Many Kids are Similar in Many Ways

In Mrs. Kalufuts class I learned a lot of interesting facts I never knew about. Even better, I learned new things about myself I never knew about. Mrs. Kalafut is a very direct and great teacher. She helps you understand the concept of what we are talking about. It really helps when she shows visuals and shows videos. When we play games for some of the labs, it helps the students get a grasp on what we will be talking about. Some of terms in the book help define who I am, some of these terms relate to who I am and I had no idea.

Groupthink: kind of thinking that occurs when people place more importance on maintaining group cohesiveness than on assessing the facts of the problem with which the group is concerned. I feel like this has helped me a lot this year. I used to be hy on talking to new people and when we had to go in groups or have class discussion, I feel like I opened up. Not a whole lot, but I noticed a change. This class had made me realize it is okay to open up and have discussions with people you may or may not know all that well.

Compliance: changing one's behavior as a result of other people directing or asking for the change. I feel as if someone asked me to do something, I would instantly do it. Even if someone didn't ask me to do something, sometimes it was a habit. For example, everytime Mrs. Kalafut was going to show a video or picture, I automatically got up to turn off the light. Or when someone would knock on the door when it was locked, I would let them in. It is polite and it helps out Mrs. Kalafut. I feel like I have changed my behavior, so others could be happy and everything would be steady.

Psychological Disorder: any pattern of behavior that causes people significant distress, causes them to harm others, or harms their ability to function in daily life. I personally have not had this, but my sister did. I have been through this, just not personally. It relates to me though because I helped my sister through this. She had lots of issues and she did not like anyone and she would not show a care in much. She didn't want to go to school or work, she didn't want to be here. She would shut everyone out and not feel guilty at all.

Situational Context: the social or environmental setting of a person's behavior. I relate to this because in every environment or place everyone is different. Maybe they act in a good way or bad way. I know certain places I go, I am super selfish and just want to be left alone. Such as, when I go to the cemetery to visit my sister. Or when I go to certain places, I am in a good mood. Such as, when I go visit my grandpa in the nursing home. When I visit him, it brightens up his day and he actually does what I tell him to do. He usually only listens to me and my grandma, he doesn't like the nurses.

Nurture: the influence of the environment on personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions. I feel like who I am today is based on the people around me and how I grew up around certain things. I would say it is more environmental than inherited. No matter what, the people you hangout with has a strong impact on who you are. The people I hangout with are similar to who I am because we hangout all the time. Yes, I do get some of who I am from my parents and siblings, but the more you grow up you see how much you have changed.

Problem solving: process of cognition that occurs when a goal must be reached by thinking and behaving in certain ways. I used to be a big slacker and not do the things I was told to do. I used to do everything last minute. I used to copy everyone's homework. Then suddenly, I realized I am better than that. I was starting to do things on my own and opening up more and doing some things I would never do. I started doing things that were difficult to do, but I set my mind to them, and started dong them. All you have do do is set a goal and stick to it.

Algorithms: very specific, step-by-step procedures for solving certain types of problems. This relates to me a lot because it helps more than you think. I do not always follow step-by-step procedures, but it helps. Especially in a math class or geometry class. For example, I am in geometry class and it is not exactly easy. I was doing bad all year. Then Mr. Sodini started teaching our class because there was several kids doing bad. He showed us different ways to do the problems, and if we follow the step by step procedure it helps more than you know.

Disuse: another name for decay, assuming that memories that are not used will eventually decay and disappear. As we get older, some of the memories start to fade. My memory is pretty good, but then again, I am only 16. As I am getting older though some things become more blurry. Like I obviously do not remember stuff from when i was like 4. But I can remember my sixth birthday and up, some of the details are getting blurry but for the most part, I remember. As I age, I am sure I will always remember some parts of my childhood.

Night terrors: relatively rare disorder in which the person experiences extreme fear and screams or runs around during deep sleep without waking fully. I have had this since I was little. Believe it or not, it is better than what it was. When I was little, I would scream at the top of my lungs and would run around my house. One time, I was in a hotel and it happened and I walked out of the room and got locked out and started banging on everyone's doors in my sleep.

Sleepwalking: occuring during deep sleep, an episode of moving around or walking around in one’s sleep. This relates to night terrors, I sleep walk all the time. One, time I actually ate food in my sleep. Another time my sister and I took my dads cloths and made a big pile in front of the toilet in the bathroom and peed on them, I know kind of strange. I still sleep walk to this day, just not as much. I feel like this one will relate to a lot of kids.

To conclude this, I feel like many of us kids are similar in many ways. Some of us may be different, but i'm sure the way we are today has a big impact of the society today. Who I am is based on who I hangout with, what classes I take, what job I have, what car I drive, or even who my parents are. Everything relates to what we do in our life. This class has taught me many different things and more interesting facts about myself I didn't even know. Mrs. Kalafut is a great teacher, and I am glad she taught me psychology. She really explains things well and makes sure you understand.

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