CREDITS TO
Writers:
Jaquel Wong
Christine Chen
Cindy Wong
Joyce Wong
Marcus Chad
Anya Deng
Joyce Wong
Rylee Yeo
Samantha Tam
Illustrators
Jenny Lin
Cynthia Li
Natalie Leung
Sharon Lam
Cindy Wong
Editors
Katie Onyschenko
Jaquel Wong
Silver Wong
Jennifer Zhou
Juliana Enkleze
Katie Lai
Vanessa Wang
Renee Law
Po Lam Cai
Joyce Wong
Sislly Wong
CONTENT LIBRARY
Reality Bites; YOUR FOOD IS A LIE
Thriving as an introvert in an extraverted world
The Hedgehog's dilemma; loneliness
The Halo Effect: Pretty Privileges
Dementia and parent-child relationships
Pathological Lying: Exploring the Compulsive Nature of Chronic Deception
The Rising Global Trend of ADHD diagnosis in adults.
Love versus infatuation: unravelling the mystery
Psychology behind dystopias
Effects of losing your father figure
Jaquel Wong
Christine Chen
Cindy Wong
Joyce Wong
Marcus Chad
Anya Deng
Joyce Wong
Rylee Yeo
Samantha Tam
Marcus Chad
THE TEAM
Marketing Team
Art Team
Executive Team
Justin Leung & Christine Chen
Jenny Lin & Natalie Leung
Katie Lai
Juliana Enkleze
OUR MESSAGES
I am immensely proud of the articles we have been able to put out and it has been so amazing to work with pupils who are also intrigued by the human psyche, relationships of things and people in the life we wander in and even advice or explanations for what we do and how we are as a society. I am sad it is my last issue as Editor-in-Chief and Co-President. We would not be able to bring such a great outlet of curiousity without the pupils involved in writing, illustrating and editing the issues and so thank you so much to anyone who has contributed and if you have read our issues, you count too! Stay curious and healthy!
It has been a pleasure (and such a joy) to read everyone’s submissions; like Juliana, I can’t believe it is my last year contributing to the Psych Harrovian. This publication would not be possible without the dedicated pupils who took time out of their busy schedules to write and share such amazing pieces, and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed Your support means everything I hope that through reading these pieces, you can discover the same passion and insight I have found in the writers’ creations Psychology is intertwined with every aspect of our daily lives, from the way we perceive to the way we interact. So, look around every once in a while. Perhaps there are overlooked aspects we often take for granted or intrinsic that may, in fact, reveal nuances underlying another layer of understanding about ourselves and the world around us.
—Co-President & Editor-in-cheif —Co-President & Editor-in-cheif —Co-President & Editor-in-cheif
"Psych Perspective" is a captivating magazine that delves into the intriguing world of psychology. With a diverse array of articles exploring topics such as love versus infatuation, the vital role of a father figure, and the challenges of being an introvert in an extroverted society, this publication resonates deeply with its readers The passion for psychology shines through in the thoughtful writing of the students, who not only engage with these subjects but also share personal reflections that many can relate to Complementing the insightful articles is a stunning collection of artwork created by fellow students, adding an artistic flair to the magazine. I hope you find as much joy in reading "Psych Perspective" as I have!
—
Supervisor —
Supervisor —
Supervisor
Mrs. Sharin Sikka
Mrs. Sharin Sikka Mrs. Sharin Sikka
REALITY REALITY BITES BITES
by
jaquel wong
YOUR FOOD IS A LIE
Yeah, you heard me. All of EVERYTHING you eat is a lie; nothing is your own choice anymore, and even if it was, you are always choosing incorrectly. Let me explain. These days, big brands out in the world are using deceptive and sometimes even dangerous marketing tricks to try to get you to buy more stuff from them, but no brand is anything like the food brands, as they have figured out how to weaponize your own senses to get most of your money to be spent on them. In this article, I'm going to tell you about everything from coffee and tea to nuggets and fries to tell you about these deceptive business practices and how you can save your wallet and your health while exploring the world of food psychology and the strange inner workings of how you taste the world.
First sense on the chopping block, SIGHT.
CHAPTER 1: EYES FULL OF LIES
I think we’re all familiar with the phrase “you eat with your eyes." It's a saying all about how when we are presented with food, the first thing that impacts our taste is the visual presentation, but just because something looks tastier, does that mean it really IS tastier? Well, I'm about to tell you about how many lies are told to us about the food that we eat (and how much we want to eat it).
Let's start off with something simple: Advertisements are everywhere and are most obviously after your dollars, and you would think that as long as you kept your head straight, you would not fall into buying food you wouldn’t want to, but you would be dead wrong. An article made in 2015 by psychological analysts and researchers Frans Folkvord, Doeschka J. Anschütz, Emma Boyland, Bridget Kelly, and Moniek Buijzen shows results on how these ads actually influence how hungry you are at any given moment. They claim that just seeing the advertisement would get you to think about food and then subsequently be more hungry and desiring to eat. Just thinking about food can actually make your stomach increase in volume, as if you were about to eat just then,
which compounds this desire. This could legitimately affect your health if you were constantly bombarded with these ads, which may cause you to eat when you shouldn’t and not eat when you should be eating. It may seem on the surface that skipping meals and over snacking would be opposite problems, but they both stem from the same fundamental problem, which is looking at the external environment and letting what we see, like television ads or social media posts, dictate when and what we should be eating instead of letting our internal hunger cues do that for us.
Now obviously, this isn't exactly groundbreaking stuff; you may already know this if you've pondered on it for a little while, but you wanna know what it is? How your sight may actually be preventing you from enjoying your next meal. Along with these advertisements passively changing your eating habits, there's also the matter of sight affecting the way we really taste things. Dr. Charles Spence, professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford, put the relationship of taste and sight to the test by giving test subjects grape, orange, apple, and lemon beverages in clear glass bottles. The liquids were clear as well, since there were no colours to indicate the flavours the subjects had to guess purely on flavour alone, and they nailed it. Despite the lack of colours, they were highly likely to guess the flavour within the drink, but then he mixed it up and added food colouring to mess with people's expectations, like colouring the grape-flavoured drink. Suddenly, people would drink the orange-coloured beverage and report that it had an orange flavour, and this was true even after people were told they had been messed with! Even when people knew they were meant to ignore the colour, it didn't change the fact that simply seeing a purple liquid in a bottle made them more likely to say it tasted like grape juice.
But that’s only 1 of 5 senses, so let’s talk about something a little bit newer, a bit more modern, and potentially even more effective at convincing you to buy food than any Facebook advert ever could. I’m of course talking about smell.
CHAPTER 2: THE SCENT OF DECEIT
Smell is, and always has been, our strongest sense related to memory. You see, when you smell things, they immediately go through the olfactory bulb, and then information about that smell is sent to the amygdala and hippocampus. Smell is the only sense that gets processed in that part of the brain, making it the most memorable and also the most powerful. This means that any food company that wants to leave you craving some of their goods for hours and hours would want to go for smell marketing first and foremost.
However, there was just one problem with this: these smells could only come from the stores themselves, where the goods were being produced and stored, meaning that they had a very limited range of effect. But getting smells everywhere? That technology just didn't exist until recently, which is why you don’t see McDonalds spreading the scent of Mcnuggets all around town. Note, though, that I did say until recently, because right now some new technology has been invented and big companies are starting to see the massive profits that can be made off of these little, powerful things called scent dispensers.
These were introduced only a few years ago, but they have exploded into popularity as every business in the world tries to get their hands on them. Namely, there’s Dunkin Donuts, which in 2012 paid to have buses in South Korea spray the smell of donuts and coffee during people's morning commutes using devices that function a lot like air fresheners. They called this “Flavour Radio." So how did the flavour radio work? Well, they found that Dunkin Donuts locations located near sole bus stops rose by 29 percent! This, despite the fact that the smell in the bus obviously couldn’t have originated from an actual Dunkin Donuts store. Dunkin Donuts is hardly the only business to use artificial aromas to draw in customers.
According to a 2006 Forbes article, when you go to the front desk at a Doubletree hotel, you might get a whiff of chocolate chip cookies when bam! A doubletree employee appears and gives you an actual chocolate chip cookie as a gracious act of hospitality; the cookie smell isn't entirely natural. They actually use scent dispensers from a company called Scentair to get you craving chocolate chip
cookies. Another example is at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando, where they dispense a waffle cone and sugar cookie smell around their fancy restaurants, and in only six months, their ice cream shop had an increase in sales of 45 percent! Those are huge profits from such a simple (and relatively cheap) dispenser, and when you consider that hotels rely on their food operations to bring in 20% of the revenue, that also translates to some big money.
These tactics of smell may be scarily strong, but at least they aren’t really dangerous. Unfortunately, there is one business practice that really does end lives and that no one is standing up to.
CHAPTER 3: THE CAFFEINATION
Caffeine is one of the most popular drugs in the world right now. No, you didn’t misread. Caffeine is a drug; it really gives a whole new meaning to the term “caffeine junkie." Anyway, it’s ability to keep us alert and awake has skyrocketed over the past couple decades as more and more people work strenuous jobs and need a boost to keep them up. However, recently, a lot of companies have been sneaking caffeine into their food when they really shouldn't, and in the process, many unfortunate lives have been lost.
First of all, why would a company want to put caffeine in their foods? Well, caffeine works by doing a lot of things in your brain, but mainly: 1. blocking your adenosine receptors, which are responsible for making you feel tired; 2. causing your blood vessels to contract, which forces your heart to work harder; and 3. making your brain produce a lot of dopamine. The main focus of companies, though, is that last one, the dopamine. Dopamine is your brain’s reward chemical; it gets produced when you do something that makes you feel good, and your body sends dopamine to encourage you to do it more often. Can you see what I'm getting at here? Companies have been using dopamine to get you to buy and buy and buy, over and over, without you even realising why. Not only that, but if that caffeine is put into products that you wouldn’t expect to have caffeine, you just keep buying them because you feel so good, even if you don’t exactly know the reason.
Now I've been throwing a lot of facts at you, but could this really happen in real life? Well, I mean, I brought it up so obviously. A very extreme example is Panera Bread, the number one bakery chain in all
of America. About a year ago, Panera Bread released a new line of drinks into their bakeries called “charged lemonade.” The marketing for this lemonade presented it as normal lemonade, and the flavours were also pretty standard, so what could be the problem? Well, shortly after the product's release, a viral video was circulating on TikTok where an American girl named Sarah rants in her car about these lemonades: “This is the mango citrus yuzu charged lemonade. When I'm sitting there, I’ll drink 4 or 5 of these. The regular size has 82 grammes of sugar; let's push that aside; it has 260 milligrammes of caffeine! An espresso—I looked it up—has 63 milligrammes of caffeine!
Sixty three! For one shot of espresso!”
This video gives off a silly-hyper vibe, but she made it a legitimate concern and thought Panera was breaking the law by putting so much caffeine in their lemonade. “I don’t have that much caffeine, I thought! I'm not used to caffeine like that, and I feel like the hulk! Who's going to give their lemonade 263 milligrammes of caffeine?? I’m dyin!” But she couldn’t possibly be right, could she?
consuming through this lemonade. Even if you compare her caffeine intake to energy drinks that hinge on giving you, you know, energy, Sarah’s still in the artery-melting stratosphere. Those drinks typically contain about 110 milligrammes of caffeine for an entire can. Basically, she’s chugging like 11 red bulls per day, 6.5 Starbucks dark roasts, or 28 cans of Coca-Cola! It’s no wonder Sarah feels so good when working at Panera Bread because she’s literally being drugged into believing it's giving her supercharged work performance!
So Sarah’s consuming an insane amount of caffeine from these charged lemonades. That much is undeniable, but that’s only one food item in one food chain. Let’s look a little larger. How about soda? I already slightly mentioned it earlier, but most sodas do contain some caffeine in the 50–60 milligramme range. There’s also the energy drink market, which was literally birthed by the everincreasing hunger for caffeine, and you see in there lies the problem. More and more companies are sneaking caffeine or energy boosting products into food because we as consumers have been wanting caffeine more and more! Everything from Kashi granola bars to Greek fruit yoghurt is getting injected with caffeine because, guess what? After at it, you feel inexplicably great! And the next you want to feel that way again, you’ll buy it You’ll eat it again. But if you don’t know happening, you don’t know that you're actually just being manipulated by microdoses of caffeine. Manufacturers are sneaking energyboosting supplements into their regular products, don’t know, lemonade, perhaps? More and people are consuming caffeine without being aware of what that actually means.
mean, how big of a problem is it really? Even if really overdo it on caffeine, are they risking something more than just some temporary illness? yeah, actually, very much so. According to the toxic effects related to caffeine, like seizures, appear with the consumption of around 1200 milligrams. The amount we know Sarah, an average consumer, was drinking, and that's talking about a grown, healthy adult with no medical conditions. I'm not just talking about something serious like chronic heart disease; I mean the medical condition of being under 18, being pregnant, having diabetes—the list goes on. Perfectly healthy, normal people with no existing conditions can literally die of a caffeine overdose.
Unfortunately, the caffeine side effects aren’t solely the fault of the companies because, as I said, we humans have a hunger for caffeine, and the combination of the company and consumer caffeination has led to a lot of tragic deaths. According to an article from huffpost.co.uk, in 2011, a 14-year-old girl with a heart condition known as mitral valve prolapse died after consuming two monster energy drinks in 24 hours. That’s 480 milligrammes of caffeine. In another case, a 16-year-old male with no known medical conditions died after consuming a McDonald’s latte, a Mountain Dew, and an unnamed energy drink in 2 hours, two of which wouldn’t have been labelled as containing high levels of caffeine!
At the end of the day, the public doesn’t see caffeine as a health risk because the vast majority of us still associate it with a cup of coffee in the morning or a bottle of Coke here and there, but the fact is that it's almost everywhere, and there’s more of it around than ever before. It’s not required that it be labelled or that restaurants put warnings on products that contain a lot of it, but they should do it anyway, and we as consumers should start demanding it. Whether we want to admit it or not, caffeine is a drug, and it’s a drug that’s being fed to us more and more without our knowledge or consent. A drug that, if we don’t stop now, will keep taking more and more innocent lives, more and more deaths, and eventually, maybe even get to you.
In the meantime, though, while we wait for better food labels on caffeinated products, here’s a tip from me. Take it as a little guide to keeping safe when consuming anything with caffeine: Double digits of milligrams? Pretty average and safe, 100 to 200? It’s pretty high, so don’t be doubling or tripling up on those things. Scientifically, your heart might start getting cranky. 200 to 300? Back away there, friend, because that’s entering Panera territory!
And with that, we mark the end of this crazy journey. I hope you learned something new about food and will be a bit more careful about what you put into your body. As someone who loves food and is also interested in the mind, this was a lot more enjoyable to write than anything else that I’ve written in the past. There are so many other interesting food facts that I just don’t have time to tell you about today, but who knows, there's always next year! The food world is so complex and sometimes dangerous, so stay safe, keep healthy, and never trust your senses ever again!
Thriving as an introvert
Imagine yourself sitting alone in the corner of class, you keep to yourself as you watch your classmates laugh over a funny YouTube video. How would you describe your behaviour? Isolated? Quiet or perhaps… introverted?
In modern society, introverts are often misunderstood and stereotyped. We might hear others commenting: you are really shy, you should step out of your comfort zone, and speak up more! Yes, we may be quiet at times, but this does not mean we are only just quiet. Introverts prefer solitary environments and do not rely on external stimulation for recognition. They may have smaller friend groups but value deeper connections more than acquaintances. And please remember, introverts are not anti-social, we are just selectively social.
What is introversion?
It is one of the Big Five Personality Traits that is used to characterise individuals. It represents a personality that recharges from having time alone but this does not mean we don’t enjoy conversing with others. It can be quantitatively measured by Eysenck’s Personality Inventory by completing the questionnaire. We are tested on our extraversion level on a scale from 0-24. The lower the result, the more introverted we are. Another measure is the IDR lab’s 3-Minute Introversion Test (IDR-3MIT). This measurement was designed by the creators of the Big Five Personality Trait Inventory and is also used as a method to measure introverted personality. There are also various platforms online where your introversion level can be tested. For example, organisational psychologist Adam Grant shared a personality quiz on TED.com consisting of 10 close-ended questions to test one’s introversion.
Socio-Cultural Explanation
West vs East. This has always been an integral debate in the psychology realm where individual differences are identified and grouped together by their geographical location. These differences are categorised by where they originate from, what the community is like, and ultimately the culture formed in the given society. The sociocultural explanation of varied personality types across the globe explains this phenomenon by focusing on the way people engage with the ethics, beliefs and norms held in the society. The culture we immerse ourselves in acts as a contributor to determine the way we act, think, and collaborate. Primarily, there
are two polar cultural identities named: Individualistic and Collectivistic. The former is defined as a ‘loose’ culture where one has more freedom to dictate what they believe in and act more independently. On the other hand, a collectivistic culture is a ‘tight’ culture where deviation from the standard norm is viewed as a violation of stability; it is where group harmony and collaboration are prioritised.
It is well-known that rules of thought and behaviour are more open in Western cultures compared to the rigidity of Eastern cultures. Extraversion therefore is also positively influenced by the promotion of independence and openness to new experiences. Personality traits like adventurousness and gregariousness may accompany the effect of extraversion. Western cultures foster the formation of extraverts as society motivates one to be more socially competent to instigate the conversations needed for entrepreneurship and ideas to be exchanged. The positive feedback of interacting is a psychological reward which motivates one to be more engaging in the community. Independence is highly encouraged, therefore, also supporting the development of extraversion to create unique and diverse individuals.
Contrastingly, introversion is more prominent in collectivistic cultures. Not only does introversion encourage conformity to pre-existing norms to portray the unity of the group, but also fosters group harmony by encouraging people to stay in small groups. Although collectivistic cultures may not have a strong connection with outgroup members, the relationships between ingroups are closely bonded and deeply interconnected. A 2017 study used the Individualism-Collectivism Scale and The Big Five Personality Scale to collect data from 311 college students. The results showed individualism with a significant positive correlation with levels of extraversion. However, along with every explanation, there are also counterarguments, such as the well-known debate of ‘Nature vs Nurture’. McCrae et al.(1998) found that despite people with Chinese heritage being born and raised in Canada, their temperament was still more restrained compared to the indigenous. Therefore, this suggests that genetics also plays a part in predisposing one to a certain personality trait.
Biological Explanation
To explain the role of genetics further, introverts do have a different nervous system construction to extroverts. MMRI scans and neuroimaging are all able to portray vivid differentiations between the brains of introverts from others. Introverts maintain a greater blood flow that is more stimulated and sensitive to external environments. While extroverts rely on social stimulations, introverts can sustain independent simulations. This could be shown in the attribute where extroverts seek attention and conversation with others while introverts re-energise by spending time alone. Introverts also have a longer and more complex blood flow that passes distinct areas in the brain that specifically involve the memory and planning of the human being. This could explain how introverts prefer to take time and ponder on the consequences of their actions before deciding while extroverts act more impulsively to a surprise situation.
Not only do introverts have a unique nervous construct, but their biological hormones also operate in a different manner. While extroverts are dopamine-driven, they are unfortunately not sensitive to this awarding hormone. The body uses adrenaline to compensate for the lack of dopamine to motivate an extrovert in their daily lives. Adrenaline is produced when one is in the ‘fight or flight’ mode, as a result, extroverts feel more satisfied from active interactions compared to reserved and calm conversations. On the other hand, introverts are overly sensitive to dopamine and can often overindulge due to their increased blood flow to the brain. In defence, the body creates a mechanism that allocates the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to calm the body. This hormone synthesises an enjoyable feeling when one is engaged in thinking or feeling. Therefore, this may portray how introverts have a preference for pensive thinking sessions rather than being in a boisterous classroom.
performance of introverted and extroverted leaders with proactive team members. The field study consisted of sending out questionnaires to managers and employees at 130 franchises of pizza delivery companies. The managers were tested on their extraversion levels and employees were questioned on how proactive they were. The results showed that extroverted leaders had a 14% reduction in profits earned when cooperating with proactive workers. This could be explained by the clash of initiatives when everyone in the workforce wants to take the lead and have a say. However, if the leader is introverted, their patience fosters innovation by letting everyone contribute to the communal decision-making and not viewing proactive coworkers as a threat. Extraverted leaders may feel unstable with proactive coworkers who are pushing against their opinion and therefore lead to disagreement and perhaps conflict within the company.
Advantages of being an introvert
Don’t be surprised, but introverts actually make extremely good leaders. Not only do they carefully plan out their strategic methodology to face a crisis, but they also ensure everyone in the team is working cooperatively and feels equally included in participating. The Harvard Business Review published a study in 2010 to analyse the
Rather than being described as shy and insecure, introverts are some of the most reflective individuals. They always portray a thorough understanding of themselves and have a clear selfawareness. After an event or interaction, they would reflect upon their performance, i.e. what went well, what was awkward and what they shouldn’t have done. Their contemplative thinking framework allows them to maintain an authentic self-image of their own beliefs and rights. This also manifests in their well-developed ability to monitor their emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Introverts take every opportunity to summarise their faults and try to correct their errors with efficiency. Staying true to oneself is also key to life as individuals should not be hindered or swayed by another person; grounding for what they believe and think is right allows the correct mindset to be present when confronting challenges.
Moreover, introverts do make amazing friends. They will always be open to delving into a ceaseless conversation over all the details of one’s life. Whether it is gossip about school or meaningful future aspirations, they will always be there. Feeling exhausted and burnt out after a whole day at school? Going into the arms of an introvert with a cup of hot chocolate will definitely cure the frustration. Introverts’ extra cautiousness may also influence their preference for small and meaningful conversations rather than having short superficial
chatter. Being an attentive listener not only allows others to fully express their feelings or concerns, but an introvert's constant observation of another person allows them to pay attention to minor details and really ponder on the advice or response they give. Their ability to be vigilant to another’s body language and facial expressions enables them to take risks wisely and not trespass on any sensitive information.
Lastly, there is a special trait possessed by introverts that wouldn’t be obtained by extroverts as easily. Creativity. Hear me out here, I am not criticising any of the wonderfully talented extroverts out there, but there has been scientific research to show the significant correlation between solitude and creativity. The preference and ability to cope with solitude are key to spark creativity. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, embarked on his successful entrepreneurship in a lonesome basement in front of a computer. Dr Seuss, the iconic children's author, conveyed how much he values having solo brainstorming sessions to write a good story. Charles Darwin, one of the greatest biologists in history, developed his theories on strolls in the woods alone. These are just a few examples of introverts who have mastered the art of creativity and utilised it to their best abilities, others include but are not limited to: Albert Einstein and J.K. Rowling.
The ‘extroverted’ world
Unfortunately, our current society is not modelled to accommodate introverts the best. In workplaces, the no wall-bound offices are open with one table connected to the next. People are concentrated together, increasing the chance of attention diversion and discomfort for introverts. Whether it is meetings or presentations, group work is a highly enforced method of office companies. In classrooms, tables are joined together and teachers are constantly pushing for cooperative work and discussions among the students. This is no criticism of teamwork, however, there should be an extent to which this strategy is applied.
How has our society shaped its way to its current form? And why is it ‘biased’ against introverts? Susan Cain, an American writer, explained in her TED Talk that our community originated from a culture of character, focusing on an individual’s ethics and values, to a culture of personality in the
20th century. Catalysed by a growing economy, agricultural workers constantly emigrated to other locations to seek better opportunities. In this situation, one must appeal to everyone around them to interact and make connections. Over time, our society prioritises charisma and flair over selfdiscipline and morals. Through generations of cultural inheritance, this continues to be the trend.
To all my fellow introverts out there, please do not feel dissuaded from showing who you truly are. Despite the adversities you might face due to the way our society is constructed, it makes the qualities of an introvert even more unique and individualised. Whenever you feel overwhelmed at work or in school, take the time to find what is comfortable for you. If some ‘quiet time’ is needed, don’t be afraid to leave the group for a while and gather your thoughts. Your values and traits are admired and please do not feel ashamed of it just because others around you act differently. The world is incomplete without the contribution of all personalities, whether extroverts, introverts, or ambiverts; everyone should be appreciated and support each other throughout.
If you would like to read more into this topic, I highly recommend the book ‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking’ by Susan Cain
hedgehog’s dilemma ~ loneliness
CINDY WONG
Step by step, you make your way through a desolate, snowy landscape. Like daggers against your skin, rushes of falling snow pass you by, leaving a painful sting. You wander and wander, looking for a temporary refuge for the night. Sticks and stones piled against the bark of a tree was the best you could manage; it's all you’ve known your entire life as a lonesome hedgehog. Born under the vast blue sky, forced to seek shelter in the cruel nature that brought this life upon you.
Before the cold could consume you, something approaches you from a distance. A head of grasslike spikes, a pair of bright inky eyes, a pointed snout; you’ve finally met another one of your kind. Desperately, the two of you bolt towards each other, preparing to sink into the embrace of another hedgehog. The coldness was about to take over your bodily functions—it's your last hope. As you touch, preparing to finally feel the softness of another being, it hits you. Literally. The quills dig into your skin, like a malicious prank, from no one other than mother nature. Similarly, you feel your own quills scratch against them, a high-pitched squeak of pain eliciting from your throats. You step back, just to try to huddle together again. Again and again, looking for the perfect middle ground between the comfort of company and the pain caused by your nature.
The hedgehog’s dilemma—sometimes referred to as the porcupine's dilemma—is a metaphor for the difficulties of human intimacy, and the often selfimposed isolation(caused by fear of rejection) that many experience. The concept was first used by German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, in his ‘Parerga and Paralipomena.’ This parable was used in order to convey the natural ‘need of society’ that humans face, hindered by ‘social rules and human nature.’ It entered the psychology scene through Sigmund Freud’s reference in his book “Group psychology and the analysis of ego.” This book discusses psychological mechanisms in temporary social groups, including a reference to the hedgehog’s dilemma in one of his footnotes.
In the grand scheme of things, loneliness may seem common and insignificant compared to other issues that may occur in one's life. However, loneliness and social isolation have been proven to genuinely affect one's physical, cognitive and mental health—the magnitude of risk is actually very similar to that of obesity, smoking, lack of access to care and physical inactivity. In general, loneliness is a contributing factor to many psychiatric disorders, such as depression, abuse or personality disorders—which could all lead to further isolation. Due to a lack of engagement and encouragement from family and friends, many unhealthy habits could go unchanged for long periods of time—and also raise stress levels and affect one’s sleep, leading to physical deterioration. Additionally, a study found that loneliness may negatively affect one’s immune system—white blood cells in those who were lonely are said to be more likely to display genes involved with inflammation, with a decrease of genes involved in antiviral responses.
In a contemporary social psychology study, Jon Maner et al. refered to it when discussing ostracism and desire for social contact. For example: their first study included 56 undergraduates(40 women, 15 men, 1 who did not indicate gender) who were randomly sorted into three groups: social exclusion, social acceptance, and neutral. They would then have to write an essay recalling a time they had experienced either social exclusion, social acceptance, or about their activities from the previous day. They then each completed a 20-item PANAS(Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, in order to measure to what extent they were feeling their emotions). In order to evaluate their interest in socialising, they were then asked to complete a questionnaire for a fake student service. They found that after having to recall and ‘relive’ an instance where they were excluded, participants had a stronger desire to meet new friends and connect with people—going against Schopenhauer’s idea that humans keep a certain amount of distance from others due to fear of rejection. There were 6 studies done in total, each with different methods of measuring aspects of social ability.
The group concluded that there are 2 common responses to this dilemma: people may avoid future social interactions after experiencing the pain of rejection—or continue to find new social partners to fulfil their desire to belong. Schopenhauer initially concluded—very pessimistically—that one will ‘keep their distance’ in order to ‘avoid being pricked.’ The result of this distance is a ‘very moderately’ satisfying warmth; just enough to fulfil the need for social interaction, but not enough to be hurt by the possible rejection. However, Maner et al. criticises this point, noting that ‘in real life’, the hedgehog dilemma is often solved in a ‘far more sociable manner.’
Therefore, although the Hedgehog Dilemma is an interesting metaphor for loneliness and its effects on people, its ideas are quite outdated and honestly demotivating. When forming genuine connections with people, being hurt isn’t inevitable. Although still possible, it is crucial to establish your own way of communicating with others, for your own physical and mental well-being.
PRETTY PRIVILEGE BY
JOYCE WONG
The Halo Effect: Pretty Privileges
Do attractive people receive special treatment due to their appearance? Do people have it easier because society deems them attractive? The phenomenon of ‘pretty privileges’ has become a popular phrase used on the internet that is tied to the benefits associated with conforming to today’s beauty standards, and this is conditional. Our society is superficial, and ‘pretty privileges’ highlight this. Fixation on appearances and beauty manifests itself in the way those who are conventionally attractive receive special treatment. “Lookism” is a term that perfectly describes this, which is prejudice and discrimination based on physical appearance.
The Halo Effect:
What is the halo effect? We are often told to “not judge a book by its cover," but the truth is, we do— we take one look at the cover and determine if the contents are worth our time. Unfortunately, the manifestation of this also extends to how we interact with strangers we don’t know. This cognitive, subconscious bias affects our perceptions of others based on appearances, and this phenomenon is called the ‘halo effect’. The halo effect itself uses the analogy of a halo to highlight how it deceives perceptions. In historical, Western, and religious art, when illuminating halos are painted over someone’s head, it casts an angelic light over them and shows that they are good. In the theory, the presence of a metaphorical ‘halo’ casts a light on completely unrelated attributes such as intelligence and social skills. Our perception of those who are conventionally attractive is parallel in the sense that we associate positive qualities and importance based on appearance. ‘Pretty’, conventionally attractive people are automatically associated with being smarter, funnier, more sociable, and more successful. Conversely, there is also an association between unattractive individuals and the possibility of committing socially undesirable and unacceptable behaviour.
When it comes to forming a complex understanding of another individual, it requires considering our dynamic interactions with them and their different traits. Different characteristics influence each other to form a final impression of the person. Our initial impression of a new individual is limited; therefore, we typically base
them off of physical attractiveness since this is what we encounter first when we meet someone new.
The halo effect also affects an individual’s quality of life. Those who are deemed conventionally attractive tend to enjoy a higher quality of life. This includes earning higher salaries, receiving better treatment from strangers, and having overall better wellbeing. Importantly, it also affects our selfesteem, which determines our quality of life. A study conducted by psychologist Leary in the Sociometer Theory found that “self-esteem is influenced by how we perceive our value to others," highlighting a direct connection between selfesteem and attractiveness. The theory highlights that our appearance determines how society treats us, which in turn shapes our self-image. On the other hand, those whom society sees as less attractive encounter more rejection in various areas, such as romantic relationships and workplace relations, and are even sometimes determined to be less academically capable by teachers.
History of the Halo Effect and Studies
Famous psychologist Edward Thorndike first suggested the term in a 1915 paper, “A Constant Error in Psychology Ratings." In an experiment described, Thorndike asked military commanding officers to evaluate various qualities in their soldiers, including appearance, leadership, intelligence, loyalty, and more. Unsurprisingly, Thorndike found high levels of correlation between physique and intelligence, character, and leadership skills.
Social media and pop culture: How they have catalysed ‘pretty privileges’:
We live in a society with influences. Our ideas and beliefs are shaped and inspired by outside forces like culture, environment, community, religion, and, more recently, mass media and pop culture. Pop culture is such a significant part of modern culture; with this comes the overrepresentation of conventionally attractive people. Movie stars and influencers who are attractive often get more likes and views; therefore, society deems them to be able to appear on the big screen. Most times, attractive people are overrepresented, and as consumers, we begin to see them as the ‘norm’. This also highlights the underrepresentation of plus-sized models and minority groups on the
runway, in advertisements, and in the in the media. Although people are becoming more aware and attempting to change by having more diversity and criticising companies and media that are underrepresenting differences in natural beauty, when it comes to the representation of areas that hold power and authority, there is still a lack of representation. This could be explained by the theory of “the beauty premium.”.
The Beauty Premium:
Beauty is highly valuable in most areas of life because of the halo effect, or unconscious cognitive bias. Economists have theorised a term called the “beauty premium,” which suggests physically attractive workers have better earning advantages. Many brands have faced criticism because they have a strict recruitment principle in which appearance is one of the most important factors in finding staff, like Abercrombie & Fitch. This is based on the beauty premium, meaning that based on their physical appearance, consumers can alter their attitudes about the brand. Many studies, like those by Dion et al. (1972), have shown that attractive staff earn higher wages and receive higher performance evaluations. The face and appearance of brand representatives, including brand ambassadors, models on advertisements, and also working staff in shops, are important for the image the brand is selling and the sales delivery process. Therefore, the beauty premium and the halo effect could explain the harsh and discriminatory process of staff recruitment in brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, although it does not justify it. Additionally, advertising similarly favours those who are conventionally attractive to represent their brands, as this will attract and reach a larger audience and make consumers associate the brand with positive attributes explained by the ‘halo effect’.
Pretty Privileges in the Courtroom:
Attractiveness maximises an individual's benefits in the workplace, everyday life, and almost every other setting, but it is also extremely significant in the courtroom, where the halo effect also becomes prevalent.
One study came to the conclusion that physical attraction is so influential on judges and juries that they would penalise unattractive criminals 304.9% higher than attractive criminals. The more attractive a criminal, the less harsh the punishment they are given. According to another study, “the social perception that holds that more attractive individuals have better
prospects in the future than less attractive individuals that supposedly accounted for this discrepancy”.
Results from a 2009 study by Ahola et al. revealed a key finding about attractiveness in the justice system. Alongside the finding that higher attractiveness causes more lenient attitudes during arrests and convictions, they also highlighted the interesting finding that this effect was only confined to females, when those rated as being more attractive were convicted less. Attractiveness had no effect on male convicts. This shows an interesting correlation between gender and the importance of attractiveness. The 2011 Florida v. Anthony case was an interesting example of a possibility where physical attractiveness might have caused a more lenient sentencing.
3 years after 3-year-old Caylee’s disappearance, in 2011, the shocking verdict of the Casey Anthony v. Florida case left a distaste in the public when Casey, who was accused of murdering her daughter Caylee, was found “not guilty." It left everyone wondering how and why the juries had let her off when the evidence against her was so overwhelming. Unsurprisingly, the public was outraged with the juries and wondered what had led them to reach this conclusion that seemed to be so disconnected from the general public. Immediately, speculations were being made as to what could’ve led to this. There was one major belief and speculation that the fact that she was viewed by many as an attractive defendant played an undeniable role in the jury’s perception of her, which worked in Casey’s favour. Perhaps juries’ finding Casey to be conventionally attractive has led to unconscious cognitive bias and the “halo effect," making them associate Casey with characteristics such as being more intelligent, empathetic, and better. This caused them to unconsciously empathise with her more, treat her with more leniency, and believe her side of the story. There is no definite conclusion as to whether there has been a direct correlation between her appearance and her lenient final verdict, but there is definitely a possibility and a variable that can be considered in this shocking case.
It is undeniable that we hold unconscious bias against others; inversely, others also unconsciously do this to us, which may lead to an error of judgement that can affect our lives. Educating ourselves and being aware of the halo effect can help us make better judgements and reduce the effects it has on us.
ddementia ementia
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a term for several diseases that affect memory, the ability to do daily things, and thinking. It is a progressive disease and mainly affects older people, but not all people get it as they age. Dementia is a syndrome that can be caused by a number of diseases that, over time, cause neurodegeneration as the nerve cells get destroyed and the brain is damaged. Dementia doesn’t directly affect cognitive function, but it is usually accompanied by impairments in cognitive functions and sometimes preceded by changes in mood, emotional control, behaviour, or moderation.
Dementia has many effects that range from physical to social to economic and affect all people, ranging from the person with dementia to their loved ones, their carers, and more. However, dementia is currently incurable and may lead to ambiguous losses. There is often a lack of understanding and awareness of dementia, sometimes causing barriers to care. These effects on relationships between parent and child are what we are going to look into.
Communication and relationship Difficulties between parent and child
Dementia usually has a large impact on parentchild relationships, as it typically comes with cognitive impairment, memory loss, and an inability to take care of oneself. As the disease progresses, the parent may experience memory loss, confusion, changes in personality and behaviour, and have a harder time talking to their child. This can make it difficult for the child to communicate with their parent and maintain a meaningful relationship as they will constantly forget important events that the child holds close, which may hurt the child as it may cause them to feel depressed or have a lower self-esteem due to important events in their life not being acknowledged or valued in their eyes.
As dementia progresses, the parent may have difficulty expressing themselves or talking to their child as well, not only due to the cognitive impairment or neurodegeneration but also due to personality and behavioural changes and the loss of important memories. This can make it difficult for the child to understand what their parent is trying to communicate, leading to frustration and misunderstandings, which may cause the child to feel as if they have lost a parental figure in their
life, which can typically lead to long-term psychological effects such as anxiety, depression, and aggressive behaviour that will linger.
In addition to the child feeling as though they lost a parental figure in their life due to the sudden change in personality that their parent goes through, the behavioural changes and decrease in behavioural control that a parent will go through will cause the child to feel further loss and feel even more distant from their parents. A parent with dementia may become more irritable, agitated, and aggressive, which may lead to abusive behaviours. These sudden changes can be difficult for the child to understand and manage, especially if they are not familiar with the disease. But also, the child will feel more distant from their parents as their wellbeing is undermined by them, resulting in decreased emotional closeness with their parents.
In conclusion, the result of the behavioural changes, memory loss, and decrease in emotional control is that dementia may lead to abusive behaviours, communication issues, or difficulty expressing oneself, all of which lead to the child feeling a loss of a parental figure (which, as already discussed, causes cognitive impairment and emotional distance between the parent and child), abusive behaviours developing in the parent, confusion developing, which may cause further distance, and memory loss, which causes the child to feel even more distant and emotionally damaged due to critical events not being remembered.
Dementia Grief and Ambiguous loss
It is common for people to grieve the dead, but in the case of dementia, it is unclear whether or not to grieve as the person is still alive, but you feel an ambiguous loss due to the behavioural changes, memory loss, and inability to do normal activities. Rather, this grief is over the psychological changes and effects that dementia has on a person. For example, the child who is affected by dementia may feel the need to care for their parent in a different way, or on the other hand, the child may take care of important things, such as making important medical and economic decisions, in place of the parent as they are unable to think at a high enough level. This new change may cause the child to feel stressed or anxious, as they feel like they bear all responsibility for any negative consequences that happen to the parent, and they may also feel even more grief knowing that the
disease will only worsen from this point and they are still not able to communicate properly with their parent.
The child may also feel an ambiguous loss, as mentioned in the last paragraph. The child feels a greater psychological loss due to the parent still being present but not being able to communicate or think at a normal human level. This not only causes complications to the child's grief, as they may feel obligated to not tell the parent of their imminent death, but also may prevent help from finding the child, as the parent is still physically present. This causes many complications in the parent-child relationship and may cause the child to develop cognitive impairments, mental illnesses, or even feel emotionally distant from their parent as the roles are switched.
Dementia affecting below adult children
A below-average adult child, for example, between the ages of 14 and 8 years old, will feel an ambiguous loss as not only is their parent treated differently, but they may be taken to a dementia healthcare facility, which prevents further communications between them, and they may also be told about their parents imminent death. This causes the child to feel unsure of their future, feel alone, or may not be able to conceptualise the loss.
Furthermore, the loss may not be recognised by those around the child due to stigmatisation of dementia, which may prevent them from grieving their parents loss as they do not feel permitted to. This may cause the child to attempt to move on without grieving due to a lack of social recognition, which will cause the child to feel isolated and alone, or they may not be able to properly conceptualise the losses of loved ones later on in their life.
In addition to this, the stigmatisation of dementia and lack of social recognition may cause the child to not disclose this loss to other caring adults, as they feel they may be ridiculed or abused. This may cause the child to feel further isolation and weakness, which may lead to further psychological effects later on in their life.
Another negative effect of dementia on parentchild relationships is that the other parent may be able to move on quickly or may not feel much loss. This will cause the child to feel guilt, blame, and other difficult emotions as they feel they need to
adjust to the other parent's new way of life and may entirely disregard the demented parent.
One thing that we have missed is the effect of parent-child relationships on the other parent. Children and adults process grief differently, as it may be more periodic. For example, the child may cry at the realisation that their demented parent will die, then suddenly be found happily playing on their iPad or playing at the playground. This may cause the parent who is currently taking care of the child (who does not have dementia) to feel that the child does not understand or even conceptualise that the parent is going to die as they are still physically present, or it may lead the parent to think that the child has already moved on with the perceived loss.
Conclusion
Dementia is a progressive disease that can have a profound impact on parent-child relationships. As parents experience memory loss, confusion, and changes in personality and behaviour, it can become difficult for children to communicate with them and maintain positive relationships due to the sudden change in behaviour, memory loss, and the common cognitive impairments that come with dementia as a disease.
Adult Children may also feel that they are responsible for all social, economic, and medical decisions related to their parents, which may cause them stress as they are inexperienced in this field, are already struggling with their own work, or more. They also feel conflicted over grieving the demented parent, as they are still physically present and may not seek help.
Young children may feel isolated and alone due to the stigmatisation of dementia and may feel obligated to not disclose that they lost a parent to dementia, as they may fear the ridicule and abuse they may receive as a result, which may cause the child to become unable to understand the loss of loved ones. The different way the child processes grief can also affect parent-child relationships, as they periodically feel grief, and the current guardian may feel they have already moved on or are unable to conceptualise the loss.
pathological lying
by Anya Deng
Pathological Lying: Exploring the Compulsive Nature of Chronic Deception
Pathological lying is a psychological phenomenon characterised by chronic and compulsive deception. It differs from occasional or socially acceptable lying in its frequency, intensity, and the underlying motivations driving the behaviour.
Prevalence and Diagnosis:
Pathological lying, although difficult to measure precisely, has been observed in various populations. Studies(Curtis & Hart, 2020) suggest that the prevalence of pathological lying in the general population is around 8%–13%. There may also be comorbidity between pathological lying and other psychological disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder(Salters, 2023), making an accurate diagnosis even more complex.
Psychological Motivations:
One of the primary motivations behind pathological lying is the desire for attention, admiration, and recognition. These individuals may feel a deep-seated need to be the centre of attention and may use lies and fabricated stories to capture the interest and admiration of others(Serota, Levine, & Boster, 2010). By creating elaborate tales or exaggerating their accomplishments, they aim to enhance their selfimage and create a more favourable impression in the eyes of others. A need for control can also drive pathological lying. By fabricating stories or manipulating information, they can feel a sense of power and control over others; lying allows them to shape the narrative and influence how they are perceived by those around them.
Furthermore, pathological lying may be closely linked to low self-esteem and insecurity. Individuals struggling with feelings of inadequacy or a negative self-image may use lies as a defence mechanism to compensate for their perceived shortcomings. By constructing false narratives or presenting themselves in a more favourable light, they attempt to shield themselves from feelings of worthlessness or shame(Beverly, 2021). This also links to how pathological liars may have a profound need for validation and acceptance. They may believe that their true selves are not enough to gain the approval or acceptance they crave and consequently resort to deception to elicit positive
feedback, reassurance, and validation from others. By fabricating stories or achievements, they may gain external validation, which in turn can boost their sense of self-worth.
Cognitive and Emotional Processes:
Pathological lying is not merely a superficial behaviour but rather a combination of cognitive and emotional processes that pathological liars engage in to perpetuate their deceptive behaviour(Smith & Johnson, 2018).
One cognitive process that pathological liars may employ is confirmation bias. Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information that confirms preexisting beliefs or expectations while disregarding or downplaying contradictory evidence. Pathological liars may selectively attend to and remember information that supports their fabricated narratives while dismissing or ignoring facts that challenge the veracity of their lies; this helps them maintain a consistent internal narrative and rationalise their deceitful actions. Another cognitive process that may be at play is self-serving bias. The self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to one's abilities or efforts while attributing negative outcomes to external factors. Pathological liars may use this bias as a way to protect their self-image and avoid responsibility for any negative consequences resulting from their lies. By attributing positive outcomes to their fabricated stories, they reinforce their sense of competence and maintain a favourable selfperception.
Pathological lying is also influenced by various emotional factors(Pace-Schott et al., 2019). Emotions such as fear, anxiety, and a need for social acceptance can drive individuals to engage in chronic deception. Pathological liars may experience intense emotions related to the fear of being exposed or rejected if the truth comes to light. To avoid these negative emotions and maintain social acceptance, they resort to lying as a coping mechanism.
Impact on Relationships and Social Interactions:
One of the primary repercussions of pathological lying is the erosion of trust. Trust forms the foundation of healthy relationships, and when it is repeatedly violated through deceit, it becomes difficult for individuals to rely on and believe the words of the pathological liar. Friends, family members, and romantic partners of pathological liars may find themselves constantly questioning the liar's statements, leading to a breakdown of trust and a sense of uncertainty in the relationship(Gordon, 2023)
Intimacy, both emotional and physical, can also be greatly affected by pathological lying. Intimacy requires vulnerability, honesty, and a genuine connection between individuals. However, when one person consistently engages in deceptive behaviour, it becomes challenging for the other person to fully open up and share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The presence of constant lies creates a barrier to true emotional intimacy, as the deceived individual may feel a sense of detachment or a lack of genuine connection with the liar.
Effective communication is something else that pathological lying can ruin(Curtis & Hart, 2020) Open and honest communication is essential for healthy relationships, allowing people to express their needs, resolve conflicts, and build understanding. However, lying leads to communication becoming clouded and ineffective. This further strains the relationship and can impede its growth and development.
The repercussions of pathological lying can be farreaching, often resulting in isolation and strained relationships, as those affected by lying may withdraw emotionally to protect themselves from further hurt. The constant lies undermine the sense of safety and security within the relationship, leading to feelings of betrayal and emotional distress. Over time, this can lead to a breakdown in the connection with the liar and a distancing from the social circle as trust is destroyed.
Treatment Approaches:
Therapeutic interventions are an essential component of addressing and managing pathological lying tendencies. In particular, cognitive-behavioural therapy(CBT) techniques have shown promise in helping individuals understand and modify the underlying psychological factors that contribute to their lying behaviour.
CBT interventions for pathological lying typically involve a collaborative and structured approach between the individual and the therapist. The therapy aims to increase self-awareness and help the person identify the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that contribute to their tendency to lie. By examining the underlying cognitive processes, individuals can gain insight into the motivations and triggers behind their deceptive behaviour. Through CBT, individuals can learn new coping mechanisms and strategies to replace the inclination to lie with healthier alternatives(Curtis & Hart, 2020). This may involve developing skills in emotion regulation, impulse control, and problemsolving, which can then help individuals manage the underlying factors that contribute to their lying. By addressing these factors, CBT aims to facilitate long-term behavioural change and reduce the frequency and intensity of pathological lying episodes.
In some cases, medication or adjunctive treatments may be considered as part of the overall treatment plan for pathological lying. Medications may be prescribed to manage associated symptoms or comorbid conditions that contribute to lying behaviour, such as anxiety, depression, or impulse control disorders. However, medication is typically used as a complementary approach alongside therapy and is not considered a standalone treatment for pathological lying. Adjunctive treatments such as group therapy or family therapy may be beneficial in addressing the impact of pathological lying on interpersonal relationships. These interventions provide a supportive environment where individuals can explore the consequences of their lying and learn healthy communication and relationship-building skills. Group therapy, in particular, can be helpful as it allows individuals to connect with others who have similar experiences, reducing feelings of isolation and providing opportunities for shared learning and support.
What is ADHD ~ Stereotypes:
ADHD is stereotypically associated with being hyperactive and not being able to stay in a place for long periods of time; However, ADHD is much more than that, and not all patients have hyperactive symptoms. Psychologists say that it heavily affects all areas of life, from relationships to productivity. ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and it is a condition that affects a patient’s behaviour. Psychologists believe that ADHD can often run in families and be inherited, but it is a complex disorder that isn’t caused by a single faulty gene. The exact cause of ADHD in biological brain structure isn’t clear, but there have been studies to suggest that patients may have an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the brain or some that are functioning improperly. Other factors that can be a cause of ADHD include brain injuries, exposure to toxins like lead, alcohol or tobacco exposure during pregnancy, and more.
Psychologists have concluded that there are three subcategories of ADHD that highlight the broad spectrum of the disorder: inattentive, combined, or hyperactive-impulsive. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD is characterised by the stereotypical ADHD symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity, including the need to fidget, feeling restless, talking constantly, impatience, and others. Inattentive ADHD is on the other end of the spectrum, whose main behaviours include having trouble focusing on one task, losing items, moving slowly, processing information slower, and having difficulty following instructions. And the combined type of ADHD experiences both inattentiveness and hyperactivity-impulsivity similarly. It’s believed by psychologists that most people experience some degree of ADHD, but when severe, it can interfere with a patient's abilities to function at home, school, work, and social settings.
ADHD in adults is often more complex than ADHD in children and youth. Although ADHD is a disorder that begins in childhood, it continues into adulthood, and there are many cases where patients are not diagnosed until adulthood. Adults on the ADHD spectrum may feel it is impossible to get organised, stick to one job, and remember appointments. Patients can often feel that simple daily tasks are especially challenging, such as getting up in the morning, arriving at work on time,
and being productive. ADHD patients may seem restless and try to do several things simultaneously, but with little success.
Possible causes of ADHD:
Like many other mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, genetics is thought to be a very important factor in diagnosis. Genetics can cause a genetic predisposition for patients to be more likely to have ADHD when they are put in an environment that triggers them. ADHD frequently runs in families; a child with ADHD has a 25% chance of having a parent with ADHD. Researchers at the NHGRI have discovered that certain variants of a gene act as a trigger for ADHD, showing that there is a biological predisposition in those who inherit genes. This gene is involved in neuron signalling and is linked with the area of the brain associated with behavioural responses and ADHD.
However, solely basing the causes of ADHD on biological and genetic factors is reductionistic and ignores the complexity of human behaviour and undeniable interactions with the environment and society. Environmental and social factors also play a huge role in ADHD. A child’s upbringing and living conditions can significantly increase the likelihood of diagnosis, including impaired family structures or high media consumption. Additional factors such as premature births, brain injuries, a lack of exercise, and alcohol and nicotine consumption during pregnancies can also encourage ADHD. However, there seems to be a stark increase in adult diagnoses in recent years.
Adult ADHD Epidemic:
Adult ADHD was once considered very rare but is now very common. By 2016, reports of incidences of adult ADHD had risen by 123% in the USA, and they are reported to be continuing to grow today. Recently, adults have replaced children as the primary market for ADHD medication, highlighting the prevalence of the disorder amongst adults that has previously been associated with adolescents. However, even with the significant rise in adult diagnoses, there is still evidence that the condition is being underdiagnosed. It was suggested that around 16.4% of the adult population could meet the criteria if a diagnosis of broad ADHD were accepted.
Issues with Stimulant Medication:
There are various ways to treat ADHD, but the bestknown and most widely used ADHD treatment is with stimulant medication. Stimulant medications are especially popular with adults, as they often do not have enough time to commit to the lengthy behavioural therapy, which is also costly. With the increasing diagnosis of ADHD in adults, there are various societal and clinical implications An issue is that the increasing diagnosis could lead to stimulant prescriptions for those who won’t benefit from these medications, and therefore the exploitation of medication and patients. Furthermore, the overprescription of these drugs has not had its long-term effects, potential benefits, and harms known with clarity. No longterm studies have been conducted to show the health implications that it can cause over the years, as there have been no studies examining the risk when adults take them regularly over periods of years. Since medications that treat ADHD are stimulants that increase dopamine and norepinephrine, boosting energy, alertness, and attention, they also increase attention and focus in normal people. This increases the chance of stimulant medication abuse and other prescription stimulants that cause societal issues of informal prescription medication abuse in those without ADHD. Prescription stimulant medications are classified as having a high potential for abuse and addition; therefore, if there is a situation of misdiagnosis, there is a higher risk of medication abuse. Research has shown that approximately 900,000 Americans abuse prescription stimulants every month.
Modern Day Medicalisation of ADHD:
In modern culture, medicalization for normal life problems has become very common Although information available online can help spread awareness about marginalised minorities and their difficulties, the internet has also made medicalization a more widespread issue. Many people misuse ADHD stimulants to enhance cognitive functions, including those who don’t have the disorder.
Social causes of ADHD and how that links to the ADHD epidemic:
Alongside our rapidly changing environment, it is questioned if the rising increase of adult ADHD can also be caused by adverse social and family environments. Could it potentially be nurtured? Some causes of adult ADHD other than the genetic predisposition to the disorder include brain injuries, exposure to toxins, alcohol abuse, cannabis abuse, and obesity, which contribute to the late-onset of ADHD. A study from 2018 even suggested that using social media may trigger ADHD symptoms in teens and adults. Additionally, sociologists and neuroscientists believe that regardless of the biological basis of ADHD, the epidemic is caused by sociological factors, especially those relating to education and changing societal expectations. Beyond household societal factors contributing to the ADHD epidemic, research has also shown that children raised in wealthier countries are at a much higher risk of developing ADHD than those in poorer countries with a lower GDP.
Importance of Diagnosis and Undoing Stigmatisation of ADHD:
Recently, a growing number of people are reporting ADHD symptoms as adults, partially due to the high-profile cases and the impact of social media. It is believed that 2.8% of adults live with ADHD, but many are undiagnosed. Despite the increasing awareness and understanding of ADHD in adults, there are still prevalent issues with healthcare resources and stigmatisation of the disorder among adults, causing many to struggle to get a diagnosis and seek treatment to help them cope with their increasingly stressful lifestyles. This can significantly reduce quality of life and increase the risk of substance abuse. Overall, there is a lack of understanding and education on ADHD in adults, and this poses a challenge for adults in social and workplace settings and can cause internalised stigmatisation. Further education for the general public about the myths of people with ADHD is needed in order to reduce stigma.
Art by Cynthia Li
or infatuation? Love
Love versus infatuation: unravelling the mystery
The addictive feeling of your heartbeat thumping in your ears at a pace faster than your mind can process. Razor-winged butterflies wreaking havoc in your stomach. The dryness of your throat as you find yourself at a loss for words around them. One moment they were a single letter in your life and all of a sudden they’ve taken chapters over chapters for themselves in your mind. You think to yourself, am I in love? Or is this another crush that I’m infatuated with?
To answer that question, we must first look at what is love? Beverley Fehr says it involves a sense of care, compassion, and commitment towards the well-being of the individual However, biologically, love partially comes from neuropeptide oxytocin, which elicits feelings of what we call ‘love’. Scientific research has provided valuable insights into the biological as well as the psychological aspects of love and infatuation. Studies have revealed that love triggers the release of oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain, which contribute to feelings of pleasure, attachment, and contentment. Nonapeptides such as vasopressin interact with oxytocin to form sexual attraction, social bonding, and complex behaviours. This forms attachment. Testosterone and oestrogen, as the sex hormones, when in high amounts, forms lust. Lastly, when dopamine (produced in the hypothalamus) is produced in high amounts, there is attraction. In other words, infatuation. However, the strong emotion that is love is too unknown and unexplored to be defined concretely by chemistry. Love is also elastic, malleable in that it can be different for each and every individual.
In contrast, infatuation is an intense and short-lived passion for someone else. It is driven by a strong physical attraction and an idealised perception of the person. Biologically, infatuation is characterised by elevated levels of dopamine, which is associated with feelings of euphoria and reward, leading to an intense focus, sometimes nearing obsession, towards the desired individual. Infatuation tends to be more focused on the thrill of the chase and the fluttering in your stomach, excitement at the idea of a relationship and the delusion of the ‘perfect person’ in your mind returning your feelings, rather than a deep emotional bond.
person’ in your mind returning your feelings, rather than a deep emotional bond.
Furthermore, studies relating to brain imaging have showcased the discrepancies between love and infatuation. Love is often associated with activation in the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for decision-making and long-term planning. This suggests that love is grounded in a more thoughtful and rational approach to relationships. In contrast, infatuation primarily activates the brain's reward centers, such as the ventral tegmental area and the dorsal striatum, highlighting the impulsive and pleasure-seeking nature of infatuation (Acevedo et al., 2019).
Beyond the scientific domain, ethical perspectives provide insights into love and infatuation. Ethical frameworks highlight the importance of respect, volition, and concern for the well-being of others. Love, rooted in empathy and kindness, aligns closely with ethical principles and society’s moral compass. It involves a genuine desire for the joy
and growth of the other person, allowing for a healthy and supportive relationship.
On the other hand, infatuation raises concerns due to its temporary and often selfish nature. Infatuation may lead individuals to objectify their person of interest, focusing solely on their own desires and refusing to acknowledge the well-being and choices of the other person. They may also cause harm to their own mental wellbeing, convincing themselves that a person who does not exist is living in the body of their person of infatuation. This can result in unhealthy power dynamics and emotional manipulation within relationships or friendships.
While there are clear dissimilarities between love and infatuation, it is necessary to recognise that these emotions can coexist and evolve over time. Love often begins with an element of infatuation, characterised by potent passion and exhilaration. However, love truly begins to blossom as individuals build a strong emotional connection based on trust, respect, and shared experiences, in comparison to infatuation’s selfish and inherently short-lived nature where trust and respect are rarely present. As Shakespeare said “Love’s not Time’s fool”; love withstands the test of time, whereas infatuation tends to dissolve as the novelty of a newfound attraction wears off.
One thing that sets love apart from infatuation is the element of genuine care and concern for the well-being of the other person. Love encourages personal growth and supports the individual's goals and aspirations while your partner does the same for you as well. It’s an equal give-and-take situation which fosters open communication, understanding, and compromise. In contrast, infatuation is often driven by self-interest and focuses primarily on the physical, lustful, and superficial aspects of a relationship.
Distinguishing between love and infatuation is challenging, particularly for those new to navigating the complexities of relationships. While love and infatuation share some commonalities, love is characterised by a deeper emotional connection, commitment, and long-term perspective.
Infatuation, on the other hand, tends to be more short-lived and driven by physical attraction and novelty. Understanding the differences between these emotions can help individuals make informed decisions about their relationships, leading to healthier and more fulfilling connections in the long run.
dystopias
by samantha tam
Dystopias are portrayed as imagined societies in which there are severe amounts of suffering, with people who are oppressed by their rulers often to the point of dehumanisation. Many of your favourite books and films could be a part of this science fiction genre, notable mentions being The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Matrix and 1984, to name a few. Over time, the definition of dystopia has changed drastically. It began as something written to draw attention to certain issues in society to something more for entertainment and excitement – to escape the present and elevate our own lives whilst drawing comparisons with modern society.
Dystopias are often linked with utopias as opposing societies. The Greek roots of the word dystopia literally separate into ‘dys’, meaning bad, and ‘topia’ meaning place. While you may think that utopia means ‘good place’, it is actually derived from Modern Latin meaning ‘nowhere’, coined by Thomas More, ironically suggesting the improbability of an existing perfect society. If utopias or balance could exist, every person, every day and basically everything would have to be equal and the same, resulting in a lack of individuality and purpose to exist other than live in a society, which in a way, circles back to being a dystopia in itself. Dystopias, in the mind of an audience to be entertained, are simply more interesting, which explains the popularity of the genre. Between 2010 and 2013, sales of dystopian novels increased by 300% in the US. Compared to dystopias, utopias would be ‘boring’ without conflict, not making for an extremely intriguing plot. Moreover, dystopias tend to resonate with people, after all, who doesn’t have a fear over an uncontrollable and unforeseen future?
According to statistics gathered on movie and TV show preference in America, 40% of people aged between 18 and 29 preferred watching dystopian films in comparison to 22% preferring utopian. This age category also showed the highest interest in the genre compared to the other older generations surveyed. Many adolescents and young adults are often the target of dystopian stories because they can relate to certain issues in a dystopia, such as freedom and individuality, as they try to find their place in society. Dystopias instil in them a sense of responsibility to question the wider world. On the other hand, being constantly exposed to such grimly described worlds can lead to feelings of
anxiety and hopelessness and could make individuals become desensitised to ‘real world problems’. If the younger generations in society believe in a bleak future from the influence of such entertainment, society cannot progress away from their vision of impending doom. At the same time, dystopias can offer comfort to others, in believing the notion that our society isn’t that bad compared to those fictional worlds, but this could also lead to inaction for progress towards a better future if we are only comparing society to the worst imagined society.
Dystopias, like many other things made for entertainment, are romanticised to appeal to their audiences. This is usually through the sense of adventure and rebellion that such stories evoke, as we follow a protagonist in an uprising against a corrupt power, making ourselves feel empowered as we root for our favourite characters. Whilst such stories can be inspiring for us, motivating us to speak up about the issues we are facing in modern society – if we want to be realistic and promote the seriousness of living in such a society – dystopias wouldn’t be getting happy endings.
‘Never Let Me Go’ by Kazuo Ishiguro is an example of one such ending, where society exploits a group of young people who live in a seemingly normal boarding school, ‘clones’ that are used as carers of organ donors, afterwards becoming one when their cared for ‘clone’ dies. This is done to extend other people’s human lives, as ‘clones’ themselves are not considered human. Kathy is a carer for an organ donor who in the end, after the death of the organ donor, is alone reminiscing the past after the death of all of her friends from boarding school, her own donor process foreshadowed to begin soon. Whilst the dystopian elements of this novel were rather subtle, unlike the stereotypical and romanticised dystopia of a dark world in ruins, it can be just as terrifying. People do not realise the existing problems and wrongness in their society. In reality, Kathy and her friends were unable to escape the society and its consequences on them because they had no concept of freedom or a real world outside of a ‘school’ they were afraid to leave out of fear. This shows how the effect of romanticisation of the genre, when taken too far, we may not be able to tell wrong from right.
Dystopias often serve as warnings to societies of what they could ultimately become when a fundamental element integrated in society is taken to the extreme. This is done either by critiquing or reflecting on our flaws, helping us to analyse the direction of our current society in place. Often these flaws are related to technological, political, environmental and religious issues. However, many believe that the society we dread has already arrived, to the point where some people believe that we are living in a simulation, influenced by The Matrix for its popularity, and even scientists have hypotheses for this. The fact that people believe we live in a dystopia or that ‘the end of the world’ is near, is troubling as the writers that first seeked to make people aware of social issues merely as a warning, have had their words twisted to evoke fear in some who see a connection between fiction and reality. A common question on people’s minds is whether the dystopia we’ve been dreading has already arrived. Everyday we hear of new tragedies ranging from the persistent climate crisis to health issues to war, so it’s nearly impossible to maintain a positive outlook on the future.
Dystopia, for all entertaining aspects, is a genre that is becoming increasingly relevant as the separation between the fictitious aspects against modern day society become more and more unclear. Understanding where to draw the line between the influence and romanticisation of dystopias can stop us from falling into the negative mindset and perceptions from the comparisons we make with society.
More psychological references and studies:
“In 2012, the Daily Mail published results of a survey that polled 16,262 people in more than 20 countries. The results indicated that 22% of Americans believed the world would end in their lifetime with 10% thinking the apocalypse was coming in that very year (Hanlon, 2012). Certainly, if this is your mindset, then it is only logical to be a wee bit obsessed with what might be in store for you”
by
Marcus Chad
Effects
of your Father’s Journey for Milk.
Your father left with the milk. He didn’t go to any grocery stores. He didn’t go anywhere near your home or your family He went straight to the abyss, for you to never see him again.
This may seem like something you’d see on Instagram reels or even those fake Reddit stories. This is a phenomenon so common, it rivals even saying “you too” to the waiter at any restaurant. You may have seen so many people come and rise from the ashes without any figure to follow, including a father figure. However, the side effects of the loss of a father figure due to the father ‘leaving for the milk’ or any other are just as significant.
Now, to fully understand parental separation, we should look into it in maximal detail. According to the Children’s Bureau of South California, parental absence is when the father does not live with the child and has no parental investment in the child. Many sources have proven that the absence of a father figure can lead to negative behavioural changes and hinder development from infancy to childhood and into adulthood as well.
Effects of a Father Figure in Early Development
To truly understand the effects of taking something away, you must first know how it feels to have it. This applies here as well, of course. When both parents are involved with a child, they typically become attached to those parents from the beginning of life. Furthermore, father figures tend to lead to healthy psychological growth in the child. Typically, those with a father figure compared to those who don’t are 80% less likely to go to jail, 75% less likely to have a teen birth, and half as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms. That is not all there is, though. The benefits that can be sowed from a father figure are like a field that never ends. Infinite benefits. One such being that it reduces behavioural problems in boys and reduces delinquency while also reducing burden on low-income families. But the benefits of father figures also extend to reducing psychological problems and rates of depression in young women.
Psychological and behavioural effects of losing a father figure
It is well known that the loss of a father figure can lead to depression and low self-esteem, as the child receives less praise and encouragement from their fathers. Low self-esteem also leads to fewer social links and interactions in one's life, which further results in loneliness in the child, which causes other problems. Furthermore, the absence of a father figure increases the chance that the child will live in poverty or feel the effects of it.
The absence of a father figure in pregnancy can also be negative, as a father's presence can increase the chances of a successful pregnancy and may influence the risk of adverse birth outcomes. In early life, the presence of a father figure can reduce the chance of depression and decrease disruptive behaviour in a child.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the absence of a father is overall negative; although the child can still live a healthy life, it is not void of consequences.
Bibliography Bibliography
Reality Bites; YOUR FOOD IS A LIE
Folkvord, Frans, et al. “Food Advertising and Eating Behavior in Children.” Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, Elsevier, 8 Dec 2015, www sciencedirect com/science/article/pii/S2352154615001564?via%3Dihub
Spence, Charles “On the Psychological Impact of Food Colour - Flavour ” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 22 Apr 2015, flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0031-3.
“What’s That Smell?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 16 July 2012, www forbes com/forbes/2006/1002/076 html? sh=9a6f98853775
“14-Year-Old Girl Dies after Drinking 2 Energy Drinks.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 26 Mar. 2012, www huffpost com/entry/anais-fournier-energy-drinks-caffeine-toxicitypoisoning n 1373655#:~:text=After%20she%20drank%20two%20of,to%20caffeine%20toxicity%2C%20TODAY%20r eported
The Halo Effect: Pretty Privileges
Whitten, Cheryl “How the Halo Effect Influences Your Daily Life ” WebMD, WebMD, 28 Apr 2022, www webmd com/mental-health/what-is-halo-effect
Cherry, Kendra. “How the Halo Effect Influences the Way We Perceive Attractive People.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 24 Oct 2022, www verywellmind com/what-is-the-halo-effect-2795906
QOVES Studio, director 6 Types of Pretty Privilege YouTube, YouTube, 25 Aug 2023, https://www youtube com/watch?v=ocpkH djNcU Accessed 10 Oct 2023
O’Neal, Daryn “What Is Beautiful Is Also Good: The Psychology behind the Halo Effect ” The Wrangler, 16 May 2022, www thewrangleronline com/45767/opinion/what-is-beautiful-is-also-good-the-psychology-behind-the-haloeffect/
Whitten, Cheryl. “How the Halo Effect Influences Your Daily Life.” WebMD, WebMD, 28 Apr. 2022, www webmd com/mental-health/what-is-halo-effect
Regina “The Link between Beauty, Privilege and the Media ” Women’s Media Center, 22 Feb 2011, womensmediacenter.com/fbomb/the-link-between-beauty-privilege-and-the-media.
Li, Yaoqi, et al “Is Beauty a Premium? A Study of the Physical Attractiveness Effect in Service Encounters ” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Pergamon, 25 May 2019, www sciencedirect com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969698918307562
Hollier, Rod “Physical Attractiveness Bias in the Legal System ” The Law Project, 28 July 2020, www thelawproject com au/insights/attractiveness-bias-in-the-legal-system Accessed 12 Oct 2023 `
Beaver , Kevin M , et al Physical Attractiveness and Criminal Justice Processing: Results from a Longitudinal Sample of Youth and Young Adults., 8 July 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6762156/. Accessed 12 Oct 2023
Bibliography Bibliography
The Rising Global Trend of ADHD diagnosis in adults.
Austin, Daryl “Why Are So Many Adults Just Now Being Diagnosed with ADHD?” Premium, National Geographic, 5 Jan. 2024, www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/adhd-rising-adultstechnology#:~:text=One%20big%20suspect%3A%20technology%20is,from%204 4%20percent%20in%202003
“Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ” NHS Choices, NHS, www nhs uk/conditions/attention-deficithyperactivity-disorder-adhd/causes/#:~:text=Genetics,likely%20to%20have%20ADHD%20themselves Accessed 18 Jan. 2024.
Roth, Erica “Types of ADHD: Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, and More ” Healthline, Healthline Media, 19 May 2023, www healthline com/health/adhd/three-types-adhd
“Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: What You Need to Know.” National Institute of Mental Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, www nimh nih gov/health/publications/adhd-what-you-need-toknow Accessed 7 Mar 2024
“Causes of ADHD.” Guide of ADHD in Children, www.adhd-information.com/adhd-causes.html. Accessed 7 Mar. 2024
Brown, James, and Alex Conner “Is Adult ADHD a 21st Century Epidemic?” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 11 Feb 2022, www medicalnewstoday com/articles/adult-adhd-a-21st-century-epidemic#ADHDdiagnosis.
Paris, Joel, et al “Is Adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Being Overdiagnosed?” Canadian Journal of Psychiatry Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie, U S National Library of Medicine, July 2015,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500182/#:~:text=Adult%20ADHD%2C%20once%20considered%20rare,U nited%20States%20meet%20diagnostic%20criteria
“Stimulant Addiction and Abuse ” Addiction Center, 10 Jan 2024, www.addictioncenter.com/stimulants/#: :text=Prescription%20Stimulants%20are%20classified%20as,rather%20t han%20to%20get%20high.
Mayes, Rick “ADHD, or the Medicalization of Social Problems ” American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, Sept 2019, www ncbi nlm nih gov/pmc/articles/PMC6687270/
Charles Li, MD “How Effective Is Modafinil Compared to Adderall or Ritalin for ADHD?” Clearvuehealth Com, Clearvue Health, 19 July 2023, www clearvuehealth com/e/how-effective-is-modafinil-compared-to-adderall-orritalin-for-adhd-Q2y17M
Lovering, Nancy. “ADHD STIGMA: How It Affects Children, Adults, and Caregivers.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 28 Apr 2022, www healthline com/health/adhd/stigma#:~:text=Research%20has%20found%20that%20personal,awareness%20b y%20sharing%20your%20story
Bibliography Bibliography
Thriving as an introvert in an extraverted world
Allik, Jüri, and Robert R McCrae “Toward a Geography of Personality Traits: Patterns of Profiles across 36 Cultures.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 35, no. 1, Jan. 2004, pp. 13–28. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi org/10 1177/0022022103260382
Arpaci, Ibrahim, et al “The Relationship among Individual Differences in Individualism-Collectivism, Extraversion, and Self-Presentation ” Personality and Individual Differences, vol 121, Jan 2018, pp 89–92 DOI org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.09.034.
Cain, Susan Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts | TED Talk https://www ted com/talks/susan cain the power of introverts?language=en Accessed 13 Nov 2023
“Eysenck’s Personality Inventory (EPI) (Extroversion/Introversion).” Community Health Solutions, https://chsresults com/blog/test/eysencks-personality-inventory-epi-extroversionintroversion/ Accessed 13 Nov 2023
Frothingham, Mia Belle. What Is An Introvert Personality? 3 Nov. 2022, https://www.simplypsychology.org/signsyou-are-an-introvert html
Gantt, Lynda Lynda Gantt: How Does Culture Affect Behavior? | | Syvnews Com https://syvnews com/lynda-gantthow-does-culture-affect-behavior/article f21785e6-20f6-5360-b486-7ae1523b28d4 html Accessed 13 Nov 2023
Grant, Adam. Quiz: Are You an Extrovert, Introvert or Ambivert? |. https://ideas.ted.com/quiz-are-you-an-extrovertintrovert-or-ambivert/ Accessed 13 Nov 2023
--- “The Hidden Advantages of Quiet Bosses ” Harvard Business Review, 1 Dec 2010 hbr org, https://hbr org/2010/12/the-hidden-advantages-of-quiet-bosses
Introversion | Psychology Today https://www psychologytoday com/us/basics/introversion Accessed 13 Nov 2023
McCrae, Robert R. 3 Minute Introversion Test. https://www.idrlabs.com/3-minute-introversion/test.php. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
Waters, Coral The Neuroscience of Introversion | Eclectic https://coralwaters wordpress com/2012/03/23/theneuroscience-of-introversion/ Accessed 13 Nov 2023
Bibliography Bibliography
Psychology behind dystopias
Academic Oup Com, academic oup com/book/9336/chapter-abstract/156106710?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Carollo, Laura “Preference between Utopian or Dystopian Movies and TV in the U S by Age 2019 ” Statista, 5 Jan 2023, www statista com/statistics/1016271/utopian-dystopian-movies-tv-preference-by-ageus/#:~:text=The%20findings%20reveal%20that%20younger,about%20utopian%20films%20and%20shows
26, David Sexton April. “Simple, Sparse and Profound: David Sexton on Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go.” Literary Hub, 25 Apr 2023, lithub com/simple-sparse-and-profound-david-sexton-on-kazuo-ishiguros-never-let-mego/#:~:text=And%20so%20Never%20Let%20Me,outside%2C%20destined%20for%20only%20very
Dystopia | English Meaning - Cambridge Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/dystopia.
“Dystopia (n ) ” Etymology, www etymonline com/word/dystopia
“Dystopian Literature: More than Just the End of the World to Teens ” Http://Www Scisdata Com, www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-123/dystopian-literature-more-than-just-the-end-of-the-world-toteens#:~:text=The%20appeal%20of%20dystopian%20fiction,a%20difference%20despite%20these%20obstacles
Green, Michael Bodhi “Dystopian Fiction Explained - Themes and Characteristics ” StudioBinder, 26 Apr 2024, www studiobinder com/blog/what-is-dystopian-fiction-definitioncharacteristics/#: :text=Because%20dystopian%20literature%20and%20cinema,category%20of%20%E2%80%9Cs peculative%E2%80%9D%20fiction
Nadworny, Elissa “For Teens, Dystopian Fiction Seems Pretty Real - and That’s Why They like It ” NPR, NPR, 5 July 2018, www npr org/sections/ed/2018/07/05/623292216/for-teens-dystopian-fiction-seems-pretty-real-and-thatswhy-they-like-it.
The Psychology of Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Stories, commons erau edu/cgi/viewcontent cgi? article=2383&context=ibpp Accessed 16 May 2024
The Hedgehog's dilemma; loneliness
Prochnik, George “The Porcupine Illusion: George Prochnik ” CABINET /, 2007, www cabinetmagazine org/issues/26/prochnik php Accessed 09 Nov 2023 https://www2.psych.ubc.ca/ schaller/Maner2007.pdf
“The Risks of Social Isolation ” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, May 2019, www apa org/monitor/2019/05/ce-cornerisolation#:~:text=%22Lacking%20encouragement%20from%20family%20or,also%20augment%20depression%20or %20anxiety.%22. Accessed 09 Nov. 2023.
https://www pnas org/doi/10 1073/pnas 1514249112
Bibliography Bibliography
Love versus infatuation: unravelling the mystery
Meyers, Laurie. “The Love Drug--the Eternal Question: Does Love Last?” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, Feb 2007, www apa org/monitor/feb07/eternal
Novotney, Amy “What Happens in Your Brain When You’re in Love?” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, 10 Feb. 2013, www.apa.org/topics/marriage-relationships/brain-on-love.
Cherry, Kendra “Are You in Love?-This Is How You Know for Sure ” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 6 May 2024, www verywellmind com/what-is-love-2795343
Field, Barbara. “Why Some People Believe Love Is an Illusion.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 29 Mar. 2023, www verywellmind com/why-some-believe-love-is-an-illusion-7372475
Cherry, Kendra “5 Ways That Theories of Psychology Explain Love ” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 12 Feb 2024, www.verywellmind.com/theories-of-love-2795341.
Field, Barbara “Am I Really in Love or Just Infatuated?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 12 Sept 2024, www verywellmind com/infatuation-vs-love-7372960
Field, Barbara. “Is It Love or Infatuation?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 6 Mar. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/ithink-im-in-love-but-am-i-5217528.
Mandriota, Morgan “Do I like Him, the Attention or Is It Something Else?” Psych Central, Psych Central, 1 Feb 2022, psychcentral com/health/do-i-like-him-or-the-attention
Howard, Ari “Is It Love or Addiction? Learn the Signs and Causes of ‘Love Addiction ’” Psych Central, Psych Central, 17 Mar 2022, www psychcentral com/blog/what-is-love-addiction#what-it-is
Gillette, Hope “Infatuation vs Love: How to Tell the Difference ” Psych Central, Psych Central, 24 Aug 2022, www.psychcentral.com/relationships/love-versus-infatuation#how-to-tell-infatuation-from-love.
Garlikov , Richard “1 10: Infatuation, Friendship, and Love ” Social Sci LibreTexts, Libretexts, 16 Sept 2021, www.socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Psychology/Social Psychology and Personality/The Meaning of Love (G arlikov)/01%3A Chapters/1.10%3A Infatuation Friendship and Love.
Travers, Mark “A Psychologist Helps You Understand the Difference between Love and Infatuation ” Therapytips Org, 19 July 2023, www therapytips org/articles/a-psychologist-helps-you-understand-the-differencebetween-love-and-infatuation.
Brenner, Abigail “5 Ways to Tell That It’s Love and Not Just Infatuation ” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 13 Oct 2023, www psychologytoday com/us/blog/in-flux/202106/5-ways-to-tell-that-its-love-and-not-justinfatuation
Bibliography Bibliography
Dementia and parent-child relationships
“Dementia ” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www who int/news-room/factsheets/detail/dementia Accessed 16 Nov 2023
Kong, Jooyoung. “Childhood Maltreatment and Psychological Well-Being in Later Life: The Mediating Effect of Contemporary Relationships with the Abusive Parent ” The Journals of Gerontology Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, U S National Library of Medicine, 14 June 2018, www ncbi nlm nih gov/pmc/articles/PMC6283308/
“Parental Deprivation.” Parental Deprivation - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, www sciencedirect com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/parentaldeprivation#:~:text=This%20may%20take%20time%20to,and%20long-term%20emotional%20problems Accessed 16 Nov 2023
Pathological Lying: Exploring the Compulsive Nature of Chronic Deception
Curtis, Drew A, and Christian L Hart. “Pathological Lying: Theoretical and Empirical Support for a Diagnostic Entity.” Psychiatric research and clinical practice vol. 2,2 62-69. 16 Oct. 2020.
Gordon, Sherri “What Does It Mean To Be a Pathological Liar?” Health com 18 Sept 2023
Pace-Schott, Edward F., et al. "Physiological Feelings." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, vol. 103, 2019, pp. 267-304.
Palmer, Beverly B “What Do You Do With an Insecure Liar?” Psychology Today 23 Mar 2021
Salters, Kristalyn. “BPD and Lying: The connection between lying and borderline personality disorder.” Verywell Mind 17 Feb 2023
Serota, R D , Levine, T R , and Boster, F J "The Prevalence of Lying in America: Three Studies of Self-Reported Lies " Human Communication Research, vol 36, no 2, 2010, pp 2-25
Smith, J D , and Johnson, A B "Cognitive and Emotional Processes in Pathological Lying: A Comprehensive Review " Journal of Psychology, vol 45, no 3, 2018, pp 123-145
