessary as the leader has a goal to attain, and the follower also has a goal to achieve. As such, they share mutual interests that must be accomplished. For this to occur there must exist a degree of trust and understanding. The goal of the leader is to influence, motivate, and rally his followers towards a greater common goal, and the followers are to understand, perceive, and accomplish that goal, and as such must work together to accomplish that goal (Northouse, 2012). The matter in which the leader leads affect the level of innovation and the organization’s overall climate. As such the level of innovation is strongly dependent on the leadership style (Costa et al., 2023). In this I learned that to be an effective leader, I would have to take a separate approach and decide on the type of leadership style to take on. Being an autocratic leader was out of the question as it does not always breed innovation, but on the contrary, it stifles innovation and can lead to an elevated turnover rate (Costa et al., 2023). 

Adapting for success and Innovation 

The leadership style that would have to be adopted would yield different results both professionally and personally. After much consultation with other leaders, a few suggestions emerged but with caution in each one. If democratic leadership were adopted, it would be good for personal relationships but not for ensuring a task gets accomplished. This would prove to be a hindrance as a decision would take too much time since this required every idea to be considered (Costa, et al., 2023). The final recommendation was to consider the approach of Transformational Leadership. Transformational leaders communicate their vision to their followers ensures they feel intrinsically motivated, and work towards accomplishing their part in a greater goal (Costa, et al., 2023). This type of leadership style I was told would yield a higher degree of innovation while inspiring and ensuring that everyone worked hard towards their goals and accomplishing the mission (Costa, et al., 2023). In going through this process of learning which leadership style would be more effective, I learned that to be a good leader, I would need to be a good follower and learn from those who were once followers and now are leaders.  

References: 

Costa, J., Pádua, M., & António, C. M. (2023). Leadership Styles and Innovation Management: What Is the Role of Human Capital? Administrative Sciences, 13(2), 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13020047 

Northouse, Peter G. Leadership (p. 639). SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition. 

In this weeks lesson we learned about how the environment impacts behavior and the significance of resource dilemmas. For a discussion post, I chose to write about how the idea of clearing land for commercial buildings could destroy ecosystems and be a negative decision overall for society. In my discussion, I mentioned how last year my city voted against clearing out a significant portion of a local park to make room for a car dealership’s expansion. This controversial local topic made me think about how the environment and natural places of recreation can influence mental health.

Mental health is a very popular topic in this day and age and it is becoming more comfortable to talk about. A lot of resources are being established for individuals that are dealing with mental health issues, yet there are also a lot of benefits to simple holistic methods such as spending time outside. An article from the National Recreation and Park Association explains how spending more time in green spaces can improve health and quality of life. The positive effects of nature on mental health is an exceptional point to make in the advocation for preserving the environment and preventing the depletion of natural resources. A statistic from the previously mentioned NRPA article states, “Physician-diagnosed depression was 33 percent higher in the residential areas with the fewest green spaces, compared to the neighborhoods with the most.” Therefore, resource dilemmas, especially those that involve limiting green spaces, are not only detrimental to society in the long run, but are also can have severe negative impacts on community members.

Aside from green spaces, there are other factors in the environment that impact mental health and behavior. A widely-known concept that affect a large amount of people is seasonal depression. Seasonal depression, typically associated with the winter time, is when the weather conditions exert an influence on emotions and behaviors. Along with time spent in nature and weather conditions, the National Library of Medicine lists noise, air pollution, housing conditions, and urbanicity as other environmental factors that are associated with mental health.

Overall, the environment and resources dilemmas have a lot of influence on mental health in many individuals. The way that these two concepts coincide with each other is a very good example of how the environment affects behavior, relating to lesson 4. To conclude, green spaces are essential in every city to maintain happiness and benefit society long-term.

References:

Parks and improved mental health and quality of life: Fact sheets: Parks and health. National Recreation and Park Association. (n.d.). https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/Three-Pillars/health-wellness/ParksandHealth/fact-sheets/parks-improved-mental-health-quality-life/#:~:text=More%20time%20spent%20in%20parks,of%20life%20for%20your%20community.

During this week of classes, we reviewed the relationship between human behavior and the natural and built environment. One of the activities was to address the dilemma of resources. I chose to talk about the use we make of water, specifically when we bathe, and water our plants and gardens. Originally I am not from here, I am from a tropical country that fortunately has many water resources, but not all of them are treated to be suitable for human consumption.

Access to water has been affected in recent years because the rainy season is becoming shorter, and in some areas up to two years have passed without rain. This change in the rainy season has meant imposing water rationing measures for homes in certain areas of the country. Additionally, these rationing measures (which the population rejects) tried to implement other types of measures (Wegrowski, 2019).

Caracas (the capital of Venezuela) is not a very large city in terms of area, but in terms of population, it is a city with approximately 5 million inhabitants. The most common construction to provide housing for citizens is buildings, although there are also urbanizations with big houses. Architecturally, both buildings and houses usually have large garden spaces, what we call green spaces. The maintenance of these gardens usually requires the use of a lot of water, and it is very common for the person in charge of the maintenance of these gardens to water the planters and grass for more than an hour using water suitable for human consumption, this occurs because they are not many new constructions, and old constructions hardly have a system to recycle water, to be used to water gardens.

When the “shortage” of water began to be more alarming, there was talk in the media about how the population could use less water during bathing and also recommendations on how to water the gardens more efficiently. This did not constitute a public policy, it was rather a social action that invited citizens to implement changes in their behavior to guarantee access to water in the future.

According to data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, it is recommended that a person take a shower for around 8 minutes, this time involves the use of a little more than 16 gallons of water, think that every time we bath, we use that amount of water is alarming, especially if there are people who take more than one shower a day (EPA, 2017 a). Now let’s review some information about water consumption in irrigation: According to the same organization, EPA, a family uses an average of 320 gallons of water per day, of which 30% are used to water plants and lawns (EPA, 2017 b ). Reducing this consumption is of vital importance, the question is how to promote a more responsible use of water, and what is the best way to intervene at the population level to generate behavioral changes that are sustainable over time.

I believe that for these behavioral changes to be possible we must rely on professionals who know how to intervene at the population level and generate behavioral changes collectively. In this aspect, applied social psychology is of great help, using theories of behavior change, and the health belief model, interventions could be designed to improve the health of the population (Gruman, 2016).

Reference:

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2016). Applied social psychology : Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE Publications, Incorporated.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2017). Save Water and Energy by Showering Better. Available on: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-02/documents/ws-ourwater-shower-better-learning-resource_0.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2017). Outdoor Water Use in the United States. Available on: https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/www3/watersense/pubs/outdoor.html

Wegrowski, B (2019). Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. Ballard Brief. Available on https://ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/deforestation-in-the-amazon-rainforest#:~:text=The%20significant%20loss%20of%20vegetation,but%20also%20around%20the%20world.

I’m an old man. I know that sounds weird coming from a college student, but it’s true. I’m someone who finally decided to go back to school after building a family and a career. So, like I mentioned, I’m old. My bones creak in the morning and I consistently find myself wondering why those kids won’t stay off my lawn.

My old age rears its ugly (and balding) head at the workplace, too. Over the past fifteen years, I have worked hard to develop and create a career for myself in the customer service, sales, and marketing fields. Right now, I am employed by a large electric vehicle maker located in the Midwest as a manager of the customer experience. While I love what I do, I find myself having to fight that inner old man daily.

This mostly presents as a desire to be left alone. While my team are all young, passionate professionals who have devoted their working life to building relationships with our customers, I find myself sequestered at the top of the snowy mountain like an even greener and Grinch-ier version of the Grinch. How can I use social psychology to help keep myself engaged with my employees and to foster a positive group experience for them?

The answer, unfortunately, lies in me descending from my grumpy mountain and creating a workspace for my team that is functional and inviting.

Source: (MGM Animation, 1966)

Our workplace is like any other corporate building. It’s separated into large pods where many teams gather to do their jobs. The pods take different shapes, but the majority are long tables where each employee is given a space to sit with their laptop and do their work. Imagine a church, with many pews all facing the same direction. In our case, our employees sit next to each other, but they all face the same direction. This is not a design that allows for the easy communication between employees. Many times, I’ve witnessed my employees sending each other messages on Slack, even though they sit less than ten feet away from the person they’re messaging.

This is where social psychology can help. In his 2017 article titled “Applying Social Psychology to the Environment”, Robert Gifford goes into detail on how social psychology can be used to better serve your employees in the workplace. Changing the work environment with the employees in mind to create a more harmonious experience for them falls under the umbrella term “Social Design” (Gifford, 2017). In my case, I can adjust our meeting spaces from the stuffy pew-like seating arrangements to something that will foster more open communication and teamwork.

According to social psychologists, creating a better space for your employees that allows for the free flow of ideas and social support will increase their happiness, productivity, and will make them more likely to remain in their job (American Psychological Association [APA], 2013). Starting this week, I will be moving the seating and furniture in our meeting spaces into a more sociopetal arrangement. Contrary to our current arrangement where everyone is looking in one direction (which is called a sociofugal arrangement), a sociopetal structure is where members of the team are seated in a way that faces each other (Gifford, 2017). This will allow us to support one another throughout the workday. This might manifest as answering a question someone might have, offering ideas to help solve a problem, or offering praise for a job well done.

Source: (Rollins, 2009)

Social support is not for everyone, though. So, it’s important to offer other options for people to explore throughout the day. Research has shown that people go through multiple different emotions during their days, so having both social and private spaces for them to work is necessary (Rollins, 2009). My current workplace tackles this by allowing for any employee to reserve a small private room where they can lower the lights and take a call or do their work in peace. Having both is important, and by changing our seating in the main workspace from a sociofugal to a sociopetal arrangement will work because we still offer our employees that private space to work if they need it (Gruman et al., 2017).

I might be an old man who wants to be left alone, but I want to facilitate a positive and efficient work environment for my employees even more. Social psychology, and social design, helps me accomplish this by giving me the tools I need to facilitate positive interactions. So, starting today, I will descend from my cave atop the mountain and join my team in our new sociopetal arrangement. This will increase my employee’s sense of social support, and hopefully they will declare that my small heart grew three sizes this day.

References:

American Psychological Association. (2013). Psychologists, helping businesses and organizations. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/education-career/guide/paths/business

Gifford, R. (Ed.) (2017). Applying Social Psychology to the Environment. SAGE Publications, Inc, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071800591

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071800591

MGM Animation. (1966). How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Retrieved 2023, from https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iht2g

Rollins, J. A. (2009). The influence of two hospitals’ designs and policies on social interaction and privacy as coping factors for children with cancer and their families. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 26(6), 340–353. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043454209339734

Recently, my boyfriend and I were driving home. We turned on our road and were a few houses away (we live in the city) when we see the car in front of us toss some trash out the window of the driver side. We both gave each other that look, and fully expected to see some young kids’ hands thrown up in the back seat, just being kids, but no. It was just a young  woman with one other person in the passenger seat. We were hoping to see that it was an accident by a youngster in the back, we were extra disappointed to see it was no accident, but a deliberate act. Of course, we are against littering, but it felt extra personal because it was in our neighborhood. We live in a poorer area, where a lot of people don’t take pride in what their houses/yards looks like-or maybe just don’t have the means/time/resources for the upkeep. Regardless, the houses are run down, trash is strewn around the sidewalks, and stray cats roam the streets.

It got me thinking. Would this lady litter if she was alone in the car? Would she have littered with kids in the car? Did the passenger’s attitude have an effect on whether or not she littered? Would she have littered in a neighborhood that was taken care of with nicely kept houses and yards? These were some of the things I asked myself. This is when I thought back to Psych 221,which was my first-time hearing of the fundamental attribution error, which says that we often tend to overlook situational factors and put more emphasis on dispositional factors. (Aronson, et al.,2019) So, of course my first thought was, “Wow, what a crappy thing to do, and an even crappier person.” Then, my other side comes out, the part of me who has years of psychology courses to help me form a better opinion on the situation, which is when I started asking myself all of these questions! Now, my thoughts on it didn’t really go further than this, until this assignment where I thought it would be the perfect topic, but also a great opportunity for me to do a little digging and see if any research correlates to the questions I posed to myself.

A few google searches later and I found a plethora of littering statistics, so lets see what they say. It is true that neighborhoods of a low socioeconomic status report more trash in their area, as opposed to households of a more well-off neighborhood. (Jones, 2022) Of course, neighborhoods in a poorer part of town have less funds and resources when it comes to keeping the area nice in general. Not only does litter pose a health risk to the area it affects, it also is a deterrent to shoppers and businesses that these low SES communities need to develop economically. (Jones, 2022) One thing I will note about my specific area, is that we are two blocks down from the city high school. This school educates hundreds of students from the surrounding area, which is primarily underprivileged youth. So, everyday we get a high volume of students walking these streets that could contribute to the littering, as it has been found those under 30 years old are more likely to litter. (Jones, 2022) It also is unfortunate because so many kids have to walk through this area, filled with garbage and run down houses, it makes you wonder how that affects mood and mindset, and sets the tone for their day.

Perhaps this is an issue better addressed by an environmental psychologist, who works to understand how the physical environment affects our behavior, and how our behavior affects the environment. (Gruman, et al., 2017) The litter in our area says, “Everyone else is doing it, you might as well too.” Kind of like the example in our textbook about stealing petrified wood from the forest. Behaviors are influenced by norms. (Gruman, et al., 2017) In the case of my neighborhood, littering seems like the norm. Do we need signage that asks people to please not litter? Do I need a negatively worded injunctive norm message posted outside my house? Do I need to give group feedback to my neighbors about littering? Do we need to put more garbage cans along the street? (Not that we have any) I don’t know. Bottom line, I take care of the trash around my house, and my boyfriend often mows the neighbors front lawn on either side of us to try and make things look a little nicer, but I am open to any little things I could maybe do to help the people around me make better choices when it comes to their trash throwing habits.

References

Aronson E. Wilson T. D. & Sommers S. (2019). Social psychology (Tenth). Pearson

Gruman, J., Schneider, F., & Coutts, L. (Eds.) (2017). Applied social psychology. SAGE Publications, Inc, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071800591

Jones, J. (2022, February 4). Cities with the worst littering problem. KSJB AM 600. https://www.ksjbam.com/2022/02/04/cities-with-the-worst-littering-problem/