New study says friends the key to childrens' happiness The Queensland University of Technology has found that between the ages of nine and 14, a good friend is the key to a child's happiness. Source: Supplied FRIENDS are the key to kids' happiness, trumping families and toys as a source of joy, new research reveals. Girls are more cheerful than boys - but happiness starts to dive from the age of nine, when children become as miserable as the elderly and sick. Unhappiness among tweenagers has become so acute that schools are resorting to classroom psychotherapy to help students look on the bright side. Students are being taught "gratitude, hope and serenity", in American-inspired programs used by some of the nation's top private schools - including Geelong and Sydneys Knox grammar schools - and spreading within the public system. Behavioural economists Tony Beatton and Paul Frijters, from the Queensland University of Technology, have found that extroverted and conscientious children are the happiest.
'Queerying' gender: Heteronormativity in early childhood education (free full-text available) The AJEC Committee invites readers' thoughts on the matters raised in this article, as well as elsewhere within the journal. Letters to the editor, enquiries, comments, submissions and contributions can be sent to publishing@earlychildhood.org.au. Kerry H. Robinson University of Western Sydney This paper explores heteronormativity and argues for the ‘queerying' of gender in early childhood education. Introduction Over the past decade or so, research has increasingly documented the process of gender construction in early childhood. What is heteronormativity? What is meant by heteronormativity? The intimate relationship between gender and sexuality: Butler's performativity and ‘heterosexual matrix' Research in recent years has increased awareness of the construction of gender in early childhood education. Of particular importance to Butler is how the construction of gender is assumed to be a natural process given by biology.
Intrinsic Motivation Doesn't Exist, Researcher Says COLUMBUS , Ohio – While some psychologists still argue that people perform better when they do something because they want to – rather than for some kind of reward, such as money -- Steven Reiss suggests we shouldn't even make that distinction. Reiss, a professor of psychology at Ohio State University , argues that a diverse range of human motivations can't be forced into these categories of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Psychologists say intrinsic motivations are those that arise from within – doing something because you want to – while extrinsic motivations mean people are seeking a reward, such as money, a good grade in class, or a trophy at a sporting event. “They are taking many diverse human needs and motivations, putting them into just two categories, and then saying one type of motivation is better than another,” said Reiss, who outlines his argument in the current issue of the journal Behavior Analyst. “But there is no real evidence that intrinsic motivation even exists.”
THE FOUR INTRINSIC REWARDS THAT DRIVE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Motivational dynamics have changed dramatically to reflect new work requirements and changed worker expectations. One of the biggest changes has been the rise in importance of psychic, or intrinsic rewards, and the decline of material or extrinsic rewards. This author draws upon recent research to explain the popularity of intrinsic rewards and how these rewards can be used to build a high-engagement culture. I have been researching workplace motivation for about 30 years and I’m amazed at how much has changed recently. Most of the motivational models used today were developed in earlier eras, when work and workers were different. Extrinsic and intrinsic rewards Extrinsic rewards—usually financial—are the tangible rewards given employees by managers, such as pay raises, bonuses, and benefits. Extrinsic rewards played a dominant role in earlier eras, when work was generally more routine and bureaucratic, and when complying with rules and procedures was paramount. Sense of meaningfulness.
20 mental barriers you should let go of photo by admitchell08 You are in an imaginary hot air balloon. It’s just you and all of your belongings in the wicker basket. The only immediate solution is to get rid of excess weight and throw off at least half of your belongings. This happens to all of us in less dramatic circumstances. Our mental life follows the same fate. Some of them are useless ideas that drag us down considerably. So if you were in the hot air balloon situation, which of these mental barriers should we let go? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Related posts: A Route Towards Helping Your Child Attain Better Grades. Once I met with two parents , who wanted to evaluate me as a possible therapist for their troubled son. His mother began first, by going through a laundry list of the misdeeds this young man had being engaged in, from stealing from them and stores, being arrested, being suspended from school to being verbally abusive to both parents. Then the father spoke next, he was to the point. He wanted to know how my therapy would help improve his son's grades in school. I intentionally waited about five seconds before answering his question. "You are more concerned with your son's grades than his recent arrest, suspension from school, and routine disrespect towards you and your wife?" "Well.. no. "You think if your son's grades improve, his behavior will get better?" "Yes! "I am sorry sir, however without having met your son, I suspect that your son doesn't value his academics as much as you do." "Look, Mr. "Have you tried drumming this into his head?" "All the freaking time!"
Ten Virtues for the Modern Age The Virtues Project comes as a response to the wave of discussion and feedback that followed the publication of my book, Religion for Atheists, and a growing sense that being virtuous has become a strange and depressing notion, while wickedness and evil bask in a peculiar kind of glamour. My ultimate aim for the project is that it ignites a vital conversation around moral character to increase public interest in becoming more virtuous and connected as a society. In the modern world, the idea of trying to be a ‘good person’ conjures up all sorts of negative associations: of piety, solemnity, bloodlessness and sexual renunciation, as if goodness were something one would try to embrace only when other more difficult but more fulfilling avenues had been exhausted. Throughout history, societies have been interested in fostering virtues, in training us to be more virtuous, but we're one of the first generations to have zero public interest in this. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
The Essential Psychopathology Of Creativity Andrea Kuszewski If we could identify a gene for creativity, let's call it the "creativity gene", you would be hard pressed to find very many people who would consider it a "negative gene" or a hazard to possess or carry. But what if, purely hypothetically, we could identify a gene for Schizophrenia? The very traits that make someone creative, passionate, and likely to achieve a high degree of success in their domain, are the same traits that define psychological disorders such as Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and ADHD. An article in the NY Times titled, "Just Manic Enough: Seeking Perfect Entrepreneurs", described individuals that were unnaturally creative, passionate, energetic, charismatic, and those most sought-after by venture capitalists as "hypomanic". Now, I don't know how many of you creative-types out there began to panic when you started reading this list of defining criteria, but I know I did. Is there a difference between being hypomanic and being extremely creative?
10 Practical Uses For Psychological Research in Everyday Life | People love to give each other advice. The web is full to bursting with all types of pseudo-psychological advice about life. The problem is, how much of this is based on real scientific evidence? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Color: Meaning, Symbolism and Psychology Green occupies more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye and is second only to blue as a favorite color. Green is the pervasive color in the natural world that is an ideal backdrop in interior design because we are so used to seeing it everywhere. The natural greens, from forest to lime, are seen as tranquil and refreshing, with a natural balance of cool and warm (blue and yellow) undertones. How the color green affects us physically and mentally * Soothing * Relaxing mentally as well as physically * Helps alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety * Offers a sense of renewal, self-control and harmony For more information see "All About the Color Green"