It is important that all children learn language at a young age. At a young age, especially at around 11 months old, it is the easiest time for the brain to learn a language. Language is key for communicating with others so therefore language development is one of the most important things for a baby’s brain. If parents wait a long time before they begin to teach their children a language, then it would be a lot harder for the child to learn the language.

Along with language, being able to read is very important as well. Reading involves people to use their vision, hearing, judgment and memory. Knowing a language is very important for people to communicate but reading is also extremely important. You need reading for almost everything without reading, people would be lost in the world. Learning how to read at a young age is important because the sooner one starts to read the sooner people can tell if a child is dyslexic. Realizing one is dyslexic at a young age is important because the sooner you know, the sooner you can fix the problem. At a young age, a child is still open to learning a lot of new things and if the dyslexia can be fixed at a young age, it will be easier for the child.

Teenagers’ brains are still developing and therefore it is important to make sure they have nice and safe lives. People that experience bad things like drugs and alcohol from a young age are likely to try it, especially in their teenage years. This is because the prefrontal cortex in the brain is still developing and this part is where all proper decisions are made. It is important that parents raise their teenagers in safe neighborhoods, or parents need to keep an eye on their teenagers. It has been proven that 12.5 million teens in America are under the influence of drug abuse. Drugs are highly addictive and they negatively impact the brain waves. Many teens are sent to rehab for their drug abuse and when they return back to their neighborhood, they begin to do drugs again. This leads to very unhappy lives for teenagers so it is better for them to just never to drugs in the first place.

In your opinion, to what extent should problems like alcoholism and drug addiction be considered “diseases of the brain” or personal failings (moral, willpower, etc.)? Feel free to discuss your own real-world observations and experiences.  What about other issues, like depression?  

I feel that if you become an alcoholic or addicted to drugs then you are most likely depressed and use alcohol/drugs to get away from everything. This depression is a disease of the brain. It can be caused by anything too. Some people drink and to drugs for fun which is also bad to an extent because it can be very life-risking. If people drink/do drugs a little bit, it’s not that bad but if they do it a lot then there is a problem. If they do it a lot then they are putting their life at risk and there is certainly a disease of the brain if you put your life at risk.

A)

1. Military Psychologist: I’ve always wanted to work for the military and help out soldiers and I feel like I would enjoy this field very much
2. Forensic Psychologist: Forensics has always interested me and being a Forensic Psychologist seems like a very interesting job
3. Rehabilitation Psychologist: From what I researched, this field is very broad but basically helps out those who are disabled and accident victims; I know that I love helping people in need of help which is why I really like this field

B) I think that there is a possibility that I might major in psychology. I think it is very interesting and so far I like this class. As I said  before, I’ve always wanted to help out the army (and I don’t think I can be a soldier) so if I combine two things I like (psychology and the army) then maybe I can become a Military Psychologist.

C) Outside of work, psychology can be useful if you come across a person who acts a little strange. By using your psychology skills, you may be able to figure out what’s wrong with the person. Also you can just “analyze” your friends for fun if they want you to.

Explain how the following factors have influenced who you are today: religion, ethnicity, gender, hometown, country.

I am a female Asian Jew that has always lived around this area of New Jersey. Because I am both Asian and Jewish, I have always felt really self-conscious about my appearance and about my name. Also whenever I go to temple I feel self-conscious because my family is the only Asian family there. I feel that my self-consciousness is the main reason why I have grown to dislike the Jewish religion. I don’t like being different. Also I have always lived in a sheltered environment for my entire life. My dad grew up in a dangerous area and now he has a really tough personality and I feel that that’s how the area that you grow up in influences you.

To what extent do you believe that you have made the important choices for yourself that have made you who you are today?  To what extent do you feel that you are “the master of your own destiny?”

I don’t think I have always made the right decisions. There are a lot of mistakes that have made and that I regret. However there are also choices I have made that have greatly affected me. For example the choice of track over softball was a choice that has had a very positive outcome. I have made many new friends and I am also in the best shape of my life. I never thought I would actually enjoy running until I joined track. I believe that everyone can control their own destiny and that all of the choices I made were my decisions. Some choices can be influenced by others but it is YOU that makes the ultimate decision.

How does the way you have been rewarded, punished, and disciplined over the course of your life affect who you are today?

I am the oldest of three kids and my parents always expected me to be the most responsible. I feel that they treated me the toughest because I am the oldest. I always got the biggest punishments and stuff like that because my parents wanted me to turn out to be a good influence for my younger sisters. Therefore I believe it is safe to say that I am the most responsible out of the 3 of us. Also I have a very competitive nature (but I usually hide it) just like my 2 other sisters. I believe that this might have happened because the 3 of us always competed for attention.