Reflection Blog

Source: "ProBlogger"

So here we are. The final stretch of blogging is now before us as the end of the semester approaches. Before I began my first blog, my initial feeling about it was that (1) it would be easy and (2) it would be boring because its basically writing papers, but through the internet.

I can honestly say that my opinion has changed. Although the writing process of the blog wasn't exactly something I enjoyed, it was more about the content of my blogs that mattered the most. I chose psychology as the topic of my blogs because its something I was really interested in, considering it is my major. But I didn't know that I could write so much about the relationship between technology and psychology.

My favorite blogs were those dealing with text messages and social networks. These topics were really enjoyable to write about because they were topics I was most familiar with and the studies I read about them were interesting to say the least. Because text messaging and social networks are technologies that I use most often, its always good to know how they can affect me psychologically. In my blog titled, "Psychological Effects of Texting," I ended up arguing against the evidence I found, but regardless it was a learning experience. For example, I didn't agree with research that "Texters" tend to be more lonely than "Talkers," based on personal experience.

In addition, I found some of these topics humorous because it really made me think about myself and my actions, and at times I found myself embarrassed. I didn’t want to be one of those people that can be classified through a research study, such as fiddling with my phone when the person I am with starts talking to another person (also mentioned in one of my blogs).

Source: flickr.com

My least favorite blog was when we had to take pictures and/or find pictures online that related to our topic. Initially, I thought this was going to be easy. However, I think I had the most trouble on this assignment than the rest of them. As for the pictures online, it was difficult to find different technologies that related to psychology. Of course the most common ones were pictures of MRI scans, PET scans, etc. but I wanted unique pictures. In addition, a lot of the pictures I found online weren’t aesthetically pleasing to the eye. They were either boring, old, etc.

As far as taking my own pictures goes, this was the hardest part and probably what I hated the most. I love taking pictures and videos. However, when it comes to taking pictures that related to my topic, I wanted to take pictures that weren’t flawed or planned out, which is why it was so difficult. With every picture I took, I had frustration about what the picture looked like and if it adequately represented my topic well. Looking back on it, it just goes to show that I need more practice in my photography skills and that I need to be more creative when thinking about what pictures can be related to both technology and psychology.

I hope my readers thoroughly enjoyed my topic of technology through psychology. The blogs were more than just blogging for an assignment. I chose psychology because I wanted to learn more for myself about how psychology can affect us, specifically through technological devices. I think psychology is one of the more interesting topics and hope that my readers felt the same. I also hope that my readers understand how everything we do in life, whether it be everyday occurances such as talking on the phone, checking Facebook, taking pictures, etc, can have a psychological effect on us. There are a lot of things that we are not aware about that in essence, could be important to our health.

In addition, it is important to read about the breakthroughs in technology that have impacted psychology. For example, my blog about how depresson can lead to cancer is an excellent example of how technology can be used to see the relationship between depression and cancer. Readers should note that this is important news because depression is a common illness that can potentially lead to one of the deadliest killers of our human generation. In other words, technology is more than just making our lives easier and simpler by making tasks less difficult and less stressful. Technology is about improving our society, whether it be psychologically, mentally, socially, etc. I hope my readers had a good time reading my blogs and that they think about how the technological devices they are currently using are affecting them as a person. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts and whether or not you think technology has helped you positively or negatively in a psychological sense.

Experiencing MD Day

Here is just a quick slideshow of the pictures I took during Maryland Day. Overall, it was an okay Maryland Day. The weather wasn't exactly the best, but we tried to make the most out of it. My reactions to Maryland Day and our assignment is posted on the class blog, so feel free to check it out!

My Own Game

As a psychology major, I have been told many times that there are situations in which some patients are misdiagnosed and are given the wrong treatment. Many of the disorders may overlap or have similar characteristics, which may be difficult for psychologists and psychiatrists to accurately diagnose a patient. Therefore, my game would focus on having the player become the psychologist and see if he or she can correctly diagnose the patient. The game would involve the patient coming into therapy sessions, and providing the player different choices to choose from. The more correct diagnoses the player makes, the more points he or she gets. In a sense, this would be like a House episode, in which the characters are constantly trying out different solutions in order to get to the right one. This game would not only be fun to play, but also educational, specifically for those interested in the career field. Whether other people will be interested in playing it is a different story...

S. Korea Fights Gaming Addiction

Source: flickr.com

Imagine this: Its late at night and you're playing a video game online. You've been playing this game for at least two hours and you're so close to winning one of the hardest levels in the game. Suddenly, like the Cinderella story, your clock hits midnight. And just like that, you are automatically exited out of your game. Basically at this point, you are losing your mind and muttering obscene words under your breath.

You probably can't imagine this too well considering the fact that because you live in the United States, land of freedom, you would play until you finished the level or the game, or just quit whenever you felt like it. This is not the case for South Korea.

According to the article, "South Korea Imposes Midnight Gaming Ban to Combat Addiction," South Korea believes that people are becoming too addicted to their video games. A survey of 1,500 students found that "nearly a third (29.3 percent) showed signs of game addiction, while nearly 40 percent of male students were determined to be addicted."

The country already shuts down the internet automatically at midnight, causing online gaming sessions to be automatically shut down as well. I'm curious to see if this ban on online video games actually works. I certainly hope South Korea conducts a follow-up study on this ban. But don't you worry. You have all night to play your video games. Aren't you lucky!

Making the World A Better Place..Through Video Games??

When I think of video games, I think of Super Mario Bros, Call of Duty, Madden, etc. But game designer, Jane McGonigal, visualizes video games in a whole different light. Instead of violence, sports, and other common characteristics of video games these days, she focuses on improving the world, specifically Africa.

McGonigal's game is called, "Urgent Evoke," which focuses on solving problems plaguing Africa such as poverty, starvation, violence, etc. According to the article, "Online game seeks to empower Africa," players earn points by solving tasks such as "volunteering, making business contacts or researching an issue, then submitting evidence of their work online." A challenge is presented and for 10 weeks the player must think of several ways to solve the issue and present it. Other players will review their work and provide points and power ups, and whoever has the most points wins.

Ok, so what's great about this game and what's not-so-great?

Let's start with the positive and the most obvious reason why this game may be potentially successful. It focuses on helping Africa! Any game that is geared towards making the world a better place gets a A+ in my book. Not to mention, this game can be useful for entrepreneurs and those interested in improving world problems to creatively think of ways to solve them. This game is supposed to help players think of new, realistic ways to improve issues such as famine, in Africa.

Now for the negative sides to this game. Again, let's start with the obvious. This game is geared towards helping Africa, therefore, it would be helpful to have residents in Africa to participate in this game. But there's one problem: the majority of people in Africa don't even have internet access! According to the article, "400 of the 3,500 people who have signed up for the game so far come from Africa." In addition, many people believe that video games can be addicting. Psychologist Dr. Kimberly Young believes that while people can develop skills while playing video games, it does not mean they can develop the same skills in the real world. Instead of playing video games, people should be actually solving problems in reality.

So what do you think? Is this a game that you think you would be interested in?

Photo: Quick Look into History

Source: "The history of psychology through the lens of Life Magazine"

Dr. Arnold Gesell was a psychologists at Yale University and focused on child psychology. The picture was taken in 1947 as one of the child psychology labs at Yale. He used video cameras and photographic cameras to aid him in his research. The photo shows Dr. Gesell observing a child in a "one-way mirror shaped as a dome." The purpose of such a dome was so that the children inside the domes could be observed without any disruption from people and the environment outside of the dome. This was a useful piece of technology because it didn't include any outside variables that may affect the observation at hand. Although the picture was taken many years ago in which the quality of photographs were not at its highest, I think this photo was taken very well. The focus of the picture is clearly Dr. Gesell and the child inside the brightly-lit dome. It also follows the rule of thirds and has a clear focus. Although some parts of the photo may be too exposed, it could also be the fact that cameras back in the day were not as advanced as they are now, or the lighting may have been an issue. Either way, I think this photo is a good example of capturing history in the making.

More Psychological Pictures Continued

Continuing my blog with pictures relating to psychological technology, here are two more pictures representing this topic. The first picture is known as "biometric recognition." According to the blog titled, "Family Stop Here," biometric recognition is a technique used to identify people by their psychological and behavioral traits. In this situation, psychological traits do not necessarily mean how a person thinks or feels. Physical characteristics are what make up the psychological traits, such as shape of the body, scent, size, etc. Behavioral traits include characteristics such as voice recognition. Biometric recognition is quickly becoming a hot new addition to the technology world, especially in places needing high security. In other words, the government is highly interested in this technology.

The photo has obviously been edited and computerized. The way it was finalized was to show how scanning a person's hand using biometric recognition might look like. With the way it looks, I would say the person who edited the photo was successful in making it look like it is actually being scanned.

Source: Family Stop Here

The second picture shows a woman wearing what looks like an oversized helmet with a bunch of wires and cameras attached. In fact, the helmet is the headgear that most pilots in the military wear when flying helicopters such as the Black Hawk. According to the article, "Research Lab Combines Psychology with Technology," graduate student, Sage Jessee, has worked as the "eye-tracking specialist on a video game style simulator that monitored the pilot’s point of gaze and head position during flight scenario." The focus of this new technology is to help pilots view the landscape and other things in front of them by looking out the windows, rather than looking at the panel inside of their cockpit. This allows more visual communication and more accuracy. This can also lead to potential benefits such as "reducing pilot errors and saving lives." I think this is a good photo. The photographer followed the rule of thirds, and captured the people in action. Its showing the beginning of structuring a new piece of technology.

Source: Research Lab Combines Psychology with Technology

Picture This, Part II

Okay, so I will be honest. I had some difficulty taking pictures that dealt with both technology and psychology. However, I was able to take some pictures over the weekend and edit them through Picasa. With all of the pictures, I tried to incorporate the rule of thirds, and to capture the essence of the image. Most of these pictures show my friends or relatives interacting with the technology around them. The first picture is basically the only picture that I can say can relate to psychology. I captured my friend becoming frustrated with his computer and his homework at the same time. Coincidently, his homework was to create a computer program.

The next photo is a friend of mine listening to his ipod on one of the nicest days last week. Unfortunately, I didn't realize at the time that the sun would be an issue. I tried taking the photo at the opposite angle, but my shadow was in the way. Basically this means I need more practice being a photographer.

The next photo shows my cousin's 2-year-old daughter. She is quite the curious one, and as you can tell by the picture, she was curious about the TV. This picture would be nice if it weren't for the glare on the TV, but it was still an okay picture.

The last picture really has nothing to do with technology or psychology whatsoever. But I thought it was a really cute picture. We told her to "pose" and this is what she did. Just a fun picture I wanted to add...

Picture This, Part I

As I desperately searched throughout the internet for pictures relating to both psychology and technology, these were some that I found to be interesting, both in appearance and information.

The photo on the right is a picture of an MRI machine. While some may argue that the lighting is too colorful with the reds, pinks, yellows, etc., I think it makes it look more interesting. Most of the pictures I saw of MRI machines were boring, dull, and similar. In fact, this picture makes it look less scary to those who are wary of such machines.

According to Medline Plus, MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging and takes pictures of the brain using magnets and radio waves. Some doctors recommend their patients to get an MRI scan of their brains in order to determine any issues regarding the brain such as tumors, abnormal development, bleeding, etc. In some psychological situations, an MRI can be useful in determining causes of disorders.

The photo on the left captured my interest because instead of focusing on the person, it focuses on the screen. The camera clearly focuses on the screen by making the person on the left blurry. At the same time, it shows the difference between the reality (the person's hand on the desk) versus the virtual reality on the computer screen so that you can see what the picture is about.

The article, "Augmented virtual reality treats phobias," reports of a new technology system that claims to be a treatment for phobias (such as arachnophobia). The virtual reality treatment allows the patient to interact with their fears, without actually interacting it in real life. Despite the fact that the virtual reality is unreal, it still triggers the anxiety and fear in the patients. If they are able to face their fears through this treatment, it will make it easier for them to deal with their fears in real life.

A Serious Downside to Social Networks

This is the screenshot of my search of "hate" on Facebook.

If you go on Facebook and search the word "hate," you will instantly find 500 groups that hate certain things. Of course, 500 is just the minimum and there are certainly more than 500 different groups. The hate ranges anything from "I hate school" to "I hate it when people ask for extra paper in exams. WTF are you writing?!"

But then you look at the very extreme, and quite disturbing range of that spectrum. There are groups on Facebook and other social networking sites that promote hate, racism, terrorism, etc. for certain people, countries, businesses, practices, religion, you name it! The list is never-ending and it has become a serious concern for many people.

According to the article, "Hate speech infiltrates social networking sites, report says," (by Jesse Soloman) cyber-hate has become increasingly vast and wide-spreading. The Simon Wiesenthal Center for Tolerance released a report titled "Digital Terrorism and Hate 2010" saying that there are about "11, 500 hate-affiliated Web pages, a 20 percent jump from last year's study."

Some of these web pages include directions to computer hacking, bombmaking, etc. The problem is, is that it is difficult to know whether or not these web pages are legit, are if they are just talk. This is known as the "lone wolf effect." This effect alone is what makes social networks and other affiliated sites disturbing sometimes: You sincerely hope these groups are just simply expressing their opinion, but deep down inside, there is a small fear that perhaps the cyber-hate might potentially turn into reality.

What does your Facebook/Twitter say about YOU?

*Source: flickr.com

Lets take a quick quiz...

1. Do you have a Facebook?

If yes, please continue to the next question.

2. Do you identify your religion on your profile?

If yes, please continue.

3. Are you single?

If your answer was yes, then the study done by researchers from Stanford University's Psychology Department would be considered accurate.

Researchers Young, Dutta, and Dommetry did an experiment to study the relationship between the information Facebook users revealed on their profiles to their intentions in doing so (more specifically, whether or not they searching for a romantic partner).

The results?

Young, Dutta, and Dommetry found a statistical significance between these two variables. One of the significant patterns they discovered was that individuals who listed their religion, also tended to identify themselves as "single" as part of their relationship status. The researchers concluded that it is very likely that Facebook users (or users of other social networking sites) "paint a picture of themselves to potential partners," thus revealing more personal information about themselves on their profiles.

*Source: flickr.com

Still not convinced? Well, another study shows that narcissistic individuals are more likely to reveal more about themselves on their public profiles. Shocker right? Not really, but at least the researchers (Buffardi and Campbell of University of Georgia) found evidence.

Last, but not least, a research study was done by Orr, Sisic, Ross, Simmering, Arseneault, and Orr of the University of Windsor to examine shy individuals and their tendency to reveal themselves. The results were interesting to say the least, and certainly unexpected.

The researchers found that the more shy the individuals were, the more time they spent on Facebook. However, despite the fact that they spent more time on Facebook, these individuals had a significantly lower number of Facebook friends.

Of course, more research is being done considering that social networking, despite it supposedly being started hundreds of years ago, is still fairly new (computer and web-site wise). The lesson here is not to say that finding a potential partner or potential friends through social networks such as Facebook is a bad thing. Let's face it, we all seek potential relationships/friendships. But it is to simply be careful in revealing such intimiate details about yourself to the world.

If you would like more information on these studies, please click here for the article "The Psychology of Twitter, Facebook, and other Social Networking Devices."

Now if you will excuse me, I shall delete some of my "friends" on Facebook...

What does Evolution tell us about Social Networking?

I'm sure that before opening and reading my blog, you checked your current social network preference, whether it be Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or some other dominating social force. If I am wrong, then congratulations! You are one of the very few to do so!

*Source: flickr.com

But moving on to my point. I'll admit that one of the first things I do when I turn on my computer, is to check my Facebook, in hopes that I have a friend request, a message, a comment, or some other notification to remind me that I am still part of the social world we live in.

Why do I resort to such behavior? In fact, why is it that most of us resort to virtual reality rather than reality itself? According to "How social can we get?" social networking actually began during the early years of our evolution (when we were more like monkeys rather than humans). Social networking back then didn't involve computers, of course, but rather grooming as a way of communicating relationships.

*Source: flickr.com

According to anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, hierarchy was important among primates. The knowledge of relationships during this era was what Dunbar suggests was the "birth of gossip." This is why some people suggested that grooming was the "first social networking application." Once groupes or tribes began to increase in size, grooming eventually evolved to language, or spoken word. This evolutionary change has impacted our society immensely, and as Dunbar puts it, "We haven't stopped gossiping since."

Psychological Effects of Texting

If you are one of the millions of people who has a cell phone, most likely you have at least once texted instead of called someone. There are many reasons for this behavior. According to "Insights into the Social and Psychological Effects of SMS Text Messaging," text messaging is "instant, location dependent, and personal" and is quickly becoming the number one option of communication.

With over 72% of people living in Western Europe owning a cell phone, over a billion text messages are being sent each month in the UK. When I hear of a statistic such as this, I think, "Wow, that is a lot of texting!" But according to the article mentioned above, texting could have psychological effects and have a psychological explanation as to why statistics are so high.

Questionnaires were given to to find out about how often a person uses his/her cell phone and aspects of relationship development. The study had 950 participants, with 517 people preferring talking on the phone (termed as the "Talkers") as opposed to 433 people who preferred texting (termed as the "Texters").

The most distinct piece of data about these so called Talkers and Texters is that research found the Texters to be "significantly more lonely...more socially anxious than 'Talkers.'" In addition, Texters were more likely to report that texting affected their relationships with friends and family, as well as helped them develop new relationships.

Now this is where I become confused with this study, so bear with me here.

1. If texters were found to be more "lonely" and "socially anxious," how is it that texting could help them develop new relationships?

2. As mentioned in an earlier blog post, isn't it possible that people, such as myself, text simply because it is easier? Faster? More convenient? If I'm not mistaken, the article even supported that the reasons why texting has become so popular is because of those specific reasons.

Perhaps I am a little biased due to the fact I would be considered more of a Texter than a talker. Perhaps I take into offense that I can be considered more lonely and socially anxious (because in my opinion, I'm not). Regardless, the study fails to clarify whether or not the participants were directly asked questions concerning their loneliness. As I was reading about the study, it sounded more like the researchers were simply assuming that because texting avoids face-to-face confrontation and permits anonymity, texters were more likely to be considered in categories such as lonely and anxious.

I can think of a few reasons why texters, including myself, prefer to text than talk on the phone.

1. Its less of a distraction. In other words, after I text I continue to watch TV, do homework, cook, etc. When I talk on the phone, I find it difficult to concentrate on other things.

2. Easier to send information. For example, if I am giving someone directions to my house, I can text them the directions so that they do not have to write them down.

3. Its quieter. I may be in the middle of something, in which I don't want to interrupt people around me.

4. The receiver may be busy. Perhaps he/she is in class, at work, etc. and they are unable to answer the phone.

5. LAZINESS! Sometimes I am just plain lazy to talk on the phone. After a long day, I don't feel like using my voice, therefore, I text.

The list goes on! While it may be true that some people text to avoid awkward conversations, certainly does not mean that they are lonely. But I certainly hope there will be more research on this subject that takes into account of all the possible factors that can account for the reasons people text. Until that study is done, I will continue to text my family and friends, as well as be socially active as I always am.

*Sources for pictures: flickr

Mobile Technology: Effects on Society

*Source: flickr

Picture this:

You and a friend are sitting in a restaurant, waiting for your food to arrive. Suddenly, your friend receives a phone call and decides to answer it. Two minutes pass by, although it feels like an hour, and your friend is still on the phone. What do you do?

A. Look around nervously, trying to find something in the room to catch your interest

B. Drink your beverage and look down at the table

C. Play with your own cell phone

Your answer is most likely all of the above! According to "Cellphones in public: social interactions in a wireless era," there are different behaviors in which people attempt to make situations less awkward when the person they are with are in another conversation. The same behaviors could be attributed to when a person is by himself/herself as well.

According to my own observations, I think the the behaviors discussed in the study can still be considered valid today. Why? Because I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THOSE BEHAVIORS! I hate to admit it, but I have, and I know many other people have, too. I have been stuck in situations in which a person approached my table and began having a conversation with my friend. To avoid being awkward and feeling left out, I played with my phone and browsed the internet and old text messages. Unfortunately, I STILL felt awkward.

I believe that the sociological terms are interesting, as well as accurate, considering that the terms describe what the situation is about and who the person is. For example, "cross talk" is about how a 3rd person or conversation suddenly becomes involved when it was not previously. Therefore, the 3rd person is "crossing" into another person's conversation.

In regards to an educational setting, it is very seldom I see students using their cell phones for educational purposes. The only time I have seen a student use his/her cell phone for class, was to take notes on the homework as a reminder. Other than that, students use their cell phones for texting, taking pictures, web browsing (mostly Facebook or Twitter), etc. Thankfully, I have not had the opportunity to spy a student using a cell phone to cheat on a test. Let's hope mobile technology does not go down that path.

Disagreeing With Research

Recently, our class has discussed results from an article titled, "Personality and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Young People's Technology Use." The article claimed that certain personality types determined what type of technology they used, and how they used it. For example, neurotic individuals were found to use text messaging more rather than calling.

While this may be true, I think the researchers fail to take into account other factors that may explain such behaviors. I know from my own personal experience, as well as from others, sometimes text messaging is just convenient, which is why I text more than call, and I do not consider myself as a neurotic personality type. Also, as ridiculous as this may sound, some people, such as myself, are just plain lazy to talk on the phone. Sometimes I find myself laying in bed, and instead of wanting to talk on the phone, I would rather watch TV and text at the same time. This certainly does not mean I have a particular personality type.

I just thought I'd post this because I did not get the chance to express my beliefs in class. I believe that more research needs to be done within this topic, and the researchers should take into account of other significant factors that may affect the results of the study.

In case you are interested in the article, it may be accessed through here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23458724_Personality_and_Self-Esteem_as_Predictors_of_Young_People's_Technology_Use

Effects of Technology on Self-Esteem

On my last blog, I wrote about an article that studied the effects of technology on race, gender, and self-esteem. To continue on with that discussion, I will explain how self-esteem specifically is affected by technology and how it in turn affects psychology.

Being that my topic is psychology, it can be fairly obvious how self-esteem affects psychology. Psychology deals mostly with the study of mental capabilities. When a person's self-esteem is high, it has significant effects that are different than from a person with low self-esteem. A person with high self-esteem generally live a happier life with a desire to accomplish their goals and to keep an active social life. On the contrary, a person with low self-esteem has a more difficult time making friends and do not have a high respect for themselves.

An example of how technology affects self-esteem can be found in the article, "Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, Gender, Race, and Information Technology Use." They did a study using video games and found that they caused lower behavioral self-concept and lower self-esteem. This may be due to the fact that most video games have some degree of violence, which could leave psychological effects on the person.

On the brighter side, technology could have positive effects on a person's self-esteem. According to "Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students" (http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html#increased) some teachers reposted an increase in self-esteem in students who were engaged in technology. Some students felt a "sense of empowerment" and "increased competence" after mastering some technological tasks. This could be true considering that technological devices today can be complicated, yet incredible in how they make things easier for our society.

In addition, the first article mentioned earlier stated that females were found to have a higher social-concept after using the internet. Because of this increase in social abilities, the internet could help women with their self-esteem by allowing them to socialize with others. More social networks=higher self-esteem.

As you can see, technology can certainly affect a person's self-esteem, thus affecting a person's psychological being. It is important to note that although technology can be fun and rewarding to use, a person must realize that technology can have both positive and negative effects.

Response to Article: Gender, Race, and Technology

As pointed out in the beginning of this article, there were many other studies that either contradicted or were found to be consistent with this article’s study. However, according to this study, there were some effects of technology on gender in regards to self-concept and self-esteem. For example, although there was no gender difference found in overall self-esteem, girls were shown to have higher academic and behavioral self-concept, while boys were found to have higher physical appearance and athletic self-concept. Also, contrary to what some studies have suggested, girls were not found to have a higher social concept than boys (439).

In regards to videogames, it was found that boys, regardless of race, played more videogames than girls (this of course, did not come as a surprise). According to most studies, videogames caused lower behavioral self-concept, low self-esteem, and improved visual spatial skills (440).

Looking at these results, one could say that technology can certainly have different effects on both males and females. Because girls were found to have higher academic and behavioral concept, this could be due to the different reasons why males and females use the Internet. As stated in the introduction of the article, males were found to use the internet more often than women, but also for different reasons. Males would use the internet more for “commercial transactions” (438) while females would use the internet more for social networking. Perhaps making these social connections have helped females achieve higher academic self-concept, and certainly behavioral self-concept.

Personally, I do not think that this evidence should affect the use of technology in classrooms. As I have said in the beginning, there were many other studies that contradicted the results of this study. Therefore, much more research needs to be done in order to determine whether or not these effects should affect classrooms. In addition, I feel like no matter what, these results will not do much to change how classrooms are run. For example, the internet is one of the most widely used technologies of our time. Teachers AND students need to use the internet for several purposes, therefore, it seems almost inevitable to use such technology, whether we like to or not. In regards to videogames and evidence showing that they would cause lower self-esteem and self-concept, it is very uncommon for classrooms to even use videogames to convey the lesson plans.

According to the results of the study and what we have discussed in class, I think that race, gender, and self-concept would all contribute to the “digital divide” occurring in our society. The study found one significant difference between African Americans and Caucasian Americans, and it was that African Americans had lower behavioral self-concept than Caucasian Americans. Why this was the case is still unknown. In addition, differences between gender and self-concept were also found. Males were found to use the internet more than females, and the use of technology has shown to affect a person’s self-concept. Therefore, it would make sense that all three factors would contribute to the “digital divide.”

The article is titled, "Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, Gender, Race, and information Technology Use"

Online Therapy

I don't know about you, but when I think of therapy (psychologically speaking), the first thing that pops into my head is a couch in front of a therapist asking question after question to get you to open up about your problems.

But according to an article in the online journal Psychology Today, there is a new program that can provide therapy from inside your own home. Therapeutic Learning Program (TLP) is program that is computer-based. Dr. Roger Gould, the man behind TLP, describes it as a "10-session program that explores in very fine detail each person's specific problem. It's what therapists do over a long period of time, but the computer does it systematically."

According to Dr. Gould, TLP may provide more accurate results and better coping results for the patient because since the patient can use the program on his or her own without having anyone else in the room, it may be easier for the patient to be more open about his or her problems. In addition, TLP is more personal and pertains more to the patient's individual needs, rather than the individual having to go out and purchase self-help books that they would have to apply to themselves. Sometimes self-help books do not have all the answers pertaining to each individual case.

One of the main problems, however, is that the internet is a widely used type of technology. It continues to be unregulated, therefore, quality control will be difficult, considering that there is no face-to-face communication. Will TLP replace these face-to-face therapy sessions? Only time will tell...

The article can be seen here: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200107/technology-psychology

Technology + Education = Educational Psychology?

Continuing on from my previous blog regarding education and technology, I thought it would be important to point out that I am currently taking a course known as Educational Psychology. Dr. Patricia Alexander is not only my professor for this class, but she also wrote the textbook we are using for the course. The textbook is titled, "Psychology in Learning and Instruction."

http://vig-fp.prenhall.com/bigcovers/0139748741.jpg

Luckily for me, Dr. Alexander devotes a whole chapter to technology and how it has been effective in the educational process. She states that, "educational technologies are commonplace in schools and classrooms--so much so that their presence and their power are simply accepted without question or reflection," (270).

In addition to how much technology has evolved the educational process, she also talks about the effects of technology, more specifically the assisted effects and residual effects of computer-based technology (274).

Assisted effects are the effects shown WITH technology. For example, if I am unsure on how to do a math problem, I could look up how to do it online. This shows me using technology to learn something.

Residual effects are the effects shown AFTER the use of technology. After being exposed to how to do the math problem online, I should be able to do the problem on my own without technology.

These type of effects can help show how much technology can (or cannot) be beneficial in a classroom setting. With the computer fighting for the lead as the most commonly used technological device (perhaps it has already taken the lead), there is a never-ending list of things it can do to help educate students.

1. PowerPoint lectures (as some of us students are already familiar with)

2. YouTube videos

3. Microsoft Excel/Word etc

4. Pictures/Videos/Movies other media

5. Virtual Classrooms

6. Internet

And the list goes on.

Now you might ask: What does this have to do with psychology? As stated earlier, this class is known as Educational Psychology. The reason why technology comes into play, is because the class is about educating the student in the best way possible, and using technology is without a doubt, one of the best ways. Not only does it capture the student's attention, but using technology also helps to relate to the student. In my personal opinion, having a professor use new technology would certainly grab my interest, thus allowing me to become more focused on the lesson, that is, if I am not distracted by other technologies...

Technology: Classroom Future vs. Classroom Failure

For the past couple of days, the main question for our class has been whether or not technology is beneficial for educational purposes. And if so, how has it been used to educate?

Well, for the first question, it is certainly difficult to say that technology is not beneficial, considering the fact that society uses technology every day, and in most cases, its necessary. I can't remember the last time I was in a classroom in which the professor did not use the computer to convey his or her lecture. Can you?

Naturally the computer has become the number one source to communicate information, whether it is inside a classroom or not. It has PowerPoint, Word, the internet, etc. In addition, the majority of the younger generation have computers, therefore, it would make sense that teachers would use this as a bridge to connect with their students.

With the world of technology vastly becoming, well, our world as we know it, it can be foreseen that it would certainly change the way our classroom looks and works. We've already seen these changes. Lessons were taught in a variety of ways, ranging from verbal lessons only and chalkboards, to overhead projectors to the computer. While we still see chalkboards in classrooms today, it is very seldom that we ever see the teacher actually writing on the board.

As far as becoming a classroom failure, distraction may be the number one downside to technology (in my opinion). While having a computer allows taking notes easier and faster, no student can deny the fact that computers also offer ways of distraction, especially with the internet just a click away. Other problems that may arise are technical difficulties, which were clearly seen during the Virtual Classroom our Jour289 class had the other day. However, technical difficulties can usually be fixed. Distraction...not so much.

With that said, I will end this blog with a YouTube video shown in one of my classes. It not only talks about technology, but it takes a look at our society, and our world from the past, present, and the future. It really makes you think about how much can change in such a short amount of time, just like the look of our classrooms.

Article: "Psychological Invention Relieves Breast Cancer..."

I came across an article today titled "Psychological Invention Relieves Breast Cancer Patients From Depression and Reduces Inflammation." I thought this article was interesting because I was not aware that depression was a contributing factor to cancer. Unfortunately, the article does not go into much detail about what exactly this psychological invention is, but that according to a study, the invention causes a decrease in depression in the patient, which in turn reduces the inflammation. This is a great technological advancement because with cancer having one of the highest death rates, an invention relieving depression sounds like it is an invention worth looking into. I hope we will be able to learn more about this invention and whether or not it will become global if approved. Here is the link if you're interested to read more:

http://www.medindia.net/News/Psychological-Invention-Relieves-Breast-Cancer-Patients-From-Depression-And-Reduces-Inflammation-57519-1.htm

History: Technology Used for Psychological Purposes

It is only appropriate for me to begin my series of blogs with a first look at the many different psychological technologies used in the past that have made an impact on our world today. While many of these technologies may seem unimportant and mundane, there is without a doubt they have helped society to create better, more advanced devices for psychologists to use.

I will begin with an invention I just learned about last semester in my History of Psychology course. It was a contraption known as a "Skinner Box" invented by the famous B.F. Skinner.

http://toomanyinterests.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/the-history-of-psychology-through-the-lens-of-life-magazine/

The purpose of the so-called "Skinner Box," (which was actually called the "heir conditioner") was to be an improvement from the regular crib made for babies. The Skinner Box controlled air temperature, made cleaning easier, and was soundproof, in that the baby could sleep through the night peacefully without having any outside noises to disturb him/her. The invention received both positive and negative reviews, but due to the media's negative view of the box, it was doomed to fail.

Another device that has been used to catapult psychology into the future is an x-ray machine used to take images of the brain's ventricles. According to the picture below, the machine appeared to "somersault" in order to take these images. In future blogs, I will be covering machines similar to the x-ray that are popularly used today to take more accurate pictures.

http://toomanyinterests.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/the-history-of-psychology-through-the-lens-of-life-magazine/

The brain is a very complicated structure, therefore, I will be looking at many other examples of technology that have focused on the brain. In addition to machines such as x-ray machines and MRIs, I will look at how focus on the brain even started. With that said, it is important to note that a man by the name of Abulcasis is known as the father of of modern surgery. One of his first surgeries involved cutting open a brain and analyzing its parts.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CCSOdz0mMJE/SEtFDQ1LCQI/AAAAAAAAAXk/zQhHJrZ0DdQ/s400/Al-zahrawi_surgical_tools.gif

These are only just a few of the things I will be pointing out. History has definitely made its mark on the psychological world, especially within the medical field. As you will begin to realize after the next few blogs, it is quite difficult to picture our society and the field of psychology as a whole without such technological advancements.

Psych: Then and Now

The world of psychology has come a long way since it first began to be recognized as an actual field. During the early years of psychology, many differences can be found when compared to psychology today. First and foremost, psychology was not even taken as a serious field of study. many people looked down upon it because they believed it was just nonsense and unnecessary. Today, psychology is one of the fastest growing fields and continues to be one of the most popular majors amongst college students.

Secondly, patients who were considered to have psychological problems were not considered as "mentally ill" or sick, but rather a victim of the devil. For most of our history, religion practically prevailed in almost every aspect of society, making any "abnormal" action related to the devil himself. Today, medical breakthroughs have shown that such disorders can be either biological, or environmental, or perhaps both.

Next, the medical field did not have the tools to examine a patient's brain such as MRI scans and PET scans. Instead, doctors had to cut open a patient's head and examine the brain itself, most of the time when the patient has already passed away. For an extensive period of time, doctors used to compare the brains of men and women, mostly for the purpose of explaining why the male species dominated the women (which of course, we know is not true today). Hospitals now have an extensive collection of equipment used to examine not only the brain, but the body as well (which I will discuss in future blogs).

Also in the world of psychology, its hard to answer the question:

What was the first invention dedicated towards the psychological field?

This question is so difficult to answer because psychology encompasses such a broad range of topics that it is almost impossible to know the first invention, or perhaps, even when they started.

Psychology includes categories such as:

--Clinical Psychology

--Developmental Psychology

--Forensic Psychology

--Cognitive Psychology

--Educational Psychology

--Abnormal Psychology

--Industrial Organizational Psychology

--and the list goes on!

The focus of topics can include anything from children, to health, to genetics, to crimes, to school, to anything you can possibly imagine. So how does technology play a part in all of these?

A lot of the research done in psychology are through experiments and correlational studies. Therefore, naturally, there will be a need for certain equipment and methods to complete such studies. How else will we be able to obtain data and evidence?

In addition, when there is a problem, there needs to be a solution! So what better way to solve problems such as treatment for disorders than to use technology?

History has definitely helped pave the way for the advancement of technology in the psychological field. In future blogs you will not only learn about the different types of technological devices and methods used, but also recognize the immense changes made over the years. Stay tuned for more!

Intro to Technology Through Psychology

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog: Technology Through Psychology!

Have you ever wondered why you act, say, or think certain things?

Do you or anyone you know have a mental illness or disorder such as ADD, anxiety, or depression? And if you do, you wondered how you could tell whether or not you have it?

Or perhaps, you’re just curious in the careers related to psychology and the jobs required to do them.

As a Psychology major, I felt that this would be the perfect opportunity to research my field of study and find out how technology has helped get the world of psychology to where it is today.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I have told people I am majoring in Psychology and the only response they can think of is, “So, you can read my mind? What am I thinking about right now?” Well, last time I checked, psychology is not about reading minds. However, thanks to technology, I can (or will) be able to tell you how your mind works, how your body reacts to certain biological or environmental situations, and why people act the way they do, among other things.

Most of the focus on my blog will be directed towards the many different psychological/mental health disorders known today. Disorders can range anywhere between ADHD and narcolepsy, to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. There is a long history of technological devices, methods, and solutions that have helped to not only diagnose such disorders, but also treat them.

Such methods have either failed or succeeded. In addition, they may also have downsides to them. Therefore, I will look at the technology that despite its failures, has helped lead the way to successful trials. I will also look at both the positive and negative effects of the use of technology.

As stated earlier, while most of my focus will be on mental illnesses and disorders, other topics will include jobs that require the use of technology to help advance their career. For example, in forensic psychology, the use of technology is imminent and practically mandatory in every aspect. Therefore, such fields of psychology will be researched to not only inform you about the advancement of technology, but also perhaps to spark an interest for future careers.

The best thing about psychology is that it can be applied to practically everything in life. To make matters better, technology can also be applied to almost everything in life. To put these ideas together creates the world we live in today. So with my blog, I hope to help you envision our world discussing the important advancements of psychology through technology, with only one exception—please do not ask me if I can read your mind. Enjoy!