Tag: Psychology

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It involves putting oneself in someone else’s shoes and feeling what they are feeling.

But are you aware that empathy can lead to secondhand stress, also known as compassion fatigue?

Secondhand stress and anxiety pertain to the feeling of being distressed or nervous because another individual is experiencing the same thing. Primarily, our thoughts and bodies are hardwired to detect significant hazards or vulnerabilities. When we witness another person experiencing anxiety or tension, we may unknowingly mimic it as an instinctual way to safeguard ourselves or the person involved; leading to feelings of stress and burnout.

We can detect secondhand stress by perceiving others’ facial gestures, hearing their voice frequency, and even picking up on certain scents or touches. Furthermore, we are more likely to encounter secondhand stress from people we are acquainted with than from random individuals, which means that our colleagues’ stress levels, as well as how they react to and demonstrate those stress feelings, can have implications for us.

So, how do you tell if someone is causing you stress?

To learn more, follow the link and read the full article.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/secondhand-stress-symptoms_l_63ed2231e4b0255caaefb9cd

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does ”mind is racing” mean, “You may find that your mind is racing and you’re constantly thinking about your loved one.”?Use this expression in your own sentence.
2. What does ”to get under the skin” mean, “It builds up as sort of tension, and that tension — the not talking about it, the not expressing it — that’s the piece that gets under the skin? Use this expression in your own sentence.
3. What does ”to get swept up” mean, “It can be easy to get swept up in other people’s problems or in situations that are largely out of your control.”? Use this idiom in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you know if someone is stressing you out?
2. How do you deal with second-hand stress especially at work?
3. Can you sense someone else’s stress? In what way?
4. Do you consider secondhand stress toxic empathy? Share your thoughts.
5. What are the benefits and downsides of being empathetic?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness agreeableness, and openness are the five broad personality traits.

However, according to studies, not only personal grievances, but also global events like the COVID-19 pandemic can make one exhibit changes in their personality traits.

Read the article about how the COVID-19 pandemic had an effect of changes in our personality traits.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-pandemic-changes-in-personality-traits

Vocabulary Questions:

1. Define the personality traits agreeableness, openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. Cite situations where you have demonstrated and (almost) lost them.
2. What does ”impervious” mean, “It is quite significant from a theoretical perspective to know that global events, like the pandemic, might have the effect of changing personality, which is often thought to be fixed and impervious to change”? Use this word in your own sentence.
3. What does the word “upheaval” mean, “There were upheavals on the social, political, and economic fronts that could also have affected personality development during this time, especially in the young adults who appeared to change the most.“? Use this idiom in your own sentence.
4. What does “encompass” mean, “In the current study, the researchers categorized the period encompassing the pandemic into the acute phase and the adaptation phase.”? Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What some of the best ways to overcome neuroticism?
2. What might be reasons younger individuals were especially susceptible to changes in personality traits during the pandemic?
3. How has the pandemic changed you/your personality traits? How did you manage such a change?
4. What personality traits changed in you with age? Why do you think that happened?
5. Share your thoughts on this: “Neuroticism, openness, and extraversion tend to decrease (with age).”.

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Have you ever noticed that you may distort some facts when talking about the same past event on different occasions?

Read the article and analyze how memories can be distorted or manipulated.

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What is the meaning of the word “lapse“? Use it in a sentence.
2. What is the meaning of the phrase “creep into“? Use it in a sentence.
3. What is the meaning of the word “insinuate“? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you have a good memory? What vivid events from your childhood do you remember best?
2. What is your stand on the Mandela Effect? Give your own example/s of Mandela Effect.
3. What might be some events that people tend to exaggerate when retelling them. Why do you think they do that?
4. Can a person train their long-term memory? Will it prevent them from stirring false memories? Explain your thoughts.

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Whether you’re in the midst of or instantaneously after a traumatic ordeal, it might feel impossible to recognize hidden significance in it. However, as humans, we have an innate flexibility to cope.
Everyone handles trauma in their own distinct way and it is often a lengthy road to recovery. Some individuals display that profound psychological transition after a major life event or catastrophic experiences. The adversity can unintentionally result in positive changes in awareness of oneself, others, and the world. You may recognize some meaningful outcome as you gain momentum through your healing process. This is referred to as post-traumatic growth.

To learn more, please follow the link.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220311-the-complicated-truth-of-post-traumatic-growth

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does the expression “isn’t all sunshine and rainbows” mean? “I know it’s ugly having to see someone you cared about betray you like that, but life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.” Use it in your own sentence.
2. What does “putting the pieces together” mean? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
3. What does the word “aphorism” mean? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What factors contribute to post-traumatic growth?
2. How can post-traumatic development result in positive changes?
3. Can everyone experience post-traumatic growth?
4. Who is most likely to experience post-traumatic growth?
5. Is post-traumatic growth a form of resilience? Explain.

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Jumping from one activity to another usually hinders our ability to pay attention. According to research, the attention span of an average human is just 8.25 seconds. It is too short. For employees, such a phenomenon might result in stress and even burnout. How can individuals be fully present and immersed in any task they are doing?

Read the article about deep work to find out.

https://www.optimistdaily.com/2022/07/the-benefits-of-deep-work-and-how-you-can-practice-it/

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “frazzled” mean, “If you can relate to these frazzled feelings and want to learn how to avoid them while still getting tasks done, perhaps deep work is for you.”? Use it in a sentence.
2. What does the phrase “in the zone” mean, “Sometimes, people who practice deep work refer to it as being “in the zone” or a “flow state.”? Use it in your own sentence.
3. What does “lose yourself” mean here, “You can “lose yourself” in any activity you do.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. The article suggests that monotasking is better than multitasking. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
2. Tell about a time when you were in a flow state? Describe the experience by giving details.
3. Aside from the five suggestions in the article, how else can we practice deep work? Explain your ideas.

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Our ability to maintain self-control and avoid acting on impulses is referred to as willpower. It has to do with our capacity to exercise self-control and manage our behavior. Willpower basically refers to our ability to withstand momentary temptations in order to accomplish our long-term objectives.But, how do we intensify our willpower?

Like your muscles when you exercise, your willpower can be strengthened over time even though it may temporarily become weaker. Some professionals as well claim that pursuing your own targets is likely to boost willpower. For others, willpower is frequently perceived as being fixed and limited. But an increasing number of experts demonstrate that there are numerous efficient and tried-and-true techniques that can maximize ones willpower.

Read the article and learn how to strengthen one’s willpower.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230103-how-to-strengthen-willpower

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “override” mean? Use this word in a sentence.
2. What does “iron grip” mean in this sentence, “And some people seem to have much greater reserves of it than others: they find it easier to control their emotions, avoid procrastination and stick to their goals, without ever seeming to lose their iron grip on their behaviour.”? Use this word in a sentence.
3. What does “taxing” mean here, “ The people with the non-limited view, however, did not show any signs of ego depletion, however: they showed no decline in their mental focus after performing a mentally taxing activity.”? Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is willpower so essential in our lives?
2. How can strengthening your willpower help you accomplish your priorities?
3. Is willpower enough in trying to reach a long-term objective? Explain your thoughts.
4. What causes lack of willpower?
5. What challenges can prevent you from gaining the ability to strengthen your willpower?