Ferdinand Waldo Demara's The Great Imposter

It is said that trust is the basis of all human connections, from accidental encounters to close relationships. Trust directs all of the interactions that we have with each other. Jeffrey A. Simpson writes, “Trust involves the juxtaposition of people's loftiest hopes and aspirations with their deepest worries and fears” (1). The human ability for trust and trusting is not measured out on an equal basis. Some people are able to trust easier than others and are better at being trustworthy and judging other’s credibility.

This essay aims to explore and describe some of the key studies within Social Psychology and show why social psychology is still important within the science of psychology today. Social psychology was once described by Allport (as cited in Lindzey & Aronson, 1985, p.5) as, “the scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others”. One of the first psychologists to study social psychology was Kurt Lewin. Lewin is considered the “father of social psychology” by many as he took a stand against the dominant behaviourist approach during the 1920’s through his belief that interaction between the individual and their environment is key to affecting behaviour, rather than environment alone. His revolutionary ideas matured into the study of group dynamics, which is widely used by many organisations today (Collin, 2012).

The three prototypes explored are avoidant, anxious-ambivalent, and secure attachments which describes how partners will behave in close relationships and how caring and supportive each individual is within their relationship. Avoidant attached individuals are withdrawn from relationships and untrustworthy of others. Anxious-Ambivalent individuals worry often about their partner’s needs being fulfilled as well as theirs and analyze if they’re moving too fast in the relationship when compared to their partner. Secured individuals are completely trustworthy of their partner and confident in their feelings and

This article argues that physical attractiveness is a gateway for a healthy relationship. Singles, of both sex, recognizes the importance of physical attractiveness, especially online. Only when the standard is meet would they investigate further into the personality. It also argues that excessive attractiveness is unnecessary, and people prefers “averagely” attractive partner. The author is a dating & mating psychologist, has deep study in relationships. I will use this article as a major point to support my thesis statement.

Social cognition depends first and far most on information and accurate information is needed to understand a person. Sometimes we have very little information to base our judgment on, yet that does not stop us from making further intuitions about other people or situations. Psychologist, Janine Willis and Alex Todorov, have demonstrated this fact through a Face perception research or snap judgments study— (Gilovich et al, 2012). In this study, participants were shown a variety of faces and their task was to rate how attractive, aggressive, liable, trustworthy, and competent each person seemed. The results displayed that people are more likely approach those they perceive as trustworthy and not aggressive and less likely to approach that they anticipant as untrustworthy and aggressive (Gilovich et al, 2012). In the case of racism, the heated relationship between the white policemen and black community is related to the first impression of each party that created stereotypes based on their

According to Siegal (2007), people are “wired to connect” in the sense that the lack of socio-environmental stimulation can have a detrimental impact upon one’s health (Taylor, 2002). For instance, studies have shown people experience physiological pain following social rejection, yet these symptoms substantially improve following social inclusion (Taylor, 2002). Therefore, an individuals’ perception of whom they in relation to their environment is fundamental to their psychological wellbeing (Fishbane, 2007 & Siegel, 2007).

Many people may notice that they tend to act differently around different people. In one case, one may act outlandish and carefree when he is with his friends, but on the other hand, he might act in a more reserved and quiet manner when around people he is less acquainted with. This behavior could lead to people wondering whether or not this person is being genuine with them or not. Moreover, these actions are quite common in society, literature, and many psychological and scientific studies. Overall, people should act as genuine as they can in order to prevent false assumptions about the person.

The Imposter is a documentary based on Frederic Bourdin taking the identity of missing kids. Throughout this entire documentary I just couldn’t believe that you can spend 13 years with someone, and after them being away for three years you are not able to recognize it is not them. I honestly have no reaction to this documentary after watching completely through it. Out of the people that played a part in this documentary, I expected the mother to be the first to sense that Frederic was not her son.

According to Kalat (2013), an individual’s genetics plays a key role in determining not only their facial features, but also their expressions. A comparison of relatives one sighted and the other blind revealed that there were similarities in their facial expressions. For individuals with sight, the ability to not only recognize faces but infer the mood of the individual is a skill that is learned early. This evolutionary adaptation has the ability to reveal an individual’s intentions, either friend or foe. Character judgments are a large part of human nature; so is the fear and anxiety that accompanies meeting an individual who appears threatening. Unfortunately for many, encounters with individuals who appear threatening or unfriendly is a normal part of life. However, the potential exists that the reason why an individual appears threating could be an issue with information processing or even an irrational learned fear. The amygdala is one of the key components of processing fears; additionally it serves as the portion of the brain, which regulate anxiety. Since both fear and anxiety is contained within the amygdala, the potential exists that if an individual suffers from anxiety they may have abnormal fears about the intentions of another individual. The purpose of this summary is to expand upon the connection of anxiety on an individual’s perceptions about a stranger’s trustworthiness and friendliness.

If you’re not paying attention, the mind can be a tricky labyrinth. The less you know about it, the more inexplicable and frightening it becomes. For example, why do seemingly benign elephants wreak havoc upon villages? In “An Elephant Crackup,” Charles Siebert explores the aberrant nature of these elephants and correlates them to their traumatizing upbringing, deprived of community and kinship. The biochemistry of the human mind, analyzed in Love 2.0 by Barbara Frederickson, serves as a worthy addendum to Siebert’s conjecture. Love 2.0 explains that the brain, hormones, and nerves work in unison to build emotional fortitude, stimulate oneself, and express positivity resonance. Siebert’s ideas of elephant culture and trans-species psyche

Imagine a high school stage, occupied with a congregation of young, casually dressed men. I’m sitting at a desk facing the stage from the audience, reading applications and taking notes on the poor young men in front of me. What gave them the idea that they have a chance?, I think to myself. The majority is disappointing - either too short, too ugly, or too boring. The small things are what give it away; the way one tucks his shirt, or the shoes another chose that morning. It’s harder to tell with the better looking ones: the slight curl of a lip, or a glint in one pair of otherwise beautiful brown eyes. I’m disappointed, but I also don’t know what I expected. The best part is when those with the confidence to do so step forward for a closer, more personal inspection. It’s impossible to determine someone’s temperament or personality from just a few words but I do my best with trivial questions.

Parents find they can search by availability, as a babysitter is only helpful if they can watch the children when the parents have somewhere else to be. If they cannot, the other characteristics won't be of any concern. Even when a sitter is required on short notice, the site can be of help. Experience must also be considered when hiring someone to work with children, and a baby differs greatly from a pre-teen, thus this information also needs to be provided.

Ninety-six individuals were selected; some were single while others were in relationships. The double-placebo experiment had the participants either take intranasal oxytocin or the placebo. They were asked to compare sets of photos based off of attractiveness then trustworthiness by ranking them. From what could be inferred is that individuals who were given the spray had a more positive perception than those with the placebo. Therefore, it can be seen that individuals with higher levels of oxytocin may possibly be more inclined to engage in more social behavior than those with lower levels because they do not see the unknown individual as a

“Goleman persuasively argues for a new social model of intelligence drawn from the emerging field of social neuroscience. Describing what happens to our brains when we connect with others, Goleman demonstrates how relationships have the power to mold not only human experience but also human biology. In lucid prose he describes from a neurobiological perspective sexual attraction, marriage, parenting, psychopathic behaviors and the group dynamics of teachers and workers. Goleman frames his discussion in a critique of society 's creeping disconnection in the age of the iPod, constant digital connectivity and multitasking. Vividly evoking the power of social interaction to influence mood and brain chemistry, Goleman discusses the "toxicity" of insult and unpleasant social experience as he warns of the dangers of self-absorption and poor attention and reveals the positive effects of feel-good neurochemicals that are released in loving relationships and in caregiving. Drawing on numerous studies, Goleman illuminates new theories about attachment, bonding, and the making and remaking of memory as he examines how our brains are wired for altruism,

A few relationships tend to be based solely on their partner’s level of attractiveness. We determine how attractive someone is, “ the prejudice of deciding what to do based solely on outward appearance could cost the pursuer the chance of a meaningful relationship” (Modern Day Adages). Although someone is “better” looking doesn’t mean anything when it comes to their character and personality. An “average” person can be more beautiful on the inside than a “better” looking person. As a society, we need to give others the opportunity to show themselves even if they’re “average.”