PSYCH 424 blog

If there is one lesson I will take away from this course, it is that social change can occur in a variety of ways. Its flexibility allows for it to affect many different groups of people and be applied to a myriad of situations in the hope of improving the community. One manner of social change that I have always found interesting and have heard second-hand about its benefits is that of Community Gardens. Community gardening allows for a group of people to connect in a mission of growing food and beauty while fostering positive personal and interpersonal effects in the process. In a world where much of our daily connection to others occurs online, a communal garden would offer an outlet to connect back with not only improving the environment but also improving interpersonal connections as well. The purpose of this blog is to look at why people start community gardens and the potential group and personal benefits that could result from participating in such an initiative.

The community gardening concept developed in the 1970s through grassroots initiatives to improve community morale, encourage self-reliance and work, dispel social tensions, and have positive soul and body results (Wang, 2006). Similar gardens served other purposes prior to this time such as addressing unemployment concerns and food scarcity in a time before food stamps were offered to those who needed them (Wang, 2006). Something that was first intended to support political concerns seemingly had a wider impact throughout the community in ways that would be interesting for social activists and psychologists alike. Today and for many years now, community gardens have served as an empowering force in society for both their food production and environmental impacts as well as their positive interpersonal and individual well-being benefits.

As mentioned previously, I have been able to see second-hand the individual impacts of working in a community garden. My sister moved to Colorado in 2016 to pursue her education. Following her graduation, she found herself longing for a sense of community to replace what she might have lost when she left the school. She found herself getting involved in a community garden, and while the work was nothing short of hard, she found that it had many positive effects on her mood and well-being. She experienced most if not all of the positive benefits typically found in those who partake in regular community gardening such as increased social ties, lower stress levels, and improved self-efficacy. She was able to connect with other members of the community that she might not have had the opportunity to know otherwise, found peace in the process of gardening, and felt more confident in herself after putting herself out there to join the cause and help take care of the garden. This was my first experience with a community garden and intrigued me to pursue learning more about community gardens and their impact.

The purpose of community gardens is to “build community, foster social and environmental justice, eliminate hunger, empower communities, break down racial and ethnic barriers, provide adequate health and nutrition, reduce crime, improve housing, promote and enhance education, and otherwise create sustainable communities” (Wang, 2006). This certainly aligns with our lesson on Participatory Action Research (PAR) as they both aim to assist those in underrepresented or oppressed communities and directly provide them with tools to assist their situation and create positive social change. These community gardens have a long-standing history in the political benefits for urban areas and the overall well-being benefits are still being researched and monitored as they continue to be used to foster positive social change and interconnectedness.

References

Brydon-Miller, M. (1997). Participatory action research: Psychology and social change. Journal of Social Issues. Retrieved from https://spssi-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1997.tb02454.x

Wang, D. (2006). A study of community gardens as catalysts for positive social change. University of Chicago Environmental Studies Program. Retrieved from https://www.csu.edu/cerc/documents/CommunityGardensasCatalystsPositiveSocialChange.pdf

One of the most well-known activist research done is from the dairy business; however, the most sinister research comes from the tobacco industry. Activist research sits in between participatory research and self-interest. This is because the researcher thrusts themselves into the world of which they are studying, while also pushing certain values into their research. (Nelson, 2023). We can see this type of research-development-marketing in almost any field or industry, such as meat and dairy, pharmaceuticals, and the wellness market. 

Large companies, even today, hire their own researchers for their products, campaigns or projects. While acquiring research helps create legitimacy for the company and determine need, it also comes with issues of intent. Throughout the early 1900’s tobacco was marketed as healthy. Doctors, nurses, and even dentists promoted the products and there were no questions until the late 1950’s. By then smoking was becoming associated with lung, throat and mouth cancer and there was compiling evidence to prove it. The tobacco industry was scrambling to fix the public’s hysteria that had ensued after this information came out. The idea came about that they would lean in towards the skeptics of the smoking-cancer hysteria, with their own evidence so doubt was created in the general public. This is when the tobacco company research committee emerged. The tobacco industry had major control over what was research, how it was interpreted and how it was translated to the public.

The entire research committee that was made was a complete conflict of interest, and there was motivation to put out what was needed to be heard from the tobacco industry because researchers were being paid and employed by them. Although the researchers had an ethical obligation, they were limited on what they could research and how it could be said, to ensure that the tobacco industry remained in the clear of more accusations of health risks. This is one of the first activist research that showed the sneaky strategies of these large industries. 

Work Cited:

Brandt AM. Inventing conflicts of interest: a history of tobacco industry tactics. Am J Public Health. 2012 Jan;102(1):63-71. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300292. Epub 2011 Nov 28. PMID: 22095331; PMCID: PMC3490543.

Nelson, A. (2023). Lesson Overview: Activist research. Canvas. https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2283102/modules/items/38851166

The acceptance and research on mental health has greatly increased over even just the past few years. In the year of 2021, roughly 22.8% of the U.S population has suffered from a mental illness. Now if that percent seems low we can put into how many people that percent represents, which is 57.8 million people in the United States. What better way to address and study mental health than to have those who have lived through it themselves be a part of the research.

Now, there have been multiple studies done where those who have suffered from any mental health illness have been participants in research, but rarely have they been co-researchers in the research process ( Vescey et al., 2022). Being able to participate in PAR you must have knowledge in the area, and who has more knowledge than those who have lived through it themselves. Allowing those who have suffered or are currently being affected by a mental illness can allow their voices to be heard, give them a purpose, or even learn new strategies along the way. They can also give great insight into new interventions to help the community as they know what did and did not work for them personally. Although there is still a huge stigma around mental health and there might be some questioning of if someone who is currently being affected by mental health, how reliable they may be. No matter what or who, they can still be of benefit especially if there are accommodations made for their needs. They can be vital members to community-based participatory research ( Corrigan, 2022).

References:

Corrigan, P. (2022, January 28). Involving people with mental illness in research important to addressing social determinants of health. Psychiatric News. https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.2.32

n.a, N. A. on M. I. (2023). Mental health by the numbers. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/mhstats#:~:text=Across%20the%20country%2C%20many%20people,2021%20(14.1%20million%20people).

Vescey, L., Yoon, J., Rice, K., Group, M. of P., Davidson, L., & Desai, M. (2022, December 5). A return to lived experiencers themselves: Participatory action research of and by Psychosocial Clubhouse members. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.962137/full

Social change is a powerful force that drives progress and transformation in society. Throughout my life I have seen how social change has impacted so many movements or changes. For example, a study conducted by Oxfam found that participatory approaches to social change, such as community-led initiatives, have been effective in addressing poverty and inequality in various contexts around the world (Oxfam, 2019). By actively involving communities in decision-making processes, these initiatives have led to more sustainable and impactful outcomes. I myself have been in community groups that involved making changes in my community and helping ones in need due to coming from a lower income community.

Now what is Participatory research? well it has been shown to generate contextually relevant and meaningful findings. While doing research  I found a study published in the Journal of Community Psychology found that participatory research projects conducted with marginalized communities have provided unique insights into their experiences and needs (Minkler et al., 2018). By them involving community members as co-researchers, the study found that the research outcomes had a better impact on policy and practice, which lead to positive social change.The collaborative and empowering nature of participatory research can lead to sustainable social change. Research published in the American Journal of Community Psychology highlighted the benefits of participatory research for community mobilization and advocacy (Israel et al., 2018). The review found that participatory research projects have empowered marginalized groups to assert their rights and challenge systemic inequalities, resulting in long-lasting change. This comes to show how participatory research has helped a lot when it comes to social change.

Participatory research has been recognized as a powerful tool for social change by leading organizations. The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for the use of participatory research in addressing health disparities and promoting health equity (WHO, 2020). According to the WHO, participatory research approaches have been successful in engaging communities and fostering sustainable solutions to health challenges, highlighting the potential of this method to drive social change. This is great because it allows people from communities to be heard especially when it comes to important things such as health disparities. By participatory research it helps the people doing research get the proper information that they need and they have the exact people they are trying to find research on participate.

In conclusion, social change is a powerful force that drives progress and transformation in society. Participatory approaches to social change, such as community-led initiatives, have been effective in addressing poverty and inequality. Actively involving communities in decision-making processes leads to more sustainable and impactful outcomes. This collaborative and empowering approach empowers marginalized groups to challenge systemic inequalities and assert their rights, resulting in long-lasting change.I was also able to recognize how participatory research is  a powerful tool for social change in World Health Organization advocates when they address health disparities and promote health equity. By engaging communities and fostering sustainable solutions, participatory research drives social change by ensuring that the voices and experiences of those directly affected are heard and valued.

References:
– Israel, B. A., et al. (2018). Review of community-based research: Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. American Journal of Community Psychology, 51(1-=32, 3-21.

Minkler, M., et al. (2018). Participatory research for health equity: Evidence and strategies for effective engagement. Journal of Community Psychology, 46(7), 909-924.

Oxfam. (2019). Participatory approaches: What works? Retrieved from https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/participatory-approaches-what-works

World Health Organization. (2020). Knowledge, evidence and learning for development (K4D) helpdesk report: Participatory research in health. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/dfid-research-outputs/knowledge-evidence-and-learning-for-development-k4d-helpdesk-report-participatory-research-in-health

When thinking about social change, I immediately think of the color pink.

But what is social change? It is the evolution in this blog on behaviors and thoughts. A whole shift in attitudes, practices, and policies in a community, but for this discussion, a Country. Social change was done with the affiliation of the color pink.

Why, though, of all colors pink?

Well in the Philippines 2022 elections on October 7 2022, the color pink was the sign of hope; it is the color of the groundswell of an individual’s volunteers’. Pink was the campaign color for a potential candidate’s stance against the other color red. There were two contestants running head-on-head.

The first contestant is Leni Robredo. The vision is to “free” the nation from its hardships and challenges, especially during the pandemic, help the less fortunate by creating “Angat Buhay”(Lifting Life), a social campaign and to promote human rights and end the “culture of violence”; which relates to the Rodrigo Duterte mission of killing all drug users and lords. Besides that, she is a figure to help end domestic abuse. She is a symbol to empower women to be financially independent to avoid abusive relationships and environments if the woman feels trapped. With that in mind, the emphasize of the importance of education is highlighted in her campaign. Social action demonstrates bringing awareness to particular issues to create change (Gruman et al., 2016), which is what Leni Robredo was and is doing today.

The next candidate comes from a controversial family with a dark and rich background. As the former dictator, Ferdinand Marcos comes his son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., who was mainly against Leni Robredo in the 2022 elections. His primary focus was to unify the country and with the support and popularity of his vice president comrade Sarah Duterte, daughter of the previous president Rodrigo Duterte. In addition, with the help of social media, he beat the pink movement’s popularity. He says, “judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions.” He gained the title of president on June 30, 2022, as he won by a landslide in May 2022.

Despite the loss of Leni Robredo, the color pink still holds to be the color of social change in the Philippines. “The spirit of the campaign should never die out, “she said last May 13, 2022, as she formed a non-governmental organization, “Angat Buhay NGO”. Hundreds of volunteers were eager to help out the runner-up presidential candidate. This week’s lesson in participatory action research shows that her vision of helping people still lives on even if she did not take the place of the head of the Philippines, as her supporters are committed to working with many communities for a positive social change to put our psychology to work in support to their political values (Brydon‐Miller, 1997).

Resources:

• About | President Bongbong Marcos. (2023, April 18). President Bongbong Marcos. https://pbbm.com.ph/president-bongbong-marcos/
• Brydon‐Miller, M. (1997). Participatory Action Research: Psychology and Social Change. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 657–666. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.15404560.1997.tb02454.x
• Cepeda, M. (2022, May 14). After election defeat, Robredo to lead “biggest volunteer movement in PH history.” RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/after-2022-election-defeat-robredo-lead-biggest-volunteer-movement-history-philippines/
• 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
• Leni Robredo: The woman leading the Philippines’ “pink revolution.” (2022). BBC News; BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61318519
• Punzalan, J. (2022, May 13). What’s next for Pink Movement? Getting up from the fall. ABSCBN News; ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/05/13/22/whats-next-for-pink-movement-getting-up-from-the-fall

Growing up, we base our ideas of science and scientists on what we see in the media we consume. For me, being a scientist meant either digging up dinosaur bones or conducting psychic experiments in the basement of Columbia University. Then, when the University grew tired of their antics, a real scientist would buy an old run-down fire station, develop nuclear reactors that they could wear on their back, bust some ghosts, and save New York City.

As you grow older, your ideas of what a scientist is changes. You begin to see the scientist as an objective observer. One who conducts experiments on others, and watches to see what happens. Then, after evaluating what they see, a real scientist makes changes to their study to see just how miserable they can make their subject.

Everyone’s idea of what a scientist is differs, but the root of the belief is that the scientist is meant to be separated from their subjects. They are detached. They are aloof. Like gods playing with their creations just to see what happens. Like the Hebrew god and his adversary making a wager with each other, then taking away Job’s blessings to test the nature of his devotion and faith. The Science Council’s definition of a “scientist” leans into the detached and “other-ness” of scientists. They state on their website that: “A scientist is someone who systematically gathers and uses research and evidence, to make hypotheses and test them, to gain and share understanding and knowledge.” (The Science Council, 2020) This definition clearly draws a line in the sand between the scientist and their subjects. The subjects or phenomenon are there to be observed, and the main goal of the scientist is to gather and use the information that results from their research. It places the scientist above the thing they are studying.

Not everyone in the scientific world agrees that the researcher, and those being researched, should be separated, and detached from each other. Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator, believed that the researcher and the researched were equal and active participants in the research process (Freire, 1970). He believed that the research process was a two-way street. He was teaching something to those he was researching, and they were returning the favor by teaching him something back. He was a champion for those he was researching, believing that the only way to truly combat the social and economic inequalities of his research subjects was to fully empower and include them in the process (Freire, 1970).

Freire’s work was revolutionary for many reasons, but its greatest contribution was to the creation of the concept of Participatory Action Research. This type of research declares that people have the universal right to participate in the generation and expansion of knowledge (Brydon-Miller, 1997).

Through this participation in the process, researchers and those being researched can help facilitate personal and social transformation. One PAR study asked both mental health providers and those seeking help for mental health issues to define recovery, then shared the results with both groups so that there could be a better understanding of treatment goals (Rempfer & Knott, 2012). It’s a collaboration between all parties involved.

Another PAR study used community members in a rural Australian Aboriginal village as researchers, empowering them to identify the main issues affecting their lives and giving them the resources they determined that they needed in order to take action to improve their circumstances (Tsey et al., 2004). Instead of someone observing and determining what this oppressed group needed, researchers gave the people in the community the power to determine what they needed. This cooperation is what makes PAR such a valuable and powerful tool to help create social change.

So, the next time you imagine a psychologist or a scientist, think of Paolo Freire and the other pioneers of Participatory Action Research. Instead of a stuffy old man in a white coat making notes on a clipboard (or, parapsychologists shocking people in the basement of Columbia University because they couldn’t correctly guess the symbol on a card), think about the studies where those being researched were empowered and included in the research process. If we are truly serious about creating positive social change, then Participatory Action Research methods should be explored.

References:

Brydon-Miller, M. (1997). Participatory action research: Psychology and social change. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 657–666. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.00042

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.

Our definition of a scientist. The Science Council. (2020, March 3). https://sciencecouncil.org/about-science/our-definition-of-a-scientist/#:~:text=A%20scientist%20is%20someone%20who,or%20data%20(data%20scientists).

Rempfer, M., & Knott, J. (2012). Participatory action research: A model for establishing partnerships between mental health researchers and persons with psychiatric disabilities. Recovery and Wellness, 157–171. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203049457-13

Tsey, K., Patterson, D., Whiteside, M., Baird, L., Baird, B., & Tsey, K. (2004). A microanalysis of a participatory action research process with a rural Aboriginal men’s Health Group. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 10(1), 64. https://doi.org/10.1071/py04009

Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a unique research approach that involves the researchers being part of the community or social situation they are studying. This method allows for a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and the development of more effective interventions. A prime example of PAR in action is the urban revitalization project in Flint, Michigan, USA.

Once a thriving industrial hub, Flint had been facing economic decline and urban decay for several years. The city, known for its automobile manufacturing history, was grappling with numerous challenges, including job loss, population decline, and deteriorating infrastructure. A group of researchers, city planners, and residents collaborated on a PAR project to revitalize the city’s urban spaces. The researchers, who were city residents, were deeply invested in the project. They started by conducting surveys and interviews to understand the community’s needs and aspirations for their urban spaces. They also organized community meetings and workshops to involve as many residents as possible in the planning process.

Based on the insights gained, the team developed a comprehensive plan for urban revitalization. This included creating green spaces, improving public transportation, and developing affordable housing. The plan was then presented to the city council and, upon approval, was implemented with the active participation of the community.

Throughout the process, the researchers continuously monitored the interventions’ progress and impact, making necessary adjustments based on community feedback and observed outcomes. This iterative process is crucial to PAR, ensuring the interventions remain relevant and practical.

The project led to physical improvements in the city’s urban spaces and helped foster a sense of community and empowerment among the residents. By actively involving the community in the research process, the researchers could develop and implement solutions tailored to the community’s needs and have the community’s buy-in, thereby increasing the likelihood of success. This case study illustrates the power of Participatory Action Research in action. It shows how PAR can effect positive societal change, providing a practical, hands-on approach to solving real-world problems. By combining rigorous scientific methods with a deep understanding of the community’s needs, PAR offers a promising approach to tackling complex social issues and fostering sustainable development.

References:

: Brydon-Miller, M. (1997). Participatory Action Research: Psychology and Social Change. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 657-666.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (n.d.). Imagine Flint Sets the Stage to Move the City Forward. Retrieved from https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr_edge_featd_article_022414.html

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (n.d.). Cultivating Vital, High Opportunity Places Flint, MI: Master Plan for a Sustainable Flint. Retrieved From https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/FLINTCASESTUDY.PDF

“Nothing about us without us” first became a mantra of activists in support of disability rights (Wilson et al, 2022). It has since become adopted by D-Justice advocates for education justice in Detroit (Wilson et al, 2022). This mantra succinctly sums up the goals of participatory research and societal change. Participatory research and societal change involves community members actively being involved in gathering information and making decisions about making positive changes in their community (Brydun-Miller, 1997).

D-Justice was started in response to the profit driven direction that Detroit has taken towards education (Wilson et al, 2022). As a result, the majority of schools in Detroit are charter schools which are granted more autonomy than public schools (). Although the reason cited for the closing of public schools is low test scores, the charter schools have not outperformed the public schools. The loss of funding and availability of public schools in Detroit has disproportionately affected people of color (Wilson et al, 2022).

D-Justice used interviews with members of the community regarding their experiences including their positive and negative perceptions regarding the state of their community and feelings of being ostracized throughout their schooling (Wilson et al, 2022). Sharing these thoughts and feelings helped to cement the feeling of connectedness and community. This participatory research approach has increased the participants sense of empowerment (Wilson et al, 2022).

D-Justice is an excellent example of how participatory research seeks to positively influence societal change. Community engagement, review, and revision are the cornerstones of participatory research (Brydun-Miller, 1997). D-Justice employed all of these in its pursuit of educational research.

References

Wilson, C. M., Nickson, D., Hetrick, C., & Wilson-Clark, D. (2023). “Nothing about us without us”: Tending to emancipatory ideologies and transformative goals in participatory action research partnerships. Qualitative Research, 23(5), 1319-1341. https://doi-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1177/14687941221087869

Brydon-Miller, M. (1997). Participatory Action Research: Psychology and Social Change. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 657–666. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1997.tb02454.x

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In the mind of an involuntary celibate, being physically attractive is what gets everything for you. By everything, they mean women, money, status, and social power. “Lookism” is what this is referred as, the belief that a good life is given to those who are physically attractive (Halpin, 2022, p. 814). Incels are primarily made up of an online community of men who believe themselves unable to attract women for sex or a relationship (Halpin, 2022, pp. 813-814). This has resulted into misogyny, pushing of toxic-masculine ideals, and even self-loathing while encouraging and perpetuating violence against women (Halpin, 2022, p. 814). These beliefs and values held by incels has also been linked to numerous mass murders (Halpin, 2022, p. 814). This ideology is based on the pessimistic self-loathing of individuals who have developed a hatred for women based on their perceptions from society.

Incels have developed a loathed sense of self that makes them too subordinate to be powerful, but far too misogynistic to be subordinate, specifically subordinate of women (Halpin, 2022, p. 814). This makes their masculinity that is presented as a man of no credit that justifies his subjugation of women and overall misogyny (Halpin, 2022, p. 814). The incel community espouses sexism, and violence towards women, while also endorsing the ideology around men’s rights and criticizing feminism (Halpin, 2022, p. 814). They do not allow the discussion of romantic or sexual experiences, nor any gay or trans content (Halpin, 2022, p. 815). Halpin (2022) uses hegemonic masculinity and subordinate masculinity to define the dual masculine identities that define Incels (pp. 815-816). Hegemonic masculinity is defined using practices that uphold the subjugation of women by sanctioning patriarchal values (Halpin, 2022, p. 815). Subordinate masculinity focuses on stigmatized practices of masculinity that are socially degraded by authority, specifically toxic-masculine authority (Halpin, 2022, pp. 815-816). By putting themselves in a position that perceives them as “victims of feminism”, incels appear as the subordinate masculine type, while holding power over and subjugating women with hegemonic masculinity and enjoying the advantages of patriarchy (Halpin, 2022, p. 816).

Incels are under the belief that women seek men who are physically attractive and of higher status, which make women shallow and uninterested in them due to not having those qualities. They also believe that the only reason women would even consider the unattractive man would be if they held high status or who were able to financially provide for them. Regardless of how “committed” unattractive men are to women, the more attractive, potentially abusive man will be chosen. The incel defines physical attractiveness and high socio-economic status as the only preferences for women.

In research from Kreuzberg (2018) incels perception of women’s preferences do not line-up with actual mate preferences of women (p. 13). While incels believe that women only value physical appearance and social status, women prefer interpersonal skills and emotional commitment in long term relationships (Kreuzberg, 2020, p.13). Women tend to go after looks for short term mates, but not for long-term relationships (Kreuzberg, 2020, p.13). Women hold more value to emotional stability and dependability of their relationships over sexual desire, contradicting the incel notion that “good guys do not get women” (Kreuzberg, 2020, p.13).

Incels utilize subordinate masculinity with attributes that are internal (their unattractiveness and lack of status), stable (women’s attraction towards attractive, high-status men), and global, while utilizing hegemonic masculinity with attributes that are external (feminism), unstable (only status can lift the unattractive), and specific (gaining more power over women). The attributes fall in line with the attributes of a pessimist. The incels pessimism is where their toxicity and misogyny derive from. It is also why incels are easily manipulated by influencers who “speak their language” and educate them in the ways of attractiveness, which is essentially blatant patriarchy. As we allow these communities to form and grow, we also increase the risk for women and LGPTQ+ members. Diminishing the power and spread of incel propaganda from social media influencers and disrupting patriarchal institutions that allow for these beliefs to develop are essential to disrupt incel communities.

References

Halpin, M. (2022). Weaponized Subordination: How Incels discredit themselves to degrade women. Gender & Society, 36(6), 813–837. https://doi.org/10.1177/08912432221128545

Kreuzberg, M. S. (2020). Perceived Motives and Mental Health Characteristics of the Incel Men: What Incel men think Women value in a Mate vs. Women’s actual Mate Preference [Bachelor Thesis Positive Psychology & Technology]. University of Twente.

Is the glass half empty or half full? Do you see the world through rose-colored lenses or tinted in a fog of cynicism? Do you have a general idea that good things will happen to you if you let them? Would you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? I believe each of us can fall to either side of the spectrum depending on the circumstances and situation, though in general, we tend to lean more one way or the other. Personally, I would consider myself to be an optimist with some pessimistic tendencies, having the consensus that everything will work out in my favor and nothing is truly as bad as it might seem in the here and now, though I might share differently if you ask me before my cup of coffee. My caffeine addiction aside, why is the topic of optimism and pessimism important to consider? Well, it might just be the difference between life and death…

Pessimism is related to negative outcome expectancies, where individuals doubt their ability to attain a desired goal (Gruman et al., 2017). They tend to be more likely to quit when faced with an obstacle rather than persevere to find a solution. A pessimist will most likely view the world and negative circumstances as a direct result of themselves and have the notion that the circumstance will be long-lasting and hardly if at all improve (“Optimism”, 2008). In studies, these individuals were found to be more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease with frequent re-hospitalizations, develop high blood pressure, and even die sooner than their optimistic counterparts (“Optimism”, 2008). Pessimists are less likely to engage in the positive health behaviors seen in optimists, probably because they do not see a positive future for themselves in general. If you truly believe that you have no control over your life and bad things will happen to you regardless of the actions you take, why would you take part in positive health behaviors or spend a significant amount of time working toward your goals?

Optimism refers to the idea that good things tend to and are very likely to happen (Gruman et al., 2017). It is typically associated with positive outcome expectancies that assist in goal-setting and attainment as optimists tend to set desirable goals that have incentive values for the individual (Gruman et al., 2017). These individuals are more likely to abstain from smoking, partake in regular exercise, have stronger social networks, have a stable spouse, and follow medical advice (“Optimism”, 2008). In measuring optimism over 30 years, it was linked to improved mental and physical health compared to pessimism (“Optimism”, 2008). The glass-half-full concept seems to be more than just a concept of volume. A positive life outlook could lead to an actual positive life. While it is not fool-proof, of course, disease and other uncontrollable circumstances can always arise, but even then, having a positive outlook has been linked with better recovery in fighting against infections (“Optimism”, 2008). The proof is in the pudding: optimism has been linked to more positive life outcomes, so why would not everyone hop on the optimism train?

Changing one’s entire outlook on life is a daunting challenge, but clearly, one that might be attractive to any pessimists who value their well-being or might be interested in a better way of life. Attribution retraining interventions are coaching exercises that rework pessimistic causal attributions to turn them into optimistic attributions (Gruman et al., 2017). It has been used to prevent depression and improve academic and professional performance, familial and intimate relationships, and motivation (Gruman et al., 2017). A pessimistic explanatory style is where one tends to accept negative events as a result of their own doing that is generally unfixable or changeable. When a negative event occurs to someone with an optimistic explanatory style, they tend to find reasons in the environment that are one-off or adaptable, offering improvement for the next time (Gruman et al., 2017). An individual is not tied to a life of pessimism, destined to find an early death at the hands of high blood pressure. There are exercises and resources available to help rewire one’s explanatory style and improve their overall well-being, one just has to seek them. Considering the health benefits of being an optimist and the possible consequences of a cycle of negative thinking, it would be imperative that one does if one finds oneself in a consistent pessimistic headspace.

References

Gruman, J., Schneider, F., & Coutts, L. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Sage.

Optimism and your health. (2008). Harvard Health Publishing School. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/optimism-and-your-health

Relationships typically are between two individuals with an emotional and physical bond that has mutual understanding and similarities that connect the two to each other.

Before in my mom and dad’s time, they met in university. My dad approached my mom, and the first words he said to her was, “So when are we getting married.” It was a straightforward approach, I would say, but it worked! That type of meeting is still seen today; however, there is a new online dating method. Online, usually, the first thing you notice is the profile photo of the individual, which is a form of primacy effect, a tendency that would influence a person’s thoughts that are initially presented. Online physical attractiveness is a person’s first impression of those on the other end of the screen. Still, it looks to extend more than the importance of an individual’s physical appearance in relationships. It extends to various aspects of interaction and social dynamics.
For this post, we will focus on online dating, where the first impressions are made from photos, bios, prompts, and likes; there are times when people find themselves liking others abroad or who are miles away from their location.

In long-distance relationships (LDR), you must be secure and trust your partner. What makes people drawn into a person sometimes dismisses where they are. Like a typical relationship, there is an emotional bond, mutual understanding, and similarities but a lack of physical connection (Gruman et al., 2016). The attachment style that was thought of immediately by Bartholomew is the first attachment: secure, trusting, comfortable with closeness and able to find a way to navigate interdependence (Gruman et al., 2016).

Communication is vital for this LDR to be successful. Though LDR has a new set of challenges with the absence of physical proximity, which is the tendency for physical and psychological nearness to increase interpersonal liking (Gruman et al., 2016), people in LDR make up more emotional depth and closeness to create a strong bond, to comprise the lack of physical closeness the relationship lacks(Gruman et al., 2016).

A study found that most people saw that geographically close relationships are ideal, as LDR is not the preferred circumstance for others (Maucione, 2023). The takeaway is that the ideal relationship can differ for many people, but the most common factor is communication, trust, commitment and emotional bond. Love can happen in my head from near or far, but that might just be me.

Resources:

-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

Maucione, K. (2023). Perceptions of Long Distance Relationships Perceptions of Long Distance Relationships.https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4720&context=honors_theses

Have you ever wondered, ‘why am I attracting the same types of people over and over again, even though I know it doesn’t work out?’ Part of the answer may lie in our own attachment style. Before we dive into how these things can be correlated, let’s first give a run down on what attachment styles are. An attachment style is what can be used to describe the emotional bond and connection that starts in early childhood between the infant and the primary caregiver (Rabinowitz, 2023).  There are 3 different attachment styles introduced by John Bowlby and later on Mary Ainsworth, they are best known as secure, insecure-anxious, and insecure- avoidants. I will now break down each one and then dig a little into how our attachment styles could be leading us to the people we are attracted to.

A secure attachment style stemmed from childhood in the way that your primary caregiver was able to be responsive to your needs, you could rely on them majority of the time due to their nurturing and loving manner and this was shown inside of the home. This as a result leads you as a person to be trusting , have a secure and authentic connection with others without feeling threatened (Rabinowitz, 2023). As a person you also learned how to healthily regulate your emotions and can address your feelings. In return if you have a secure attachment style, you are more likely to also pick a securely attached partner.

Having an insecure anxious attachment style means that in your childhood your primary caregiver was inconsistent in meeting your needs. They were more often than not busy with other things and people, leaving you feeling unsure if they would be able to care for you. As a result of this the person in a relationship could be more clingy, moody, and anxious and could always be needing reassurance from the other in fear of being abandoned or rejected (Rabinowitz, 2023). Feeling a push-pull dynamic in a relationship (“i want to be close to you, but I don’t want to be close to you”) could mean you or the other person is an insecure anxious partner.

Lastly we have insecure avoidant, this is where the person might have grown up in a home where they didn’t receive a lot of attention and when there was attention it was more focused on achievements such as school or sports, rather than emotional connection (Rabinowitz, 2023). Insecure avoidants as children learned to be independent and how to take care of themselves. As adults an insecure avoidant needs to be independent, they like spending time alone, they are self reliant and have difficulty asking help from others. This can affect relationships in the way that they struggle with intimacy, closeness, and expressing emotions.

The age old question, “do opposites attract?” well, they do..initially. Overtime though the clash on opposing sides can be too big and ultimately lead to the demise of the relationship. So why are we attracted to certain people and maybe they even all have the same attachment style? Well, it all stems back to our childhood once again. Certain kinds of people or just anyone in general that we are attracted to somehow in some way triggers a core memory wound (Rabinowitz, 2023).

So, after exploring what each attachment style is ,are we starting to look inward a little more and questioning the behaviors you may exhibit or the person you are with is exhibiting? Now, although the secure attachment style is obviously the one we want to strive for, if you or your partner are not there yet this does not mean throw in the towel or that you will forever be the way you are. Recognizing why these behaviors are occurring is the first step to get you to where you want to be.

Reference:

Rabinowitz, L. (2023, June 8). Why are different attachment styles attracted to each other (even when it causes stress in the relationship). Rabinowitz Counseling. https://counselorforcouples.com/why-are-different-attachment-styles-attracted-to-each-other-even-when-it-causes-stress-in-the-relationship/#:~:text=As%20an%20adult%2C%20they%20shape,it%20is%20familiar%20to%20you.

Cyberbullying? well what is cyberbullying it is the act of using electronic communication tools, such as social media platforms or messaging apps, to harass, intimidate, or harm others. This issue has become a widespread issue in today’s digital age, with serious consequences for the mental health and well-being of those involved. One of the significant impacts of cyberbullying is the development of anxiety disorders in its victims. Anxiety is a common psychological response to stressful or threatening situations. In the context of cyberbullying, individuals who are targeted often experience extreme levels of anxiety due to the constant fear of further online harassment. The internet can amplify the impact of cyberbullying, as victims may feel like there is no escape from the ongoing attacks. This chronic stress can lead to the development of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The impact of cyberbullying on anxiety is not limited to the immediate distress caused by online harassment. Victims may also experience long-term psychological effects. Persistent anxiety can affect various aspects of a person’s life, including their relationships, academic or professional performance, and overall well-being. The constant worry and fear associated with cyberbullying can lead to a decrease in self-esteem and self-confidence, making it challenging to engage in social interactions or trust others. A longitudinal study conducted by Hinduja and Patchin (2018) further supports the link between cyberbullying and anxiety. Their research followed a large sample of adolescents over time and found that victims of cyberbullying were more likely to develop anxiety symptoms as they aged. The study also highlighted that the duration and intensity of cyberbullying experiences were positively associated with increased anxiety levels. Another study I also looked at published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology revealed that victims of cyberbullying were more likely to experience offline anxiety symptoms as well.

For individuals already predisposed to anxiety, cyberbullying can further their symptoms. Those with pre-existing anxiety disorders may experience extreme levels of anxiety, panic attacks, or even a relapse in their recovery. The constant exposure to negative and hurtful online content can trigger intrusive thoughts a, perpetuating a cycle of anxiety and distress. It is important for individuals with anxiety disorders who experience cyberbullying to seek support from mental health professionals and find healthy coping mechanisms to manage their symptoms. Furthermore, cyberbullying can result in a negative cycle of anxiety. A study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence mentioned that individuals who experienced cyberbullying were more likely to develop higher levels of anxiety and, in turn, engage in more avoidant behaviors. These avoidant behaviors, such as withdrawing from social interactions or avoiding certain online platforms, which these things can cause isolation and steer them away from even being social.

In conclusion, cyberbullying has a significant impact on the mental health of its victims, particularly in terms of anxiety. The constant fear, stress, and worry associated with cyberbullying can lead to the development or exacerbation of anxiety disorders. It is truly important to raise awareness about cyberbullying, provide support systems for victims, and promote responsible online behavior to create a safer digital space for everyone. So everyone can feel safe and their mental health can continue to be healthy. Throughout my research multiple studies have demonstrated the extreme impact of cyberbullying on anxiety.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4126576/

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Published By: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers

I am sure anyone reading this blog could make a list of people they know either in real life, celebrities they like, or people on social media, etc., of who they find attractive. But have you ever wondered what made you so attracted to them? Is it purely the way they look? Or is it more about their style or interests? Thinking deeper into why people are attracted to individuals, you would find that it is not completely surface level. It is more than just looks, although that is a big part of it, there is more than meets the eye. Attraction consists of three different aspects, the proximity effect, the familiarity effect, and physical appearance. 

In person, the initial driving force of attraction, when it comes to relationships, would be proximity. The proximity effect is “the tendency for physical and psychological nearness to increase interpersonal liking.” (Gruman, 2016, p.422). First signs of attraction occur when someone is simply in close quarters with another person, like in a classroom. They see that person, they hear how they talk, see how they interact with others, and overall get a good observation of who they are, while in close enough proximity. A study done by Back, Shmuckle, and Egloff showed the significance of proximity when they had classmates introduce themselves to each other in the beginning of the year and a year later asked them to rate their friendships with the students in the class. This resulted with the students rating the classmates who sat near them as closer friends than classmates who sat further from them in the classroom. 

Taking a step past proximity, the familiarity effect is another important element in attraction. The familiarity effect is the idea that “Increased exposure to someone generally enhances preexisting feelings toward that person, whether positive or negative.” (Zajonc, 1968, as cited in Gruman, 2016, pg. 423). The more you are around someone the more familiar you become. For example, if your schedule lines up with someone else’s and you see them at the same time everyday. You get familiar with the person, and the more familiar you are with someone, the more comfortable you are with that person. It has been shown that “Since the original research on familiarity and attraction in the 1960s, dozens of studies have tested this effect. Most studies have supported the claim that familiarity promotes attraction.” (e.g., Reis, Maniaci, Caprariello, Eastwick, and Finkel, 2011 as cited in Gruman, 2016, p. 423). In short, when someone is familiar with another person they are more likely to perceive them as attractive.

On to what is seemingly to be the most important component in attraction, physical appearance. There have been studies that resulted with the consensus that people value the quality of looks the most when finding a dating partner. Overall, it has been found that physical attractiveness does matter, however it is deeper than that. People perceived to be attractive have further expectations on them, “People associate good looks with other good things about the person. In a seminal study, Dion, Berscheid, and Walster (1972) found that attractive people are expected, purely on the basis of their looks, to be better people: sensitive, sexually responsive, interesting and sociable.” (Gruman, 2016, p. 424). People find good looking people attractive because of their looks and also the belief that their good looks entail other good qualities. This assumption that people have for good looking people is an additional reason for their attraction to them. 

In all, people find others attractive because of proximity, familiarity, and physical appearance. People are likely to be attracted to someone who is physically close to them in proximity. A person is bound to find one person around them as attractive. The mere fact that they are around them makes them familiar to them and familiarity in itself promotes attraction. Physical appearance is the leading factor in most cases of attraction because they are pleasing to look at and good looking people are assumed to be elite. 

References

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

Indeed, physical attractiveness matters. This is proven by a study which found that attractive people are judged more positively than ugly people are, including a higher social appeal, but also in various forms of competence (Gruman et al., 2017, p. 424). Yes, that’s right folks, people think you’re smarter if you’re pretty; how stupid is that!

This did raise a curious inquiry deep in my soul, however. How in the hell did Jeremy get Justine? Allow me to explain. Jeremy was a friend of mine from college. He was a great guy. No, really. a great guy. However, he was… how you say… attractively challenged. He had a full head of hair, which you could see because he was so darn short. He had definition all over his body, mostly because he was skin and bones. His smile absolutely lit up the sky… Because his braces could be seen from Mars. In short, my buddy Jeremy was an utter dumpster fire.

Justine? A complete 150 out of 10, immediate transfusion-requiring nosebleed knockout. Earth’s magnetic field shifted around this woman’s sheer radiance, and men just glided in her direction wherever she went. Justine was (and is) madly in love with Jeremy.

As I read this week’s chapter, I wondered whether it was the “T-Shirt Study” that could explain this phenomenon, since their interests and values seemed to match well (Gruman et al., 2017, p. 430).

However, this also seemed not to be the case, as Justine fell hard for this man (not via fainting from the shock and horror of his volcano face) before she ever had a chance to know him. This is one of those bizarre instances of Beauty and the Beast  Naked Mole-Rat that I simply couldn’t get through my head.

But I began to really analyze what made Jeremy attractive, and found something pretty compelling. His presence. I have yet to totally conceptualize what makes up a person’s presence, but I’ve narrowed it down just enough for a rough idea.

Jeremy is incredibly substantive in a way that only Jeremy can be. He has almost an entirely internal locus of control. In addition, he is quite the optimist, which is somewhat described with the theory of attribution; optimists attribute positive results with internal factors, and negative results with outside factors (Gruman et al., 2017, p. 461).

Jeremy is one of those guys that is full of both pathway thinking, meaning that he knows which steps to take in order to reach his goals, and agency thinking, which is high willpower/mastery (Gruman et al., 2017, p. 472).

Perhaps most importantly, Jeremy was a fully actualized man. The book sort of glosses over the topic of actualization, but my idea of actualization kind of corresponds with Carl Jung’s theory of the shadow, which can be summarized as the realization of whichever aspects of the self are hidden away from not only others, but also the self (Perry, 2015).

Jeremy had confronted his stepfather, who was beating his mother, earlier in his youth through a physical confrontation in which he won (with the help of a frying pan that now bears a nice mold in the shape of his stepfather’s face). Afterwards, he had confronted the guilt of not only his actions, but also how much he enjoyed beating his stepfather into a bloody pulp.

He found the malevolence within himself and had to reconcile that with his desire to be good. In doing so, he not only took responsibility for himself, but also for his potential for destruction. The funny thing is, as paradoxical as it sounds, Jeremy became optimistic and found his internal locus of control by examining his own malevolence.

So while our peers were rambling on about political ideologies and proclaiming moral superiority during college rallies, Jeremy was quietly building himself 1% better every day. That 1% per day meant that every 3 months, Jeremy was double the man he had been.

In the words of the often controversial (but in this topic, spot on) psychologist Jordan Peterson, “There’s a difference between being harmless and being good.”

Jeremy understood his potential, realized that he too possessed malevolence, and was choosing to be good whenever possible. Justine didn’t see a short, pimply, brace-faced nerd. Justine was looking at a monster who had tamed himself and protected his family using the very same potential that he could’ve used for destruction.

It took me entering a career in war to learn and become what Jeremy achieved in high school through nothing but a dented frying pan and a “Give ’em hell!” attitude.

You know, on second thought, I’m starting to think Jeremy is one sexy dude.

Sources:

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

Bullying has always been around, and in my opinion it was easy to keep an eye on it and control it, if parents, schools and teachers worked together. Unfortunately with the introduction of internet and rise of social media platforms, a new kind of bullying, called cyber bullying  was created, which is much more damaging and harder to control than the regular bullying.

Cyber bullying has become very common, and I have seen fully grown adults being brought to tears, and being severely affected, and subsequently damaging their mental health. Can we imagine how it effects a young person who maybe targeted or signaled out to be bullied online. As there are more and more online platforms to communicate, similarly there are more areas to cyberbully someone, and in majority of cases the bully benefits, and chooses to be anonymous, the bully can only be one person, but they can assume different identities, and bully one person, making it more intense and damaging to the victim.

Effects of cyber bullying are far reaching and dangerous. Victims can suffer from, anxiety, depression, loneliness and suicidal ideation (Nixon, 2014). Constant and long term cyber bullying can damage the mental health of the victim so much, that they start believing, that somehow they deserve to be bullied, and thus it can have long term effects on a young person’s self-esteem, and confidence. I think a lot more that needs to be done, not only to combat the incidence of cyber bullying, but we also need to make it easier for the kids to report it, so they could be helped in a timely manner, before it effects their mental health.

Nixon C. L. (2014). Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health. Adolescent health, medicine and therapeutics, 5, 143–158. https://doi.org/10.2147/AHMT.S36456

Young entrepreneurs and recent college graduates are flooding to low-income neighborhoods as a means to revitalize and maintain an “authentic” look to established communities (Zukin, 2008, p. 727). Cities normally offer a life that is convenient and with a copious number of things to do to enhance the quality life. This fact is not always the case for many individuals and families who live in low-income areas. Communities, especially established communities, are forced to adapt to the changes within their community. Whether these changes were wanted or not, the upgrades are built for an exclusive type, and the established community members are unable to utilize the shops and markets within the community. As a way to increase attractiveness and increase consumerism, new hip shops and markets featuring ethical and organic items, as well as consignment items that make use of “upcycling” (Zukin, 2008, p. 725). While these changes are environmentally friendly and encourage a different outlook into consumerism, it makes it difficult for low-income families to be able to utilize these goods and services. What ends up happening is that these households are forced out of their homes due to increased cost of living.

To uplift a community, these gentrification projects have displaced low-income individuals and families and have forced a specific demographic to fill in the spots, changing the economic concerns that were faced by the community by simply pushing those struggles to another area without consideration to community disruption (Qiang et al., 2021, p. 4). While a community is developed, another one is eradicated. Communities that have been there for multiple generations, with homes staying within the family. Unfortunately, these communities most likely had no support from the city government and were left to their own devices to survive. This either isolated the community or encouraged the community to come together and work with one another, regardless of the conditions that made this achievement difficult.

These communities have communicated with local officials, investors, and community liaisons to establish a community uplifting project that benefits community members while increasing the attractiveness of the community (Qiang et al., 2021, pp. 3-4). These efforts have gone by the wayside with capital gain and increased consumerism being the main priorities for these development projects. When these neighborhoods are gentrified, all the attempts to provide city funds to uplift the community are suddenly cared about. The attraction from upper and middle-class residents provides a multitude of changes including investment into housing, adequate public service, a rise in property values, reduced crime rates, and a bettering of the city’s public amenities (Qiang et al., 2021, p. 2). All of this is directly correlated with gentrification. This attention from the local government is devastating to the established community members who were ignored for generations.

But what attracts these young entrepreneurs, artists, and intellectuals into these neighborhoods? As Sharon Zukin (2008) puts it, it is the aesthetic that appeals to them (p. 727). With the fetishizing of cultural diversity and an “authentic urban experience”, neo-bohemians, or hipsters seek out low-income, close spaced, and easily traveled (whether from walking, cycling, or public transportation) communities (Zukin, 2008, pp. 727-728). Sharon Zukin (2018) puts it simply,

“More than using their neighbors as models, some [hipsters] take delight in finding a parallel between the involuntary marginalization of the poor and of ethnic minorities in their neighborhood and their own willed marginalization from mainstream consumer culture” (p. 729).

The connection with the downtrodden in relation to the hipster “starving artist” experience provides an adequate backdrop to the community that they hope to establish. It also makes it easier to build from bones than to start from scratch.

Are we benefitting community development by gatekeeping life from lower-income families? Are ethical changes to a community that displaces established community members truly ethical? We encourage community growth within the US to provide the necessary support systems for individuals to be able to survive and thrive, yet we are so willing to step on the backs of the established community members to make it a “better” place. By interrupting and displacing the community and community members who have lived and survived in the area, we are creating future problems that will continue to“affect”communities. The pink collar, new collar, no collar, open collar, and gold collar individuals garner more attraction to neighborhoods while leaving blue and black collar individuals to continue performing the dirty work with little to no appreciation or recognition to their community influence. This creates tension among the two groups who fight for the liberalization or conservatizing of the community. Unfortunately, only one group receives the support.

References

Qiang, A. J., Timmins, C., & Wang, W. (2021). Displacement and the Consequences of Gentrification. Unpublished Manuscript, 1–49.

Zukin, S. (2008). CONSUMING AUTHENTICITY. Cultural Studies, 22(5), 724–748. https://doi.org/10.1080/09502380802245985

Attachment styles, a concept pioneered by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, develop deep emotional bonds between two people. These styles, which originate from the bond between an infant and their primary caregiver, significantly influence future social and intimate relationships. In other words, this early bond creates a template for building and interpreting relationships as an adult.

There are four primary adult attachment styles: secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing.  These styles develop along two dimensions: attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance. Individuals high in attachment-related stress tend to be insecure and worried about their partner’s availability and attentiveness. On the other hand, those high in attachment-related avoidance often struggle with opening up and being vulnerable to significant others.

A secure attachment style is characterized by low scores on both anxiety and avoidance. Individuals with this style trust that their close relationships will provide support and security when needed and are prepared to offer the same in return. They can communicate openly and honestly and believe they are worthy of love. They are transparent about fears, desires, and insecurities and provide consistent support and warmth.

Preoccupied individuals are often insecure and worried about their partner’s availability and attentiveness. They need closeness, and they are concerned about abandonment. They are characterized by a negative working model of self and a positive working model of others. It can affect intimate adult relationships and cause a need to belong, fit in, or feel accepted.

Fearful individuals are afraid of rejection; therefore, they are mistrusting and often shy. This type of person usually craves the feeling of closeness and support; however, they distance themselves from others. Often, this attachment style is linked to childhood trauma. They strongly desire close relationships but distrust others and fear intimacy.  They are characterized by both high levels of anxiety and avoidance in relationships.

Finally, dismissing individuals are “self-reliant, independent, and uninterested in intimacy.”  These individuals often avoid closeness and intimacy because they do not feel a need to rely on someone else. They are very independent and find it hard to be comfortable enough with someone to trust them with their intimacy. They are characterized by a positive internal working model of attachment of oneself, described by a view of oneself as competent and worthy of love, and a negative internal working model of attachment of others, characterized by one’s belief that others are untrustworthy or undependable.

It’s important to note that attachment styles can change with major life events or even with different partners. For instance, an insecurely attached individual could form a secure bond when they have a securely attached partner. Understanding one’s attachment style is the first step toward developing healthier relationships.

(2022, December 26). How to Change Your Attachment Style and Your Relationships. The Attachment Project. https://www.attachmentproject.com/blog/attract-secure-attachment-partner/

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

Lancer, D., JD, LMFT (2021, April 1. How to Change Your Attachment Style and Your Relationships. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/toxic-relationships/202104/how-change-your-attachment-style-and-your-relationships

Cyberbullying, regular bullying, both the same and both horrible.  They have been on the uproar since technology has excelled in its finest.  Personally, I could not tell you how many times a week I hear my daughter upset because of a friend’s Tic Tok or Instagram post, or how they message her through Snapchat or via text and are mean.  Or to say the least when they hang out how she gets ditched for no reason.  Now of course I have taught my daughter to try and be tough, try not to let things bother you but as a parent you can only succeed so much.  Since I myself and a parent who intervenes a lot, I feel that an intervention for this type of behavior is well called for.  A prime example that I can use is just last weekend my daughter came down crying because her friend made an appreciation video on Tic Tok but used a bad photo of her, of course I thought she was being dramatic like any pre-teen girl would be.  However, there was more to the story of how the other young girl knew it was a bad photo and told her that she knew she would get upset, that’s why she used it.  So, me as the mother I am, “involve parental engagement (Hendry et al., 2023)” to the point that I called the girls’ mother, and we had our own discussion about it.  We felt that intervention for the two girls regarding bullying behavior, which can “include teaching social skills such as friendship, empathy, and anger management in one-on-one settings, not in a group setting. Discipline should be addressed in private. Interventions focus on identifying the expected behaviors. (Bullying prevention and intervention strategies)” but all in all, I felt the initial intervention of parental engagement was appropriate.

Reference

Bullying prevention and intervention strategies. Bullying Prevention and Intervention Strategies – Nebraska Department of Education. (n.d.). https://www.education.ne.gov/safety/bullying-prevention-and-intervention-strategies/#:~:text=Bullying%20behavior%20interventions%20may%20include,on%20identifying%20the%20expected%20behaviors.

Hendry, B. P., Hellsten, L. M., McIntyre, L. J., & Smith, B. R. R. (2023, February 13). Recommendations for cyberbullying prevention and intervention: A Western Canadian perspective from key stakeholders. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1067484/full#:~:text=When%20cyberbullying%20instances%20occur%2C%20it,technology%20used%20by%20their%20youth.

When talking about communities, we often think about our neighbors, friends, family, and maybe our peers at work or school. What gets overlooked is the online communities we participate in everyday. A community can be made up of a group of people that share a space together, or share a common interest. Outside of real in-person connections, is the online version. This mostly looks like facebook feeds, reddit groups, gaming streams, or school discussion boards. The latter is what we all, as students, participate in every week and it is considered to be a community. These online groups help us learn, socialize and grow in many ways; however, there could be a darker side to being a part of too many online communities. 

As I mentioned, the internet keeps us informed, and helps us keep up with the changing world. As our technology advances faster than it ever has in history, we know that to stay off the internet and swear off iphones is to not progress with society and can be detrimental to your career or social standing. We have access to every question and answer you could possibly ask, right at our fingertips and that goes for friendships and social groups as well. In this age, if you really want to, you don’t have to leave your house to talk with a group of likeminded people, speak with friends, catch up on gossip or share your opinion. Behind the tiny 13” x 5” screen, you are protected from true scrutiny, from embarrassment, from fear. Online communities can help you reach likeminded people, family or friends that are far away. “Establishing a sense of community online can be advantageous for particular subgroups who may experience specific barriers to communities of interest offline.” (Gruman, 2017). All of these factors are incredibly positive for users, and may be why so many flock to online communities like never before. 

Despite the advantages of anonymity, it’s also a disadvantage to all people on online platforms. Having this identity shield gives users a different type of confidence to voice their opinions, but it can mean that many things said are things they would truly never say out loud. This can leave a massive cavity, where bullying and negativity fester. Myspace, one of the earlier social media platforms that created a massive online community, caused issues for so many teens. Myspace led to many of its users having more drama, misunderstandings with friends and creating aggressive behaviors. (Gruman, 2017). This is because online, there is an emotional disconnect. In person, we see others’ expressions, the tone in their voice, along with choosing our words more carefully out of empathy or compassion, there is a sense of real connection. Online, we can’t get that, and that leaves room for negative emotions, and behaviors. Online communities, while helpful in ways, arent a substitute for real life interactions and face-to-face community. 

Gruman, J., Schneider, F., & Coutts, L. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Sage Publications.

For the following commentary to be comprehensible, there must first be a discussion of relevant terms and definitions. First, the reader should consider the components of a community. Gruman and colleagues (2017) refer to research by community psychologists who proposed four components of what makes a sense of connectedness to others, and thus a community. First, there is membership. In order to have a community, there needs to be inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine who is in and who is out. Second, is the concept of influence, which is based on the idea of individual power within the community and inversely, the community’s power over the individual. The third component is integration and fulfillment of needs. This means that a person feels they can and are dependent on other members who are also dependent on the individual to share and receive what they need from each other. Finally the fourth component is a shared emotional connection which is exactly what it sounds like in the bondedness of members that usually is a result of some sort of shared experience or ideology.

Taking these components of what makes a person feel a sense of community, we can consider their application to a different type of community, the online community. Although they have been in existence since the early days of the internet, online or virtual communities became a pervasive reality in a big way recently. The concept of virtual communities was something that became prevalent in an unexpected way during the COVID-19 pandemic, when shutdowns were frequent and persistent. Folks often chose precaution over physical connectedness and whether it was using previously established communities or there was creation of new, online communities were thrust into the spotlight.

Yet another twist to the concept of communities and online communities is the idea that not all people use them in the same way. Gruman et al. (2017) discussed how this might be the group that could benefit from an online community the most, and it has been demonstrated that there is a connection between their presence in and online community and their wellbeing. Having a way to work around potential barriers to connectedness can increase satisfaction and again, be beneficial to people who live with disabilities.

To introduce another twist, online presence is not only about community and its connection, but potentially a romantic connection. Mazur (2022) has been at the forefront of researching how people with disabilities utilize virtual formats to date. It was found that discriminatory experiences were still had by those using online dating, but that this was balanced out for some by availability of interested parties. The disparity of experiences in online communities versus online dating could indicate the complexities that arise from being vulnerable when looking for romantic connection.

Overall, increase in popularity of online communities was seemingly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like communities that exist outside of the internet, there are multiple components that allow for someone to feel connected to a group. This connection might be more readily available for those with disabilities who use online communities to circumvent the barriers between them and in person connection. The benefits seen in online communities for this group does not have a direct translation to online dating, which research indicated was balanced by positive and negative experiences for people with disabilities.

References

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

Mazur, E. (2022). Online dating experiences of LGBTQ+ emerging adults with disabilities. Sexuality and Disability 40, 213-231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-022-09726-2

Learning about communities this week had me wondering why online communities are so important, especially in today’s society. We have gone many centuries without online communities, even the internet. It is with the technological advances in our country and the world that have made the online communities come alive. We can probably all agree the importance of face-to-face communities and in my opinion an online community could never take away from those, but that does not mean that online communities don’t serve an important purpose as well.

A big example that could probably hit home to most would be during 2020 in the midst of COVID during lockdown. During this time it was hard for me to even see my parents and grandparents even if I had wanted to they all work in healthcare and were exposed to it everyday they were mandated by their company to take extra precaution that was already in place. To add some light to the dark my family and I would tag each other in funny or relatable things we would see on facebook. Now although my family is already part of me, if it weren’t for the app and online community of facebook that 2020 year could have gone a lot differently than it did. According to Forbes being a part of an online community allows a possibility of  a quick answer to a question you may have (Richmond, 2020). Also even if they are people you do not know personally an online community also can offer a support system, and sometimes not knowing the person directly can help some people open up more due to less fear.

Reference:

Richmond, S. (2020, August 25). Council post: The importance of online communities in 2020. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/08/26/the-importance-of-online-communities-in-2020/?sh=527be207ba9e

Cyber or virtual communication has become a convenient type of communication, basically 24/7.  Being able to communicate to someone at any given time of the day thanks to technology has been a wonderful thing.  “We live in in a world where technology grows and changes a lot faster than some of us can manage to keep up with. But the one thing about technology that doesn’t change is the concept behind it: It’s a tool we can use to make what we’re doing both easier and better. (Account, 2020)”

Now, when talking about communication, I am not meaning a response right away. But rather being able to communicate to someone, whether that be sending an email or text just stating a fact, asking a non-urgent question, etc.  However, “saying something through text messages is a lot different from saying it in person. The latter lacks the body language, the eye contact, and the emotional connection in the face-to-face moment. (Sermaxhaj, 2023)” Since communication in these types of ways happen on a daily basis it is more common that miscommunication or misunderstands happen.  Therefore, technology can be a great thing but at the same time it can cause many issues.  Regarding work or within personal relationships as well.  A simple text t my husband can be miscommunicated just as much as a simple email to one of my coworkers.  Those on the receiving end might not understand the tone of the message which can cause majority of the issues.  I’ve personally learned over the years that even if you do not use short hand messaging and tend to type things out, it still has the chance of a miscommunication.  Technology I find to be great in the sense that it is at the tips of fingers and allows easy communication.

References:

Account, M. (2020, February 28). The misunderstanding of using technology. AZCOMP Technologies. https://www.azcomp.com/blog/the-misunderstanding-of-using-technology/

Sermaxhaj, G. (2023, September 20). Online communication and misunderstanding. Youth Time Magazine: News that Inspires, Updates that Matter. https://youthtimemag.com/online-communication-and-misunderstanding/

I have a love-hate relationship with social media. I love social media, but the more I use it, the more thoughts and feelings I have of self-hatred. I can remember the exact day I first downloaded Instagram and was immediately able to connect with all of my friends through pictures and captions. Then, I was able to see what my favorite celebrities were doing and keep up with their lives. As an early teenager, I do not believe I could understand what access to these people’s lives was doing to me, but as an adult, I feel so sorry for doing that to myself. Now having the ability to understand how fake social media truly is and the false sense of community it offers, I can look back and see how much time I have wasted (and sometimes continue to waste) on social media sites, and how detrimental it was to grow up with that access.

Social media can be a powerful tool or weapon depending on the context. It can help companies promote their brand, connect family and friends across continents, and be a creative outlet for many individuals. On the other hand, it can promote unrealistic comparisons and expectations, spread misinformation rapidly, and is designed to prey on addictive tendencies. That last part is where I struggle the most. Growing up, I was always told by my parents that addiction runs in our extended family, so I stayed mindful and away from the obvious vices: drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. I never once thought that social media could or would be my drug of choice. I was not aware of how dangerous and addictive social media can and is designed to be. These sites that were originally created to connect us to others are actually working to disconnect us from ourselves. Studies have found that as time spent on social media rises, so do rates of depression, substance abuse, stress, and suicide (Hansen, 2022). As any addict, my social media use follows a cycle. I start perusing the platform, trying to keep my time to a minimum and monitor my use, enjoying the pretty pictures and videos. Before I know it, I spend hours a day checking the app, comparing myself to people I idolize (even people I do not idolize), until the point where I feel like garbage. Once I have hit rock bottom, I do a detox from social media, feel great, wonder what people are up to, check it, and fall right back into the same cycle.

Why do I do this to myself? Why does anyone who can see the negative effects of social media continue to use it? My guess would be the false sense of community it provides and the lack of knowledge about the dangers of seeking out community in social media primarily. A sense of community is made up of four elements: membership, influence, integration and fulfillment of needs, and shared emotional connection (Gruman et al., 2017). My membership on social media is harder to see than that in real life. I do not have a badge or t-shirt that states I am part of a community, but simply having a presence on social media can create a feeling of membership. One reason I refuse to delete an app I know is detrimental to my mental health is that I do not want to lose the sense of membership in that app. It is the “norm” these days to have a social media presence and not having one can automatically make you feel excluded from that group (even though the perks of membership are not that great).

Influence is the power a community has over an individual and the power they have within the community (Gruman et al., 2017). In terms of social media, likes, comments, shares, etc. are all ways someone can show their influence within the community. “Influencers” are now actual careers for individuals who have many followers, and therefore, more power in the community. Being able to follow and “interact” with these people offers a false sense of connection and value that is hard to replicate in the “real” world. I can confidently say that (while I know I am not even close to the “influencer”-level) if I did not receive the positive affirmations of likes, comments, or followers, I would not participate in social media. I would not feel connected to the “community” and therefore, would not participate. These minuscule and truly pointless behaviors and affirmations keep me tied to the platform that can be so damaging for me. This also plays into the integration and fulfillment of needs where likes, comments, shares, and follows are an exchange of goods and resources within the social community. If someone interacts with my postings, I am much more likely to return the favor and interact with theirs. In reality, we are not exchanging anything important or valuable, but it is made important and valuable within the context of the site and “community”.

The final component of community is that of shared emotional connection, where individuals feel a sense of shared bond with others (Gruman et al., 2017). Followers do not automatically equate to friendships. Following your favorite celebrity can give a false impression of a connection with that individual that we might not feel if our interactions were kept solely to seeing them on the big screens or doing interviews. As for anyone on social media, we see deeper into their lives and can feel a sense of connection to them as a result. Unfortunately, however, the “reality” portrayed through social media is anything but. If we reserve our social connections to only those online, our sense of reality can be completely misconstrued. We see highlights, smiles, and maybe the occasional “no-makeup” selfie. Social media more often than not does not provide a true sense of emotional connection or bond that we might experience if we focus more on the actual community around us.

Writing this out, I realize even more how dangerous and deep my relationship with social media is, and cannot help but wish more information about these dangers were shared with me when I first created my social media accounts. Media literacy is so important for all of us as we attempt to navigate multiple communities across different platforms, and hopefully, it will help us to appreciate the real sense of community that we can find around us rather than seeking the fabricated version online. A whirlpool of dopamine and embellishment, social media can be an exciting outlet, but it should be used wisely and with care.

References

Gruman, J., Schneider, F., & Coutts, L. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Sage.

Hansen, K. (2022). Our social media addiction. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2022/11/our-social-media-addiction

In recent years, the internet has become a valuable resource for individuals seeking emotional support and assistance. Online platforms have emerged as safe spaces where people can find solace, share their experiences, and receive guidance from others facing similar challenges. This essay explores the benefits of seeking emotional help online, supported by evidence from reputable websites.

The internet provides a vast array of support networks that cater to different emotional needs. Websites such as 7 Cups and SupportGroups.com offer platforms where individuals can connect with others experiencing similar struggles. Online support groups allow people to share their stories, receive empathy, and gain valuable insights from others who have overcome similar challenges. A study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research indicates that online support groups can significantly reduce feelings of isolation and increase emotional well-being among participants. One of the advantages of seeking emotional help online is the ability to maintain anonymity. Many individuals feel more comfortable discussing their emotions and personal experiences when their identity is protected. Online platforms provide a level of confidentiality that encourages open and honest communication. A survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 80% of respondents felt more comfortable discussing their mental health online due to the anonymity it offered.

The internet’s accessibility and availability make it a convenient option for seeking emotional help. Many online platforms provide round-the-clock support, allowing individuals to connect with others and access resources whenever they need it. This accessibility is particularly beneficial for those who may be unable to access traditional forms of support due to time constraints or physical limitations. A study published in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare found that online mental health support services reduced waiting times and provided more immediate access to emotional assistance, improving overall mental well-being. The internet offers a wealth of expert guidance and resources related to emotional well-being. Websites like PsychCentral and WebMD provide comprehensive information on various mental health conditions, self-help techniques, and treatment options. These resources empower individuals to educate themselves and make informed decisions about their emotional well-being. A review article published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research highlights that online mental health resources can enhance individuals’ knowledge and self-efficacy in managing their emotional health.

The internet has revolutionized the way individuals seek emotional help, providing access to diverse support networks, anonymity, 24/7 availability, and expert guidance. The evidence presented demonstrates the benefits of seeking emotional assistance online, including reduced feelings of isolation, increased accessibility, and the empowerment of individuals to take charge of their emotional well-being. As technology continues to advance, online platforms will likely play an increasingly vital role in supporting individuals’ emotional needs

Reference:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4183915/

https://www.nami.org/Press-Media/Survey-Reports

https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep21-06-02-001.pdf

I wanted to expand my thoughts from the discussion because one particular term stuck out to me from Reich’s 2010 study, “Networked Individualism” (Gruman et al., 2017, p. 331). The study found some connections were positive in that people would honor and provide support for each other, and even collaborate in pursuit of certain activities; this means that at least two of the four aspects of community were at least somewhat fulfilled. However, the study also recognized that the connections could be considered by some as superficial rather than sincere (Gruman et al., 2017, p. 331),

This is a very curious topic for me that I’d like to spend some time thinking through. On one hand, mutual emotional support and collaboration seem to be quite important when it comes to creating a sense of community. However, I still can’t shake the feeling that there is something seriously wrong with it when the boundaries and influence portions are weak (especially boundaries). The reason why I place so much emphasis on “boundaries” is that I actually believe boundaries are what generates freedom. Sounds quite paradoxical, but hear me out.

There are two parenting styles within basic psychology: The duck and the elephant. For the purpose of this conversation, I will imagine up a new one, the lizard.

1. The duck leads her brood of ducklings by swimming in front, and the ducklings have no choice but to follow her. This is not quite a “boundary,” per se, as it has no notable form whatsoever; the ducklings have what seems like a single, arbitrary line they must follow if to avoid being left behind.
2. The elephant walks behind her calf, and allows it to explore; when the calf begins to stumble into something too risky, the mother uses her trunk to save/remove the calf from the situation before they are actually harmed.
3. The lizard abandons her eggs in the wild, so the baby lizards fend for themselves once they hatch. As you may guess, a good amount of them just die instead.

The duck would be what you can call the dictatorship, or the overbearing mother who raises her child without any sense of direction. Her way is the way, so when the child grows up, it merely finds the next way to follow without question.

The elephant is the currently recognized “healthy” form of parenting. By creating clear boundaries which the calf learns not to cross, the calf is able to have total freedom within the boundaries that its mother set. This allows the calf to take calculated risks (with the knowledge of what lines it crosses at its own peril), which can allow it to develop and even surpass the mother’s own progress.

The lizard is, well, the internet. Without boundaries, we revert to what comes natural to us: Fending for ourselves. We will commit every logical fallacy possible to support our beliefs. We will subconsciously practice cognitive dissonance to preserve our self concept. We will use fundamental attribution errors to boost our own value above others. We present only the best (or subjectively most impressive) versions of ourselves in an effort to be accepted, which creates a cycle of perpetual narcissism. Everyone is right all the time because we only talk to people who are also “right”.

The lack of boundaries, to put it simply, is not freedom nor the power to create great communities; it is chaos. Combine that with a lack of influence that people can have on each other (due in part to what is described above), and you have a recipe for a totally self-centered society without anything resembling a social contract that binds us together.

That brings us to today… A world full of ever-radicalized ideologies that worsen over time, propogated by people who call for war without ever having felt the whisper of death’s wind whipping by their ears, socialism without ever having tasted the bitter bile of starvation, or capitalist prosperity without ever having watched a child in Guadalajara with three missing fingers pressing the leather on a handbag. They argue amongst themselves for their whole lives, blissfully unaware while the real-world marches on in silent agony.

Having been to the real-world and returned licking my wounds, all I can do is study and ponder; to what degree is online communication actually useful and beneficial to an evolving society? More importantly, at what cost?

Sources:

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

Historically, support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) have gathered in church basements or other dedicated locations. Anyone with a history of addiction or a family member who has battled addictions know how important AA is in helping a recovering addict achieve and maintain sobriety. When COVID hit, in most states, gathering for an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting was no longer a possibility. Recovering addicts had to find alternate ways to “go to a meeting”. This is when the importance of online communities became evident.

Online AA meetings provide the same sense of community that face-to-face meetings provide only they do so virtually (Gruman et al, 2016). They provide information and emotional support (Gruman et al, 2016) that some members would not have otherwise. These meetings may have become much more common during COVID but have continued to be important to people living with disabilities (Gruman et al, 2016) for whom mobility is a challenge.

As the wife of a recovering alcoholic, the Alcoholics Anonymous online community has been an integral part of my husband’s and my life. It allowed my husband to keep the twelve steps in his life during the pandemic. He has continued to attend meetings primarily online long after COVID. Without this virtual community, I do not know if my husband would have over two years of sobriety. For that, I am forever thankful.

References

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

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Every person thrives in a different type of environment. It would be nearly, if not completely, impossible to find two people who are a part of and enjoy the exact same environment and lifestyle. This is why I found the “Life in the City” portion of the textbook reading so interesting. This concept highlights the person-environment fit, meaning that it is important for every individual person to find the environment that is best for them so that they can thrive mentally and physically.

The Life in the City section explains how every person has a preference when it comes to where they live and spend their time. Some people choose a rural environment while others choosing urban living or suburban living. The overall idea of this section of text is how city living has effects on many people and how it can lead to being de-individuated. Furthermore, this can lead to stimulation overload and then psychological retreating. When living in a city compared to a rural area there is much more going on in the environment around you and it can become nearly impossible to pay attention to everything which is referred to as stimulation overload. For instance, i lived in Manhattan, New York City for a few months and while I was there I was having such a hard time sleeping because there was never a time of quiet. When they say New York is the city that never sleeps they really do mean that. It became very hard for me to fall asleep due to the traffic noises that continued all night long, the conversations that can be heard from the street throughout the night, and the construction that tended to begin very early in the mornings. Due to all of these factors, I was very easily overstimulated in that environment.

After only a few weeks I moved out of New York City, mostly in part to the constant overstimulation and the effects it had on my mental health. During the day, walking along the streets, there are thousands and thousands of strangers outside with you. Stores are bustling non-stop, cars and bicycles are zooming past, you constantly have to pay attention to street signs and crosswalks, etc. Manhattan is home to about 1.6 million people, and I assume that many of those people are very comfortable there and find a good sense of belonging in the city life. Yet, this is no the case for many people and that is alright. the textbook is very descriptive in explaining why finding the person-environment fit is so important. Moving out of the city and back to suburban/rural life was very beneficial for myself mentally. I found more time to relax, better sleep habits, and less stress.

Keeping yourself away from the wrong environment is crucial in order to avoid psychologically retreating. psychologically retreating can have a lot of negative effects on social skills and mental health and it is important for people to avoid this and feel happy and safe in their environments. I believe everyone is destined for a particular environmental fit and it is best when someone actively searches for their most comfortable place.

References:

Applied Social Psychology : Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems, edited by Jamie A. Gruman, et al., SAGE Publications, Incorporated, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/pensu/detail.action?docID=5945490.

When it comes to taking action during an urgent situation, you can either be a bystander or an upstander.  When a person witnesses an emergency occurring, it is natural to go into fight or flight mode.  However, in a community, you could also be someone’s hero by simply making a phone call or stepping in.  When an emergency occurs where there are multiple witnesses, but no one intervenes due to the diffusion of responsibility, it is the definition of a bystander. On the other hand, someone who recognizes an injustice or an emergency who steps up and takes action is the definition of an outstander.     This decision could result in negative consequences such as death or serious bodily harm.

The bystander effect is a social-psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer a victim help when other people are present.  This effect implies that the more people who witness an emergency or an injustice occur, the less likely that person is to receive any help or support.  In other words, if there is only one witness, the victim is way more likely to receive help and have that witness take action.  It seems logical that if someone witnesses a situation like that, they will step in, so why does the bystander effect happen, and what can we do in our communities to prevent it?  This is not to cast a perception that bystanders agree with what they are witnessing or don’t want to help. They perceive that since so many other people are involved, it is not their responsibility, and someone else will take action and help the person or persons in need.  This is referred to as the diffusion of responsibility.  Research suggests that when there are groups, the bystanders feel like they don’t have to take personal responsibility in the situation and won’t be blamed for not reacting or taking action.

Along with the diffusion of responsibility when it comes to the bystander effect is the fear of embarrassment if someone does decide to take action in a situation.  Society has become filled with judgment and ridicule; to back it up, someone is always recording.  Individuals are often worried about doing something wrong or being judged for how they are reacting to the situation.    This could lead to being embarrassed in front of others simply because they are the ones who decided to step up and try to do the right thing and help.  Another significant and layered factor in this phenomenon is group conformity.  Individuals are social creatures by nature, and it has been proven that we conform our behaviors to our group.  If no one else reacts due to fear of embarrassment or any other factor, everyone else who’s a witness will tend to conform to the same behaviors.

What can we do as a community to help reduce this effect?  It would be safe to say that most humans do not wish harm on anyone and would not sit back in an emergency and do nothing to help.  Research suggests why this phenomenon is occurring; now it’s time to fight back and implement the necessary changes to combat it.  An old cliché saying is knowledge is power.  No matter how silly the phrase is, there is truth to it.  Local and even national channels can air commercials sharing information about the bystander effect and help people gain an understanding of the effects it can have.  There is a strong chance that people do not understand the definition and how they can become upstanders and take action when needed.  Knowledge can be empowering, so helping communities understand this actually happens can help reduce the occurrence that it does—on the community level, increased public awareness and community leaders acting as role models to increase the effects of changing the social norms.  Institutionally educating our workers and students on how they can help reduce the effects and make a difference.

The bystander effect is a social psychological anomaly that can devastate people’s lives.  Humans, by nature, are empathetic and helpful to one another, so the concept itself seems illogical.  Increasing the social awareness of the problem could cause a drastic decrease in how often the bystander effect occurs.

“Bystander Effect.” Psychology Today, 1 Nov. 2022, www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/bystander-effect.

“Bystander Intervention Tip Sheet.” American Psychology Association, 1 Jun. 2022, www.apa.org/pi/health-equity/bystander-intervention.pdf.

Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (3rd ed., p. 230). Sage Publications, Inc.