Staying Motivated in College

Contrary to popular belief, living as a college student is not easy. Although you have more freedom when it comes to social engagments and class-picking, life in college is really an opportunity for reality to hit you….hard. For example, most college students do not always have the best financial or roommate situation. At some point, the average college student just ends up glaring at their roommate who just walked in while in the process of eating out of a “just add water” cup of mac and cheese. For me specifically, the 8 ams, hard classes, and 3 hour labs make it hard to stay motivated. I originally chose to come to Austin College because I received a great scholarship and was told it was a great school to study pre-medicine. It can be hard for me to stay focused and motivated on my goals after receiving a low grade in organic chemistry, for example, or having to wake up for an 8 am class, which is ironic considering I had to do this everyday for most of my life. This year in particular has been the toughest yet, and I think the Incentive Theory best explains why I not only was motivated to come to college, but why I am still motivated to stay as a pre-med student.

Incentive theory basically emphasizes the effects of external stimuli on behavior, as it states that behaviors are controlled primarily by external motives. In my case, I am entrinsically motivated by secondary incentives, which means my motivation stems from external stimuli which are viewed as rewarding as a result of my association of them with other pleasures. I think this theory fits my style of motivation because it acknowledges the role of the future and I am a person who always thinks about the future; it can be hard for me to live in the present. Whenever my alarm goes off at 7:30 am or whenever I feel annoyed about having to go to OChem lab, I will take a few breaths, relax, and think of the future. By succesfully completing these courses, I will be able to go to medical school, so as to work as a doctor. The incentive here is working as a doctor. My mind associates this job with several rewards, including happiness as a result of doing someting I love, the many potential patients I will help save, and of course the living and respect I will earn. In addition, motivation to study for a hard class stems from knowing that if I study, I will make a good grade. Again, the incentive here is the good grade. In my mind, I associate good grades with feeling happy as a result of my hard work paying off, a good grade for that class in the long run, a good GPA, and a sense of achievement.

This idea of achievement also reflects another theory which I think describes why most people are motivated: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This theory also emphasizes the role of the future in motivation. Specifcially, the top two levels, the needs for self-worth and self-actualization, play an important role in the lives of students. These levels are what motivate us in our academic achievements and in trying to be the best we can be at what we do. As in high school, I think I will best be able to maintain motivation until graduation by always working towards the future. Anytime I have low motivation, my “intervention” will be to relax, think about if/how the beneifts of what I am doing outweigh the costs, and then apply these benefits towards my future life.

The Effects of Divorce

Over the years, divorce has not only increased in frequency, but has increased in acceptance throughout Western culture. Members born in earlier generations most likely do not need statistics to recognize the fact more marriages end in divorce today than they did decades ago. Perhaps this trend was initially a result of the modification of traditional gender roles which took place in the 20th century (I.e. the addition of more women to the workforce, the development of birth control, and even simply the incorporation of the 19th amendment). Although divorce primarily serves as a method for married couples to make changes which each individual hopes will promote future happiness, it also serves as an extremely heavy change in events for the children involved. In an article on the impact of divorce on children and adolescents, psychologist Carl Pickhardt claims “divorce tends to intensify the child’s dependence and it tends to accelerate the adolescent’s independence.” He claims children tend to experience a short-term, but anxious reaction to divorce as their worlds become filled with negative and even frightening ideas about what will happen in the future and if whether or not they are at some fault. His claims are quite reasonable, as divorce really does have a strong impact on any child of any age, causing them to mentally grow up real fast. Firsthand observation of divorce really symbolizes firsthand observation of life in the real world. This unexpected exposure to the negativities of the real world may be the reason why adolescents tend to exhibit aggressive and controlling behavior towards their own lives, as Pickhardt claims they do.

Although divorce is never an ideal resolution to marital conflict, I personally believe parents who retain their marriage for the sake of the kids promote a false sense of security and well-being. Children are impressionable, as they have not yet solidified their own foundation of happiness. In addition, children are most influenced by their parents. If a child observes an unhappy marriage despite their parents’ marital intactness and false claims of happiness, how will they know what a happy marriage really looks like? Furthermore, an article published in Scientific American states that divorce really only affects most children in the short run, although these effects are quite negative and emotionally draining. This claim ties in with the claims made in Pickhardt’s article. The journal goes on to claim that children of divorce do well in the long run and cites studies which state it is actually the high levels of parental conflict which contribute to a child’s poor performance. I agree with this claim and the research which supports it. If a divorce truly allows each parent to live a happier life, then a more peaceful home environment is promoted. I also liked how the article offered suggestions which will allow the children to fare better after the divorce, such as suggesting that parents should consistently provide emotional warmth and comfort throughout the divorce, while minimizing conflict associated with the divorce (or at least minimize exposure to conflict). For the most part, I was in agreement with the article until I came upon the last line, which states: “most children bounce back and get through this situation with few if any battle scars.” While I do believe divorce results in more negative short-term effects which diminish with time, I do believe children of divorce always carry the battle scar of divorce with them, as symbolized by things such as the absence of a parent in the household. Much like a scar, a person will always possess the memories associated with a divorce and will live with the internal effects the divorce caused them (although they will diminish- like a scar).

One final thing to mention is the influence of divorce on self-esteem. A quasi experiment performed by undergraduate students at Indiana University South Bend revealed there to be no significant effects between parental marital status, gender, and adult self-esteem. It points out the important role the environment plays in child development and suggests divorce tends to disrupt a child’s developmental environment. One very plausible claim made is if the pre-divorce period is filled with conflict and fighting, a divorce will practically relieve the child’s self-esteem. While I do agree with the point which the study attempts to make, I think further studies should be conducted to determine an average rate at which these children regain their self-esteem. It would appear to me that while adding a divorce to conflict would resolve much tension and anger, it would only result in fearful thoughts made by the child, such as pondering if whether or not they are at fault for the divorce. Overall, I believe that like most impactful and traumatizing events, the evident effects of divorce diminish with time. That is not to say a person does not still retain the emotional effects and past memories associated with the divorce throughout their lifetime.

Works Cited:

https://www.iusb.edu/ugr-journal/static/2002/krider.php

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/surviving-your-childs-adolescence/201112/the-impact-divorce-young-children-and-adolescents

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-divorce-bad-for-children/

Personality Test Results

The results I got for the Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test revealed my type to be INFJ (Introvert, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging). These results only indicated slight preferences; for example, I got a 9% preference for introversion over extroversion. Upon obtaining this result, I immediately had to acknowledge the credibility of this test because I obtained the exact same result about 4 years ago when I took it for my sophomore English class. I do agree with this assessment of my personality; I agreed with it even back then. I also agree with the fact that all of my preferences are small, which shows I can be flexible with my personality at certain times. For example, I am an introverted person, but I do not let this influence my relationships with others and I can become extroverted quite easily (usually when I am in a really good mood). People are often surprised if I raise my voice or socialize with everyone in a room. The INFJ type description even stated that we tend to be mistaken for extroverts. I actually agree and acknowledge that my personality fits all aspects of the description. I will often times withdraw myself from others around me, especially the people I am closer to when I am upset, stressed, or physically/emotionally depleted. I have had so many people get upset with me for this, but I personally do not believe getting upset with someone for needing time alone due to being stressed or emotionally unstable is the right way to handle it. This also supports the idea that only people who have extensive experience with others of this personality type are best at interacting with us. The second “Jungian Personality Type” I obtained was ISFJ. I am not surprised by this, as I was only 6% intuitive on the first test. I would say I am more of a sensor, as I prefer to stick to an exact time schedule and find it hard to look beyond facts. The “Open Source Psychometrics Project” revealed percentile scores of: 33 for extroversion, 16 for emotional stability, 30 for agreeableness, 92 for conscientious, and 46 for intellect/imagination. I was most surprised by the percentiles regarding emotional stability and conscientiousness, as they were quite extreme values. The percentiles were derived by comparing my individual score with the scores of others. It is not so much that I disagree with these two extreme results, but am just surprised by them. It described conscientious people as being more careful and diligent, which describes me pretty well. I am unsure if I am more surprised at the fact I am so much more conscientious and emotionally unstable than so many others or the fact so many others appear to be so unlike myself. I think my strict carefulness and emotional instability stem from past events and learning about what I should and should not do from them. The Color Test was interesting in that it tried to prevent the test-taker’s working memory from storing the first order in which colors were chosen from the second order; basically, it tried to prevent the test-taker from turning the personality test into a memory test. The creators claimed their test to be quite an accurate one, as it is used by doctors and psychologists in facilitating patient diagnoses. They also mentioned the results one obtains from the test are not a conclusive diagnosis and that one should see a doctor or psychiatrist for proper diagnosis. I thought this disclaimer was important and caused the test to not mislead others into assuming the test results are the final say. On the other hand, I thought my personal results were pretty broad and not very useful. For example, the results indicated I appear to be seeking my own identity, along with nurturing relationships and a desire to protect my emotions. I honestly believe this to be the case for the majority of young adults. Even though I was not asked about my age, I still feel this to be the case. The results were pretty accurate in describing my desire to avoid conflict and reduce stress. This particular result actually reinforces the result I obtained from the first personality test with regards to how INFJ types withdraw themselves from others to reduce their own stress.

The “Mozart Effect”

As a musician who has performed various pieces of Saint-Saens, who was one of the composers which Zell Miller planned to include in his compilation tape, this topic caught my attention. I can hardly recall the number of times I have heard statements made to me by past directors and conductors on how having instrumental musical talent promotes cognitive function and helps reduce the chance of Alzheimer’s Dementia. While pieces such as “Moon River” are enjoyable and in fact soothing, Governor Miller, who claimed to have had extensive research and personal experience with the connection between music and child development, really should have better examined the experimental designs of some of these studies. The 1993 study performed by Rauscher et al. attempted to prove the causal relationship between musical activity and spatial reasoning based on the idea musical activity and complex cognitive functions share inherent neural firing patterns throughout the cortex. They tested this hypothesis on 36 undergraduate students specializing in psychology. This marks Miller’s first flaw in his utilization of this study: the study was not conducted on babies or infants, but was conducted on undergrad psychology students. This means that the obtained results would not be generalizable to Miller’s intended population. Statistical analyses revealed students who listened to Mozart Sonatas did exhibit improvement in spatial reasoning tasks. On the other hand, one result they did fine was that students who were subject to both silence and Mozart Sonata exhibited no significant day-to-day improvement. This finding really does not promote conformation of the hypothesis, as it just shows how Mozart’s Sonatas only facilitate spatial task improvements when participants are exposed to them every time they perform a spatial task. The researchers also experimented on how music could improve short term memory, which they were unable to confirm, probably as the prefrontal cortex, which is underdeveloped in most undergraduates, plays a role in this. They also found preschoolers who had music lessons performed better on object assembly tests. One point made in the research article touched on how music training enhances pattern developments of neuron groups, which appears to be a valid point as it reflects the idea of long-term potentiation. Overall, one statement made in the conclusion reflects my opinion on if Miller’s idea was a good one or not. They state their hopes of integrating music training into schools, as the effect of long-term musical exposure is what appeared to promote the most improvement. I personally believe that music very well affects cognitive performance, but only when someone is repeatedly exposed to musical learning and training for long periods of time, in the same way musicians are for example. Cognitive functions are strengthened best with repeated exposure (promotion of long-term potentiation) throughout one’s lifetime. One final thing to note is that Miller’s idea does not really follow the privacy clause dictated by the 14th amendment. It is unlikely every parent agrees with Miller or the research used by Miller. What is likely is not every parent would appreciate the state attempting to convince them of how best to parent. At the end of the day, it is not the decision of the state to decide what is most helpful for child development, as this is the private right of the parents, not to mention every child is different.

Recreational vs. Medical Uses of Marijuana

I have never had a particularly strong opinion when it came to the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. In my belief, everyone has been endowed with free will, a sense of right and wrong, and a “gut-feeling” of knowing what is best. In addition, tax-paying citizens who do choose to buy marijuana have a greater economic role and are in fact helping to supply a business (although it is not always a legal business found nationally). On the other hand, people of all ages, backgrounds, and states of wealth can become addicted and put their health at risk. With this being the case, I do think when it comes to the recreational use of marijuana, the detriments outweigh the benefits.

Based on the medical approach, there was always more evidence for medical marijuana than evidence against it. Many people tend to forget this drug is in fact derived from a plant which was utilized by many eastern cultures in ancient times for its pain-relieving and relaxing properties. When it comes to modern times, these pain-relieving and relaxing properties are highlighted for medical purposes. Those who get this drug prescribed to them for medical purposes do not take it the same way those who use the drug for recreational purposes do. Based on experiences I have seen with my own two eyes, I definitely think there is a major difference between people who use marijuana medically and people who use it recreationally; there has to be a difference because if a patient were to become addicted to the drug, the entire purpose of using it would be defeated. Furthermore, under the Controlled Substances Act, medical marijuana is listed as a Schedule 1 drug, which means the DEA recognizes the high potential for abuse and is prepared to take an actions necessary in case of this happening. I actually learned all of this over the summer when studying to become a pharmacy technician. The FDA and DEA have such tight control over the dispensing of Schedule 1 drugs that the typical pharmacy is not allowed to serve as a Schedule 1 drug provider. For the most part, research shows marijuana does in fact help with pain and anxiety. In addition, the protocols for dispensing this drug are pretty strict. On the other hand, many physicians who decide on this drug for a patient are doing so for research purposes. With any research, things can go wrong and the effects this drug has may not be generalizable (going back to the five major questions of successful experimental research). Many of the research articles promoting the use of medical marijuana may have bias and the positive results could always be due to some kind of correlational effect, not a direct cause and effect relationship.

My Current Study Habits

When it comes time to study for an exam, I first plan which day I will begin studying, along with which days I will be able to study from that day until the exam, given I will have time to. Being an organized person (some might say overly-organized), I find planning to be essential when it comes to successful studying, especially if you plan to study more than one day before the exam, which I always try my best to do. This leads me to my next point, which is I usually start studying for an exam 3 days before it takes place. In addition, I will not study all the material in one day, but rather I spread the material out over the 3 days. Most of the exams I take for my biology courses, for example, cover what seems like an immense amount of material. In this case, what I like to do is study and make sure I understand and remember the first part of the material during the first day of my studying, doing the same for the second and final portions of the material during the second and final days of my studying. It is really helpful to study bits at a time, conquer these bits, and then move on to other bits. I am not the kind of student who is able to cram the day/night before nor do I stay up super late studying. By beginning my studies 3 days in advance and studying for 2 to 3 hours each day, I never have to worry about losing too much sleep or suffering from anxiety as a result of putting off my studying and having to worry about whether or not I will be able to get through all of the material. Another point, which I touched on earlier, is I do not stay up all night, let alone extremely late, studying for an exam. This has been the case for all of my life. My favorite professor even told my class about how the risks tend to outweigh the benefits when it comes pulling an all-nighter. I also am just the kind of person who tends to make stupid mistakes on tests as a result of not being able to really function properly when I am tired.

For certain classes, such as math classes and general/inorganic chemistry classes, I first review the conceptual material and equations, then work problems. For me, working problems before an exam is the best way of practicing the material and applying what I know. For other classes in which I need to memorize names, structures, and functions, I make flash cards. Finally, the most common thing I do when studying is make study sheets. By writing down major points and concepts based on what I know, I am practicing the very thing which will be asked of me on the test: to write down major points and concepts based on what I know and have learned. I also learned early on how important of a role taking breaks has on memory. What I mean by this is that it is best to study a certain amount of material, take a break from it, and then return studying by first trying to recall on your own what you know; I make sure to do this as well.

When studying for my first psychology exam, I divided the work into 3 days, as the exam covered 3 chapters. Each day, I would review what I read in a chapter in the book, along with my notes for the chapter. I next made a study sheet summarizing and relating important details from the chapter. Before starting on the next chapter the next day, I would review my study sheet and quiz myself. On the third day, I answered some of the questions found on the practice exam so as make sure I was prepared for the level of detail this exam would consist of. Since taking the exam and starting to learn the material which will be on the second exam, I think I may need to use flashcards this time. This is because one of the chapters is a very detailed one on the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system. I will have to learn the complex names of many structures and what these structures do. I also think I should answer questions from the practice exam each day I study, specifically work on questions which relate to the chapter I already reviewed, instead of only looking at the practice exam on last day after I have covered everything.

The Ideal Parent: Is There Such a Thing?

One can find all kinds of different parenting styles across the various cultures of the world. With this being the case, I do not believe in there being a single ideal way to parent. In addition, every child is different; what may benefit one child may not promote the well-being of another (even if the other child is in the same family). On the other hand, I do think there should be (and maybe there are) some universal principles which can apply to all cultures:

First, parents should refrain from trying to replicate their own interests through their children. What I mean by this is children, especially adolescents, should never have to sacrifice their own self-development under the pressure of their parents’ hopes. When it comes to the image of the “Tiger mom,” it is not so much the behavior as it is the reason behind it which can serve major implications. Some of these moms simply treat their children with tough love out of wanting the best for them. Others are hard on their kids because they want them to pursue a dream which they (the parent) once had. I strongly disagree with this mindset because it shows how these parents are not only hard on their kids, but it shows how they are acting this way out of their own interest, not out of love. I am not saying that these types of parents do not love their children, but the attitude which they go about raising their children with is not the right attitude to have, especially with children and adolescents who are still learning the ways of the world and who are tying to figure out their own aspirations in life.

Second, parents should confront their own anxieties and love their children without dictating them. This point is meant to tie in with the previous one. Parents should exert control to further their child’s abilities, not to promote their own interests and defend their own superiority. Many parents wish for their children to live better lives than they once had; sometimes parents even try to make their children live an almost perfect life either because they grew up on the opposite spectrum from perfect or because they in fact grew up very fortunate. Whichever the case, I believe the pursuit of perfection gets in the way of the pursuit of happiness.

Finally, I believe parents should treat their children as their children. By this, I reject the concept of using wealth to buy the happiness and affection of the child and/or using wealth to make up for lost time spent with the child. If parents insist on engaging in this behavior, then how will their children be able to associate happiness, affection, time, and love without money? Using money to serve as the concrete form of such an abstract concept (happiness) will not result in a child who grows up to be happy. It may temporarily cause the child happiness, but in the end, they will be unable to dissociate happiness from money (which I believe is correlational, not causational). My final point with this principle has to do with parents playing the role of the child’s parent and not the role of friend. In my case, both of my parents grew up in very different cultures, but they both agreed that a parent is not a friend. On one hand, parents are a lot like friends in many ways. For example, both parents and friends offer a source of support and should want what is best for you. On the other hand, parents and friends have different ideas of what is best (and typically it is assumed that parents know better what is best over friends, as they are older and more experienced). In addition, parents are more of a permanent source of support because at the end of they day, friends come and go as you move through life; your parents should (and typically will) always defend you, no matter what petty argument you just had with them.

Case Example According to the Modern Psychological Schools

From the psychodynamic perspective, Miguel exhibits an anal personality, which is why he tends to act like a perfectionist. This may be due to a specific event or milestone which took place during his childhood, specifically his experience with toilet-training and his parents’ extreme emphasis on him succeeding at it (there of course could be a whole different event that caused this behavior or that made the behavior worse). The fights he picks with his roommates are probably a reflection of the grand conflict taking place between his conscious and unconscious mind. The ego is unable to effectively resolve this constant mental conflict and so he picks fights and acts irritable as a mechanism of defense. Overall, it is plausible to say his unconscious mind is quite a dark place due to unresolved issues that took place during his childhood, which is why he has trouble focusing and resolving tasks. He probably has a hard time sleeping because dreams tend to lead to the unconscious mind, which may be too traumatized or negative.

With the behaviorist approach, it is evident there is something in the environment (or multiple things) which serve as a source of influence on Miguel’s behavior. The reason he has trouble focusing on his work could be due to a lack of positive reinforcements in the learning environment from his teachers and family or he could be the target of various distracting stimuli, such as friends. He could have trouble falling asleep due to stress from school or family. This lack of sleep causes him to feel irritable and by fighting with his roommates, he may temporarily feel less irritable. He acts like a perfectionist because cleaning and organizing may also provide a source of temporary stress relief. Finally, he is hard on himself as a result of punishment. For example, not getting an A on an exam may cause his parents to be unhappy with him or it may cause him to feel more stressed out, as he may assume he will not do well in the class.

From the humanistic perspective, Miguel is a perfectionist and is hard on himself because of his innate desire to reach his maximum potential in life. It seems his difficulty sleeping and his lack of focus on school is holding him back from achieving self-actualization (according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs). Combine this lack of full potential with being tired, and he exhibits irritability. Perhaps his inability to engage in decent sleep and fully respect others is a sign that he is not yet ready to reach full self-actualization.

Based on the cognitive approach, Miguel’s behavior is a result of his mental processes. He appears to process information in a distorted manner. He seems to undergo mental processes which interfere with his perception and promote negativity which causes him the inability to sleep and irritability, causing him to be easily ticked off (picking fights). The mental processes he utilizes to solve problems or get out of situations is probably faulty, which is why he is hard on himself. In addition, the mental processes needed to focus and pay attention are also slacking. He probably has pretty negative thoughts about himself and others and thinks unrealistically about how to get through the day, from human interactions to just getting to go to sleep.

In terms of neuroscience, there could be many explanations for Miguel’s behavior. His lack of focus, irritability, negative attitude, and inability to sleep may be caused by disorders affecting the brain, such as ADD, ADHD, Depression, and Insomnia. In terms of his aggressive behavior in picking fights, that could be an exhibition or combination of his family’s genome and/or effect of hormones (testosterone) and/or male evolutionary characteristic. Genetics likely plays a part in him acting as a perfectionist.

Finally, with cultural psychology in mind, it makes sense to assume that he is a bit of a perfectionist who is hard on himself due to the western culture’s emphasis, and probably his own family emphasis, on self-image. Whenever he loses focus on his work, it appears to make him think less of his self-worth, as self-worth and the ability to stay focused and do well in school are pretty universally associated. His irritability may simply come from his inability to sleep, but his tendency to pick fights probably stems from the universal idea of masculinity and using aggression to resolve (although temporarily) irritability.