Virtual Barber Shop

ASMR:  Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a physical sensation characterized by a pleasurable tingling that typically begins in the head and scalp, and often moves down the spine and through the limbs.

Everyone’s personal triggers will vary slightly, what works for other people won’t necessarily work for you. Some just find it creepy. 

 Some describe a tingling, buzzing, warm, relaxing sensation that runs through your brain and all over your body when triggered by a certain stimulus. For some people, it ends in sleep. For others, it results in a sort of meditative state, where your whole body is buzzing for a prolonged period of time.

Visit the site below.  Use headphones.  Close your eyes.  Does it feel like you're getting your hair cut?

Virtual Barber Shop

Along the same lines is this longer, relaxation piece that some use to fall asleep.

Virtual Face Massage

Virtual Ear Cleaning

Highlighting Is a Waste of Time: The Best and Worst Learning Techniques

~Some of the most common strategies for retaining knowledge are the least effective, according to a new report~

By Annie Murphy Paul @anniemurphypaul

In a world as fast-changing and full of information as our own, every one of us — from schoolchildren to college students to working adults — needs to know how to learn well. Yet evidence suggests that most of us don’t use the learning techniques that science has proved most effective. Worse, research finds that learning strategies we do commonly employ, like rereading and highlighting, are among the least effective.

The scientific literature evaluating these techniques stretches back decades and across thousands of articles. It’s far too extensive and complex for the average parent, teacher or employer to sift through. Fortunately, a team of five leading psychologists have now done the job for us. In a comprehensive report released on Jan. 9 by the Association for Psychological Science, the authors, led by Kent State University professor John Dunlosky, closely examine 10 learning tactics and rate each from high to low utility on the basis of the evidence they’ve amassed. Here is a quick guide to the report’s conclusions:

The Worst

Highlighting and underlining led the authors’ list of ineffective learning strategies. Although they are common practices, studies show they offer no benefit beyond simply reading the text. Some research even indicates that highlighting can get in the way of learning; because it draws attention to individual facts, it may hamper the process of making connections and drawing inferences. Nearly as bad is the practice of rereading, a common exercise that is much less effective than some of the better techniques you can use. Lastly, summarizing, or writing down the main points contained in a text, can be helpful for those who are skilled at it, but again, there are far better ways to spend your study time. Highlighting, underlining, rereading and summarizing were all rated by the authors as being of “low utility.”

The Best

In contrast to familiar practices like highlighting and rereading, the learning strategies with the most evidence to support them aren’t well known outside the psych lab. Take distributed practice, for example. This tactic involves spreading out your study sessions, rather than engaging in one marathon. Cramming information at the last minute may allow you to get through that test or meeting, but the material will quickly disappear from memory. It’s much more effective to dip into the material at intervals over time. And the longer you want to remember the information, whether it’s two weeks or two years, the longer the intervals should be.

The second learning strategy that is highly recommended by the report’s authors is practice testing. Yes, more tests — but these are not for a grade. Research shows that the mere act of calling information to mind strengthens that knowledge and aids in future retrieval. While practice testing is not a common strategy — despite the robust evidence supporting it — there is one familiar approach that captures its benefits: using flash cards. And now flash cards can be presented in digital form, via apps like Quizlet, StudyBlue and FlashCardMachine. Both spaced-out learning, or distributed practice, and practice tests were rated as having “high utility” by the authors.

The Rest
 

The remainder of the techniques evaluated by Dunlosky and his colleagues fell into the middle ground — not useless, but not especially effective either. These include mental imagery, or coming up with pictures that help you remember text (which is time-consuming and only works with text that lends itself to images); elaborative interrogation, or asking yourself “why” as you read (which is kind of annoying, like having a 4-year-old tugging at your sleeve); self-explanation, or forcing yourself to explain the text in detail instead of passively reading it over (its effectiveness depends on how complete and accurate your explanations are); interleaved practice, or mixing up different types of problems (there is not much evidence to show that this is helpful, outside of learning motor tasks); and lastly the keyword mnemonic, or associating new vocabulary words, usually in a foreign language, with an English word that sounds similar — so, for example, learning the French word for key, la clef, by imagining a key on top of a cliff (which is a lot of work to remember a single word).

All these techniques were rated of “moderate” to “low” utility by Dunlosky et al because either there isn’t enough evidence yet to be able to recommend them or they’re just not a very good use of your time. Much better, say the authors, to spread out your learning, ditch your highlighter and get busy with your flash cards.

Positive Psychology

Alphabetical Index of all Psychiatric Disorders

Go to the following link to find descriptions and codes for all psychiatric disorders in the DSM-IV.

DSM-IV

Keep Calm

Are You Sleeping with an Enemy?

Copied from Psychology in Everyday Life

 (http://www.psychologyineverydaylife.net/2011/07/08/are-you-sleeping-with-an-enemy/)

Are You Sleeping with an Enemy?

Posted on 08 July 2011.

How do you know when you start dating a person if he or she will become an abusive lover? By abuse, I mean any behavior that is intended to tie you so deeply to them that it may seem as if your next breath depends upon their love for you and presence in your life.

If you are feeling or have felt this way in love, you may have been taken hostage by an enemy lover who wants to possess and control you completely. You may not be in a normal relationship that is made up of two self-ruling human beings.

If you, a once self-confident, self-determined person are slowly becoming a needy, depressed, and insecure human being in your romantic relationship–your lover may be an enemy to your psychological well-being and the integrity of your soul.

Enemy lovers want to possess and control you completely. To do this, they wear you down emotionally and physically, weaken your self-confidence, and break down your spirit. They make you believe that you cannot exist without them. They make you insecure either through rejecting behaviors, like not talking to you or disappearing altogether for hours or days or through outright physical aggression. Not all enemy lovers want to actually kill you, like Julia Robert’s husband did in the 1991 movie, Sleeping with the Enemy.  They will “kill” you more softly with their words and rejection, as the song aptly says. If you fight back emotionally and show any sign of gaining emotional strength—they come out fighting all the harder, to make sure you don’t do this again.

What it means to be left by you is the key to understanding an enemy lover. To be left by you is a risk of being humiliated and abandoned. This is what they fear the most. Once upon a time, they felt hostage to a parent who undermined their self-determination.

Review the checklist below, to see if your lover may be an enemy to your well-being and spirit.

     1. At the start of the relationship, you are loved with such intensity that you feel as if you are Cleopatra and he is your Mark Anthony or vice versa. You are basking in the glow of what seems to be your greatest ally.

     2. The enemy lover dominates every waking moment of your life, at the start of a relationship, to the point where you stop seeing family and friends, fulfilling daily responsibilities, and carrying out your normal routine.

     3. You begin to play down or soften your points of view, especially if they upset your lover.

     4. You get very depressed, unable to function without him or her.

     5. You act needy, groveling for his or her attention to the point where you disgust yourself.

Know that many people encounter an enemy lover in their lives. I have treated so many people in the past with this experience that I’ve come to think of it as a rite of love passage. Yes, a rite of passage to learning the difference in healthy versus unhealthy relating. And, I too have had an experience like this when I was in my early twenties.  And, let me tell you, he cured me of the pattern forever!

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experience on the topic?

Study: Warm Weather Affects Eating Pathology

In 2002 a study was done by Denise Sloan at Temple University studying the effect of warm weather on eating disorders.  She studied undergraduate women in Florida and in Pennsylvania. 

Her results?

Women residing in the warmer climate of Florida had significantly lower body weight, engaged in more frequent bulimic behaviors (e.g. binging) and displayed significantly greater concern regarding body shape compared to the Pennsylvania population.

Why do you think this is so?

Fascinating Freud

Beyond the facts that Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalysis as a therapeutic technique, here are some other facts about the famous psychologist.

1.  Freud Was Initially an Advocate and User of Cocaine.  

The drug was widely available in Europe.  Freud wrote a paper extolling cocaine for the treatment of "low mood."  He himself abused the drug for about 12 years thinking it was sharpening his mind.

2.  Freud's Daughter, Anna, Was also a famous and influential psychologist.

3.   Freud Became a Doctor In Order to Marry the Woman He Loved.   At age 26 when he proposed to Martha Bernays he was still in school and living with his parents.  No bride would put up with that.  He became a doctor, married Martha, and the two went on to have six children together.

4. Unlikely Freud Really Said "Sometimes a Cigar Is Just a Cigar." 

Supposedly, someone once asked Freud's ever-present cigar symbolized. The above response was meant to suggest that even Freud believed that not everything held an unconscious, symbolic meaning. Instead, this was most likely the invention of a journalist writing about Freud. 

5.  Sigmund Freud Was Forced to Leave Vienna by the Nazis. 

His books were burned.  He and his daughter, Anna, were interrogated by the  Gestapo before they escaped to England.  He told a friend in this famous quote, "What progress we are making.  In the Middle Ages they would have burned me.  Now they are content with burning my books."  His four younger sisters, unable to escape, died in Nazi concentration camps. 

What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sigmundfre104488.html#8BTR0Ujqf1MoE2xm.99

What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sigmundfre104488.html#8BTR0Ujqf1MoE2xm.99

What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sigmundfre104488.html#8BTR0Ujqf1MoE2xm.99

 

 

 

Film List for Psychology Students

Below is a list of movies that include some aspect of psychology. At the risk of being diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, I have put a  *  next to my favorites.  If you have a movie you would like to watch for your project not on this list, please run it by me.  While I have provided nice, neat categories of disorders, many films feature more than one psychological concept.

The most frequent psychological disorders featured in award-winning films:

Antisocial personality disorder - 23% of all themes

Narcissistic personality disorder- 19% of all themes

   

Substance Use Disorders

When a Man Loves a Woman—The story of alcoholic wife and mother, played by Meg Ryan, her treatment, and her relationship with her husband. (Alcoholism)

Clean and Sober-- Michael Keaton struggles with alcoholism and attends rehab. (Alcoholism)

Anxiety Disorders

Birdy—Two childhood friends returning Vietnam vets dealing with the aftermath of their combat experiences - one physically and the other mentally. (PTSD)

*Reign on Me—A man tries to survive day-to-day after a horrific plane crash claims his family. (PTSD)

Copycat-- Sigourney Weaver plays an agoraphobic psychologist. Discuss how accurately is the agoraphobia portrayed. (Agoraphobia)

**The Deer Hunter—Great film!!!  Academy Award winner for Best Picture and Best Actor.  Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep - portray the impact of the Vietnam War in anytown, America.  It shows their lives before, during, and after the conflict. Another look at PTSD. Christopher Walken's Nicky is one worth discussion. Also, consider the traumas they experienced as prisoners of war. (PTSD)

First Blood—Sylvester Stallone plays a Vietnam Vet has trouble adjusting to civilian life after he finds the last of his company dead from cancer--most likely a result of Agent Orange sprayed on American soldiers by their own. (PTSD)

Lars and the Real Girl--A smart, funny, sensitive film about a young man who strikes up a relationship with a doll and the town who befriends the two of them in order to help Lars. (Social Anxiety)

Matchstick Men-- Nicholas Cage plays a con man with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Discuss the accuracy of the diagnosis.   Discuss the ethics of the treatment he received. (OCD)

Ordinary People--Academy Award winner for Best Picture and Best Actor.  This is the story of how a family deals with trauma and loss.  Here you’ll see one of the few positive portrayals of a therapist played by Judd Hirsh.

The King's Speech--The story of King George VI of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.  (Social Anxiety)

Napoleon Dynamite--An awkward teenager befriends Deb, whose portrayal of social anxiety is spot on.  (Social Anxiety)

Dissociative Disorder (formerly Multiple Personality Disorder)

Fight Club—This needs to be watched twice to “get it.”  After you've seen it once, watch it again once you know what to look for. (DID)

Sybil--The movie that started it all!   No one was diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder before this book and film came out.  Might Sybil have PTSD and not DID?

The Three Faces of Eve—Joan Woodward won Best Actress for her portrayal of the three personalities of Eve—Eve White, Eve Black, Jane.  The film is based on a true story. (DID)

Mood Disorders

Harold and Maude--A wealthy, 20-year-old man obsessed with death meets an elderly woman at a funeral and develops his first meaningful relationship. It portrays faked suicides, and a real one, but are the characters truly depressed or just eccentric?  This is a real cult classic. (Depression)

The Hours--Academy Award winner for Best Actress.  This is a well done portrayal of the painful depths and hopelessness of depression and its effects on others.  Virginia Woolf, who is writing a novel, alongside another woman is reading the book in the 1950s, and a third present day woman is living it. Discuss the motivations for the different suicides in the movies. (Depression, bipolar disorder)

Lethal Weapon--The first of the series has a suicidal Mel Gibson paired with Danny Glover. Not many cops would want a partner with a death wish.  The film features Mel Gibson before he went off the deep end. (Depression)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest-- Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress among other awards.  This is a quintessential psychology film.  Randle Patrick MacMurphy (RPM) fakes insanity to avoid jail only to have to deal with Nurse Ratched (what does a ratchet wrench do?). (Anti-social Personality Disorder)

*The Prince of Tides--Barbra Streisand as therapist helping Tom’s sister with her suicide attempts. Discuss the unethical conduct by a mental health professional.  Is she Tom’s therapist?  Discuss PTSD as the characters live through a horrific event. (PTSD, Depression)

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?--Academy Award winner for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.  Alcohol abuse, narcissism, conversion disorder, marital dysfunction, make this a psychology class must see.   What is really going on here???  Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton portray the older married couple whose fights are full of pathos.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Iris—An aging couple deals with the devastating effects of the disease.

Without Her—See Iris above.

The Notebook—There are two parallel stories being told.   One is the present day where a couple has grown old and live in a home; the other is the story the main character reads from the notebook in which he tells how he and Allie met, fell in love, and how their lives changed. Their story is altered by Allie’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Developmental Issues

I Am Sam-- A developmentally disabled man (Sean Penn) fights for custody of his daughter (Dakota Fanning), and in the process teaches his lawyer about love and family.

Radio--A high school football coach changes the life of a developmentally disabled young man in this heart-warming tale.

Personality Disorders

**Gone with the Wind—A woman fights to save her family and her family’s estate against all odds in a man’s world during the Civil War era. (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) 

Patten--The story of General George S. Patton, Jr. during World War II. His battlefield genius garners him fear and respect from the Germans, and resentment and misunderstanding from the Allies. A military historian and poet, he believes he was a warrior in many past lives, and that he is destined for something great during this life, but his stubbornness and controversial methods nearly prevent the fulfillment of that destiny. ~Written by Jeff Hanson  (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) 

**All About Eve—Arguably the best film about the theater.  Who is the narcissist?  Are there more than one?  Bette Davis delivers one of the greatest lines ever when asked if she was going to be difficult all night at her party she replies, "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night."  (Narcissistic Personality Disorder)

Sleeping with the Enemy--What seems to be the perfect marriage is really a woman's nightmare.  Julia Roberts stars as a woman who tries bravely to leave an abusive and murderous husband. (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) 

Autism

Rainman—Tom Cruise finds out about an older brother, Dustin Hoffman, he never knew he had.  The two go on a cross-country adventure getting to know each other.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?—Johnny Depp copes with an obese, reclusive mother, an autistic brother (Leonardo DiCaprio), and growing up in this wonderful film.

Temple Grandin--After having social difficulty in high school, an autistic woman earns a Ph.D. Aided along the way by a supportive mother and teachers, Temple rises to the top of her field in the animal husbandry.  

Psychotic Disorders

Donnie Darko--While this is a science fiction film, if you analyze it as an example of schizophrenia, this will be fine.  (Schizophrenia)

Conspiracy Theory--starring Julia Roberts Mel Gibson before his own break, the main character suffers from paranoia.  He sees conspiracies everywhere.  (Paranoid Personality Disorder)

A Beautiful Mind--starring Russell Crowe, based on the real life of John Forbes Nash, Jr., a mathematical genius, slides into a world of visual and auditory hallucinations.  (Schizophrenia)