Behavioral Science Thread

[rokstedy]

If you're studying psychology, sociology, anthropology or any other -logies I might be missing, this is your thread.

Currently I am in grad school at Chapman University for Marriage and Family Therapy. I'm part-time so I'm only taking 2 classes.

So far I'm learning about the family systems--right now the Bowenian theory (Murray Bowen). Am also learning about cognitive-behavioral therapy and will learn other types of therapy as well.

[Iceblink]

If you're studying psychology...

Currently I am in grad school at Chapman University for Marriage and Family Therapy. I'm part-time so I'm only taking 2 classes.

I have as many credits in psych. and mental health as I do in English. Next year, my school is developing a psychology class. I will probably teach it, and I'm very excited about it!

Actually, my mother is a very well-known expert/teacher of both substance abuse counseling and family counseling. She's a former ACA president.

What textbook are you using?

[nicodemus]

I posted it over in the "What are you reading?" thread, but figured it was pertinent here as well...

currently working on...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/026261197X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Written by a psychology professor at Knox College, and published by MIT, it attempts to show how materialism adversely affects one's mental & physcial well being. Knox & his collegues have spent years studying the subject and these are the condensed and simplified results. I've read some complaints that the book is "too academic," but I don't think that's the case. It's only a bit over 100 pages and is very easy to understand by someone who doesn't hold a psychogy degree.

[rokstedy]

I have as many credits in psych. and mental health as I do in English. Next year, my school is developing a psychology class. I will probably teach it, and I'm very excited about it!

Actually, my mother is a very well-known expert/teacher of both substance abuse counseling and family counseling. She's a former ACA president.

What textbook are you using?

For my Clinical Theories and Techniques class:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Psychiatric Problems by K. Hawton et al
Interpersonal Process in Psychotherapy: A Relational Approach by E. Teyber
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and their Patients by I.D. Yalom

For my Family Systems and Studies class:

Metaframeworks: Transcending teh models of family therapy by D. Breunlin et al
Extraordinary Relationships: A new way of thinking about human interactions by R. Gilbert
Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods by M. Nichols & R. Schwartz

Mind you that we're reading select chapters rather than straight through each book. I like Yalom's book. Very easy for anyone to understand plus some words of wisdom.

Pardon my ignorance, but what's the ACA? I've been out the loop for a while.

[Elninho]

Anyone do neuropsychology, clinical or otherwise?

[bungadiri]

I'm doing applied research in anthropology, focusing especially in the areas of medicine and technology (this after starting in more traditional cultural anthropology).

[rokstedy]

I'm doing applied research in anthropology, focusing especially in the areas of medicine and technology (this after starting in more traditional cultural anthropology).

Sounds interesting. So how is research done? Observation? Surveys? Interviews?

[bungadiri]

Sounds interesting. So how is research done? Observation? Surveys? Interviews?
Depends on the project. Usually some combination of qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, ethnographic observation, etc. We're starting some cool (well I hope it's cool anyway) AI-related stuff, too. The big project I'm working on now is a qualitative longitudinal study having to do with HIV.

[rokstedy]

What I've learned so far:

Bowenian Family Theory (Murray Bowen):
A healthy, functional family is one where members are highly-differentiated: they are independent & rational yet able to connect emotionally & rationally.
Those that are lowly-differentiated can either be two things: too dependent in that what they do is dependent on what others think & want. Or they can be falsely independent, ie. emotionally cutting off from others. These people think they're independent when in fact they have just cut off communication.
According to Bowenian theory, the problem with lowly-differentiated people is that they react to anxiety with intense emotions rather than calm, rational thinking. If each self can deal with anxiety with calm rationale, changes come about.
How you relate towards others now is a product of how you related to your family of origin. For example, if your parents fought a lot, you tend to distance yourself away from them to avoid the conflict & taking sides. So in your new relationship ie. marriage you may react the same way (avoidance) if you get into conflict with the spouse. Or you might want to get closer to the spouse to prevent conflict, however this closeness may be emotional and form into emotional fusion where 2 can become 1.
Basically each one of us has to change before it affects others. For example, I must become highly-differentiated. Family members may not like this change and will do whatever to bring the "old me" back. However, if I keep myself highly-differentiated, they may see this change and reflect upon themselves and may begin to change or become highly-differentiated.
Bowenian theory proposes that each of us become indpenedent with semi-permeable boundaries.

If I have made any errors or if anyone has anything to add, please feel free to do so. Mind you, I'm just learning this stuff.

[rokstedy]

Depends on the project. Usually some combination of qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, ethnographic observation, etc. We're starting some cool (well I hope it's cool anyway) AI-related stuff, too. The big project I'm working on now is a qualitative longitudinal study having to do with HIV.

Will you be able to post results of that study or is it confidential? I'd be interested to know what it's all about.

[bungadiri]

Will you be able to post results of that study or is it confidential? I'd be interested to know what it's all about.
Not now. We're in the middle of trying to get out some publications and I'll link to those when I can. If you've got some specific questions, PM me and I'll see what I can do without violating confidentiality.

[rokstedy]

The Science Behind Fanatic Behavior (http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=1986)

Basically an article on why fans follow team sports and how it could be correlated with their identity.

[Leto]

Interesting thread, I missed it the first time round - I'll be entering the final year of my psychology degree in September. Our thesis preferences were submitted last week - I'm hoping to do some research in developmental psych, possibly regarding fetal learning. Another professor will be running a study on the expression & interpretation of emotion across cultures, which although ordinarily would not be one of my major interests, is made more attractive by the fact that I'll be in the US all summer and my brother is in Kenya at the moment, so depending on how I/we wanted to do the research it could be a good opportunity.

[Leto]

Bumpity bump.

Is anyone involved in academic psychology?

[Chicago1871]

Is anyone involved in academic psychology?
I once convinced a buddy who was stoned in an economics class that his shoes were trying to escape. :D

[Boundzy]

Is anyone involved in academic psychology?

Not currently, but I dabbled in academic psychology for a while. I taught undergrad statistics, assisted with the development and writing of a few grants (some of which were actually funded!), and have 8 publications in peer-reviewed journals. In general, the publications were related to the sequelae of traumatic brain injury and their effects on vocational outcomes.