A Time for Reflection

As the semester is coming to an end, it is a good time to stop and reflect upon our Psychology class. What did you learn? What were your favorite topics? Are there any topics that you want to explore more? Did you learn anything about yourself?

Milgram Study and Stanford Prison Experiment

Today in class we learned about the Milgram Study at Yale, and watched the video of the famous Stanford Prison Experiment conducted by Dr.Philip Zimbardo.

How do you interpret the results from both of these studies? What can we learn from both of these studies regarding human nature? What do the results of the studies say about obedience and authority? What steps can society take to prevent torture and prison abuse?

Moreover, today in the Los Angeles Times' article "Officials confirm suicide attempt at Guantanamo" Carol Williams wrote how one detainee of Guantanamo "was transferred here last year from a secret CIA prison abroad".

Taking into account what you learned from the Stanford Prison Experiment, how do you feel about the United States having secret prisons abroad?

Bloggers from Psychology 1 Class

Have you ever wondered who the faces are behind the brilliant comments? Here are photos of some of the bloggers from Professor Winnard's Psychology 1 class at Pierce Community College.

MySpace Bully Leads to Teen Suicide

In class we learned that major depression is a risk factor for suicide. Yesterday in the Los Angeles Times I read a sad story about a 13 year old girl from Dardenne Prairie, MO. named Megan Meier who suffered from major depression and committed suicide after being urged to do so by an online "cyberbully".

Megan had an estranged friend, and the mother of this friend is named Lori Drew. Lori pretended to be a boy named Josh Evans on the social network internet site MySpace and initiated an online friendship with Megan. Lori's daughter and also a coworker knew about the fake MySpace relationship with Megan. After several weeks, "Josh" broke off the friendship with Megan and wrote her, "The world would be a better off place without you." That same evening while her parents were cooking dinner downstairs, Megan hung herself in her closet.

Answer one or more of the following questions:
1. What do you think about "cyberbullies" on social network sites like MySpace and Facebook?
2. What do you think about people who impersonate others on the internet?
3. What are some warning signs that someone is at risk for committing suicide?
4. What psychological diagnosis would you give Lori Drew,the mother who cruelly manipulated the emotions of young Megan Meier?

Presidential Forum on Global Warming

Yesterday I attended the first ever Presidential Forum on Global Warming which took place at the Wadsworth Theater in Los Angeles. While all of the presidential candidates were invited to attend the forum, only Democratic candidates Dennis Kucinich, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards accepted. No Republican candidates accepted the invitation to attend this historic event.

The format for the forum was that each candidate would speak for 10 minutes and explain their global warming platform which would then be followed by questions from a 3 person panel consisting of leaders from the environmental movement.

Congressman Dennis Kucinich from Ohio went on first, and he delivered a passionate, energetic and vibrant speech. He began by pointing out his own lifestyle of living in a small house, driving a fuel efficient vehicle and following a vegan diet as evidence for the type of person he is in terms of living with awareness towards preservation of the environment. He talked about how he believes that we are all connected on this earth, and that both our individual actions and the actions of our government have profound effects on people and places all around the earth. Kucinich went on to talk about his political career of 40 years which began when he was elected to City Council at the young age of 23 purely through grassroots efforts. He has many great ideas for curbing carbon emissions including investing in massive wind and solar projects which would also create tons of new jobs. When asked how we would help the coal miners with the transition to clean energy, Kucinich replied that he would give them a pension, health care and also a guaranteed regular income. This comment seemed to surprise the moderator, but Kucinich rightly pointed out that any compensation made to the coal miners will pale in comparison to the cost of doing nothing.

The forum came at a perfect time as two days ago the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change consisting of scientists from 140 countries released the final portion of their report, and its predictions are dire, especially for the poorest, developing nations. One of the moderators asked Kucinich what he would do to help these countries that have done the least to cause the problem, and Kucinich expressed that he would do everything in his power to help lift up these countries. Kucinich made the point that he will work to help the poor everywhere and provide health care for all. He declared how he is not tied to any special interests like the oil companies.

Several times the crowd of about 1200 people cheered and stood up, and when he was done he received a standing ovation. From where I was sitting in the back I could see many Kucinich supporters in the audience.

Next was Hillary Clinton who came marching out with an air of authority and an I-mean-business attitude. She had some supporters in the audience who cheered for her, but you could definitely hear strong "boos" as well. My friend told me that she had spotted a group of Code Pink protesters outside the theater, and we also spotted Code Pink founder Jodie Evans wearing a beautiful pink dress in the audience, so I had a feeling some type of action would occur. About halfway through Clinton's presentation, a Code Pink protester stood up and ripped open his shirt to reveal another shirt with the words "No War In Iran". From where I was sitting it sounded like he shouted "I have a question for you!", and then he expressed his dissent regarding Clinton's vote for the authorization of the war in Iraq and her refusal to say that she will completely bring all the troops home including Blackwater mercenaries if she becomes president.

Some people in the audience booed the protester but others cheered and clapped for the protester. I was among those who cheered. Those who were against the protester seemed to be annoyed because they thought it was rude of him to interrupt Senator Clinton. I think that a little rudeness is an appropriate expression of dissent against someone whose votes have directly contributed to the deaths, maimings, and displacement of more than a million people as well as destroying the environment. Let us not forget that war produces carbon and destroys the environment thereby contributing to global warming, so her stance on the war in Iraq as well as her position on bombing Iran in the future would have been relevant to the discussion on her plan to reduce global warming.

Clinton reacted to the protester by first pretending to ignore him. She stoicly continued to talk as the protester shouted his questions before he was quickly apprehended by security. At one point she bristled with the question, "Were you invited to speak here today?". Although Clinton acted like she was not bothered by the protester, right after the incident she began rambling about Barbara Boxer as if she was desperately trying to score points with the liberal California voters.

I think Clinton's reaction to the protester was poor. She showed no emotion whatsoever which made her appear cold and calculating. She gave off the impression that she is accustomed to having protesters express their disapproval towards her, which makes one wonder why she is so unpopular with progressives. She treated the protester with outrage and tried to immediately silence him, when she is running for the office of the President of the United States, and is supposed to represent the people and therefore listen to the people. It is unfortunate that she did not answer his question as I would have really liked to hear her answer.

Also, at the start of Clinton's speech, she said that she hoped the other candidates were "serious about what it is we intend to do together" in a very condescending manner. It was obvious that she was referring to Kucinich who spoke directly before her, and that she was trying to paint a picture of Kucinich as somehow being not serious with his ideas. I found her tone and implication offensive in that Kucinch has been in politics for 40 years and he has real tangible ideas for turning this country around.

I must say that Clinton has some very devoted fans. When Clinton first entered, a woman sitting behind us kept repeatedly shouting "Madame President!" and "We Love You Hillary!". She was so excited that I expected her to start screaming and crying hysterically like a school girl at a Beatles concert. When Clinton finished she received a standing ovation. It almost seemed like her supporters were trying to cheer extra loudly to make up for the disruption by the protester.

Lastly John Edwards came on with enthusiasm and excitement. He began by saying that he is willing to talk about the issue of global warming not only in front of friendly audiences but also in front of unfriendly audiences as well. He had numerous concrete ideas such as curbing carbon emissions through the creation of new energy markets. When the moderator asked Edwards the same question he had asked Kucinich about how he will help the poorest nations who will suffer the most as a result of global warming, Edwards made a moving case for ending poverty not only in the United States but worldwide. He said that he believes that Americans are hungering to help and to sacrifice, but that the Bush admininistration has never asked Americans to sacrifice,even though most are willing. Edwards remarked that after 9/11 President Bush had a rare opportunity to galvanize Americans, but all he did was ask us to "go shopping". He also strongly made the point that if elected to the presidency, he has no ties to lobbyist groups like oil, tobacco, insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

Towards the end of his time Edwards also announced that he did not believe that Rupert Murdoch should own every newspaper, and that he is strongly opposed to media consolidation. This comment drew hoots and hollers of approval from the audience. My friend and I speculated that this was a comment directed towards Clinton as she has met with Murdoch in the past. Some have even suspected that Clinton's lead in the polls is due to her meeting with Murdoch who controls a huge portion of the media.

Several times throughout Edwards' speech, members of the audience were moved to jump to their feet and cheer. However, I think the most exciting part was when Edwards expanded to include other issues that have a broad effect on our nation. He clearly stated that if he becomes president he will end the war and occupation of Iraq, close down Guantanamo, stop illegal spying of Americans,and close down the secret prisons. Edwards also expressed disbelief and outrage at the fact that there is currently a debate on what type of torture should be allowed by the United States. These comments drew tremendous applause from the audience, and he also ended with a standing ovation.

Overall, I was most impressed with Kucinich and Edwards. Edwards in particular made so much sense with his plan and his political philosophy, and he really excited the crowd. Kucinich transmitted an exciting message of hope for bringing our country in a new direction. Although this event was not in a debate format, if I had to pick a winner I would say it was a tie between John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich,with Hillary Clinton coming in last.

Any reactions to this post?

Is Sex Before Marriage Acceptable?

In the Pierce College Roundup today writer Gil Riego made the case for remaining a virgin until marriage, whereas Ava Weintraub argued in favor of safe, responsible sex outside of marriage.

Riego asserted that he is a proud "24 year old virgin" and "part of a vastly dying group: those who honor their bodies and their emotions". He also said that when he decides to have sex, "it will mean something, because it will be with someone who means something to me."

Weintraub, on the other hand, wrote that "sometimes sex is just sex and doesn't involve love". She stated that "Making love to someone you care for is the height of intimacy. Casual sex is ok, too." Weintraub concluded her article by encouraging the use of condoms with the saying, "No glove, no love".

Do you agree with Riego who wants to save himself for the "right one" or Weintraub who believes that sex before marriage is acceptable?

Workers' Rights and Sexual Orientation

Today in the Los Angeles Times I read Johanna Nueman's article called "Bill to expand job protections to gay workers passes House". Neuman writes that "the House voted Wednesday to extend the nation's employment discrimination protections to gay workers". According to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, "businesses with 15 or more employees would be prohibited from discriminating against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation when hiring, firing, or promoting them. The armed forces, private clubs, and religious organizations would be exempted".

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed workplace discrimination of an individual on the basis of race, religion, gender, or ethnicity. In the years since, Congress has added age and disability to the list. Basically, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would further expand the Civil Rights Act and add sexual orientation to the list of categories employers are banned from discriminating against.

Apparently, there was quite an emotional debate regarding this bill with it ultimately passing with a 235-184 vote. Many Democrats including Rep.John Lewis (GA) argued in favor of the bill saying that gay rights are akin to civil rights, and that he had "fought too long and too hard to end discrimination based on race and color not to stand up against discrimination against our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters". Others made the point that the bill was a positive step towards ending irrational hate and fear against homosexuals in our society.

Republicans opposed to the bill argued that "Christians who displayed their Bibles or even pulled out verses at their work stations" could be sued for making a "hostile environment" for homosexuals. Rep.Mark Souder (R-Ind.) said that because of the bill "religious rights will now be trumped by sexual rights".

President Bush has threatened to veto the bill becasue he is afraid that the bill will somehow weaken the Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as an act between a man and a woman. Thus, the future of this bill is uncertain.

Do you support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act? Why or why not?

Should Men Be Allowed to Cry?

In class today we began looking at gender stereotypes and the ways in which we are gender typed into having masculine or feminine qualities. One stereotype that was mentioned was that "boys don't cry". Do you agree with this notion that men should not cry? Why or why not?

Is Personality Theory an Evolutionary Adaptation?

In class we discussed different theories of personality including Freudian and Jungian theory, the Hippocratic Trait Theory, and Birth Order Theory. It seems clear that human beings feel the need to classify their fellow humans into categories. How might the apparent behavior of humans wanting to classify other humans into particular personality categories be the result of an evolutionary adaptation?

Clean Air is Essential to our Wellbeing

Today in the Los Angeles Times I read the article "A bad air day beats cabin fever" which described how due to the recent fires the air quality has been deemed unhealthy, and many have chosen to skip outdoor activities and stay inside in order to avoid serious health problems. While I feel sorrow for the victims of the fires and I wish the fires never occurred, part of me wonders if we can at least learn something from this tragedy, and that is that the quality of our air is absolutely vital to our health and our quality of life.

Most people would agree that having to stay indoors because of the poor air quality was not enjoyable. In my case, both of my small children were not allowed to play outside at school, and my son's soccer game was cancelled. My friends who are parents complained that their kids' eyes and throats were burning, and that asthma was exacerbated. Doctors reported that they were seeing cases of asthma in children who had never suffered from it before.

I hope people stop to consider, what if it were like this all the time? Unfortunately, after the soot, ashes, and particles from the fire clear, our air quality in Los Angeles leaves much to be desired. With the predicted increase in population over the next 20 years, the air quality is bound to get worse as more people means more cars and pollution. If we do not want to end up with unbearable air quality such as in China, we would be wise to pass legislation to clean up our air.

In class and also on blog post 10-21-07, we discussed Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. We mentioned food, water, shelter, and health care as examples of our essential physiological needs. I would like to add clean air as an additional basic biological need that must be satisfied before we can progress up the triangle and aspire to reach the most highly evolved versions of ourselves.

Do you agree that clean air is a basic biological need of great importance to our overall wellbeing? If so, what are some concrete actions we can take either on a personal level or the governmental level, to clean up the current state of our air in Los Angeles, and also to prevent our air quality from worsening in the future?

Conduct a Freudian Personality Analysis

In class, we conducted a Freudian analysis of Britney Spear's personality. I invite you now to undergo your your own Freudian analysis of a person of your choice. The person you choose to analyze can be a celebrity, a famous person from history, or a fictional character from a film or book. Try to include the concepts of the psychic structures (Id, Superego, and Ego), defense mechanisms, and fixations from the psychosexual stages.

Schwarzenegger Vetos Fast Food Bill

I read with interest "Fast food makes a big fat mistake" by Patt Morrison in today's Los Angeles Times. Apparently, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed SB120, the bill that "would have required chain restaurants of 15 outlets or more to post some combination of information about calories, saturated fat, trans fats, carbs and sodium on each menu item". Morrison uses the useful analogy of fast food compared to the tobacco industry when he writes, "Like the warning on a pack of cigarettes, a nutrition chart puts consumers on notice."

Do you agree or disagree with Governor Schwarzenegger's decision to veto the bill that would have required fast food restaurants to clearly label nutrition information on all menu items?

Obesity and the Right to Sue

In our text Psychology-Concepts and Connections by Spencer Rathus we learned that "Children in the United States are exposed to an average of 10,000 food commercials a year. More than nine out of ten of theses commercials are for fast foods (like McDonald's fries), sugared cereals, candy, and soft drinks". We also learned that there is currently an obesity epidemic in the United States in that 66% of American adults are either overweight or obese.(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003-2004) Rathus writes that "Obese people encounter more than their fair share of illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, gall bladder disease, gout, respiratory problems, even certain kinkds of cancer."

My question is: do you think obese people sufferring from health problems have the right to sue McDonald's and other fast food establishments? Why or why not?

How Do You Feel About Bush's Veto?

In class we examined Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs which includes the idea that an individual must have his or her physiological needs met first before one can progress up the triangle towards self-actualization. Examples of physiological needs include food, water, shelter, and medical care.

I read this past week in the Los Angeles Times about Bush's veto of the bill to expand healthcare for children, followed by the inability of Congress to obtain the two-thirds majority necessary to override Bush's veto. I was wondering: In light of Maslow's theory that health care is a basic physiological need that must first be met before a person can fully reach his or her true potential, how do you feel about Bush's veto of the bill that would expand health care for our nation's children?

Hair- An Altered State of Consciousness

Have you ever wished that you could step into a time machine, and travel back in time to another place and era? If so, which decade would you choose to travel to? If you chose the sixties, then you should check out the latest version of "Hair" playing at the Met Theatre in Los Angeles for a limited engagement.

My husband and I recently attended a very special performance of "Hair". It was a benefit for the documentary "Arlington West", a powerful film created by artists Peter Dudar and Sally Marr about a war memorial located next to the Santa Monica Pier every Sunday. (See blog entry September 6 to see short video of Hair cast) The proceeds of the show went towards producing more copies of the film, to be distributed for free to students and youth as a counter military recruitment effort. The film seeks to show the side of joining the military that the recruitment officers neglect to mention.

When we entered the theatre, it felt like we crossed through a portal into the sixties hippie movement. We arrived a little early, but the small theatre was already filled with just a few seats left. The 30 member cast was on stage in full costume acting as if they were at a party. A few were kicking around a hackey-sack, playing the drums, and amiably hanging out. Many of the cast members were interacting with audience members, so that it was difficult to ascertain what was real and what was staged.

Throughout the entire performance, I sat mesmerized by the amazing singing, dancing, and acting from the talented cast backed by a fantastic band. Two of my favorite acts were "Hippie Life", and "Hair" which to me express the dissent and rebellion of the time. While the entire cast is wonderful, performers that really shone were James Barry who played main character Claude and Amber Allen who played Darlene.

The main point that I was left with after the show, was how the themes of protesting war and speaking out for nonviolence remain so relevant today. Didn't we learn any lessons from the Vietnam War? The sixties have passed, but the need to question the government and express dissent is still very much alive and necessary today.

In class we learned about different ways to alter one's consciousness. For me, attending the rock musical "Hair" brought me to an amazing altered state of consciousness that was completely drug free. My question is: what was the last drug free experience you had that altered your consciousness?

Are We Experiencing a Shift in Consciousness?

Yesterday I was thrilled to read "Peace prize for Gore stirs hope and speculation" in the Los Angeles Times. Al Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for helping push global warming into the public consciousness" through his book and Oscar winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth."

In class we have discussed different meanings of the word "consciousness". In the case of the article mentioned above, I believe the word "consciousness" refers to a state of heightened awareness. Al Gore was given this prestigious award because he successfully increased awareness about the existence of global warming and how the actions of any particular individual have a direct impact on important issues such as climate change, preservation of our environment, and human rights. In fact, many believe that we are currently experiencing a dramatic shift in global consciousness in terms of coming to a universal understanding that we are all connected.

Do you agree or disagree that a dramatic shift in consciousness is occurring right now? What examples do you see in your life that support or disprove the idea of a shift in consciousness taking place?

J. B. Watson Quotation

Watson said, "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in, and I'll guarantee to take anyone at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select: doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors".

Do you agree with Watson's assertion that he could mold any individual into a productive member of society or a common criminal using the principles of learning theory?

To put the question another way, do you believe that our actions and behaviors are determined by outside environmental stimuli or do we exercise free will?

Chicobag Website

Regarding our discussion about the plastic bag issue, I just wanted to pass on the Chicobag website,www.chicobag.com as their reusable bag design helped me to kick my plastic bag habit.

Arlington West Hair Benefit Video

Check out this short video created by artists Peter Dudar and Sally Marr. Peter and Sally made the documentary Arlington West, a film about a war memorial located next to the Santa Monica Pier every Sunday.

Video of Impeachment Speakers at LA City Council

Here is the link to watch a little bit of the footage I took at the LA City Council meeting, where the public comments focused on impeachment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc2DXW6PRFA

Los Angeles Impeachment Movement

Yesterday I attended the Los Angeles City Council meeting because Councilman Bill Rosendahl plans to put forth a resoulution to impeach Bush and Cheney. I attended the meeting because I wanted to show my support for the measure, and I also wanted to film the proceedings. I had never attended a council meeting before, and it was very interesting to see the beautiful architecture of City Hall and also to see our local government in action in person. When it was time for public comments, I moved to the front row and was able to film the entire session. About halfway through the comments, a policeman asked me to move from the front row over to the side aisle. He was very polite about it, and it really did not matter as I still had a good view from that location. I watched as speaker after speaker eloquently put forth their argument for why Los Angeles needs to demand impeachment. I was truly moved by the passion of these citizens. One speaker asked all those to stand who were there to support impeachment, and we filled the entire chamber. This morning I opened my Los Angeles Times anticipating coverage of the meeting, but to my dismay, there was not a single word written about it. The only coverage regarding the council meeting was about a possible property tax increase. When the chamber is filled with citizens regarding an issue, I believe that warrants thorough news coverage. This is why the internet is so important, because we the people can publish what we feel is important and we no longer have to rely on the mainstream media. My husband and I are in the process of editing my footage, and we will be posting a video hopefully today or tomorrow. Whether or not one agrees with impeachment, this movement deserves to get their story out there, and I am glad I took the time to document this important piece of history.

Why Wait for a Special Event? Clean up Los Angeles Now!

I read with great interest in the Los Angeles Times about the terrible air pollution problem that China suffers from, and how the Chinese are trying to make some necessary changes in order to clean up the pollution before the Olympic games. In China's case hosting a global event is the motivation to instigate real change to clean up the environment. In view of recent studies' predicting an enormous population increase for California, we would be wise to implement many of the measures China is implementing. Why wait for a special event to make our communities more pleasant, beautiful, and livable? Also, we should not wait until our environment reaches the desperate point that China has reached. The government should take immediate action and mandate real change. One idea from the article stands out for me, and that is the Chinese' plan to remove 50% of the cars off the streets by enacting an odd/even license plate system where depending on the last number of your license plate you can only drive on certain days. Imagine what Los Angeles would look like with 50% less cars- less traffic, less noise, much cleaner air...it just might make you want to hop on a bike or walk to your destination. The minor inconvenience would be far outweighed by our improved quality of life.

Ban Bottled Water

Today the Los Angeles Times wrote that it is "So cool to hate bottled water". While I appreciate the sentiment, the article advocated purchasing a Brita water filter and was also pushing particular reusable water bottles. I would like to point out that tap water is tested frequently and in the vast majority of cases is perfectly safe to drink without filtering. Buying devices such as a filter which one does not actually need contributes to the problem of overconsumption. I was particularly frustrated by the idea that Americans will never "give up the convenience of the throwaway bottle". So walking up to one's sink, turning on the faucet, and filling up a reusable bottle is too inconvenient for most Americans? If this is true, then I am ashamed at the extent of the laziness, not to mention selfishness and apathy. Even though the single use water bottle is so damaging to the environment, many Americans are unwilling to make even the simplest of changes. In light of recent revelations that both the source of both Dasani and Aquafina bottled water is tap water, it makes good sense to ban the production and sale of bottled water.

Paper, Plastic, or Neither?

Hello, I wanted to start a blog to discuss issuses related to preserving the environment and ending global warming. I live in Los Angeles and every day I am reminded about how many concrete actions we as a society could take to protect the environment. Yesterday my family and I drove through a beautiful canyon to spend a day at Malibu beach. As we drove along, I coudn't help but notice tons of plastic bags and other garbage littering the sides of the road. This trash frequently makes its way to the oceans and harms marine life. Moreover, the process of producing and transporting the plastic bags creates carbon thereby exacerbating global warming. We should ban the production and distribution of plastic bags. Instead, people should be encouraged to use a reusable bag. My personal favorite is called the Chico bag; it is cute and so practical. We lived without plastic bags for years before the eighties; I believe that we can live without them again. Our reward will be a cleaner and more beautiful landscape, so for me giving up plastic bags is not a sacrifice but a means to the great reward of improved quality of life. Q: Paper or plastic? A:Neither, I have my own resusable bag.