Psychology 2035A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Sherry Turkle, Overchoice, Robert Kegan
22 May 2018
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Department
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Professor
Psych 2035
Week 1
Chapter 1 – Adjusting to Modern Life
The Paradox of Progress
- What is the Paradox of Progress?
o Modern technology has provided us with an abundance of time-saving devices.
▪ Yet, we complain about not having enough time.
o The range of life choices available to people is greater than ever.
▪ Yet, this has unexpected costs.
▪ Too many choices leads to choice overload and struggles with decisions.
- Modern technology provides us with economic abundance and possession overload.
o Yet, most people do not feel very good about their financial well-being.
- In conclusion, despite progress, we are not necessarily healthier or happier.
- Possible explanations:
o Robert Kegan →The mental demands of modern life have become too complex and
confusing.
o Micki McGee →Our obsession with self-improvement undermines our sense of security
and satisfaction with our identity.
o Edward Hallowell →We are crazy busy and too overwhelmed by information
overload.
o Sherry Turkle →We spend more time with technology and less time with others, which
results in an intimacy deficit
▪ the resulting sense of loneliness and isolation just deepens peoples dependence
on superficial communication in the online world
o John De Graaf, David Wann and Thomas Naylor →We suffer from affluenza,
(compulsive need to accumulate more stuff, better stuff and newer stuff) which
undermines our physical health and emotional well-being.
MY NOTES:
- Our society has made a lot of progress in terms of transportation, energy, communication,
agriculature and medicine
- But our problems seem even bigger than before
- Ex: Modern technology has provided us with countless time saving devices
o BUT we complain about not having enough time
- Ex: the range of life choices available to people in modern societies has increased exponentially
in recent decades
o BUT when people have too many choices, they experience choice overload
- Ex: we live in an era of great affluence (wealth), partly due to technological advances – our
homes have possession overload people are starting to have compulsive buying syndrome
o BUT in spite of this economic abundance, people don’t feel good about their financial
well being
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- Paradox of progress: The technological advances of the past century, impressive though they may
be, have not let to perceptible improvement in our collective health and happiness
o so the quality of our lives and our sense of personal fulfillment have declined rather
than increased (this is the paradox of progress)
- the basic challenge of modern life has become the search for meaning, a sense of direction, and a
personal philosophy
The Search for Direction
- The greatest challenge of modern life may be our search for meaning or a sense of direction.
- In desperation, people turn to many ineffective and/or self-destructive sources for
enlightenment (e.g., radio personalities, self-realization programs).
- One of the most prominent sources is self-help books - But, how valuable are they?
- The value of self-help books
o Excellent self-help books do exist. However, many are not effective and they suffer from
4 shortcomings:
1. Their message is too vague to be useful, as they are dominated by psychobabble.
2. They are not based on solid, scientific research (more emphasis is placed on sales)
▪ Even when books are based on researched therapeutic programs, interventions
that are effective with professional supervision may not be effective when self
administered
3. They don’t provide explicit directions for changing behavior.
▪ They talk about a common problem that many of us experience and then give a
solution for the problem that is common sense
4. They encourage a narcissistic (self-centered) approach to life.
▪ Note: narcissism is a personality trait marked by an inflated sense of
importance, a need for attention and admiration, a sense of entitlement, and a
tendency to exploit others.
▪ The basic message in self help books is do whatever you feel like doing, and
don’t worry about the consequences for other people
▪ This me first philosophy emphasizes self admiration, an entitlement to special
treatment, and an exploitive approach to interpersonal relationships
- What to look for in a good self-help book:
1. Books that are realistic, that don’t promise too much change too soon
2. Books by authors with good credentials
3. Books with a theoretical or research basis.
4. Books that provide detailed, explicit directions about how to alter your behavior.
5. Books that focus on a particular kind of problem or behavior, instead of promising to
cure all of lifes problems with a few simple ideas
MY NOTES:
- The change we see around us creates feelings of anxiety and uncertainty, which we try to
alleviate by searching for a sense of direction
o Ex: many people have spent large amounts of money to enroll in self realization
programs
o These programs are harmless scams that appear to give people an illusory sense of
purpose or a temp boost in self confidence
The Approach of your Textbook
- The assigned text is based on the premise that accurate knowledge about the principles of
psychology can be of value to you in everyday life.
- It attempts to foster a critical attitude about psychological issues and to enhance your critical
thinking skills.
- As such, the text should open doors and help you learn more about yourself and others.
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The Psychology of Adjustment
- Psychology →the science that studies behavior and the physiological and mental processes
(thoughts, feelings and wishes that accompany behavior) that underlie it, and it is the
profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems.
- Behavior →any overt (observable) response.
- Clinical psychology →branch of psychology concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of
psychological problems and disorders
- Adjustment → the psychological processes through which people manage or cope with the
demands and challenges of everyday life.
The Scientific Approach
- Psychology as a science is committed to empiricism
o Empiricism is the premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation.
▪ The belief that accurate knowledge of the world requires observation of it
o Thus, the conclusions of scientific psychology are based on careful, systemic observation
rather than speculation or common sense.
- There are 2 types of research methods in psychology:
1) Experimental research: looking for causes
- The experiment is a research method in which the investigator manipulates one (independent)
variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a
second dependent variable as a result.
- Psychologists depend on this method more than any other.
- Independent and dependent variables
o An independent variable is a condition or event that
an experimenter varies in order to see its impact on
another variable.
o It is the variable the researcher manipulates in the
experiment.
o The dependent variable is the variable that is
thought to be affected by the manipulations of the
independent variable.
o It is usually a measurement of behavior.
- Experimental and control groups
o The experimental group consists of the subjects who
receive some special treatment in regard to the
independent variable.
o The control group consists of similar subjects who
do not receive the special treatment given to the
experimental group.
Figure 1.1 The basic elements of an experiment. This
diagram provides an overview of the key features of the
experimental method, as illustrated by Schachter’s study of
anxiety and affiliation. The logic of the experiment rests on
treating the experimental and control groups alike except for
the manipulation of the independent variable.
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Document Summary
Modern technology provides us with economic abundance and (cid:498)possession overload. (cid:499: yet, most people do not feel very good about their financial well-being. In conclusion, despite progress, we are not necessarily healthier or happier. Our society has made a lot of progress in terms of transportation, energy, communication, agriculature and medicine. But our problems seem even bigger than before. Ex: modern technology has provided us with countless time saving devices: but we complain about not having enough time in recent decades. Ex: the range of life choices available to people in modern societies has increased exponentially: but when people have too many choices, they experience (cid:498)choice overload. The greatest challenge of modern life may be our search for meaning or a sense of direction. In desperation, people turn to many ineffective and/or self-destructive sources for enlightenment (e. g. , radio personalities, self-realization programs). 4 shortcomings: excellent self-help books do exist.
