Psychology Rocks!

The Psychology of Harry Potter

2012-01-27T06:25:00.000-08:00

In the Harry Potter series, the Sorting Hat is a magical hatthat assigns new students to one of four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor,Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. How does the Sorting Hat know whichstudent to assign to which house? Is it based on the traits each house valuesmost? The Gryffindor house values courage, daring, nerve, and chivalry.Hufflepuff values hard work, loyalty, tolerance, and fair play while Ravenclawvalues intelligence, creativity, wit, and wisdom. Finally, theSlytherin house values ambition, cunning, and resourcefulness. Does that meanthat the Sorting Hat is matching each boy's character strengths with the valuesof the house? Perhaps. However, the philosopher Schopenhauer differentiatedbetween the world of appearance and will. Thus, instead the Sorting Hat couldbe matching based not on traits or character strengths (appearance) but ratheron what lies beneath (will/human motivation).

Lawrence and Nohria described in their book Driven: HowHuman Nature Shapes Our Choices, the holistic and humanistic theory ofmotivation divided into four categories: the drive to acquire, to bond, tolearn, and to defend. The authors described these drives as distinct andubiquitous and that individuals actively attempt to fulfill them. As for thefour houses at Hogwarts, let us examine which house values which drive.

Lawrence and Nohria explain that the drive to defend isphysically and socially protective. The drive to defend originates from theresponse to dangerous situations and can extend to a protection ofrelationships, acquisitions, and belief systems. The house of Gryffindor valuescourage and nerve because these are character strengths that are vital toprotect and defend. The authors emphasized that the drive to defend is notproactive but reactively triggered by perceived threats.

Next, Lawrence and Nohria discussed the drive to bond, whichis a social motivation to form relationships and develop mutual caringcommitments. The house of Hufflepuff values loyalty, tolerance, and fair playbecause these are characteristics necessary for mutually beneficialrelationships. The drive to bond explains why individuals choose to identifythemselves with that of a group or a common good.

Third, Lawrence and Nohria illustrated the drive to learn asthe intention to understand the world around us and satisfy curiosity. Thisdrive exemplifies Ravenclaw since it values intelligence, creativity, andwisdom; these are all traits motivated by the desire to learn. The desire tolearn fulfills our need to explore and grow, and cultivate other virtues since,for Aristotle, the one cardinal virtue necessary for moral characteris practical wisdom (called phronesis), which allows us to discover thevirtuous mean between characters.

Finally, the drive to acquire, Lawrence and Nohriamentioned, is the motivation to seek, take, and control objects and personalexperiences. This drive correlates with the Slytherin house, which valuesambition, cunning, and resourcefulness, which are important to the drive toacquire.

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, we notice that theSorting Hat is considering placing Harry Potter into the house of Slytherin.The Sorting Hat recognizes that Harry exemplifies the traits of ambition andresourcefulness, as do other students in Slytherin. However, if we rememberthat the Sorting Hat might not be sorting by ostensible traits but by tacitmotivations, then we can understand why the Sorting Hat placed Harry inGryffindor rather than Slytherin.

Defining Human Flourishing

Based on our understanding of the four-drive theory (tolearn, to bond, to acquire, and to defend) and the four houses of Hogwartz, wecan define human flourishing as seeking, experiencing, sharing, and defendingthat which we believe is good, while not stymieing another's ability to seek,experience, share, and defend his/her belief in the good. Additionally, basedon our new understanding, we can state that we desire not only to pursue happiness,but also to experience it (individually and communally), as well as protect ourpreviously acquired happiness.

For details of the Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour click here

The psychologist Allport stated "what
motivates eachperson is not some element common to all individuals, but his own particularpattern of tensions." By understanding and appreciating the value of thedifferent cardinal motives in individuals, we can understand how to achieve abalanced collective of motives within a group of individuals, which in time cancontribute to collective flourishing.

And if this has inspired you to look more into the secrets of Harry Potter.... maybe you would like to join me in the tour!

Published on July 14, 2009by Adoree Durayappah, MAPP in Thriving101

Psychology in Film

2012-01-20T05:46:00.000-08:00

There is a long list of films that qualify for the title of 'Psychological Thriller' but many more that have a huge psychologically based content that can be used to help us understand human behaviour. Many of these are actually grounded in psychological theories and models.
Here is my 'Top Ten List' If you can think of any that you think would better justify a place in the list please feel free to suggest them.

“Primal Fear” This bone-tingling thriller from director Gregory Hoblit stars Richard Gere as a high-profile defence lawyer who volunteers to defend a Kentucky altar boy (Edward Norton) accused of murdering an archbishop. The film features riveting performances by Gere and Norton, whose character is diagnosed with multiple personality order.
“Good Will Hunting” features breakthrough roles for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who also co-scripted this story of a rebellious MIT janitor who also happens to be a mathematical genius. Robin Williams picked up an Oscar for his role as a compassionate therapist who teaches Damon’s character to confront his troubled past.
“A Clockwork Orange” This 1971 film set in a futuristic dystopia solidified Stanley Kubrick’s position as one of the great filmmakers of his generation. Darkly satirical and at times both shocking and hilarious, “A Clockwork Orange” tells the story of an impudent delinquent forced to undergo experimental corrective treatment that involves repeated viewings of unspeakable acts.
“Girl, Interrupted” Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, 19-year-old Susanna played by Winona Ryder is committed to an all-female psychiatric institute in this 1999 drama. The film also features stellar performances by Angelina Jolie as the resident hellraiser and Vanessa Regrave as Susana’s psychiatrist.
“One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” This outstanding film adaptation of the popular Ken Kesey novel of the same name picked up a slew of Oscars including best actor for Jack Nicholson and best director for Milos Forman. The film stars Nicholson as the free-thinking psychiatric patient who leads his fellow inmates to rebel against the oppressive Nurse Ratched.
"We Need To Talk About Kevin"
This film explores attachment theory and the nurture nature debate to great effect. A thought provoking, well acted, well researched and well written film which will introduce you to all aspects of the nurture nature debate..... are serial killers born or made?
Film Clip
“Shooting Dogs” A powerful, based-on-fact film, Shooting Dogs follows John Hurt's priest and Hugh Dancy's idealistic young teacher as they watch bureaucracy, institutional racism and generations of hate lead to mass murder in Rwanda. A comprehensive study of genocide and the social influences at work in causing it.
“Memento” This suspenseful, complex film by the director Christopher Nolan follows a man suffering from short-term memory loss as he tries to reassemble his life after the brutal killing of his wife. With its reverse narrative and clever twists and turns, Nolan’s film works on multiple levels despite its unusual structure.
“I am Sam” Sean Penn gives an Oscar worthy performance as an autistic man trying to bring up his daughter on his own. This emotive study of the consequences of labelling and the ethics surrounding a diagnosis of mental illness is enhanced greatly by the musical score almost exclusively provided by The Beatles.
“A Beautiful Mind” This fascinating true story portrays the life of prominent mathematician John Forbes Nash who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. Nash, played by Russell Crowe, works to expose what he perceives to be a government controversy as his wife, Jennifer Connelly comes to terms with his disorder.

New Research on Attraction Supporting Evolutionary Theory

2010-11-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

A healthy diet and exercise can contribute to good looks more than make-up or cosmetic surgery, researchers have found.Psychologists at the University of St Andrews found that humans are very attuned to changes in skin tone which come from a healthier lifestyle.

Professor David Perrett found that an attractive face shows skin that is slightly lighter, redder and showing some yellowness.

See this story in full on BBC video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11669696

2009-01-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

Fight or Flight: The Evolution of Stress
Imagine you are a caveman out innocently picking berries when suddenly you come nose to nose with a sabre-tooth tiger. While you were simply gathering, the tiger was actually hunting, and the sight of you makes his mouth water.
Luckily for you, millions of years of evolution has endowed you with a set of automatic weapons that take over in the event of an emergency. At the sight of the tiger, your hypothalamus sends a message to your adrenal glands and within seconds, you can run faster, hit harder, see better, hear more acutely, think faster, and jump higher than you could only seconds earlier.
Your heart is pumping at two to three times the normal speed, sending nutrient rich blood to the major muscles in your arms and legs. The tiny blood vessels (called capillaries) under the surface of your skin close down (which consequently sends your blood pressure soaring) so you can sustain a surface wound and not bleed to death. Even your eyes dilate so you can see better.
All functions of your body not needed for the struggle about to commence are shut down. Digestion stops and your immune system is temporarily turned off. If necessary, excess waste is eliminated to make you light on your feet. Your suddenly supercharged body is designed to help level the odds between you and your attacker. Consequently, you narrowly escape death by leaping higher and running faster than you ever could before. With the danger now over, you find a safe place to lie down and rest your exhausted body.
FLASH FORWARD to the present day. Despite the huge amount of technological change in the ensuing 25,000 years, you are walking around with essentially the same set of internal body parts as that of the caveman. At this very moment you're in math class waiting for class to start and hunting for your homework. Your principal is out hunting too. But guess what? He's hunting for you.As you settle in for class you hear your teacher say those dreaded words: "The principal would like to see you for a moment in the office." At the thought of the tiger, er, uh...your principal...your hypothalamus sends a message to your adrenal glands and within seconds your body summons all the same powers that your stone-age ancestor needed to fight a sabre tooth tiger.
You can almost feel your blood pressure soar as you take the long walk down the hall to the principal’s office. You remember a rumor you heard about a crack down on discipline. Now your mind is racing, your heart is pumping, your blood pressure is soaring, your mouth dries up, your hands feel cold and clammy, your forehead is perspiring and you may even feel a sudden urge to go (to the bathroom). As you imagine your principal assigning you to detention, the caveman inside of you wants to come out. Maybe you'd like to run and hide or maybe you'd like to kick the trash can, but you can't do either. Welcome to the modern era.
As your principal ushers you into his office and closes the door, you're experiencing a full-blown episode of the fight or flight response. But since you can't fight and you can't flee, all of that energy is pent-up inside of you with no place to go. You feel like you're going to explode. Your principal begins to speak. "Here it comes," you think to yourself. But you're so shocked by what you hear you can't believe you heard it right. "What did you say?" you ask your principal. "We are considering you for student of the month," he repeats.Every time your body triggers the fight or flight response, for situations that are not truly life-threatening, you are experiencing, in effect, a false alarm. Too many false alarms can lead to stress-related disorders like, heart disease, high blood pressure, immune system disorders, migraine headaches, and insomnia.. The above example from the modern era was doubly false since the fight or flight response was in anticipation of an event (getting detention) that never materialized.
Stress is an unavoidable consequence of life. However, just as distress can cause disease, it seems plausible that there are good stresses that promote wellness. Stress is not always necessarily harmful. Winning a race or election can be just stressful as losing, or more so, but may trigger very different biological responses. Increased stress results in increased productivity -- up to a point. However, this level differs for each of us. It's very much like the stress on a violin string. Not enough produces a dull, raspy sound. Too much tension makes a shrill, annoying noise or snaps the string. However, just the right degree can create a magnificent tone. Similarly, we all need to find the proper level of stress that allows us to perform optimally and make melodious music as we go through life.

AS Psychology: EATING DISORDERS

2008-02-20T11:59:00.000-08:00

It is important to realise that stringent dieting plays a key role in problems of this nature but eating disorders are not simply cases of dieting that has become out of control.
Eating disorders are not just about trying to live up to media images of attractiveness, though social pressure to be thin may be a key factor.
Eating disorders can easily arise out of a response to distress and worries about areas of life other than body image or dieting.
Food is only part of the story.
Eating disorders are complex and can be life-threatening illnesses. They involve biological and psychological factors.

Some statistics
Over 90% of people diagnosed with eating disorders are adolescent or young women.
Eating disorders are rare in boys but increasing. The rate is less than one tenth that of females.
Approximately 1% of females aged 15-30 in the US and UK suffers from anorexia nervosa, although estimates vary.
About 2-3% of young women develop bulimia nervosa, but it is harder to detect and may be many more.
There are about fifty times more female sufferers of bulimia nervosa than male.
About 10% of sufferers of anorexia nervosa, and about 3% of sufferers of bulimia nervosa, die through their illness, often by suicide due to severe depression.

Clinical symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa
At least 15% below normal body weight
Person sees himself or herself as overweight even when extremely thin
Person is terrified of weight gain
Food and weight are obsessions
Compulsive behaviour around food
Amenorrhea in females (menstruation stops)
Impotence in males

Medical complications associated with Anorexia Nervosa
Starvation causes damage to vital organs such as the brain and heart
The body slows down to try to protect itself: periods stop, even breathing rate, pulse and blood pressure drop
Nails and hair become brittle and the skin dries, yellows and grows downy hair
Bones become brittle due to loss of calcium
Excessive thirst and frequent urination
Dehydration and, consequently, constipation
Inability to cope with the cold due to lack of body fat
Severe depression

Clinical symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa
Consumption of large amounts of food (bingeing), followed by purging or exercising obsessively
Obsession with body weight and shape
Bingeing and purging from once or twice a week to several times a day
Low self -esteem and fear of failure is typical (may not always be apparent)
Strong need for acceptance and reassurance

Medical complications associated with Bulimia Nervosa
Risk of heart failure due to loss of nutrients, especially potassium; also when drugs used to stimulate vomiting, bowel movements and urination.
Risk of stomach rupture.
Acid in vomit wears tooth enamel and teeth scar backs of hands.
Gullet (oesophagus) and cheeks become inflamed and swollen.
Irregular menstruation.
Loss of interest in sex.
Severe depression.

Psychology in the News

2007-10-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Link to A2 Psychology Specification:
PYA4 Pro and Anti-Social Behaviour

Brain's 'Social Enforcer' Centres Identified

Science Daily — Researchers have identified brain structures that process the threat of punishment for violating social norms. They said that their findings suggest a neural basis for treating children, adolescents, and even immature adults differently in the criminal justice system, since the neural circuitry for processing the threat of such punishment is not as developed in younger individuals as it is in adults.
The researchers also said that their identification of the brain's "social norm compliance" structures also opens the way to exploring whether psychopaths have deficiencies in these structures' circuitry.
Manfred Spitzer, Ernst Fehr, and colleagues published their findings in the journal Neuron.
"In this study, we sought to uncover the neural circuits involved in forced norm compliance," wrote the researchers. "This question touches the very foundations of human sociality because the establishment of large-scale cooperation through social norms is a unique feature of the human species.
Norm compliance among humans is either based on people's voluntary compliance with standards of behavior that are viewed as normatively legitimate or on the enforcement of compliance through punishment. Although much compliance is voluntary, there can be little doubt that social order would quickly break down in the absence of punishment threats because a minority of noncompliers can trigger a process that leads to widespread noncompliance due to the conditional nature of many people's compliance.
"To our knowledge, this is the first study that examines the brain processes involved in humans' behavioral response to the threat of punishment for social norm violations," wrote the researchers.
In their experiments, the researchers instructed one person to decide how much money from a shared pot to give to a second recipient. In a control condition, the second person was merely a passive recipient of whatever amount the first person decided. However, in the punishment condition, the recipient could decide to punish the first person by spending all or part of another pot of money, which would reduce the first person's earnings.
During the control and punishment conditions, the first person's brain was scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This widely used scanning technique involves using harmless magnetic fields and radio signals to measure blood flow in brain regions, which reflects brain activity.
The researchers found that the scanned subjects showed activation of specific areas of the prefrontal cortex while they were making decisions that they knew could bring punishment. The areas that were activated were known to be involved in control of decision-making related to fairness and evaluation of punishing stimuli.
To establish that the activated brain areas were specifically involved in social punishment, the researchers also tested the subjects' brain responses when a computer and not a person meted out the punishment. The researchers found that such nonsocial punishment produced significantly less activation in the brain areas.
The researchers also tested whether "Machiavellian" personality traits--selfishness and opportunism--affected people's responses on the tests. To assess the subjects' Machiavellian leanings, the researchers gave them a questionnaire that determined those tendencies.
The researchers found that people who scored higher on Machiavellism transferred less money during the control condition and more during the threat of punishment. The Machiavellians also showed higher activation of key brain areas involved in social norm compliance, found the researchers.
"Therefore, Machiavellian subjects earned the highest incomes because they earned most in the control condition and were best at escaping punishment in the social punishment condition," they wrote.
The researchers said their findings could have implications for understanding the basis of psychopathic behavior, since people with lesions in the prefrontal areas show an inability to behave in appropriate ways, even though they understand social norms.
Thus, a dysfunction in the areas involved "might also underlie certain psychopathological disorders characterized by excessively selfish tendencies and a failure to obey basic social norms," they wrote.
Identification of the brain's social norm compliance circuitry "might have implications for the criminal justice system," concluded the researchers. "As these brain areas are not yet fully developed in children, adolescents, or even young adults, our results are consistent with the view that these groups may be less able to activate the evaluative and inhibitory neural circuitry necessary for the appropriate processing of punishment threats. Thus, our results might provide support for the view that the criminal justice system should treat children, adolescents, and immature adults differently from adults," they wrote.
The researchers include Manfred Spitzer of University of Ulm, University Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychiatry III and Transfer Center for Neurosciences and Learning in Ulm; Urs Fischbacher of Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, University of Zurich in Zurich; Bärbel Herrnberger and Georg Grön of University of Ulm, University Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychiatry III in Ulm; and Ernst Fehr of Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, University of Zurich and Collegium Helveticum in Zürich.
This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the research priority program at the University of Zurich on the "Foundations of Human Social Behavior."
Reference: Spitzer et al.: "The Neural Signature of Social Norm Compliance." Publishing in Neuron 56, 185--196, October 4, 2007. DOI 10.1016/j.neuron.2007.09.011
Note: This story has been adapted from material provided by Cell Press.