Bilogical Causes of Violence

There are many factors that could trigger violence on people. Three major causes could be biological, situational or socialization. The ones I chose to talk about are the biological causes

The biological causes, are the easiest to talk about, because there is not much to say.
Many biological factors have been nominated as candidates for causes of violence. Hormones like testosterone, transmitters in the brain like serotonin, and blood abnormalities like hypoglycemia are only a few that have been mentioned.

Biological factors do not have to be hereditary. They could be caused by a head injury, poor nutrition, or environmental events, such as exposure to lead paint.
Fortunately, the National Academy of Sciences just reviewed hundreds of studies on the relationship between biology and violence, and it came to one clear bottom-line conclusion: " No patterns precise enough to be considered reliable biological markers for violent behavior have yet been identified." The National Academy of Sciences found many promising leads that should be vigorously pursued by researchers, but so far, it could point to nothing as a proven, or even close to proven, biological risk factor for future violence.

In conclusion violence can have many causes, one of them being biological causes. People could turn violent for injury, poor nutrition or enviornmental events not necesarily hereditary.

 

depression

Biological Causes of Depression:
    Additional research data indicate that people suffering from depression have imbalances of neurotransmitters, natural substances that allow brain cells to communicate with one another. Two transmitters implicated in depression are serotonin and norepinephrine. Scientists think a deficiency in serotonin may cause the sleep problems, irritability, and anxiety associated with depression. Likewise, a decreased amount of norepinephrine, which regulates alertness and arousal, may contribute to the fatigue and depressed mood of the illness.
    Other body chemicals also may be altered in depressed people. Among them is cortisol, a hormone that the body produces in response to stress, anger, or fear. In normal people the level of cortisol in the bloodstream peaks in the morning, then decreases as the day progresses. In depressed people, however, cortisol peaks earlier in the morning and does not level off or decrease in the afternoon or evening.
Researchers don't know if these imbalances cause the disease or if the illness gives rise to the imbalances. They do know that cortisol levels will increase in anyone who must live with long-term stress.

Enviormental Causes of Depression:
    Environmental causes of depression are concerned with factors that are outside of ourselves. They are not directly related to brain function, inherited traits from parents, medical illnesses, or anything else that may take place within us. Instead, environmental events are those things that happen in the course of our everyday lives. These may include situations such as prolonged stress at home or work, coping with the loss of a loved one, or traumatic events. Sometimes researchers refer to these as sociological or psychosocial factors since they bring together events that happen out in society with the inner workings of a person's mind.
    It has long been understood that experiences we have in our lives can affect our state of mind. The relationships we have with others, how we are brought up, losses we have, and crises we encounter all may affect our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. How we react to these environmental events may influence the development of clinical depression.


Cognitive Causes of Depression:
    Different cognitive behavioral theorists have developed their own unique twist on the Cognitive way of thinking. According to Dr. Aaron Beck, negative thoughts, generated by dysfunctional beliefs are typically the primary cause of depressive symptoms. A direct relationship occurs between the amount and severity of someone's negative thoughts and the severity of their depressive symptoms. In other words, the more negative thoughts you experience, the more depressed you will become.


Cognitive Triad:
    The Cognitive Triad is based in 3 beliefs that can cause depression and affect each other. These things are negative views of the self, the world, and to the future. As an example if a soccer player fails a penalty will believe he is a failure, then will believe everyone is against him, and finally he will believe he will fail in a future and would never be good at something.

  Article#1

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609083221.htm

The study was conducted by Dr. Mahmood I. Siddique, clinical associate professor of medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J. It was presented June 9, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC. The study involved 262 high school seniors with an average age of 17.7 years who were attending a public high school in Mercer County, N.J. Participant show socio-demographic characteristics using a cross-sectional survey. Too much daytime sleepiness was indicated by a score of 10 or higher on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and mood was evaluated with a validated depression scale. The results indicated that high school seniors were three times more likely to have strong depression symptoms if they had excessive daytime sleepiness.

Article#2

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100802165402.htm

The study was conducted by Lawrence T. Lam, Ph.D., of the School of Medicine, Sydney, and the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia, and Zi-Wen Peng, M.Sc., of the Ministry of Education and SunYat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, in August 2010. It will appear in the October print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.  1,041 teens in China were assessed for depression and anxiety using previously validated scales. They also completed a survey to identify pathological Internet use, including questions that reflect typical behaviors of addiction. At the beginning of the study, 62 participants  were classified as having moderately pathological use of the Internet, and 2% were severely at risk. Nine months later, the adolescents were re-assessed for anxiety and depression; 2%  had significant anxiety symptoms and 84% had developed depression. The risk of depression for those who used the Internet pathologically was about two and a half times that of those who did not. No relationship was observed between pathological Internet use and anxiety.

Article#3

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094933.htm

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway, and the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King's College led by Dr Robert Stewar. The study consisted of a survey of over 60,000, complemented with already existent records. Researchers found that over the following 4 yearsusing the survey, the mortality risk was increased to a similar extent in people who were depressed as in people who were smokers.

The Basics of Schizophrenia

Paranoid Type Schizophrenia Symptoms: A person diagnosed with schizophrenia may experience hallusinations, delusions, and disorganized speech.
Disorganized Type Schizophrenia Symptoms: Active behavior, but in an aimless and not constructive way, bizarre and inappropriate emotional responses, difficulty feeling pleasure false, fixed beliefs (delusions), Lack of motivationSeeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations), strange or silly behavior and speech that makes no sense.
Catatonic Type Schizophrenia: disturbances of movement. People with catatonic-type schizophrenia may keep themselves completely immobile or move all over the place. They may not say anything for hours, or they may repeat anything you say or do senselessly. Either way, the behavior is putting these people at high risk because it impairs their ability to take care of themselves.
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia:
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are those symptoms that involve an excess of normal bodily functions. For instance, if you are schizophrenic your senses may operate at a heightened and excessive state. Positive signs of schizophrenia include delusions, or beliefs that have no basis in reality. You may feel persecuted (paranoid delusions), you may feel as if the television or radio is talking directly to you (delusions of references), you may hold false beliefs about your physical state (somatic delusions) or you may feel that you have special abilities or powers (delusions of grandeur).
Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia:
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are those symptoms that involve a decrease in normal bodily functions. These symptoms may involve withdrawal from society or refusal to speak. Schizophrenics often are disinterested in life and lack the ability to act in order to achieve simple goals. If you are suffering from the disorder, your voice may become monotone or you may be unable to change facial expressions or body language according to mood.
Difference Between Allucinations and Delusions:
-Hallucinations are perceptions that occur without connection to an appropriate source.
-Delusions are false personal beliefs that are not subject to reason or contradictory evidence and are not explained by a person's usual cultural beliefs.
Congentive Symptoms of Schizophrenia:  poor "executive functioning" (the ability to absorb and interpret information and make decisions based on that information), nability to sustain attention, and problems with "working memory" (the ability to keep recently learned information in mind and use it right away).
Symptom of Avolition:
Avolition is a symptom of psychological or psychiatric distress characterized by a lack of motivation or drive. People with avolition have difficulty starting and completing tasks, and may be disinterested in the world around them. This symptom is often a part of schizophrenia, and can appear in people with bipolar disorder as well. Treatment of avolition depends on how severe it is, and what the cause is.
Symptom of Catatonia: Catatonia is a condition characterized by psychomotor disturbance, an interruption of normal movement. Catatonic features can occur with major depression, bipolar disorder I and II, schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia. In some cases, catatonia may also be an extreme side effect of a medication.
 delusion of grandeur:
-Hallucinations: are perceptions that occur without connection to an appropriate source. Although hallucinations can occur in any sensory form - auditory (sound), visual (sight), tactile (touch), gustatory (taste) and olfactory (smell) - hearing voices that other people do not hear is the most common type of hallucination in schizophrenia. Voices are usually thoughts that are in the mind of the person. They can describe activities taking place, carry on a converation, warn of dangers, or even issue orders to to person. The thoughts can appear to be so loud that the person may believe that people nearby will also be able to hear them. The mind usually adjusts to this very rapidly and as a result the thoughts then appear to come from some external source. It is possible, using a medical imaging technique, to see changes in the speech area of the brain at the time when a person says that he is hearing the voices. This is a real experience, it is not imaginary.


-Illusions:  occur when a sensory stimulus is present but is incorrectly interpreted by an individual.


-Delusions: are false personal beliefs that are not subject to reason or contradictory evidence and are not explained by a person's usual cultural beliefs. Delusions may take on different themes. For example, people suffering from paranoid-type symptoms - roughly one-third of people with schizophrenia - often have delusions of persecution, or false and irrational beliefs that they are being cheated, harassed, poisoned or conspired against. These people often believe that a member of their family or someone close to them is making them happen. Delusions of grandeur, in which a person believes he or she is a famous or important person, mnay also occur in schizophrenia. Sometimes the delusions experienced by people with schizophrenia are quite bizarre; for instance, believing that a neighbour is controlling thier behaviour with magnetic waves; that people on television are directing special messages to them; or that their thoughts are being broadcast aloud to others. A person experiencing delusions may try to keep them secret, knowing that others would not understand. Other individuals are gradually overwhelmed and begin to act strangely according to the content of the delusional explanations.
Delusion of Reference: Delusions of reference refers to the strongly held belief that random events, objects, behaviors of others, etc. have a particular and unusual significance to oneself.


A person might believe that secret messages about him are broadcast in a weekly television show, to the point where he would record the programs and watch them again and again.


Somatic Delusion: a delusion concerning the body image or parts of the body.

Personality Test

ARTISAN
Artisans are the temperament with a natural ability to excel in any of the arts, not only the fine arts such as painting and sculpting, or the performing arts such as music, theater, and dance, but also the athletic, military, political, mechanical, and industrial arts, as well as the "art of the deal" in business.

Artisans are most at home in the real world of solid objects that can be made and manipulated, and of real-life events that can be experienced in the here and now. Artisans have exceptionally keen senses, and love working with their hands. They seem right at home with tools, instruments, and vehicles of all kinds, and their actions are usually aimed at getting them where they want to go, and as quickly as possible. Thus Artisans will strike off boldly down roads that others might consider risky or impossible, doing whatever it takes, rules or no rules, to accomplish their goals. This devil-may-care attitude also gives the Artisans a winning way with people, and they are often irresistibly charming with family, friends, and co-workers.

Artisans want to be where the action is; they seek out adventure and show a constant hunger for pleasure and stimulation. They believe that variety is the spice of life, and that doing things that aren't fun or exciting is a waste of time. Artisans are impulsive, adaptable, competitive, and believe the next throw of the dice will be the lucky one. They can also be generous to a fault, always ready to share with their friends from the bounty of life. Above all, Artisans need to be free to do what they wish, when they wish. They resist being tied or bound or confined or obligated; they would rather not wait, or save, or store, or live for tomorrow. In the Artisan view, today must be enjoyed, for tomorrow may never come.

There are many Artisans, perhaps 30 to 35 percent of the population, which is good, because they create much of the beauty, grace, fun, and excitement the rest of us enjoy in life.

Artisans at Work

Artisans seek to make an impact upon the organizations where they work and upon society at large. Their alertness to current realities, the joy they take in variation, and their tendency to follow their instincts to 'what works' make them good troubleshooters and negotiators, talented performers and craftspeople and excellent leaders in all kinds of emergencies and chaotic situations.

Even at work, your motto could be, "Let me entertain you. Let me make you smile." In fact, bringing playfulness to situations can be one of your greatest contributions on the job. In your ideal job, you have the opportunity to apply your talent for performing and improvising communications so that they appeal to the individuals or groups of people in your environment. Because of your gift for words, your ideal position might include tasks that allow you to apply your communications talent for the good of the organization.

The Brown-Eye/Blue-Eye Experiment

In 1968, a teacher in an Iowa elementary school performed a legendary experiment as a lesson on racism for her third grade class. This experimented consisted in making a group of children in a classroom believe that blue eyed kids were better than brown eyed kids and vice-versa and then see how this affected the way they acted.

First the teacher started by making the class believe that the blue eyed kidswere better. The kids believed it and blue eyed kids were being a little discriminating towards the brown eyed kids. Also, they played a little learning game and the brown eyed kids took longer to finish it.

Then the teacher made the class elieve that brown eyed kids were superior to blue eyed kids. The brown eyed kids felt superior and when they were playing the little learning game, they finished a lot faster than when they were told that they were inferior to blue eyed kids.

This shows people how people can discriminate other based on what they are taught or shown

A prejudice is a prejudgment. It is an assumption made about someone or something before having adequate knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy.
Discrimination is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken toward or against a person of a certain group in consideration based solely on class or category.

I found really interesting how the kids achieved their class work in a more efficient way when they wew told that they were better than the others.

The Psychology of Racism

Racism is the belief that the genetic factors which constitute race are a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

It is interesting how people discriminate people just because of their physical features. For example, when someone sees a darker colored person on the streets, they tend to get worried or scared. This could be because normally robbers are like this and thats how they are shown in movies so people feel frightened or uncomfortable when they encouner them n the streets.

Racism often includes the belief that people of different races differ in aptitudes and abilities, such as intelligence, physical prowess, or virtue. This causes people to discriminate people that are different from them.

Sometimes, people become racist when they are trained to believe that a certain type of person with certain features are is or worst than another type of person with other features.

Personality Disorders

• Borderline Personality Disorder: is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person, generally over the age of eighteen years, although it is also found in adolescents, characterized by depth and variability of moods.

• Schizotypal Personality Disorder: is a personality disorder that is characterized by a need for social isolation, odd behavior and thinking, and often unconventional beliefs.

• Paranoid Personality Disorder: is a condition characterized by excessive distrust and suspiciousness of others. This disorder is only diagnosed when these behaviors become persistent and very disabling or distressing.

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder: is a personality disorder as "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. Narcissism is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, and prestige. Narcissistic personality disorder is closely linked to self centeredness.

• Histrionic Personality Disorder: is a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, including an excessive need for approval and inappropriate seductiveness, usually beginning in early adulthood. These individuals are lively, dramatic, enthusiastic, and flirtatious.

• Antissocial Personality Disorder: is a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood. To be diagnosed, an individual must be age 18 or older, as well as have a documented history of a conduct disorder before the age of 15.

• Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce anxiety, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, or by a combination of such thoughts and behaviors.

• Avoidant Personality Disorder: is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, extreme sensitivity to negative evaluation, and avoidance of social interaction.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Why is Psychology Important?

Psychology is important because it's related with the study of behavior and mental process. It is also applied in many things in human life.
Everything we do is somehow related to psychology. Psychology studies who and what we are and why we do what we do.
Also, the use of psychology has helped find many diseasses such as parkingson. Using psychology we can also know how the mind and the body of an induvidual works.