week 8 lantz

Week 8

Chapter 13

                The last chapter is putting everything we read together. This chapter is super handy for stating the jobs and ways to use psychology in jobs and in life. Even giving a list of jobs that utilize psychology. The chapter says, “The field of life span development recognizes the impact that psychology has on all aspects of our lives and that we are all stakeholders in the outcomes (pg. 301.) I believe this is true. Especially because everyone is affected by the actions of others.

                Reading about ways to use what we read in this book was so nice especially after reading many of people’s introductions to this class about being nervous or hoping to actually learn something from the class. I believe this chapter will help those and many other people who have their doubts because it lists not only careers that utilize lifespan psychology, it also talks about how it is used in leadership roles.  My old boss and a family friend runs a golf course. He went to college. Many would guess he had a degree in business but actually he has a degree in psychology and sociology. He has told me it helps him deal with customers on a daily basis but for long term it is how the environment around has affected customers.

The chapter says psychology is referred to as a helping profession. It is because it helps other professions in different ways. For example psychology is used in advertising and marketing by using what ages or genders to properly market to. Also what colors properly show off what to sell. What I mean is a certain presentation of color can affect a person’s mood to buy or even eat. It is the Psychology of color. It is the study of hues as a determinant of human behavior. Color influences perceptions that are not obvious.

This is actually a big concept of the art world for selling art. Now studio art is a bit different because it is usually trying to make a statement but for other aspects the area to sell art is what is applicable to the bigger mass of people. What makes them comfortable, and is “nice.”  I quote nice because it is boring. It is overarching calming and pleasant to look at and that’s about it.  It is a basic cliché for Fads. For example look at Christmas cards, the snowy cottage in a forest. Those are usually by the artist Thomas Kinkade.  He paints other works very similar to this one. They sell for millions and yet they are all so similar it is lackluster.

Now in conflict to Thomas Kinkade, look at most art pieces in any museum, especially modern art wings. They have an artist statement that directs the viewers’ attention to what they see, even if its gruesome or simply a nude. The best question to ask here is would you feel comfortable to hang such a work in your house? Unfortunately the answer usually is a no. Think about what you look at and how it functions with a basic form of psychology and why they want you to think about what is in front of you.

week 7 Lantz

Week 7
 Chapter 12

                Dying and spirituality sounds like a very low point in the book but it is actually very bright and informative. It discusses roles of death in different parts of the world and what death which is clinical, brain, biological, and social death. (I did not know there were four!) There is also spirituality to consider. It talks about grief and how to consider death and dealing with dignity.
                The spirituality portion of the reading was interesting for me as I was not raised as anything until I went to a Catholic High School. I never really identified as catholic and still do not. The chapter talks about spirituality as being a goal to find out the life’s purpose.  I think everyone is trying to find their own life’s purpose but I do not think it has to be with spirituality. But the different theorists were a great read. Frankls’ theory talks about the life developing in three stages.  The first is the physical dimension which is the motivation to stay alive. The second is the psychological where it’s the personality and interactions with those around. The third is the noetic dimension were it is the “totality of the search for the meaningfulness of life. (p293) Jung’s theory only has two forms which is the first and second halves of life. The first talks about how the personality develops towards individuality or simply more distinct selves. The second half of life is the opposite of the first. They turn inward, or turn attention to the development of the inner self or introspection. The final theorist is Wilson. He sees religion and spirituality as inseparable.  That they grant essential benefits to believers.

                I am not a religious person though I was raised catholic. During my time at a catholic high school I always referred to myself as non-practicing because I never went to mass or did the like. After awhile I felt I did not believe in what was practiced save for being a good person to others, etc. I felt I did not need to be practicing something to be that way.  What I do believe is there is a higher power that makes up a part of every one of us. That said, when we die it isn’t anything to be afraid of as we become a part of the world itself. Our body decays and gives life to other things.