MIND Issue #14 (Psychology Society Publications) by SIM Psychology Society

INDIVIDUAL and the self P H O TO C R E D I TS : W W W. B E C O MI N G G O R G E O U S . C O M

PSYSOC EVENTS

ALSO INCLUDE Mirror Mirror Egoism In Disguise Can We Truly Be Authors Of Our Lives? Body Modification

Why Birth Order Isn’t All It’s Hyped Up To Be Migration Identity, A Borrowed Sense of Self

Graduation Psychology Forum 2013

BACKGROUND

EDITORS’ NOTES A new year has begun and new things abound. MIND #14 is my last magazine for SIM Psychology Society as I am graduating this year. I would like to thank my writers – Sheena, Meng Yee, Ken, Harith, Kai Chuen, Fiona, and guest writers - Branden, Cheryl, Aloysius and Rachel for their contribution and support to the magazine. Two writers have stepped up to take over my role starting from the next issue onwards – do look out for that. A warm welcome to 6 new writers who will be officially joining us from MIND #15 – a teaser (page 13) at your disposal. What does it mean to be a self? What complications does a self entail? Can we truly be our selves? Alas, the implications of cultivating a self in the midst of belonging, the challenges of orientating our needing to belong while conferring our own individuality. In this issue of MIND #14, we explore the subject of Individual and The Self: Be it in general contexts - Narcissism, egoism, identity, authorship; or implications following personal choices - when to quit, body modifications, birth order, migration.

SCHOOL UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO MAJOR PSYCHOLOGY

Thank you, Gigi, my MIND magazine designer for 2012 and 2013, whose design outlook and insightful layouts buttress the words, like a steady mothership carrying the essays to safe harbor. Thank you, my esteemed readers, for your support in my three years in Publications and two years as Publications Director. It does not matter if we have met or not, I’m glad we got to read the same words and wonder about the same things, even if just for a figment of our lives. Josephine Tan editor-in-chief

I believe that design is intelligence made visual; This maxim had motivated me to approach Josephine to help re-design MIND in 2012, and later produce layout designs that complement the brilliant works of its writers. Having graduted in Fall 2013, I willl be stepping down from my role as MIND’s graphic designer. Thank you, Josephine, for granting me the opportunity to not only partake in MIND, a tangible legacy of SIM Psychology Society, but also giving me full liberty in the creative design process - that is any designer’s dream! As a humble graphic designer, you made me feel like an ordinary superhero - where I am leaving an impact on the world (at the very least MIND) by design. Last but not least, thank you. Know that without you, I would never have the courage to start my journey as a graphic designer. Gigi Teo Wen Jing graphic designer

SCHOOL UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO MAJOR PSYCHOLOGY & COMMUNICATION

CONTENT 05

MIRROR MIRROR

New-age narcissism

EGOISM IN DISGUISE

The Sunday Effect

IDENTITY, A BORROWED SENSE OF SELF

Be yourself

CAN WE TRULY BE AUTHORS OF OUR LIVES?

A tethered selfhood

WHEN SHOULD YOU QUIT

Objectivity

PH OTO C R E D I TS : K E R E V I ZI N S A P I Y I M. TU MB LR . C O M

More than just skin deep

Forensic psychology, clinical psychology, research assistantship, and case management

BODY MODIFICATIONS

WHY BIRTH ORDER ISN’T ALL IT’S HYPED UP TO BE

Nature versus nurture

GRADUATION PSYCHOLOGY FORUM 2013

MIGRATION

A double-edged sword

MIND TEAM 2014

An introduction

FO R C I TATI O N S, PL E AS E R E FER TO T HE A P P END IX OF OUR ONLINE MAGA ZINE AT ISSU U.CO M/PU B L ICATIO N.PSY SO CIETY FO R QU E R I E S O R F E E D B AC K ON MIND MAGA ZINE, P LEA SE EMA IL T HE ED ITOR S AT PU B L ICATIO NS.PSY SO CIETY @G MAIL .CO M

THE

MIND TEAM Foo Meng Yee “Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish it.” – Unknownn

Cheryl Giam “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” - A.A. Mine, Winnie the Pooh

Harith ‘Ifwat bin Zulkefli “We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” - May Sarton

Fiona Hsu A bubbly, monolingual half-Taiwanese Psychology major, aspiring novelist and avid pun enthusiast.

Mok Kai Chuen Well, I try my best To be just like I am But everybody wants you To be just like them - Bob Dylan, ‘Maggie’s Farm’

Ng Ken Kern Fear is a great obstacle in life. To defeat it, one must accept it. Ironic, no? But true.

Sheena Teo The mind is your best muscle [for success]. Big arms can move rocks, but big words can move mountains.” - Sylvester Stallone

05 H A R IT H ’ IF WAT B IN ZU L K E F L I

Mirror mirror NEW-AGE NA RCISSISM

example, most mobile phones with in-built cameras now have back-facing lenses to allow for self-shot portraits. Then there are the self-referent gadgets by Apple Inc. like the ‘iPhone’ and ‘iPad’ which have become a staple in consumer wish lists worldwide. For the record, iPhone users account for 72% of mobile phone usage in Singapore (Wee, 2011).

PHOTO CREDITS: W W W.HUFF IN GTON POST.C OM

n Greek mythology, Narcissus was a man renowned for his beauty. Undeniably, he had his fair share of admirers, not least of whom himself. As fate would have it, Narcissus had wanted to drink from a pool of water when he chanced upon his reflection. He fell in love with it not realising it was just an image, dived into the pool and drowned. The definitive term for a fixation with oneself, as you would have guessed, is named after the forlorn protagonist of this story: narcissism.

“

NOT ALL NARCISSTIC TENDENCIES ARE DETRIMENTAL AS THEY PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR SELF-ENHANCEMENT.

”

All of us might exhibit some self-obsessive behaviours at one point or another. Of course, not all narcissistic tendencies are detrimental as they provide the basis for self-enhancement. Nonetheless, research has shown that self-enhancing beliefs are only good for the short haul since disconfirmation of inflated self-assessments become evident in the long run. Off the record, ol’ Narcissus could perhaps attest to the age-old cliché that too much of a good thing is a bad thing. The age of the internet brought new zeal and faux artistry into the closet narcissists within us. From the ubiquitous selfies on Facebook and Instagram to blog posts publicising trivialities like what one had for breakfast, it seems that we are under the impression that people care about every single detail about ourselves. This can be attributed to the spotlight effect which holds that people overestimate the extent to which others note their actions and appearance. Indeed, we only need to look at modern gadgets to see how self-obsession has been commercialised. For

The spotlight effect holds its own in the domain of social psychology. It provides the premises for under standing why social media is not that sociable and why it’s really a hotbed for our narcissistic tendencies. Add in the correspondence bias, which states that observers are likely to draw harsh dispositional inferences of others, into the mix and we have a perpetual arms race for who has the most (reinforcing) ‘likes’ on their social media sites. Crucially, social media provides an unsolicited yet unverifiable access into the ‘lives’ of our online friends. Through impression management, one might assume a particular identity through strategic placement or endorsement of material on the social media pages. For example, a person might seem religious by only posting religious content (and withholding others). That said, our innate need to impress coupled with the ‘like’ or ‘share’ feature on social media sites only reinforce our narcissism since it appears that people are genuinely impressed when they endorse our posts. In that light, our society might not have seen the last of narcissistic or boorish, self-fixated individuals. So mirror, mirror, on my Facebook wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Like!

06 FOO MENG YEE

egoism in disguise INSTRUMENTA L A LTRUISM

According to Thompson (2007), instrumental altruism keeps society civilized by encouraging humans to help one’s neighbour and exhibit virtue in the pursuit of benefiting oneself.

PHOTO CREDITS: W W W.TH EAT L A N T IC .C OM

all me a sceptic of pure altruism; I am inclined to believe that selfless dedication to others is really self-interest in disguise. Consider that pro-social behaviour increases as a function of religious salience, such that religious people subscribe to charitable causes much more on days when they visit their sanctuary of worship (Malhotra, 2010). Since this day is mostly on Sundays, the phenomenon of religious salience increasing helping behaviour has been termed the “Sunday effect” (Malhotra, 2010). This trend makes a compelling proposition that concern for others is inherently selfish – because promise of personal reward from a higher being for performing good deeds motivates individuals to help others much more than they ordinarily would. In Singapore, movements such as the courtesy campaign and the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) jingle to ‘give up seats to those in need’ were needed to prompt citizens into performing pro-social behaviour. Although no legal penalty was imposed on citizens for avoiding pro-social behaviour, it was the threat of negative social judgment that induced them to abide by the messages of those campaigns. The imposition of campaigns helped to inculcate social norms of benevolence that instilled guilt in non-conformers and a sense of justice in conformers. Such promise of reward and punishment to the self were necessary to push Singaporeans into acting pro-socially – making a compelling case for instrumentally-motivated altruism, which is effectively egoism. Conversely, Singaporeans opt to act selfishly when there’s no risk of social judgment or punishment (Tong & Yang, 2011). Is achieving egoism through instrumental altruism all that bad though?

Instrumental altruism can also be thought of as a practical means to self-maximization, for it is often through tending to the needs of others that humans reap personal rewards (Kohn, 1989). On the other hand, instrumental altruism can serve to legitimize unethical acts that happen to benefit others while benefitting the self. According to Gino, Ayal and Ariely (2013), cheating behaviours are more prevalent when they are both other-serving and self-serving; transgressors feel justified to act unethically in situations where byproducts of self-motivated transgressions, such as utility to others, help alleviate the guilt of misdemeanour. Since egoism is the doctrine that morality is rooted in self-interest, it follows that humans require the sense of self to behave egoistically. Given that the converse of egoism is altruism, a food for thought is if humans without self-awareness possess the potential to be purely altruistic – the only exception to my scepticism on pure altruism. Such people include the severely mentally retarded, brain-damaged patients, and infants prior to developing self-awareness. Yes, these people might benefit from certain actions they perform, but such self-benefit might just be the byproducts of truly unselfish acts. Why are humans obliged to be purely altruistic when it is not feasible in a world where self-perseveration is at the heart of survival? Well, most religions in the world agree that selflessness is a virtue that deities uphold. For instance, the bible commands that we “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit” but “value others above” ourselves (Philippians 2:3, New International Version). The Quran also states “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself ” (Sahih Bukhari 2:15). Thus, it appears that humans are compelled to appear purely altruistic so as to appease their deities - an irony indeed, since such motivations are inevitably self-serving.

07 MOK KAI CHUEN

Identity, A Borrowed Sense of Self “ BE YOURSELF; EV ERYONE ELSE IS A LREA DY TA K EN.” - OSCA R WILDE -

he formation of an identity is often likened to the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Discovering one’s own identity has always been the hallmark of a person’s development. Prior to this formation of a cohesive sense of self, one is usually regarded as inferior and a mere by-product of society’s pressure; a child before a fully cognizant adult. Wilde’s quote thus resonates with humanity’s deep-seated desire to be distinguishable and unique as one attempts to distance oneself from the collective whole. Even Marcia’s Identity Status Theory focuses on the resolution of one’s identity through overcoming crises and establishing new commitments, promoting the importance of an established self-concept (Stets & Burke, 2000). However, the mechanisms behind Marcia’s theory lie in exploring a host of identities before culminating them into one. As such, where is the uniqueness that is associated with identity? Is it not simply fragments of others’ selves perceived and subsequently pieced together?

“

WE ARE ALL ULTIMATELY BUILT OUT OF THE SAME MOULD, ESPECIALLY IN SOCIETIES WITH TIGHT SOCIAL SCRIPTS WHICH MAY PRODUCE IDENTITY SAMENESS.

”

One central theme in identity formation is the socio-cognitive process of modelling. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory posits that we actively model after others by choosing desirable behaviours and discarding maladaptive ones based on our individual motivation (Sanderse, 2013). In Marcia’s identity foreclosure and moratorium, the former involves the passive adoption of others’ selves, usually prescribed by parents without much exploration, while the latter describes an active self-discovery through extensive exploration of identity options from one’s perception of the world (Schwartz, 2002). Both concepts thus involve the modelling mechanism, resulting in a borrowed sense of self that reminds us that our individuality is dictated by societal pressures. Our identities could just be an evolutionary basis of careful selection used to guarantee survival. We analyse the practicality of pre-existing identities’ strengths and weaknesses before adopting and remoulding them as we see fit, suggesting that we may not independently choose who we want to be but are shaped by external

P H O TO C R E D I TS : W W W. G LO G S TE R . C O M

forces. This leaves us with a cynical worldview that we are all ultimately build out of the same mould, especially in societies with tight social scripts which may produce identity sameness. In this case, are our identities only unique based on the illusion created by an endless permutation of criteria including our names and physical features, further confined by temporal and spatial organisation of chance events? Perhaps the essence of an identity is only theoretical – an elusive and idealistic representation of human thirst for uniqueness and that which we yearn to be but can never attain. As a 16th-century poet, John Donne, once wrote “No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” This Gestalt perspective emphasises that the sum of every identity we learn from may pale in comparison to the identity that we finally establish. While our identity mirrors a thousand others, our journey to that identity is what makes us unique. Perhaps we have been so fixated on the butterfly transformation that we have downplayed the journey the caterpillar takes.

PH OTO C R ED IT S: W W W.PU R PL EC L OVER .C OM

Can We Truly Be Authors Of Our Lives? A TETHERED SELFHOOD

obbes defined authors as someone who owns one’s words and actions. He believed that we are the authors of our selves. We are inclined to be authors as we like to enjoy the freedom of exercising our own free will, of making choices for our selves. Even as the definition given by Hobbes is succinct, the complexities of being an author abound, a multidimensional issue that surpasses the mere understanding of owning one’s words and action. To what extent can we be authors, to exercise our authorship; when we are not entirely sure what we are being an author of; when we think ourselves as authors even though we are not; and when we feel that we cannot be authors, cannot express ourselves without hurting ourselves? To be an author is to free ourselves from the common

practices, from the expectations of the people around us. It is to use our own concepts, ideas, to decide our own way of living. To be an author is to express our selves, to expand our selves, to be who we want to be. However, what happens when the authors are young? As what Hobbes mentioned in Leviathan (p. 127) – “Children…that have no use of reason, may be personated by guardians, or curators; but can be no authors” – Who is the author when this right of authorship has to be submitted to someone else? Who defines the terms of maturity and immaturity? If a 2-year-old child identifies himself as a girl, an example of children dubbed Gender Creative, are they allowed to choose and make their own decision about their sexuality and gender? Maybe we can be authors to a certain extent only when we meet a certain age

09 JO S E P H IN E TA N criteria, maybe only an adult (legal in Singapore as 21 years old) can be an author. This, even though age is of no measure of maturity or knowledge, even though parents and particular others (social groups) still wish to exert authority on us. If we are adults, and assuming our opportunity to be authors now that we have ‘grown up’, what happens when we think ourselves as authors but may not be entirely sure what is it that we are being authors of? When we are creative, what is it that we are creating? Just because we think we are creating, does it necessarily mean that we are authors? As with a jazz improvisation, do we need to ensure originality of that improvisation to prove to be an author? We can be an author within (improvisation within our repertoire), yet not an author between (the particular improvisation has already been produced before by others). In addition, we sometimes aim to be exceptional, to be ‘unique’ and ‘cool’. We fade and fringe perfectly fine jeans (Davis, 1989), make calculated errors in our dressing in order to be different – but what is the meaning of this difference? In ‘creating’ jazz improvisations and holes in our jeans, how is our authorship showing if we do not understand the meaning of these differences, if others are doing exactly the same? Aren’t we just scratching our area of our own bubble, with everyone else doing the same, while being trapped in the same bubble?

“

WE CAN BE AN AUTHOR WITHIN (IMPROVISATION WITHIN OUR REPERTOIRE), YET NOT AN AUTHOR BETWEEN (IMPROVISATION OUTSIDE OUR REPETOIRE).

”

We might like to think ourselves as authors, yet what if we are merely following social scripts? What if our socialization has locked us into being stuck with a range of social scripts, producing the illusion of agency and authorship? For example, Edgework volunteers have to come up with their own mental preparation of facing gruesome events and situations, they have to come up with strategies to deal with situations in which there is no script to guide them. These volunteers behave in gender-appropriate ways of dealing with the rescue operations – women cry and prepare themselves for worse-case scenarios while men survive on over-confidence and ‘manliness’ to tide them over the gruesome events. Their actions follow gender scripts, yet they feel they are being authors at coming up with their own personal strategies. Betsy Lucal, of What it means to be gendered me fame, attempts to challenge the female category, the gender script by not participating in the “trappings of feminity”. She thinks she is being an author, transgressing gender scripts. However, she

utilized feminity when it is to her advantage eg. She paints her nails and flashes them at the airport so that people will know she is a woman. Furthermore, Lucal takes advantage of being identified as a man when it allows her safety ie. She keeps quiet and lets others think she is a man as it protects her from being attacked, she subscribes to the belief that males are superior, she wants what they have, as a male and not a female; she has done nothing for women except reinforce the notion of “the fairer sex”, contrary to her belief that she is a walking example of someone who is transgressing. Lucal kept and reinforced the gender scripts, she thinks she has transgressed, that she has done gender differently, but she has not. Being an author is difficult when we are saturated with labels in our lives. Labels can be oppressive and they are sometimes internalized into our internal conversation. Even though this is usually not our choice, as we are merely actors, these negative scripts can stabilize into an impression, becoming part of our character and identity. Bullies, controlling parents, insensitive peers, snide colleagues comment and reproduce negative scripts about race, gender, weight, height, ability, intelligence etc. in our consciousness. Take Peggy Orenstein’s example of Evie, a schoolgirl who wonders about her sexual desire and is labelled and believe herself to be a slut for merely thinking about her womanhood. By believing herself a slut, even though she did not have sex at all, unknown to Evie, she has become an agent of her own violence, inflicting what is hurting her. How do we become authors when we are weighed down by labels from the outside? In our bid to become authors, we may not be allowed to be authors (if we are children), we may not know what we are being authors of (being creative), we may be merely following social scripts; we may be stuck and oppressed by labels. Maybe it does not matter whether we are authors (in our eyes or in the eyes of others) or not, as long as we feel we are expanding, expressing ourselves, maybe that is the best that we can do. Or if we think authorship has been lost to all influences around, as observed by Mark Kingwell, our bodies might possibly be the last domain that we can claim authorship, we can consider getting a tattoo (Yet, why isn’t our internal, personal, private sense of self enough, that we have to mark something on our skin to make our sense of self more concrete?). Revised from the writer’s SOC 371 mid-term examination essay, published with permission from class instructor Dr. Jorge Arditi.

10 F IO NA H S U

When Should You Quit OB JECTIV ITY

e now live in a society where we are consistently fed with the idea that our dreams can be achieved if we maintain a positive mindset, work hard, and wait long enough for the right opportunities. These are further emboldened by the messages from self-help books and seminars, reinforcing the success stories of individuals who achieved their dreams by never giving up. As such, many of us have learned to attach our accomplishments and drive to succeed with our sense of identity. However, how many setbacks should we endure before giving up and embarking on another path? When is it the right time to stop chasing your dreams and create an entirely new sense of self? This collective determination for success has resulted in a phenomenon known as “ambition inflation” (see Reynolds et al., 2006), whereby studies of high school students have reflected that the gap between post-graduation expectations of success and actual goal attainment has since doubled in the last three decades. That is, the increase in expectations of success has far outpaced the increase in actual achievement. Although extraordinary accomplishments do occur, people forget that only a small percentage of the population ever attain these successes. We tend to overestimate events that receive more daily coverage on the news, believing them to be more easily attainable. By using goals as a measure of self-worth, those who suffer setbacks from unrealistic expectations eventually end up with depression, anxiety and excessive selfdoubt. The thought of “giving up” harbors feelings of uncertainty about the future, and makes them feel like a failure.

Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert argues against this belief in pursuing our goals, claiming that people make poor decisions because they are consistently wrong in predicting the things that would make them happy (Gilbert, 2007). One reason being that people change across time – the person you were when you imagined achieving the goal is not the same person you will be upon accomplishing it. There is a difference between achieving the dream and living the dream. In fact, situations which we anticipate will bring us happiness actually make us less happy than we think. The happiness also tends to be short-lived. So instead of using our perceived future happiness and success as a determinant for pursuing our dream, perhaps we should first ask if we can see ourselves committing to this path long-term, regardless of its attainability. As our achievements are the result of our ordinary experiences, we should shift our attention to the learning process to ascertain that this path will maximize our chances at growth and fulfillment. This entails capitalizing on metacognitive strategies when evaluating our decisions, whereby we assess our strengths and weaknesses from an objective standpoint to pass accurate judgment on our progress (Flavell, 1979). This protects us from overestimating our demonstrable skills, which would otherwise handicap our performance and happiness in the long run when demands are more than we can deliver (MacGregorMendoza, 2013). Therefore, perhaps the right time to make the decision would be when one is able to objectively assess their likelihood of success based on their capabilities and their ability to maintain this level of accomplishment on a long-term basis.

P H O TO C R E D I TS : S H O P. Y C N O N LI N E . C O M

11 NG KEN KERN

BODY MODIFICATIONS MORE THA N JUST SKIN DEE P

attributes because our bodies are seen as delivering important and significant non-verbal attitudes towards the kind of bodies we inhabit. Therefore, our self-identity is bound up with the attitudes we possess about our own bodies, which is a key reason why people engage in body modification (Power, 2009). This is seen in using body modifications to strengthen self-identity by affirming group affiliations and commitments to communities or subcultural groups (Stirn, 2004a; Millner & Eichold, 2001) such as prison gang tattoos to showcase affiliations (Power, 2009).

PHOTO CREDITS: M ILITANTSKEPTIC ISM .W OR D PR ESS.C OM

e’re all familiar with the idea of improving oneself: exercise to improve physique or critical thinking to improve the mind. However, just how familiar are we with the concept of tattoos, piercing, neck rings etc.? Do we look upon a tall, tanned woman with a cut jaw and defined triceps in the same way that we look upon a lady with an arm-length tattoo and nose piercings? Many of us would find ourselves enamoured with the former and staring at the latter with a mixture of interest and mild discomfort to say the least. However, is our uneasiness at the Kayan people of Burma, with their famous neck rings, justified? Or simply the lack of a better understanding behind the psychology of body modification? According to Featherstone (1999), body modification is the (semi-) permanent and deliberate alteration of the human body which embraces procedures such as tattooing and body piercing. We may look at such practices and shun it as unnatural but upon closer inspection; we will see that body modification is done with many of the same purposes that drive our own “normal” behaviour. From a psychological point of view, we can look to the importance given to the body by many postmodernist writers to better understand why people engage in body modification. Popular contemporary culture proclaims the only acceptable body is one possessing certain desirable

According to Power (2009), tattoos or body ornamentations can represent a coping mechanism for sufferers of clinical conditions such as dysmorphic body disorder (BDD) or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which is a drive many sufferers of such conditions can understand. After all, who among us would suffer such debilitating psychological disorders and not want to find relief? Personal affiliations to whole cultures and their spirituality are further reasons for engaging in tattooing and body piercing (Jeffreys, 2000). Before we conclude, I would like to explain to you (the reader) exactly what causes the “elongated neck” phenomenon seen in the Kayan people, who were mentioned earlier. The addition of brass rings over the woman’s lifetime results in the compression of the collar bone and rib cage resulting in the appearance of an elongated neck. In conclusion, the act of body modification is more than simple vanity or the need to make a statement. Body modifiers alter their bodies for the same variety of reasons that others might choose to exercise or generally, act in a way to alter their bodies such as a desire to belong to a particular sub-culture or group and also to strengthen individual identity through the expression of individual ideas about the “body beautiful”.

12 S H E E NA T E O

Why Birth Order Isn’t All It’s Hyped Up To Be NATURE V ERSUS NURTURE

hich comes first, the chicken or the egg? There is no fixed answer, and the same goes for the issue of birth order. Did birth order affect our intelligence and creativity, or did peoples’ beliefs about birth order affect our grades and creativity? There has been much research done about the effects of birth order, and amongst these are the beliefs that firstborn children are more academic while the youngest are more creative. However, substantiation for these studies have been largely erratic and feeble, according to literature reviews done by both Schooler (1972), and Ernst & Angst (1983) (as cited in Herrera, Zajonc, Wieczorkowska, and Cichomski, 2003). If that is the case, why are there still so many studies done on birth order? It could be that it fascinates us and gives our ego a boost. However, beliefs about birth order may not be as innocuous as we may think. Indeed, results suggest that people’s expectations and beliefs may have critical psychological, social, and behavioral consequences that may end up affecting decisions in a range of important areas (Herrera et al., 2003). This can be especially true when these expectations come from people who teach and bring us up.

“

TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING REQUIRES FAITH AND BELIEF IN YOURSELF, VISION, HARDWORK, DETERMINISM, AND DEDICATION. - Gail Devers -

”

As university students, we are not strangers towards the concept of the ‘self-fulfilling’ prophecy. According to Merton (1948), the ‘self-fulfilling’ prophecy is where one’s false expectations about another leads that person to act in ways akin to that person’s wrong expectations (as cited in Sorhagen, 2013). If our teachers and parents believe in the effects of birth order, they would expect our achievements to be according to our birth order. This may result in our academic and creativity performances being either overestimated or underestimated, which can be disadvantageous especially in today’s competitive world. Indeed, from the same research, Jussim & Eccles (1995); Jussim, Robustelli, & Cain (2009); and Weinstein (2002) have found that early teacher expectations on students does influence students test scores. Basically, children whose abilities are underestimated will achieve less

P H O TO C R E D I TS : W W W. C H E W C H E W MA MA . C O M

in school compared to children who inspire greater expectations from their teachers. Even more worrying is that studies done by Alvidrez & Weinstein (1999); Hinnant, O’Brien, & Ghazarian (2009); Rist (1970); Smith, Jussim, & Eccles (1999) have revealed that these effects can continue for many years even after the teachers have been changed. Although these studies are not definite, expectations on birth order can be especially concerning considering how impressionable and easily influenced we as children are. Furthermore, while natural factors like our DNA and our birth order may influence our intelligence and creativity, there is also the nurture side of it. According to Stoolmiller (1999), family environment is a critical element that can affect the child’s intelligence. The family environment where parents believe wholeheartedly in the effects of birth order may be one that is not fully supportive of the child’s potential, resulting in the child’s results being as parents have expected. Ultimately, while we can choose to believe that birth order does affect our intelligence and creativity, it pays more to take the expectancies about birth order with a grain of salt. We are who we make ourselves out to be, and as Gail Devers, a retired Olympic champion says, “…to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication.” (Successsories, 2011).

New MIND WRITERS FOR 2014

H AR I H AR AN NAI R (PAU L )

EZRA LIAW SHENG WEI

Y EO J UN H AO NIC H OL A S

I love challenges and solving puzzles. Most man-made conundrums have an accessible explanation but it’s the people-puzzles that are the most difficult to figure out. Social Psychology and I/O Psychology fascinate me. Writing affords me an unparalleled method of selfexpression in which I have the power to create universes… or just bits of trivia that hopefully others will enjoy too. My hobbies include drumming and discovering new things and places.

I always had an interest in what makes people tick, the mechanism behind their behaviour. It’s something I have had a keen interest in for a long time. A few areas in psychology I would like to further explore are developmental, cognitive and social. I love to pen my thoughts out, it keeps my brain from feeling cluttered, this in turn led to me learning to enjoy writing. Some of my hobbies are the outdoors, meeting people and anything to give me an adrenaline rush.

Psychology has always fascinated me because it entails the understanding of the human psyche and behavior. Criminal psychology in particular is a field that has deeply intrigued me as the criminal mind is still unfathomable to many. Apart from writing- which I love as it is a platform that allows me to put pen to paper what I cannot easily articulate- my other favorite pastimes include watching soccer and movies.

TAY W E I K E E

WONG HERN Y EE

YA P S H AO J IE

“Can you read my mind?”- A common reply I received whenever I tell people about my pursuit in Psychology, and yet it is this very thing about understanding human behavior that amazes me. Equipped with the right knowledge, Psychology can do beyond just mind reading; it can also help trauma-stricken individuals find hope again. My passion is in trauma rehabilitation and making a difference is my mission.

Like the witty London-based detective Sherlock Holmes, psychology never fails to intrigue and enlighten me with the astute observations and perceptive reasoning it makes on the human behavior; thus, my profound interest in personality psychology. I enjoy writing as it allows me to delve deep into my conscience and churn out something I never thought I’d be capable of penning down. I also enjoy rollercoaster rides and action/platformer video games.

If, in a day, you have not learnt more about yourself than the day before, it is another day you have not lived. Seek to understand, for it is through understanding that we truly live. I enjoy the challenge of putting my thoughts on paper as it enforces a certain clarity afforded by no other medium. speaking with people.

gradpsych forum 2013 F OR E N S I C P S YCHO LO G Y|CLINICA L PSY COLOGY |RESEA RCH A S S IS TA NTS H IP| CA S E MA NAGER

t is often difficult to ignore the enthusiasm of undergraduates whenever a glimpse of their future selves becomes salient. This was no different at the Graduation Psychology (GradPsych) Forum 2013 which was held on November 16. Four speakers from diverse career and academic backgrounds were invited to provide insight into the fundamentals of post-graduate studies and career options. The first speaker, Dr Julia Lam, is a forensic psychologist with Promises Pte Ltd and Raffles Counselling Centre. Dr. Lam holds a PhD in Forensic Psychology from University of Melbourne. She opened her speech citing the laymanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s misconception that forensic psychologists are able to read criminal minds,

like how it is portrayed in popular media. She clarified that being in her field of expertise requires one to have the work combination of a scientist-practitioner, where forensic services are often intertwined with heaps of legal reports. She elaborated on the difference between a PhD and a doctorate in Psychology (PsyD) where the former is a research degree while the latter involves practicum and internships. She ended her speech by probing us to differentiate passion from compassion and emphasising on the importance of knowing exactly what a career in psychology entails before simply jumping on the bandwagon. The second speaker, Dr. Ranjani Utpala, is a clinical psychologist who trained in University of Wollongong

15 MOK KAI CHUEN and a psychology lecturer in NUS. She provided in-depth information about Australia’s psychology system where all professional psychologists need to be registered by law before being certified to practice. To continue with post-graduate studies, one must complete 4 years of undergraduate studies followed by 2 years of supervised work. Dr. Utpala spoke about her personal journey of discovering her passion for psychology which took 14 years, giving us an insight into the uncertainty and volatility of fulfilling one’s career aspirations. She observed that a psychologist tends to wear many hats, echoing Dr Lam’s scientistpractitioner model. She outlined a psychologist’s qualities, which include substantial introspection to analyse not only one’s capabilities but also one’s flaws. A psychologist has to be emotionally robust so as to maintain his or her professionalism. Most importantly, a genuine curiosity of human behaviour is crucial to sustaining one’s productivity in this field. The closing two speakers, Mr Russell Chander and Mr Jonathan Poh, are UB-SIM alumni. Mr Chander holds a position as a senior research assistant at the Neurology Department of National Neuroscience Institute (NNI). Mr Poh is a case manager at the Singapore Anglican Community Services (SACS). Both of them gave interesting anecdotes about their personal journeys, showcasing the divergent roles and opportunities that psychology majors can partake in. Most importantly, both of them shared about an undergraduate’s uncertainty in the working world and encouraged us to gather as much information as possible, begin considering career options early and be open-minded to change. While the speakers’ academic and career paths are very diverse, they all alluded to the importance of conscientiousness that brought them to where they are today. As Dr. Utpala reminded us in the words of Dan Milman, “Everyone tells you what’s good for you, they don’t want you to find your own answer. They want you to believe theirs.” Beyond graduation, our future may lie in external opportunities but we ultimately craft our own success stories.

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EVERYONE TELLS YOU WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU, THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO FIND YOUR OWN ANSWER. THEY WANT YOU TOBELIEVE THEIRS. - Dr. Ranjani Utpala quoting Dan Milman-

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16 C H E RY L G IA M

MIGRATION “ WO U LD YO U TELL ME, PLEA SE, WHICH WAY I OUG H T TO GO F ROM H ERE? ” “ T HAT D E PENDS A GOOD DEA L ON WHERE YOU WA NT TO GET TO.” “ I DON’T MUCH CA RE WHERE -” “ THEN IT DOESN’T MATTER WHICH WAY TO GO.” - Lewis Carroll, Alice in the Wonderland -

country. The playing field may also be larger overseas, and individuals with capabilities are often tempted to migrate and be part of the hype. Sometimes, the thought of migration can stem from self-centredness. Space constraint, which leads to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) and housing issues, and rising prices are the main problems in Singapore. Individuals may choose to migrate simply because they feel that they have the means to do so in order to improve their standard of living. PHOTO CREDITS: W W W.FLICK R .C OM /A IGL O_D A R O

ith the increasing interconnectedness between countries due to improvements in the different modes of transportation, migration is no longer a distant dream. This is especially so in Singapore, where 56 per cent of the 2000 odd people surveyed in a newspaper article agreed that, given a chance, they would migrate out of the country. There are many reasons cited for this, for example unhappiness with the Government, the space constraint and even the illusion that the grass will always be greener on the other side. So what exactly are the push and pull factors for the individual to leave the life they have been so familiar with, in exchange for the uncertainty of the unknown?

“56%

SU RVEYED IN A N EWSPA P ER AGREED THAT, GI V EN A CH A NCE, THEY WOULD MI GRAT E O U T OF T H E COUNT RY.

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The Brain Drain is a term of the 21st century, virtually unheard of in the past, it depicts the situation where the brightest minds emigrate in search of better prospects. As individuals, we would generally go where the pay is better and this is often associated with traditional economic powerhouses like the United States or the United Kingdom. This is especially true for university students who study abroad and choose to stay in the country to work, as they have become familiar with the social norms and lifestyle of the

According to a paper published on Migration Policy Institute dated April 2012, Australia is the most popular destination for migration out of Singapore as of June 2011, chosen because of the abundance of space and the high minimum wage. Those who desire but do not have the financial abilities to migrate are often left feeling disgruntled, which might hinder community building and further weaken our sense of belonging. On the other hand, migration may bring about a sense of loss and loneliness. As stated in a research paper, published in 2007, by Renu Narchal, stress can arise when the individual is in an unfamiliar environment, which may result in psychological problems like social isolation. The paper included a study on students who migrated to Australia, either alone or with their family. Most of the students felt disconnected from people as a result of the migration, and simple routines became challenges. Time may reduce the effects of the problem, but it takes effort to fully assimilate oneself into a new life. Migration is a double-edged sword, and for those tempted to migrate, read up and weigh your pros and cons before deciding. It may be nice to open your house door in the morning and not see your neighbours’ faces, but would you not feel lonely at the same time?

APPENDIX Mirror Mirror: Harith ‘Ifwat Bin Zulkefli Gilovich, T., Medvec, V., & Savitsky, K. (2000). The spotlight effect in social judgment: An egocentric bias in estimates of the salience of one’s own actions and appearance. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 78(2), 211-222. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.78.2.211 Epley, N., Savitsky, K. & Gilovich, T. (2002). Empathy neglect: Reconciling the spotlight effect and the correspondence bias. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 83(2), 300-312. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.83.2.300 Robins, R. W., & Beer, J. S. (2001). Positive illusions about the self: Short-term benefits and long-term costs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(2), 340-352. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.80.2.340 Rosenberg, J. and Egbert, N. (2011), Online Impression Management: Personality Traits and Concerns for Secondary Goals as Predictors of Self-Presentation Tactics on Facebook. Journal of ComputerMediated Communication, 17, 1–18. doi: 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2011.01560.x Wee. W. (2011). Online statistics, behaviour, and tech start-ups in Singapore. Retrieved from http://www.techinasia.com/online-statisticssingapore/ Egoism in Disguise - the Sunday Effect: Foo Meng Yee Gino, F., Ayal, S., & Ariely, D. (2013). Self serving altruism? The lure of unethical actions that benefit others. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 93, 285-292. Retrieved from http://ac.els-cdn.com.gate. lib.buffalo.edu/S0167268113001005/1s2.0-S0167268113001005-main.pdf?_ tid=50c3a5bc-3ebb-11e3-9f94-00000aab0f01 &acdnat=1382846178_9be16e7f21a6d1ab81 25d2e54d549c8b Kohn, A. A. (1989). Altruism within Egoism. Nation, 248(21), 742. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.gate.lib.buffalo. edu/pov/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=87424b9a6b50-4377-9969-4c6260fbde18%40sessionm gr13&vid=2&hid=1

Malhotra, D. (2010). (When) are religious people nicer? Religious salience and the “Sunday Effect” on pro-social behaviour. Judgment and Decision Making, 5(2), 138-143. Retrieved from http://journal.sjdm.org/10/10216/ jdm10216.html Tong, E. M. W., & Yang, Z. Y. (2011). Moral hypocrisy: Of proud and grateful people. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2, 159-165. Thompson, R. (2007). Self-serving altruism: not an oxymoron. Physician Executive, 33(6), 82-83. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost. com.gate.lib.buffalo.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/ pdfviewer?sid=e2c2182d-85e9-4640-97af0006e2b8a834%40sessionmgr111&vid=2& hid=109 Identity: A Borrowed Sense of Self: Mok Kai Chuen Sanderse, W. (2013). The meaning of role modelling in moral and character education. Journal of Moral Education, 42(1), 28-42. doi:10.1080/ 03057240.2012.690727 Schwartz, S. J. (2002). Convergent validity in objective measures of identity status: Implications for identity status theory. Adolescence, 37(147), 609-625. Stets, J. E., & Burke, P. J. (2000). Identity theory and social identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, 63(3), 224-237. doi: 10.2307/2695870 Can We Truly BE Authors Of Our Lives?: Josephine Tan Davis, F. (1989). Of Maids’ Uniforms and Blue Jeans: The Drama of Status Ambivalences in Clothing and Fashion. Qualitative Sociology, 12(4), pp 337-355. Hobbes, T. (1962). Of Persons, Authors, and Things Personated. Leviathan (pp.125-128). New York, NY: Macmillan. Kingwell, M. (1996). Our Bodies, Our Selves. Dreams of Millennium: Report from a Culture on the Brink. Toronto: Viking.

APPENDIX Lois, J. (2008). Gender and Emotion Managementin the Stages of Edgework. In J. Z. Spade, C. G. Valentine (Eds.) , The kaleidoscope of gender: Prisms, patterns, and possibilities (2nd ed.) (pp. 322-334). Thousand Oaks, CA US: Pine Forge Press/Sage Publications Co. Lucal, B. (2008). What it means to be gendered me. In J. Z. Spade, C. G. Valentine (Eds.) , The kaleidoscope of gender: Prisms, patterns, and possibilities (2nd ed.) (pp. 22-32). Thousand Oaks, CA US: Pine Forge Press/ Sage Publications Co. Orenstein, P. (1994). Fear of Falling: Sluts. Schoolgirls--Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap (pp.111-118). New York, NY: Anchor Books When You Should Quit: Fiona Hsu Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitivedevelopmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34, 906-911. Gilbert, D. T. (2007). Stumbling on happiness. New York: Vintage Books. MacGregor-Mendoza, P. (2013). Success in school depends on student’s metacognition, Las Cruces, N.M. Reynolds, J. R., Stewart, M., MacDonald, R., & Sischo, L. (2006). Have adolescents become too ambitious? High school seniors’ educational and occupational plans, 1976 – 2000. Social Problems. 53: 186-206. Body Modifications: Ng Ken Kern Featherstone , M. (1999). Body modification: An introduction. Body & Society, 5, 1-13. Jeffreys, S. (2000). “body art” and social status: Cutting, tattooing and piercing from a feminist perspective. Feminism & Psychology, 10, 409-429. Millner, V. S., & Eichold, B. H. (2001). Body piercing and tattooing perspectives. Clinical Nursing Research, 10, 424-441. Powers, M. (2009, October 16). Body modification - making your mark or mutilation?. Irish

Medical Times, p. 28. Why Birth Order Isn’t All It’s Hyped Up To Be: Sheena Teo Herrera, N. C., Zajonc, R. B., Wieczorkowska, G., & Cichomski, B. (2003). Beliefs about Birth Rank and their reflection in reality. Journal of Personality And Social Psychology, 85(1), 142-150. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.85.1.142 Sorhagen, N. S. (2013). Early Teacher Expectations disproportionately Affect Poor Children’s High School Performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(2), 465-477. doi:10.1037/a0031754 Stoolmiller, M. (1999). Implications of the restricted range of family environments for estimates of heritability and nonshared environment in behavior–genetic adoption studies. Psychological Bulletin, 125(4), 392-409. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.125.4.392 Successsories. (2011). Belief Quotes. Retrieved from http://www.successories.com/iquote/ category/319/belief-quotes/17 Migration: Cheryl Giam More than half of S’poreans would migrate if given a choice: Survey. The New Paper (Oct 09, 2012). Retrieved from: http://news. asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/ Story/A1Story20121007-376116.html Rapid growth in Singapore’s immigration population brings policy challenges (April 2012). Migration Information Source (Migration Policy Institute). Retrieved from: http://www. migrationinformation.org/feature/display. cfm?ID=887 Migration: Destruction and Reconstruction of Self (2007). Renu Narchal. Retrieved from: ojs. lib.swin.edu.au/index.php/ejap/article/ download/80/107