Psychology

  Anorexia (an-o-REK-see-uh) nervosa — often simply called anorexia — is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight. People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with their lives. To prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia usually severely restrict the amount of food they eat. They may control calorie intake by vomiting after eating or by misusing laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or enemas. They may also try to lose weight by exercising excessively. No matter how much weight is lost, the person continues to fear weight gain. Anorexia isn't really about food. It's an extremely unhealthy and sometimes life-threatening way to try to cope with emotional problems. When you have anorexia, you often equate thinness with self-worth. Anorexia, like other eating disorders, ...

  Obesity: The Facts About Fat A report released May 28 by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle reveals that in the past three decades, the number of overweight and obese people worldwide has jumped from 857 million to 2.1 billion. Not only that, the United States is home to the world’s highest proportion of obese people, at 13 percent. Obesity rates in the U.S. have quadrupled for children ages 6-11, tripled in adolescents ages 12-19 and doubled in adults since 1970. Children who are obese by age 5 are four times more likely to be obese in ten years. Calorie intake with a diet rich in refined carbohydrates and fats are the main contributors to the high obesity numbers. In fact, the average caloric intake in the U.S. has increased by 500 calories daily since 2000. Before we continue, lets get some terms and definitions “straight” before we “talk: Body Mass Index — Also known as BMI, body mass index is a formula that assesses you...

  Erikson’s Theory Erik Erikson (1902–1994) was a stage theorist who took Freud’s controversial theory of psychosexual development and modified it as a psychosocial theory. Erikson emphasized that the ego makes positive contributions to development by mastering attitudes, ideas, and skills at each stage of development. This mastery helps children grow into successful, contributing members of society. During each of Erikson’s eight stages, there is a psychological conflict that must be successfully overcome in order for a child to develop into a healthy, well-adjusted adult. Erik Erikson Erikson developed his eight stages of psychosocial development based on Freud’s psychosexual theory. Stages Of Psychosocial Development Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development are based on (and expand upon) Freud’s psychosexual theory. Erikson proposed that we are motivated by the need to achieve competence in certain areas of our lives. According to psychosocial theory, we experience eight sta...

  Logo for BCcampus Open Publishing HomeReadSign in Search in book: Search in book …  SEARCH CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY – 1ST CANADIAN EDITION Chapter 10. Intelligence and Language 10.1 Defining and Measuring Intelligence Learning Objectives Define intelligence and list the different types of intelligences psychologists study. Summarize the characteristics of a scientifically valid intelligence test. Outline the biological and environmental determinants of intelligence. Psychologists have long debated how to best conceptualize and measure intelligence (Sternberg, 2003). These questions include how many types of intelligence there are, the role of nature versus nurture in intelligence, how intelligence is represented in the brain, and the meaning of group differences in intelligence. General (g) versus Specific (s) Intelligences In the early 1900s, the French psychologist Alfred Binet (1857-1914) and his colleague Henri Simon (1872-1961) began working in Paris to devel...

  What is Machiavellianism? Machiavellianism in psychology refers to a personality trait  which sees a person so focused on their own interests they will manipulate, deceive, and exploit others to achieve their goals. Machiavellianism is one of the traits in what is called the ‘Dark Triad’ , the other two being  narcissism  and psychopathy. The term itself derives from a reference to the infamous Niccolò Machiavelli,  a diplomat and philosopher in the Renaissance whose most well-known work became ‘The Prince” (Il Principe). This notorious book espoused his views that strong rulers should be harsh with their subjects and enemies, and that glory and survival justified any means, even ones that were considered immoral and brutal. By the late 16th century “Machiavellianism” became a popular word to describe the art of being deceptive to get ahead. But it wasn’t a psychological term until the 1970s , when two social psychologists, Richard Christie and Florence L. Gei...

  AGGRESSION Humans engage in  aggression  when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental.  Hostile aggression  is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast,  instrumental aggression  is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for hire displays instrumental aggression. There are many different theories as to why aggression exists. Some researchers argue that aggression serves an evolutionary function (Buss, 2004). Men are more likely than women to show aggression (Wilson & Daly, 1985). From the perspective of evolutionary psychology, human male aggression, like that in nonhuman primates, likely serves to display dominance over other males, both to protect a mate and to perpe...