Behavior is our outward actions; mental is our inward actions. We act and think in order to describe, explain, predict, and control the world around us. Psychology helps us to better understand ourselves, others, and the world around us. It is the tool necessary to explain all the questions that float in our heads but that we never really search to discover answers to. What can psychology do for us? It can help us gain understanding, deal with stresses, communicate, learn, and teach us the connection we have between mind and body. Psychology: the true reason each of us is an individual.
Chapter 1 - Gestalt Psychology
Explanation of Topic
Gestalt psychology is a German word that means “good form” or “good figure”. It is a form of psychology that formed into a movement. Many psychologists devoted their work to studying this new perception on how the mind and body work. Basically, gestalt psychology is a psychology that focuses on a comparison between the whole and it's parts, hence the phrase commonly heard “the whole and the sum of it's parts”. It states that people interpret information as a whole, not as individual parts. When separate parts are put together in the mind to create a whole, in a comparison of whole versus parts as to which is greater, the whole would overwhelmingly be selected.
Relevance in My Life
Gestalt psychology became my interest focus as a result of a lecture given in my advertising copy and layout class, as well as past art classes. It is a concept widely used in graphic design when discussing media placements. An advertisement is the sum of its parts and out first response is to the effect of the advertisement as a whole; therefore, it is very important that one greatly concentrates and plans placement of each individual object placed, as well as the vehicle for media interaction with the advertisement. Many artists greatly study gestalt psychology to gain a better understanding and knowledge as to how to successfully plan media, advertisements, and personal art pieces in a way that is most pleasing and attractive to audiences. Since I was once a graphic design major, and still currently hold it as a minor in hopes to work later in advertising, it is important that I too study the importance of the whole versus the sum of its individual parts to aid me in my own works.
Chapter 2 - Somatic Nervous System
Explanation of Topic
The word soma stands for body; therefore, is used a lot in psychology, in this case, when referring to the somatic nervous system. The somatic nervous system is responsible for carrying messages from the nerves to the central nervous system and from the central nervous system to the muscles of the body. This allows voluntary muscle movement, or those muscles that are responsible for movement of the skeleton. Although these muscles are referred to as muscles moved voluntarily, stimuli can cause responses, such as reflex responses, that cause the body to move involuntarily. They are referred to as voluntary, though, because they can move at will, but are not limited to only voluntary movements.
Relevance in My Life
The somatic nervous system relates to me through its influence on my life through soccer. I currently play for the Winthrop Women's Club Soccer Team, as well as for the Rock Hill Soccer League. For this reason, the somatic nervous system is relevant to me more than it may be to others who may not participate competitively in a sport. Most days I can be found jogging campus or practicing on a field somewhere in preparation for the spring season approaching, so an effectively working somatic nervous system is important to my ability to move and to train. I'm a very active person when it comes to soccer and I put my best attempt into it, so if I were unable to move, play, and train, I'd be miserable. I was unable to play when I tore my hip flexor and it was agony to watch my team without me; if my somatic nervous system did not properly work, I can only imagine how bad it would be for me.
Chapter 5 - Positive Reinforcement
Explanation of Topic
Positive reinforcement is a type of response in which, instead of being taught/trained by means of consequences, one is taught by means of gaining rewards/incentives. In positive reinforcement, a consequence is presented dependent on a behavior. The behavior becomes more likely to occur because and only because the consequence is presented dependent on the behavior. Without an incentive, the behavior is not likely to occur. It is also important that the incentive be a valuable one; the more the person/animal desires the reward, the harder they will work towards gaining it. An example of positive reinforcement is when a performance ends and the audience claps in recognition and respect of the hard work and well done job of the performers.
If three people graduate with degrees in psychology from the same university, how many of them shave even the most basic concept of what life is, or is about, or where it began, or where it's going, or why?
If only life were as simple as a single life. If only the universe were so linear. If only it could be discovered with a single equation or a book or a "magic man" to cure all the ills in a single moment, provided you say the "magic" words before you pass away. The Galaxy is only a tinsy part of our overall hunan existence. How much more exists we completely unaware of.
Developing an awareness of one's feelings and their origin in our past life history is a prerequisite to even begin to understand the overwhelming magnitude of the Super Galaxy our little galaxy whirls within. A super galaxy firmly implanted in a much larger cosmic structure itself probably within an even larger structure.
It's ridiculous to think "we" (Einstein, Jung, Freud, Shakespeare, even George Carlin) have even begun to understand or comprehend the depth of the Aetherical ocean in which we blunder. Isn't that why people create an image of their fears, hates, desire, rules, unseen boundaries, unexpressed feelings and such in an external entity, then worship that entity as if it does embody all there is?
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siggma at trbailey.net