Mini assignment 8

MOLLY BROWN

The family acquired great wealth when J.J.'s engineering efforts proved instrumental in the production of a substantial ore seam at the Little Jonny Mine of his employers, Ibex Mining Company, and he was awarded 12,500 shares of stock and a seat on the board. In Leadville, Margaret first became involved with the women's suffrage issue, helping to establish the Colorado chapter of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and working in soup kitchens to assist miners' families. During 1894, the Browns moved to Denver, Colorado, which gave the family more social opportunities. Margaret became a charter member of the Denver Woman's Club, whose mission was the improvement of women's lives by continuing education and philanthropy. During 1901, she was one of the first students to enroll at the Carnegie Institute ^{[disambiguation needed]} in New York. Adjusting to the trappings of a society lady, Brown became well-immersed in the arts and fluent in the French, German, and Russian languages. During 1909 she advertised herself as campaigning for the U.S. Senate. Margaret assisted in the fund-raising for Denver's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception which was completed during 1911. Margaret worked with Judge Lindsey to help destitute children and establish the United States' first juvenile court which helped form the basis of the modern U.S. juvenile courts system.

Molly Brown was an educated and compassionate woman. She did so many things for people with disadvantages. She opened soup kitchens, and fund raisers for many things. She has a very compassionate heart and put needs of others before her own. Surviving the titanic she stepped up to fight for the rights of people less fortunate.  She used her own money and with the fundraisers she made a huge difference with her efforts. 

I'm not certain what Molly could have done differently to be more successful in her goals in life. She is an outstanding and brave woman that history will never forget.

Lecture July 27

I did not realize how much I mirrored people until I listened to this lecture! I had never consciously paid attention! As I spoke with a couple of people this afternoon, I paid attention to their body language and also my mine. Once I started to pay attention to my actions though, I found that I became just a little bit self conscious of my actions!

I realized that I am naturally expressive through body language! I noticed throughout the day that I do use body language often when dealing with my children. I noticed that it is natural for me to get down on the floor when my youngest son is showing me a reenactment of WWE with his Halo action figures. I sit on the edge of my oldest son's bed when he is showing me a new drawing. Those were just two instances this afternoon when I caught myself naturally getting more on their level when I am communicating them! It is has been eye opening to pay atttention to my own body language.

I did not speak with anyone who I am in disagreement with today but I will try to remember to be conscious of my body language when trying to settle a disagreement or having a discussion with someone with whom I do not agree with!

Mini Assignment 8

Charles Manson has always interested me. He was a man on the edge of a musical career that due to his anti society beliefs was able to conduct some of the most horrific murders know to date. His leadership and control the he held over others can be complex in thought but came very easy for him.

At the time the Family began to form, Manson was an unemployed ex-convict, who had spent half of his life in correctional institutions for a variety of offenses. Before the murders, he was a singer-songwriter on the fringe of the Los Angeles music industry, chiefly through a chance association with Dennis Wilson, founding member and drummer of The Beach Boys. After Manson was charged with the crimes he was later convicted of, recordings of songs written and performed by him were released commercially. Artists, including Guns N' Roses, White Zombie and Marilyn Manson, have covered his songs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson

I believe that like many artist he suffered from a anti social issue. I do not believe he realized this to much later in life but that unconscious state of mind shaped him from a young age. That due to his family history of never belonging which formed when he was sent to live with different relatives throughout his young life drove him to became leery of society. Why not, if even your own family disowned you why wold society want you as a whole. Therefor when society as he felt turned on him he became more withdrawn from it as a group. Due to his leadership ability he was able to use take that unconscious state of mind which I believe by then he understood well he was able to lead others to believe in him by portraying the “society doesn’t care, want or need you” to his group of followers but I do.

It seems to me that again as a group artist are more loners in general. They, I have found have very strong leadership abilities and therefor command the interest and followers in a group. I would tell him to use his ability in a positive way. Find what motivates him, his music, his love of leadership and build from that. Not all society is going to treat you fairly but no one is truly alone and their are more positive outlets in society that could use this type of leadership and musical ability. Music soothes the soul use that as your motivation to succeed.

July 25 lecture

I believe that our personality is shaped by our morales, values and life experiences. We through every stage of our life experience life in different ways. Some positive and some negative therefor our personality most definitely is effected from that. I think of a time when I volunteered for an organization for many years, believed in it and worked hard to make it a success. When a new director came in and changed all the policies and outed everyone who was there I found myself very hurt, mad and depressed over the situation. Recently when asked if I would join another volunteer organization those thoughts raced back and I declined. Prior to this my personality drove me to get involved in causes I believe in now my personality says work within your own family and make that your success. I do believe that my personality was altered and feel it will be in other ways as I age.

Mini Assignment 8

Psychodynamic Analysis of Jim Jones

James “Jim" Jones is not a hero of mine. He is simply a fascinating character in history that was able to lead over 900 people to commit mass suicide, 300 of those people being children whose parents willingly poisoned them.

If I were to play with psychodynamic theories regarding the unconscious traits of Jim Jones which led him to be one of the most diabolical characters in American history, I would have to state that his insecurity as a young child would have been the beginnings of his need to be a revolutionary leader. Experiences in his childhood, such as his Mother being harassed by the FBI, led him to form extremely idealized views of society in which he dreamed of leading people out of their oppression through socialism. In the process he would be a loved and admired hero to his followers which appeased his childhood desire for acceptance.

Jim Jones noticed early on in his life that he could manipulate people through their religion. He turned himself into a charismatic religious leader and formed a following of people who looked to him as the center of their new socialist paradise. He wrapped good ideology, such as de-segregation, into a socialist cult where he placed himself as the center of the movement and used sex and power to bind his followers so closely to himself that they joined him a suicidal nightmare.

Jim Jones needed early intervention in his life. He was living in a volatile age when our country was questioning its own ideals because of the opposition to the Vietnam War. People who opposed the war were attracted to socialism and communism and were antagonistic towards American ideals and capitalism. Some, such as Jones, and perhaps those around him actually hated American ideals enough to think that they needed to save our country from the great evil of capitalism. In his later years, he appealed to those who felt racially and economically oppressed. Those people by which he surrounded himself encouraged him in his delusion of grandeur. They knelt to his leadership and agreed with his ideology, feeding his ego, making his need for approval and acceptance (which had eluded him as a child) grow into an abusive beast that overtook his entire personality. He farther secluded himself and his followers and progressed into the horrid creature that sexually and emotionally abused his followers securing their ties to him.

The only salvation for Jim would have come at an early age before his self-esteem was destroyed by apparent torment as a child. He would have needed at least one adult mentor to lead him into a normal socialization pattern. His Mother, whom it appears had her own strong views of the world, likely shaped his image of the outside world and portrayed the larger society around him as being evil and unjust. His childhood dreams of acceptance and revolutionary change progressed into a deep madness with the admiration and commitment of his followers and supporters edging him farther off the precipice. By the time that he was a young adult, his path was set. There would have been little advise that anyone could have given him that would have changed his self destructive path. Unfortunately the political and economic time frame in which he lived led others to follow him on that destructive path.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jones

Indiana beginnings

Jim Jones' first church in Indianapolis, Indiana

In 1951, Jones became a member of the Communist Party USA, and began attending meetings and rallies in Indianapolis.[12] He became flustered with harassment he received during the McCarthy Hearings,[12] particularly regarding an event he attended with his mother focusing on Paul Robeson, after which she was harassed by the FBI in front of her co-workers for attending.[13] He also became frustrated with what he perceived to be ostracism of open communists in the United States, especially during the trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.[14] This frustration, among other things, provoked a seminal moment for Jones in which he asked himself "how can I demonstrate my Marxism? The thought was, infiltrate the church."[12][13]

Jones' interest in religion began during his childhood, primarily because he found making friends difficult, though initially he vacillated on his church of choice.[4] Jones was surprised when a Methodist superintendent helped him to get a start in the church even though he knew Jones to be a communist and Jones did not meet him through the Communist Party.[14] In 1952, Jones became a student pastor in Sommerset Southside Methodist Church, but claims he left that church because its leaders barred him from integrating blacks into his congregation.[12] Around this time, Jones witnessed a faith-healing service at the Seventh Day Baptist Church.[12] He observed that it attracted people and their money and concluded that, with financial resources from such healings, he could help accomplish his social goals.[12]

Jones then began his own church, which changed names until it became the Peoples Temple Christian Church Full Gospel.[12] Jones sold pet monkeys door-to-door to raise funds for his church.[15]

Jones moved away from the Communist Party and Maoists when CPUSA members and Mao Tse-tung became critical of some of the policies of former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.[14]

Deaths in Jonestown

Main article: Jonestown

Later that same day, 909 inhabitants of Jonestown,[89] 303 of them children, died of apparent cyanide poisoning, mostly in and around a pavilion.[90] This resulted in the greatest single loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster until the September 11, 2001 attacks.[91] No video was taken during the mass suicide, though the FBI did recover a 45 minute audio recording of the suicide in progress.[92]

On that tape, Jones tells Temple members that the Soviet Union, with whom the Temple had been negotiating a potential exodus for months, would not take them after the Temple had murdered Ryan and four others at a nearby airstrip.[92] The reason given by Jones to commit suicide was consistent with his previously stated conspiracy theories of intelligence organizations allegedly conspiring against the Temple, that men would "parachute in here on us," "shoot some of our innocent babies" and "they'll torture our children, they'll torture some of our people here, they'll torture our seniors."[92] Parroting Jones' prior statements that hostile forces would convert captured children to fascism, one temple member states "the ones that they take captured, they're gonna just let them grow up and be dummies."[92]

Christine Miller

Given that reasoning, Jones and several members argued that the group should commit "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced grape flavored Flavor-Aid along with a sedative.[92] One member, Christine Miller, dissents toward the beginning of the tape.[92] When members apparently cried, Jones counseled "Stop this hysterics. This is not the way for people who are Socialists or Communists to die. No way for us to die. We must die with some dignity."[92] Jones can be heard saying, "Don't be afraid to die," that death is "just stepping over into another plane" and that "[death is] a friend."[92] At the end of the tape, Jones concludes: "We didn't commit suicide, we committed an act of revolutionary suicide protesting the conditions of an inhumane world."[92] According to escaping Temple members, children were given the drink first and families were told to lie down together.[93] Mass suicide had been previously discussed in simulated events called "White Nights" on a regular basis.[78][94] During at least one such prior White Night, members drank liquid that Jones falsely told them was poison.[78][94]

Jones was found dead in a deck chair with a gunshot wound to his head that Guyanese coroner Cyrill Mootoo stated was consistent with a self-inflicted gun wound.[95] However, Jones' son Stephan believes his father may have directed someone else to shoot him.[96] An autopsy of Jones' body also showed levels of the barbiturate Pentobarbital which may have been lethal to humans who had not developed physiological tolerance.[97] Jones' drug usage (including LSD and marijuana) was confirmed by his son, Stephan, and Jones' doctor in San Francisco.

On December 13, 1973, Jones was arrested and charged with soliciting a man for sex in a movie theater bathroom known for homosexual activity, in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.[98] The man was an undercover Los Angeles Police Department vice officer. Jones is on record as later telling his followers that he was "the only true heterosexual", but at least one account exists of his sexual abuse of a male member of his congregation in front of the followers, ostensibly to prove the man's own homosexual tendencies.[98]

While Jones banned sex among Temple members outside of marriage, he himself voraciously engaged in sexual relations with both male and female Temple members.[99][100] Jones, however, claimed that he detested engaging in homosexual activity and did so only for the male temple adherents' own good, purportedly to connect them symbolically with him (Jones).[99]

One of Jones' sources of inspiration was the controversial International Peace Mission movement leader Father Divine.[101] Jones had borrowed the term "revolutionary suicide"[102] from Black Panther leader and Peoples Temple supporter Huey Newton who had argued "the slow suicide of life in the ghetto" ought to be replaced by revolutionary struggle that would end only in victory (socialism and self determination) or revolutionary suicide (death).

While James “Jim” Jones is not a hero in my eyes, he is a character who fascinates me because of his strong ideals and extraordinary appeal to other people. These strong ideals and his appeal led to the suicide of hundreds of people who also voluntarily killed their own children in the process.

Lecture July 25th

I do not believe that personality changes over time. Our ideas, values , and our vision changes as new information is added, but our personality remains the same. Personality is the underlying foundation that helps us relate to our world.

For example, my oldest daughter Amanda has always been stable and focused and her humor leans towards the serious and rational side. Even though I have seen her world transformed and her values and morals change, her personality is still the same. She is still solid and serious with a mild and steady sense of humor. My oldest son has an entirely different personality. His humor is irrational sometimes, and he is spontaneous and views the world through different lenses than my daughter does. He too has had moral and judgmental transformations, especially after Marine Corps boot camp. But when I am with both of them, I know how each will react to differing situations simply because I know them!

My mother also still recognizes me after thirty years of shifting values and morals and outlooks on life. I am still me. My personality is uniquely mine.

Lecture Notes ~ July 25th

When I reflect back 5 years ago and compare it to where I am today, I definitely see a change in my personality. The core of me has remained the same, but there have been suttle changes. I have just completed 2 1/2 years of schooling in Fairbanks, through Rural Human Services. I have seen so much growth in my life from attending school. There is a part of me that is more out going, more confident, and that comes across in my personality. I now have the mind set that, yes, I can do it! Nothing is impossible to reach for. I have found my voice through schooling and that has changed me, in a positive way. I am still the same person, but I have grown.

July 20th Lecture

I was not able to down load my medicine wheel, so I will write it out:
Physical: 1) Glands in body produce growth hormones. 2) Girls 11-12, body starts to fill out in hips and bust area, changing inward and outwardly. 3) Boys grow taller, leaner, more muscle mass. 4) Becomes interested in sex.
Emotional: 1) Teenagers, when they experience love for the first time (referred to as puppy love), it is really real to them. First time experience, nothing to compare it to. They seem very emotional, dramatic during this time in life. 2) Their brain is going through development (frontal lobe). 3) This effects their ability to make consistent good decisions. 4) Passionate connection to friends.
Mental: 1) Seem to have abstract thought, analyze things, compares, random thoughts. 2) Challenges what parents have told them, begins to make their own decision, based on there own thoughts and reasoning. 3) Funny, insightful and deep thinkers.
Spiritual: 1) Strong family values, strong moral, knows right from wrong. 2) Help them make good choices. 3) Experience it through friends of family members. 4) Not all youth grow up with spiritual influence, but around the age of 25, start asking themselves, "why am I here" and seeking answers.

July 20th lecture

Physical.
Hormone changes
Body changes start to happen (girls bust and hips grow, boys get more muscler and taller
Sexual interest begins
Irrational decisions at time

Emotional
The first true love or puppy love, very dramatic, overwhelming due to the fact they have no comparison
Brain starts developing in different areas which effect the decision and emotional thinking
Friends become very important at times more than family

Mental
Thought process varies from very strong point driven to random at times
Become more defiant wanting to make their own decisions
Attitude changes such as feeling in invincibility

spiritual
The question of what is spirituality and does god exist. When as younger children they just believed as they were told.

July 18th lecture

After working with children involved in youth sports for over eight years it has always amazed me the influence that outside sources especially other children can have on each other. I have seen with group activities that provide a positive influence even with children that have been exposed to negative influences in their lives start to thrive. We as adults sometimes forget that our lives need to slow down and we need to communicate with our children more often. We need to instill the positive influences in their lives as for the most part of the day we have no idea of what they are being exposed to. We need to make sure their emotion needs are meet as well as their physical needs. Due to economics most family’s have both parents employed and due to that fact we are away from our children for the most part of their day. We come home tired, cook dinner, clean, do yard work and other activities that must be done but we forget that we must talk to our children and put our values and morals out their for them to have other choices. A few hours on a busy weekend does not work we need family time so our children develop the trust and family values that will hopefully help them develop more positively. So yes I do agree.

July 20th

Physical

Girls

hormonal changes with increase in estrogen, waist broadens, breasts grow, uterus and ovaries mature, lining of uterus is engorged with blood, "last chance or second chance for the brain" causing rash or impulsive decisions

Boys

hormonal changes with an increase in testosterone, grow taller and leaner, they gain more muscle mass, voice changes, testes grow, interest in women and sex increases, "last chance or second chance for the brain" causing rash or impulsive decisions

Emotional

Girls

attracted to emotional characteristics of boys, drama increases and they experience "puppy love", "last chance or second chance for the brain", abstract thinking, begin to think about relationships and feelings, may feel anger or frustration and may experience loneliness, identity formation takes place

Boys

attracted to physical attributes of girls, increased drama and first instance of "puppy love", "last chance or second chance for the brain" causing rash or impulsive decisions, abstract thinking, begin to think about relationships and feelings, may feel anger or frustration and may experience loneliness, identity formation takes place

Mental

Brain needs more sleep for cognition or it may lead to “hungry, angry, lonely, tired”, cognitive changes take place causing “adolescent ego-centrism” which leads to a belief that one is invincible,

Spiritual

some may experience and think about spirituality, some may gain an awareness of spirituality if it had not been a component of their earlier years

Mini Assignment 7

I loved those videos! Loved them!

I already know what type of senior I want to be! I have a wonderful example in my mother who coached hockey at 58 and 59 and who took a six day raft trip down the Yukon this summer with my kids and I! She just admitted last night that even though she is considered a senior citizen at 60 years old, she doesn't feel like a senior citizen... although she did ask for her senior discount at the state park the other day!

Aging in this day and age is not like it used to be. Health and health care is so good and people are living into their nineties and beyond! We have been guilty of sitting our older folks in rocking chairs and ignoring them. That isn't fair though. My Mom could be told that she needs to slow down and knit table cloths... instead she is doing what she loves! She loves camping and now she has a new interest in rafting the rivers and is making plans to raft the Tanana and the Chena Rivers with the kids and I.

When asked what kind of senior I want to be... I would have to answer that I want to be just like Mom! What an example!

July 18th

The article in our text regarding co-rumination is thought provoking. I do agree that sometimes patterns are shaped in relationships with friends that can influence our emotional well being. Children are especially suseptible to negative influences in their peer relationships. Co-rumination is a concern for parents these days even more so than in the past. Since the institutionalization of schooling amongst the majority of children in our nation and many others, children spend the greatest amount of their time with other children and with adults who are not necessarily personally involved in their emotional world. Today, children are heavily shaped and molded by the influences that surround them in public schools. Parental influence is secondary to the influence of peers and educators. This fact unfortunately leaves children devoid of the positive influence that parents can have on their child's emotional well being. A child that is continuously bombarded with negativity will not thrive unless the parent of the child can balance that negativity with positive influence and guidance. That is not a possibility for many parents who only have a few hours to spare on the weekend and perhaps an hour or two in the evenings after work during the weekday.

mini assignment 7

What type of elder do I want to be. I hope to be like my grandfather who at the age of 94 just passed. He was happy, kind, motivated, still worked his garden played scrabble every weekend and loved the outdoors. I share allot of those characteristics plus the love of taking my grandchild to the park, talking long walks, water skiing and hiking. I hope to remain as active then as I am now.

When people ask me how old I am I honestly think about it. Not that I don’t know but I learned years ago that age is just a number your ability to stay young comes from your attitude. I don’t feel mid 40, don’t act mid 40 and hope to keep feeling this way as I age gracefully I may add.

I want my children and grandchildren to get excited about visiting and the crazy things we may continue to do. The adventures we will do as we continue to travel around. Life is short and I intend on living it to the fullest of my ability.

lecture notes, July 18

 Children's friends that have a negative impact instead of being a positive asset in the lives of their friends, show's me that they have not been encouraged through tough situations themselves. It is important for us to know the friends our children have. It has been said that it is easier for bad influences to bring their friends down to their level, then it is for friends to bring someone from a negative situation up to a positive level. With all the hurdles in the lives of our children, I do not want anyone not even another child to add to the hurdles. I know we can not pick the kids that our children will choose to be friends with, but if we provide our children with the self confidence and awareness of certain things our kids will not feel they need to settle for less then they have come to be familiar with and consider to be normal. My daughter and son if someone were to try to bring them down would feel bad for that kid, in the past when dealing with children that have been rude, or mean or that have said things that were not nice I have explained that they say and do those things because they are experiencing pain somewhere in their lives.

Mini assignment 7

When I begin to enter the later years in my life, I would like to believe I will be as active then as I am today. I do believe in use it or lose it, and you are only as old as you believe you are. My great grandmother lived to be 87 years young. She always said that years young. Until the day that she fell and broke her hip my grandmother was still growing crops in her huge garden, we would go on walks on roads that were not flat at all. After she broke her hip and was bed ridden for a while her health made a turn for the worse and she did not come back from it. It was only a few months and she passed peacefully in her sleep. I always said that I wanted to be just like my great grandmother, full of vitality and a passion for life right up till the day I meet my maker. With quality time with even my great grandchildren. What could be better then that?

Lecture Notes ~ July 18th

After much thought, I believe I agree with the article. Why a friend would help compound another friends worries and insecurities, I do not know. Maybe it is them just thinking through their own feelings and lack of confidence in themselves and wanting their friend to feel the same. Possibly jealously, I am not sure, but I know it happens. I see it in some adults, so it is not just true about adolesents. I personally find that I do not enjoy hanging with real negative people, I prefer to lift others up and encourage them. I like to be believed in and encouraged. Maybe with the children it is a matter of self esteme. Hopefully the majority of them outgrow the negative thoughts and start looking at life in a more positive light.

Mini assignment 7 - due July 24th

You had asked what kind of elder that I want to be when I reach that stage of life. I hope to be a healthy, active, and spontaneous elder. A person who is still capable of thinking and has not lost her ability to remember. I am one of those crazy people, who so far has found each stage of life that I have gone through to be great. Each season of life has it's own beauty and magic. I plan to still hike, kayak, watercolor and draw. I think it is important not to be so consumed with getting older, but with living each day to its fullest potential. I try to. I think each day of life is a gift, and if we are fortunate to live to be an elder we are indeed blessed. Hopefully I will have gained wisdom, laughter,and not take life real serious.
I hope to be the type of elder that people want to be around, that they fill acceptance from me and unconditional love. Life is short, I want to live my life to the fullest! And I think above all, I would like to be known as the elder who lived her faith out through example, not merely empty words.

Mini Assignment 6

I called my Mom and read page 240 to her. We both agreed that when trying to solve math problems or other issues that require concentration then a "bad" mood is necessary. We discussed that the mood isn't necessarily "bad" though. Irritation if someone breaks our concentration might lead one to suspect that a person was in a bad mood. The article brought out the importance of being able to overlook insignificant details. That is a good point if your are making certain decisions such as choosing which brand of orange juice to buy, but when solving a crime details are going to be of the utmost importance. That need for concentration and inner thought leaves us locked into our own world and irritated when others intrude upon our thoughts. We also agreed that some problems are better solved when one is in good humor. Good humor is needed when putting together a new tent with forty-two tent poles in a hail storm. A positive mood is definitely more conducive to solving a problem of that sort! Most daily issues that we face are better solved with a more positive outlook but for the most part, concentration requires a bit of a "bad mood" posture.

Lesson 7

Chapter 8 in our text was a great overview of human development. I have taken PSY F240 which is all about Human Development and so this chapter was a review and recap of that course.

I have always been fascinated with human development! I have raised two children and have three still at home. The amazing thing about children is that they are all so very unique! Every one of them has different personalities, strengths and weaknesses, and likes and dislikes. Nature versus nurture, which is discussed in the very beginning of the chapter is always a subject that is on the forefront of my mind. My two oldest have a different biological father from my three youngest. None of the children know their father well and yet I can see traits in them that remind me so much of their biological fathers that I cringe when I see them displayed! Thankfully, nurture seems to outweigh nature on most fronts.

The brain development of adolescent children caught my interest. It seemed that I had read once that brain development ceased during the teenage years but maybe that is a myth that is taken for a fact these days! As I watched the video that was posted and as I read through the text, I was reminded of how much development actually does take place in the teen years! Their personalities change, their temperaments change, they become more vocal when you can pull them out of their own world and speak with them, and their abilities and comprehension seems to increase. I also noticed that teens need more sleep which has always struck me as being consistent with small children. Teens require as much sleep as toddlers who are also undergoing significant brain growth! Perhaps now when I see my son sleeping peacefully at a quarter past one in the afternoon, I will forgo throwing a shoe at him and let his developing brain get it's rest!

The video of the small child learning sign language reminded me that we sometimes take what we read in texts as fact. Piaget did not give infants credit for recognition of symbols and words until the preoperational stage. The video of the baby very clearly associating sign language with words is eye opening. I think that we need to recognize that even though the theories that we read and study in these courses are foundational, they will eventually be redefined as new information comes to light. This video shows that we may have underestimated the amazing workings of the infant brain and their astounding capacity to learn... if they have a mother with astounding patience, time, and energy anyhow!

Another fun topic that I read through with a smile on my face was the gender development section. I think that in order to be politically correct we are trying to throw out the nature aspect in relation to gender. While I agree that there are barriers within gender roles that need to be broken down when it comes to the equality of the sexes, there is truth to the age old statement that "boys will be boys!". I have two girls and three boys. My girls are raised to play hockey, gut fish, and stack wood right along with my sons. My sons know how to cook and they can load laundry into a wash machine. As a single mom who has had to fill the role of mother and father for my children, my children know that there is not much that a man can do that a woman cannot also do. They have seen it displayed daily. There is still an underlying difference in my girls and boys though. To deny their differences would be an injustice to who they are as people!

July 11th lecture

My son and I took the images in figure 7.4 and worked on them for over an hour. The funny thing was that only the candle problem was the one both of us solved. The dots we talked about it and drew it many of times trying to figure it out until we were both frustrated. The matches did not fair as well either. We got our box of matches out and configured them over and over again and just could not find the answer. We had to laugh when we saw the answers of how simple the answers were if we just would of thought outside the box.

Mini Assignment 6

I read this assignment with one of my co-workers and we both agreed that it would depend on the task at hand if we were to have better outcomes being angry or happy. Working with numbers all day if I get upset or agitated I can not get my spreadsheet to total the sums I need no matter what I do. However if I am calm and relaxed I seem to always be able to find the sum I need. She on the other hand finds that if she gets upset when her projects do not add up she can find the sum easier because she focuses just on the task at hand.

I believe that in a calm and relaxed state of mind we think more logically and are more sure of our decisions. In the other option of being upset or mad we are impulsive, irrational and unclear of our decisions and actions. I would prefer at any time to hand work in that was done while my nature was calm vs upset. I would agree very strongly with Alice Isen’s study just based solely of my own personal experiences.

lesson 7

   Exploring human development is to me the most interesting topic I've come across this far in the experience psychology class. How amazing and complex creatures we humans are. From the first moment of conception through every footstep of our journey on this planet we continue to develop nonstop always learning always growing till the last breath we take in. How amazing it is that we begin our journey as a microscopic single cell that goes on to begin the development process from a precious infant in only 9 months to an ongoing miraculous creature with endless possibilities. Some of the things that were mentioned in the lesson are explanations of personal experiences. Clarity if you will, things like, The little girl with the beaker in figure 8.8, reminded me of my daughter during her preoperational stage of development. My daughter was carrying her plate to the sink from the dinner table and I reminded her to be careful not to drop her dish because it is breakable, and I can remember like it was only yesterday her face as she looked up at me and asked "Mommy, will it break if I drop it on accident?" Her concept of something she had never experienced before was simply her imagination rather then logic. At the age of 9 she has since crossed over into the concrete operational stage. She now has become one of the best critical thinking, logical, and intelligent individuals I have had in my life. Now that is only one of a great many experiences in the beginning of one individuals stages of development.
   I guess I would have to say that something else I liked reading about in this lesson was what I got from reading about resilient children. I'm sure I am not the only one that has experienced hardships or difficult times when children were indirectly involved in something difficult to understand. There is nothing more unbearable to a mother then to see a child sad and having no immediate cure for them. A mothers understanding and compassionate heart, words of encouragement and an ear for listening, those are the best methods to promote healing and develop life skills needed to be resilient and overcome the disappointments life brings our way sometimes. A child needs to feel security so they have nothing holding them back. If a child knows that no matter what happens he will not be alone a child can be better motivated to move forward and have fewer doubts about them selves. There is too many things to share about this subject. I could go on forever and not run out of stories. Reason being that as we develop, we experience, as we experience we learn, as we learn we live till our very last breath.

mini assignment 7

I read this theory with my son. How funny this kid is. After reading this intersection the first thing he said, is " I like orange juice." He was kidding however. Actually I was impressed by what he had to say. My 14 year old son stated that he thinks that this reading is incorrect. I have to agree actually. He believes that "in a more calm state of mind, people have a more logical and well thought perspective in the ways of thinking." This is his actual wording. I agree, how many times have we been hit with a curve ball in day to day life? I know from my life's experience I have been prone to make irrational decisions when my emotions have been shaken up. However, I can see in a way maybe how they have reached this conclusion. When I have been upset over something and can't seem to shake it from my mind, all I can do is think and think and think about everything and every angle just trying to understand. When I am happy and have no worries I have also found myself in a comfortable state of being and have made decisions like buying things maybe I shouldn't, or telling my kids that they can do something with out truly thinking things through. I think that in bad moods, or happy moods either one, we can make bad decisions, and we can also make good decisions.

July 13th lecture

Does gender influence language? Hmmm, I have to say that I don't exactly agree that women speak more than a man does. I have to say that I am a pretty avid talker, I have been known to even talk in my sleep. However, in my experience through life, I have also know men that I couldn't get a word into a conversation at all. Beings I talk a lot and enjoy doing so, it can be very irritating to try to have a conversation that is one sided. When comparing this with my son and daughter, this theory would apply. My son is very quiet and keeps more to himself, and my daughter is quite a chatter box. So I believe personality would play a huge roll in determining whether the male or female sex would be more talkative.

Mini Assignment 6

My husband and I read the assignment together. Half way through the reading I stopped and asked him how he felt about what I had just read. It was surprising how similar our thoughts and opinions were. We both disagreed strongly with there findings. Especially the statement that people with negative moods are more likely to think things through carefully, reaching conclusions based on logic. Everything they were stating as facts, we felt just the opposite. We know from our own personal experience that when we are upset, we make irrational decisions, our think is not logical and we are more apt to make mistakes. Once we have had the chance to calm down and think things through calmly, we can make better decisions.
It was funny when we started to read Alice Isen's study and how much we agreed with her. All of her statement were right on target, in our opinion. We could relate to them and apply them to our lives. What she was writing seems like common sense to us.

Lesson 7

I enjoyed the reading in chapter 8 and especially the videos. I feel the videos gave a more in-depth understanding of each age group. It was fascinating to me to see the changes in a child between the ages of 5 -8. How different their thinking and ability to make decisions became in a few short years. As I watched, I thought of different children I come into contact with daily and where they are in their thinking process. It has helped me to understand their actions better. Take for example young teenagers and how daring and impulsive they are. When the book and video explained the growing stages of the frontal cortex, which continues to grow into early adulthood, that helped me to understand their actions more clearly. It appears their emotions seem to overpower their logic at times and they may seem to be immature. It even had me reflecting back to my youth and the different statements my parents had made about acting "grown up" and "don't be so childish" when I had giggling sessions with my girlfriends. Outwardly I was growing up but internally I was still trying to figure things out. Maybe it is not so much a matter of being disobedient, but trying to figure life and choices out. I know through watching this video I fell more compassion and understanding for our youth.

In the book, they have portrayed aging as a positive part of life. Society, at least in the United States, does not place a high value on the elderly. I'm afraid in general, the attitude is to place them in nursing homes, or somehow just to remove them from our lives. Other countries put us to shame in this particular area. As the human race continues to extend its life span, hopefully this tradition of "out of sight, out of mind" will change. They are proving over and over that the older brain still functions well, still is alert and capable of learning. I have learned through reading that I need to stimulate my thinking, do activities, keep busy and I will live a fuller life. I was pleased to see that a high percent of older people are happy and content in the later years. I feel we are starting to take away the negative stigma of aging.

July 11 2011 lecture

I made a copy of each of the problems in figure 7.4. I gave my daughter and my son a copy and I had one as well. We each tried to solve the problems on our own and then together. We figured out the center problem with the nine dots, talk about thinking outside the box. The solutions were actually not difficult at all after looking at the answers. I must have a one track mind because with the match sticks I tried every way I thought possible and came up with only a headache. The candle box was not what I was thinking either. I guess I need to sharpen up on my critical thinking, and problem solving skills because I didn't do so well. Hope you all had better luck then I did. :(

Mini Assignment 5

It was a very interesting video as the person moved very quickly but what struck me was how much he looked like my nephew. Maybe that is why I didn’t find really that anyone looked like the bomber I saw. However, not being told that he may not be in the lineup I choose one of the persons of interest. I was wrong but even then I could see how not being given all the information may lead you to a false conclusion. Due to the fact that you were not given an option to not choose a person you are lead to believe he is in this lineup.

Finding a person guilty of something they did not commit would cause me personally shame, quilt and many sleepless nights. I do think from this exercise that we will remember this if we are ever in a situation to have to pick someone out of a lineup. However, will this cause us to question our decisions to the point of not being able to pick someone even if our strongest emotions tell us he or she is that person?

Mini Assignment #5

I watched the video, looked at the line up and choose the person I thought looked most like the bomber. When I entered his number and the results came back, I was surprised at how shocked, betrayed and set up I felt. Those were my initial feelings. Then I reflected on how I had indeed chose the wrong person, as none of the gentlemen were the guilty party. I think it is extremely important to point out to the person looking at the line up, that these are suspects, the guilty person may or may not be among them. The video we watched did not lead us in that direction. It led us to believe that the bomber was one of the men in the lineup.

I am shocked and ashamed at my naming him as the person. What if that had been a real life experience? I believe from this exercise, I will defiantly be more aware of how faulty a person's memory might be. Hopefully when a crime is involved, they look at more than just the line up, they look for additional information to confirm the guilt. I think this exercise will stay in my memory for many years to come.

BF Skinner

I found Mr. Skinner's video on reinforcement an interesting theory but definitely not factual. He has tried to present it as a fact, but I was not convinced at all. I believe as human beings, we all have the ability to think and choose, that we all have a free will. This free will starts as infants and continues throughout our entire life. I believe our environment, families, genes, associates and cultures play an important part in our decision making. He has taken all these factors away and claims it is all based on reinforcement. True, reinforcement can be a powerful tool to teach others, but it certainly does not replace a person's ability to choose. Their human mind is so much greater than a tiny, small pigeon's. To compare both as equals, as his theory suggests, is unrealistic to me.

Martin Seligman

I ended up watching this video twice because it contained so much information. There were two different areas that he talked about that really made me think. The first one was about what he called "Positive Psychology". This is where the "normal" person" may need help in learning how to fulfill different areas in their lives. He was saying that people who are considered normal, but would like their lives to be more fulfilling were just as important as those with mental problems. That somehow the "normal" people were being neglected. I don't think they are equal at all. I think the person with the mental problems have a much greater need of help, to just survive. I think the "normal" person's desires for greater fulfillment, to improve their strengths which already exist or continue building for the betterment of their lives is important. I commend their desire and agree that their wants and desires are very important, but they are not life threatening nor does their daily existence depend on getting better. In my opinion, they are not equal in there degree of need.

I also enjoyed his discussion about happiness. I agreed with him on the three stages, of what makes a happy life. The pleasant life was very superficial and enticing, the the good life, where he used Len's life as an example was very interesting. I was really pleased to hear that what society said that was needed to make you complete, such as a meaningful relationship is not always true. Len was very content and happy where he is in life. The third was indeed my favorite, the meaningful life. I found this one to be true in my personal life. No matter what is going on in my life, giving of one's self is the most rewarding and fulfilling experience there is in life. When I became a widow in my early 30's, that was one way that I healed. Through learning to help others, to get involved in their lives and become less focused on mine. It was my faith and my focus on others that brought me through. I really enjoyed the video with Mr. Seligman, he gave me a lot to think about.