Tag: clinical forensic psychologist

Eyewitness to the Paranormal: The Experimental Psychology of the ‘Unexplained’

Research in experimental psychology has shown that many paranormal sightings fall directly within the realm of eyewitness memory. Experiments reveal that such “sightings” derive from the psychology of the observers rather than from supernatural sources. Experiments show these proclivities.

If many sources on cable TV and the Internet are to be believed, the world is currently under attack by a variety of supernatural forces, apparently acting in concert.

Such reports are ubiquitous. Aliens appear at night on deserted country roads. The ghosts of hoary and defunct Scottish peers turn up on castle battlements, demanding retribution for ancient defeats at the hands of the Sassenach. Bigfoot, all eight or nine feet of him, runs past a given cabin on his way to some cryptozoological tryst—and all of it winds up on television.

What, exactly, is going on?

There is a difficulty in explaining many of these paranormal “sightings.” At first, one might expect that the witnesses to these phenomena would be residents of the wilder shores of psychological instability; however, many of the people who report these things are sober, educated, reasonable individuals. Many are ac­tively adverse to publicity, and an ap­preciable fraction of them passes polygraph tests. In short, many of these witnesses—in fact, probably the majority of them—are neither lying nor mentally ill. They have normal nervous systems, and they are convinced that they have experienced something extraordinary.

 

Mental Health Perspectives: Featuring Dr. John Huber & Kristin Walker

Six Dangerous Social Media Challenges Killing & Injuring America’s Youth 

Internet challenges can be fascinating to teens, who can be both impulsive and drawn to behavior that draws attention, especially in social media. Some challenges, like the ALS ice bucket challenge or the mannequin challenge, can be fun and positive activities. But other challenges that pop up on the internet are dangerous and can lead to permanent harm.

Six Dangerous Social Media Challenges 

From: https://www.providr.com/most-dangerous-social-media-challenges 

The Fire Challenge. 

This is when you spray or pour a flammable liquid on your body and light yourself on fire.

The Hot Water Challenge 

You either pour hot water on yourself or another person, or you drink it through a straw. And then, unsurprisingly, you get seriously injured.

The Choking Game 

Where participants get choked in order to get a temporary ‘high’.There have been many cases where kids have died after playing the Choking Game. 

The Condom Snorting Challenge 

People snort condoms through their noses and pull it out through their mouths. There is a possibility that you could potentially get the condom stuck in your windpipe or lungs.

The Salt and Ice Challenge 

When participants pour ice on a part of their body and then place ice on the salt. This creates an extreme burning sensation. Participants see how long they can withstand the burn. It can lead frostbite and third degree injuries.

The Eraser Challenge

Where you erase your skin while saying the alphabet and coming up with a word for each letter. Once you get to Z you stop and compare your skin with your friends.

Four Reasons Why Mike Judge’s 2006 Film “Idiocracy” Correctly Prophesized Life In America Today

Dumbing down of English language

As a culture many of our citizens no longer speak in clear, concise sentences. Communication is often done through social media or text messaging and the English language is plummeting in eloquence. Words like: Fam, Bruh, FOMO, eats, and others can be heard on a daily basis from our populace.

Instant gratification & the collapse of critical thinking 

“Idiocracy” depicted a nation incapable of formulating ideas or solutions to anything beyond their focus of attention in the present moment. Sadly, we are seeing this all across modern day America as countless people chase after “what feels good” for that moment. Analyzing how thoughts and actions in the present can impact the future doesn’t seem to be “hip” right now.

Popular TV show are scarily identical

In “Idiocracy” the number one show on television is called “Ow! My Balls!.” Can you believe that there an iPhone game called “Ow my balls!” which boasts over 1.3 million downloads? MTV’s “Ridiculousness” and ABC’s “Wipeout” are two incredibly popular shows that are siblings of the program depicted in “Idiocracy.”

Ads appear everywhere 

Just like in “Idiocracy” American’s today see ads on the phones, computers, sidewalks, cars, and even other people (renting ad space on their foreheads). Corporations will spare no expense or venue to get their message across. 

 

 

University of Texas to Treat Masculinity as a ‘Mental Health’ Issue 

The Counseling and Mental Health Center at the University of Texas at Austin recently launched a new program to help male students “take control over their gender identity and develop a healthy sense of masculinity.” Treating masculinity as if it were a mental health crisis, “MasculinUT” is organized by the school’s counseling staff and most recently organized a poster series encouraging students to develop a “healthy model of masculinity.”

The program is predicated on a critique of so-called “restrictive masculinity.” Men, the program argues, suffer when they are told to “act like a man” or when they are encouraged to fulfill traditional gender roles, such as being “successful” or “the breadwinner.”

Questions 

Do you think that masculinity is a mental health disorder?

What are some examples of healthy, mature masculinity and healthy, mature femininity?