# Psychological behaviours



## Az (Aug 24, 2005)

hey guys,
im a 20 year old college student and i am doing a peice of coursework at the moment on psychological behaviours.
I was just wondering if i could get some ideas of what i could write about. I'm looking for somthing interesting but not extremly complicated because i am new to psychology.

i was going to choose alcoholism but i think alot of people will be doing that...so im looking for somthing slightly different but not somthing thats going to be extremly hard to find info about it.

i also thought about smoking but thats probly going to be the most popular.

Another I thought of is OCD's but i dont know very much about them and the infomation i read doesn't seem relevant to the infomation i need to find out.

Any ideas at all would be greatly appreciated
Many thanks
Az


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## Az (Aug 24, 2005)

hey guys,
im a 20 year old college student and i am doing a peice of coursework at the moment on psychological behaviours.
I was just wondering if i could get some ideas of what i could write about. I'm looking for somthing interesting but not extremly complicated because i am new to psychology.

i was going to choose alcoholism but i think alot of people will be doing that...so im looking for somthing slightly different but not somthing thats going to be extremly hard to find info about it.

i also thought about smoking but thats probly going to be the most popular.

Another I thought of is OCD's but i dont know very much about them and the infomation i read doesn't seem relevant to the infomation i need to find out.

Any ideas at all would be greatly appreciated
Many thanks
Az


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## Daniel (Aug 25, 2005)

Some of my favorite topics that are more or less related to behavior:

procrastination
the use of pot or other street drugs by people with mental illness
self-destructive behavior (self-injury, suicide, etc.)
Internet or pornography addiction
the psychological need for ritual, routine, or repetitive behavior
exercise in combatting mental illness
music therapy including activities like karaoke
the role of habituation in combatting social anxiety
the psychology of online dating
social withdrawal among the mentally ill
the use of behavior therapy in treating OCD/depression/schizophrenia/etc.
stress-reduction behaviors (meditation, exercise, etc.)
common habits of perfectionists
nervous habits like chewing on pencils 
common types of behavior in manic epidoses 
the psychology of writer's block 

My favorite online references:
Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist
http://www.pubmed.com
http://www.FindArticles.com


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## Daniel (Aug 25, 2005)

Some of my favorite topics that are more or less related to behavior:

procrastination
the use of pot or other street drugs by people with mental illness
self-destructive behavior (self-injury, suicide, etc.)
Internet or pornography addiction
the psychological need for ritual, routine, or repetitive behavior
exercise in combatting mental illness
music therapy including activities like karaoke
the role of habituation in combatting social anxiety
the psychology of online dating
social withdrawal among the mentally ill
the use of behavior therapy in treating OCD/depression/schizophrenia/etc.
stress-reduction behaviors (meditation, exercise, etc.)
common habits of perfectionists
nervous habits like chewing on pencils 
common types of behavior in manic epidoses 
the psychology of writer's block 

My favorite online references:
Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist
http://www.pubmed.com
http://www.FindArticles.com


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## Banned (Aug 25, 2005)

Another good one is Adult Children of Alcoholics

Something else you could consider - different ways of shaping behavior - ie punishment, negative reinforcement, operant conditioning, aversive control.....that should give you LOTS to research!


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## Banned (Aug 25, 2005)

Another good one is Adult Children of Alcoholics

Something else you could consider - different ways of shaping behavior - ie punishment, negative reinforcement, operant conditioning, aversive control.....that should give you LOTS to research!


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## Az (Aug 26, 2005)

Thanks alot Daniel ill look into each of those.

BG thats kinda what i have to write about, 
My 1st explanation has to be genetic/biological/physiological
my 2nd has to be Developemental/Cognitive
And the 3rd has to be Social determinants...which is what im guessing to be Family effects/Media/cultural etc

but again i really appreciate your help =)

Az


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## Az (Aug 26, 2005)

Thanks alot Daniel ill look into each of those.

BG thats kinda what i have to write about, 
My 1st explanation has to be genetic/biological/physiological
my 2nd has to be Developemental/Cognitive
And the 3rd has to be Social determinants...which is what im guessing to be Family effects/Media/cultural etc

but again i really appreciate your help =)

Az


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## David Baxter PhD (Aug 26, 2005)

How about this, to combine all of those factors?

gender role behavior:

- how much is biology/genetics?
- how much is developmental/hormonal effects on the brain, etc.?
- how much is family and socialization?

Two great books:

Pollack, William 
Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood. Random House, 1998 

Pipher, Mary 
Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls. Ballantine Books, 1995


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## David Baxter PhD (Aug 26, 2005)

How about this, to combine all of those factors?

gender role behavior:

- how much is biology/genetics?
- how much is developmental/hormonal effects on the brain, etc.?
- how much is family and socialization?

Two great books:

Pollack, William 
Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood. Random House, 1998 

Pipher, Mary 
Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls. Ballantine Books, 1995


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## Daniel (Aug 26, 2005)

BTW, a good movie to complement a book like "Real Boys" is _Stand by Me_:



> Pollack is right that boys are in crisis in part because they are confused about what is expected of them, discussing the range of possibilities is surely more productive than endorsing one role or another. He mentions a few films that realistically depict the ways boys compete and interact: _War of the Buttons_ (p. 189) and _Stand By Me_ (p. 196).
> 
> Reading Guide for _Real Boys_


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## Daniel (Aug 26, 2005)

BTW, a good movie to complement a book like "Real Boys" is _Stand by Me_:



> Pollack is right that boys are in crisis in part because they are confused about what is expected of them, discussing the range of possibilities is surely more productive than endorsing one role or another. He mentions a few films that realistically depict the ways boys compete and interact: _War of the Buttons_ (p. 189) and _Stand By Me_ (p. 196).
> 
> Reading Guide for _Real Boys_


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## Clockwork (Aug 28, 2005)

OCD is a great topic to write about. I did a paper several years ago on the topic. Get yourself the DSM. Or look for some information on the net. The treatment for OCD is amazing. I won't spoil it for you by telling you the treatment but there is a lot of information you can find on the disorder. You could also find a mental health agency and volunteer some time so you can get a hands on experience with OCD individuals. You  could also branch off and write about the correlation's between OCD and other disorders.


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## Clockwork (Aug 28, 2005)

OCD is a great topic to write about. I did a paper several years ago on the topic. Get yourself the DSM. Or look for some information on the net. The treatment for OCD is amazing. I won't spoil it for you by telling you the treatment but there is a lot of information you can find on the disorder. You could also find a mental health agency and volunteer some time so you can get a hands on experience with OCD individuals. You  could also branch off and write about the correlation's between OCD and other disorders.


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