I know what you are all already thinking, “What a dumb question to ask”. But is it really dumb? I understand the purpose of advertising is to market your product and have it reach certain populations that word-of-mouth can simply not. Advertising is key to a companies success and vital to its profit. The purpose of advertising is to influence certain target markets to try a companies product or visit a certain destination. But just because I pass a billboard on the highway advertising Adidas footwear doesn’t mean I immediately want my next pair of sneakers to be Adidas brand. I might want a pair of Nike’s, Jordan’s, or Timberland’s. I mean, hell, I might want a pair of sketchers that light up on the bottom every time I take a step. The point is, there are so many factors that influence the choices we make. But when it comes to a product such as alcohol, advertising might play a crucial role in which beer teenagers choose to consume.

Consuming alcohol as an adolescent can be very dangerous. But to some, it can be seen as cool and rebellious. A teenagers alcoholic beverage choice can easily be correlated to what his or her’s parents have stashed away in the liquor cabinet at home. But that choice can also be correlated to what a teenager sees and hears. New research has discovered that the exposure to brand-specific alcohol advertising can influence the brand of alcohol an underage youth consumes. “Researchers found youth between the ages of 13 to 20 were more than five times more likely to consume brands that advertise on national television, and 36 percent more likely to consume brands that advertise in national magazines — compared to brands that don’t advertise in these media.” In order to identify which alcohol brands were consumed researchers asked 1,031 underage drinkers which of the 898 brands they had consumed in the past thirty days using an online national survey conducted between December 2011 and May 2012. David Jernigan, head researcher of the study, states that “These findings indicate that youth are in fact consuming the same alcohol brands that they are most heavily exposed to via advertising.”

Although this study offers interesting findings, I have developed several thoughts that can question its findings. Did these researchers account for potential confounding factors that could influence the type of beer consumed by teenagers such as price, availability, and taste? For example, when I was a teenager in high school my friends and I consumed alcohol based on availability. Advertisements we would see in magazines or on television played no part in which brand we consumed. We were young and thoughtless, If we could obtain alcohol we would drink it, period. Now that I am a college student, the alcohol I consume is correlated to the amount of money I have in my wallet. A Corona commercial can come on T.V. and I might think yea that sounds great, but a 15 dollar case of natural ice sounds even better when I take into account that it is less than half the price of Corona. Another example pertain to my dad. He chooses his alcohol brand based off of taste. If it tastes good he’ll consume it. His choice isn’t based off of availability, price, or what he sees, rather it’s based off of taste.

The alcohol an individual chooses to consume can correlate to many factors, and I believe the main variable is age. But when it comes to teen consumption of alcoholic beverages, new research has proven that alcohol ads play a major role in which brand a teenager chooses to consume.

SITES:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2015/10/22/alcohol-ads-influence-teen-choices/93830.html

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/prevention/a/Teen-Drinking-Influenced-By-Alcohol-Advertising.htm

http://www.cspinet.org/booze/beeradvertisements.background.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37586/

As a young teenager I always considered myself rather “reckless” in comparison to my peers. I was always the first to try new things and never the last person to attempt something others may view as “unsafe”. I truly never questioned why that was. Thinking back on it, I could probably contribute my risky actions to my genes, upbringing, enthusiasm, or my love for adventure. It took until last week for me to consider one variable that could have heavily impacted my risk-taking ways. Last week I participated in a World In Conversation session as a requirement for one of my classes. For those of you who aren’t aware of what World In Conversation is, I’ll quickly explain it. It is an hour and a half long session that consists of six people, two students in your specific class (a classmate and myself), two foreign students who have just arrived at Penn State this semester, and two facilitators who ask questions and analyze the conversation. The conversation is composed of questions regarding different topics such as race, culture, and the overall differences of individuals ways of life from different geographical regions. One of the foreign students in my session was from Kuwait, and when he began explaining his culture and their way of life in his country, I found myself in complete disbelief. He mentioned that they do not drink alcohol, do drugs, and cannot have any relationships prior to marriage. I for one, have consumed alcohol, experimented with marijuana, and have had several girlfriends. At the exact moment he wrapped up his response, It hit me as to why I might tend to be riskier than him. And I believe that this can be attributed to the environment I grew up in and the environment I currently live in.

“New research finds that teenage risky behavior is influenced by the country in which a teen grows up. And, growing up in the U.S. appears to led to an overabundance of sensation-seeking behaviors.” The research was based off of a study that regarded sensation-seeking behavior in teenagers. The study was conducted on 3,000 children, half of the children were from the United States (South Bronx to be exact) and the other half of the children were from Puerto Rico. The children were asked a series of questions such as, Do you find that riding very fast and doing tricks on a skateboard is fun? “Rates of sensation-seeking were consistently higher in the South Bronx than Puerto Rico, and youth in the South Bronx generally reported sensation-seeking at an earlier age.”

Silvia Martins, associate professor of epidemiology, was one of the top researchers in this study and offered insight as to why the research presented these findings. “Children born into families of migrants scored higher in sensation-seeking either because they inherited a ‘novelty-seeking’ trait from their parents, or because they were exposed to family environments and different parenting practices that promoted certain behaviors.” Martins also noted that the children living in the South Bronx were frequently exposed to violence and stressful live events compared to the children in Puerto Rico.

So next time you encounter a person who you view as an extremist or someone who you think might “have a screw loose”, consider the fact that their behaviors might be correlated to other factors such as the environment they grew up in. You know how the old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover!

SITES:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2015/10/22/teen-risk-taking-varies-by-country/93823.html

http://www.eurekalert.org/

http://worldinconversation.org/

I am currently a junior here at Penn State as well as an RPTM major. In several of my major-specific classes we are learning all about inclusive services. Some of the chapters I have read cover discrimination, segregation, exclusion, and stereotypes. I have been introduced to a new way of thinking and blessed with a different perspective of how I view all individuals. Recently in my RPTM 277 class, we have been talking about stereotypes. I have learned so much about them and how stereotypes can truly alter a persons lifestyle and their individual choices. For those of you who don’t know what a stereotype is, I will briefly define it. A stereotype can be defined as a preconceived thought or image of believing unfairly that all people or things with a particular characteristic are the same. Stereotypes can be a bad thing, but can they be harmful to a person’s actual health?

One specific stereotype in regards to health has been recently been up for speculation. A new study had been found that when a particular group is said to have unhealthy lifestyle choices, health messages might backfire and push that specific group away from receiving good healthcare. “University of Southern California (USC) researchers found people who encountered the threat of being judged by negative stereotypes related to weight, age, race, gender, or social class in health care settings often report adverse effects.” The participants the researchers used where found more likely to have hypertension and experience depression. Those people were also found more likely to not trust their doctors and express dissatisfaction with their care. Another finding the research presented was one that I personally found interesting. The other day in class Andrew asked how many people would go to receive their seasonal flu shot. It seemed as though almost more than half the class did not raise their hand. The study found that the individuals were also less likely to not go and receive a flu shot. I wonder if the reason many of my classmates did not raise their hand when the question was asked could correlate to the fact that they might have a negative stereotype in regards to their health.

Side note: (Maybe in one of our next classes we can revisit the flu shot question and ask the class what reasons they have for not going to get the flu shot. We may be able to find a correlation and justify that the thought of having a negative stereotype of your own health can be an underlying variable of not going to receive the flu shot.)

Health messages are primarily intended to raise awareness of the dangers bad health can have, but these messages can inadvertently deliver a negative message. Cleopatra Abdou, an assistant professor at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and Department of Psychology, offered reason as to why this might happen. According to Abdou, “An inadvertent byproduct of public health campaigns is that they often communicate and reinforce negative stereotypes about certain groups of people.” Some potential patients might view the advertisements as a way to scare individuals. They might perceive themselves as part of the negative stereotype messages can offer. If a message is delivering facts about obesity, obese individuals might believe they are part of the fat stereotype and that can prompt them to avoid healthcare altogether. “Abdou and her team surveyed an estimated 1,500 people as part of the U.S. Health and Retirement Study. More than 17 percent of the respondents said they felt vulnerable to prejudice with regard to racial or ethnic identity, gender, socio-economic status, weight, or age in health care settings.” This finding has lead to researchers examining new ways to deliver health care messages.

In order to avoid these stereotypes, healthcare providers need to find new ways to inform people about how to live a healthier life while minimizing the possibility of people experiencing a health care stereotype threat. Abdou believes that “It’s time for us to implement policies that enhance medical school training in cultural competency and increase the diversity of our physicians and broader health care workforce.” Hospitals with inclusive policies and those that welcome diversity could reduce the health care stereotype threat and provide individuals with a judge free zone.

Does anyone else have any ideas on how to eliminate the health care stereotype?

SITES:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2015/10/21/stereotypes-can-harm-health/93790.html

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/09/11/gender-stereotypes-harmful-group-says.html

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stereotype

http://www.usc.edu/

The other day I received a phone call from a life-long friend of mine and to say the least, I enjoyed it. It has been a couple months since we had communicated so we caught up on everything going on in each others daily lives. As the conversation was coming to a close I remembered I hadn’t asked my friend how he was doing/feeling. In high school my friend was the quarterback for the football team and during his playing time he received several concussions. After his third concussion he was recommended by his doctor to take it easy with contact sports. Due to his love for the game he went against his doctors advice and played his junior year season. During the fourth game of the season he got sacked from behind and received his fourth concussion. He was immediately ordered to stop all contact sports for the remainder of his life and that was enough to make him depressed. The fact that he couldn’t play the game he loved most ended up being the slightest of his worries. All the trauma his brain endured had impacted every aspect of his life. He started to enter bipolar phases and his performance in school dramatically dropped. He has a hard time retaining information and his mood can switch from good to bad in a split second. After years of dealing with the side effects of his concussions it seems as though he is starting to grasp how to deal with his shortcomings. As we wrapped up the conversation I started to wonder if the number of concussions he had been diagnosed with actually mattered. Could there have been other times during games where the hits he endured provided the same damage to his brain as the concussions did?

I decided to tie this conversation my friend and I had into a blog topic and proceeded to research the matter. According to a study published in the journal Neurology, “Repeated blows to the head during a season of contact sports may cause changes in the brain’s white matter and affect cognitive abilities even if none of the impacts resulted in a concussion”. Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College conducted a controlled experiment on two groups of individuals following one season of competition. One group was comprised of varsity football and hockey players while the other group was comprised of non-contact sport athletes. Athletes who sustained a concussion during the season were excluded from the analysis. They found significant differences in the contact sport groups white brain matter compared to the group of non-contact sport athletes. White matter is composed primarily of axons, the long fibers that transmit signals between neurons. Thomas W. McAllister, M.D., chair of the IU Department of Psychiatry said that “The contact sports and non-contact sports groups differed, and the number of times the contact sports participants were hit, and the magnitude of the hits they sustained, were correlated with changes in the white matter measures.” The study also showed that a specific group of contact-sport athletes didn’t do as well as predicted on the learning and memory tests at the end of the season. The amount of change in the white matter measures was greater in this group which only further proves that repeated blows to the head can change the brain even if the hit doesn’t lead to a diagnosis of a concussion.

Even though the study did not find “large-scale systematic differences” in the brains white matter measures at the end of the season, the results did conclude that repeated head impacts that do not result in a concussion can still alter the brain and provide damages to an individuals health. Concussions are a serious matter, but even if you are not diagnosed with one after a hard blow to the head you can still receive collateral damage from the impact. Whether you are playing a contact sport or riding a bike, it remains important to protect your greatest asset, your brain.

SITES:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131211185554.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_matter

http://time.com/3611146/football-head-impacts-can-cause-brain-changes-even-without-concussion/

http://www.selfhelpzone.com/memory-management/power-up-your-brain-your-greatest-asset/

While I was walking to class today in this chilly weather I couldn’t help but think about the hike me and my buddies went on a couple weeks back. The cold weather I was experiencing today was making me yearn for the warm early autumn days the last couple of weeks offered. As I was pondering about the hike me and buddies did, I couldn’t help but think about how great I felt after completing the hike. I realize any physical activity is good for your health but I wasn’t feeling stronger or more fit after the hike. I was feeling more refreshed and more alive. I simply just felt better. Everyone has felt that inexplicable pull that the outdoors has on your being. There is simply just an inner instinct that gravitates you to being outside. Whether it be a walk in the park or the act of just sitting in grass and gazing at the sky, everyone is drawled to the outdoors. This made me wonder why this happens. Can nature offer more then a boost in physical health? Is there a mental aspect of being outdoors that is good for your health? According to new research, “being in nature actually boosts the immune system, which in turn, increases our mental and physical health.”

It has long been known that being outside in nature can provide a boost in an individuals health. But the scientific connection between nature and mental health has long remained a mystery. Ming Kuo, a researcher from the University of Illinois, decided to research this mystery and conducted an analysis on every study she could find on the connection between nature and good health. After a long period of researching the connection she found the link and it is the immune system. “In her research, Kuo found as many as 21 possible pathways between nature and good health and all but two of these could be linked to the immune system. She compares being in nature to taking a multivitamin that provides us with all the nutrients our bodies need to simultaneously protect us from all types of physical and mental ailments.” You might be wondering how the immune system gets a boost from being in nature. One way the immune system receives a boost is because your body switches from fight or flight mode, a known immune system killer, to the rest and digest mode. When your body is in the rest and digest mode you feel more content and safe which allows your body to use more energy and resources towards the immune system. Sunlight also offers Vitamin D which helps boost the immune system.Some of you reading might still be wondering what the immune system actually has to do with mental health. Scientists from the University of Cambridge recently conducted a study to help show the connection between the two. “They found that children who grow up with higher levels of proteins released in the blood during illness are nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression and psychosis as adults.” There have also been other studies done that were conducted on animals such as mice. “They showed that depression is similar to an allergic reaction, occurring as a result of an over-reactive immune system. Rather than getting a runny nose, for instance, some people might experience depression.”

When everything is said and done it is important that you spend ample time outside experiencing all the positives nature can offer. Whether you are a sea lover, tree lover, or mountain lover you should get outside. The connection nature has with us humans is an important connection. Being outdoors is a basic human need that offers numerous benefits. Nature is beneficial for your physical health and most importantly, your mental health.

What does nature do for you?

SITES:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2015/10/08/why-nature-is-so-good-for-your-mental-health/?utm_content=buffer97b95

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/nature_is_good_for_your_mental_health

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-10-15-nature-anxiety-exercise_N.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150916162120.htm

After a solid nights sleep last night, I woke up this morning feeling great. I was ready to seize the day and get a ton of work done. I carried out my morning routine of showering, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed. I went downstairs made some breakfast and proceeded to walk out my back door. As I walked outside I was immediately greeted by a cold breeze. I turned around and went back upstairs to grab a sweatshirt. When I went back outside I couldn’t help but realize my mood had suddenly changed. I don’t know how to put the feeling I was experiencing into words, but I just felt different. I didn’t have that positive mindset I previously had when I rolled out of bed. Throughout the day I kept wondering why my mood changed in a split second. On my walk back to my house it started to rain. As the rain started to soak my clothes my mood became even worse. That was the exact moment when I started to wonder if the weather was the cause for my mood changes. So many questions started to flood my brain. If the sun was shining when I originally left my house would I still be in a good mood? If it was snowing would I be excited to experience the first snowfall of the year? These questions led me to research the topic and paved the way for my next blog post.

I decided to first look into whether hot or cold temperatures can affect an individuals mood. I found that higher temperatures can bring a depressed person up. J.J. Denissen, a scientist who conducted research relating to the effects of weather on a persons daily mood, “found that weather’s daily influence has more of an impact on a person’s negative mood, rather than helping one’s positive mood. Higher temperatures raise a person with a low mood up, while things like wind or not enough sun made a low person feel even lower.” I found this interesting but after researching the topic more thoroughly I found that there are other studies that contradict Denissen’s findings. Scientist SM Hsiang found a link between human aggression and higher temperatures. If Denissen concluded that higher temperatures can brighten someone’s mood, then how could Hsiang conclude that higher temperatures can bring out the worst in people. “As temperatures rose, Hsiang noted that intergroup conflicts also tended to jump — by 14 percent (a significant increase). The scientists also found interpersonal violence rose by 4 percent.” There must be a third variable that is altering these behaviors. There could be other factors influencing how an individuals mood changes due to weather. It could be due to the fact that everyone has different opinions on what weather they like. Or maybe the third variable could have to due with an individuals specific agenda for that day. For example, if a person has a baseball game and it is raining, their mood could worsen since the game might be canceled. Or maybe a person just planted flowers and is depending on rainfall to help their plants grow and receive the nutrients they need. In that case the person could be happy if it starts to rain.

While researching this phenomenon, I came across a very interesting disorder that is related to weather. This specific disorder is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). “Seasonal affective disorder is a very real kind of depressive disorder (technically referred to as a depressive disorder with seasonal pattern) wherein a person’s major depressive episode is connected to a specific season.” SAD typically begins and ends at the same time every year. The majority of people who suffer from SAD generally experience the symptoms at the start of fall.

Since researchers have proven that weather can affect a person’s mood, I decided to research ways for people to not allow weather to impact your mood. One way you can avoid weather affecting your mood is to simply change your plans for the day. If it is raining you can stay inside and watch a movie. Unexpectedly warm day? Take advantage of that and go for a hike or go to the beach.

Learning that weather can change a persons mood has led me to wonder if anyone in this class experiences this phenomenon. Do you personally feel as though your mood depends on the weather? Do you have any personal strategies that can eliminate the affects of weather on your mood?

SITES:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/08/29/can-weather-affect-your-mood/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/climate-health_n_4568505.html

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/basics/definition/CON-20021047

Wherever you go you’ll meet people who are left handed and right handed. Maybe you’ll encounter people who favor both. But if you take the entire population you will find out that most of us are right handed. I don’t know why that is so I decided to research it. Everyone has one hand they have the easiest control over and you might wonder why. Well that all starts in the brain. “Lateralisation of limb use – that is, a bias towards one side or the other – usually begins in the brain. We know that some tasks are largely controlled by brain activity in the left hemisphere, while the right hemisphere governs other tasks.”

Many scientists have tried to figure out why most of us are born right handed. There have been several experiments conducted. One of those experiments was done on a group of apes. “In support of the idea, Braccini and her colleagues’ looked at handedness in chimpanzees, and found that when the apes stand on all fours, they displayed no real hand preferences. It was only when forced to assume an upright stance that a lateral preference emerged – although individual chimps in the study were equally likely to be left-handed as right-handed.”

Although society has conducted many experiments it still seems we really don’t know why mostly everyone is right handed. Right-handedness may simply be an accidental by-product of the way most of our brains are wired up. “But proving the hypothesis is difficult, or even impossible, since it would ideally involve running neurological tests on our long-dead ancestors. The truth is we’ll probably never quite know what the sequence of events was that led our species to lean so overwhelmingly on the right sides of our bodies and the left sides of our brains.”

For all the left handed people out there, don’t worry. It’s been proven that left handed people have an easier time recovering from brain damage. Left handed people also have the upper hand in a surprise fight which means they can be better at combat sports.

SITES:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141215-why-are-most-of-us-right-handed

During the past couple of weeks I have seen tons on blogs about how TV can hurt peoples eyes. Or how staring at the computer screen can hurt peoples eyes. But what could benefit children’s eyesight? In today’s society everything has become technology driven. A kid as young as 4 years old can operate a smart phone like they had it in their possession in the womb. Now a days it seems like kids would rather play video games inside instead of go outside. But what if I told you going outside and playing could benefit kids in ways other than a healthier lifestyle? What if I told you it could benefit their eyesight?

“The addition of a daily outdoor activity class at school for three years for children in Guangzhou, China, resulted in a reduction in the rate of myopia (nearsightedness, the ability to see close objects more clearly than distant objects), according to a study in the September 15 issue of JAMA.”

Mingguang He, M.D., Ph.D., of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, and colleagues conducted a study which included children in grades 1 from 12 from primary schools in Guangzhou, China. These children were assigned to 1 additional 40-minute class of outdoor activities. The class was added to each school day, and parents were encouraged to engage their children in outdoor activities after school hours. They also were encouraged to engage their children in activities during weekends and holidays. The average age of the children was 6.6 years. The children were separated into two groups, an intervention group and a control group. “The 3-year cumulative incidence rate of myopia was 30.4 percent (259 cases among 853 eligible participants) in the intervention group and 39.5 percent (287 cases among 726 eligible participants) in the control group.” The cumulative change in the myopic shift after 3 years was significantly less in the intervention group than in the control group.

Although this is an interesting experiment I still have my doubts. First of all, in future studies, I believe they should include more information on the content of the activity being performed outdoors. I also would like to know if the activity could be standardized and how it differs from other studies that have been conducted. Even though the findings were small it is still astounding that there were findings at all. Not only can outdoor activities improve the health of school-aged children, but it’s been discovered that it can also help prevent myopia.

SITES:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150915135414.htm

Today I ran into a little bit of luck. I was walking to campus for my 8 a.m. when I came to a stoplight and had to wait for the oncoming traffic to clear out. I looked down at my phone in my hand to change the song when I saw something flutter in the corner of my eye. I looked down on the ground and saw a $20 bill laying on the ground. A smile immediately appeared on my face as I realized I had just found my beer money for tomorrow night. It took me until I got to class to think about something I never thought about before. Why did I just get so happy? Yes I understand I had just found my beer money for the next night, that’s great, but it went deeper than that. It was as if my brain was wired to immediately feel feelings of joy. And that’s weird because money isn’t alcohol or drugs. Or is it?

Stack of One Hundred Dollar Bills U.S.

“If you’ve ever thought of money as a drug, you may be more right than you know. New research shows that counting money — just handling the bills — can make things less painful.”

Less painful? It’s not edible, it’s not a painkiller, it’s certainly not a beer, so how can it do that? An experiment was conducted that had a group of students come into a lab where they were told they would be doing a test for finger dexterity. The students were divided into two groups, one getting to count Chinese currency while the other group had to count blank pieces of paper. After a little bit the students of each group were asked to dip their fingers in a bowl of water heated to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The students who had previously counted the money didn’t find the really hot water hot at all, while the students counting the blank slips said it was pretty hot and kind of intolerable. “What stood out, Vohs says, was a feeling of strength. When subjects had been reminded of money, 10 minutes later they said inexplicably they just felt stronger.” But what about money and the brain? Can it be a substitute for love? “Researcher Xinyue Zhou, of the department of psychology at Sun Yat-Sen University in China, puts it in very human terms. We think money works as a substitute for another pain buffer — love.” In aspects related to the brain, money can act as a substitute for many things. Some of those things include, social acceptance, reducing social discomfort, physical discomfort and even pain.

This article I found goes in to detail on seven things you should know about the psychology of money and wealth. Those 7 things are;

1. More money, less empathy.
2. Wealth can cloud moral judgment.
3. Wealth has been linked with addiction.
4. Money itself can become addictive.
5. Wealthy children may be more troubled.
6. We tend to perceive the wealthy as “evil.”
7. Money can’t buy happiness (or love).

“Psychologists who study the impact of wealth and inequality on human behavior have found that money can powerfully influence our thoughts and actions in ways that we’re often not aware of, no matter our economic circumstances. Although wealth is certainly subjective, most of the current research measures wealth on scales of income, job status or measures of socioeconomic circumstances, like educational attainment and intergenerational wealth.” It’s crazy to think that a piece of green paper can do all this. It really has become such a gigantic part of the life we live and the way we live. Money can make a person do things they would usually never do. It’s been proven that being given money or even having a thought about money can make and individual act irrationally and think irrationally. There’s an old saying that I find interesting. It’s not the “Money can’t buy happiness” but rather “Money is the root of all evil”. Just think about that for a little bit.

SITES:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/psychology-of-wealth_n_4531905.html

http://blog.ted.com/6-studies-of-money-and-the-mind/

Did you have nightmares of the boogie monster or the little Umpa Loopas in Willy Wonka as a kid? Or were you completely terrified to hop on the roller coaster at the theme park with your parents when you were younger? Everyone and their mother has experienced something that has made them scared. Whether your the largest man on earth with a beard that could act as a birds nest or an exact replica of Ronda Rousey, you still get scared. Last night I was halfway asleep when I felt a little itch on my back followed by some movement. In the midst of my slumber I sluggishly swatted at my back. Two seconds later I felt the same feeling on my leg. Since honesty is always key I will be truthful about what exactly happened next. I jumped out of my bed like a 4 year old on Christmas morning. Actually it would be more appropriate to rephrase that as a 4 year old girl on Christmas morning since I simultaneously screamed as I jumped. There was a pretty big spider just chilling on my covers. As I grabbed a tissue and squashed the little creature a couple of thoughts immediately jumped into my mind. My first thought was to scan the room and every corner for any potential replacements for the spider I just killed. My second thought was how could we completely abolish spiders from the human race since I am not a huge fan of them. And my final thought was why did I just get scared?

At first I thought the reason we feel fear would be complicated. I envisioned it having to do with our genetics and the way our brain is wired. And while those assumptions are correct to a certain degree, the real answer was quite simple. It’s natural to get scared. Its basic human instinct. “Being scared and fearful is not only common, it’s completely natural, says Natasha Sharma, a psychotherapist based in Toronto.” As I continued researching the topic I found out that humans have two types of fears.

The first fear is natural. As humans we need to feel fear in order to determine everyday threats. It’s basically an animal instinct. The second type of fear occurs when we are exposed to certain types of intimidating people or overwhelming experiences that seem to increase our level of fear.

This second fear is called irrational fear. Irrational fear varies from person to person because some people will always be more fearful than others just like some people will always be taller than others. It’s just the way life works.

We also might get scared due to outside factors. When you were younger you probably heard the saying “don’t let the bedbugs bite” and as you get older you might indulge in the act of watching scary movies such as “A Nightmare on Elm Street” or the movie “IT”. These movies take place in everyday settings you encounter. So next time you see a scary clown your brain will trigger that fear of when you were younger and you first watched the movie “IT”. There are also people who flat out enjoy being scared. We might refer to them as adrenaline junkies if you may. “And there are some people, of course, who just love the pleasure of being scared. When our brains know there is no risk of being harmed, the rush of being scared becomes satisfying, Sharma adds.”

After all the research I did I came to conclusion that there is only one main reason as to why we get scared and feel fear. And that is the fact that fear is a part of evolution, it is a survival tactic. The more you are afraid of something the more likely you are to run away and survive. In the end all we can do is thank our ancestors for this feel of fear we have. They transferred that to us which was actually a gift in disguise. Because in the past the ones who were not scared did not survive. An interesting website I found that had multiple views on this topic also held a great example of why we feel fear. “Let’s take the example of spiders. Scary, but relatively harmless creatures in today’s world. Mind you, there are particularly venomous spiders in Africa that were life threatening to our ancestors. So, their fear saved their life and we inherited the ‘spider fearing’ gene. In short, being scared of spiders is in our DNA. It’s helps us to survive.” Why we get scared stems all the way back to when mankind was nomadic. “It was common for humans to be scared of predatory attacks and such, which has since been hardwired in us throughout our evolution.”

When it’s all said and done and the sun sets, there is only one true reason as to why we get scared. And that reason is because it is a completely natural instinct.

SITES:

https://www.quora.com/Why-do-we-get-scared

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/10/31/common-phobias-why-are-people-scared_n_2045627.html

http://www.livescience.com/4273-love-scared.html

The human race is a very intellectual and intelligent species. We have well-developed brains and advanced technologies. Despite all of this, most of us remain fearful and superstitious. Superstition is defined as a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, or trust in magic and chance. “Superstition, it seems, is one thing that binds all of humanity throughout history and across cultural divides.” Anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss once wrote that superstitions and belief in magic “are so frequent and so widespread that we should ask ourselves if we are not confronted with a permanent and universal form of thought.” It seems as though in today’s world almost everyone is superstitious. Stuart Vyse, professor of psychology at Connecticut College, says that several American surveys state that over half of the human population is slightly superstitious.

Personally I have my own superstitions. I always need to wear my Eagles jersey during game day and I make sure to have my lucky pair of grey socks on as well. According to the LA Times, Actress Jennifer Aniston always steps on to a plane with her right foot first. Coldplay band member Chris Martin always brushes his teeth before going on stage. But what makes us have this superstitions? According to Vyse, superstition is a lack of control. “Generally, [superstition] is aimed at achieving greater control, when something important is at stake yet the outcome is uncertain, then superstitions are likely to be used to fill the gap and make us feel more confident.” Superstitions act as a confidence booster but that doesn’t justify some of the wacky ones people have. In the article The Surprising Origins of 9 Common Superstitions, Vyse talks about an odd superstition his old friend had. His friend believed that his fingernail clippings might fall into the wrong hands and be used to commit malevolent magic against them, Vyse said. So he would collect them in a special bowl and late at night as he was reading he would eat them. Yes disgusting and gross I know, but even Pablo Picasso was known to save his nail clippings and locks of hair.

When stories like this arise, people want to link these bizarre habits to something more than just a superstition. A common debate in today’s world is whether or not superstitions can be linked to mental illnesses. The most common illness associated with superstitions is OCD. OCD is known as obsessive compulsive disorder. But according to Vyse, there is no direct connection between the two. “Scales measuring magical ideation [magical thinking] sometimes include items that are similar to superstition, and high scores on the scale are correlated with subsequent mental illness. However, magical ideation includes many other concepts (hearing voices) that are not related to superstition. So, at this point, no clear connection between the two has been established.” Superstitions affect everyone to a different degree. Women tend to be more superstitious as well as people who are more anxious or depressed.

Believe it or not, humans are not the only species prone to superstitious beliefs. Studies have been conducted on animals to prove that they too can be superstitious. “In a famous experiment from 1948, renowned psychologist B. F. Skinner was able to condition pigeons to behave a certain way with the belief they would then receive food from an automated food hopper — even though the food actually appeared at regular timed intervals.” It is astounding to think that animals can have these irrational beliefs as well.

Depending on the situation superstitious beliefs can be either good or bad. “Superstitions centered around luck in a skilled activity (putting a golf ball) have been shown to improve performance” Vyse said. However they can be harmful. When it comes to believing in this “luck” it can prolong a gamblers gambling problem. Beyond the good and bad I think it is appropriate to have your own superstitions. I believe they make you unique as a person. But if you are going to eat your fingernail clippings or collect lost hair, you might want to cut those habits as soon as possible!

SITES:

http://www.livescience.com/39566-friday-the-13th-superstitions.html

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVrwvSPhVbMMAVM4nnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByOHZyb21tBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg–/RV=2/RE=1442363568/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.webmd.com%2fmental-health%2ffeatures%2fpsychology-of-superstition/RK=0/RS=H4WTs2oiFlaigDJ.BXJ3eXeNS.o-

As I was walking to class today I couldn’t help but think about how nice the weather has been the last couple of days. It has cooled down and the days have been at a comfortable temperature. But a week ago I could not have said this. It has been blistering hot out and the 30 minute walk to classes I endure each day tends to make me sweat. There’s days when I forget to use deodorant and you can be assured I regret it when I sit down in class and look at the dampened parts of my shirt under my armpit. Yes, I know this isn’t the most sanitary topic but it’s a problem people encounter every day. A couple of days ago was on one of those tragic days where I forgot to use my deodorant. It made me think, if I would of used it then I wouldn’t be sweating (obviously). But then I wondered how does it work?

Before I started researching the topic I thought that something inside the deodorant when into your skin preventing the sweat. I thought that the sweat was what caused the smell but it’s actually quite the opposite. What I learned was that your sweat doesn’t actually smell. It smells when the sweat mixes with the bacteria on your skin causing the odor. The hairs located under each armpit then hold on to the sweat and bacteria causing the odor to stick with you. “As James May explains, deodorants work by killing the bacteria on your skin, and they also work as an anti- perspirant by reducing the amount of sweat.” The active ingredient in deodorant that reduces the amount you sweat is almost always and aluminum compound. This compound reacts with the electrolytes in your sweat that creates that thick gel you feel under your armpits. That gel then blocks the top of your sweat glands and contracts your sweat pores.

While researching the science behind deodorant, I couldn’t help but think about some of the times deodorant doesn’t work. I started to research this topic and found a very interesting reason as to why this might happen to certain people. What I learned is that sometimes you have to switch up the brand of the deodorant you use. Your body has the natural ability to build up a tolerance to all types of things. Whether its caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, or deodorant, your body builds up a type of resistance to these products depending on the frequency you use them. I have personally found that the gel deodorants do not work as well for me. They don’t seem to stick so I switched to the dry kind. Has anyone else encountered this problem or have any preferences on which brand they think is the best?

SITES:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/underarm-care/tips/change-deodorants.htm

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20131011-how-does-deodorant-work

Yesterday I embarked on a nice but exhausting 30 minute run around campus. As I was on my way back towards my house I encountered a daunting hill that quickly wore away at my leg muscles. Later that day I went to the gym to workout. As I sat down at the bench I noticed a lot of the other students making their way to the cardio section and hopping on the treadmills. At that moment my next blog topic popped into my head. Is there a better way to run? Can the benefits of running outdoors surpass running on a treadmill or vice versa? Everyone has their preference, some are die-hard treadmill enthusiasts and others won’t tie their laces unless they are going on a run outside. But beyond all the personal preferences and bias opinions, I wondered if there was science behind whether one was a better option or not. So I decided to go home and start researching all the aspects related to running outdoors and running on a treadmill.

Running on a treadmill has never really been my thing. I get too bored of just running in place and having to keep myself at a certain pace to avoid the embarrassment and potential hazard of falling off the rotating tread. When I have talked to others about why they prefer treadmills they always give me the same answers, “You can watch TV if you want” “It’s a cushy surface and more comfortable” “There’s no weather or temperature restrictions” and so on. And while yes it is nice to never have to worry about the weather turning on you mid-run or being afforded the luxury of watching TV as you run, you still have to wonder.. are you cheating yourself by choosing the treadmill? “On HSR your glutes and hamstrings are required to drag your foot backwards in order to propel your body forward.  On a treadmill, the belt does this for you, thus creating an easier movement.  African American sprinters have powerful glutes and hamstrings, hence the reason why they do so well at sprinting.  With the easier movement being on the treadmill and your glutes and hamstrings not having to work as much (remember the belt is doing their job for them) they now have a tendency to go to sleep.  I call it “Glute amnesia” and is a major cause for concern, given most 21st century occupations have people sitting all day.  Another term for those who run a lot on treadmills is SAS.  (Saggy Arse Syndrome)  You can always tell someone who runs a lot on treadmills, as their bottoms start to sag through lack of glute activation.” Running on a treadmill is easier on your glutes and hamstrings which to me seems like you are cheating your way out of the full body workout running is suppose to give you.

On the other hand, running outside is my personal preference. Not only do i enjoy the right to run anywhere I want but I just find it flat out more enjoyable. People complain about the safety of it but if you are aware of your surroundings and stay off heavily trafficked roads then there is nothing to worry about. Running outdoors makes you use every muscle and joint in your fibers since there is always different terrains and elevations that you encounter. “Another important consideration is that the treadmill doesn’t have any way to simulate downhill running, which is essential if you are running an event that has uneven, or varied terrain. Similarly, there aren’t turns on a treadmill, which is another important adaptation your body needs to make if you plan to run outside.” Running outside is generally more motivating as well. You can’t just stop and get off, you must complete your distance goal. It also expends more calories so if you are looking to lose some weight a little quicker then hop off that treadmill. “This is due to the lack of wind resistance, terrain changes and because the treadmill belt helps propel you along.” You lose more calories due to the fact that on a treadmill you expend less energy.

In the end there wasn’t really a true answer when it came to which style of running was more beneficial. It could be due to the scientific improvements in workout equipment and treadmills. Some of the state of the art treadmills mimic outdoor running conditions. They come equipped with heart rate detectors, incline settings, hill-style running settings and all different types of speeds. So I ask you all, Would you rather run on a treadmill or go for a run outside?

SOURCES:

http://www.fiterazzi.com/2014/04/28/ask-the-trainer-treadmill-vs-running-outside/

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/treadincline.htm

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/treadincline.htm

As I was sitting in my room pondering about topics for my blogs, I seemed to hit a mental roadblock. I decided to hop in a shower and think about different topics. For the past two weeks my house has not had hot water since my roommates and I have yet to call the gas company and have them turn on the hot water. The second I stepped in the shower my topic hit me like a ton of bricks. With all the cold showers I have been taking I wondered if there were certain benefits related to taking a cold shower. Before researching this topic, I assumed hot showers were the most beneficial since its the norm to reach for that red-colored nozzle and indulge in the warmth of the water running out the spout. I mean who in their right mind wants to bathe in frigid water? It’s known showering plays a huge part in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but does the temperature of the shower actually correlate to your health? After researching this topic, I can confidently say that when you take your next shower you might think twice about which way you turn that nozzle.Initially, I thought to believe there were no benefits correlated to taking a cold shower. As a kid I was taught to take a warm shower because it was relaxing. I also knew that it was soothing and could help relax stiff muscles. On top of those benefits I also knew that a hot shower could act as a natural decongestant, relieving cold symptoms and clearing nasal passages. But when it came to a cold shower I knew of nothing. As I delved in deeper to the health aspects of cold showers I realized there were numerous benefits.

“Who doesn’t feel a bit groggy when they take that first step out of bed? This is something everyone struggles with, but if you’d like to put some pep in your step first thing in the a.m., take a cold shower before you go to work. When cold water pours over your body, your breathing deepens in response to the shock of the cold (this is your body trying to keep you warm by increasing overall oxygen intake). Your heart rate will also increase, resulting in a rush of blood through your body that will help you get energized for the day.” Besides the immediate energy boost or alertness that cold showers give you, there are far more scientifically proven benefits a cold shower provides. Are you looking to trim that waistline by a couple pounds but hate the thought of exercising? Just convert to cold showers since they help burn fat. You might be thinking that is impossible, but it isn’t. There are two kinds of fat in your body, white fat and brown fat. White fat is the bad fat and brown fat is the good fat. When our calorie intake is greater than our energy output, those extra calories are stored as white fat usually around your waistline. Brown fat is activated by extreme cold which burns calories to try to keep you warm. Scandinavian Researchers helped discover the science behind this. Cold Showers also strengthen immunity and circulation. “Cold showers speed up your metabolic rate, which helps you lose fat. The increase of this rate activates your immune system, which releases virus-fighting white blood cells that will help you get sick less frequently. Cold showers also increase your overall blood circulation, which can help you avoid hypertension and the hardening of arteries.” Cold showers also help you maintain attractive skin and hair. Hot showers tend to dry out your skin while cold showers tighten your pores and help prevent clogging. Cold showers close your cuticles which prevents dirt piling up in your scalp.

After reading this, I hope that next time you take a shower you take into account everything I have written about. Ditch that warm luxury shower and try out the daunting cold water, it can only benefit you.

SOURCES:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/23419-hot-shower-benefits/

http://impossiblehq.com/cold-shower-health-benefits/

http://www.cold-showers.com/a-doctors-view-on-cold-showers/

My name is Zack Whoriskey and I recently just added SC200. I am a junior here at Penn State and my major is RPTM. Even though I am going into my third year of college I am relatively new to Penn State. I spent the last two years attending Penn State Altoona and anxiously waiting my arrival to Main Campus. To be honest, the only reason I added this course was because my academic adviser recommended it and said most students in the past loved it. I also needed a couple more credits to satisfy my natural science gen ed requirements. My true passion is sports and I can’t see myself working in any other industry. I have been playing basketball since I was a toddler and it took me until 1 year ago to realize what i really wanted to do with my life. And that is to be a basketball scout whether its at the college or professional level. I am looking forward to this semester and everything it entails. Here’s a picture of my favorite NBA player who’s currently in the league, Kevin Durant.