Psychology Articles

There was an interesting article recently in Live Science Online News on October 11, 2011 titled, “Military Seeks Sensor to Gauge Brain’s Reaction to Stories,” by Stuart Fox, InnovationNewsDaily Assistant Editor. The article stated that,

“DARPA plans to not only figure out why hearing or reading a particular story may change someone’s life, but also plans on developing sensors that can scan people’s brains to identify those changes. Narratives exert a powerful influence on human thoughts and behavior. They consolidate memory, shape emotions, cue heuristics, and biases in judgment, influence in-group/out-group distinctions, and may affect the fundamental contents of personal identity.”

Think about this for a moment, it’s true that humans take stories seriously, and it is amazing how tales foretold tend to stick in the memory. It’s also interesting how stories over the generations evolve and meld with the culture, shaping it, and holding it together. Nations, religions, cultures, all held together by what – stories, tales, and narratives. Amazing isn’t it? So, it makes a lot of sense that we ought to study this.

For instance consider the challenges we have in education, corporate training, or even keeping people working together for the common cause of our society or civilization? Stories help, they help break the ice, they help for comic relief, they help say things that are often difficult, but telling something through a story – well it works doesn’t it? Thus, we ought to use stories as much as possible.

The piece went on to add; “they change the course of insurgencies, frame negotiations, play a role in political radicalization, influence the methods and goals of violent social movements, and likely play a role in clinical conditions important to the military such as post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Wow, see those points? Now then, let’s switch gears here and let me tell you a though I had for this rather intriguing DARPA project about storytelling. I have some thoughts I’d like to share with you, okay so, here is the idea; The human voice box rattles or gives off a change in vibrational frequency when someone is of a very strong belief on the topic they are discussing.

This happens in business with branding, with devoted religious folks, or with anyone telling a story they truly believe in. It also has a way of coming out in writing, where folks can feel the emotional content. Perhaps someone like Steve Jobs or a fast mover in the political scene can do the same, perhaps a reverend or religious leader, and I bet this can be simulated by laying multiple tracks over speeches or instructional videos too.

I am somewhat sensitive to these vibrations, and I note my mind taking interest when these ‘rattling vibrations’ occur in other’s voices, in fact, I am of no-religion, but when a devout person starts their spiel about their “religious wakening” or born-again moment, I find my mind shifting gears as if operating on a secondary brain wave.

Interestingly enough, I also note my own voice rattles, as I am very solid in my beliefs of such things as free-market capitalism, country, winning, and my company. When I am, I see people stop and take notice, as if I’ve captured them for a moment to insert my view points and vision. So, I think there is something to it, and it would stand to reason based on such historical things like “pipe-organ music” in churches and their vibrational frequency and the large number of enthralled followers.

Although, I’ve never read anything explaining all this, I feel there is something more here, something that could explain why stories “capture our imagination” and perhaps why we even use the word “capture” in the first place, see that point.

Questions:

1.) Have some humans, through gene expression, evolved to have stronger voice box vibrational ability?
2.) Can humans through practice hone this vibrational ability in their voices.
3.) Would practiced singers be able to do this? Is that why church’s get large numbers to join their choirs?
4.) Does bowing and praying in the Muslim world cause shock waves to move forward and back during the rocking motion of praying, as savants often rock back and forth, thus triggering memory inducing brain waves?
5.) Does human passion cause certain chemicals in the body to react in engaging vocal cords? It would stand to reason.
6.) Did this ability help in the coming together of human troops, tribes, groups, communities, nationalities, cultures, religions, countries, movements?

Yes, well, as you can see, I have so many questions on all this and speculations, and theories, if you are also intrigued by this, maybe we should talk? You see, I am a writer (hobby writer), and have this storytelling ability apparently, which served me well in business, sales, marketing, and branding. It’s also been good to me as a writer. So, maybe we can help reform education, train folks better, allow for better memory uptake, and then, move the ball forward by doing what comes natural for human learning, and socialization.

In fact, I think this could be tested, simulated, and we could even use what we learn to mellow out problematic societies and rogue regimes that threaten the life-experience of human populations. Interesting isn’t it? Yes, all of it is, so please consider this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

The study of counseling psychology prepares one to work individually and in group settings, usually providing counseling and therapy services to a variety of clients. This field allows trained professionals to have a direct impact on the lives of their clients, helping them to explore their behaviors and life events in an effort to solve existing and emerging issues. Psychology practitioners can work with a variety of clients from children to adults, in a variety of settings. Counseling psychology compensation varies based on education level and chosen work setting.

Careers in Counseling Psychology

Professionals holding a degree in psychology, counseling psychology or clinical psychology have a wide variety of options available for jobs, most involving direct therapeutic work with clients. Counseling psychologists are employed in hospitals, physician’s offices, businesses, legal facilities and mental health centers. They can also make careers in substance abuse programs, correctional facilities, law enforcement and government agencies, academic institutions and a variety of other private and public organizations, including human resources in the corporate sector.

Education Levels

Degrees in psychology are offered at the Bachelors Degree level, but rarely is a specialty in counseling psychology available at this level. While a Bachelors Degree in general psychology can be sufficient for some low level positions in education or human resources, a Master’s or doctoral degree is necessary to truly establish one’s self in the field of counseling. Those with a Master’s degree or higher can engage in self-employed professional practice, or joint practice, or serve at any variety of mental health organizations or other businesses. PhDs are most sought after and most highly compensated in the field of counseling.

Counseling Psychology Salary and Earning Potential

In the field of psychology, clinical psychology salary is the highest, with an established clinical psychologist expecting to earn a mean income in the mid $60,000 range, with high end clinical psychologists earning more than $100k a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, counseling psychology salary varies a lot across different employment opportunities. While counseling psychologists generally earn a bit less than clinical psychologists, the pay is still pretty good. An entry level counseling psychologist working in social work might expect to make just $35,000 a year to start. Whereas, an experienced, PhD level counselor in private practice could make three to four times that amount. A college professor with a PhD in counseling, teaching psychology courses at the university level, could make from $50,000 to $100,000 a year, even more if they were to publish text books or articles, or apply for and receive research grants.

In short, salary will vary greatly, depending on the specific area one works in, one’s education level and years of experience. In most cases, a reasonably educated and experienced person can make a good education working a lifetime in counseling psychology. The key is to earn a graduate degree at an institution with tuition reasonable enough to pay off the debt within the first ten years of post- graduate work. A career in counseling psychology can be both financially and psychological rewarding.

My name is Richard Harrelson and psychology is my passion. If you share same infatuation with this gentle and powerful knowledge area – become familiar with my posts about clinical psychology salary on my blog www.clinicalpsychologygraduate.org.

Most psychologists believe that it began in 1998, when Martin Seligman chose it as the theme for his term of president of the American Psychological Association, though the term originates with Maslow, in his 1954 book Motivation and Personality. Seligman stressed that clinical psychology had been consumed by only mental illness, echoing Maslow’s comments. Research into positive psychology might be traced back to the 4 P. A. Linley et al. origins of psychology, such as, in William James’ writings on healthy mindedness. In fact, views that reflect humanism can be found in the work of William James, John Dewey, and G. Stanley Hall. William James argued that in order to study optimal human functioning thoroughly, one has to consider the subjective experience of an individual. For that belief, James is considered, by some psychologists, to be America’s first positive psychologist.

In his presidential address to the American Psychological Association in 1906, William James asked why some individuals were able to utilize their resources to their fullest capacity and others were not. Positive psychology has common interests with parts of humanistic psychology, and its emphasis on the fully functioning person, and self-actualization and the study of healthy individuals. Maslow lamented psychology’s preoccupation with disorder and dysfunction. The term first appeared in Maslow’s book Motivation and Personality. In this book, Maslow maintains that psychology itself does not have an accurate understanding of human potential, and that the field tends not to raise the proverbial bar high enough with respect to maximum attainment.

The first summit took place in 1999. The First International Conference on it took place in 2002. In 2009, only last year, the First World Congress on it took place. As I mentioned above, this science finds its roots in the humanistic psychology of the 20th century. Earlier influences on it came from philosophical and religious sources. The ancient Greeks had many schools of thought. During the Renaissance, individualism started to be valued. Utilitarian philosophers, such as John Stuart Mill, believed that moral actions are those actions that maximize happiness for the most number of people, and that an empirical science of happiness determine which actions are moral. Thomas Jefferson and other democrats believed that Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights, and that it justifies the overthrow of the government. The Romantics valued individual emotional expression and sought their emotional true selves, which were unhindered by social norms.

To summarize and add more details, most psychologists agree that the advent of it can be traced back to Martin E. P. Seligman’s 1998 Presidential Address to the American Psychological Association. Seligman realized that psychology had neglected two of its three pre-World War II missions: helping all people to lead more productive and fulfilling lives, and identifying and nurturing high talent. The advent of the Veterans Administration in 1946 and the National Institute of Mental Health in 1947 had rendered psychology a healing discipline based upon a disease model and illness ideology. With this realization, Seligman used his APA presidency to initiate a shift in psychology’s focus toward a more positive science.

After his A.P.A. (American Psychology Association) Presidency, Martin Seligman, reminded the field that it has been side-tracked reiterating that psychology is also the study of strength and virtue and that treatment is nurturing what is best within us. Seligman’s presidential initiative was catalyzed by a series of meetings of scholars who could inform the development of positive psychology, and the establishment of the Positive Psychology Steering Committee (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ed Diener, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Chris Peterson, and George Vaillant). What segued was a Network, that later became the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, the first Positive Psychology Summit, and a special issue of the American psychologist on positive psychology to mark the new millennium.

Since Seligman’s presidential address, there have been numerous positive psychology books, journal special issues, and the establishment of regional positive psychology networks that span the globe. In 2006, the first dedicated journal, The Journal of Positive Psychology, was published. Seligman united the efforts of the scientists who have become key players in the positive psychology movement. These players include the Positive Psychology Steering Committee and the leaders of numerous positive psychology research centers, research pods, and grant holders (Seligman, 2005). C. R. (Rick) Snyder edited the special issue of the Journal of social and clinical psychology in 2000 and the influential Handbook of positive psychology in 2002.

Chris Peterson headed up the Values-in-Action project that led to the VIA classification of strengths and virtues, which I studied in this course’ previous assignment. The winners of the prestigious Templeton Positive Psychology Prizes were: Barbara Fredrickson, for her work on positive emotions in 2000, Jon Haidt, worked on the positive moral emotion of elevation in 2001, and Suzanne Segerstrom, for her work on the beneficial effects of optimism on physical health in 2002. Some of the financial donors are: the Templeton Foundation, The Gallup Organization, the Mayerson Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, and the Atlantic Philanthropies. To conclude, this science also offered excellent opportunities for rapid scientific advances.

References

Seligman, M. E. P. (2005). Positive Psychology Network 2004 progress report.

Thank you.

Elena Pezzini, M.S., C.P.C.
You Have Got The Power, Inc.
You Got The Power, non profit organization
Turnaround Coaching Psychology & Hypnosis
Office (702) 518-6649 Fax (251) 217-0082
http://www.YouHaveGotThePower.com
Please follow us:
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I have been a registered Clinical Psychologist for nearly six years now and I am interested in the difference between psychological disorder and psychic ability. During my psychology studies no-one ever mentioned the possibility of psychic ability, yet across the world there is a whole community of well respected psychics. The energy on Earth or vibrational level of Earth has increased significantly over the last few years and there are more people than ever who are more sensitive and reporting psychic phenomena. There needs to be some discussion between these two groups about where the boundaries really are.

Homosexuality used to be diagnosed as a ‘mental illness’ until only a few decades ago. Psychic ability also needs to be considered as a real phenomenon. Currently anyone who mentions that they are ’seeing things’ or ‘hearing voices’ would be diagnosed with something and given medication. I personally think this is ridiculous in this day and age when there are so many highly functioning people who have psychic ability. So why are certain people able to ‘listen’ to entities as and when they choose and have conscious control over the process and some are not? Psychic people may also see things that other people are not aware of and this is not a concern for them, yet for ‘mentally disordered’ individuals these sightings may be unpleasant or even frightening. A key difference between these two groups of people appears to be in functionality and knowledge. People who are psychic are aware that what they are experiencing is spiritual phenomena and make sense of the information, whereas people who are ‘mentally unwell’ are not.

To meet a diagnosis and the criteria for a ‘mental illness’ your daily functioning needs to be adversely affected; this may concern your work or socially. The people who are highly functioning and have conscious control over psychic processes receive messages that are very supportive and encouraging. If you examine some of the ‘messages’ that have been transcribed and voiced over the years from higher level entities on the other side, the themes are actually very similar. They all advocate peace across the planet and the evolution of human consciousness and Earth. If the messages were analyzed statistically, the entities have actually spoken of the similar things at the same times without the people receiving the messages being aware.

This appears to be where the difference is. The people who meet the criteria for ‘mental illness’ because they are ‘hearing a voice’ and ’seeing things’ frequently hear messages that are not supportive and may direct them to hurt other people etc. These individuals are not connecting to the same entities that high functioning psychics are. There are many ‘levels’ beyond the physical Earth, some on different vibrations that others. Individuals who would be labeled as ‘mentally ill’ or who have being influenced adversely by the entities they are connecting to, are being affected by entities that are on ‘lower levels’. These spirits on the other side do not have the person’s best interests at heart. These entities may not have been long out of human bodies and may not be aware they have died. They may also have chosen to ‘hang around’ and harass susceptible humans because they are angry at the way they died or were treated during their life etc. These spirits have been termed many things over the years such as ‘Earth bound’ or ‘lost souls’. There are groups on the planet that are working to move these entities on to higher levels.

People who deliver information in a conscious manner that is supportive and educational are connecting to entities with a much higher level of consciousness. Many of these entities are Ascended Masters and may be considered as spiritual advisers. They have had many incarnations on the planet and are aware that they are on the other side. They are wise and offer useful information and are encouraging people who listen, to work together and move humanity and consciousness forward. If psychics are receiving information there is also agreement on the part of the person to communicate with this entity. Lower level entities are usually interfering in the person’s life on Earth and are like uninvited guests. Psychic people may come across these entities but would pay them no attention.

It’s interesting to consider why someone would choose to connect with an entity on lower levels when there is this information available on higher levels? It could be through lack of knowledge and fear. If people do not believe in anything after the physical death, or have a religious belief system that states hearing voices is negative; if these people ‘hear a voice’ or ’see something’ they may become fearful. This fear may attract lower levels entities of similar vibration to people who are susceptible. Also, if people utilize illegal drugs this may affect their energy and make them more likely to attract these lower levels entities. It is possible that some of the psychiatric medications may also have this affect on individuals, people who are psychic and know they are psychic do not take these.

Many people discount psychic ability or the possibility of the human body carrying on after this life. However, many books and articles have been documented of near death experiences. These accounts reported were similar independent of culture. There have also been many accounts documented of young children who remembered past life experiences and who were able to name people, objects and places they have never been told about. This is how the Buddhist traditions identify the next incarnation of their spiritual leader, such as the current Dalai Lama. Prior to the current leader’s death, he will identify the location and time of his next rebirth. At the specified date the young child is sought out and then tested by identifying objects they owned in their previous lifetime. There are also children that appear to be born with certain talents such as musical ability in the West and are able to play instruments with no prior teaching. This lends credibility to the theory of reincarnation and beyond life experiences.

Psychic ability needs to be accepted within modern psychiatry and psychology. There are many spiritual people across the planet that accept phenomena treated as mental illness by physicians in the West. In the current Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV- TR) there is often an asterisk next to criteria which indicates that you need to check for cultural norms. This means that for example if you are experiencing ‘magical thinking’ and that’s normal within the culture you live, then you do not meet the criteria for that mental illness.

However, if you live outside that culture it needs to be considered indicative of mental illness. Therefore, if you don’t want to meet a diagnosis for a particular mental illness all you need to do is move somewhere where your experiences are considered normal. The DSM is currently a fourth version text revision and I hope that later versions exclude all forms of psychic ability.

Charity C-L Parrish is a Clinical Psychologist registered with the Psychological Board of Australia (PBA). She has been practicing as a psychologist since 2005 and has worked in many different areas including conducting assessments for the Family and Youth Court and clinical therapy work. Her recently published book is titled “Your True Nature? A Psychologist Explores Channeling.” For more information please visit http://www.newpsychology.com.au

Internet Therapy

Plasticity in the nervous system support cognitions, and is affected by age.Plasticity in the nervous system support cognitions, and is affected by age. Brain cognitive functions decline with age. Naturally, then, several neural mechanisms in the same brain areas also shift with age. This article presents significant advances in understanding age-related changes in the medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex. These changes in functional plasticity contribute to behavioral impairments in the absence of major pathology.

All animals experience cognitive decline with age. It is now known that age does not equal to significant cell loss. In the hippocampus and the PFC, however, there is a significant increase in Ca2+ conductance, which likely contributes to age-related changes in plasticity or long-term potentiation or LTP and long-term depression or LTD. The maintenance of long-term memory and plasticity requires gene expression; therefore, aged animals also show alterations in these processes.

Gene Arc shows differences in expression patterns between young and old animals. Age-associated changes in the dynamics of neuronal ensembles contribute to cognitive impairment. The hippocampus and the PFC are vulnerable to age. In many species, there is a decline in associative learning and spatial memory. Also, older animals show working memory and executive function deficits. Much needs to be learned, despite the fact that the average lifespan is increasing worldwide.

In other words, age is correlated with a decline in cognitive function that is in part caused by changes in neural plasticity. These changes are subtle compared to age-associated disorders. Age-related changes in cognition may affect pathological disease states.

Functional alterations occur during age in the medial temporal lobe and the PFC. These age-associated changes might contribute to the selective cognitive impairments during aging. The subtle changes in neuronal morphology, cell to cell interactions and gene expression might alter plasticity in aged animals. These changes disrupt the network dynamics of aged neuronal ensembles that cause selective behavioral impairments.

In summary and conclusion, during aging, animals experience cognitive decline. Now it is known that the changes occurring during ageing are quite subtle and selective. Most age-associated behavioral impairments result from region-specific changes in factors that affect plasticity and alter the network dynamics of neural ensembles that support cognition.

The morphology of neurons in the PFC is more susceptible to age-related change. There is also a small decline in cell number in an area of other animals that is correlated with working memory impairments. There are therapeutic approaches that might modify hippocampal neurobiology and slow age-related cognitive decrease or partially restore plasticity.

What is the most interesting about this article is that there is still so much unknown in the area of cognition and memory. This study reflects the needs for Psychology and Medicine to collaborate closely. All realms, besides the physical or medical and the psychological and emotional, must be explored to gather new data about cognition and aging. Other realms that could affect cognition and aging are: spiritual, intellectual, and social. I am personally interested in finding out more about all these other realms as well and their relation to cognition and the lifespan.

This information/research knowledge can be used in clinical practice in a way that supports exercising the brain muscle/s, in a way that supports the client’s continuous learning, and continuous researching. Also, this information could prompt the therapist to assess the client’s environment, nutrition and wellness, life purpose and any drug usage, to verify whether these important life areas affect cognition and age. Based on my experience and the experience of my clients, I believe these areas do affect age and cognition.

Thank you.

Elena Pezzini, M.S., C.P.C.
You Have Got The Power, Inc.
You Got The Power, non profit organization
Turnaround Coaching Psychology & Hypnosis
Office (702) 518-6649 Fax (251) 217-0082
http://www.YouHaveGotThePower.com
Please follow us:
http://twitter.com/HaveGotThePower

Often, when people talk about introverts and extraverts, they think in terms of whether people enjoy social interactions. In fact, the true definitions of introversion and extraversion have to do with where a person finds meaning – and for this reason, knowing which you are can help you make life decisions that leave you happier and more fulfilled.

I was surfing the web the other day and came across a site that defined introverts as people who do not enjoy social situations and who are more comfortable alone. Now, if the author had prefaced the word ‘introvert’ with the word ’social’, then you wouldn’t be reading this article because I wouldn’t have written it. The site purported to be describing psychological introversion but pitched products and services geared specifically to a social definition of introvert, so my hackles rose and I jumped upon my soap box to address what is one of my pet peeves. To state it clearly and unambiguously:

Psychological introversion and extraversion are not measures of how comfortable you are (or aren’t) in social situations.

The concept of psychological introversion and extraversion was originally described by the Swiss psychoanalyst, Carl Jung, to explain two different ways people create meaning in their lives. A Jungian introvert derives meaning from the development of a rich internal life, and it is in the exploration of that internal life that they are most comfortable. To quote the Merriam Webster dictionary: Introversion is “the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one’s own mental life.” A Jungian extravert, on the other hand, creates meaning in the interaction with things in the external world, and it is in the exploration of the external world that they are most comfortable. Merriam Webster again: Extraversion is “the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self.” While this might sound like it is no different from the idea that introverts are ‘people who do not enjoy social situations’ there is a huge difference. In the true Jungian use of the concept, the focus is on where an individual derives meaning not how, and it often has no relation whatsoever to a person’s comfort level at cocktail parties.

The confusion between social introversion/extraversion and psychological introversion/extraversion is fueled by the fact that most examples used to explain the concepts depend on observable behaviors – which are social due to the mere fact that they are observable. And to stress clarity, most examples are presented as polar opposites. So you will see things like “extraverts are gregarious and like parties and community gatherings and political demonstrations” and “Introverts like solitary activities like reading and writing, computer games, and listening to music.” See what I mean? Psychological introverts do indeed have social graces and enjoy parties and can be just as passionate about public demonstrations as the next guy. Psychological extraverts enjoy music, and reading and writing too.

Psychological introversion/extraversion is a continuum within each of us. We all prefer one over the other (deriving meaning internally versus externally), but all of us have the capacity for and often enjoy a wide variety of social introverted/extraverted behaviors. That’s why it gets so confusing when people try to apply a single label to describe someone solely based on observable behavior.

Knowing whether you are a Jungian introvert or a Jungian extravert can be very important in helping you to be more comfortable with yourself. It can help you make difficult decisions about careers, determine what kinds of skills you are likely to excel at and what kinds you are not, understand why some environments are better for you than others, and choose products and services best suited to your temperament. The same can be said about knowing whether you are primarily a social introvert or a social extravert.

If they can both provide the same type of information, why all the fuss? Why is this issue one I am willing to get up on a soap box for? Well, first of all I am a stickler for accuracy, and psychology, particularly styles theory, is a main focus of my company. But just being accurate is not what drives me on this issue. I am passionate about helping people to explore and understand who they are not just for the curiosity of knowing, but so that they can use that awareness to make life choices that fit who they are. This is impossible if the concepts that people use are applied incorrectly. While both concepts provide useful information and knowledge, conclusions drawn about one (Jungian introversion) based on the other (social introversion) are bound to be flawed.

Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He is co-creator of Perceptual Style Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. He’s a partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents, visit http://www.ACIforCoaches.com or http://www.ACIforEntrepreneurs.com.

We have something of a major shift in our society right now with all the social networks like Twitter, and Facebook. Often people associate more with their online identities than their actual identities in the real world. As the coordinator for a think tank which operates online I’m beginning to see a rather troubling challenge which lies ahead. You see, when folks fill out their applications to join, they have all sorts of ideas, but they have no practical experience in the real world.

They care very much about what’s going on in the world, they want to see alternative energy, and they enjoy reading all the online newsletters, and articles on science, philosophy, psychology, innovations, space, infrastructure, geopolitics, and the like. They have so many ideas on the best way to run a civilization and/or what products should come to market and be fast tracked in the innovation process. That’s all well and good but they’ve never actually taken a product or service to market, and they’ve never worked in a company at the level where they were actually making decisions.

Much of their observations comes from their friends on social networks who haven’t done anything either. Worse, because all their friends tell them they are smart, they assume that they are, but the reality is they’ve adopted all kinds of information they’ve heard the media, heard from a politician, or comments that someone left on their social networking page, as their own thoughts. But that information is available to everyone, it’s not unique to them, however apparently if they have lots of friends on their Facebook page they think they must be very smart.

Not long ago, in Kurzweil’s Accelerating Intelligence online newsletter titled; “The Dangers of E-Personality” which was posted on March 11, 2011. The article stated; “Excessive use of the Internet, cell phones, and other technologies can cause us to become more impatient, impulsive, forgetful and narcissistic according to a new book on “e-personality,” says psychiatrist Elias Aboujaoude, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of Stanford’s pulse control and obsessive-compulsive disorder clinics, in a new book, Virtually You: The Dangerous Powers of the E-Personality.”

Indeed, this would be a great book to read, and perhaps it speaks to my own observations working at our think tank. We have a real problem out there. One thing I’ve noticed is when I asked questions of individuals, or what they think, they immediately go onto Google, and look at the subject, and e-mail back with their relative decision. What they don’t seem to understand is that everyone in the world can do the same thing, and anyone who knows about the topic, or works in that industry already knows all that information.

The problem is these individuals aren’t thinking, and yet they think they are smart, when they don’t know much of anything, and have never done anything in the real world. I’m not sure if that is relevant, and I think it’s even worse when people prescribe to the self assessment and unearned ego as an achievement into their intellectual capacity. That’s false ego, and it can be quite dangerous. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 22,700 articles was a lot of work – because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off.

Remorse, Regret, and Sorry are three words vital to adaptive living. These three words when practiced increase the probability of all social interactions being successful. Ignorance and/or refusal of this psychological triad lead to criminal and/or deviant behaviors with victimization as the modus operandi. Two diminutive words, “I’m Sorry”, is one of the most powerful and complex phrases expressed in communication.

Since the beginning of civilization, this phrase has been part of all societal and cultural exchanges communicated via various languages. “I’m Sorry” will always be integral to social relationships. The premise of this phrase concretely illustrates how all people are fallible creatures. Actions and/or words can offend briefly or inflict a life long psychological scar void of healing. Understanding the meaning and origins of “I’m Sorry” will assist the reader in comprehending this powerful phrase.

The actual term, Sorry, dates back to prehistoric times and theorized to derive from the West Germanic term, Sairig, a derivative of Sairaz, with the English source denoting Sore. The original definition meant both physical and psychological pain. Over hundreds of years, the word evolved into an expression of regret now coined, Sorry. Despite the resemblance, the word Sorry has no etymological connection with the term, Sorrow. This word also dates back to prehistoric Germanic language meaning “care.” Contemporary German dialect uses the word, Sorge, meaning to worry or feel sorrow.

The term, Sorry, is an adjective with a multitude of meanings defining different communications expressed in social relationships. From a reductionist standpoint, and adding the identifier, I’m, makes the phrase a form of apology and expression of regret.

The definition of apology is an expression of regret for causing someone else trouble or pain. The definition of regret means to feel remorse or contrite about ones actions. Remorse and regret are two emotions people in general have a very difficult time experiencing and admitting.

Remorse is another vital term to succinctly understand the phrase, “I’m Sorry.” Without the experience of remorse, it is impossible to sincerely communicate regret for ones misdeed(s). Remorse is defined as a sense of deep regret and guilt for causing someone harm. Depending on the harm committed, severity of remorse can range from subtle to severe. The societal purpose of remorse is to educate people on behaviors not acceptable in social interactions.

Without the experience of remorse, people can not learn to change their actions leading to a more conducive lifestyle. Since the beginning of recorded history, civilization has written poetry, music, songs, and various other forms of communication in an attempt to define and express the experience of remorse. Without remorse for wrongdoings, society could not exist and isolation would be central to human existence.

The human being is a social creature surviving and thriving within a group dynamic. As part of this evolutionary structure, remorse and communication of regret is both encouraged and necessary for survival of all people, the homo sapiens.

Given the vital purpose of remorse and regret to humanity, the term, “I’m Sorry”, is often confounded by suspicions of sincerity. A person’s character and integrity is a barometer of sincerity and the impact of communicating remorse is directly connected to the person’s intent. If integrity is deemed suspect, then attempts to apologize can easily be construed as misguided void of sincerity.

Character and integrity related to being genuinely remorseful is tied to past, present, and future actions following their misdeed(s). Some are unforgivable while most are accepted provided specific actions are exhibited after his/her misdeed(s). The end product of actions following a misdeed is new learned behaviors reducing the potential for repetition of the specific misdeeds.

An analogy to illustrate human fallibility not addressed, changed, or redirected would be the person who suffers from alcoholism. Although the alcoholic is secretly aware his/her drinking causes pain and anguish to others, he/she continues to drink using a variety of defense mechanisms such as denial, displacement, and minimization. Engaged in the gradual demise of his/her character, integrity, and trust by others, the alcoholic may go years before experiencing remorse and abstaining from future alcohol consumption. The process of recognition, remorse, regret, recovery and rehabilitation illustrates the path all people should experience in the process of positive human adaptation.

Without remorse or regret for actions deemed hurtful by others, the probability for positive change is minuscule. Given the depths of the human mind, there are copious defense mechanisms ready to protect someone from feeling regret for their actions. The ability to say, “I’m Sorry”, and mean it requires an internal reservoir called conscience. Conscience is defined as a moral sense of right and wrong. This psychological construct affects a person’s behavior and encourages functional behavior.

Consciousness, thinking, awareness, and self-awareness are all relevant facets of the conscience. This construct is like a glass of water ranging from empty to full. Most people’s reservoir of conscience ranges from ½ to ¾ filled. As mentioned above, a part of the human condition is fallibility and proclivity to engage in non functional behavior(s). The less conscience a person possesses, the more apt he/she is at a risk for victimizing others. The severest outcome of lacking a vessel of conscience would be the criminal, deviant, or sociopathic mind.

The phrase, “I’m Sorry”, is one of the most important phrases involved in the human experience. From the beginning of time and ad infinitum thereafter, the process of recognition, regret, remorse, and rehabilitation will always be a barometer for human adaptability. Laws, religions, philosophies, and familial guidelines for raising children are all geared to manage and reduce human suffering.

The goal is quite simple and easy to practice using five steps.

1. Expect others to become offended given variability of perceptions filtering all human interactions.
2. Whether innocent or guilty causing others harm, initiate an apology followed by empathy for their experience.
3. Verbalize a plan for not offending in the future.
4. Introspect upon and initiate a paradigm shift reducing the potential for future offending action(s).
5. Never forget, always forgive, and foster mutual respect.

Dr. Michael Nuccitelli is a New York State licensed psychologist and certified forensic consultant. He completed his doctoral degree in clinical psychology in 1994 from the Adler School in Chicago, Illinois. In 2006, he received a Diplomat by the American Board of Psychological Specialties and Certified Forensic Consultant, C.F.C., designation from the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute.

The theory of Dark Psychology assumes either you are ignorant to past devious actions or simply don’t care. Here is a chance to change your trajectory and begin anew. Whatever predatory behaviors you have engaged in, sociopathic and/or criminal, there is always a choice to cease, desist, and step from the abyss of becoming sociopathic.

Have you ever wondered how human mind works? Why every person has different character, temperament, behavior? Well, psychologists have stepped closer than anybody to the mystery of human’s mind! If you’re interested in all these questions, then maybe psychology would be appealing for you? It’s a really fascinating career path! But how to become a psychologist? What are the main requirements for this profession? Here is a step-by-step guidance on how to become a psychologist.

1. Gathering Information
You should find out everything about psychologist’s duties and tasks. Maybe, you already know that psychologists help people to deal with their problems, to overcome emotional and mental disorders. But it’s only the tip of the iceberg! Field of psychology is rather diverse and offers a wide range of job choices. It includes so many branches! Clinical, counseling, industrial-organizational, school, developmental, social, forensic psychology… You can easily choose the work setting to your taste! For this you should know as much as possible about the field you are about to choose. So start digging out the information!

2. First Degree in Psychology
The second step to becoming a psychologist requires getting a Bachelor’s degree. It’s an entry level to this profession. A profound knowledge is extremely important for psychologists! So begin your education with Bachelors in Science. Later you can decide whether to proceed your studying or get a job with Bachelors in psychology. But note that students with this degree have quite limited choice when it comes to employment. You’ll be able to get assisting job or work under the supervision. To work independently you need to advance your degree.

3. Getting Masters in Psychology
Well, with this degree you have a wider range of career choices available! And salaries offered for Masters are higher as well. In fact, two factors that influence psychologist’s salary are degree and experience. Graduates with Masters in Psychology usually work in the field of school or industrial-organizational psychology.

4. Improving Your Knowledge
To work independently and carry out your own practice you have to get a Ph.D. or Psy.D. These are superior degrees in psychology and they require five to seven years of practical experience. Plus, you should take a year of internship. After getting doctoral degree you’re eligible for licensing and your own practice.

Psychologists can also improve their knowledge by getting various certificates through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). There are 13 different certificates available for psychologists striving for career growth.

5. Getting a License
It is a must-to-have thing if you plan to work independently in a private sector. So what are the requirements for licensure?

Ph.D. or Psy.D.
internship completion
minimum of 2 years of practice
successful exam passing

The detailed information about applying for license can be found on the official site of the American Psychology Association ( http://www.apa.org ).

So have you found out how to become a psychologist? Yep, it’s not a piece of cake for sure! But still, career in psychology is worth your efforts! It’s absolutely rewarding field of science. The point is you must be persistent and ambitious to find your niche in this area. Do you manage to do this?

Virginia writes about education and career choices for high-school students. She is interested in psychology, literature and dancing. More information about becoming psychologist and psychology schools can be found here: Psychology Schools

Whether a person has some type of mental imbalance, chemical dependency, phobia or more, he or she will need to put their trust in a proven expert in order to get help. Marsha Linehan is that expert and has the background and credentials to show for it.

Who she is
A professor at the University of Washington, Marsha Linehan offers a lot to not only her students but also the psychology community as a whole. She holds an array of positions at the university, including Professor of Psychology, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics. Born in the early 1940s, this psychologist has had the opportunity to conduct an extensive amount of research. Her main focus is in behavioral models which apply to those at risk of suicide, drug addition and multiple personalities.

What she’s done
Marsha Linehan is responsible for creating a system that treats patients that are thought to be on the edge of a personality disorder. This system is known as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and is the first of its kind. It has been effective in treating people with borderline personality disorder. The therapy consists of joining basic cognitive-behavioral methods and reality testing with a variety of meditation strategies derived from the area of Buddhism. These strategies include learning how to deal with distress, awareness and acceptance. This form of therapy is also said to assist those dealing with mood swings, sexual abuse and drug and alcohol dependency.

Her education
Beginning her college education career in 1968, Marsha Linehan attended Loyola University in Chicago. She received a B.S. in Psychology and graduated with honors. In addition, she continued her education at Loyola, making her specialty Clinical Psychology. While there, she worked as a lecturer and ended up receiving an M.A in 1970 and a Ph.D. in 1971. Once she received her assortment of degrees, Marsha travelled to New York and held an internship at a suicide prevention center. She also worked as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Buffalo in New York as well as finished her post-doctoral fellowship in Behavior Modification.

Teaching
In 1973, Marsha Linehan went back to Loyola and worked as an adjunct professor for a couple of years. She divided her time between Loyola and The Catholic University of America and worked as an Assistant Professor in Psychology. In 1977, the psychologist continued her teaching career by working as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Psychiatry at the University of Washington. To take it a step further, she has served in the role of diplomat for the American Board of Behavioral Psychology, president of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy as well as a fellow for an array of other associations.

Awards
Marsha Linehan has earned multiple awards and recognition for all her contributions and clinical work over the years. These include the Louis I. Dublin award for Lifetime Achievement in the Field of Suicide in 1999 and The Outstanding Educator Award for Mental Health Education from the New England Educational Institute in 2004 to name a few.

If looking for Marsha Linehan people know she is someone who knows what they’re doing. For more information please visit: http://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/.