What did you like about the class?
It was interesting and I learned a lot.
What was your favorite activity or project?
I liked the brain activity.
What didn't you like about the class?
I didn't like the Chapter at a Glance. They did not seem to benefit me very much.
What do you think I should leave out next year?
Chapter at a glance. I took a long time and didn't help me very much. I liked the STTS better.
Do you have any suggestions or ideas for things I could do next year in AP Psych?
Watch more psychology movies. They were very informative.
Do you have any suggestions or ideas for next semester in AP Econ?
Don't give very many essays.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Article Research- Melatonin for Sleep
Melatonin As A “Greener” Sleep Aid?
By Alicia Sparks January 7, 2009
Midweek Mental Greening
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been trying melatonin as a sleep aid – not every night, mind you, but here and there.
You probably have a working knowledge of melatonin. It’s the hormone your brain’s pineal gland produces at night, when it’s dark and your body needs rest. Thus, melatonin helps your body know the difference between day and night and lends a hand with your circadian timing and sleep cycles.
Though it may not be the most environmentally green sleep aid around (your body produces it naturally but, hey, if you’re taking it orally, that means someone else is manufacturing, bottling, and selling it and it’s no longer natural – it’s synthetic) melatonin definitely seems preferable to traditional prescription and other over-the-counter sleep aids as far as greening your mind and body are concerned.
The fewer chemicals we can get away with the better, in my opinion.
The Mayo Clinic graded melatonin’s effectiveness with an “A” for jet lag, and a “B” for delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), insomnia in elderly people, sleep disturbances in children with neuro-psychiatric disorders, and sleep enhancement for people who are normally pretty healthy.
My own personal experience? I love it. The directions for the melatonin strips I purchased recommended taking the strips immediately before bedtime; however, I usually took them about a half an hour before hitting the sheets. Fortunately, my rebellious behavior didn’t seem to affect the success of the melatonin – each night I used the strips, I fell asleep more easily and slept through the entire night.
That’s a pretty big deal for me.
The Mayo Clinic also provides information about dosing and ssafety - as do numerous other resources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) - but as always it’s best to clear it with your doctor before trying anything new. As far as I know, the FDA does not regulate melatonin production, so you should definitely discuss the amount you take – and how long you take it – with a medical professional.
So, what about you? Do you have any experiences – good or bad – with using melatonin as a sleep aid?
I found this article interesting because I had always wondered how people with severe sleeping disorders were able to get sleep and be able to function properly in society. This new solution can also help with jetlag which is a major plus for people traveling long distances. I also like the fact that they are researching medicines for sleep that are produced naturally in the body instead of the mixes of chemicals that are often sold. The fact that there are no known side effects when taken properly. This might be something for me to look into for my trip to Greece this Summer.
By Alicia Sparks January 7, 2009
Midweek Mental Greening
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been trying melatonin as a sleep aid – not every night, mind you, but here and there.
You probably have a working knowledge of melatonin. It’s the hormone your brain’s pineal gland produces at night, when it’s dark and your body needs rest. Thus, melatonin helps your body know the difference between day and night and lends a hand with your circadian timing and sleep cycles.
Though it may not be the most environmentally green sleep aid around (your body produces it naturally but, hey, if you’re taking it orally, that means someone else is manufacturing, bottling, and selling it and it’s no longer natural – it’s synthetic) melatonin definitely seems preferable to traditional prescription and other over-the-counter sleep aids as far as greening your mind and body are concerned.
The fewer chemicals we can get away with the better, in my opinion.
The Mayo Clinic graded melatonin’s effectiveness with an “A” for jet lag, and a “B” for delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), insomnia in elderly people, sleep disturbances in children with neuro-psychiatric disorders, and sleep enhancement for people who are normally pretty healthy.
My own personal experience? I love it. The directions for the melatonin strips I purchased recommended taking the strips immediately before bedtime; however, I usually took them about a half an hour before hitting the sheets. Fortunately, my rebellious behavior didn’t seem to affect the success of the melatonin – each night I used the strips, I fell asleep more easily and slept through the entire night.
That’s a pretty big deal for me.
The Mayo Clinic also provides information about dosing and ssafety - as do numerous other resources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) - but as always it’s best to clear it with your doctor before trying anything new. As far as I know, the FDA does not regulate melatonin production, so you should definitely discuss the amount you take – and how long you take it – with a medical professional.
So, what about you? Do you have any experiences – good or bad – with using melatonin as a sleep aid?
I found this article interesting because I had always wondered how people with severe sleeping disorders were able to get sleep and be able to function properly in society. This new solution can also help with jetlag which is a major plus for people traveling long distances. I also like the fact that they are researching medicines for sleep that are produced naturally in the body instead of the mixes of chemicals that are often sold. The fact that there are no known side effects when taken properly. This might be something for me to look into for my trip to Greece this Summer.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Disorder Letter
Hi best friend,
College is going great for me. My binders are perfectly organized, and all of the files on my laptop are sorted into very specific folders. There are no stray files or files without detailed names. I recently bought some file cabinets so that I can keep my old papers organized. My half of the dorm is very neat. I even sorted my clothes so that I have one set of clothes for each day of the week. My roommate's half of the room on the other hand is a mess. All of his papers and clothes are lying around, and his bed sheets are always wrinkled. He even has food lying around everywhere. It annoys me a lot.
Zach
College is going great for me. My binders are perfectly organized, and all of the files on my laptop are sorted into very specific folders. There are no stray files or files without detailed names. I recently bought some file cabinets so that I can keep my old papers organized. My half of the dorm is very neat. I even sorted my clothes so that I have one set of clothes for each day of the week. My roommate's half of the room on the other hand is a mess. All of his papers and clothes are lying around, and his bed sheets are always wrinkled. He even has food lying around everywhere. It annoys me a lot.
Zach
Personality Tests
Jung Typology Test:
Results: I am an ENFJ (33% extraverted/88% intuitive/62% feeling/44% judging)
I am: modertately expressed extravert
very expressed intuitive personality
distinctively expressed feeling personality
moderately expressed judging personality
This was a true/false test.
Reaction/Problem: This was fairly accurate, but would have been more accurate if there were inbetween choices.
Wanna Test Your EQ?:
Results: Your Score: 50
45 - 54
Congratulations! You have very high emotional intelligence. This is good news! EQ counts for twice as much as IQ and technical skills combined in determining who will be a star performer. Your level of EQ likely has been and will be a driver of your high performance for years to come. Areas to work on: While you are doing well - don't forget to take time out of your busy day-to-day activities to stop and reflect on what brings you the greatest meaning in your life.
This test was a short agree-disagree test. There were 5 degrees of answers for each question.
Problem: It did not have an unemployed option.
Reaction: It seemed pretty accurate.
Explain Your Brain- Attractiveness Test:
Results: Your overall average rating of attractiveness was 3.70, and the average rating by others is 3.77.You tended to rate the pictures presented as about as attractive as the average person.
This was a long test.
Problem/Reaction: The results are unrepresentative of me and hard to understand.
The Big Five Personality Test:
Results:
-Extraversion-60
Low scorers tend to be reserved and serious.
-Agreeableness-78
High scorers tend to be compassionate, good-natured, and eager to cooperate and avoid conflict.
-Conscientiousness-92
High scorers tend to be responsible and well-organized. They have high standards and work hard to achieve their goals.
-Neuroticism-32
Low scorers tend to be secure, generally relaxed even under stressful conditions, and worry little.
-Openness to Experience-93
High scorers tend to be open to new experiences. They have broad interests and are imaginative.
Problem: This test was very long.
Reaction: The results of this test were hit and miss. When it was accurate (most of the time), it was very accurate, but when it was wrong, it was off by a fairly large margin.
Big Seven Personality Test:
Results:
-Ambition 4.40(High) People who score similar to you in Ambition appear self-confident in social situations and freely express their opinions and wishes.
-Sociability 3.80(High) People who score similar to you in Sociability see themselves as talkative, animated, and outgoing.
-Likeability 4.50(High) People who score similar to you on Likeability see themselves as very sympathetic and kind.
-Prudence 3.00(Medium) People who score similar to you on Prudence tend to be achievement oriented but make sure to take time out for an earned break.
-Adjustment 3.70(High) People who score similar to you on Adjustment tend to handle pressure and tension well.
-School Success 4.70(High) People who score similar to you on School Success prefer to break new ground and challenge tradition.
-Intellectance 4.70(High) People who score similar to you on Intellectance tend to be creative, imaginative, and inquisitive about your world.
Problems- Some of the questions were repetive.
Reaction: I think that this test gave the most accurate representation of my personality out of all of the tests.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Anxiety Disorders Case Study #3
Case Study 3: Bert is 40 years old and works on an assembly line in a brush factory. He is terribly afraid of being contaminated by germs. He avoids shaking hands with others. He won’t eat in the cafeteria. He has trouble leaving the bathroom because he isn’t sure he has washed his hands well enough.
Bert's fear of contamination is a clear cut example of a specific phobia. His case is very severe, causing isolation from others and a limited lifestyle. This phobia also causes a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, evidenced by his repeated handwashing, directly stemming from his avoidance of germs.
I think that the most effective form of therapy for Bert would be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which can also be called systematic desensitization or exposure. In this method, Bert would systematically face his fears. He would first imagine facing his fear, and then he would build on that until he could face his fear in real life without any major symptoms.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Abraham Lincoln and Melancholia
Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky on February 12th, 1809. He was our president during the Civil War. His mother died early in his life, and his father was a fronteirsman. Lincoln was mostly self educated, and he became a lawyer in 1837. Later, he served four terms in the Illinois House Of Representatives. In 1842, Abe Lincoln married Mary Todd, and they had four sons. Only one of them, Robert, survived into adulthood. Abraham Lincoln became our sixteenth president on March 4, 1861. He was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865.
Lincoln had severe depression throughout his life, starting when his mother died. The death of his younger sister led him to feel like he was alone in the world. The death of his first girlfriend, Ann Rutledge, in 1835, along with his tense relations with Mary Todd led him to at times become suicidal. The stress of the presidency and of the war also contributed to his depression. His favorite son, Willie, died in 1862. Lincoln's depression came during periods of intense depression, followed by larger spans of more mild depression.
I believe that depression, otherwise known as melancholia, is a very serious disease; not only can it cause you to turn inward and lose your friends and happiness, it can cost you your job and reputation, and if it is severe enough, your life. Lincoln was an exceptional man. He was able to rein in his severe depression throughout his life and become one of our country's great presidents. Lincoln's condition was only known to his close friends. Suprisingly, given the severity of his depression, he was able to keep it in check and hide it from the public. The fact that he was able to do this by sheer force of will without any of the modern anti-depressant drugs is truly amazing.
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