Psychology

© Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

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Jun 30, 2008

discipline in the womb

A couple of psychologists are debating whether pregnant mothers and expectant fathers can discipline their unborn babies.


Dr Grace Kelly of the Northern Caribbean University says that discipline begins long before the birth of the child, with the parents.

She says parents should realize that discipline is critical to the pre-natal and early development of the children, and can impact children in a positive or negative way. She advises parents to discipline the unborn child by reading, talking, and playing appropriate music during pregnancy.

On the other hand, Dr Garth Lipps of the University of the West Indies says no child can be disciplined in the womb. He does say that there is some evidence that personality is genetically based, and can be transmitted from mother to the child.

Marleen McCalla, who works at the Early Stimulation Plus Basic School, also believes that discipline starts in the womb. She says that the unborn child recognises the voice of his/her parents. "Even though the unborn child cannot talk, it can hear the parents, so discipline is very essential at this stage," says McCalla.

If you can indeed discipline your child in the womb, then it's never to early to teaching them to mind their P’s and Q’s!

Related Articles:

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Jun 13, 2008

letter from an introvert

This is a great letter from a reader, who describes his introverted personality traits and how people react to him. They want him to change, which is just plain wrong.


Dear Laurie,

Every one of those articles written on introverted people describe me perfectly. I already knew I was introverted but it just confirms the fact.

It seems most people are extroverts and outgoing and that’s just not me no matter how many times I try to be. I was told that using being introverted is an excuse for not being outgoing but I am what I am. Sometimes, people think something is wrong with me because I am not as outgoing as they are and they don't understand it. They usually feel like I need to change who I am in order to fit in and that doesn’t work.

For instance, I don’t always immediately return phone calls or answer the phone period when people call. If I call them back, it's usually on my time when I'm not writing my books (probably another introverted activity). People have been upset with me because I don’t like talking on the phone all the time. It's hard to get extroverts to understand me and it is frustrating at times!

This has affected my dating life. I am a male and most women don’t make the first move. If people talk to me, then I can talk a lot but I don’t usually initiate conversations and it feels uncomfortable to do so. Again, I've tried practicing it but it's not working how I thought it would!

I'm 27 and I still have yet to find a way to cope with my introverted personality. Some guy told me you can unlearn being introverted but I don’t see it...or feel it! I just wanted to get your opinion on this and I'd appreciate your time!

Sincerely,

Mr. Introverted

To Mr Introverted & all the introverts out there, read How to Accept Your Introverted Personality Traits & live happily ever after!
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Jun 7, 2008

it's healthy not to talk about it

New research from the University at Buffalo shows that you don't have to talk about it to stay emotionally healthy.


Psychologist Mark Seery researched the effects of talking about a traumatic event versus not talking about it, and found that not talking about feelings can actually be healthy.

He compared the mental and physical health symptoms of "talkers" versus "non-talkers", and found that the non-talkers were actually healthier than the talkers. This was a surprising finding, since the general consensus is that we should talk about our feelings, especially after a traumatic event.

"This perfectly exemplifies the assumption in popular culture, and even in clinical practice, that people need to talk in order to overcome a collective trauma," Seery says. "Instead, we should be telling people there is likely nothing wrong if they do not want to express their thoughts and feelings after experiencing a collective trauma. In fact, they can cope quite successfully and, according to our results, are likely to be better off than someone who does want to express his or her feelings."

Psychology Articles About Healthy Communication:



Source:
"It's Okay to Keep Those Feelings Inside." University at Buffalo News Centre (Press Release). June 1, 2008.
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May 28, 2008

breakfast improves mental health

Dieticians have recently found that breakfast improves mental health. Combine this with different scents every morning, and you'll build a better brain in no time!


You may know that eating breakfast helps you lose weight (you're theoretically less hungry during the day if you eat breakfast, leading you to eat less all day) -- but did you know that breakfast can improve your mental health?

The Dieticians Association of Australia report that a high quality breakfast, with foods from at least three food groups, is linked with better mental health in teens. If it works for kids, it can be beneficial for adults too!

I've also read that sniffing different scents every morning improves cognitive functioning. So, eating different breakfasts from different food groups may make you smarter, happier, and more pleasant to be around. To kickstart your brain, try blue cheese on toast with a banana on the side, or the more traditional granola, blueberries, and yoghurt.

The key is variety - just like the spice of life.

For more psychology articles about brain health, read:

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May 12, 2008

she was born a flirt

Some people are born to flirt, & others learn it. Research shows that flirting follows a natural pattern that most of us follow in heterosexual relationships.


Have you ever met a natural flirt? He winks at waitresses, grins at colleagues, and makes long, steady eye contact with potential partners. Or, she has a natural way of relaxing people, touching them on the arm or shoulder, and encouraging strangers to talk to her.

Researchers have discovered the 5 Stages of Flirting, which range from eye contact (usually initiated by the woman) to body synchronization. Most of these behaviors are natural -- not learned -- but once you know them, you're more likely to engage in them.

If you're a natural flirt but sometimes wonder if others are flirting with you, you may want to know the Signs of Flirting.

And during the whole flirting game, you may wonder Why We Fall in Love.

Happy flirting!
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May 8, 2008

what Oprah says about failure

Failure - and rejection, which often feels like failure - is one of the hardest obstacles to overcome. Here's what Oprah says about failure, & a few helpful articles.


Me, I'm not worried about failure as much as rejection. Failure, I can attribute to not trying hard enough, or going too fast, or being too impulsive.

But rejection cuts a little deeper.

Here's what Oprah has to say about failure. If you're like me and find that rejection stings more than failure, try substituting the word "rejection" instead of the word "failure" in the following inspirational quotation from Oprah.

“Most of us are certainly uncomfortable with, if not terrified of, failure. We think it defines us. It does not,” says Oprah Winfrey. “Like every other experience, failure is defined by our reaction to it. Failures can be God’s little whispers; other times, they are full earthquakes erupting in our lives because we didn’t listen to the whispers.”

Does that help? If not, here's some articles about goals, failure, & rejection:

Oprah also says, “Failure is just a way for our lives to show us that we’re moving in the wrong direction, that we should try something different. It holds no more power than we give it.”

That's true with most things in life: they hold no more power than you give it.

That's not only cool, it's empowering.

"Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett
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Apr 26, 2008

the benefits of art therapy

Art therapy, such as painting, arranging photographs, sculpting, or drawing can ease psychological distress and chronic pain.


If you're struggling with grief, chronic pain, or major life changes, consider art therapy. Admittedly, I've never tried it myself -- but I would! There's something really cool about creating a picture, photo, or clay sculpture out of raw materials...especially if you can dip into your soul and let your personality peek out.

"Words may not be enough to express the physical and psychological distress of people suffering from chronic pain. People often feel safer containing these 'unspeakable' feelings within artwork," says Heather Cameron, an art therapist in Vancouver, BC.

Making art strengthens your sense of self and contributes to feelings of normalcy. Plus it’s relaxing. Creativity increases serotonin levels and reduces stress; it also improves blood pressure and heart rate.

If you're dealing with a recent disease, art therapy can help create a new "post-illness identity." You can explore how angry, frustrated, and sad you are -- and explore the ways your life has changed. Making art is effective either individually or in groups; Cameron finds groups especially beneficial because they offer social support and peer understanding.
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Apr 16, 2008

how hair reveals personality

A man's hair says alot about his personality traits, if he fits into the profile. But what about this guy?


He lives in my community, he rides a Harley, he wears leather chaps and a leather jacket, and he wears huge mirror sunglasses mostly on top of his head.

What kind of hair do you think he has? Does he have a shaved head, or a mohawk?

Neither. He has long, golden tresses. He has GORGEOUS hair -- it's thick and curly, and hangs almost all the way to his backside. He has hair that a hair model would envy. He could be in commercials, tossing his head and telling us how much he loves Pantene.

What does his hair say about his personality? He's definitely not a conformist, and he likes to stand out. He likes the feel of long hair, and he must not mind it blowing in the wind. He keeps it clean and shiny and healthy looking. I wonder if he blow dries it?

Did I mention he carries a knife in his belt? A big bowie knife or something. That's so people don't laugh at his hair.

Anyway, to learn about what a man's hairstyle says about his personality, try How Men's Hair Reveals Personality. To learn about reading body language through women's hair, read What Your Hairstyle Says About You.

These are general theories from a great book called Reading People; they may not hold true for every individual, everywhere.
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Apr 9, 2008

Top 10 Articles About Love

These psychology articles range from "how to say I love you" to sexual arousal rates in women and men -- and cover everything in between!


These are the most popular psychology articles about love and relationships. If you can't find what you're looking for, email me and I'll find what you need.

Top 10 Articles About Love

  1. Why We Fall in Love
  2. Three Stages of Love
  3. Introverts & Extroverts in Love
  4. 64 Ways to Say "I Love You"
  5. Marriage Advice for Long-Term Love
  6. Kids' Thoughts on Love
  7. Surviving an Extramarital Affair
  8. 7 Signs of Addictive Relationships
  9. Emotional Affairs
  10. 5 Easy Ways to Say "I Love You"
  11. The Psychology of Love
  12. Men and Women's Sexual Arousal Rates
Okay, it was supposed to be the top 10 articles about love -- but I got carried away. Enjoy the love fest!
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Apr 5, 2008

I'm glad I'm not a ....

In his book called The Pursuit of Happiness, David Myers describes the use of sentence completion to increase life satisfaction. Here's how it works.


"Frustration arises from the gap between expectations and attainments. When your expectations are fulfilled by your attainments, and when your desires are reachable at your income, you feel satisfied rather than frustrated," says Dave Myers in The Pursuit of Happiness.

He describes an experiment about how your thinking affects your life satisfaction:

"State University of New York at Buffalo psychologists Jennifer Crocker and Lisa Gallo tested the wisdom of that old song, "Count your blessings, name them one by one." After five times completing the sentence "I'm glad I'm not a . . ." people felt relatively happy and satisfied with their lives," writes Myers.

"By contrast, those who counted their unfulfilled desires, by completing sentences beginning with "I wish I were a . . ." came away feeling worse."

Keep reminding yourself how lucky you are, and you're more likely to be happy. If you compare yourself to others and focus on what you wish you were or wish you had, you'll be less satisfied with your life.
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