Tag: Psychology

The Placebo Effect

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One doctor made up a fake drug and used every skill he had to convince a group of people it was a cure for their fears, phobias, addictions and insecurities. He was able to get some remarkable results, but in fact the drug was nothing more than a sugar pill.

Can a “fake” treatment really cure an ailment?

Watch the video below to learn more about the placebo effect.

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the placebo effect. How is it used in a medical research?

2. What are the positive and negative effects of the placebo effect?

3. What conditions do you think can a placebo produce results even when people know they are taking a placebo?

4. Talk about your own experience of a placebo effect.

5. What if all medicines were placebo all along?

Objectification

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For some people, there is a hairline distinction between appreciation and objectification. When we appreciate, we recognize one’s good looks as a part of that person and not reduce them to it, which is the latter. Some may claim that objectifying someone is natural, others may take it as a compliment.

Let’s listen and find out more about it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-181101

Discussion Questions:

1. What is objectification? Is it inherently bad?

2. Please give some examples of objectification evident nowadays. What could it lead to?

4. According to the podcast, “Women are more likely to be objectified than men”, why do you think that is the case?

Mindfulness is a Superpower

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Recently, mindfulness is taught worldwide and integrates it as a subject matter like sciences, math, etc. This helps students be aware of their thoughts, bodily sensations, and feelings. This is to address the mental health problems among young people. It is an alarming social issue as people are struggling to get to grips with how they will fit into the increasingly complex modern world.

Watch as mindfulness is explained in the video below.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think mindfulness should be taught at every school?
2. How do you think it will help you improve your life?
3. Why is it important to start talking about mental health?
4. Do you feel there is a stigma against mental health problems in your society?

Schadenfreude – Pleasure from Others’ Misfortunes

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We have all done it and we certainly are not proud of it but ‘schadenfreude’, according to some experts, is a normal emotion. Someone else’s misfortunes can bring you chuckles, laughter, and a strange feeling of satisfaction.

Let’s listen to the audio below and learn more about it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-190110

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on schadenfreude. Is it good or bad? Share your opinion.
  2. Have you ever experienced schadenfreude? Talk about that moment. Did you feel bad about it or did you feel it was justified that time?
  3. In which jobs or businesses do you think schadenfreude thrives on?

Stay Calm Under Pressure

B2 – Upper intermediate

Choking under pressure happens everywhere – be it sports, school, auditions or other places and situations. It occurs even in the workplace of hardworking and career-driven individuals. So why do competent people choke under pressure?

Watch the video and find out how to stay calm despite being in a high-pressure situation.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the video, what is choking?

2. What are the two theories on why being nervous undermine expert performance?

3. What are the tips on how to stay calm under pressure? Which do you find most helpful?

How Resilient Are You?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever been in a situation where everything has been prepared under thorough planning for weeks yet for whatever reason you bumble through all your numbers, everything seems to fall flat and against you?

Watch the video to learn more about resilience.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is resilience?
2. How do we learn it?
3. When was the last time you ever faced rejection, failure or adversity?
4. How did you handle it?
5. Are you resilient?
6. How resilient are you in dealing with challenges or setbacks?

The Philosophy of Stoicism

C1 – Advanced

Most of us just dream of being able to live the best life we could. Knowing how to confront adversity and thrive is something we all need to master.

Stoicism means that although sometimes we can’t control situations in our lives, we can manage the way we look at them.

Watch the video below for more on the philosophy of Stoicism.

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe the philosophy of stoicism. What are your thoughts on it?
2. What are the four cardinal virtues?
3. How do you fare in the face of adversity?
4. What is the most difficult situation you have ever been in and how did you overcome it?
5. What are your thoughts on what Epictetus’s idea that “we suffer not from events in our lives but from our judgement about them”?

Why Young People Feel Lonely

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Loneliness can be one of the most destructive feelings humans are capable of feeling. It can happen anytime, anywhere, in a crowd, with friends and family and even while with them. Any person can experience loneliness, but a study shows that it is the 16 to 24-year olds who feel the loneliest.

Watch the video to find out why young people are the loneliest.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do think the youth feel the loneliest?

2. Would you agree that the youth are lonelier than old people?

3. When do you get lonely?

4. What would you advise the youth of this generation?

5. What do you think is the youth’s greatest challenge nowadays?

The Golden Child Syndrome

C1 – Advanced

We are used to thinking of many of the psychological problems of adulthood arise from a lack of affection in our early years. We grow mentally weak because somewhere in the past, we were not given the necessary love and care that we needed. Indeed, it’s difficult not to have been loved by one’s parents, but there’s a real challenge too in having been loved too much, which is regarded as ‘the golden child syndrome.’ Golden children suffer from the immense burden of expectation placed on their shoulders by their parents.

Watch the video below to learn more about the golden child syndrome.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the golden child syndrome? What are its effects on an individual?
  2. How would you describe your childhood?
  3. How would you describe your parent’s way of raising you?
  4. What do you think is the best way to raise children?
  5. How do you think your childhood affected you?

Nervous vs. Excited

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you feel nervous during an interview or presentation or just generally feel anxious? There are plenty of moments that can make us nervous. The good news is that you can overcome your fears with the simple technique of training your mind to perform under pressure.

Watch as Simon Sinek explains this technique further.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is there a difference between nervous and excited?

2. In what situations are you often nervous and excited about?

3. How would you turn nervousness into excitement? Give examples.