Adjusting to Modern Life

Adjusting to Modern LifeChapter 1Jan. 23, 2014Adjusting to Modern LifePursuing higher education is an important tool for adjusting to modern life.

This course attempts to help you better adjust as you make efforts to adjust to our complex, modern life and, more immediately day to day academic, social and relationship challenges

Your text is a presentation of scientific research relevant to human behavior and adjustment, and thus different than self-help books and programsSuccessful and Unsuccessful Students Class AttendanceSuccessful students (C or above), in class 84%, out 16%

Unsuccessful (C- or below), in class 47%, out 53%(Lindgren, 1969)

See Figure 1.13 in text bookGetting More out of LecturesUse active listening procedures-anticipate whats coming and search for deeper meaning (e.g., how relevant to me).Prepare for lectures by reading ahead (brain more relaxed and learning more pleasant if prior exposureWrite down lecturers thoughts in own wordsLook for clues re: what lecturers think importantAsk questions during lecturesAcademic AdjustmentIQ NOT AS IMPORTANT AS

CURIOSITYATTENTIONEFFORTCognitive Processing Model vMoS___>A___>STM____>O___>LTM___>R v v v T v v F F

W=World, S=Senses, A=Attention, Mo=Motivation, STM=Short Term Memory, O=Operations, T=Thought,LTM=Long Term Memory, R=Retrieval, F=ForgettingHEDONISM*The tendency to MAXIMIZE PLEASURE and MINIMIZE DISPLEASURE Adjustment efforts are driven by this principle

YUMMY

The Roots of Happiness: Efforts Toward An Empirical Analysis Inner Reflection MomentEMPIRICISM: the premise that knowledge should be acquired through systematic observation.1. What is happiness to you? Based upon what happiness is to you, are you happy right now? (On a scale of 1-10)If you are not happy right now, do you expect that your current actions will lead to more happiness? (On a scale of 1-10)Have you ever been unhappy? If so, was it because you were lacking in what happiness is to you? Or lacking in ability to gain what is happiness to you? Both?

9The Roots of Happiness: Efforts toward an Empirical AnalysisEmpirical view of happiness (What is NOT important) 1. Money- correlation between income and happiness is very weak (.13) in U.S. (Diener & Seligman, 2004).2. Age- accounts for less than 1% of variation (over life-span) in reported happiness. (Lykken, 1999).

The Roots of Happiness: Efforts Toward and Empirical AnalysisEmpirical View of Happiness (What is not important) cont. 3. Gender also accounts for less than 1% of the variation in peoples subjective sense of well-being (Myers, 1992; Lykken, 1999). 4. Parenthood does not make people more or less happy than non-parents. (Argyle, 2001)

The Roots of Happiness: Efforts Toward and Empirical AnalysisEmpirical View of Happiness (what is not important) cont. 5. Intelligence => a coveted trait -findings do not support there being an association between IQ scores and happiness 6. Educational attainment also seems unrelated to happiness (Ross & Van Willigen, 1997)

The Roots of Happiness: Efforts Toward an Empirical AnalysisEmpirical View of Happiness (what is not important), cont 7. Physical Attractiveness - though an important resource in Western society -low correlation between attractiveness and happiness (Diener, Wolsic, & Fujita, 1995).

The Roots of Happiness: Towards An Empirical AnalysisEmpirical View of Happiness (what is important) 1. Health and happiness are correlated positively but only moderately so (Argyle, 1996). 2. Social networking satisfaction is an important contributor to happiness (Diener &Seligman, 2002)

The Roots of Happiness: Towards An Empirical Analysis Empirical View of Happiness (what is important), cont. 3. Religion has a mild correlation with peoples subjective sense of happiness. 4. Love and marriage are positively correlated with a sense of happiness. Married people happier than unmarried. (Myers & Diener, 1995). This is a robust finding around the world.

The Roots of Happiness: Toward an Empirical Analysis Empirical View of Happiness (what is important), cont. 5. Work satisfaction is strongly associated with general happiness (Warr, 1999). 6. Genetic predisposition accounts for 50% of the variance in happiness.

Where, What, When is Happiness?

Authentic HappinessMarty Seligman (2004)

THE PLEASANT LIFE -Set range -High heritability, biologically given rangeTHE GOOD LIFE -Flow -Absorption -Time loss -No thoughts or feelings in awarenessTHE MEANINGFUL LIFE -Using personal strengths for some higher good -Small self becomes big self; immortal The Paradox of ProgressIn the HEDONISTIC move toward greater pleasure we create and desire: -More Goods -More Money -More Time -More Choice (Freedom) -More Popularity (Basically more PMS)The Paradox of ProgressThe technological advances of the past century, impressive though they may be, have not led to perceptible improvement in our collective health and happiness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zASS9O4ff_MParadox of Progress in Education

The Paradox of ProgressTIME -Time saving devices=>automobiles, air travel, dishwashers, photocopy, computers, cell phones, etc., BUT NO TIME -Weil & Rosen (1997); 51% surveyed want more time than more money -Time crunch remains=>unhealthy adjustment patterns (e.g., less sleep=> less alert)

The Paradox of ProgressCHOICE -More variety in goods, services and personal expression=>more difficulty at decision making=>less control=> more anxiety

Paradox of ProgressCONTROL OF WORLD -Genetically engineered food, greater fishing capacity, transporting of non- indigenous foods, prevention of food spoilage, heat/air conditioning, night illumination, taste enhancement=> but more health and environmental concerns The Search for DirectionProgress is good but has engendered - Time crunches - Indecisiveness -Some negative environmental consequences Loss of MEANING, DIRECTION and PERSONAL PHILOSOPHYClinically Assessed Student Goals: Post Treatment *Achieving productive academic engagementAchieving new and more mindful and productive relations with family and friendsAchieving role which is consistent with my personality in achieving life goalsAccepting body, mindful maintenance and using body effectivelyBuilding and using Self Awareness effectively to assist in thriving and moving toward goalsPreparing for marriage and family lifeAffirming values and ethical system appropriate to my lifeSelecting and preparing for a career for fulfillment and material comfort

OutlineProblems with self-help and happiness marketScientific methodDr. Tal Ben-Shahar Harvard Happiness ProfessorHappier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, taught hugely popular courses

There is mounting evidence in the psychological literature showing that focusing on cultivating strengths, optimism, gratitude, and a positive perspective can lead to growth during difficult times. Problems with happiness and related success programs1. unrealistically positive views of the self

2. exaggerated perceptions of personal control

3. unrealistic optimism: positive illusions collapse when reality becomes too harsh/intrudes on the dream (C. Hedges)

Hedges, Chris (2009). Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle

Problems with happiness and success programs4. forces the victim of failure to blame him or herself for his or her pain or suffering (C. Hedges)

5. effective in keeping people from questioning structures around them responsible for their misery or difficulty getting ahead

6. in land of happiness and success there is something wrong with us if we are not happy or successful

5. : no room for gross injustices, abuses of authority, economic and political systems to challenge.(C. Hedges)

30Cheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg: Lean In published March 2013Sets women up to aspire to business success by learning how to be more assertive and confident in the work place

Problem: has zealous addiction to work- overly simplistic and optimistic about cutting back work hours and having children while achieving success

Truth: both men and women who make over 100k a year work more hours and have less leisure time in order to get ahead

Lean In by S. SandbergSandberg graduated as the top student in her class in Economics from Harvard and acquired an MBA from Harvards business school - operates from a position of privilege that is difficult to attain even through hard work for the vast majority of women

Possible Truths: -women blaming themselves if not successful at level of Sandberg COO at Facebook -exaggerated perception of control

Cheryl Sandberg: Lean Inwomen need to aspire more and work harder to achieve success in the corporate business world

Problem: The problem of achieving success more complex than presented: Sandberg argues women ought to change and Lean In at their work by joining a system of male-modeled aggressiveness/following example of men - hoping for a fairer system in the future

Truth: Women still earn $.77 on the dollar in the US compared to men rather than women working harder, women ought to be objecting to and correcting global unfairness to women in business The Scientific ApproachPSYCHOLOGY AS SCIENCE Empiricism is the premise that knowledge should be acquired through systematic observation

Scientific method 1. Observation 2. Hypothesis 3. Test (measure) 4. Conclude (Generalize) 5. Replicate (Optional)

35experiment = research method investigator manipulates one (independent) variable under carefully controlled conditions

observes whether any changes occur in a second (dependent) variable as a result IV DV

36dependent variable variable that is thought to be affected by the manipulations of the independent variableusually a measurement of observable behaviorSchachter (1959) study (Fig. 1.2 in text)

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38Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7bpwbnged4

0-5:00 min.

experimental group subjects who receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable

control group subjects who do not receive the special treatment given to the experimental group40advantage of controlled experiments: precise control allows cause and effect conclusions to be drawn

Why can we assume cause and effect??? - If the experimental and control groups are alike in every way except for the treatment from the independent variable (ANXIETY ) ANDif a difference between the two groups is found in the dependent variable (DESIRE TO AFFILIATE) THEN- the difference must BE DUE TO the independent variable (ANXIETY) or the special treatment

42NON-EXPERIMENTAL, CORRELATIONAL METHODSNaturalistic observation careful observation of behavior without intervening directly with the subjects

Case studies

Surveys structured questionnaires designed to solicit information about specific aspects of participants

Class absenceGrades Caffeine intakeanxiety

Correlation coefficient44

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