Time-saving technology versus not having enough time
General affluence versus economic decline
Improvement in our ability to communicate information
versus our information anxiety
Advancement in medical technology versus concerns about
cost and quality of medical care
Explanation of paradox
Technological advances have not led to perceptible
improvement in collective health and happiness
Some critics suggest that quality of our lives and sense
of personal fulfillment have declined
Causes of paradox
According to Fromm, technological progress has undermined
traditional sources of emotional security (e.g., family, community,
religion)
According to Toffler, we are overwhelmed by rapidly
accelerating cultural change
According to Kegan, we are "in over our heads" when it
comes to the mental demands of modern life
Most theorists agree that basic challenge of modern life
is search for meaning or sense of direction
The search for direction
Manifestations of search for direction
Self-realization programs (e.g., Scientology)
Cults (e.g., Heaven's Gate)
Popularity of "Dr. Laura" radio show
The codependency movement
Description of codependency
Melody Beattie popularized the term beginning in late
1980s
Described the codependent person as anyone who has let
another person's addictive behavior affect him or her and is obsessed
with controlling that behavior
Made the codependency notion applicable to a large
range of people
Theorists suggest some people seek out relationships
with troubled individuals to satisfy a need to be needed
Women may be more likely to be codependent
Codependents consistently subordinate their own needs
to those of their partner
Symptoms range from minor (e.g., boredom, indecision) to
profound (e.g., anorexia, depression, suicide)
Solution to codependency
Most codependency experts advocate recovery programs
similar to Alcoholics Anonymous
According to this model, codependency is considered an
addictive disease
Evaluation of codependency movement
Positive contributions
Has increased appreciation for the family systems
approach
Popularity of movement suggests that codependency is a
genuine problem
Criticisms
Definitions of codependency vary considerably
Little or no scientific evidence to support basic
tenets of codependency theory
Classification of numerous behaviors as addictions
trivializes the concept of addiction (e.g., "sexaholism",
"shopaholism")
Tendency for codependency theorists to explain all
psychological problems in terms of addiction and codependency
Codependency is a derogatory label generally applied
to women
Self-help books
The value of self-help books
Some excellent books offer authentic insights and sound
advice
But many books offer little real value to the reader
Main shortcomings of self-help books
Dominated by "psychobabble"
Advice provided is generally not based on solid,
scientific research
Usually don't provide explicit directions about how to
change behavior
What to look for in self-help books
Clarity in communication
Don't promise too much in the way of immediate change
Mention the research basis for their program
Candid about limits of what is known
Provide explicit directions about how to change behavior
Tend to focus on a particular topic
The approach of this textbook
Based on premise that accurate knowledge about
psychological principles can be of value in everyday life
Attempts to foster a critical attitude about psychological
issues and to enhance critical thinking skills
Serves as a resource that can introduce you to other
books, techniques, and therapies of value
Assumes that the key to effective adjustment is to take
charge of your own life
The psychology of adjustment
Definition of psychology: the science that studies
behavior and the physiological and mental processes that underlie it, and
the professions that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to
practical problems
Behavior: any overt (observable) response or
activity by an organism
Clinical psychology: the branch of psychology
concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and
disorders
Definition of adjustment: the psychological
processes through which people manage or cope with the demands and
challenges of everyday life
The scientific approach to behavior
The commitment of empiricism
Definition of Empiricism: the premise that
knowledge should be acquired through observation
Investigations in scientific psychology are formal,
systematic, and objective
Advantages of the scientific approach
Clarity and precision
Relative intolerance of error
Experimental research: looking for causes
Experiment: a research method in which an
investigator manipulates one (independent) variable under carefully
controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second
(dependent) variable as a result
Independent and dependent variables
Independent variable: a condition or event
that an experimenter varies in order to see its impact on another
variable
Dependent variable: the variable that is
thought to be affected by the manipulations of the independent
variable
Experimental and control groups
Experimental group: consists of the subjects
who receive some special treatment in regard to the independent
variable
Control group: consists of similar subjects
who do not receive the special treatment given to the experimental
group
Logic of the experimental method rests on the assumption
that the experimental and control groups are alike, except for their
different treatment in regard to the independent variable
Advantages and disadvantages
Main advantage is that it allows scientists to draw
conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships between variables
One disadvantage is that some variables cannot be
manipulated because of ethical concerns or practical realities
Correlational research: looking for relationships between
variables
Correlation: When two variables are related
to each other, a correlation exists. Correlation refers to the degree
and direction of relationship between two variables
Measuring correlation
Correlation coefficient: a numerical index of
the degree of relationship that exists between two variables
Kinds of relationships
Positive relationship means that high scores on one
variable are associated with high scores on the other and that low
scores on one variable are associated with low scores on the other
Negative relationship means that high scores on one
variable are associated with low scores on the other
Strength of the relationship
The absolute value of the correlation coefficient
indicates the strength of the relationship
Thus, the closer the correlation coefficient is to
either -1.00 or +1.00, the stronger the relationship is
And correlation coefficients near zero indicate little
or no relationship between the variables
Naturalistic observation
In naturalistic observation, a researcher
engages in careful observation of behavior without intervening directly
with the subjects
Method is naturalistic because behavior is allowed to
occur naturally
Case studies
A case study is an in-depth investigation of
an individual subject
Generally used in clinical settings to diagnose and
treat a psychological problem
Surveys
Surveys: structured questionnaires designed to
solicit information about specific aspects of subjects' behavior
Frequently used to study attitudes and other aspects of
behavior that are difficult to observe directly
Advantages and disadvantages of correlational research
methods
Main advantage is that they can be used to explore
questions that cannot be examined with experimental procedures
Main disadvantage is that correlational research cannot
be used to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships between variables
The roots of happiness: an empirical analysis
What isn't very important?
Money
Correlation between income and subjective feeling of
happiness is positive, but surprisingly weak
On average, wealthy people are only marginally happier
than middle classes
Age
Gender
Parenthood
Intelligence
Physical attractiveness
Community
What is somewhat important?
Health
Social activity
Religion
Culture
Modest variations mostly related to cultural differences
in individualism versus collectivism
Individualism involves putting personal goals
ahead of group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal
attributes rather than group memberships
Collectivism involves putting group goals
ahead of personal goals and defining one's identity in terms of the
groups to which one belongs
Relationship harmony appears to be a more
important determinant of happiness in collectivist cultures than in
individualistic cultures
What is very important?
Love and marriage
Being in love seems to be a critical ingredient of
happiness
Married people are happier than people who are single or
divorced
Work
Personality
Best predictor of future happiness is past happiness
Personality correlates of happiness include self-esteem,
extraversion, optimism, and sense of control over one's life
Conclusions
Because most of the data are correlational, we must be
cautious in drawing inferences about the causes of happiness
Evidence indicates that many popular beliefs about the
sources of happiness are unfounded
But some general conclusions can be drawn
Determinants of well-being are subjective
In making subjective assessments of our happiness, we
generally compare ourselves with others who are similar to us
Research suggests that people tend to adapt to their
circumstances. Hedonic adaptation occurs when the mental scale that
people use to judge the pleasantness-unpleasantness of their experience
shifts so that their neutral point, or baseline for comparison, is
changed.
It is possible to find happiness in spite of seemingly
insurmountable problems. The quest for happiness is never hopeless
Application: Improving academic performance
Developing sound study habits
Set up a schedule for studying
Find a place to study where you can concentrate
Reward your studying
Improving your reading
Reading time should be active
The SQ3R method: a study system designed to
promote effective reading that includes five steps: survey, question,
read, recite, and review
Getting more out of lectures
Class attendance is important, even when instructor is
hard to follow
Take accurate lecture notes
Use active listening procedures
Read ahead in textbook
Write down lecturer's thoughts in own words
Ask questions during lectures
Applying memory principles
Engage in adequate practice
Continued rehearsal may improve your understanding of
material
Overlearning refers to continued rehearsal of
material after you first appear to master it
Use distributed practice rather than "cram" for exams
Minimize interference from competing information
Interference occurs when people forget
information because of competition from other learned material
Research suggests that interference is a major cause of
forgetting
Organize information into outlines
Use mnemonic devices, which are strategies for
enhancing memory