weekly blog

Blog 10 

In truth I could have spent more time on this course. Even though I did not reach the goal of an A or higher I appreciate what I did learn. I did give great effort to stay on top of the course work. Although I did not receive the letter grade I was hoping for I still learned a great deal. I feel that the course objectives were known to me prior to the course. However, this was another step in knowing more about social interactions and the way those social interactions can and do have an effect on a number of other psychology courses. For example, the connections between power and control that Milgram provided can a connection through the chemicals that we naturally provide with our bodies and the power one can take from us through fear (fight or flight) inducing tactics. I am sure there are many other connections, but that is the first that comes to mind.

As far as my attitude toward Social Psychology stands I am amazed at just how much we learn from observations. Those observations that stood out most in this course were ones that dealt with the ways in which advertisements can have an effect on our behavior and attitude. I never really made those connections in advertisements, but have in films and social media. I learned quite a bit and feel that my attitude toward others will be more malleable in the future.

If I took this course again I would take more time to sift through all the materials provided to me. I think that doing so would have been the difference in my overall grade as it stands at this moment. I would also try to spend less time on learning to use wordpress and more time reading and taking better notes. That being said I do feel that in summer courses there is little time to socialize when you take 10 credits. I would change the amount of courses taken during the summer. Overload can cause grades to slip and time spent with family to be limited. 

Academically, I have grown in learning how to use social media to my advantage. I think that I have also grown by learning how the connections from all the course work over the years are all coming together. I feel that I finally understand that being well-rounded can make connections in ways that I have never thought of before this course. 

Finally, the skills that I can use in my professional life have surpassed any I could imagine. I feel that I can now use the powers of attitude, behavior, fear, and happiness with better fervor than I have before. I mean that in the best way possible since I am a very pessimistic person. I also feel that using WordPress has led me to a greater creative source I could use to show who I am and what I am about. Some of the skills in learning how to read others faces will definitely help in my line of work, which is currently a Pharmacy Technician. 

Overall, I feel that I have gained some great insight and direction for the future. I have not only learned quite a bit about myself, but about life in relation to social interactions. I am very enthusiastic about putting all my knew knowledge and skills to use now and in my future profession.  This course has given me better written skills, computer skills, and personal/social skills. I can only imagine what will come of them in the end, but the future is an open-field.

Blog 9

The top 3 things I learned in this course are as follows:

1. I learned that aggression can be dealt with by breathing and taking control of our own attitudes and behavior, which are two different areas in social psychology that connect directly to one another.d 
2. I learned that men and women are different in certain areas of life, but similar in other areas. For example, men and women look at relationships differently. Women tend to seek a financially stable man, while men tend to look for at women for mating purposes to pass on their genes. 
3. Finally, I learned that happiness can be obtained even if you feel like you don’t need social interactions. Making yourself a part of social groups can and does allow you to be happier in life because you share your fears with others who can and do support you throughout your life and the need for that interaction is important to life whether we believe it or not.

One area that connected well with one another is the theory that Milgram studied about how people are more likely to be controlled when they feel afraid can also be related to taking that fear and changing it into happiness by connecting with others that have gone through the same predicament. An example would be someone that has been through the Holocaust and meeting one another and sharing their fears. 

Over the years I have learned that social and biological factors can help one another out. For example, when we reach levels of high impact exercise we release chemical neurotransmitters called dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin that allow us to release tension. The release of these chemicals can allow us to become less stressed or anxious in social situations. In other words release of some chemical neurotransmitters that our bodies release themselves in certain conditions can help with happiness as much as attitude and behavior. 

Blog 8

How do men and women upset , anger, or irritate each other when it comes to sexual conflict? This depends on the point at which the relationship stands. For example, is the relationship just beginning; is too new to confirm or deny any real conflict? Could it be infatuation where most conflict is on the backburner because this is the point of superficial feelings. Feelings that are there simply due to physical attraction.

However, if we are following Buss’s rules, this is the level that entails deceit and cunningness, (especially for men), to entice the female into a sexual relationship. At this point there are ways that men can annoy women. One way is that he could say or do the wrong thing to make the woman snap back to reality and ditch him for another man. This could be anywhere from actions to words. For example, the man could touch the woman inappropriately, and in a way that she feels isn’t attractive, especially in a public place. 

Women can also annoy or irritate a man at this point as well. Sometimes when women are nervous or scared they tend to talk too much. This can

annoy a man that is attempting to communicate a sexual advance. Instead of stating the discomfort in his sexual advances she may just start talking with no real context. This can be frustrating to a man because he isn’t interested in communication at this point. Although this sounds bad it happens. Perhaps the woman doesn’t want to engage in sexual intercourse the moment because she wants to get to know the man better. 

Perhaps the relationship has advanced to a more serious, but not quite unconditional love. This could be where both are still living in their own apartments but are romantically committed . At this level a man and woman could be annoyed by the level of romance each of puts into the relationship. It could possibly be annoyance at the level of romance each does not put into the relationship. 

For example, a woman could be annoyed because the man doesn’t remember their 3 month anniversary. To him this could still be just an attempt to simply have a sexual relationship. To the woman it may mean a step beyond a sexual relationship. Perhaps he thinks that she expects too much after just 3 months of dating and upsets or angers her by telling her so. She may then either withhold the sexual relationship until there is discussion of the direction of the overall relationship.  This can in turn make the man annoyed because he just wants to do what he thinks men and women should be doing and that is mating. 

Let’s then go to the deepest level of commitment for the couple. Suppose they are now at the level of unconditional love, the level of companionship where they are committed to one another, best friends, and intimate partners. Although they have this companionship they can still be annoyed at one another on a different level. Most cases that I have observed of friends that are married or have a long-term commitment like this are always annoyed by one of three things: 1. finances, 2. their sexual relationship, and 3. their jealousy issues. 

Even though a man a woman have been together for a long time does not mean that they aren’t annoyed by one another in certain situations. For example, with finances there seems to be a discomfort in what each gender is spending the money to purchase. The man may want more electronics,

that are expensive to the woman and wants to purchase other things like a romantic getaway or cosmetics, which can be just as expensive as electronics. 

There is also the argument that they are not having as much sexual intercourse as they used to “in the beginning” or they are having too much sexual intercourse. The man of course wants to have sex more often than the woman in most cases, but the woman isn’t on the same page. This may cause a little bit of tension and may lead the man to think impure thoughts and seek relief for these thoughts elsewhere, (e.g. pornography). This may lead to arguments and jealousy. This could happen the other way around as well, especially as a woman gets older since she seems to have more of a sexual libido as she ages. This is opposite for men. 

Jealousy is something that could lead to a man and woman getting annoyed or irritated because a woman tends to believe that is her partner/significant other is looking at or watching other women whether it be adult material or gawking  at an attractive woman at the mall or while walking in the park,

or the like, she tends to feel unattractive or unwanted. This takes a lot of convincing otherwise from her partner/significant other, which can be frustrating to him simply because he “is being a man,” as I have heard out of the mouths of many men in relationships. 

On the other hand, the man could be jealous of another man that he feels is stepping into his territory. Men are a lot like lions, if they see a threat they are territorial and this could cause tension and annoyance for the woman. She will then be trying to explain to her partner the same thing he explains

when he is gawking at another woman and making her feel insignificant. 

These are just some examples of how men and women seem to annoy one another throughout their relationship from the infatuation all the way through to the life companionship. There are differences in the way that both men and women are annoying each other even after being together for years or in short-term relationships. All for the survival of our species and generations to come. 

 

Blog 7 

Emotional Intelligence and self-regulation are important because they are both connected to the way our brain functions. For example, when we feel ourselves getting irritated or angered by something or someone there is a natural instinct (evolutionary) to protect ourselves. Self-regulation allows us to control our emotions by stepping outside ourselves.

This means that whatever emotional outcome we have about that situation can be controlled through breathing and taking control of what is really agitating us. This could be anything from the tone, the way we feel about ourselves, or the way we perceive others’ attitude and/or behavior.  All these things can make us feel less than adequate, making our emotions more haywire, which in turn could lead to incorrect assumptions or inappropriately handling a certain situation.

For me, emotional intelligence is an important part of connecting with other and hopefully making others feel respected and considered an important part of my world at the time of interaction. This is inclusive with every aspect of my life, whether that be in a romantic relationship, a friendship, with family, or even with acquaintances/strangers. It really is the way you handle yourself and the way you make others feel that is important for success. When we add empathy to our methods and step outside ourselves and our emotions it makes it easier to help others and allows them and us to make a difference. 

When I see people at my place of employment I like to think of myself as an advocate for them. I will listen to their issue or problem with my undivided attention and then try to solve the problem. There are times when I even have to let the patient know that I will need time to complete the task they are asking me to complete. For example, there are moments that a patient is out of medication and is angered by the fact we cannot fill their prescription because the doctor has not given us a new prescription for that medication. It could be that the prescription has reached the amount of refills it has on it, or the prescription has expired, or it simply isn’t due for a refill according to the insurance company. In any situation there can be a number of outcomes and a number of responses to the outcome. I usually ask the patient to return in about an hour if I know the task at hand is going to take some time. I will let them know the reason it will take time, get their name and number, and then start directly on the issue right after they leave. 

There are times when the patient will not calm down and I will ask my pharmacist if there is a way to give the patient some medication while we are attempting to figure out the problem and receive confirmation for the order or are waiting for the doctor to return our request. These are times that may take a few hours or a few days. I always try my best to step outside myself to solve these issues and not take things so personal when it comes to helping others. In fact, I believe even my results from the EQ test are pretty accurate. My EQ test results and the video we watched for this blog are two resources that I can and will look forward to incorporating into my life. 

Blog 6 

This Ted talk was really quite interesting. It brought of many ways in which women are dehumanized and objectified due to our culture. The first thing that I thought was interesting was the background of this woman Jean Kilbourne and her history with advertising and modeling. The second topic that stood out to me was the ways in which women are being dehumanized. The third topic that I thought was interesting but scary was the way our culture finds a way to make this relevant to all ages, even babies. 

The very first topic that stood out was the idea that this woman was talking about what kinds of jobs there were when she was young. I thought at first what is her reason for completing this Ted talk? That question was answered after she told us she had a unique perspective due to her modeling skills when she was younger. That is what caught my attention and made me think that she knew about the issues surrounding the industry for women. I was hooked, not because I condone the behavior that allows women to be objectified, but because I refuse to believe that this is what we are worth to society, legs, boobs, and butts. It is outrageous. 

This brings me to the second idea that Jean discusses, which is women being dehumanized. This is not only a topic that not only is representative of women in general, but has different effects for different shapes, ethnicities, race, and even height. When we see advertisements for certain products, woman of different ethnic background aren’t representative of their culture, they appear as close to the Caucasian version as possible. This is really shocking because even though I notice the difference I let it slide because it has become normal in our society. This is scary because it extends far beyond just women being exposed. It reaches to the men and children as well. 

That brings me to the last topic, that caught my attention the idea that men and children/babies are being dehumanized is ridiculous. However, I was aware of this exposure because I once saw a picture of Suri Cruise, (Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes child), in which she was in high heels at the age of 5 if I remember correctly. I thought to myself these children are growing up too fast and being told they have to be adults sooner with today’s standards. If I was thinking that about nine years ago, then it must be worse given the media outlets we have now. Every day of these people’s lives are being filmed or otherwise by paparazzi or superfans that see them and want to take their picture or what not. However, I am getting off topic.

The point is that with social media being a big part of society today there are advertisements everywhere, (e.g., Facebook, twitter, TikTok, Instagram, etc.). This does not even include other forms such as cable, Hulu, Netflix, etc. that are able to give advertisements when people get the free downloads of them. This means more ways to expose us all to such marketing. When we see them, we may not realize that we are being influenced to appear younger, look thinner, or even act more sexually engaged to feel good about ourselves. 

Finally, one last topic that is of great importance is the idea that men are being exposed to this objectivity is true, but not in the same way as girls as women are being exposed. Men don’t have the same amount of violence, repercussions, and body image that makes them feel that they must live up to the standards or they will be shunned, abused, or threatened to be harmed. In other words, in comparison women are much more objectified and are placed in a world that tells them from a young age that they are to be subservient. This has got to get better because women should not have to live up to “impossible” standards that objectify them and make them feel less than like a person and more like a thing (object) to be opened up played with when it pleases societal rules and pleasures. 

In conclusion, there are many ways that women are objectified. A few of the ways we see them being objectified is in advertisements that show them in less than appropriate attire for the ad, the ad could be for food but there is a representation of a woman in some way being seductive (e.g. a leaf of lettuce being formed like a women with solid locks of hair, what looks like legs, and a booty  that is bending over to look sexy and feminine), or even exposing teens to this kind of sexual association by showing other teens in provocative positions which makes a statement that this is how women are to be all their lives. There are many other associations that were discussed in the video, but I think these are the ones that stood out the most and caught my attention quickly.

 The first picture (top left) shows a picture of a woman looking like she is about to have sexual intercourse with all these men at once and she looks like she is enjoying it even though it is an ad for Dolce and Gabbana clothing. 

The second picture (top middle) represents an insurance company and the woman in this picture has parts of her missing. 

The third picture (top right) is showing part of a woman that is being proposed to and making it look like as soon as she says, “yes” that this ring is a remote control to her private parts of her body, seen by her crossed legs at first, then her opened legs. 

The fourth picture(bottom left) is showing how a woman in flannel is to wear her shirt provocatively. She couldn’t have some respect for herself like the man does. 

Finally, the last picture (bottom middle) is representing that no matter what a salon will make you beautiful even though you have a black eye and are being abused. It is relevant because it shows that it is okay to be submissive and get beaten as long as there is a salon or some way to make you look beautiful in bad situations you still can look great.  

 

Blog 5

The first picture (see below: photo 1) is a credible source because if you are a NASA follower you know that Elon Musk created a spaceship specifically to be able to explore space. Considering that NASA cooperated with Elon Musk to create this ship for exploration, makes him credible because we know that NASA bases their projects on math and science. Obviously, so does Elon Musk since he is an engineer.  It really is one of credibility because of the expertise that both NASA an Elon Musk have acquired over the years. Also due to their expertise in the field of science they are trustworthy in that aspect.

The second picture (see below: Photo 2) is a non-credible source because though we may not know if the facts in the ad are in fact true, we do know other information about these kinds of ads. These kinds of ads are not credible because usually a politician has some stake in the fight for or against gun policies. They also have a stake in their own self-perception because being on one side or the other of the gun law debate is of importance for elections and companies that endorse these kinds of ads. Company endorsement in itself creates good or bad ideals for the person that is running for some political seat. Therefore, it is important for people to realize that some politicians also may use the opposition of gin laws to get more votes but instead are endorsing gun rights with companies, like Smith and Western or Ruger

This type of ad (Photo 3: Right) is representative of the attractive source because there are many people that know this face to the left. We all know Julianne Hough from many TV shows and Films, (e.g. Dancing with the Stars, America’s Got Talent, Footloose [remake 2011], and Grease [2016]). Many people find her attractive because of her notable ocean blue eyes. Plus, many know her to be a dancer/choreographer if they are into dancing, (which I am). Her beauty and fame make her an effective ‘attractive source’ for the Proactive product, that happens to be for acne, as you can see. There is the fact that she shows no blemishes on her face which makes others believe in the product. It is a good way to reel in those that are less attractive and have acne in hopes to come out looking like Julianne Hough.

 

Blog 4

There are a few things that I learned from this activity. The first is to learn to make better notes. The second is to make it fun. Another thing I learned from working through Exam 1 was to take relevant notes. There are times when I feel that I take notes like I am writing a paper. The notes aren’t for an assignment. I have to keep that in mind. I have to write down the importance of the material not the whole chapter. The connections will be there if you study enough and repeat and incorporate new ways of taking notes. I think that sometimes I get too serious and think that everything needs to be written down. Other times I need to write my own way of remembering material for the next exam. That being said, I did go back through the notes and started drawing connections instead of forming paragraphs or bullet points all the time. There is less space taken on the note paper and more learning gets established.  Plus, it is easier to study when there is a comic like visual to look at for reference instead of re-reading again and again and again. Your mind is a unique tool.

Blog 3

Most of the music I listen to is wide ranged. I have different taste in music because I believe that there is a time and place for different types and different genres of music. This goes hand in hand with my personality because it allows me to grow as a person and learn about different artists ideas and personalities. I think that the learning and growing process relates to most of my friendships.

There are different sets of values for different groups of people. Just as we have different dance moves for different styles of music. Inevitably, the values are there for those closest to us. The list of music that I have chosen are ones that remind me of good and bad times. Some of these songs are for people that I am no longer friends with for one reason or another. Other songs on this list are for the people that matter in my life right here and now. Still there are songs that are quite representative of my own personality that aren’t for communicated personally, but only musically. I like to communicate through music because sometimes words are too hard to utter. This is especially true with any kind of emotion other than possibly happiness because happiness is spread like a contagion. 

1. Hopsin: Ill Mind of Hopsin 7 (Me/My Son)
2. Linkin Park: Somewhere I Belong
3. No Doubt: Push and Shove (Me/Boss)
4. Ace of Base: Don’t Turn Around (Best Friend- Rhonda)
5. TLC: What About Your Friends (All Friends)
6. Mary J. Blige: Family Affair/ No More Drama (Family)
7. O’Jays: Family Reunion (Family)
8. Ozzie Osbourne: No More Tears (Orlando- Former Boyfriend)
9. Busta Rhymes: Dangerous (Former Fiancé- Chris)
10.  Carrie Underwood: Before He Cheats (Former Significant Other- J)

Many of these chosen songs represent my level of hard work and dedication for myself. These are the same types of personalities that I like to see in the people that I care about and that care about me. There are those that represent the darker side of relationships and me. Those that represent the faith or lack of faith that exists within everyone at some point in time, whether it was in the past or present. We all have our own faults and music represents that for all of us. 

Some of the songs chosen represent the failed relationships I have been a part of through the years. Yet, others represent the fun and loving and caring parts of those relationships even if the song does not directly portray such emotions through lyrics, but through memories. Memories of happy times are such a gift and music can remind us of those times.

Blog 2

When I look at all that I have accomplished in the last 5 years of life there is a great student. The student I had hoped to become has not been representative of the one I am today. I never thought that I would be in the position to graduate . I believe that I am charismatic, self-sufficient, and goal oriented.

Although the GSE test tells the story of a person that is average in self-efficacy there are times that I fall below that line. There are also times that I rise above that line. For the most part if I set my mind to a task I will conquer it. Other aspects of being a student that I have not incorporated into my experience as a college student is engaging in group functions.

I feel that I am a completely different student compared to my high school years. There are many reasons for this change. I feel that I am a mother first and a student second. However, now that I am older, and my son is not entering his early twenties there is going to be another change. This change makes me feel anxious because I will experience empty nest issues. However, I do look forward to being able to have peace and quiet when I am engaged in learning and thinking about what I learned.

The other parts of me that are different is that I am much older, and many thoughts and ideas do not stay with me for long. I usually have to study and engage in activities for much longer periods of time to understand what I am learning. It is difficult to remember every detail at an older age. I know that I can do it and that there is help, which makes being an older student easier.

I also am a full time student and a full time worker which makes free time a little more challenging than expected. I would like to be able to do everything, but there is limited time to do everything. I am sure that we all feel that way, but there is a certain level that all full time workers and students feel. This is more challenging when you have kids, whether they be infants, toddlers, teens, or adults.

This means that I often find myself having to engage with others in school through other means of communication. I like to engage in online study groups when I can. Fortunately, this works wonders when I am feeling defeated and anxious. Technology has really come a long way since I was young. I really think that incorporating technology into all aspects of life is both positive and negative. In my case it is a positive factor for the student in me.

There are many pros and cons with being a student when you have a family. However, the end game is always the most important aspect of being a student. The end game is to graduate and to be able to support my family without having to make hard sacrifices. I look forward to learning and getting to know others in the course throughout the semester.

Blog 1 

This course is designed to teach me about the ways in which social interactions an be used in a productive and professional manner. There is a science to learning about the social side of the world. A multitude of vivid images come to mind when I think about social interactions. Some of these images are somber, but most are pleasurable. I believe that social interactions area science because social cues, body language, appearance, and verbal words allow us to relate to one another. 

Many of the different lessons that can be learned from social interactions are the same ones that can guide us to making decisions or influencing the way that we treat ourselves and others. Tone, body language, facial features, and our conduct can help us to determine one’s emotional state. All of these factors are one’s in which we can use the scientific method to help learn more about ourselves and others.

Science is what allows us to grow over time. It allows room for error and room for new innovations to be explored. The image here depicts the ways in which we have learned in the past. Some may still be valid today but have been built upon to remain appropriate for the times. It’s interesting just how far we have come, but also how much we have remained the same. Unfortunately, some of the ways that we have not changed are taking its toll on us today.

Today, we are still seeing acts of violence placed on black Americans. One such recent case is the death of George Floyd. The impact that his death has been seen across the nation. In fact, in the some states there has been growing concern for the safety of the public with the riots that George Floyd’s death has induced. I happen to live in one of those states, (Arizona), in which the result was implemented for 8 p.m. This happened about 9 minutes ago and has me feeling deeply frustrated and annoyed.

I am frustrated because we have been quarantined for the COVID-19 virus and now this. This frustration stems from the reasons behind the quarantine and the curfew. It is more so that we are on lockdown for two major events that are out of our control. It feels isolating and is having an impact on my mental state. It is quite an interesting time right now. We have much to fear, but have other ways of interacting. That being said it still is not the same as being able to interact in person. We must now find new ways to appeal to our ever changing world, this is especially true in every aspect of life.

There are several ways in which I can personally keep calm and relax. One way in which keeps me calm is being able to spend more time with my son. Another way that is calming and relaxing to me is the idea that I can still complete homework online. I know that doesn’t sound relaxing but it is all the way you perceive information. Without online school quite a few people would not be able to graduate or continue school. This is extremely important with the pandemic that is reeking havoc today. Keeping focus is what is important for the future and today is what is important to me.

Finally, there are the ways in which I will be attempting to contribute to my future and present day tasks. I realize and accept that I am a procrastinator. I will be incorporating my desire to work hard to ensure my future and to stop procrastinating. I will read and do homework in a timely fashion. I will attempt to finish all assignments and other writing assignments with little or no procrastination. If I do fall behind I will catch up quickly. There is no feeling like despair and I cannot afford to make mistakes because this is my home stretch. I can do this and will do this to the best of my abilities.

There has to be some positive aspects to reach toward that allows for room to grow and to be imaginative. I think that there is a high need to keep myself engaged and tuned into the semester. I hope to change my ways and my mind by applying all that I learn in this course and throughout my studies. I think that there are ways for a procrastinator to become fully recovered to make life easier and less stressful. This is good and I can do this.