The Psychology Thread

I teach psychology. That made me laugh.

IMO a fucked up psychology encounter would be Freud and William Moulton Marshton.

Heh, thanks.

...Okay, I confess, I never heard of the latter until now. XP

Few do. He is not even known for being a psychologist. He is known for having made Wonder Woman.

I'm not very comic-savvy, so I didn't know that either. XP

Kinda relevant to this thread.

So, can kids get traumatized from pranks?

Considering some kids got shot once for a prank, I'd say definitely.

... Oh you mean by an actually harmless prank that doesn't go horribly wrong.

Maybe, probably.

How young?

Ah, yes, the Little Albert experiment. IIRC, he was a toddler. Also, no record of Watson ever undoing the effects of the conditioning experiment, so potentially, Little Albert remained afraid of fluffy white objects for the rest of his life.

The irony is that, in context of the times, Watson's approach to psychology was actually progressive. He was trying to undermine the "Social Darwinist" ideology that was being used to justify discrimination against immigrants and minorities (by proving that everyone is born exactly the same, and all personality differences are the result of conditioning).

I don't thin Little Albert example is the right one, because that was a conditioning done for a prolonged time.

I was more talking about a single, not particularly calculated prank.

Children, esp. young children, are generally more resilient than we give them credit for. If it didn't involve actual abuse, I doubt there would be any long-term emotional damage.

Speaking from experience?

Yes-no. They can come away looking like things are fine. For the emotional bomb to hit 15-20 years down the line — or not. <_< It's very hard to tell if anything has become a mine just waiting to cause havoc. That's the basic problem with not being to enunciate what is going on with you overly well... or being able to compare your experiences with a wider pool.

In short: that can be a very dangerous mindset when it comes to kids, mate. -_-

edited 12th Dec '14 9:55:53 PM by Euodiachloris

A non-abusive prank? I dont think the risk if very high. I could tell you some stories about me and brother....

I've got harmless tales of childhood horror, too, with my brother. But, I've also read case studies where harm occurred due to misunderstandings that, on the face of it weren't abusive... but still damaged with time and accumulation.

Abuse is in the eye of the abused. Even if it takes time for them to realise the damage that was done. -_-

I think the individual person is more important, like what Euo says. I am not sure if there is a "resilience" gene but I do htink that it varies from person to person, like umbral of pain and such.

I think this is one of those slippery slopes where we can cause more damage by over-reacting than we can prevent traumatic incidents.

Coddling or smothering is both abusive and traumatic. It's just chronically so, instead of episodically. In it's way, it's as bad as abusive neglect and its chain of events that accumulate over time. <_<

In a way, it's a bit worse. Proving neglect is easier. -_-

edited 15th Dec '14 11:23:39 AM by Euodiachloris

On Death Battle's famous Goku vs Superman episode, it was stated that Superman practices a mental discipline that allows him to enter the "theta state" for vastly increased mental focus, which is according to the on-show analysis a real-life phenomenon. Does anyone here know anything about this?

Yup: "the zone" can be measured by ECG. And theta wave patterns are very clear in telling you when it's been hit.

The thing is... it's a very energy-intensive state for the brain to generate. Which is one reason why it cannot be sustained for long periods.

Trained sportsmen and women can maintain cycles that are theta-intense for as many as six hours... But, they will cycle into and out of the zone while doing that. And, will need to crash. Heavy delta will be needed to recuperate.

edited 20th Dec '14 5:29:31 AM by Euodiachloris

OK, besides improved mental focus, what other effects on one's mental state does this "theta zone" have? I'm trying to think of potential drawbacks for an Artificial Human being able to sustain a theta-state more or less indefinitely without any extra recuperation requirements. If there are no drawbacks, I suppose I could just say that the process used to achieve this superhuman ability involved messing with some stuff that led to unintended drawbacks.

edited 20th Dec '14 8:36:38 AM by MarqFJA

Let me correct you: flow aka "being in the zone" has particular patterns of intense theta brainwave activity attached to it. But, just being awake involves theta patterns, too. Less interesting ones (thanks to being defaults), but, still...

Intense concentration involves chemicals in the body and brain, not just "a mindset" you can spot on graph paper. And, chemicals have effects other than the primary one you're looking at. Endorphins are involved. Which is why, however enjoyable the hyperfocus you get is, you'll also be racking up both physical as well as mental fatigue. Go for too long, and you'll show signs of stress or even physical shock.

Fight or flight can be exhilarating if you can find a way to enjoy it, but it comes with a price tag. After all, the chemicals involved with giving that natural high are also there to let you ignore actual damage until you are safe to deal with the fallout.

edited 20th Dec '14 5:42:27 PM by Euodiachloris

... And here I was hoping to have my constantly hyperfocused Artificial Human have the problem of being practically incapable of emotional expression (or comprehending their own emotions, for that matter) as a drawback.

edited 20th Dec '14 7:46:51 PM by MarqFJA

It's a common misconception, mate. Tunnel vision alone doesn't shut off emotional responses. It might make you crap at expressing or recognising what you're feeling, but you'll still be feeling it. And, if stressed, volatility is part of the package. <shrugs>

Well, I'll just have to resort to my aforementioned Hand Wave alternative.

Another question, but this time less fiction-related: What is the psychological definition of "insanity"? Normally, I associate the term with "so batshit crazy that they are a 24/7 potential danger to the well-being of others and/or their own well-being".

edited 21st Dec '14 2:00:43 AM by MarqFJA

Uh. Um. The mercenary professional's response to this would be the rather dark "if I can charge by the hour for it". :P

But, seriously... the definition for "insane" is as woolly as that for "sane". There's no definitive or pithy description for either state. <_<