Tag: Psychology

Time Outs to Discipline Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Time out is often used by parents nowadays as a form of discipline to their misbehaving children. Some suggest that this can be ineffective and even harmful to a child’s emotional health and the relationship with their parents. While others say it doesn’t affect the child’s behavior.

Let’s know more about the effects of time outs on children.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-49692573

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of time-outs as a punishment?

2, What measures of discipline do/would you give your children?

3. How might time-outs affect parent-child relationships?

4, How effective are time-outs in disciplining children?

5. How’s your parenting skills like?

 

 

Active or Reflective Listening

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When we think of communication, we think of talking. That’s where we’re wrong. Listening is also a crucial skill that is necessary for effective communication.

Active listening involves full concentration, understanding, responding and looping back.

Watch the video and learn tips and expressions you can use when the need for active or reflective listening arise.

Read the article here as well: https://spunout.ie/health/article/listening-is-helping

Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss the 6 tips from the video. Which expression/s or tip/s did you find most useful/interesting? Why?
2. Talk about a situation when you lend someone your ear.
3. Do you agree that listening is helping?
4. How important is talking and listening during difficult times for you?
5. What are other ways to show someone your support during tough times?

The Stanford Experiment

C1 – Advanced

In August 1971, Stanford University psychology professor Philip Zimbardo set up a simulated prison in the basement of the university’s building and hired ordinary people to play the roles of guards and prisoners. The experiment was supposed to last for 2 weeks. However, things got out of hand and they had to shut it down on the 6th day.

Watch the video to learn more about the Standford Experiment.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the Stanford experiment about? What is the “Lucifer effect”?
  2. What is your opinion about/reaction to this experiment?
  3. How did the experiment transform the participants playing as guards?
  4. In your opinion, was it ethical to conduct this experiment even with the written consent of the participants?
  5. Would you be interested to participate in a social experiment?

Ways to Make Yourself Happier

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Happiness can be defined from different perspectives. Others find happiness mainly in relationships with others especially from family and friends while some depend on success and material things.

Our sources of happiness may differ but there are ways to make our pursuit of happiness easier.

Please read the article below to know the 10 ways to be happier.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/201607/10-ways-make-yourself-happier-in-30-seconds-or-less

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you define happiness?
  2. What are your sources of happiness?
  3. Is it easy for you to be happy?
  4. What do you to make others happy?
  5. Why is it important to stay happy?

Pet Dogs Lower Stress in Kids

B1 – Intermediate

It is believed that dogs play an important role in children’s development. A new study finds that dogs actually help stressed children.

Read about how having pet dogs help relieve children from stress from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1512/151204-anxiety-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the benefits of having a pet dog for children?
2. Do you believe in the idea that dogs help reduce children’s stress?
3. What might be reasons very young kids get stressed out?
4. What did your parents do when you were being anxious when you were little? / What do you do to help your children relax when they seem stressed out?
5. What would be the best pet for you? Why?

Optimism is Good for Our Health

B1 – Intermediate

Research has found that people who are overly optimistic may have “faulty” brains. According to a study, the reason a lot of people always see the positive side of things is perhaps due to the fact that they don’t have the ability to sensibly deal with risk.

Read about over-optimism from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1110/111010-optimism.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion about positive thinkers possibly having “faulty” brains?
2. What are the good and bad things about always being optimistic?
3. Do you believe that we must always be optimistic?
4. Do you agree or disagree that “seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty can be a positive thing”?
5. Talk about some ways that help you stay positive.

Google Will Check for Depression

B1 – Intermediate

Google has joined America’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to check people’s mental health online.

Read about what Google will do to check if people are depressed from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1708/170826-depression-1.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on what Google will do?
2. This questionnaire will only be available in America. Would you like it to be available in Spain/Europe too?
3. Why do you think people with symptoms of depression have many years of delay before getting treatment?
4. Do you think a chat box to psychological services would help?
5. Do many people in your country know about depression and other mental health problems?

Road Rage

B1 – Intermediate

Road rage means violent anger due to the stress of driving a vehicle in difficult conditions like traffic jams. Did you know that it is a mental disorder?

Read about road rage from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.english-online.at/society/road-rage/road-rage-aggressive-behaviour.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. What causes road rage?
2. What can we do to prevent road rage?
3. What do you think about the software that can help prevent road rage?
4. Have you ever witnessed drivers in road rage?
5. Do you hear news about road rage in your country?

Why People Fake Serious Illness?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For some people, being ill means being special. They crave for the attention and care that others willingly provide them. The feeling is so intense that they would like to stay in that condition. However, unfortunately for them, some illnesses just simply go away and ironically therein lies the rub.

Watch the video and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy?
  2. Why do people fake serious illness?
  3. Do you feel like you are given special treatment when you are sick? Does it make you linger to it a bit more?

Gaslighting

B2 – Upper Intermediate

If truth is universal, then why is it that there are many interpretations about the truth? Have you ever doubted your seemingly real perception of truth because someone manipulated you to think so? Some cult leaders and dictators tend to use this method called gaslighting.

Watch the video and find out more about gaslighting.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is gaslighting defined?
  2. Who are at risk of becoming a victim of gaslighting?
  3. What are the signs one is being gaslighted?
  4. Is gaslighting considered a form of abuse? Share your thoughts.
  5. Is it possible for someone to be engaging in gaslighting behaviors and not know it or is it always done with intent? Elaborate on your ideas.