Stanford Prison Study and Groups

I found the Stanford Prison Study to be extremely interesting. All the videos we watched in class were super interesting and almost eerie. I would hate to have participated in that experiment. It really shows the power of the situation. It's like how you act, becomes who you are. Kinda how people say if you put your face in a weird way for a long time, it will stay that way.

I also liked the part about brainstorming in groups. We do this a lot in SADD and Student Council and just in most of my classes in general. Teachers always seem to think it works better than thinking on your own, but according to the textbook, it doesn't. Group work makes the ideas less creative and produces less ideas in general. I think brainstorming individually would work better because then you have your own mindset and aren't affected by what group members will think or say about your idea. Also, this ties in with social loafing where some group members don't do anything and let the rest of the group do all the work. This happens a lot to me and I always seem to be one of the people doing all the work in group projects.

Stress

This was one of my favorite chapters because I found it so perfectly relate able to my life. I have so much stress in my life especially now towards the end of the year with finals, and soccer season starting up and my end of the year piano exam and recital. It's a lot to deal with and this chapter pinpointed a lot of things I agree with and gave me ideas to deal with my stress.

I agree with the part that says writing in a journal can help facilitate emotional control. This really helps me if I write everything down. It's a way to organize my crazy jumble of thoughts and emotions. I also agree that stress affects the immune system. About two weeks before my huge piano exam at the University of Minnesota, where I have to go in a room with a judge for about an hour and play four songs from memory, and sightread a piece and play scales and analyze pieces and such, I got a super bad cold. I lost my voice and I had a fever. I definitely think this was due to my stress. Also, I found that exercise helps reduce my stress as well.

Flooding and Virtual Reality Exposure

This chapter was probably one of the hardest ones we've had to read so far I think, along with the disorder chapter. It was a lot to take in with all the different treatment methods and it was hard to remember because I can't relate to them. Learning about the actual disorders was easier because it was more interesting than the treatment.

The thing that I liked reading about the most was flooding and virtual reality exposure. I think this is a very effective treatment. I myself would like to try one of them sometime, especially the virtual reality exposure. Doing something to get me less afraid of spiders or really high heights would be interesting and scary, but cool if it worked to decrease my anxiety.

I think these treatments could be very beneficial for people as a treatment especially if you have a fear of flying because that's hard to simulate that exposure in real life. Virtual reality would be very effective in treating this fear and I know a lot of people who have a fear of flying, so it would be very helpful.

Treatment of Agoraphobia

To treat agoraphobia specific kinds of psychotherapy or meditation can be used. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on decreasing negative or anxiety-provoking thoughts has been found highly effective in treating this disorder.

Self exposure is also used for treatment. The person with the disorder either imagines, or puts themselves into situations that cause agoraphobic anxiety. They then use relaxation techniques in each situation to get over their anxiety.

Agoraphobia can also be treated with beta-blocking medications that block the effects of adrenaline on the body.

Both self exposure and psychotherapy can be done over the Internet which is good for people in rural areas.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a place or situation from which escape is difficult or embarrassing, or in which help is unavailable in the event of a panic attack.

Typically emerges in mid teens and usually a direct outgrowth of panic disorder.

Typical places of fear: being on a bridge, elevator or airplane, at a mall or sporting event.

Symptoms: Avoid places where panic attack could occur, usually require a companion, fear of being alone, fear of crowded places, inability to leave ones house for long periods, severe anxiety and things such as chest pains, dizziness, headaches, or fainting spells.

Lab abnormalities: None

Prevalence in population: Girls and women, low-income individuals, and middle-aged individuals have an increased risk.

Heritability: http://www.agoraphobia.ws/hereditary.htm


Additional info: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/agoraphobia/DS00894/DSECTION=symptoms

Autism

I really liked the part about autistic disorders in this chapter. I found it interesting and sad that one in one hundred people have an autistic disorder. That is way more than I thought! I have often heard people say that vaccines cause autism. I have heard teachers talk about the controversy behind the debate and I have heard people give speeches on it for public speaking. I think there is a third factor and not vaccines that cause autism. I think the reason autism has spiked so dramatically recently is because more people are becoming aware of the symptoms and signs of autism and more people are being diagnosed with it than before.

I also like dissociative fugue. It was really interesting to read about. One thing I find really hard when reading about all these disorders is not having my own judgments about them. It sounds really bad, but for instance when I read about dissociative fugue I was thinking oh that's just an excuse to escape from your problems. I keep finding myself coming up with these horrible remarks to these various disorders and I think it is because I find it so very hard to relate to them without having experienced them myself.

Exam 3 Reflection

I was very happy with my score on exam three. It was my best score yet. Oddly though, this was the test I felt the least prepared for. I procrastinated so much of these chapters until the three days before the test. I reread/read parts for the first time with all the chapters, finished lectures, studied the study guides and took practice quizzes all in three nights. It was really hard because I would literally come home from school and quick do my homework and spend the rest of the night studying for psych. It got really frustrating and stressful, but I guess it was worth it to pull off a good grade on the test. I did come in for the morning review which helped a lot, but I didn't have a study group before the test like I usually do because I didn't have time.
I learned a lot from these sections and because I tried to connect everything I read to some experience or example in my own life and I really think it helped me to remember the information better. Also, the little game thing we played in class with the definitions of the words on the cards was extremely helpful to me. Quizzing myself like that is one of the best ways I learn, so thanks for having us do that!