Tag: Psychology

Misinformation on Social Media Leads to Ineffective Voting Decisions

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A new study shows that social media might cause people to make wrong voting decisions, especially when misinformation spreads. When social media posts are fact-checked, people make better decisions. But if there’s misinformation, people might vote less accurately and make choices that don’t reflect the true facts.

This article explains how social media affects voting. To read the full article, follow the link below.

https://www.psypost.org/misinformation-on-social-media-leads-to-ineffective-voting-decisions-study-suggests/

Vocabulary Questions

1. What does “group payoff” mean in the sentence? “Misinformation reduced the overall quality of decision-making, resulting in poorer voting outcomes and lower group payoffs.” Use it in a sentence.

2. What does “partisan view” mean? “People tend to engage more with information that aligns with their existing beliefs, which can reinforce partisan views and further entrench misinformation.” Use it in a sentence.

3. What does “political bias” mean? “Additionally, each participant had a unique partisan preference, which created a personal bias toward one of the outcomes, simulating real-world political biases.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How might misinformation on social media cause people to make wrong choices?
  2. How can fact-checking improve voting decisions on social media?
  3. What are some challenges of moderating social media to reduce misinformation?
  4. How do you feel when you see conflicting information on social media?
  5. What are some ways to help people make better decisions when using social media?

Childhood Adversity Contributes Short-form Video Addiction

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When people go through tough times in childhood, it can sometimes lead to patterns in how they use social media later on. Short-form video apps, like TikTok, might feel especially comforting or addictive to those who’ve faced challenges early in life. Factors like how we handle stress and how satisfied we feel in life can also play a role in shaping these habits.

This article dives into how these early experiences connect to our social media behaviors. To read the full article, follow the link below.

https://www.psypost.org/childhood-adversity-may-contribute-to-addiction-to-short-form-videos-study-finds/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “mediating role” mean? “Therefore, our research primarily examines the association between adverse childhood experiences and short-form video addiction, while also exploring the potential mediating roles of resilience and life satisfaction in this relationship.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “buffer” mean in the sentence, “Essentially, resilience and life satisfaction acted as buffers: higher levels of these factors appeared to protect students from relying excessively on short videos as a coping mechanism.”? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “longitudinal approach” mean? “To build on these findings, future research could take a longitudinal approach to observe how childhood experiences affect online behaviors over time.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you use social media? What do you use them for?
  2. Why do you think people with difficult past experiences may be drawn to social media?
  3. How can social media influence your mood or habits?
  4. Should there be more support for young people to use social media in healthy ways? Explain.
  5. What are some positive ways to manage stress without relying on social media?

Superhero Films Encourage Prosocial Behavior

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Superhero movies are hugely popular and often mix action and violence with heroic deeds. While violent media is usually thought to make people more aggressive, a new study suggests that these films could actually inspire kindness. The research shows that when people see superheroes as good role models, they’re more likely to help others. Watching these films can make viewers feel closer to the heroes, which can lead to more generous actions.

This article explores how superhero movies can encourage helpful behavior, not just provide entertainment.

https://www.psypost.org/superhero-films-can-encourage-prosocial-behavior-new-study-finds/

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does the phrase “associative empathy” mean in the sentence, “Viewers showed increased associative empathy — they identified more with Batman and his mission to save the hostage.”? Use it in a sentence.

2. What does the phrase “moral justification” mean in the sentence, “Participants were asked to evaluate whether the violent actions taken by Batman were justified using a series of moral justification statements”? Use it in a sentence.

3. What does the phrase “prosocial motive” mean in the sentence, “This scene was chosen for its combination of violent action and a clear prosocial motive—saving a life”? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you think superhero movies influence how we see right and wrong in real life?
  2. What should parents and teachers consider when letting kids watch violent superhero films?
  3. Should filmmakers think more about the messages in their movies when it comes to violence and heroism?
  4. How can watching superhero movies help us understand and feel empathy for others?
  5. Can you share a superhero movie you’ve seen and how it influenced your thoughts or feelings?

Stress Isn’t All Bad

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Stress is often seen as something to avoid, but it can serve a useful purpose in certain situations. Rather than simply being harmful, stress can enhance focus and performance when faced with challenges like interviews or presentations. By understanding how stress can work to our advantage, we can begin to view it as a tool for success, rather than just a source of anxiety.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to learn how to turn stress into a tool for better performance.

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/10/18/nx-s1-5115911/stress-manage-anxiety-health-help

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “free pass” mean? “No one gets a free pass when it comes to stress.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
  2. What does “butterflies in the stomach” mean? “Ever felt clammy palms or butterflies in your stomach? In the moments before you walk into a job interview, ask someone out on a date, or step up to a podium to speak to a crowd, your stress response can kick in and create these physical sensations.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. Explain the “fight-or-flight response”. “Humans have long faced threats from predators, and our fight-or-flight response evolved to help us survive these dangers.” Create a sentence with this term.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the article? Do you agree or disagree with the points made? Why?
  2. Share your thoughts on this, “Your stress response can be your body’s way of preparing to rise to a challenge.“.
  3. How do you think stress affects your performance in challenging situations?
  4. Can you share a personal experience where stress helped you succeed?
  5. What strategies do you use to manage stress when faced with pressure?

Being Alone Isn’t the Same As Being Lonely

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Loneliness isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a public health concern linked to serious outcomes like mental health challenges and early mortality. Surprisingly, recent research shows that being physically isolated doesn’t always lead to loneliness. This discovery highlights the complex nature of loneliness and suggests that being alone and feeling lonely are not the same, prompting a deeper look into what truly drives these feelings.

Read this article to learn how being alone isn’t the same as being lonely.

https://theconversation.com/lonely-extroverts-happy-hermits-why-being-alone-isnt-the-same-as-being-lonely-and-why-it-matters-235767

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “disentangle“. “It also provides further impetus to disentangle loneliness, physical isolation, and social isolation.” Make a sentence with this and give two synonyms.
  2. What does “to foster something“? “Addressing the root causes of loneliness and fostering social connections is essential to improving overall wellbeing.” Make a sentence with this and give two synonyms.
  3. What does the verb “to underscore” mean? “This underscores the importance of a supportive community in reducing the risk of loneliness.” Create a sentence with this and give two synonyms.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does “being alone” mean to you? Do you think it’s different from feeling lonely?
  2. How can society better address the complex issue of loneliness beyond just reducing physical isolation?
  3. Do you think it’s possible to feel lonely even when you are with other people? Why or why not?
  4. How does your culture or background influence your feelings about being alone or being with others?
  5. What are some activities you like to do alone? Do these activities make you feel lonely or happy?

Get Out of a Mental Rut

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

There are many reasons to feel as if you are operating on autopilot. Being mentally stuck can cause one to lack motivation and happiness. However, stress no more. One thing to know about mental rut is that it is momentary and there are ways to deal with it.

Watch this video about mental rut and how to get out of it if you find yourself in this state.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “mental rut” mean? “What happened is you’ve entered a mental rut.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘mental rut’ in your own sentence.
  2. What does “something feels like a chore” mean? “Just going through your daily routine is a struggle and it feels like a chore.”Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘something feels like a chore’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “ebb and flow” mean? “Our moods are in constant ebb and flow.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘ebb and flow’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which advice from the video resonates to you and why?
  2. What other ways can you think of on how an individual can get out of a mental rut?
  3. Talk about a moment of being stuck and talk about the ways you were able to overcome it.
  4. “Often, mental rut happens to the most ambitious people.” Talk about your thoughts on this statement.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever made a bad decision and felt the need to correct or fix your mistake? Everyone in this world has experienced lapses in judgment from time to time but the way they cope with their errors varies from person to person. Unfortunately, not all of these methods are heathy or even beneficial, such as the sunk cost fallacy.

Watch the video to learn more about the sunk cost fallacy.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”sunk cost” mean? “I know that there are plenty of other reasons why people stay together, but sunk cost is definitely up there.” Use this term to make your own sentence.
  2. Explain the meaning of the idiom “to call it quits“. “It’s better to call it quits now and save yourself from future misery.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and create a sentence using this phrase.
  3. What does “to dig a bigger hole” mean? “If you continue to pour more resources into a failing project, you’re just digging a bigger hole for yourself.” Use ‘to dig a bigger hole” in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts about sunk cost fallacy?
  2. Give other examples of the sunk cost fallacy.
  3. Talk about your personal experience with the sunk cost fallacy.
  4. Does the sunk cost influence your decisions? Explain.

IQ Is Not the Same as Intelligence

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Intelligence is a complex quality involving different abilities like thinking, problem-solving, emotions, and creativity. IQ tests, which measure some cognitive skills such as reasoning and math, only give a partial picture of how smart someone is. They don’t capture everything about a person’s intelligence because they focus on specific areas and use standard questions and scoring.

Watch the video to know more about it and be able to answer the questions that follow.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “remedial help” mean? “Alfred Binet was asked by the government to develop a test that could determine whether people needed remedial help with their education.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “innate” mean? “American Psychologists decide that I.Q. is innate, that you were born with it, and there’s nothing you can do to change it.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘innate’ in your own sentence.
  3. What does “multifaceted” mean? “Intelligence is a multifaceted thing and multifaceted things can’t really be measured in terms of a single number.” Give one (1) synonym or similar expression and use ‘multifaceted’ in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe that IQ tests accurately reflect someone’s overall intelligence? Why or why not?
  2. In your opinion, what other factors besides cognitive abilities should be considered when defining intelligence?
  3. How important is it for society to recognize and value different forms of intelligence beyond what is typically measured by IQ tests?
  4. In what ways can emotional intelligence and creativity be important aspects of intelligence that are not fully captured by traditional IQ tests?

When Feeling Angry, Venting Doesn’t Help

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It must be cathartic to let your negative emotions out. Somehow, it seems like you are actually feeling better after letting off some steam probably because sharing our emotions reduces our stress level.

Psychologists have recommended people to “let it all out” when we have this overwhelming feeling of anger. However, new studies reveal that venting does not actually help in this case.

Let’s watch the video and know more about this myth and other helpful tips on how to release your anger in a more positive way.

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0hqff54/feeling-angry-venting-doesn-t-actually-help

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to feed” mean in this context, “When you are doing activities that have the same effects, on your body, you are feeding the anger. You’re putting more wood on the fire.“? Use it in a sentence in the same context.
  2. How about “to put more wood on the fire“. “When you are doing activities that have the same effects, on your body, you are feeding the anger. You’re putting more wood on the fire.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What is the meaning of “physiological arousal“? “Basically, anything that reduces physiological arousal can be worth trying.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why does venting not help reduce anger?
  2. Aside from venting, what other activities are not effective for anger management? Why is that?
  3. What are some ways to manage one’s anger?
  4. Do you have the tendency to vent when you get angry? If yes, did it make you feel any better? Talk about it.
  5. How do you respond when someone vents to you?

Gaslighting: A Hidden Psychological Abuse

The term “gaslighting” has since been coined to describe this form of psychological manipulation, where one person makes another doubt their own reality. Gaslight explores the power dynamics within relationships and the devastating effects of emotional abuse.

Through its suspenseful plot and strong performances from its cast, Gaslight remains a timeless classic that continues to captivate audiences with its exploration of psychological torment and manipulation.

Read the article to find out more about gaslighting and how to handle it.

https://www.tero.com/articles/gaslighting.php

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “indelible” mean? “The techniques to inflict such abuses may vary from unconscious to malicious, covert to intentional, but always leave indelible spiteful marks on their victims.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “vindictiveness” mean? “ For example, saying, “you won’t get it – forget it, just think, it never happened,” conveys abuse, vindictiveness, and intentionally hurting others. “Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the phrase “wear down ” mean? “They wear down their victims over time” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can gaslighting be beneficial and detrimental?
  2. Give some examples of gaslighting instances in the workplace.
  3. Why do you think individuals are gaslighted?
  4. Share your opinion on this, “Behavioral Scientists perceive that gaslighting has become a mental health and social issue and is a root cause of myriad problems in societies.” You can even give specific situations where this is evident.
  5. Cite ways on how to deal with gaslighters.