Psychology

Interesting Facts That You May Not Have Known

By: Ji Seok Oh, Jun Nawa

Overview

In this presentation we will show you different facts about psychology that interests us. Topics:

Social Anxiety Body Language

Love

Social Anxiety

What Is Social Anxiety?

Social Anxiety is defined as a fear of interaction with other people You may have Social Anxiety if:

Feel irrationally anxious in a social situation But seems better when alone

In the United States

Considered third largest psychological disorder After depression and alcoholism

(Richards)

Psychological Symptoms

Enables self-consciousness Paranoia of being negatively judged and evaluated Emotional distress is experienced during:

Being introduced to other people Being center of attention Being watched while doing something Meeting important people

Not all symptoms but most common ones

(Richards)

Physiological Symptoms

Physiological symptoms: physical symptoms Intense fear Racing of heart Blushing

Excessive sweating
Dry throat & mouth Muscle twitching
(Richards)

Therapy Treatments

Proven that cognitive-behavioral therapy is effectively successful Therapy is a session with a psychiatrist Usually one on one or group Psychiatrist talks with patient about

How to overcome it
What triggers it What to expect in the future

(Smith and Jaffe-Gill)

Self Treatment 1: Challenge Negative Thoughts

Challenge Yourself: Think about what youre really worried about Challenge your worries: Im going to blow this presentation

Do I know for sure I will blow this presentation? Even if Im nervous will people necessarily think Im incompetent?

You will start to gradually replace these worries with realistic and positive situation and results

(Smith and Jaffe-Gill)

Self Treatment 2: Breathing Patterns

Breathing patterns affects the brain When anxious, individual starts to breathe fast Breathing fast throws off oxygen and carbon dioxide balance in body Leads to dizziness, feeling of suffocation, increase in heart rate and muscle tension Breathing slowly will help calm body resulting in healthier mental thoughts

(Smith and Jaffe-Gill)

Self Treatment 3: Face Your Fears

One of the most helpful way to overcome anxiety is to face them Avoiding nerve-wracking situations makes you feel comfortable short term

However, does not help you improve long term Get used to running away from problems Results in being more frightened in the future

Trick to facing fear:

Try to start overcoming smaller situations first Gradually increasing the level of challenging situations (Smith and Jaffe-Gill)

Body Language
How to Read and Understand Body Language

Body Language

People are constantly signaling with their bodies whether its verbal or non verbal Body language can be communicated through:

Body movements Facial expressions

Voice tone/volume
Hand gestures Body postures

"Body Language"

Eyes

Strong eye contact

Interested in you: dilated Challenging you: constricted

Lying tend to increase blink rate Darting eyes usually means they are getting bored or nervous To leave a good impression, withhold strong eye contact for 3 seconds while shaking hands Eyebrows lifted gives off a friendly person look
(Banas)

Eyes
Visual shows from second persons point of view

(Banas)

Hand-Shaking

Hand shakes can tell a lot about a person Strong, firm handshakes represents a confident individual Weak, half handshakes represents a self-conscious personality If:

Person 1s hand is angled down (palm facing down), shows they are trying to dominate
Person 1s hand is angled up (palm facing up) shows they are allowing person 2 to dominate

Brief touch to the elbow while shaking hands generate good feelings towards a stranger

(Banas)

Hands

Lots of palm display is a sign of honestly

Watch hands when someone is confessing their abilities

Clenched hands in front of a person indicates theyre repressing negative reactions Hands placed in front of body shows they feel vulnerable

Hands placed behind body shows confidence

Reveals vital organs representing they dont feel vulnerable

(Banas)

Invisible Barrier

Invisible barriers are physical objects blocking an individual with another

Used when feeling vulnerable or threatened

Multiple ways people use the invisible barrier tactic

Folding arms Placing purse in front of body

Placing drinks on opposite side of table so they must reach between them

(Banas)

Legs

Legs tells the most about someone because theyre the least concentrated part of our body Feet will point towards where one wants to go

While having a conversation, look at their feet. If they are pointed at you, theyre interested

Crossed legs also show their intentions

Uncrossed legs show dominance, or that you are open Crossed legs show you are uncertain or closed off Usually when crossed, knee tend to point towards when they dont prefer. (Banas)

Legs (continued)

Jiggling of legs represents a desire to leave a situation Locking of a foot around calf or though shows signs of timidness Holding of crossed legs shows stubbornness

(Banas)

Love
How It Works and is it Just a Feeling?

Brain or Heart?

Love deals with the brain and not the heart A brain on cocaine looks similar to a brain in love Love is a chemical drive and not just an emotion Chemicals involved with love are dopamine and norepinephrine

<
(The Science of Love)

About Love

How long does it last?

It can last for decades

Can love be different?

There are different types of love. Falling in love or love for your children and family

Even though love has types based on physical and psychological components it is still a mystery

(The Science of Love)

How it works?

Causes lower levels of serotonin Serotonin is similar to people with OCD. Which means you are able to feel good things more easily Orgasm and looking at photos of loved ones trigger the rush of chemicals.

(The Science of Love)

The Feeling of Love

Triggers sexual arousal, racing heart and a desire to be with that person Lower levels of irritation and higher levels of pleasure Oxytocin is called the commitment neuromodulator Oxytocin causes reinforced bonding and attachments

The more oxytocin, the more you love

(The Science of Love)

Works Cited Banas, Derek. "Gestures and Body Language Tutorial." YouTube. YouTube, 02 July 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. "Body Language." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Psychology Today, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Richards, Thomas A. "What Is Social Anxiety?" Social Anxiety Institute. Social Anxiety Institute, 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. "The Science of Love." YouTube. Ed. AsapSCIENCE. YouTube, 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Smith, Melinda, and Ellen Jaffe-Gill. "Social Anxiety Disorder & Social Phobia." Social Anxiety Disorder and Social Phobia: Symptoms, Self-Help, and Treatment. HELPGUIDE, Apr. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.