Psychology Update — How Therapy Dogs Can Help Kids With Stress Relief

Posted by & filed under Animal Behavior Studies, Child Development, Introduction To Psychology, Personality, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology.

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How Therapy Dogs Can Help Kids With Stress Relief

A new study suggests that spending time with therapy dogs may help lower children’s stress levels even more than relaxation exercises.

 

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This is a very personal (to the children)  and helpful study that examines whether an animal companion can be helpful to children in the reduction of anxiety and stress.  “A study (active link) published on Wednesday shines a light on that powerful child-canine connection. It found that twice-weekly sessions with a dog and its handler significantly lowered children’s levels of cortisol — the body’s stress hormone — which they measured through saliva samples. The intervention appeared to be more effective than guided relaxation sessions… Our study shows, for the first time, that dog-assisted interventions can indeed lead to lower stress in children, with and without special educational needs, over a typical school term,” said Kerstin Meints, a professor in developmental psychology at the University of Lincoln in England, and one of the study’s researchers.”  

This study is useful for Psychology students in not only demonstrating how a therapy companion animal can be helpful, but also in looking and understanding the methodology of the study.  The article clearly explains how the study was conducted so that students can get a perspective on how research is done.  The authors of the study also point out how the one study can generate further studies to provide more data and a greater understanding of the topic.  There is a live link in the paragraph above that will lead to the journal study that this NY Times article is based upon.

 

SOURCE

New York Times, June 15, 2022, by Catherine Pearson

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

(Available as audio in addition to the text.)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/well/family/therapy-dogs-kids-stress.html?smid=em-share

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/4dadbk92

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•What was the rationale for this study? What prompted the researchers to conduct a study like this?

•What were the results of the study?  The researchers plan future studies — what do they want to learn?

•(advanced question)  How was the study conducted?  What was the hypothesis?  Can you determine the independent and dependent variables?  Is there a control group? 

 

Psychology Update — What neuroscience tells us about the teenage brain

Posted by & filed under Brain Structure and Function, Child Development, Cognitive Psychology, Introduction To Psychology, Nervous System, Personality, Psychology Update.

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What neuroscience tells us about the teenage brain

 

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This is a fascinating article that focuses on a newer field of developmental neuroscience.  New research on  the developing adolescent brain provides a vastly innovative perspective on what is a fresh understanding of teen behavior.  “For years, the teenage brain was seen by researchers, policymakers, and the public as more of a burden than an asset. Adolescents were risk machines who lacked the decision-making powers of a fully developed prefrontal cortex—and liable to harm themselves and others as a result. That narrative is beginning to change.  There is growing recognition that what was previously seen as immaturity is actually a cognitive, behavioral, and neurological flexibility that allows teens to explore and adapt to their shifting inner and outer worlds.”  The article highlights the following areas:  brain development, neuroscience, adolescent development both cognitively and behaviorally, relationships with peers and parents, and issues of mental health.  The article also discusses how future research will further elucidate the developing brain, and it’s relationship to our understanding in Psychology.

The article is both available as text and audio.

 

SOURCE

APA Monitor, July 1, 2022, Vol. 53, No. 5, p66 by Zara Abrams

 

LINK TO RESOURCE 

(Both text and audio are available at the website.)

 

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/07/feature-neuroscience-teen-brain

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/yc5rt9jd

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•(Most difficult question) How have the approaches to studying the adolescent (teen) brain changed?   What research methodologies are now employed that differ from previous (older) studies?

•According to the research:  How should be understand the adolescent in terms of mental health and risk taking?

•How does the new research demonstrate a different perspective when studying parent and peer relationships?

•(Advance Psychology Question) Developmental Psychologists often see aspects of development as either quantitive linear change or qualitative stage change.  According to the article, which view would provide a more optimal understand of the development of an adolescent?

 

Psychology Update — Can Monitoring Brain Waves Boost Mental Health?

Posted by & filed under Brain Structure and Function, Nervous System, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology Update, Research Methods, States of Consciousness & Sleep.

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Can Monitoring Brain Waves Boost Mental Health?

Neurofeedback has promised a mental health revolution for decades. But is it effective?

 

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This is a fascinating article regarding the practice of a relatively new type of treatment:  Neurofeedback.  “The treatment is known as neurofeedback, a therapy some say can improve our attention, moods, sleeping habits and even our athletic ability by measuring brain activity and showing it to us — either on a screen or through headphones — in real time. A practitioner places electrodes on a patient’s head that detects (but does not stimulate) brain activity. This is then analyzed by a computer that sends it back to the patient as images or sounds. As the patient completes tasks, the computer encourages healthy patterns of brain activity.”  The article presents several examples in the form of cases that demonstrate how the treatment is used and the believed effectiveness of the therapy.  However, the article points out, and rightly so, the criticisms by skeptical researchers regarding the types of outcome studies.  This is an excellent article that speaks to a new type of therapy and also how researchers suggest the use of the scientific method to validate the true effectiveness of the therapy.

 

SOURCE

New York Times, January 12, 2022, by David Dodge

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/12/well/mind/neurofeedback-therapy-mental-health.html?smid=em-share

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/4wctrv3t

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•What is Neurofeedback?  What is the procedure used for a patient?

•For what types of problems do Neurofeedback therapists claim that the therapy can be helpful?

•Why are many therapists and researchers skeptical about the evidence for use of Neurofeedback?

•From a research standpoint, what methodology do researchers recommend to actually validate the effectiveness of Neurofeedback therapy?

 

Psychology Website of the Week — CDC: ADHD

Posted by & filed under Child Development, Cognitive Psychology, Professional Organization, Psychology Resource of the Week, Psychology Update, Psychology Website of the Week, Thinking, Language, and Intelligence.

PSYCHOLOGY WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/

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This is the “official” CDC website for ADHD.  It provides a wealth of resources for providing material for class lecture, discussion, and student papers.

Psychology Update — Do Birds Have Language?

Posted by & filed under Animal Behavior Studies, Cognitive Psychology, Psychology Update, Thinking, Language, and Intelligence.

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Do Birds Have Language?

In the cheeps, trills and tweets of birdsong, scientists find some parallels with human speech

 

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What an absolutely fascinating article!!!  The article takes a deep dive into the cognitive ability we call language.  The authors define and discuss the complexity of our language ability and numerous studies that delineate what makes our ability so special.  “Human language is made possible by an impressive aptitude for vocal learning. Infants hear sounds and words, form memories of them, and later try to produce those sounds, improving as they grow up. Most animals cannot learn to imitate sounds at all. Though nonhuman primates can learn how to use innate vocalizations in new ways, they don’t show a similar ability to learn new calls. Interestingly, a small number of more distant mammal species, including dolphins and bats, do have this capacity. But among the scattering of nonhuman vocal learners across the branches of the bush of life, the most impressive are birds — hands (wings?) down.”  

The lengthy article provides an in depth view and summary of research done with the avian species and demonstrates that the language of birds is more than simple communication but rather a rather unique set of cognitive abilities and behaviors.

The article includes several audio-visual sequences of bird song as communication.   Students of animal behavior will really like the article, and it can serve as a good resource for a study.

 

SOURCE

Knowable Magazine, February 15, 2022, by Betsy Mason

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://knowablemagazine.org/article/mind/2022/do-birds-have-language

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/mse88bj5

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•According to the article, what is language?  How is it defined as a cognitive ability?

•Do all animals have language abilities? Why is this of interest to Psychologists?

•What is remarkable about bird song as “language”?  Provide 3 characteristics that are highlighted in the article.

 

Psychology Update — Vocal Cords: Why Do I Hate the Sound of My Own Voice?

Posted by & filed under Introduction To Psychology, Personality, Psychology Update, Sensation and Perception.

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Vocal Cords: Why Do I Hate the Sound of My Own Voice?

 

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When you speak, do you hear your voice as others hear it?  When a person’s voice is played from a recording, most likely not, and as it turns out many are either upset, disappointed, and may not even recognize that it is their own voice.  This article explains the reasons: 
“When you hear people talking, sound waves travel through the air and into your ears, vibrating your ear drums. Your brain then transforms those vibrations into sound.  However, when you’re the one talking, your vocal cords and airways also vibrate. That means that you receive two sources of sound: the sound waves that travel into your ears from your own voice, as well as vocal cord vibrations.“When we talk, it’s like everyone hears the sound through speakers, but we’re hearing it through a cave complex inside our own heads,” says Martin Birchall, professor of laryngology (the study of the larynx, or voice box) at University College London. “The sound is going around our sinuses, all the empty spaces in our heads and the middle part of our ears, which changes the way we hear sounds compared to what other people hear.“  This can be an issue for some who either do not like their own voice, wish that it were different (for reasons such as actors), or for those who might have gender dysmorphia.  The article points out that there are voice therapist (voice physiotherapy) to change the sound.  Also, for those for whom it can be a mental health issue, there are train psychologists who can work with this type of issue.

 

SOURCE

Time, June 16, 2017, by Kate Samuelson

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://time.com/4820247/voice-vocal-cords/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=sfmc&utm_campaign=newsletter+health-tuesday+default+ac&utm_content=+++20220823+++body&et_rid=207786296&lctg=207786296

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/mwm2vf8t

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•In terms of the psychology of sensation and perception:  how do we hear other people’s voices that differs from hearing our own voice?

•And vice versa:  In terms of the psychology of sensation and perception:  how do we hear our own voice that differs from  hearing another person’s voice?

•Why is this an issue for some individuals?  Can anything be done?

 

 

Psychology Update — How to Set Goals You’ll Actually Achieve

Posted by & filed under Careers, Careers in Psychology, Introduction To Psychology, Motivation and Emotion, Psychology Resource of the Week, Psychology Update.

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How to Set Goals You’ll Actually Achieve

 

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As a student: YOU REALLY WANT TO READ THIS ARTICLE!   This is a clear important article about setting goals to be successful in your endeavors.  “Whether you want to run a marathon, eat more healthfully or just get off the couch a little more, “for the majority of people, setting a goal is one of the most useful behavior change mechanisms for enhancing performance,” says Frank Smoll, professor of psychology at the University of Washington. “It’s highly individual,” he says—there’s no one way to achieve a goal. But these goal-setting strategies will help you stay the course.”  The article takes the reader through the simple necessary steps to both setting and reaching a desired goal.  Psychologists who study self-motivation and who work in coaching as a career have studied the necessary steps to achieve one’s goals.    This is the field of Applied Psychology.

 

SOURCE

Time, January 4, 2021,  by Amanda Loudin

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://time.com/5909923/how-to-set-goals/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=sfmc&utm_campaign=newsletter+health-tuesday+default+ac&utm_content=+++20211228+++body&et_rid=32502797&lctg=32502797undefined

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/mr2jzp46

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•After reading the article:  What is a product goal?  What is a process goal?

•Why does the article recommend working with a mentor or a partner help in achieving realistic goals?

•Suppose you major in Psychology and decide on a career in “coaching” — that is working with students who are having issues achieving their goals.  Based on your reading of the article, what advice would you give on how to achieve their goals and better grades?

 

Psychology Update — When Dementia Strikes at an Early Age

Posted by & filed under Brain Structure and Function, Cognitive Psychology, Introduction To Psychology, Lifespan Development, Nervous System, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology, Thinking, Language, and Intelligence.

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When Dementia Strikes at an Early Age

 

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Most of us expect that as we get older (beyond our 60s, 70s, 80s) there will be issues with cognitive abilities such as memory as well as physical problems as well. We learn more everyday about medical diagnoses such as dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Parkinson’s.   However there are a number of serious disorders that can occur due to disease and brain injury that cause problems in early and midlife stages of our development.  “Young-onset dementia is a particularly disheartening diagnosis because it affects individuals in the prime years,” Dr. David S. Knopman, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., wrote in a July 2021 editorial in JAMA Neurology. Many of the afflicted are in their 40s and 50s, midcareer, hardly ready to retire and perhaps still raising a family.  Dementia in a younger adult is especially traumatic and challenging for families to acknowledge, and many practicing physicians fail to recognize it or even suspect it may be an underlying cause of symptoms.”  These  early onset problems are listed as:  vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body disease (think of Robin Williams), early onset Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as brain injury (soccer, football, boxing) as well as other serious aging processes.  The article explains the symptoms and how each of the disorders adversely affects the brain.

This article is a great source for psychology students who study the neurobiological basis of behavior, abnormal psychology, and aging.  Psychologists are always part of the treatment teams for these serious disorders. 

 

SOURCE

New York Times, January 17, 2022, by Jane E. Brody

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/ek29y9vx

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•How does early onset dementia create a different type of crisis than late onset dementia?

•What are the characteristics and symptoms of the early onset of the disorders and diseases listed in the article?

•What is the concern regarding sports such as soccer, football, and boxing?  What measure can be taken to prevent brain injuries?

•How would a Psychologist fit in with the treatment team for an individual experiencing early onset dementia?

 

Psychology Website of the Week — POCKET

Posted by & filed under Introduction To Psychology, Lecture Enhancement/Student Engagement, Psychology Resource of the Week, Psychology Update, Psychology Website of the Week.

PSYCHOLOGY WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

Pocket: save articles, videos, and more to view later

https://getpocket.com

(Also available as an app for both iPhone/iPad/Android devices)

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Save articles, videos and other web content for later in a beautiful and optimized easy-to-view experience for your phone and tablet — even offline.

Pocket is your perfect mobile companion for commutes, travel, or curling up on your couch.

★ Webby Award for Best Productivity App and Best User Experience 2014 ★

• Unlimited storage to keep all the articles and videos you save in one place.

• 3 full-screen reading modes for Day and Night.

• Save data with wi-fi only syncing.

• Organize easily with powerful search and tagging.

• Works with your favorite apps and sites like Twitter, Flipboard, Feedly and more.

• Easily share anything from Pocket to Evernote, Twitter, Facebook or a Friend.

• Desktop Browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer lets you save anything from your Desktop to your Phone and Tablet in a one click. Available at http://getpocket.com/welcome

Psychology Update — Alzheimer’s researchers are looking beyond plaques and tangles for new treatments

Posted by & filed under Brain Structure and Function, Cognitive Psychology, Introduction To Psychology, Nervous System, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology.

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Alzheimer’s researchers are looking beyond plaques and tangles for new treatments

 

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Psychologists and Neuroscientists have long been studying dementia and particularly Alzheimer’s disease.  While there have been strides to understanding how the disease effects the brain, there is yet an incomplete understanding.  Now research has uncovered some interesting new data which may lead to treatments.

From the article:

“The field of Alzheimer’s research is branching out.

After decades of focusing on the sticky amyloid plaques and tangled tau fibers associated with the disease, brain researchers are searching for other potential causes of impaired memory and thinking.

That search is on full display this week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (active link) in San Diego, where sessions are exploring factors including genes, brain injury, clogged arteries and inflammation.

A group of researchers from Seattle even unveiled a highly detailed atlas (active link) showing how different types of brain cells change in Alzheimer’s. The goal is to help scientists identify new approaches to treatment.”

The article  discusses the new findings and the hope for “new approaches to treatment.”  This is an excellent article to understand the applications of neuroscience.

 

SOURCE

NPR, August 1, 2022, by Jon Hamilton 

(NPR Morning Edition: Essay and audio of the broadcast — 3 minutes)

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/08/01/1113825311/alzheimers-researchers-are-looking-beyond-plaques-and-tangles-for-new-treatments

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/yztcux6k

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•First:  what is Alzheimer’s Disease?  How does it affect the brain?  What are the behavioral symptoms?

•How do the current data and findings demonstrate that the existing theories of Alzheimer’s Disease  (“sticky amyloid plaques and tangled tau fibers”) do not adequately explain how the brain is damaged?

•What are the findings of the new research in regard to the possible causes and subsequent treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease?

•What role can Psychologists play in the research and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Disease, Dementia, Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease, Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease