The Psychology of Advertising

On why it is important to understand mass psychology and the psychological processes of cognition for any successful advertising endeavor...

Advertising has been a form of glorifying or gaining publicity for goods and merchandise since very early times. In fact, advertising has been around as an informal concept since the beginning of civilizations and former methods were oral advertising or claiming the benefits of products verbally when merchants sold goods to people directly on the streets. However with the advent of paper and writing, advertising took a more formal shape.

Egyptians and Ancient Greeks used the papyrus for advertising and rock painting was also used. Advertising in English in magazines as we know today dates back to the end of the 17th century and newspaper advertising in America began during the first part of the 18th century with advertisements for estates. With the growth of mass media and different forms and avenues of communication like radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, and of course the internet in the 20th century, advertising started becoming an important aspect for commercialization of products. People started understanding the potential of advertisements and it became a business with the establishment of advertising agencies with the first advertising agency in US opened in 1841.

With advertising becoming a business in itself, the methods of using advertisements became even more formalized, controlled and systematic and the advertisements for products started appearing as newspaper ads, on billboards, hoardings, as handbills, leaflets, on magazines, newspapers, on TV and radio as commercials and more recently on the internet. Web advertising is now a very powerful means to take the message across to the customers. However to actually appeal to customers, advertising will have to work in accordance with the principles of psychology and sociology. Thus an advertiser or an advertising professional will also have to be a sociologist and a psychologist to really have an impact on the minds of consumers.

The principles of advertising are largely based on cognitive psychology and the psychological processes of attention, perception, association and memory to bring out the complete impact or uses of a product or 'brand'. Any advertisement will have to first focus on the attention that it is able to capture of the consumers. Strong messages, strong visuals and glaring colors are sometimes used on hoardings and billboards. For commercials, attention catching clothes and attractive models are sometimes used.

Once the attention is drawn with the colors and the sounds or words, the focus is on retaining consumer interests by using 'association'. Themes or products which a particular segment of customers could associate with are used thus for baby food, mothers and babies are featured so association would have more to do with relevance or context of the advertisement. Certain colors also have associative value and certain brands and companies use a specific color to promote their products. For example easygroup uses orange and Vodafone uses red as standard color for all advertising. The company logo or symbol is also a part of developing a brand and helps in giving identity to a brand and has a strong associative value.

The association should be such that it not only serves the purpose of quick understanding and perception of the consumers but is also retained in their memory for a long time. Thus memory or retention is an important aspect of the psychology of advertising as only an advertisement that consumers can easily remember for a long time for its novelty or use of words, colors and figures will be the most effective.

The development of a 'brand' is just as effective because a brand helps in driving attention, in developing association (for example, we associate Coke or Pepsi with youth, celebration and a soft drink popular for all occasions) and in memory or retention of any image associated with a service or product. So branding is vital in advertisements as brands help in giving a name and distinct identity of a product. So a Gucci bag or a Sony camera is known for the brand rather than the product.

A brand is recognized in terms of its name, its quality and its reputation with advertisements these days highlighting the uniqueness of brands. For example, HSBC recent advertisements across airports around the world, focus on the differing points of view and different likes and preferences of people across cultures. So when you see such advertisements showing two different perspectives for the same thing, you know this is HSBC. Certain brands develop taglines or motto that sets the brand apart and gives it a distinct character.

You might have wondered why models look lifeless on fashion shows. Fashion shows are usually arranged for designer brands selling clothes and accessories and usually these fashion shows try to accentuate the clothes and that is why the models tend to be rather 'expressionless'. Although these fashion shows project the clothes sans the emoting, in case of commercials, expressions are widely used because through visual medium, emotions have to be transported through the screen to the consumers to create an effect. Putting across a message through a medium is a challenge and advertisers use emotions widely to help people retain the message that describes the product.

Whatever it is, the mantra is to create an impact and have a lasting effect on the minds of the consumers. The message of the product, the motto of the brand and the mind of the consumer, these are the three Ms that are important in advertising.

However it is important to understand that advertising will have to be different for different media. Radio ads should focus on the strength of sounds and words; internet ads will focus on visuals and colors; newspaper ads will focus on space and the theme; and TV ads would focus more on the emotions and the context used. Using motion, capitalized letters, contrasting colors etc are all important and in order to draw attention to the product, some form of highlighting of the product is also done.

How does all this affect the masses, the consumers who will actually buy the product? Apart from the attention drawing process, the retention producing sounds and words that help memory and the associative value of the products and the advertisements, there is another factor namely necessity of the consumer. Advertising is not just enough, as a customer is driven to buy a product largely considering the necessity, quality, features and price of the product.

If a company solely focuses on the physical aspects of any product, like say - an Apple iPhone looks good on the table, then it's probably not the best method to have an impact on the market. The features are as important as the price. Then of course, the 'hype' that triggers a certain mass psychology in a certain way so people sometimes queue up for newly released products. But trying to tap in on mass psychology or a kind of hype or hysteria for a product is only a short term advertising strategy. The longer term establishment of a product is through real quality, usability and price and all companies should emphasize on these ultimately.

Competition may have a lot to do with the type of advertising used by companies, so the weaknesses of other similar products by other companies are highlighted subtly although this may not always have a positive impact on the mind of the customer. Usually most products advertised as unique and not even remotely similar to other products can have a positive effect and can effectively generate hype and consumer curiosity. Focusing on the unique and highlighting the dissimilarity and novelty of a product in a way that attracts curiosity is a certain method to improve popularity of a product, so this gives consumers the reason to know more and they will enter the shops to enquire about the product. Although celebrities are largely used in advertisements to endorse products or promote a brand, the celebrity culture affects only the youth strongly so the entire value of celebrity advertising may be a bit overrated. This will require a separate discussion on celebrity culture.

The final goal of all advertisers and promoters is to ensure that products and services sell and to increase sales and potential consumer interest creating curiosity is a first short term step while introducing a new product into the market. Retaining customer interest is a different ballgame and requires reputation of the brand, product quality, right pricing and continued high quality advertising to ultimately ensure success of the product.

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Intriguing Facts About The Human Brain

The human brain is one of the complicated organs in the human system, understanding how the brain works is a whole subject by itself. In fact research has never had a conclusive report of the functions of the brain. However, the available facts about the human brain can help anyone understand bits about the power of the brain. The brain has several organs charged with different functions; each organ functions determine how well activities are carried around the brain. For instance the frontal lobe has some organs which are charged to perform acts of feelings, memory etc.

So how does it work? Well, take for instance, an individual finds themselves inclined to sleep should lights go off when they are in a room, what happens in this scenario is that the brain produces some chemicals known as serotonin and dopamine to affect this effect. One should understand that this happens automatically. The brain controls an individual behaviors drive to achieve success and so on.

The brain is the controlling head of nervous system. A human brain is protected by thick bones of skull and weighs about 1.5 kg. Human brain is much larger than other mammals and its Cerebral Cortex (located in forebrain) is mainly responsible for most of the expansion. Forebrain's frontal lobes control the executive functions of human beings such as planning, controlling motivating and abstract thinking.

The Central purpose of the brain is to control the body's actions and reactions in response to other actions. It receives all the sensory information from the body and rapidly analyses it and then sends messages to the body organs as it is explained in the following lines:
(1) Our body's balance, posture and movements are controlled by Cerebellum
(2) The Brainstem controls our heart beat breathe and conscious related brain functions.
(3) Our special thinking and learning of routine life is controlled by neocortex.

Many scientists believe that the area located in the forehead of the brain (prefrontal cortex) has the key role in forming short-term memory. The evidence of this fact is that many types of scans like MRI and PET have shown that prefrontal cortex always appeared busy at the time of casualty. Prefrontao cortex holds a flexible storage of information that always has a relevance to the current in-hand task.

The most appealing thing is the connection between consciousness and the memory. A recollected observation is just real like a current memory experience. Anyway, discoveries and fact revealing about memory and the brain are still in progress and much more is expected to come to know about brain mysteries in the future.
As mentioned earlier, people can manipulate their brains to achieve desired success, it is very important for an individual to know how to take advantage of laws of attraction when it comes to personal development acts. Self help practices such as self affirmation acts play a great role when it comes to affecting lifestyle change, one should always think positive so as to achieve what they desire in life.

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The Three Tyrants - Bully Archetypes

In the old days bullying was a bizarre culture taken lightly, if not completely tolerated. There seems to be an adherence to the philosophy that the strong must conquer the weak. This is exactly the kind of ideology that breeds oppression in every facet of society we live in. As times changed, institutions always reformed and changes in civil conduct have often been for the better. It has been thus understood that the very reason as to why bullies get away with what they want is because the stooges, intentionally or not, have allowed themselves to be victimized. Throughout history, people always stand up to tyranny. The lessons brought by these heroes defining these legacies educate young generation in their schools. It is here that some of the strong and quick-witted young ones have learned at the earliest that one ought to stand up to them and put them in their place.

First rule of the ancient code of the Art of Warstates that one should, "know thyself, and know thy enemy, then a hundred engagements would be victorious." There are three types of bully archetypes and these are the following:

I. The Dumb Brute

A dumb brute very much explains itself literally. You see a lot of these types in movies featuring a huge barrel-chested individual with poor logic and speech command. However, for the purpose of this article we should not limit to the description of what we can immediately perceive. More than it's literal meaning, a dumb brute archetype, regardless of his or her physical attributes, signifies a persons incapability to see more than one perspective. One should expect that due to their poor intelligence and great lack of wisdom, they tend to see things either black or white, but nothing in between. They have extremely poor argumentative skills and when defeated in this area, they either retaliate through tantrums or violent physical outburst. Indeed, their lack of intelligence often seem intolerable to most people. They are great amusement tools to toy around for a cunning individual who wants to put them in their place, and anyone can be creative with punishing them. They are the most common and most benign compared to other bully archetypes.

II. The Narcissist

The most apparent thing about these bully archetypes is that the individuals classified under this persona are very arrogant and conceited. They are so full of themselves and they are willing to demonstrate their dominance over their victims. Unlike Dumb Brutes, the Narcissists have a very high level of charisma and they have a sense of purpose - to show others that they are inferior compared to them. They have beauty or talent or even both in their arsenal, and they illicit public approval in order to torment their victims. But a narcissist, in the eyes of the perceptive and wise, can always be seen as someone being tormented by his or her own insecurity. The one thing they fear the most is that someone else will surpass them. It is their worst nightmare. A narcissist bully can be put into his or her own place if someone explicitly can make him or her feel inferior about one thing.

III. The Archfiend

The arch-fiend is equivalent to someone with a mastermind personality. Compared to the Dumb Brute and the Narcissist, an Archfiend is someone who ought to be watched or kept at bay as much as possible. They are ruthless, especially in terms of mental abuse. They have a fairly high level of intelligence and they really exploit a victim's weak spot. They do not have a misplaced sense of importance like the Narcissist and the only reason why they victimize other is simply because they can get away with it. Their cunning have the makings of Hitler and Rasputin in them. In order to deal with them, one must be prepared for desperate and equally ruthless measures that may go beyond moral decency. These guys are mean enough to ruin one's life. They are sadists and they would never play fair. The very thing that gives them power is the fact that they believe they can get away with everything. It requires taxing dedication and energy to catch them red-handed with nefarious schemes, but it is worth the effort if one is determined to teach them a lesson. Despite their evil, they still fear persecution and judgment. It gets ugly for them if one does not simply chase them for the law, but rather have the law go after their heads.

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The Psychology of Closing

It is actually a twofold process: a) Don't talk too much; and b) Ask lots of questions so they are the ones doing all the talking.

When we ask lots of questions, particularly if they are open-ended (the most effective type), we experience several positive byproducts. First, our prospects have the opportunity to tell us exactly what their needs are. In sales, using questions to acquire this kind of information is often called "uncovering the hot button." How can you solve your prospects' problems if you don't know what their "hot buttons" are? This is key information if you are to turn your prospects into long-term raving fans.

The truth is, most people only have one or two key reasons for buying, and the more you talk, the more you diffuse the transaction's energy. The more you talk, the more wind you also take out of your sales. Your prospects really just wanted to come get a good deal; they didn't come to hear your discourse on the whole product line. Information overload is just going to overwhelm and confuse your prospects, and as the old sales adage goes, "A confused mind says 'NO'!"

As soon as your prospects are the ones grilling you, the tables have turned. You lost control. Consider the following question/answer scenarios and you'll see clearly that the individual asking the questions has control, while, perhaps surprisingly, the one doing all the talking does not have control: an employer interviewing for a job opening, a doctor preparing to diagnose a patient and an attorney questioning a witness. Your prospects want to feel that you have their best interest at heart and that you are mindful of their needs. Genuine interest will explode your ability to develop a relationship of trust and solidifying rapport.

The fifth reason for using questions in your selling strategy is that in discussing the issues that are important to your prospects, they are drawn more proactively into the conversation and thus become emotionally involved. Why do I consider an emotionally engaged prospect a positive, even necessary, thing? Emotions drive actions; they are the catalysts to closed deals. Emotions, however, provide the initial ignition. They incite action. Some buying personalities will be more logically inclined, but as a general rule, an emotionally engaged individual is much more compelled to purchase. In a nutshell, all buying decisions are emotional, while logic rationalizes the purchasing decision.

Another key component of successful closing psychology is the importance of acting with authority. This does not mean that you are arrogant or condescending toward your prospects. Your prospects have a need and they want it fulfilled competently. Think of a time when you were faced with an important buying decision. You could even look at the seller-buyer relationship as a student-teacher relationship. You are the doctor of sales. Hand in hand with the need to act with authority is the need to be assumptive. Assumption relates especially to the final stage of your close, when you're waiting to hear your prospect's final decision. Many salespeople hate this part of the selling transaction. How do you think this type of demeanor makes your prospects feel? Remember, a confused mind says "no."

If you're this type of salesperson, you've got to talk yourself through the process. Prospective buyers clearly want to buy; after all the time and energy they spend on trying to make a decision, they want you to confirm that their decision to purchase is a good one. You have to assume the sale. In other words, in your mind, it's already a done deal. By acting assumptive, you yourself will feel confident and more at ease, and consequently, you'll make your prospect feel much more comfortable, too. Once there, the dentist agrees that the tooth needs to come out. The man asks the dentist how much it will cost. The old man yelps and yells, "Two hundred fifty dollars to pull out a tooth?!!" The dentist smiles and says, "If it's the time you are worried about, I can take as long as you want." When planning and preparing your call to action, remember that the process does not have to be long and painful. The final component of successful closing psychology that I'm going to discuss here is the need for persistence. Calvin Coolidge said,

Successful people always have high levels of persistence, and don't give up until they have reached their objective. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Persistence, determination and hard work make the difference.

Successful closing comes down to numbers. Only by sifting and sorting through X number of prospects will you secure Y number of deals. In the sales industry, even amongst the most seasoned professionals, a 20 percent close rate is considered very successful. The question is, are most people persistent enough to make ten calls to get two winners? The answer is no, most people are not. Their first prospect falls through and they are distraught. That just isn't how the sales game works, however. The second part of persistence is not giving up prematurely.

You would be surprised how many sales come through because a rep approaches the prospect one more time. In light of this, it is more surprising still that over 70 percent of salespeople don't re-approach their prospect after the initial rejection. A lot of times when we get that initial "no," we just accept it because we assume the prospect has thought it through and come to an educated conclusion. People forget or get distracted. As you practice your closing skills, you'll become more and more adept at discerning the fine line between persistence and annoyance. My general rule of thumb is that if you detect even the remotest hint of interest, keep up your persistence.

Prospects can detect this nuance in your behavior, and nothing makes them run faster. Anytime a prospect senses your uneasiness, they will become equally uneasy, even if they are not sure why. In the sales industry, desperation showing through in your game is called "selling hungry." To help you understand exactly how desperation comes across to your prospects, think of the age-old reference to "wolves in sheep's clothing." Natural, positive and assumptive are your best bets in a persuasive situation.

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psychology of successful traders

Many traders don't realize that the trader's psychology is a key factor in differentiating a successful from an unsuccessful trader. This is most times taken lightly, but you should not. You must learn and understand as soon as possible that, the sooner you are able to control your emotion, the sooner you will start to profit. I believe that the investor's psychology is even more important than knowing and having all the other skills to trade in the market.

Jesse Livermore, considered one of the greatest traders that ever existed, faced bankruptcy at least four times because he ignore his own rules. Why would he ignore his own rules? It is not that he deliberately neglected them, but at some point with so much at stake, his emotions took over his mental control and he reacted in instinct without a proper and careful analysis of the situation. Don't get me wrong, instincts are also a mandatory skill to have if you want to become a profitable investor; but sometimes they can jeopardize your performance by making you take actions that maybe you wouldn't, if you were in a more relaxed and calm state of mind.

Jesse Livermore was one of the greatest and even he admits that every single time that he has lost big money in the stock market, it was because he disrespected his own rules. I'm not talking about small losses that every trader must get used to have, but those big losses that completely change the game and it might even end the game for you.

This psychology factor is the reason why only by trading with real money will teach you all the lessons that you must learn before becoming a prosperous trader. When real money is at stake, is like having all your worst fears coming to seat right next to you, watching that blinking screens with numbers flying around. Imagine what professional and big time traders must go through when they have a lot at stake and maybe are leveraged 20 to 1. No wonder why many professional traders and hedge fund managers have cardiac problems later on life.

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The Psychology of the Infomercial

Infomercials are a multi-billion dollar business ($150 billion in 2009) and a world wide phenomenon. The first infomercials ran strictly between the hours of 2-6am overnight. However, with the emergence of 24/7 cable t and dedicated shopping and infomercial channels, they've begin to become ingrained in the popular culture.

They've made instant stars out of their most visible and charasmatic "pitchmen" such as Ron Popeil, Billy Mays, Anthony Sullivan, Mrs Cleo, Mike Levey and numerous others. Even television and movie stars are re-invigorating their careers by sitting in as pitchmen.

To understand the psychology that drives the production of the infomercials we see today, the ones that have an uncanny means of mesmerizing and luring you into the pitch after only a few seconds, we have to think in terms of human psychology, and particularly the stimulus-response reaction that regulates dopamine levels in the brain:

Infomercials are designed and scripted to increase dopamine levels in your brain.

Infomercials take you on a thrill ride aimed right at your need to have the smartest solutions to common problems - They inform you about a problem you never had (or never really considered much of a problem), follow that by laying out an incredibly clever solution, and a flow of ever more fantastic product benefits, bonuses, and giveaways, all leading to the thrilling climactic reveal of an unbelievable low price. And they try their best to get you "buy in the next few minutes" because it only take 5 to 6 minutes for your dopamine levels to drop. It's all about the psychology of selling.

Slick production and hype on the level of the Hollywood blockbuster all in 30 minutes or less - the folks who produce infomercials can make a so-so product look simply Amazing! Actually about half of the infomercial products that are marketed on television deliver on their promise, 30 percent still deliver but are too expensive, and the rest are practically useless or junk.

The infomercial is here to stay. The economic numbers are just too great to ignore. For example, the ShamWow spot was produced on a mere $20k budget, but has garnered millions in sales as a result of the infomercial's appeal, and the charismatic delivery of its now infamous pitchman, Vince Offer.

The infomercial represents the extreme manifestation of capitalism, instant gratification for $19.95 (plus a small shipping and handling charge).

You gotta love it.

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Psychology Explores Human Interaction And Motivations

By definition, psychology is the science of explaining mental processes and behavior. Our world is constantly changing; people are interacting more than ever with each other due to the world wide web, which is providing a new source of communication. More colleges and universities are now making it mandatory for students to take courses in human behavior in order to promote a better perception of the different cultures being brought closer together by the advancement in technology.

An introduction into the area of psychology covers many different aspects of this field, allowing students to explore that which they are most interested in and or might want to specialize in. Many times students who are required to take this class think they will be bored, then discover they are fascinated with the content and decide to take an advanced course to learn more. It is also possible to study this area through online courses, which can be very useful for people who are planning to work in (or are already in) a job that involves interacting with people.

Basic knowledge of why we do the things we do can be applied to all aspects of our lives and can prove to be invaluable when dealing with difficult situations - no matter in what area they occur. Students who wish to work in the area of human resources need to understand a wide variety of issues such as hiring, job loss, and resolving conflicts, which can be found in this diverse field. How we think, communicate, and behave - including human sexuality - is part of this entry level course study.

Mental health problems such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and eating disorders are explored. The signs and symptoms, ways in which to diagnose the illness, the related course of treatment, and the prognosis are also covered in the curriculum. That science is used in all aspects of psychology can come as a surprise to many students. This is seen in neuroscience, which studies the physical makeup of the brain in conjunction with the various processes that occur with decision making and other behavioral patterns of life.

In today's psychology, there are two main areas of concentration. The first is the study of the diverse subtopics - such as personality and social development - which is referred to as Academic Psychology. The second is known as Applied Psychology, which puts varies principles into practice to resolve real world problems.

There are also sub-fields and specialty areas that exist within the field of psychology; an example of this is Cognitive Psychology, which is the study of human thought process or Industrial-Organizational Psychology that uses research to increase work performance, and various ways to select a possible future employee. One of the more recent popular areas is Forensic Psychology, which is used in the legal and criminal justice system. Also becoming more in demand is Social psychology, which includes the behavior of groups and nonverbal forms of communication.

Of course, the typical role of psychologist and patient still exists. With advanced and new research into old theories, the importance of the clinical setting remains high. Also with these progresses, many more job opportunities are possible for psychologist such as in the area of sports, the media, and human aging.

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Using Psychology to Get Your Ex Girlfriend Back

When you're talking about using psychology to get your ex girlfriend back, the kind of psychology you'll want to use is "reverse psychology." Reverse psychology works like this: 

Because of things you've said or done since you broke up, your ex girlfriend already has a clue that you want to get her back. She knows you're going to say and do additional things, to try and make it happen. With these expectations, she doesn't really take what you say and do at face value. Instead, she's thinking anything you do is all part of your plan to win her back.

Her defenses are up. Her mistrust is her shield. So you need to do the opposite of what she's expecting. By doing the opposite -- or reverse -- you defeat her resistance and take her shield away. For instance: When you run into her, be friendly and open at the start, and then become casual and vague as your conversation continues. Don't be a jerk, or act uncaring -- just refrain from talking about how you still want her, or how you wish you could get back together.

Behave as if you're doing well without her. Even if it's not true, pretend you're having a really great day. Stay relaxed, and portray yourself as a guy who's got his act together -- as somebody who's happy with the way his life is going. Can you see what's important here? 

You have to convey your sense of satisfaction and happiness with your current situation. If you don't, using psychology to get your ex girlfriend back will not work.

She's got to buy your self-assured act, and decide you're not desperate to win her back after all. You should stay calm while you talk to her, without seeming too anxious or eager. Just be cool, collected and polite. If you can make the act work, it will have a confusing effect on her. Your girlfriend won't know what to think of this tactic, and will let her guard down right away, since she is not expecting you to display such an attitude of indifference.

Think about it: How can she justify conflict with you? You aren't acting like an adversary, so there's no point in struggling. You're not her opponent, so there's no reason to raise a shield. You're not making any attempt to convince her that you guys should get back together; you're just serene, unstressed, and clearly able to do just fine without her.

So much for her equilibrium! Becoming off-balance, she'll become more and more alert and tuned into you, because now she'll be obsessed with figuring out what you're thinking. She will pay a whole lot more attention to you than if you had tried some more obvious strategy for getting her back. She'll try to make sense of it all. Before too long, she'll put pieces together and conclude that your desire to get back together with her is far stronger than you're letting on. You won't have to do the convincing, because she'll start selling herself on the possibility. Your ex will let her imagination start rolling along, and that imagination of hers is the best ally you can find.

This reverse psychology -- it all has to do with the female ego. Her sense of self-esteem makes her not want to lose a chance at finding Mr. Right. It would be disastrous if you were her one true love, and she failed to give you a chance. So you, standing there acting like it's no big deal if you can't get back together with her -- you're just provoking her greater attention. She becomes aggressively interested in you.

Using psychology to get your ex girlfriend back works, but you can't forget the hard part.

What is that? The hard part is that you, yourself, might not be ready to play the role you need to play. If you're still emotional about your breakup -- still tearful and unable to concentrate or think about anything except what you have lost -- then you aren't steady enough to act like the cool, self-assured ex who can take her or leave her.

You need to prepare yourself. There are steps you can take to get yourself back in condition, ready to approach your ex girlfriend and use the necessary psychological tricks.

Get yourself together first, and make your plan.

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Using Color Psychology to Sell Your Home

When painting your home for resale, choosing the right colors can make a huge difference in your paycheck at closing. For instance, did you know that the exterior color of houses selling most quickly is a certain shade of yellow, but that choosing the wrong shade of yellow can kill a sale?

You'll find many brochures in paint stores, showing various combinations of exterior paint colors. But most people don't realize that most of those combinations actually include three colors, and not just two. Limiting your exterior paint scheme to just two colors also limits your income potential.

For a fast sale, think fun colors and go for a third, or even a fourth, exterior color. Think "Disneyland Main Street," where every shop is painted in glorious multi-colors. Adding more colors will also add definition to the various architectural details of your home. Use gloss or semi-gloss paint on wood trim.

The Psychology of Exterior Colors

When choosing exterior colors, take the sales price of your home into account. Certain colors, especially muted, complex shades, attract wealthy or highly-educated buyers, whereas buyers with less income or less education generally prefer simpler colors. A complex color contains tints of gray or brown, and usually requires more than one word to describe, such as "sage green," as opposed to "green."

On the other hand, simple colors are straightforward and pure. Generally, houses in the lower price range sell faster and for higher prices when painted in simple colors like yellow or tan, accented by white, blue, or green trim.

The Psychology of Interior Colors

Using colored, rather than bland, white walls will increase your profit potential. Lynette Jennings tested the perception of room size and color, and discovered that a room painted white appeared only appeared larger to a few people when compared to an identical room painted in color - and the perceived difference was only about six inches! Most people also look better when surrounded by color, and feel happier, and since buyers pick houses that make them feel happy, that knowledge can put dollars in your pocket at closing!

Entryways should bring the exterior colors into the house. Repeating shades of the exterior throughout your home will make the entire home seem to be in harmony. Living and family rooms painted in a slightly lighter shade of the exterior color will ensure that you've picked a color your buyers like, because if they didn't like your exterior colors, they wouldn't have bothered to look inside. If they loved the exterior colors, they'll love the interior, too.

When choosing interior colors, consider the use of each room. For instance, kitchen and dining areas that are painted in "food colors," such as coffee browns, celery greens, and scrambled egg yellows, feel natural.

Since, deeper shades of color imply intimacy and serenity, I like to paint master bedrooms a medium shade of green or blue for warm selling seasons, and rouge red for cooler weather. Other bedrooms can be painted in creamy tones of green, blue, or a pale shell pink. (See the chapter on the Psychology of Color in my book "Joy to the Home: Secrets of Interior Design Psychology" for further information.)

Selling Season

Always consider your selling season (the time of year you'll be marketing your home) and climate when choosing colors. Estimate the amount of time you'll need to get your home ready for sale, and then add on extra days for unexpected delays. Use cool colors, such as blues, greens, and grays, to sell during spring and summer, and warm colors, such as yellows, reds, and maroons, when selling in the fall and winter.

Color Intensity

My husband and I usually use lighter colors when painting the exteriors of our investment dollhouses, because it makes them appear larger. On the other hand, our cabin in the woods looks richer when painted a darker color. When we decided to have it painted, I considered the usual cabin colors of dark brown and barn red, but fell in love with Olympic's gorgeous "Gooseberry" plum color.

When getting ready to paint your house, look at the colors of neighboring houses and choose colors that harmonize, yet stand out from the crowd. Colors that clash badly with other houses will detract from the overall neighborhood.

At the beginning of the article, I told you that homes with yellow exteriors sell the quickest. But which shade of yellow sells best? First, the yellows to avoid: yellows with green undertones look sickly to most buyers, and yellows with orange undertones give buyers an impression of cheapness.

The best-selling yellow exterior color is actually a pale, sunny yellow, especially when complimented with one or more carefully-chosen accent colors. For instance, a semi-gloss white trim will give your home a clean and fresh look, and adding a third color, such as green, can make your home even more attractive to prospective buyers.

Colors affect human beings in many ways, and by using the principles of Color Psychology, you can make your home stand out from the competition, sell more quickly, and at a higher price.

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The Psychology of Etiquette

On the role of collective unconscious in etiquette psychology and the social, cultural, historical and psychological dimensions of etiquette

Etiquette is closely related to culture as cultures provide the code of conduct and thus lay the foundation for the basic pattern of social interaction. Etiquette relates to what is socially appropriate and is very socially grounded whereas manners could be more generalized. The psychology of etiquette has to analyze social customs according to psychological principles and how etiquette or codes of behavior have developed from the collective consciousness.

Psychologically etiquette is dependent on

1. Culture and Customs of nations
2. Collective Consciousness of the people

Culture and customs define the social appropriateness of etiquette and the collective unconscious provides the foundation on which etiquette could be developed or explained. The collective consciousness is a repository of emotions or experiences of the past and especially experiences of the ancestors or people who have lived within a society and these experiences are carried over in some form to the present generation. Usually the collective consciousness is felt through a sense of shared time, shared past, shared emotions, shared history, and a sense of shared responsibility.

In psychoanalysis, collective unconscious has been referred to a part of the psyche of humanity and other life forms that seem to organize collective experiences. Carl Jung suggested that along with our personal individual consciousness, there is a collective unconscious in the psyche that is universal and impersonal in nature. In order to understand etiquette, we have to understand how the collective unconscious helps shape our taboos, traditions and perception of what is right and wrong. In fact etiquette directly relates to perception and judgment and though not morally derived could be based on deep rooted moral beliefs of a culture. These moral residues have been transmitted through generations and ingrained in the collective psyche of nations. Customs develop from these collective thoughts and perceptions and these customs tend to create the etiquette.

Etiquette relates to behaving appropriately or following certain norms or patterns of behaviour and it is psychological in its manifestation as etiquette is based on customs or traditions and perceptions dependent on the collective psyche and unconscious. Jungian psychology in fact could explain a lot of customs and patterns within cultural schemas or manifestations of cultural taboo and perceptions. Thus it could also form the basis of a cultural and etiquette psychology.

Etiquette Psychology could involve understanding of:

1. The Collective unconscious as it relates to the development of traditions and beliefs within a culture
2. The individual or personal unconscious as it relates to perception of beliefs and using these as the basis of behaviour
3. Individual behaviour as it relates to following certain perceived beliefs
4. Collective behaviour as an aggregate of individual perceptions and forming collective cultural norms and etiquette

The flow chart is given as:

collective unconscious - personal unconscious - individual behaviour - collective behaviour - culture and customs - etiquette

Etiquette is thus a product of culture and customs built through collective behaviour and derived from the foundation of collective unconscious. All these elements seem to be interrelated in etiquette psychology.

Any etiquette psychology will have to trace how collective unconscious relates to personal unconscious and leads to collective and individual behaviour. This could be further studied to show how culture and customs are related to etiquette and rules.

The four main aspects of Etiquette are social, cultural, historical and psychological. In developing a theory of etiquette which will have to be closely related to cultural and social aspects, the historical and psychological dimensions will have to be considered as well.

Social - The social dimensions in the development of etiquette are about studying the social systems and how these affect the development and perception of traditions. For example tribal societies thrive on collective action and in some cases tribes work in groups for their basic sustenance and for fulfilment of their basic needs. In individualistic societies, etiquette and customs may develop in accordance with social systems as in civilized societies consuming food without offering others is well within etiquette although in societies that thrive on group activity, this may not be considered appropriate. Thus etiquette in general develops in accordance with social systems and is based on attitudes people hold and their belief systems. These aspects of etiquette are generalized and could be found in many similar societies and are the basis of distinguishing uncivilized-civilized societies, tribal-non tribal societies, eastern-western societies and so on. Social aspects of etiquette are thus always the basis of broader generalizations.

Cultural - The cultural dimensions of etiquette is the next stage of development of etiquette and unlike the social aspects of etiquette are less generalized and more specific according to cultural focus. For example eating all the food offered is considered acceptable and encouraged in Japanese and American cultures but considered gluttony in Arab cultures. Tipping is almost expected in some Asian, Middle Eastern and African nations although in Japan it is considered rude if you leave a tip. These are specific forms of etiquette and cultural dimensions or aspects of etiquette distinguish cultures and societies on narrower levels. These distinctions based on cultural aspects of etiquette are specific or narrow as the distinction between Japanese and Arab etiquette or Chinese and Indian etiquette, French and Greek etiquette and so on. These culture specific aspects of etiquette could be studied by understanding customs and cultures and would form deeper level analysis highlighting cultural dimensions and focus on issues such as dress code to eating habits. In fact culture specific etiquette are more about habit formation and less dependent on belief systems which are more generalized as belief systems could be common across cultures.

Historical - The historical aspects of culture are directly interwoven in the development of etiquette and this is where collective psyche and collective behaviour are important. Cultural and social history could be relevant in forming etiquette and determine attitudes and behaviour. Social history could be relevant for regions and wider societies as the history of a region determines the pattern of thought in a collective society and also suggests the future direction. For example the history of Britain has been marked by the reign of the British Empire and this has consequently shaped patterns of behaviour and etiquette that are more in accordance with a culture of monarchy. These behaviours and etiquette that was ingrained in the people many years back are carried over to this day.

Psychological - The psychological dimensions of etiquette would have to consider Jungian perspectives of collective unconscious and the dynamics of collective behaviour. What are the unconscious motivations for behaving in a certain way at a social rather than individual level? Why do people behave in similar ways when they encounter similar emotions? The psychological aspects of etiquette would involve studying emotions as they relate to culture and customs and how emotions form customs and how customs bring out

emotions in a subtle way. The link between emotions and etiquette could be studied both in

an individual/personal level or a collective societal level.

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Child Psychology - Explained

As adults, we may have had some psychological problems that we dealt with. These issues are typically normal because we undergo stress and fatigue at some point of our lives. Children might not have that kind of stress or problems because they are still young, but still they need some of the psychological help when it calls.

Young minds can also be affected with psychological problems that can trigger their behaviors. One of the most influential events that can affect to the psychological being of a child is their memories. When they are presented tragic events that are difficult for them to understand, they tend to have that memory until they grow up. It will be a reason for them to develop a specific personality. Child psychology is what helps us see and find out all these signs.

Whenever a child is introduces to a new environment, perhaps a chance of school, they will have that feeling of lack of self esteem. They are not that open to meeting new people at a sudden time. They might feel really down and stressed at first. It will take time depending on the child how quick he can adopt such situation.

Also, children are often being afraid of their dreams which they do not understand. If a child had a dream which terrifies him too much, he will then be afraid to go to sleep knowing he might dream of that again. In child psychology, there are methods for them to do in order to cure these thoughts in a child. It can be that the certain dream he had has a relevant with his everyday experiences. Each of the dreams may have meanings he does not understand but the specialist will. When our child has these sorts of problems, it is better for him to be consulted to a psychologist right away.

Children that are not properly cured can end up being mentally challenged. They can also be irritable, angry, and uncontrolled. Their behavior can worsen if not treated immediately.

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Mental Health Disorders on the Rise Again

There has been much talk about the mental disorder issue in the United States. Even President Obama has discussed it, and yet I wonder if there's really a huge mental disorder problem in the United States, or if perhaps the massive amount of stress, and new paradigm of online social networking is just bringing it out in the open more. Let's go ahead and discuss this for a moment, because as the coordinator for a think tank, which operates online I believe it's a serious issue that deserves some dialogue here.

According to a very interesting article with all the research data to back it up in Science News Magazine published on October 10, 2009 titled; "In the News - Mental Disorders More Widespread than Estimated - Study comes as Psychiatrists Reevaluate Diagnostic Manual," By Bruce Bower - it seems that disorders are the norm, and most everyone has at least one, according to psychologists. Psychiatrists agree and that's rather unfortunate considering they have the ability to prescribe pharmaceuticals isn't it?

The article also suggests that perhaps, all of these disorders which we are now able to label are not Disorders at all, but rather different ways the human brain can't think. If we go out of our way to call everything other than a mild bland personality - a disorder, then we deny what it is to be human. And in that case perhaps we are making a mistake with all this. And I'd like to point out that we already have too many pharmaceuticals in our educational system, too many people that have been labeled ADHD, and it seems we are not approaching these issues correctly.

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Soccer Psychology - The Difference Between Winning and Losing

In today's game of soccer most would argue that the most important person in a team is the coach. But a new position has arisen from the depths of the grandstand and his importance has significantly increased. Can you guess who it is?

Big clubs all over the world are employing Sports psychologists for help and some have even put them on as full time staff. Sports psychology has become the next boom industry as clubs and coaches have discovered the power of soccer psychology.

The difference between winning and losing at the highest level can be separated by a thin white line. All players are extremely fit, skillful, strong and quick. But how many players are confident and mentally strong? Clubs have discovered this and have added psychology to their growing list of weapons.

Players these days have pushed their physical capabilities to the limit and the competitive edge has virtually flattened out. That's until mental warfare stepped in with the arrival of soccer psychology.

Science has proven that psychology and the right mindset influences and improves soccer performance. Sports psychology also identifies weaknesses and offers counseling to players who might be suffering from a lack of confidence and low self-esteem. They can also monitor motivational levels within a team and assess the whole team on an individual basis.

Soccer psychologists can also identify the different personalities within the team and ensure that these personalities don't clash and work together. Remember, a champion team will always beat a team of champions. Soccer psychologists make the transition from a team to a championship team look very simple. By correcting the mindset of the players and increasing the player's confidence the dream of winning silverware becomes a reality.

Soccer over the years has claimed its fair share of victims. Players that have lost all confidence and cannot perform at the levels required have inevitably been shown the door at their respective clubs. How can we stop this? Most players that have lost their confidence also suffer from low self esteem. With low self esteem comes the nerves and anxiety. If you have this problem within your team, the use of a soccer psychologist will solve all your problems. They will help your players relax and also use mental imagery to build on their shattered confidence without even touching a soccer ball.

Sports psychology has been directly linked to team spirit. The greater the team spirit, the greater chance you have of winning trophies. That's why we see the smaller clubs of Europe beating some of the heavy weights in the champion's league. Are the players better at the smaller clubs? Or do they have team spirit? From watching the champion's league, it's clearly evident what the smaller clubs lack in talent they make up in spirit and confidence.

The main purpose of psychology in soccer is to prevent the players feeling like failures when they lose. By eliminating this feeling, psychologists are protecting the players self esteem. Could self esteem and confidence be the secret ingredient all the big clubs share?

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Discover a First-Rate Method of Overcoming Stress: Using the New Self-Help Cures!

Don't hesitate. Start enjoying your life again before it's too late!

Do you suffer from debilitating anxiety and stress? Millions of Americans do. Stress, panic and anxiety are toxic and tears on you, leaving you tired, depleted, and hopeless.

Over time, stress grows, like a cancer, causing you to feel futile, confused, tense and unhappy. You probably have trouble focusing and staying alert because stress can make it tough to concentrate.

Relieving stress is an urgent need if you want to live a happier, more relaxed life. Recovering from stress can help you achieve more, prevent illness and enjoy life more fully.

Red Flags: Do you feel sluggish or do you feel focused and alert in the mornings? Do you enjoy waking up or would you rather continue sleeping as long as possible?

Until recently, the only treatment options for those feeling stressed out have been counseling, psychotherapy or medication. Some people suggest lifestyle modifications, including exercise, breathing exercises, or special diets.

Unfortunately, some of these require a burdensome investment of time and effort. Others obligate you to spill your guts to a stranger, while others are very expensive and others expose you to the possibility of dangerous side-effects. That's why the development of cognitive behavioral therapy is all the more amazing.

A variety of mood-enhancing psychological tools currently exist, but none has proven more impressive then the new technique called cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. It is the one technique that is recommended by researchers and insurance companies alike because of its remarkable effectiveness.

Research has demonstrated dramatic results in reducing anxiety.
CBT works by combining the most effective mood-enhancing interventions available with several new state-of-the-art techniques that have demonstrated impressive results in clinical studies.

CBT provides much-needed improvements in your thinking and in your ability to accurately evaluate troubling issues. When this unfolds, you will start to view issues calmly, accurately and in perspective, rather than in an extreme, panicky or catastrophic way.

This dramatically reduces the effects of your stress, and helps to regulate your sleep and appetite in a healthy direction.
Using Self-Therapy Kits, or STKs, CBT is delivered to you, using a first-rate self-help format.

CBTs proven interventions are delivered in a self-contained multimedia format which may include any or all of the following: DVDs, MP3s, e-books, workbooks, videos etc. They are self-paced, inexpensive and can be used anytime in the privacy and comfort of your own home.

There are no strangers to spill your guts to and no exposure to the dangerous side-effects of medication. It takes only a few days for STKs to begin working and the results can be dramatic.

STKs provide psychological education and use guided imagery, behavioral exercises and methods to accurately monitor your progress in order to reduce the impact of your stress. These are educational materials and, therefore, there are no side-effects, prescriptions or doctor visits with which to contend.

What if you are already in some form of counseling?

If you're already in counseling, using them simultaneously could shorten the time required for your symptoms to be eliminated. Using an STK while engaging in treatment may boost both the speed and quality of your recovery.

How do you find these inexpensive self-therapy kits?

Just go to the internet and search; be sure to study the brochures carefully. The benefits of STKs are wide-ranging and include improved focus, alertness, and an enthused and positive mood.

Rather than feeling drowsy or spaced, your stress and anxiety is replaced with an optimistic, energized and positive outlook.

Some of the benefits of STKs include:

-Dramatically relieves stress and anxiety

-Deepens relaxation and deeply calms your mood

-Energizes your focus and alertness

-Promotes a long-lasting positive mood and outlook on life

STKs are remarkable therapeutic and educational tools that transform your thinking patterns into an uplifting and positive trajectory. There are no unwanted side effects and unlike other therapies, they are inexpensive, convenient and easy to use.

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The Truth About Behaviour, Emotions and Emotional Intelligence

After over 10 years in studying human behaviour from the psychological and the sociological perspectives in detail I am left with only one conclusion and that is that human behaviour is not governed by the cognitive functioning domain, but human behavior is governed by the inner soul of man, which technically speaking means the Inner Interactive System of man. The main reason that we are not governed by our thinking is because each of us have the ability to choose, whatever we want unless we take away the ability to rationalize through different chemicals or drugs.

Proof of this lies in the scientific facts that we all have unique finger prints, DNA, looks, hair, voices and so many other unique features that makes evolution of a unique person impossible, especially due to the number of different molecules and atoms that have to come together; all at the same time in order to become functional. We cannot have man evolving piece by piece over millions of years. Man cannot live for more than 50 days without food and less than 6 days without water. So the whole inner system of man to come together and function holistically with some big bang theory and evolving over millions of years is totally impossible.

Lets now get back to emotions and emotional functioning. The fact that man is uniquely different makes him a very illusive creature to pin down and understand his behavior. It is fairly simple to understand the holistic make up of man scientifically and the medical sciences have proved to be fairly proficient in these areas. The illusive part of man is the way he thinks and behaves; this is most challenging to the sciences and thereby makes it totally impossible to create a social norm or a normal individual.

Behavior and the expression thereof is totally different in every single individual. To be able to rationalize human behavior, we need to look at the holistic person; as every individuals finger print, DNA, looks etc are all different in every scenario. Behavior is therefore the illusive part of the psychological discipline as it is the psychologist who claim to be the experts in this field.

I have found that many of them become both insulting and aggressive; when I pointed out the fact and proved to them that they are lacking the understanding of the word unique. If something is unique it is impossible to ever be normal. The whole psychological discipline is based on Social norms. Behavior can never be diagnosed as normal, however people could have numerous similarities and I think the impossibility of being normal is an embarrassment to the psychological fraternities doctrine, as science has proven the exact opposite.

Although Psychology has marketed themselves under the medical sciences, their degree is not a science degree it is an arts degree. Behavior can never be a science as there are no starting points or ending point for it to be classified as a science; as everyone's behavior in the same environment or different environments are completely different to each other.

How a person behaves is not necessarily what he feels and what he feels can only be expressed through an emotion or emotional functioning if you please. So emotions are secondary to the cause of the emotion. So how does one come to a rational discipline called Emotional Intelligence? The only rationality that would make any sense, is if one uses a social norm as a standard from which the emotional intelligence can be established from?

However, what you feel is often not necessarily expressed at all, but only expressed to the extent that a person wants to portray themselves through an emotional expression or reaction, meaning that the expression of the inner feeling through emotions cannot be relied upon when trying to understand peoples behavior. This is why we have introverts and extroverts. These people are labeled due to their intensity of expression, and not on their true inner picture or feelings. This creates false perceptions.

The big question then would be: Do we understand what we mean when we talk about "The Mind"; which in reality is made up of the Cognitive, Physical, Emotional and the Conative (Will Power) functioning holistically all in harmony with each other, but with different functioning purposes all under the control of self, mostly expressed as "me" or "I"? The truth is we have so many different theories about human functioning; that the most predominant whom marketed their theories very effectively was Psychiatry and Psychology. The point is that these are Psychological theories and not a science and can never be a science although marketed under the pretence that it is a science.

The original intentions of psychologist was to study mans holistic behaviour, but sadly the industry has lost the initial understanding and have focussed more on the cognitive functioning of man. Now although psychiatry has been the best at marketing the theory, they definitely have lost the plot by focusing on the thinking (cognitive functioning) of man. You will hear that they claim that the mental aspect of man (Cognitive) is predominant and whereby they have reversed the process intentionally. I know there is a hidden agenda behind their theory.

Their discipline was changed in 1961 and thereafter they concentrate on the mental aspect and the name mental was adopted and marketed to mean that the cognitive functioning was the controlling factor in human behavior. Well it is very easy to prove that is a myth and totally untrue. It does not matter what I am thinking I still have a power called Free Choice which is based on what my belief system are and those beliefs, likes and dislikes are called personal standards. So if I believe that I should have integrity and honesty I would choose to do be honest by behaving and doing the right thing.

Depending on the intensity of importance of a belief or construct, this would determine what we would choose to do, as there are millions of different thought processes that go on in our Brain or Cognitive function every day, but ultimately the choice rests on our personal values and not the cognitive functioning. Some of these "experts" have focussed their attention on emotions and called their discipline "Emotional Intelligence" meaning that they perceive that emotions can be used to quantify or understand behavior.

Now let us analyze the word "Mind" and what does it mean: This is one true definitions and it is pretty well-defined and fairly descriptive: safe to say it has been misconstrued and been misinterpreted intentionally in order to market false doctrine;... anyway here is the true definition: "Mind" - "The human consciousness that originates in the brain and is manifested especially in thought, perception, emotion, will, memory, and imagination" - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mind.

The definition includes all parts of the holistic functioning which are: Cognitive Functioning, Emotional functioning, Conative functioning (Will Power) and Physical functioning (Behavior). Please notice that consciousness originates in the brain because it is the organ that gives us the ability to rationalize and reason information effectively. However, when one talks about the mind it should mean the holistic functioning or behavior of man.

There is a lot of confusion here, because the decision-making process is done within the Soul called (Me, I, My, Self,) The brain rationalizes information and allows us to reasons effectively, but the fact remains that "I" still have the ability to act upon that information through the choices I make. So if "I" use "My" ability and choose to do something then it is plain logic that my behavior is governed by "Me" and not the brain. So if "I" say that "I" have made up my mind then one must understand that "I" have chosen a certain option which my brain may or may not agree with.

Therefore, the theory that I am governed by my thoughts is not true, I am governed by my belief system between what is right or wrong, good or bad, likes and dislikes. These beliefs are called Personal Values, and these personal values sets the standard whereby "I" would make different choices or decisions. So the brain and the soul interact with each other. If I believe something to be right I would choose what I believe to be right or wrong resulting in my "Behavior" and that behavior is expressed through my emotions. I therefore express my inner feelings or reactions through emotions.

Man has a unique tool called "Conative functioning" meaning the power to over rule the emotional, cognitive and physical functioning and this behavior is commonly known as "Will Power" often described as perseverance ability. Therefore the mind is not only been falsely perceived as solely "cognitive" functioning, instead of the "holistic functioning" of a person which needs to be clearly differentiated from the present perceptions or understanding that has been portrayed through the psychological theory as Cognitive or mental behavior.

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Verbal Impulse or Word Vomit?

A few years ago while I was on my lunch break at work, I opened the door to the break room and stopped dead in my tracks with my mouth agape and my eyes wide, staring at the girl on the other side. "Oh my-- Ew!" I blurted. The girl had the worst set of teeth I had ever seen. My first thought was that she was wearing those hillbilly teeth that can be bought from the quarter machines in the grocery store. They were crooked and brownish-yellow, and stuck out at odd angles from her overbite. She must have been self-conscious about them because she seemed to know exactly why I had made my rude remark. She looked so hurt and disappointed I wanted to cry. But instead, I merely nodded to her and walked on through the door as if nothing had happened.

I didn't mean to humiliate the poor girl, but unfortunately for her, my mouth tends to override my mind, especially when I'm caught off guard. And, unfortunately for me, my verbal impulsivity happens quite frequently and often ends embarrassingly for others, as well as myself.

Everyone experiences impulsive behaviors occasionally, but for some the impulses come with much more frequency. When the impulses only happen occasionally it sometimes feels nice to just give into them. It's fun, right? But for people who suffer from disorders such as bipolar disorder or ADHD, among many others, the impulses occur way too often, particularly the verbal ones. It's unclear what precisely causes the impulsivity in individuals with these disorders, but I've read that researchers believe that out- of-whack dopamine levels (chemicals in the brain) may be the culprit.

In today's society, people who speak their mind seem to get a certain level of respect, but sometimes the respect is not worth the consequences. A lot of times the speaker is left feeling horrible and regretful for whatever it was they've said. I've been in many situations in which I verbalize my thought without even being aware of it, and then kicked myself hard in the rear afterwards. If a friend asks, "do these pants make my butt look big?", most people would say no, regardless of the truth. But someone like me may volunteer the painful information that their butt does, indeed, look enormous, without even being asked their opinion. Of course, the friend is absolutely crushed and will likely have a complex about their big rump afterwords, not to mention ill feelings towards the insulter. Consequences can be a little worse than a scorned friend, though. I've been suspended and even expelled from school, simply because I hadn't the ability to keep my big mouth shut.

My verbal impulses can be controlled to an extent, so long as I'm not caught off guard. But people only notice when I can't control them. My mom used to say, "For God's sake, Jazzie! Why can't you just hush for once?" Easier said than done there, Mom. It's at times like these the impulse bus has made an abrupt stop in front of me, and no matter how quickly I slam on the brakes, I still end up in a horrible collision that sends me and my unintended victim to the proverbial E.R. Just as no one plans to be in a real collision, I don't plan for my words to hurt anyone's feelings. I don't even realize what I'm saying until the words have crossed my lips and it's too late to suck them back in.

Though Some might see my verbal impulsivity as being out-spoken, frank or simply honest, I, personally, like to call it "word vomit". Whatever its label, the aftermath can be humiliating for everyone involved, and may hinder personal, social, or business relationships. Even though the girl with the bad teeth finally forgave me after a few months of deadly looks, I feel that my word vomit may have annihilated any chance we might have had at a friendship.

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Psychology and Classroom Management

There are different fields of psychology each assuming a study of different aspect of human behaviour as it relates to social, mental, emotional and developmental issues. Whilst clinical psychology looks at diagnosing and treating disorders of the brain, emotional disturbances and behaviour problems, child psychology looks at the mental and emotional development of the child and is also a part of developmental psychology which takes into consideration the study of change in behaviour that occurs throughout the lifespan of the child.

Cognitive psychology looks at how the human mind receives and interprets impressions and ideas while social psychology examines how the actions of others influences the behaviour of an individual (Webster's New World Medical Dictionary).

Consequently there are several schools of thought on the subject and countless tests, assessments and research have been carried out in these different branches of psychology, each addressing issues and causes as they relate to human behaviour. The branch of psychology relating to the child however has seen a great deal of interest over the years. Understanding the mystery that is the child has been the subject of endless studies and debate. Out of this has emerged a great spotlight on the family hence greater recognition is placed on the impact of various family related factors on the overall development and social interaction of the child. Some of these factors include the roles of parents or guardians, spousal separation. Children are seen as vulnerable beings who are therefore easily affected by changes to their 'familiar'. Since these impacts so greatly on the child, quite a lot of children enter the school system each year plagued with varying behavioural issues. These issues as we will come to see later on can have dire consequences for the child as well as those having responsibility for the child.

The idea that children are extremely complex individuals is brought out in the emphasis that psychologists place on childhood studies.On the one hand are those children who are anxious and afraid while on the other are the ones with aggression and deceit. However there are also those who do not fall into either of these groupings. From some of the highlighted studies carried out in different parts of Britain, it was found that the percentages of school age children who are considered as having behaviour problems is quite high with some studies showing as high as 33% in combined levels of behaviour difficulties. These problems are as varying in types and levels as they are in root causes among which are gender and class. Some of these problems are seen from quite an early age and while some children will grow out of it others will continue to display difficult traits for quite some time. This may to a great extent depend on the cause of the problem. It becomes obvious that the role of the teacher can offer a situation that in itself can be quite a complex and daunting task especially for an individual who has no understanding of psychology as it relates to the child.

Having the knowledge of how and why children react the way they do to certain situations,and understanding how and why they are influenced by the people and situation created by their environment, will undoubtedly assist the classroom practitioner in assessment of and planning to meet the needs of these children. An understanding of how the classroom situation may offer challenges particularly to younger children is crucial to helping children adjust to and consequently enjoy their school life.

It is however in understanding the behaviour and more importantly the root cause of it that any individual can begin to address it in the appropriate context. Barnes proposes two contrasting perspective on behaviour as it relates to children with difficulty.The first from a medical point of view where the child's behavior is inherent while on the other hand the problems are borne out of the social situation of which the child is a part. Whether or not either of these models is in fact correct is not very relevant but presents the idea that difficulty in children can be borne out of various contributing factors. Also, he highlights the idea that a "difficult" child can be something of a perception on what difficulty is. For one individual a child may be problematic while for another who is able to identify certain traits and characteristics, the child is perfectly normal and manageable.

The term difficult is quite relative. Difficulty in children will therefore manifest itself in different ways /forms and to different individuals. In this respect one might question whether this is indeed a difficult child or is it rather that the child is relating to different situations and individuals in a different way, testing the boundaries perhaps? An individual who is firm and set certain boundaries for the child may find it far easier to deal with that child than one who is more relaxed and does not set clear boundaries. Then again there are those children who because of some of the factors mentioned before, will display difficult behaviour.This behaviour will manifest itself in different ways. While some troubled children are withdrawn and shy others will act out their insecurities in a totally different way often being boisterous and angry, refusing to conform to requirements. Some of the common factors that often manifest itself in school age children are tantrums, withdrawal, and refusal to conform among others.

It is in understanding the groupings children's behavior is generally classified into that the teacher will be able to cope in the classroom.

One of the key roles of the teacher apart from the ability to teach is the ability to maintain class control which involves managing behaviour in the classroom. As mentioned before, classroom behaviour will manifest itself in different ways. This involves children who refuse to do as asked, including completing tasks, children who are constantly out of their seats disturbing others, consistent talking and even bullying. Ultimately the teacher has to be able to deal with and understand difficult children. This task can prove quite challenging. Pupils come to school from all types of backgrounds and situations and consequently with all types of issues.

With the focus of the Education system today so result driven, teachers are placed under extreme pressure to ensure that students achieve often unrealistic targets. Schools are often also guilty of placing expectations on pupils based on school type, region and age rather than focus on the individual child and his/her circumstances. Therefore they are seen as problematic when their behaviour falls outside the acceptable range of tolerance and age appropriateness.

In order for all students to achieve their maximum potential the classroom atmosphere must be free of any and all situations which may be stressful to both the pupils and the teacher, for there to be a consistent approach to learning and teaching in the classroom it is important that the teacher be armed with a lot more than an excellently drafted lesson plan. This awareness begins with the process of the entire school understanding key issues in child development and child psychology. While most schools today have a behaviour policy and generally they do try to enforce this, it is more important for schools to focus on child development issues in order to understand and deal effectively with behavior in children. What teachers need most therefore are not so much insets on enforcing the behaviour policy but looking more closely at understanding the causes of the behaviour.

Some schools of thought believe that schools should develop a 'consistent' Behaviour Management Plan that incorporates different techniques. These techniques together should enable the schools to deal with the most common classroom behaviours. This involves the teacher's ability to develop and apply different strategies that will address behaviour in the classroom. This encourages the use of a fixed set of rules.The problem with this however is that as we have mentioned before no two children are alike and similarly no child's problems are the same. Assuming however that the teacher has got grounding in psychology as it relates to children, this model can in effect be quite instrumental and effective. It is however important that key issues are addressed. Some of these will include consideration given to the stage and development of the children in question, ensuring that the child is treated with respect and fairness, considering whether it will enable the child to meet targets and achieve goals and whether it allow for continuity outside of the classroom. However to conform to this school of thought without taking into consideration the above issues associated with that child could possibly lead to further problems for the teacher and ultimately the child.

A teacher who is armed with the psychological facts is undoubtedly in a good position to be able to understand and therefore cope effectively with children displaying difficult behaviour. Being aware of the fact that a child with temper tantrums may only be craving attention, other children behaving out of sort or acting up in class may simply be rebelling against the inability to express themselves at home. Expressions of fears and mistrust in others may stem from deeper more disturbing causes either imminent or suffered at an earlier stage in their development. Problems at home, in their society, within their peer groups, childhood development and socialization, parental bonding or lack of it, sibling rivalry, peer pressure, molestation are only a few of the issues that children come to school with. The teacher is not just a facilitator but a confidant and often has to deal with issues that students will confide in them. It is aslo important therefore that the teacher be aware of certain protocols governing student's confidentiality issues and how to proceed in identifying the right channel through which to direct the child. Since the child spends a much greater part of the day in the care of the teacher, the teacher is in a good position to spot inconsistencies and changes in a child's behaviour patterns. This is where being able to identify and put a name to symptoms might prove crucial to helping a child going through a difficult situation.

The ability to differentiate between behaviour that is relevant to a child's developmental stage as against behaviour that is distinctly caused by psychological disturbance, will be crucial to the early years teacher. But an understanding of when this behaviour is a normal attribute for a child of that age and when it is not, is key to pinpointing the emergence of a problem. Clinginess, bed wetting and tantrums are named as key traits among these young children. While these will be acceptable in very young children it becomes a concern if these traits continue into later stages of development. Certainly, an awareness of how children relate to environmental changes and routines will sometimes impact negatively on their behaviour.Some children may display different patterns of behaviour at home than at school. Then again acceptable behaviour will be relative to the expectations of those making the judgment and also to each individual child.

Since one must first underpin the cause of the problem in order to be able to attempt to find a solution, the teacher who has no understanding of psychology will try to apply various conventional methods of discipline to remedy a child's behaviour and in doing so may only worsen the situation. Some simple remedies can sometimes alter a child's behaviour in a radical way. So a child who acts up because he/she lacks attention,given small 'jobs' or tasks of responsibility in the classroom can change so much of that child's behaviour because the child now begins to feel self-worth and see him/herself as being as good as or even better than other children. All that the child needed was a confidence boost.

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