What Is The Root Of Selfishness?

ego
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Image Credits: pixabay.com
In this day and age, the noble act of selflessness is hard to come by. Let me prove this with a single task. Can you name six genuinely selfless people aside from Saint Teresa of Calcutta? It is more difficult than you think, huh?  

 Most of us are characterized by the tiny hints of selfishness. However, some people are more consumed by this trait. 

Let me begin by defining what being "selfish" is. There are two main points according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. A selfish individual is concerned with his or her own advantage, pleasure, or well-being. Furthermore, he or she does not have any regard for others.


2016 COUNTDOWN: BEST MISS PSYCHOBABBLE ARTICLES OF THE YEAR

best of 2016
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Describing the Year 2016 as "surprising" is an understatement!

 Several significant events happened throughout the globe. Syrian War caused tremendous devastation especially to innocent young children. Reality star and business mogul Donald Trump won the United States presidential election. Renowned celebrities such as Prince, Carrie Fisher, and Alan Rickman passed away.

 I shall bring the lenses closer to home! An observable political shift swept the Philippines and the international authorities. We cannot predict what will happen next.

 Zooming in further will give you a glimpse of the holistic summation of my year. I reached potent milestones in my adult life. These achievements were made possible by using "goal setting". I will share more about its power in the succeeding article. 

Odd Is The New Normal: Why You Shall Accept Your Inner Weirdness

author's opinion

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"In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful." ~ Poet Alice Walker

Whether you chew like you are eating robust nails or you cannot sleep without your smelly childhood pillow, we all have characteristics that make us extraordinary. I am not referring to the abnormal deviance from the norm! I am simply talking about the humble quirks that makes us special. I think there is nothing wrong with being "weird"! In fact, weirdness can be one of your powerful strengths.

Psychology Behind Our Fascination Over The Brangelina Split

brad pitt and angelina jolie

Nils Sautter via Flickr Creative Commons
When the news broke that Hollywood’s powerhouse couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (better known as #Brangelina) were parting ways due to “irreconcilable differences”, my social media feed went wild! I bet that the same thing happened to most of us.

Humanity processed the imminent doom of Brangelina’s relationship. Digital and physical publications were filled with the de-Brangelization headlines, which caused outbreaks of sadness and anger from the avid fans of these said celebrities. People all over the world were mourning. However, there were some people who cared less. My seemingly cool hippie cousin was one of them. 

 As I was observing the reactions of most netizens, it made me ponder about the existence of the public’s fascination over celebrities and their relationships. Why do we care so much about the Brangelina split? 

BLEPP Effect: Rise Above It All

blepp 2016

Image Credits: pixabay.com
Written by: Inna Agravantes | Edited by: Anna Agoncillo

There are always two sides to a story. The journey of others to becoming a Registered Psychometrician may be triumphant but, it does not translate to everyone. Only a few people from the other end of the pole are willing to share their stories. Thankfully, Inna Agravantes was one of them.

I admire her great resilience despite the unwanted circumstance that she was in. She rose above it all with a mindset that is purely optimistic and hopeful. As of today, her inspiring voice has reached more than 8,000 people.

BLEPP Effect: How I Became A Registered Psychometrician

blepp 2016

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Becoming a Registered Psychometrician - an achievement that was unlocked in my list of goals for 2016.

While most people ushered the New Year 2016 with a multitude of resolutions, I kicked it off with a list of goals. At that very moment, I was not sure whether I will be able to complete everything in time. All I know is that I was motivated and hopeful about the future. My list included small goals such as "learning how to ride a jeepney" and bigger goals such as "investing a portion of my money to mutual funds". One of the career milestones that I included is to become a Psychometrician.

I never knew that I will become one! For starters, I graduated overseas under a United Kingdom degree. This means that I had to endure stricter guidelines when it comes to my requirements. It took me a total of 5 months to complete all my requirements and to wait for the authority's approval. I am not complaining. This length of time was understandable due to my unique circumstance. In fact, my TOR was shipped from UK in a span of 15 days.

Grief And Loss: 3 Ways To Positively Express Your Condolences

bereavement

Image Credits: pixabay.com
By: Suzie Kolber | Edited by: Anna Agoncillo

One of the most difficult things for a person to express is the feelings of empathy, sympathy, and condolences to someone who has lost a family member, a friend, a co-worker, or a significant someone.

Searching for the "right" words to say can be a serious struggle! This is why Suzie Kolber collated three tips to make this situation easier for both you and the person you want to comfort.

#1: BE GENUINE AND SINCERE.

It may not be intentional yet, you can come across as insecure when you say something that you do not mean. "I understand exactly how you feel!" is a prime example of this. 

Although you went through the similar situation, you cannot fully know how the other person actually feels. Everyone has a distinct personality and so are their emotions and actions. It is much better to say: "I cannot fully measure how you feel right now, but I am here for you."

Which Type Of Daydreamer Are You?

coping

Image Credits: pixabay.com  (CC0 Public Domain)
All of us experienced altered states of consciousness throughout our lives. And its most common form is daydreaming. According to Psychology Today, everyone or nearly everyone experiences daydreaming on a regular basis with studies indicating that as much as 96% of adults engage in at least one outburst of daily fantasies.

Contrary to popular belief, daydreaming is not a complete exclusion from the outside and is not entirely detrimental. Daydreaming allows us to focus on our inner thoughts and imagined experiences that can be beneficial to improving creativity and problem-solving skills. Interestingly, the pattern or type of the daydream associates with one's personality.

Know if you fall under one of the most common types: 

7 Surefire Ways To Make People Like You

cognitive tricks
Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)
Tired of being #ForeverAlone?

 Win the hearts of many and influence others by using these Psychology-based tips to make yourself more likable:

 1. MIRRORING

 According to my counseling classes, one of the easiest ways to make people like you is to mimic them. This enables you to validate the feelings and behavior of the person you are interacting with. In fact, studies have shown that people who were mimicked felt happier, more confident, and more agreeable. So copy one's mannerisms, speech patterns, tone, and behaviors and act as naturally as possible. 

Social Psychology: Why Do Mistresses Exist?

attraction

By: Anna Agoncillo
Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)
As much as people despise the "other woman" or the "other man", they are there for a reason. History suggests that powerful men tend to gather great numbers of women and as we all know, history can repeat itself. Modern times cannot escape the existence of mistresses.
Let me start by discussing why married men are deemed to be attractive by some. 

1. MATE POACHING

 In the game of love, does the statement: "Monkey see, Monkey do" apply?

 Well, it just may. 

 A study found that people take cues from others on deciding who is attractive. For instance, the findings showed that women who are single were more attracted to the photographs of men who were said to be "in a relationship". 

Ways To Improve Your Brain's Health Through Video Games

brain development

By: Anna Agoncillo | First Seen on: SGPsychStuff

Image Credits: JD Hancock via Flickr (CC License)
Contrary to popular belief, many video games have physiological, educational, and Psychological benefits for its players. Games that need repetitive actions such as swinging the controller like a tennis racket or targeting the mouse to the moving object can train the muscles to perform faster and better in real-life situations.

 While, cognitive video game training is proven to form new neural connections in the brain. The enticing reward system embedded in each game motivates the players to continuously improve in their skills. 

Artist Transforms Mental Disorders Into Illustrated Monsters

abnormal psychology

By: Anna Agoncillo
Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)
In 2013, an artist by the name of Toby Allen created the artworks of "real life monsters" that had been crippling the lives of several people.

 His intention is not to make light of these serious mental disorders but instead; he wanted these so-called monsters to appear more manageable and relatable. True enough, these mental disorders are more manageable with the guidance of qualified professionals that suitable use treatments such as Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology. 

 See his imaginative creations here:

 1. ANXIETY

Passion: How To Pursue What You Love In Work And Life

creativity

By: Anna Agoncillo
Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)
I had an interesting conversation with my sister the other day. It started casually with me asking her a simple question: "Are you willing to do everything in the pursuit of what you love?"

In no time, my teenage sister answered without hesitation: "I am willing to take the risks and take on new adventures in order to get what I love. It is because I want to do something that will make me happy." As a university student who majors in Management and Communication, she added: "It is the economics of life that states - higher risk is equal to higher return."

Mob Mentality And Discrimination: Low Yat Plaza Riot

discrimination

Words By: Hew & Tan Jia Yue from MY Psychology of HELP University | Edited By: Anna Agoncillo
Image Credits: Katie Lips via Flickr with Creative Commons License
THE INCIDENT

 For Americans, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Unfortunately for Malaysians, they have no Las Vegas; instead, they have a jungle of a city where a small provocation spreads like a plague from edge to edge. And, where political issues are almost always took to the streets. 

 Recently, several Malaysian men trashed a mobile phone shop at Low Yat Plaza, Malaysia, which cost over S$25,000 (US$18,000). The Chinese owner of the shop was in awe as it exploded into a riot. This incidence is perplexing, simply because of its definite cause. Now that accurate reports have been slowly shown to light, is a mundane incident of theft. 

 How can such a fiddling criminal incident, escalate to a full scale riot where people ran in streets and store alleys, where they beat up others, and smashed some cars? All these happened while the police force stood there bewildering at the magnitude of the event, stunned into silence and inaction. People argue that this maybe due to a tension between Chinese and Malays.

 But all of these would not have been blown out of proportion if not for the combination socio-economic, religious, environmental, and psychological factors. 

Flowers Can Improve Your Emotional Health And Other Areas Of Life In Just 5 Ways

benefits of flowers

By: Anna Agoncillo
Image Credits: Navdeep Raj via Flickr With Creative Commons License
Wonderfully diverse in colors, shapes, and sizes, flowers of all kind blossom to brighten up our days. Since the beginning of time, these beautiful creations had emerged as an evolutionary tool for pleasure, memory, and transcendence. Flowers are able to express a myriad of emotions from the declarations of love to the melodies of sympathy. It can even be used as a means of spiritual communication. The wide spectrum of positive and negative emotions that flowers are able to convey makes it the perfect gift.

 On that note, here are the 5 Ways Flowers Can Improve Your Emotional Health And Other Areas Of Life: 

 1. ITS MERE PRESENCE BOOSTS HAPPINESS

 A group of researchers from Rutgers University, New Jersey found that the mere presence of flowers immediately boosted the participants' happiness levels. All of them, regardless of their ages, had universal and genuine smiles across their faces. Indeed gorgeous blooms can trigger happy emotions. 

9 Perfect Gifts For Psychology Majors And Freud Enthusiasts

brain development

By: Anna Agoncillo
Image Credits: Hey Paul Studios via Flickr with Creative Commons License
From brain-shaped ice cubes to Freudian therapy balls or Psychological board games, here are the 9 Perfect Gifts For Psychology Majors And Freud Enthusiasts...

 SOMETHING USUAL WITH A COOL TWIST

 1. REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY T-SHIRT
Image Credits: Brain Level via Etsy.com
Using eco-friendly inks, the Reverse Psychology T-shirts are printed after you order. It comes in 9 colors with sizes ranging from S to XXL. So, there is surely something for everyone! 

 Available here. 

ASK ANNA #7: How To Overcome Fear In The 21st Century

advice
Visit Ask Anna Page to find out how to ask!
Image Credits: Pascal via Flickr
Anonymous asks…

 Why do we fear? How do you conquer it? 

 Anna says…

Fear is an unpleasant emotion and a vital response to physical and emotional perception of danger. Aside from its cognitive aspects, fear also has an evolutionary root that helps us to survive. If we do not have the capability to be fearful and take tremendous risks then, we could have not survived for long.

The Ripple Effect: Everything Is Interconnected

by anna agoncillo

By: Anna Agoncillo and Michael Cahapay | michaelcahapay.blogspot.com

Image Credits: Khairul Nizam via Flickr
Everything is interconnected. Every little thing you do can influence someone else's life.  As cliché as this may sound, these statements speak volumes of circumstantial truth.

Picture a person throwing a piece of stone into the river full of small fishes. He will then see a splash creating circles rippling out from the point where the stone hit the water. This thrown stone (although it might be small in nature), might have significant effects such as scaring the nearby school of fish or hitting another rock along the way.

6 "Struggles" That Only Psychology Majors Will Understand

advice

By: Anna Agoncillo
Image Credits: CollegeDegrees360 via Flickr
Among all the courses you may take, Psychology is one of the famous picks. Being a Psychology student, I am used to being asked a whole range of ridiculous questions such as "Can you read my mind?" or "Is depression really a disorder?". 

 Even though the curriculum and course content may seem "common sense", the methods of assessment (i.e. statistical tests and SPSS) and research (i.e. hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles) makes Psychology a challenging endeavor. 

 On that note, here are the 6 "Struggles" That Only Psychology Majors Will Understand...

 1. PEOPLE ASSUME THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT

 Most people assume and dare to ask: "can you guess what I am thinking?". No, we are not mind-readers but we use verbal/ non-verbal cues, intuition, and deductive/ inductive reasoning to help us understand what you feel. 

 2. BEING EVERYONE'S THE SHOULDER TO CRY ON

Your family, friends, or your exes will usually run to you for constructive advise. Often flattering but sometimes weird, people will pour out all their problems to you even though some information are inappropriate (that your only wish in that moment is to re-do the whole conversation or blast off some place else).
Image Credits: Laughlin Elkind via Flickr
Yes! You may have a power to control a person's choices so please remember to be responsible. 

Positive Psychology: 6 Ways to Live a Healthier and Happier Life.

by anna agoncillo

By: Anna Agoncillo | First Seen on: SGPsychStuff

One of the common New Year's Resolution is to be happier and to live healthier.

 Instead on focusing on what is wrong with you, Positive Psychology helps you to celebrate what is going right and improves that even more. It highlights your strengths and use it to your advantage.

 Following its principles, here are 6 Ways you can lead a Healthier and Happier Life...

1. Know and live by your values.
© IMGUR
Authentic values (e.g. curiosity, bravery, loyalty, forgiveness, persistence, kindness, leadership, and humor) are very important because these are in lined with your behavior. Identifying your core values will direct you to your personal strengths (Peterson, 2006).

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