Psychological Abnormality Essay Example for Free

Psychological Abnormality Essay There are many ways of defining psychological abnormality; the two I will be discussing is deviation from social norms and failure to function adequately. Deviation form social norms is a person’s thinking or behavior being classified as abnormal if it violates the rules or norms about what is expected or acceptable behavior in a particular social group. An example of this can be anorexia, more common in females where the person sees themselves as overweight even when extremely thin and person is terrified of weight gain. The media create unrealistic, and for most people ideal images, especially of women. Most models are well below normal weight for their age and height Sufferers desperately want to be accepted and valued and tend to feel that they are not. However self-starvation is seen as abnormal in terms of social norms. Strength of deviation from social norms is that this definition takes into consideration the effect that behavior has on others in which deviance is defined in terms of breaking social rules which are usually made in order to help people live together. There are many limitations with the definition of deviation from social norms, beliefs about abnormality and social norms or morally acceptplable behavior changes over time for example homosexuality was included in the American classification system for disorders up to the 1960s. Since then attitudes have changed and homosexuality it no longer seen as a disorder. Another limitation is that context is import as we distinguish between normal and abnormal according to social norms of the time. Much of our behavior is context specific and take out of context may seem bizarre for example if you saw a person suddenly jump up from a park bench and start talking to themselves you might think of them as being very strange on the other hand if you saw a camera crew you would have thought of it being bizarre. Also culture relativity can be a limitation as different cultures have different ideas about acceptable behavior fro example some African societies cut themselves as a sign of inner beauty but in Western societies we se it as self harm. Another definition of abnormality is failure to function adequately this is when abnormal behavior interferes with daily life/functioning i. e. people are unable to live a normal life. An example of this can be when people cannot work and lose the motivation to care for themselves properly and agoraphobia or fear of crowds which is defined as an abnormal behavior where a person may have a fear of open space and can’t go shopping, school and do other everyday things because they have a fear of crowds. Strength of this definition is that it is easy to judge who is failing to function adequately because it is easy to . ist behaviors that show people are not functioning properly in their everyday lives e. g. unable to dress themselves, can’t get up in the morning etc. Limitations of this definition can be the context as starving yourself is irrational, unpredictable and maladaptive. However it is understandable when political prisoners go on hunger strike as a political pro test, so context is important. Also some people may not have psychological disorder but still have failure to function adequately e. g. dues to economic conditions it may not be possible to hold down a job and support family. Another limitation is that some people are able to maintain an adequate or high level of functioning even if they have a psychological disorder for example some people with anxiety or depression can still function. Similarity between both definitions is that they both have a limitation of culture relativity as different societies have different rules and norms of what’s normal and abnormal. A problem with both definitions is that context is important as we distinguish what is normal and abnormal behavior according to what is expected in a given situation according to the social norms at the time.

Graduation Speech: Live Life to the Fullest -- Graduation Speech, Comm

I would like to begin this evening by welcoming all of my classmates, staff, parents and guardians, the school board and superintendent, friends, and relatives to the commencement of the class of 2012. Commencement is a critical juncture in our lives; it is a momentous occasion where we believe we are about to start anew. However, graduation is the bittersweet moment where the forces of past and future are simultaneously acting on us. Consequently, the past is not dead. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, suggests that our past experiences will be with us forever as he states, " [we] are a part of all that [we] have met; yet all experience is an arch where through gleams that untraveled world." That is why graduation, similar to other turning points in our lives, possesses two halves, which accentuate each other. We are looking forward, but the "arch" of experience beckons us to remember, value, and learn from our past experiences. Thus, I feel that in order to appreciate commencement fully, we must remember our own past, and in particular, the last four years: For we are leaving many of ...

Stronger Faster Smarter

Stronger, Faster, Smarter By Mary Carmichael A. Account The text â€Å"Stronger, Faster, Smarter† written by Mary Carmichael states that exercise is the key to develop a healthier and smarter brain. According to the text, studies show that exercise such as aerobic doesn’t only increase the size of the muscles via the increased blood flow, the same thing happens to the brain. More blood equals more oxygen, which helps maintain the brain cells nourished better. The same kind of exercise has also coaxed the human brain to produce new nerve cells and caused older nerve cells to form interconnected webs that make the brain run faster and more efficiently. All which results in a stronger, faster and smarter brain. These statements are fully held out by research in the field of neuroscience and kinesiology described in the text and also confirmed in the field of biochemistry. With the view of a biochemist the evidence lies on the molecular level. When exercising, our muscles contract and release and within this particular motion a protein called IGF-1 finds it way to the brain through the bloodstream. This protein informs the brain of the increased activity due to the exercise, which makes the brain crank up its production of different chemicals needed to keep the body working in a new and more stressed state. One of these chemicals is called brain derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF and is indispensable when we talk about growing a bigger, stronger, faster and smarter brain. In fact a book on this subject calls it â€Å"Miracle-Gro for the brain. It fuels almost all the activities that lead to higher thought†. With this piece of information we can conclude in a scientific way that an increase of body exercise results in a higher production of chemicals and molecules in the body, where BDNF is one of them. With an increase of BDNF, blood and also oxygen we can conclude that not only does the process of exercise lead to an increased memory and improved function due to an increase of the size of the brain which occurs of the higher amount of bloodstream, it also leads to creation of new nerve cells and their branching out, connection and communication or what we in normal sayings would call an increased ability to learn. B1. Essay Who should be held responsible is the question. And the answer is pretty simple. The educators. And the reason is simple too. As pupils, high school and college students we spend a total of almost 20 years of studying, some even more. At least a quarter of a day is held in these educational institutions that are meant to transform us from an individual to a working but also thinking part of society. Being smarter is the actual goal you set yourself; it is what the society expects when we go to school. We are taught that by being present and participating in the lessons, we learn. But what we forget or don’t know is that a crucial ingredient of learning is being fit to learn. A statement scientifically proven by numerous professors and biologist. An increase of blood flow to the brain due to exercise increases the flow of oxygen, which creates a more healthier, fresh and clean environment where new brain cells can be formed and interconnect with each other to shape what we call learning. Some people will maybe say that keeping yourself fit is a personal responsibility, but what these people forget is that obese people and people who don’t exercise could actually do more good for the society if they were fit. Everyone nowadays know that people who exercise are less likely to get life-treating diseases and studies in physiology also show that an active life equals a longer life. The society benefits from this in many ways. Not only do we live longer, we use less money on medication and treatment. But there is also a missing benefit that we forget. A fitter and healthier society equals a more intelligent society. When you look at societies with a higher level of education and compare them with societies with the exact opposite you will see a dramatic difference in wealth and happiness. I am not stating that you can’t be happy if you are poor or uneducated, but my point is that a clever and educated population tend to form societies where the foundations are based on higher level of theory and education. When taking little Denmark in perspective to the most of the world you will see that we differ by giving every citizen a chance to become an educated individual. Just by having this opportunity you can live a life in wealth and happiness, which you wouldn’t be able to in many other countries. This is also called the â€Å"Jantelov†, which says that you are no better than anybody else. A garbage man has the opportunity to become a lawyer or a doctor but as a garbage man he can live in a middle-class neighborhood and hold is head high without feeling anyone judging his choice of career. He may not have a high level of education, and his work hours may be awkward but he can enjoy the rest of the day with his family and recharge to next day of work. All of this is possible because the country is built by intellectual and educated people who have learned how to build a well working society where everyone have equal rights and have a place in society. To bare out my statement of a more intelligent society equals a happier society, independent studies and surveys in the field of social science all show that Denmark is the happiest place on earth. Little Denmark is ranked above USA, the richest and most powerful country in human history and even way above those paradise-like places like Hawaii. Based on the values of â€Å"Jantelov†, and the way the Danish society system is built by well-educated statesmen you actually have evidence of not only a wealthy, but also the happiest country in the world. It is therefore a united responsibility that should be held out by educators because their role and job is to educate and teach us how to learn. An increased effort done by educators in the field of exercise will contribute as a social benefit because a more fit and healthy society benefits in not only a wealthier and happier but also a more intelligent society. Another good reason why educational institutes should be held responsible of exercise is that they are the places that young people spend most of their time. They are the places we meet with our classmates and going to school or university is a daily routine. When we wake up we know that within few hours we have to head to one of these educational institutes where the educators have the responsibility to teach us. The main purpose is to learn what the educators teach us. Day after day we go to school to learn, but why don’t we exercise every day? This could become a reality if the educators also were coaches or brain trainers, so they didn’t only have the responsibility to teach but also to train our brains to learn with the help of fun games that motivate us to move our bodies. And motivation is the key element to exercise. If we make these games as important as the lessons we would create a social security net which doesn’t let people complete the educational without completing the â€Å"obligatory games†. The ancient Greeks did this as well, and said â€Å"fitness was almost as important as learning itself†. And an old Turkish saying my mom once told me says, â€Å"a healthy mind rests in a healthy body†. But you don’t have to be a scientist, biologist or even a Greek philosopher to see and feel the change in your body and brain when you exercise. Anyone can feel that they have a lot more energy and think clearer when they have exercise on a daily basis. But in our modern culture things such as game consoles and computers have taken over exercise and increased the proportion of overweight people. And after days and months or maybe years with no exercise we lose the motivational compositor that keeps reminding our brain that exercise is a good and satisfying for not only our body but also the brain that rests in it. And this motivation is then replaced by the fun of video games and socializing on the Internet. But a way we can re-experience the lost motivation is by doing something social and fun such as playing a game of soccer, which replaces the fun in video games and living a social life in cyberspace. By doing so, as an everyday routine in the educational institutes it will become as normal as getting up from bed, eating, brushing your teeth and going to school. It will be a regular everyday task almost an instinctual habit. And this is how and why the educators should be held responsible of training us to become better learners so we can develop stronger, faster and smarter brains.

Essay about JFK The Death of a Conspiracy - 1752 Words

JFK: The Death of a Conspiracy There is a plethora of conspiracy theories regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. They range from the incumbent of the former Soviet Union to organized crime. Pro-conspiracy groups are in agreement with one theory; the United States government covered up the truth of the assassination. The premise of a government conspiracy to cover up of the assassination is laden with insufficient evidence and unproved theories. The truth of the matter is President Kennedy was assassinated by the lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald. On November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m., President Kennedy was shot as his motorcade drove through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. He was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital†¦show more content†¦In addition to the three pathologists, there were two Navy enlisted men who served as autopsy technicians, three radiologists, and two photographers. One of the photographers was Bethesdas medical school chief of photography, John Stringer (2797). Dr. Humes was told personally by Rear Admiral Kenney, Surgeon General of the Navy, to â€Å"find the cause of death† (2796). According to Breo, Drs. Humes and Boswell thought that the autopsy should be done by the A.F.I.P., but later learned t! hat Bethesda was chosen because Mrs. Kennedy requested it for the simple reason that her husband was a Navy man (2803). The Presidents body arrived in a bronze casket with the body unclothed, wrapped in sheets, and the head wrapped â€Å"around and around† with gauze and bandages. Accompanying the body was the Presidents wife, Jacqueline, his brother, Robert, and his personal physician, Rear Admiral Burkley. Robert and Jacqueline went to the upper floor of the hospital to await the completion of the autopsy, while the body was taken to the autopsy room. Upon arrival of the body, Drs. Humes and Boswell opened the casket, removed the body, and began the autopsy (2797). Present during the autopsy were Admiral Burkley, officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.), Secret Service agents, and theShow MoreRelatedThe Assassination Of John F. Kennedy1620 Words   |  7 Pagesa freshly fired riffle, immediately after JFK was shot. Contrary to the governments report, skeptics argue a vast scope of conspiracies to shed light on what they believe happened that day; ideas ranging from magic bullets, multiple shooters, and alternate motives from the same shooter. Although JFK conspiracies usually contradict each other, over two thirds of Americans believe in at least one (Shermer). These people all tend to believe in a conspiracy for the same subliminal reasons; the combinationRead MoreThe Assassination of John F. Kennedy Essay916 Words   |  4 Pagespeople believe that John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln, but most people don’t think Oswald killed JFK. Ranging from his future-self killing his past self to other crazy theories like aliens, but 55% of our nation still think that JFK was involved by some government conspiracy at the time of his death. Right now in 2014 America some people still believe that the assassination of John F Kennedy was just a conspiracy, here we’ll see why and how this could have happened in our own state in our own country.Read MoreThe Assassination Of Jfk Assassination Theory1385 Words   |  6 Pagesessay is the JFK assassination theory. I would like to research this because I have seen documents and videos online and on television about the conspiracy but I have not done full research into it to see the facts. With the presidents of the United States they are able to make or break the country with their decisions, with that JFK was assassinated due to that and other reasons. 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The Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald killed John F. Kennedy, and that he acted alone. However, over half of the American population believe otherwise. Through the years there have been many conspiracies evolve that have showed there was no way Oswald could haveRead MoreBook 1984 Analysis: Conspiracies in the US, John F. Kennedy1438 Words   |  6 Pages A conspiracy is a â€Å"secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful† (Conspiracy.). One of the most conspiracy filled events in history just happens to be the John F. Kennedy assassination. Some ideas are way out there, but others sound like they might have at least a hint of truth in them. The book 1984, relates to a few of these schemes of how and such an event would happen, but even more importantly how it was covered up. In the book they were masterminds at covering up events andRead MoreAssassination Of The Post War 20th Century1292 Words   |  6 Pagesto a host of conspiracy theories over who was to blame.In 1964, the Warren Commission concluded Kennedy was killed by a lone assassin – Oswald – while three other investigations, in 1968, 1975, and 1978-79, confirmed the commission s conclusion that JFK had been killed by two shots from behind.However, the 1978-79 House select committee on assassinations decided there was a high probability t hat a second gunman fired at Kennedy and that he was probably assassinated as a conspiracy.This findingRead MoreEssay The Assassination of John F. Kennedy718 Words   |  3 PagesOne of the most debated and controversial topics in American History is the assassination of John F. Kennedy. JFK was one of the most loved presidents of our time. One article of his death wrote, The day the country weeped(John). The JFK assassination is filled with many conspiracy theories that cannot be proven to be exact facts. Such theories include a Government cover-up†CIA†, Mafia influence, The Illuminati, and Gay Thrill Kill Theory. The idea that lone mind, Lee Harvey Oswald, plotting toRead MoreEssay about The Kennedy Assination: A Conspiracy?1226 Words   |  5 PagesWhat reasons did the HSCA have in 1979 for suggesting that President Kennedy was the victim of a conspiracy in 1963? In 1976, the House Select Committee on Assassinations began to reinvestigate the events at the assassination of JFK. A report was published by the committee in 1979 stating that there was a probable conspiracy surrounding Kennedy’s death, contradicting the Warren Commission’s theory. However, the HSCA could not prove that someone other than Oswald may have assassinated the presidentRead MoreThe Assassination Of John F. Kennedy1452 Words   |  6 PagesTwo days later Oswald was shot at point blank range before he could be transferred and put through a proper trial (November). This is what was reported and seen, expect no one knew for sure Oswald’s motivation or if it was even him, which led to conspiracy theories being made up. The most believed one is that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was behind the shootings. It is believed they either hired or framed Oswald and staged his killing before anything could be proven different. For the side