THE FUN THEORY

Habits are hard to change, we all know that. But have you ever thought that they can easily change if you make it fun? Here are some videos about it, I really enjoy very much while watching and I hope you will enjoy, too J

These are from a competition called “The Fun Theory” in which the contestants find their own inventions for the theory that fun is best way to change behavior for the better. As you see, people all love fun regardless of their ages. They will be more motivated and more involved to do something if they enjoy. So, we shouldn’t forget the place of fun factor in human psychology. As a teacher candidate, I think this theory is also applicable to the classrooms, to the schools. Think that a teacher wants to change misbehaviors of students like making noise while saying our national anthem or not doing their homework, what can s/he do? I believe we can find some creative ways to change habits of students with making it fun :)

Best wishes...

WEEK'S PYSCHOLOGIST

SIGMUND FREUD ( 1856S- 1939)

“Everywhere I go I find that a poet has been there before me.”

                                                                 Sigmund Freud

His Contributions to Psychology

 He and his ideas has such an impact on psychology that today’s world almost anyone knows Sigmund Freud at least hear about him. He is thought as one of the most famous figure and also one of the most influential and controversial thinkers of the twentieth century. What makes him so important is his work and theories that helped shape our views of childhood, personality, memory, sexuality and therapy. His major theories “The Conscious and Unconscious Mind”, “The Id, Ego, and Superego”, “Life and Death Instincts” make a breakthrough in the field of psychology even if they are still controversial and subjected to criticism both now and during his life. He is the founder of psychoanalysis which generally examines the influence of the unconscious mind in behavior.

Some of his major books include:

ü  The Interpretation of Dreams

ü  The Psychopathology of Everyday Life

ü  Totem and Taboo

ü  Civilization and Its Discontents

ü  The Future is an Illusion

PYSCHOLOGY OF HANDWRITING

Is Our Character Written in Our Writing?

"Spoken words are the symbols of mental experience, and written words the symbol of spoken words. Just as all men have not the same speech sounds, so all men have not the same writing." 
                                                        -- Aristotle

Have you ever thought that our handwriting can be a reflection of our character? Yes, it is… Like characters, handwritings of the people vary one person to another; even the signatures suggest something about the person.

The way we learn to write in school is standard. Every teacher in school teaches their students to write cursive in a uniform way. However, we choose to change or to do things differently than the teacher taught us. For example, I want to share an experience about it. When I was in primary school, my teacher taught us writing italic as he likes writing like that and his handwriting is also like that. So, we all tried to write italic to be chosen the one whose writing is better from others and I was one of the best writers who can write italic very well. But I didn’t like it and never did I. As a result, as soon as I finished primary school, I started to write differently and I have never forgotten the day when my teacher saw my writing and got shocked and disappointed. Maybe, my teacher didn’t know that every person's individual handwriting reflects what is unique about them.J

 There is a study of handwriting analysis called “Graphology”. It helps in revealing the character and personality of the writer, including his or her strengths, weaknesses and abilities. As handwriting comes from the unconscious, it contains a great deal of information, which can be useful for interpreting one's character. So, by learning just some of the principles of graphology, you can analyze and see what our handwriting potentially reveals. I also think that especially the teacher candidates like me should know some principles that will be helpful to at least have an idea about your students thanks to graphology.J  Graphology is a very broad study and there are many studies and experts in that area. So, if you become interested in it and want to know more about it, here are some websites that I think will be useful for you:

http://www.handwritingpro.com/

http://www.divinecaroline.com/22323/73133-personality-written-handwriting

http://www.handwritinginsights.com/terms.html

Best wishes,

Vildan Kandemir

A TEST ON COLOR PYSCHOLOGY:)

Here is a Color Psychology Test. It helps you find out what you favourite colors reveal about your personality. It gives you a pretty accurate reading about yourself, and I have tried, it really gives :)

 http://www.colorpersonalitytest.net/

PSCHOLOGY OF COLORS---How does it affect us?

Do you feel anxious in a yellow room? Does the color blue make you feel calm and relaxed? It is an undeniable fact that colors have an effect on human feelings, moods and emotions. It is a powerful communication tool that can cause psychological reactions or feelings. Many people aren’t aware of this although they feel like there is really something with the colorsJ Of course, every person’s feelings about colors can change according to his/her choices, and personality or even the effects of colors on people can change from culture to culture. For instance, while the color white is used in many Western countries to represent purity and innocence, it is seen as a symbol of mourning in many Eastern countries. But according to many research studies, there are some colors that have universal meaning.

WHITE:

Positive: Hygiene, sterility, clarity, pureness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency

Negative: Coldness, unfriendliness

Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.

BLACK:

Positive: glamour, security, professional, emotional safety, efficiency, substance

Negative: Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness

Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains, such as Dracula, often wear black.

RED

Positive: Courage, energy, power, basic survival, stimulation, masculinity, and excitement

Negative: defiance, aggression, visual impact

The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

BLUE: Intellectual

Positive: Intelligence, communication, trust, serenity, duty, logic, coolness, reflection, calm

Negative: Coldness, lack of emotion, unfriendliness

The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.

GREEN: Balance

Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, peace and life

Negative: Boredom, blandness

Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. However, seamstresses often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show for fear it will bring bad luck.

YELLOW: Emotional

Positive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity

Negative: Irrationally, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety, suicide

Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

ORANGE:

Positive: Physical comfort, food, warmth, security, sensuality, fashion, fun

Negative: Deprivation, frustration, immaturity

Orange can make you feel enthusiastic.It can increase your appetite. It increases the oxygen flow to the brain.

PINK:

Positive: Physical tranquility, nature, warmth, femininity, love, sexuality, survival of the species

Negative: Inhibition, emotional claustrophobia, physical weakness

The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

BROWN:

Brown is calming. It can convey sadness and isolation. It can also cause a sense of warmth, comfort, and security.

Did You Know ?

Due to the fact that color affects us both physiologically and psychologically companies such as advertisers, food manufactures, packaging companies, professional web designers, car designers, office decorators and so on all use certain colors, shades and tone that will have a positive effect on us. This will influence us buying a product based on its color and the package it comes in. Buildings that are decorated with the right colors can let us feel relaxed and calm.

So,Just imagine for a second how this world would be without colors or better still imagine yourself living in a world that is only in black and white. Would life be beautiful, enjoyable and splendid? No, of course… So, you shouldn’t ignore unbelievable power and significance of colors on us and also don’t forget that they have a language for conveying meaning J

“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.”

                                                                             Pablo Picasso

Thank you,

Vildan Kandemir

WEEK'S PSCHOLOGIST

The Father of Modern Psychology

WILHELM WUNDT (1832-, 1920)

Wilhelm Wundt is the man most commonly identified as the father of psychology. Because Wundt's formation of the world's first experimental psychology lab is usually noted as the official start of psychology as a separate and distinct science. By establishing a lab that utilized scientific methods to study the human mind and behavior, Wundt took psychology from a mixture of philosophy and biology and made it a unique field of study.

Wilhelm Wundt graduated from the University of Heidelberg with a degree in medicine. He went on to study briefly with Johannes Muller and later with the physicist Hermann von Helmholtz. Wundt's work with these two individuals is thought to have heavily influenced his later work in experimental psychology. Wundt later wrote the Principles of Physiological Psychology (1874), which helped establish experimental procedures in psychological research. After taking a position at the University of Liepzig, Wundt founded the first of only two experimental psychology labs in existence at that time.

Wundt was also associated with the theoretical perspective known as structuralism, which involves describing the structures that compose the mind. He believed that psychology was the science of conscious experience and that trained observers could accurately describe thoughts, feelings, and emotions through a process known as introspection.

Wilhelm Wundt's Influence:

The creation of a psychology lab established psychology as a separate field of study with its own methods and questions. Wilhelm Wundt's support of experimental psychology also set the stage for behaviorism and many of his experimental methods are still used today.

                                                                                                                                                                    

What is Psychology? How can we use psychology in our daily life?

"Psychology which explains everything explains nothing, and we are still in doubt”

                                                                                 Marianne Moore  

Generally, psychology is defined shortly as a scientific discipline -- the study of human behavior and psychologists study the biological, physiological and genetic causes of behavior, as well as the emotional, social, and developmental factors.

According to me, psychology is concerned with how people perceive the world around them and how they react to it, how they grow and how they learn, and how they interact with other people in society. In brief, psychology is about how people think, feel, and behave. It helps you to understand yourself better and I think if you understand yourself, you can change own behavior and then you can help others change theirs. You can also predict how others react to things, situations etc. and easily understand the reasons of their behaviors.

            However, many people think that psychology is just for academics, psychologists or therapists. But it not… We can apply all the results of studies on psychology in our daily life. There are lots of experiments on human behavior whose results can make our lives more understandable and improvable. And here is a link of an article “10 Ways Psychology Can Improve Your Life” by Kendra Cherry, which I think is a useful article to understand the role of psychology in our lives:

http://psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/tp/applying-psychology.htm

Best,

Vildan KANDEMİR