mind SIM PSYSOC MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2013 | ISSUE #12
Family & Belongingness How do we belong?
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ALSO INSIDE
PSYSOC EVENTS
DYK
Fight Club Rule #1 Exclusive Clubs On Being a Cultural Chameleon Caregiver Burdens Empty Nest Syndrome OCD & Family
PsychWeek PsychWeek Party
Daddies We Need You!
EDITORS’ NOTES
BACKGROUND
Firstly, a warm welcome to my new writers – Sheena, Meng Yee, Harith and Kai Chuen! Also, a great thanks to the writers who have been with us since 2012 – Ken, Cheryl, Branden and Aloysius – always a pleasure to have you all! Where do you belong, we ask. We ask strangers, we ask our new classmates, we ask our new colleagues. Not in such phrasing, but the meaning is the same. As if knowing someone’s background, be it their family, their previous school, or their participation in an activity or society, can tell us more about who they are. Perhaps it can tell us a bit about the person in the room, possibly because we believe that our identity is rooted in where we belong – more cogently, where we choose to belong. In this issue of MIND #12, we explore the facets of Family & Belongingness: be it in the family context - caregiving, body language (reading the lies at home), the empty nest, familial impact on disorders; in the larger society – being a cultural chameleon, the art of counter culture communities, exclusive clubs, even secret societies; all perhaps the mere work of chemical bonds? The people we choose to be around, the dynamics of our relationships, the things we believe in and fight for together, perhaps hold their weight in our identity. Belongingness might sound counter intuitive to our individuality, yet they need not be, they are the canvas by which we are allowed to shine, the gardens in which our persons bloom. Yet we are sublimely and imperceptibly influenced by the people around us, the people we choose to be with, the causes we identify with – we are making our own choices, we are exercising our own free will, albeit within the realm of those gardens.
School University at Buffalo Major Psychology
Josephine Tan editor-in-chief One of my passions is to help translate the great ideas into visuals that could make a larger audience appreciate the sheer brilliance of the writers. In the past year, I was given the wonderful opportunity by Josephine to be a part of this process. Often times, the themes for the magazine are abstract constructs; this summer's theme of family and belongingness was no different. The difficulty in finding images to represent such abstract construct further reinforces the fact that these constructs have to be felt, not seen. Kid Rock once mentioned something similar: If it looks good, you'll see it. If it sounds good, you'll hear it. If it's marketed right, you'll buy it. But if it's real, you'll feel it. With this in mind, as you read the articles, I hope that my design concepts can aid in forming a context unique to you.
Gigi Teo Wen Jing graphic designer School University at Buffalo Major Psychology & Communica;on
Speak your mind.
join us as writer for mind magazine To sign up, email the editor-in-chief at publication.psysociety@gmail.com.
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THE
MIND TEAM Foo Meng Yee Pursue your dreams with vigor, treat failures as lessons, laugh and cry because you are human, and love like there is no tomorrow.
Cheryl Giam "Letting go of something you love is difficult, but holding on to something that isn't meant for you is impossible"
Harith Zulkefli "The only normal people are the ones that you don't know very well." ― Alfred Adler
Branden Ho Travel. Be a part.
Mok Kai Chuen "Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens." ― Carl Jung
Aloysius Ng “Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.” ―John F. Kennedy
Ng Ken Kern Fairness is the refuge of the weak and the convenience of the strong.
Sheena Teo “The mind is your best muscle [for success]. Big arms can move rocks, but big words can move mountains.” ― Sylvester Stallone
Research this!
Research Catch these interesting articles & videos!
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How to find articles/videos: 1) Log into www.google.com 2) Type in the Title listed below. 3) Grab some snacks from the fridge and enjoy the show!
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TEDTalk: The Council of Dads
Psychology Today: Is Technology Creating a Family Divide?
Guardian: The Pros & Cons of “Sharenting”
Brainpickings: Pets as Family
Are sharents - parents who post their children’s lives on social media doing more harm to their children?
How technology and families do not go well together
The pets that famous authors loved
Psychology Today: Nostalgia & Death
The science (and neuroscience) of your emotions
06 BY HARITH ‘IFWAT BIN ZULKEFLI
Fight club Rule #1
THE SECRET BEHIND SECRET SOCIETIES
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hat do Sir Stamford Raffles, Colonel Sanders and (gasps!) Brad Pitt have in common? Sure Singapore’s founder, the fast food magnate, and the Hollywood actor are popular figures but that’s just too obvious isn’t it? They are in fact members of secret societies; Raffles and the Colonel were Freemasons while Pitt was in the titular secret club in the movie Fight Club. Okay, they weren’t all members of secret societies but it drives the point—private, if not secret, groups exist within our society and they don’t have recruitment drives. The term ‘secret society’ doesn’t mean that the existence of such groups is unfounded. In fact, secret societies such as the Freemasons are catalogued in public dossiers. However, non-members are not made privy of the clubs’ rituals or machinations. Alas, what makes grown men assemble and contrive to keep secrets? Importantly, why would anyone join a society with strange rituals just to become conspiracy fodder? The answers lie, perhaps, in Henri Tajfel’s Social Identity Theory. The idea is that people separate the members of their community into social groups of “them” versus “us”. The “us” represents any likeminded individuals with similar interests or agendas; “them” just means anyone who doesn’t fit the bill. A core tenet of this theory is that the in-group (“us”) tends to hold its biases against the out-group (“them”). Membership in these secret societies represents an outlet for these famous figures to commune and distance themselves from everyone else. The added bonus here is that the veil of secrecy offers such groups reprieve from the media spotlight. The theory also outlines a process called Social Identification. This involves establishing an identity for the group that one has identified with. Research has also shown that primary groups build upon a high level of intimacy and integration amongst its members.
Members share close and enduring relationships in primary groups, much like the secret societies. It is easy to spot the romanticism in such groups; all members regardless of their seniority and social status go through the same sets of rituals. Such practice delineates a symbolic bond amongst members through the ages. So what is society’s stand on these secret groups? Indeed, most people would dismiss such cabal networks as insidious (and rightly so given the smokescreen tactics employed by these groups). Popular media has also sought to cash in on this fear of the unknown by dramatizing the issue (cue Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol). I cannot help but feel a sense of déjà vu. Ironically, society works around the same mechanisms as these groups. Our own special groups (cliques) have their secret communication lines (‘Whatsapp’ groups), and biases (“Psst! I bet that guy’s a loser.”). Did I mention that we even conspire on what to wear for a special day? #OOTD! We tend to perceive something we cannot readily comprehend as deceptive, even if we employ the same practices. So what’s the final word regarding these secret groups and societies? Can’t tell. Members only…
Photo credits: WallsHD.net
07 BY FOO MENG YEE
Counterculture Communities T
he need to belong is fundamental to humanity. Some of us fulfill this need through common institutions like religion and sports clubs. Others are marginalized by common culture and turn towards counterculture. Counterculture communities are groups of people who belong to subcultures that have values and mores that deviate from mainstream society. They include hippie, gothic, gay, and transsexual groups. Famous examples of countercultures in Europe and North America are Romanticism and Bohemianism of the 19th century, and more recently, the Hippie counterculture of the 20th century (Shea, 1973). Counterculture has its origins in Western culture, perhaps because of the philosophical tradition of individualist anarchism strongly held in the United States. Because of the stress on sovereignty of the individual, people with non-normative inclinations in the West might be more able to “come out” about their inner identities without experiencing selfloathing. Conversely, collectivistic Asian culture tends to impose on Asians the need to conform to societal norms at the expense of personal freedom. However, as Westernization continues to pervade the world, people in Asian societies who feel differently about themselves are increasingly willing to engage in the fellowship of counterculture communities.
One common reason for joining counterculture communities is the acquisition of fictive kin. Many people who feel differently about themselves, especially gays and transsexuals, become marginalized by their families and former in-groups once they reveal their inner identities. There is widespread revulsion towards these characteristics which are viewed as queer or even ungodly. Terms such as ‘Homophobia’ have been coined to describe the antipathy and contempt of many towards lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and the like. In 1998, gay college
student Matthew Sheppard was savagely beaten up and left for dead due to repugnance of his sexuality (Nelson, 2006). One appeal of counterculture communities is, therefore, to provide a safe haven for societal outcasts to experience a sense of belongingness and security. Many members of counterculture communities would perhaps identify with the following lyrics of “All I want” by A Day to Remember: “All I want is a place to call my own, to mend the hearts of everyone who feels alone.” Another benefit of joining counterculture communities is that it boosts self-esteem through positive regard of self-identity. The traits of the individual which were previously subjected to scorn are embraced as the core values of the counterculture community and viewed as essentials of group identification. Online forums such as gayspeak.com are platforms by which counterculture communities encourage actualization of self and celebration of non-normative behaviours. A third effect of joining counterculture communities is the empowerment of the individual to endorse the shared values of the group. The backing of the group provides a psychological shield for the individual to take cover under while advancing the shared ideals of the counterculture community. For instance, the annual Gay Pride Movement and its flamboyant public displays are testament to the bolstered courage of the individual - through membership in LGBT - to demonstrate his non-normative beliefs. In my opinion, it is possible for the great divide between common culture and counterculture to decrease as a result of modern cultures such as cyberculture. Overarching similarities such as the use of computers for networking and business does seem promising as a means of subsuming formerly distinct cultures by increasing similarity between their members. Photo credits: www.LayoutSparks.com
08 BY JOSEPHINE TAN
Exclusive Clubs WHY DO WE YEARN FOR EXCLUSIVITY?
Photo credits: www.MinxSociety.com
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he strange clubs that some of us belong to (no judgment!) – The midnight poker club, the bansharks-fin society, the bohemian shield; it could even be the chocolate peanut buttercup sundae no cherry brotherhood – choosing to belong to the myriad of social groups with specific interests sounds plausible yet verging on the aberrant, or does it really? Marilynn Brewer’s Optimal Distinctiveness Theory suggested that we seek groups that provide balance between us belonging to a group and allowing us to be unique. We look for places where both assimilation and uniqueness are satisfied. Small groups such as exclusive clubs help meet such a delicate criteria. Lest most of us think we do not have the privilege of being in such exotic interest groups, exclusive clubs – their exclusivity – easily takes many forms familiar to many of us. Our group of close friends with whom we discuss special and sometimes intimate topics with, who (probably as a result) know things about us enough to bomb our image, our romantic counterpart with whom we strongly value some commonalities yet love them for the parts of their self that we cannot fathom (liking people/things
we want to solve), the CCAs we sign up for, the external societies we join, the volunteer association we help out at, the people whom we become instant friends with after standing side-by-side screaming at the Korean boyband on stage – these are forms of exclusive clubs, in varying degrees. Likewise, scenes strange but not uncommon: Skaterboarders arguing with inline skaters the distinction that the term “skater” belongs to the former; the “serious gamer” scoffing at and keeping their distance from the “casual gamers” (people who play games on their mobile devices rather than on a computer?), the label “photographer” hardly extends to those who take photographs with their smartphones or similar devices. Such instances and similar others denote our need to set up barriers to which our supposedly unique interests and skill-set should not be tarnished or denigrated. Foulness exudes, especially when others insult “You’re one of them!”, primarily due to the removal of uniqueness from us. Yet by belonging to an exclusive group we are diluting our uniqueness - the degrees of uniqueness and assimilation are of acute personal tailoring; exclusivity seems like the platform to which we can close the door to unwanted others to preserve what we believe is unique, yet not enough to warrant baring this label alone. We want to be distinguished (from the crowd) yet desire to be distinguished together with select candidates. Belongingness, in such instances, is truly specific.
09 BY BRANDEN HO
On being a cultural chameleon DO I BELONG?
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ne of the most important questions that people ask themselves in deciding to enter, continue, or abandon a pursuit is, “Do I belong?” This was the question that one person, and indeed many more in the same situation have had to ask themselves. Many studies show a positive correlation between perceived degree of belonging and mental health (Baumeister, Twenge, & Nuss, 2002). A sense of belonging is more than just being, though. It is more about becoming. Glenn admits to being an adept cultural chameleon. Glenn was born in Singapore. He lived and studied here for the first eight years of his life. Due to family commitments, he moved to the United States of America, where he studied for over a decade. Upon graduating from college, he pursued a Master’s degree in Switzerland, where he lived in a largely German-speaking community; here, he picked !"#$%&&" up and got fluent in German.
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Switzerland, he speaks German the way an American would. “It’s difficult to shake off English speech habits, but I’m getting there” he says. Some call it insincere, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. People treat you differently when you sound like you’re from “around here”. In most cases, people will tr ust one of their own more than an “outsider” (Tomasello, Carpenter, Call, Behne, & Moll, 2005). Not only will you blend in better, it also helps you appreciate the way of living in various places. Just picking up rudimentary French or Japanese, for example, opens up all kinds of conversations that will never happen in English. People who have been living in one culture in a long time might find it difficult to behave like a cultural chameleon. It is a bit like picking up a second language when one has been monolingual for his entire life. It is a long term commitment, and can be cognitively challenging; but gets easier with practice.
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His passport, though, still bears Singapore’s gold crest on scarlet. His extended family is scattered over Malaysia and Singapore, where he visits now and again. When asked how it felt to call so many places home, he said, “It’s not as bad as you might think. When in Rome, just do as the Romans do.” Social skills are important here, but more than anything, it is the desire to embrace a new culture that makes the difference. In Singapore, he speaks as the locals do, quirks included. In America, you probably cannot tell he is from outside the States until you saw his passport. In
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Some refuse to do it, though, calling such an effort “fake”. Glenn disagrees. “It takes a great amount of patience and observation to blend in better. Doing it reflects an open mind, an all-embracing heart and sincerity if nothing else. There is nothing fake about it.” “I belong wherever I go. It is not easy to do, but many a wise men once said nothing really worth doing is.” Photo credits: AllNationsTranslations.com
10 BY CHERYL GIAM
Brain chemicals That induce bonding THE SCIENCE BEHIND RELATIONSHIPS Photo credits: www.VashikaranSpecialistInIndia.com
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e are all familiar with the term blood is thicker than water; it refers to the bond shared with family members that cannot be easily replicated by others. So, what exactly is the reason we bond with our family and take care of each other? The impact of the bond is felt the strongest in the early stage of parenthood, and has long-lasting effect that is evident through the growing years of the child. This is induced greatly by the brain chemicals that are released during the process. There are a few brain chemicals involved in affecting the way we feel and behave with our family, but one of the most important hormone would be oxytocin, often termed the chemical of connection. This chemical is stimulated especially towards the end of a mother’s pregnancy and during labor. It is also the hormone which helps new mothers lactate, enabling the process of breast-feeding and hence creating the opportunity of a close parent-child relationship. Oxytocin is present in both parents and children. Oxytocin in the father makes him more devoted to the family and helps him respond better to the needs of is child. In a study published in Biological Psychiatry, fathers who were given a nasal spray of oxytocin made more eye contact with their children and had more reciprocal behavior. This chemical released also calms the baby and reorganises the baby’s ability to deal with stress. Prolactin, called the parenting hormone, is another chemical important in family bonding. It is produced in all healthy people during sleep, but heightened in the mother in response to her maternal behaviour. It increases the mother’s desire to take care of her child, it is also shown that fathers released this hormone in response to intruder threat, a trait that childless men
do not. In the early stage of parenthood, prolactin decreases the sex drive in both parents, leaving them with more energy to handle their parental responsibilities. However, it elevates the bonding between the parents and increases their non-sexual interest in each other. Another chemical, Opioids, known as the pleasure hormone is released in the family. It decreases the awareness of pain and increase the feeling of elation. This is particularly induced when the family cuddles and have skin contact, resulting in the pleasure obtained from parenting and resulting in a closer bond between parent and child. It may hence be emotionally unsettling for the both parties during separation once a strong opioid bond is forged. The last chemical at work is Vasopressin. It is a male hormone which works mainly on the father. It makes the father more aware of his role in the family and makes him want to play a part. It promotes the protective instinct within the father and also reduces his aggression towards his family. All in all, the brain chemicals produced during parenting makes it a tiring yet enjoyable process. It is an act that responds to our most primitive nature and the accomplishment achieved from this journey cannot be measure in tangible terms. Oxytocin
The chemical of connection.
Opioids
The pleasure hormone used to decrease pain and increase the feeling of elation.
Prolactin
The parenting hormone important in family bonding.
Vasopressin
A male hormone that promotes protective instinct of a father and reduce aggression towards his family.
07 BY ALOYSIUS NG
CAREGIVER BURDENS FINDING THE BALANCE
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aving a loved one who is advanced in age or having a debilitating disease such as dementia is not only upsetting, but also stressful for the person providing care. Caregiver burden includes physical, emotional and financial tolls (Bevans & Sternberg, 2012). Caregivers are often faced with complicated and competing priorities between work and life. Stress will inadvertently cause negative effects on their health and daily lives.
Parks & Novielli (2000) has found that the level of burden perceived by an individual does not correlate with duration of time spent as a caregiver providing care. Furthermore, the magnitude of functional impairment in the person receiving care is also not correlated with caregiver burden. However, behavioral problems such as those in the later stages of dementia do contribute to caregiver burden. Neuropsychiatric problems are the biggest contributor to caregiver burden (Shin et al., 2012). Feelings of being overwhelmed, lonely or angry are common -- caregivers should not feel guilty to have such thoughts, nor be too focused on them. There are several ways to cope with caregiver stresses. Caregivers can educate themselves about the disease. Learning about the illness and the condition of the loved one will help alleviate some fear and would also instill confidence for the person providing care. The caregivers should never be afraid of seeking help. Several organizations in Singapore such as Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) and National
Neuroscience Institute (NNI) can provide both advice and caregiver support for caregivers of dementia. Rotation between family members providing care can also alleviate some of the stresses, giving time for each individual to recuperate. Caregivers should prepare to reshape their expectations on the condition of their loved one. They cannot expect a full recovery of diseases such as dementia. It will only cause more stresses and depression when the expected outcome does not materialize. Understanding the condition is key in helping to better prepare for the progression of the condition. The most important advice is to always look out for your own self (the caregiver) first. A caregiver’s own wellbeing is an integral part to the long term care of their loved one. The family unit has a significant impact on the health and well being of the person receiving care and also the caregivers. Sharing the load and applying the basic coping strategies can help prepare them for the many phases of this extremely challenging role. No one should feel grieved or hopeless as a caregiver. Bringing your feelings into the open could help alleviate some of the stresses. The family unit is essential in the care for dependents in their golden years, but is also important for the caregivers. Some people may not always understand that a disease such as dementia poses unique challenges, hence adding to the stresses as a caregiver. We can show our love by equipping ourselves with the necessary skills and knowledge, sharing and facing the difficulties together.
12 BY SHEENA TEO
21 Century professor X st
IT’S WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE
Photo credits:TropangPinoyako.blogspot.s
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uperheroes like Professor X fuel our imaginations – everyone has probably wished for the ability to read minds. For one, it would make things simpler. Yet, despite technological advances, the closest we have come to reading minds is using body language. Some clear advantages would be the ability to detect liars, which would be useful in the work and school environment. However, knowing too much may be disadvantageous as it can breed distrust and conflict in our relationship with our loved ones.
Driver and Aalst (2012) have shown that when people get stressed, the erectile tissue in their noses will itch or tingle, causing them to react by touching or rubbing their nose. Can we say that those rubbing their nose are lying then? No, we cannot. According to this research, the key about detecting lies is to look for a change in a person’s normal behavior. Since we spend the most time with our family members, we would be familiar with their behavior, and thus will be able to tell when they are lying. From the same research, it was found that adults lie once in every five times that they
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interact. This suggests that we would be detecting lies multiple times a day, and from the people we trust the most. Even if family members do not lie out of manipulative reasons, this ultimately does not bode well for the cohesion and trust in the family.
Furthermore, micro-expressions can almost double the accuracy rate of detecting liars (Matsumoto, Hwang, Skinner, & Frank, 2011). Micro-expressions are unconscious expressions of emotion that can happen in a mere one-fifteenth of a second, which means that constant practice is required in order to perfect the art of reading it. This would ultimately cause one to be unable to switch off the habit of detecting lies, which could be more of a bane than one might think. Besides being curious about what one’s family would want to hide, one would also feel hurt that there is a need to keep secrets in the family. This may end up fracturing one’s relationship, or even result in aversion and dislike from that family member. Lastly, how would one be able to differentiate between minor and serious lies? From a moral point of view, minor and serious lies are the same. However, the consequences are different in that one would feel more hurt if a family member hid a big secret than a small secret. For example, how would one feel if one caught one’s sister telling a lie and make a big fuss over it, only to find out that it’s a minor lie about having done the household chores? Moreover, it would probably be tiring and stressful for the family if this were done for every minor lie. Ultimately, although learning body language is beneficial in work and at school, moderation of it is key. While at home, we should switch it off lest we lose our sense of kinship and belonging – after all, we only have one family.
13 BY MOK KAI CHUEN
Empty nest syndrome WHEN A CHILD GROWS UP, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
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ith a flap of its wings, the young, confident bird flew unceremoniously out of its nest, never looking back at the bundle of twigs it once called home. With much difficulty, it finally managed to fly, stronger and swifter than its predecessors. They looked on, proud albeit with resignation and words left unspoken. As natural as the birds make it seem, we humans also practise such rites of passage. As a child reaches the age of independence, the formation of an identity becomes urgently crucial. The premature values and roles prescribed by our parents become routinely undermined and questioned. This identity foreclosure is relegated by a rebellious need to arrive at a sense of self and direction, which James Marcia termed identity achievement. Yet as this child embarks on his greatest challenge towards adulthood, the parent is quietly hurled another milestone. It is a transition that creeps surreptitiously and is masked by the overt flamboyance of rebellion – the stripping of her role as a caregiver.
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This brings to light another conundrum: what becomes of the relationship between parent and child? Does this mean a death of the old family must occur before a new family can be formed with the child taking the mantle of the parent? With the clash of two different transitions, there reeks a struggle that seems to suggest that belongingness to one’s family has an expiration date. We wish to belong only until a time we decide to build a new nest. While the bird flies looking for a new family and the old waits for its eventual demise in the cycle of life, we can relish in the fact that its demise is not without a meaningless permanence but that its legacy continues to live on in the child as an inheritance. This inheritance suggests that the empty nest has only been a metaphor for the emotional transience felt by Man. In this case, the definition of belongingness has only changed and the relationship between parent and child can thus be eternal.
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As their most important role is finally relinquished, wouldn’t parents have their lives back to normalcy, a time devoid of the frustrations with a dependent? Yet, the final hurdle of raising a child is to stop raising one. What constitutes normalcy is the assumed role, as parents, that they have comfortably mastered for decades. When a child departs from home, either physically or mentally, the parent can only watch with a bittersweet nonchalance, that usually transcends into loneliness and even depression, better known as the empty nest syndrome (Long & Martin, 2000). For non-parents, it may be easy to identify the logical fallacy in this syndrome, especially when the leaving young adults continue to pay tribute to their parents. This syndrome of ‘regression’, however, can be best represented with a sudden and unprepared loss of responsibility and subsequent loss of direction and self-esteem. After all, the empty nest syndrome is most common in stay-at-home mothers who are usually the primary caregivers (Dittakarn, 2010). Photo credits: Sue-RandomRamblings.blogspot.sg
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OCD & Family
BY NG KEN KERN
HOW OUR FAMILIES CAN ACTUALLY ENHANCE OUR OCD TENDENCIES
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bsessive-compulsive disorder is known as the “doubting disease. Sufferers can doubt almost anything about themselves or their environment. They can doubt their sexuality; thinking themselves to be homosexual (when they are heterosexual), pedophiles or sado-masochists. They doubt their temperament, believing themselves to be potentially violent killers when, in truth, they’re more serene than a Trappist monk. In Singapore’s infamously fast-paced pressure-cooker society, doubt is practically encoded into our Singaporean genes. We doubt everything from academic performance to job security as supported in a 2011 study conducted by the Institute of Mental Health. From the study, the IMH found that OCD was the second most prevalent mental illness in Singapore, just behind depression and tied with alcohol abuse.
Family-accommodation involves members of the family helping to reduce the anxiety of the OCD sufferer. For example, allowing the OCD sufferer to walk around the house a certain number of times before entering. While it may sound like a good idea to help reduce a person’s stress by aiding them in the execution of their compulsions, such actions are merely a form of “enabling” and Storch, et al. (2007) found that family-accommodation was significantly related to OCD symptom severity and child functional impairment. Any relief is temporary, will dissipate with time and, soon enough, the compulsions must be repeated. Family-interaction is far more straightforward. This family environment is characterized by high levels of negative expressed emotion such as hostility or criticism. These negative interactive familial behaviors
Photo credits: PilgrimHynotherapy.co.uk
More startling however is the fact that Singapore has the highest rate of OCD for a country. At 3% of the population it is higher than the 2.3% rate of OCD in the United States and the 1.1% rate in Europe, a shockingly high percentage when you consider that we have a markedly smaller population base.
are reciprocal and generally result in a child growing up with intense feelings of doubt and fear. In fact, family behavior has been observed to become more positive post-treatment, strongly suggesting that the pre-treatment quality of family interactions is a factor in OCD development (Farrell, et al. 2007).
So, how does one develop OCD? While biology is certainly a key culprit, a person’s early childhood upbringing can play a very significant role in the onset of OCD. Two possible causes that have been put forth are family-accommodation and family-interaction.
Given the data detailing Singapore’s place in the hierarchy of OCD, I believe it is pertinent for people to be aware of the role that our own families play in the development of this often debilitating disorder. The lesson is clear - sound psychological development is not merely the product of lucky genes but also that of a positive and encouraging family environment.
15
PSYCHWEEK SPRING 2013
In Spring, PsySoc organized a list of talks for students to familiarize and develop a deeper understanding of several fields of psychology. Read on to find out more about clinical psychology, counseling psychology, developmental psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, and hypnotherapy.
How many hypnotherapist does it take to change a lightbulb? Hypnosis has been called the mother of all therapies, and for an hour and a half on an April afternoon, Dr. Wolff von Auer showed an audience why. The session started with Dr. Auer debunking common myths held by people about hypnosis. No, an unwilling participant cannot be hypnotized against his will. No, one does not become a puppet of the hypnotist when under; and as Dr. Auer’s considerable good looks will attest, no, not all hypnotists sport slick, twirled mustaches. Therapeutic hypnosis has developed a great deal from its beginnings in the late seventeenth century. In its infancy, hypnosis was introduced with an element of mysticism, with many skeptics blowing pioneering physician Dr. Franz Mesmer off. Today, most of the amazement at hypnosis is directed at what can be achieved through it. Gone are the direct suggestions (you are very… very… sleepy) too; hypnotherapy of today uses much more indirect language (you may want to close your eyes and relax). Though not a professional stage hypnotist, Dr. Auer played the part well enough. The audience was entertained by a blend of good humor and intriguing facts about hypnosis. The use of hypnosis becomes much more impactful when one considers the other possible uses. For example, a patient who is allergic to anesthesia could still have a painless surgery with the help of hypnosis. War veterans who have problems dealing with what they went through have gotten help from hypnotherapists since the Second
BY BRANDEN HO
World War. Addicts trying to quit drinking or smoking have seen success rates soar with the help of hypnotherapy. Dr. Auer invited the audience to participate in a simple demonstration of just how suggestible the human mind is, and we were amazed that through simple words, Dr. Auer was able to set our minds in a state of calm and convince some of us that our hands were stuck together like there was glue between our palms. What struck me was how prevalent it was. Every day, we go through mild forms of hypnosis. Advertising is hypnosis. Art is hypnosis. Love is hypnosis. There is not a single day that we are not hypnotized in some way or form. Positive psychology, a school of psychology that has received growing attention of late, has its roots in hypnotherapy. Positive parenting teaches parents to keep a positive attitude around their children and train them to think positive to lead better lives. This is material that many bestselling books such as Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich and Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret are made of. Athletes benefit too from the mild hypnosis that is positive self-talk. The catch, however, is that all of this only works if one wants to believe. Hypnotherapy on a die-hard cynic will most probably not work. So, how many hypnotherapists does it take to change a light bulb? One, but the bulb has to want to change.
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Counseling Psychology - The Art of Enabling BY MOK KAI CHUEN
It starts off with an allegory of apples, of Granny Smiths and Fujis. When each is vertically cut in half, a uniform cluster of stars, formed by the seeds inside, emerges. As there is a star in every apple, there is one in every client. Counseling Psychology is thus summed up into this simple yet empowering idea. Dr Tan Soo Yin, distinguished speaker on Counseling Psychology highlighted that, contrary to a layperson’s belief, counseling is not about telling people what to do, or about solving their problems and making people dependent on us; no matter how heroic that makes us out to be. Counselors are mirrors to their clients, reflecting possibilities and representing empowerment and autonomy. They are not crutches for the weak but vehicles for the strong and the brave. She emphasized that counseling is not a simple diagnosis of pathology. This is its key difference with psychotherapy. It is a journey, a facilitation into the
expansion of the clients’ views of life as they grapple with the murky grey areas invading life’s black and white. By offering them a repertoire of coping resources, counselors ensure that clients can become unstuck and move on with a more positive outlook. We cannot change the environment, but only our perception of the self. Thus, the interplay of affect, behavior and cognition are crucial to a counselor’s use of theoretical approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), as they find entry points into their clients’ psyche. Characteristics of counselors and ethical concerns were also raised during the talk. If you are willing to go the extra mile, provide unconditional positive regard and be emotionally present, counseling may just be your ideal vocation. As Dr Tan concludes, “Understanding is through the heart, the inner being will speak far more loudly than words uttered”.
The pitfalls of adolescence BY SHEENA TEO
Ever wondered why you felt rebellious and could not agree with your parents’ point of view when you were an adolescent? According to Dr. Reena, this is part and parcel in this stage of life. Rebellion can come about because teenagers are concerned with their identity and independence. Indeed, gaining independence is an emotional process, and adolescents do not know how to handle that freedom gracefully; hence this process is termed emotional emancipation. This is one of the two reasons why teenagers act recklessly. Teenagers also take risks because of their brain structure. At this age, the adolescent brain has yet to develop the set of executive functions in the prefrontal cortex, leading to a lack in the ability to plan and make decisions. Besides not being able to make wise decisions, teenagers also tend to seek out thrills and sensation seeking activities as a result of the highly active state of their left nucleus accumbens.
Although emotional emancipation may sound detrimental, Dr. Reena maintains that it is necessary in developing a mature personality. We should never aim to become ‘helicopter parents’ who constantly stick to their teenagers and observe every single action, unless we want them to become immature with a neurotic and dependent attachment. Lastly, Dr. Reena recommends four conditions in working with adolescents. First, parents should form a connection with the teenager, and build trust and rapport in the relationship. Secondly, encourage teenagers to have a sense of uniqueness as well as a sense of independence and power. Lastly, parents should teach and allow teenagers to feel the difference between right and wrong. During this stage of life, adolescents are extremely precocious – knowing how and why they act the way they do can go a long way in creating a happy and connected family.
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Industrial/Organizational Psychology BY HARITH ‘IFWAT BIN ZULKEFLI
Dr Grace Park first introduced herself as a doctoral graduate from Michigan State University, the leading institution in IO Psychology. Now a Professor with the Singapore Management University (SMU), the Korea-born Dr Park tells how she led experiments such as “making people angry” to see how they would react and how anger affects employee performance in the workplace. The result? Anger increases resilience and employees tend to perform better when they’re angry!
interested in the human factor that makes businesses tick.
The talk began with Dr Park asking the audience whether they’ve heard of IO Psychology. Alas, no one could provide a definitive answer. I wasn’t alone! She informed that IO Psychology was a field that is “useful for the workforce”. How useful? Well, IO Psychologists ply their trade with corporations and deal with employee selection, training motivation and the like. IO Psychologists, in Dr Park’s words, are
So what made her choose a career in IO Psychology? It’s where the money is! IO Psychologists with a PhD earn, on average, a whopping USD 90,000 per annum. Well, at the end of her talk I found my interest on IO psychology piqued. Of course, Dr Park’s charismatic vibe provided the impetus to further my knowledge on this field. The deal-clincher, you ask? Ka-ching!
The talk also included an exploration behind the basis of human behaviours- the perceptions of fairness, etc. - and how these factors affect employee performance. Dr Park also offered some advice for aspiring IO Psychologists: you don’t need to take up a PhD immediately. Instead, gain some work experience first to get a feel of workplace demands.
Insights into early childhood mental health BY FOO MENG YEE
It was a pleasure to attend the Clinical Psychology talk held by Dr Robert Gallen, on 4th April 2013. Dr. Gallen is an associate professor of Psychology at Chatham University, and a member of Zero to Three – a non-profit organization supporting efforts to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers. The talk centered on early childhood mental health, reflecting Dr. Gallen’s passion in the field. The bulk of his talk explained the importance of early intervention for childhood problems that could minimize problems later in life. According to Dr. Gallen, Sigmund Freud (founder of psychoanalysis) had been accurate in his prediction that problems in adulthood have their core roots in early childhood. Social emotional development, herein described loosely as the emergent capacity to experience and regulate emotions so as to enjoy positive social interactions, is said to be the foundation of mental health. The precursor to important aspects of humanity such as intelligence, and capacity to socialize, is the ability to self-regulate (manage
emotional reactions) – which is in the process of development since day one of conception. Hence, aspects of parenthood such as drug intake during pregnancy, and dynamics between parents, are integral to the child’s mental health. Primary relationships surrounding a child, such as relationship with his parents, form the most important context within which he develops socially and emotionally. Children can be shaped by their environments from early on because of the incredible amount of learning capacity inbuilt in them. From 31 to 32 weeks after conception, yet-to-be-born progeny can distinguish their mothers’ voices from others’. Play is crucial to children’s learning, and is the equivalent of work in adulthood. Toxic (prolonged) stress is a key hindrance to social emotional development, ultimately damaging the brain’s architecture. Research has shown that providing at-risk children with the best care they can get from intervention has immense pay-offs to their mental health and, additionally, to the economy in the long run.
18 BY JOSEPHINE TAN
Psych Cool PSYCHWEEK PARTY
It was a quiet Friday evening, classes had ended. On the first floor of the new building, the usually haphazardly placed plush chairs had been rearranged to surround the stage, with balloons and food spread flanking the two ends. It was the first party of the year organized by the SIM Psychology Society! The bands did their sound checks and rehearsal, even bringing in a sound engineer at a day’s notice to make sure the instruments are at their best. At 6pm, the bands, students from Dr. Samuel Wong’s music class, were ready to get the party started. The Beat Factory (Luke, Cassandra, Rachel and Stephanie), 5 Strikes (Daniel, Nathalie, Siti, Isabelle and Alysia), Granada (Abigail, Debby, Ridwan and Sandy), DNA (Dirah and Andy), Ling & Licia entertained continuously for almost two hours with their ballade of alternative and pop songs, clarifying their own style and takes on the songs. A crowd of passing students imperceptibly gathered around, whipping out their various electronic devices to capture the performances. A large group of people surrounded one of the performers after a set, friends who have come from their own universities to support their friend. As the atmosphere warmed and with the momentum going, cheers, hugs, flowers and giggles were in no short supply. As the voices of the singers and timbre of the instruments spread themselves outward from the stage, from the party area, to the corners of the building where a larger than expected smattering of students are studying, their ears peaked and interests tingled, some came to inquire about the music and party. It was easy to feel bad that the party might have disturbed them (their examinations are 6 weeks away), yet it was also liberating to see that their expressions were encouraging. Perhaps we had given them an alternative to their earphones; live music, things they listen to and can identify with…perhaps.
Sushi-filled, nachos-crackling and music-fueled, the photo booth (banner, balloons and props) saw patrons’ posing skills and relaxed smiles, captured photographs all Polaroid-ed and Instagrammed. The party ended slightly after eight. It was still early and we did not think it wise to have loud music going on in a school compound beyond such a time. A handful of musicians and performers stayed behind to help clean up the area, a massive effort fully appreciated by the Psychology Society committee. The food was still abundant; the committee cut up the take-away boxes, packed them with goodies and offered them to students still studying. The possibility of disdain from the students receiving unfinished food didn’t show, I was pleasantly surprised by their politeness and joy at receiving the array of cakes, crisps and fruit juices. Perhaps it was late, and some friendly gesture in the form of sustenance is the right sort of encouragement for studying on a Friday night. Somehow I felt they were with us, all the time, though not sharing in the party area space, yet having the music reach them and touch them all the same. Perhaps because the turn out wasn’t concert-massive, we were accorded an intimate party. The word “chill” really did come to mind, the ambience was a relaxed mood, nothing loud, outrageous or reckless, just various groups of students coming together to hang out and enjoy some music (and talent) by friends and schoolmates.
Psych week Party 2013
Photo credits: Fotobg.ru
XX-XY
T
he traditional notion of the family lies in the central theme of monogamy, an exclusive relationship between only two people. Yet how traditional is monogamy, really? From the evolutionary perspective, a male’s reproductive fitness is maximised by mating with as many females as possible. This parental investment theory, first coined by Robert Trivers, hinges on the idea that marriage should naturally be polygamous since this arrangement provides the best reproductive outcome in a given space and time. This theory, however, postulates a rather chauvinistic slant that undermines the decision of the female. by Mok Kai Chuen Today, many including females, still adhere to b a sa l sex ua l ur g es, proclaiming that monogamy is a myth – unrealistic and impossible. We diagnose infidelity, adultery and even divorce as a simple case of the struggle b e t we e n t h e i d a n d superego. It seems the id is winning the war. Is marriage merely a societal convenience subduing our raw impulses? Or are we biologically destined not to devote to a special someone for the entirety of a lifetime?
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rowing up, we have read a gamut of fairytale stories always ending with ‘And they lived happily ever after’. Yet, as we age, we have realized that marriage is much more complex. In 2011, the divorce rate was nearly half of the marriage rate (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Faced with such odds, why do we still marry? In the past, women marry to gain financial support from their spouses. However, statistics taken in 2011 has shown that women’s earnings have surpassed men’s in a few selected industries (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013). A strong motivator for marriage today could be family and community expectations, where we are expected to marry someone our family approves of so as to maintain cohesiveness in the family (Peters, 2009).
SHOULD MONOGAMY STILL EXIST TODAY?
It may be pointed out that wo m e n b e c o m e m o r e predisposed to bear children when we approach the end of our childbearing years (Light & Isaacowitz, 2006). However, there are some married couples that choose not to have children. This may be because of the increasing costs of bringing up a child, or because they have by Sheena Teo been brought up with the c o l l e c t iv i s t c u l t u r e o f valuing family and belongingness such that they end up marrying just for companionship and a fear of loneliness.
I now pronounce you husband & wife
I beg to differ. While lust remains fundamentally biological, belongingness requires an emotional investment, an attachment bond that differentiates us from mere illogical, pleasure-seeking animals. Studies have shown that happiness, health benefits and even life expectancy increase when marital closeness is high (Mancini & Bonanno, 2006; Bookwala, 2005). Also, how else can we explain our emotional response towards romance movies and the unanimous hope of a happily ever after? While the distracted eye occasionally wanders, the mind still muses longingly at the hope of a romantic happy ending.
Last, and perhaps most important of all, a majority of us tend to marry for love (Peters, 2009). What better way to prove our commitment and affection for each other than to swear that we will be together “till death do us part”? Ultimately, maybe we all have that little romantic inside us, believing in forever when we say “I do”.
Photo credits: Blog.WeddingDates.ie
DYK BY FOO MENG YEE
Daddies we need you ABSENT FATHER SYNDROME
M
ay all women tired of “mother blaming” rejoice! The world of psychology presents to you exciting news. A meta-analysis of data by Khaleque and Rohner (2011) suggested that a father’s love contributes as much to the development of progeny as does a mother’s love – if not, more so (& Rohner, 2011). This strongly suggested that the culpability of a child’s deviant ways should be accounted for by both sexes of parents. This might seem peculiar, given that the notion of a mother being the primary influence on a child’s personality has been propagated through mass media and even educational materials. Khaleque and Rohner (2011) explained that the father’s crucial role in a child’s personality development may be due to children paying more attention to the parent who has seemingly greater interpersonal power in the family’s hierarchy – commonly the father. As such, fathers may have a greater impact on their children even if they devote relatively less time to parenthood. The “Absent Father Syndrome” is an unofficial term used to describe the adverse effect of a father’s lack of love and involvement on the personality of his child. It includes an increased tendency for the child to be insecure, hostile, and aggressive (Telegraph Reporters, 2012). Fathers who absent themselves tend to do so unintentionally, due to poor life choices and misplaced priorities (Burns, 2006). To deal with the era of father absenteeism, Burns (2006) has created a list of the ‘Ten Commandments’ fathers should adhere to. I highly recommend it to all fathers for both humor and help!
Photo credits: BellyBottom.blogspot.com
APPENDIX Fight Club Rule #1: Harith Zulkefli A Few Famous Freemasons (n.d.). Retrieved from http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/textfiles/ famous.html McLeod, S. A. (2008). Social Identity Theory. Retrieved from http:// www.simplypsychology.org/social-identitytheory.html Weigert, A. J., Teitge, J. S., & Teitge, D. W. (1986) Society and identity: Toward a sociological psychology. New York: Cambridge University Press. Simmel, G. (1906). The Sociology of Secrecy and of Secret Societies. American Journal of Sociology, 11(4), 441-498. Counterculture Communities: Foo Meng Yee Nelson, T. D. (2006). The psychology of prejudice (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Shea, F. X. (1973). Reason and the religion of the counter-culture. Harvard Theological Review, 66 (1), 95-111. doi: 10.1017/ S0017816000003047 On Being a Cultural Chameleon: Brandon Ho Baumeister, R. F., Twenge, J. M., & Nuss, C. K. (2002). Effects of social exclusion on cognitive processes: Anticipated aloneness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83 (4), 817-827. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.83.4.817 Tomasello, M., Carpenter, M., Call, J., Behne, T., & Moll, H. (2005). Understanding and sharing intentions: The origins of cultural cognition. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28(5), 675-735. doi:10.1017/S0140525X05000129 Brain Chemicals that Induce Bonding: Cheryl Giam First steps today childhood journey. Bonding and brain chemicals. Retrieved from: http:// fst.mikediane.com/?p=153 Time (Health and children). Oxytocin may forge bonds between dads and children. Retrieved from: http://healthland.time.com/ 2012/12/14/oxytocin-may-forge-bondsbetween-dads-and-children/ Attachment Parenting International. The Chemistry of Attachment. Retrieved from: http:// www.attachmentparenting.org/support/ articles/artchemistry.php
Caregiver Burdens: Aloysius Ng Bevans, M., & Sternberg, E. M. (2012). Caregiving burden, stress, and health effects among family caregivers of adult cancer patients. JAMA, 307(4), 398–403. doi: 10.1001/jama. 2012.29 Mockus Parks, S., & Novielli, K. D. (2000). A practical guide to caring for caregivers. Am Fam Physician, 62(12), 2613-2620. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/1215/ p2613.html Shin, H., Youn, J., Kim, J., Lee, J., & Cho, J. (2012). Caregiver burden in parkinson disease with dementia compared to alzheimer disease in korea. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol, 25(4), 222-6. doi: 10.1177/0891988712464819 The 21st Century Professor X: Sheena Teo Bevans, M., & Sternberg, E. M. (2012). Caregiving burden, stress, and health effects among family caregivers of adult cancer patients. JAMA, 307(4), 398–403. doi: 10.1001/jama. 2012.29 Mockus Parks, S., & Novielli, K. D. (2000). A practical guide to caring for caregivers. Am Fam Physician, 62(12), 2613-2620. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/1215/ p2613.html Shin, H., Youn, J., Kim, J., Lee, J., & Cho, J. (2012). Caregiver burden in parkinson disease with dementia compared to alzheimer disease in korea. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol, 25(4), 222-6. doi: 10.1177/0891988712464819 OCD & Family: Ng Ken Kern Farrell, L. J. (2007). The function of the family in childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder: Family interactions and accommodation. In G. R. Eric A. Storch, Handbook of Child and Adolescent Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Only, I. (2011, November 19). If Only Singaporeans Stopped To Think. Retrieved 2013, from http://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.sg/ 2011/11/1-in-10-will-suffer-from-mentalillness.html Storch, E. A. (2007). Family accommodation in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology 36 (2), 207-216. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/15374410701277929
APPENDIX XX-XY: Mok Kai Chuen Farrell, L. J. (2007). The function of the family in childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder: Family interactions and accommodation. In G. R. Eric A. Storch, Handbook of Child and Adolescent Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Only, I. (2011, November 19). If Only Singaporeans Stopped To Think. Retrieved 2013, from http://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.sg/ 2011/11/1-in-10-will-suffer-from-mentalillness.html Storch, E. A. (2007). Family accommodation in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology 36 (2), 207-216. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/15374410701277929 XX-XY: Sheena Teo Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013). Highlight of Women’s Earnings {Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/cps/ cpswom2011.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). National Marriage and Divorce Rate Trends [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/ marriage_divorce_tables.htm Light, J. C., & Isaacowitz, D. M. (2006). The effect of developmental regulation on visual attention: The example of the "biological clock". Cognition & Emotion, 20(5), 623-645. doi: 10.1080/02699930500336540 Peters, H. E., & Kamp Dush, M.C. (Eds.). (2009). Marriage and Family: Perspectives and Complexities. West Sussex, New York: Columbia University Press. Daddies We Need You: Foo Meng Yee Burns, J. (2006). 10 commandments to help the Absent-Father Syndrome. Retrieved February 16, 2013, from http:// www.growthtrac.com/artman/publish/ absent-father-897.php Khaleque, A., & Rohner, R. P. (2011). Transnational relations between perceived parental acceptance and personality dispositions of children and adults: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16 (2), 103. doi: 10.1177/1088868311418986 Telegraph Reporters (2002). A loving father is 'more important to children'. Retrieved February 16, 2013, from http://
www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mothertongue/9330961/A-loving-father-is-moreimportant-to-children.html
we
to network!