...Introduction Although kleptomania, the irresistible impulse to steal objects not needed for personal use or for their monetary value, is currently classified in psychiatric nomenclature as an impulse control disorder, research suggests it is, rather, a variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The principle effects of the theft are repetitive, unwanted intrusions of thoughts, and an inability to avoid the compulsion to perform the theft, and the relief of tension following the act (Dannon, 2002). Comparison of both disorders, their comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, and the treatment used to reduce and eliminate symptoms may have a baring on the “correct” classification. Kleptomania, listed in the DSM-IV as an impulse control disorder not elsewhere classified, is a psychiatric condition still poorly understood and subject of only a few systematic studies (Presta, Marazziti, Dell‘Osso, Pfanner, Pallanti, & Cassano, 2002). Kleptomania is characterized by the persistent impossibility to resist the drive to steal objects. Kleptomania should be distinguished from shoplifting, in which the action is usually well-planned and motivated by need or monetary gain. Often a kleptomaniac steals things he or she could have easily bought or things that are not expensive. The objects stolen are not stolen for their immediate utility or monetary value; on the contrary, the person will most likely discard them, give them away, or collect them. This behavior is usually associated with...
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...of psychiatric disorders and in the normal population, but are most commonly found in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hoarding creates a lot of problems; both for the hoarder and those around them. One is just navigating through a congested obstacle course of stuff in a house becomes difficult. To get something requires searching through stacks of stuff. To put something away requires a nuisance of movement of all the stuff in the cramped area, as well as thinking and decisions on how to do it. Another problem is that there are no areas to do any real work such as counters, tables or workbenches. All this consumes a huge amount of time and energy of the people who live in such conditions. According to demographics, psychiatrists estimate between 2% and 5% of the adult population in the United States and Canada are compulsive hoarders. In North America alone, there are about 4000 cases of animal hoarding involving up to 250,000 reported animals. (Frey, 760) Researchers only began to study hoarding in the 1980s so it is possible that the actual rate of hoarding is higher than reported. This disorder is more common among older adults though it can typically begin in late childhood or adolescence and will become worse as the person grows older. There is no evidence that ethnicity or race is a factor in compulsive hoarding. Men are more likely than women to become hoarders but women typically begin hoarding at an earlier age. Hoarding disorder, included in the...
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...English 102 10 June 2010 Contamination OCD and Our Health Contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder can be the most unnecessary and most annoying disorder out there. Consider the feeling of constantly tracing the history of germ contents for everything you touch. It’s nearly impossible, but enough to drive a person crazy. Dealing with contamination OCD myself, I am a self-proclaimed “germ-a-phobe” or “germ-freak,” but living in fear of germs is not what I always dreamed of. Anxiety is an understatement in regards to never touching the TV remote control just because I don’t know who touched it last and what they’ve touched last, or letting everyone believe I’m unfriendly just to avoid a high-five, even though I do carry hand sanitizer with me. These are unnecessary and irrelevant thoughts to anything worthwhile, but somehow they aren’t as easy to get rid of as you might think. Contamination OCD can cause so much fear and anxiety in a person’s life, but what is it that actually jump starts this seemingly endless annoyance? Should the rest of the world consider our thoughts on the fact that maybe germs are dangerous or is it the disinfectants that are really causing us harm? Even though disinfectants pose such a dangerous threat to our health due to toxins in them, those living with contamination OCD still can’t seem to accept that fact and put down the cleaners in fear of being contaminated by germs because of the habits and rituals that have taken over in our minds and...
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...Materialism 3.3.2. Compensatory consumption: The "Shopaholic" Phenomenon 3.3.3. I Shop Therefore I Am 3.3.4. Living Beyond Your Means 4. Antecedents To The Unhealthy Consumption Pillars 4.1. Intrinsic/Personal Influences 4.1.1. Personality Characteristics: 4.1.1.1. 4.1.1.2. 4.1.1.3. Self-Monitoring Personality Trait Innovativeness, Fashion Orientation And Opinion Leadership Ethical orientation 4.1.2. Psychological characteristics 4.1.2.1. 4.1.2.2. 4.1.2.3. 4.1.2.4. Co-morbidity and the Joint cycle of compulsive consumption Obsessive thoughts and Risk Taking Propensity Low self esteem Dealing with Negative Emotions and life challenges 4.2. Societal Influences: "Keeping Up With The Joneses" 2 5. The Role Of Marketing In The Consumption Culture 5.1. Marketing And Materialism 5.2. Marketing, Capitalism and Democracy 5.3. Marketing Creates False Wants 5.4. Marketing Raises Expectations 5.5. Marketing Ethics And Advertising 5.6. Consumer Perceptions Of The Role Of Marketing: Case Studies 6. Research Gap 7. Research Question/...
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...word “addiction” may conjure up an image of a sluggish heroin junkie or an erratic crack head. It could also bring to mind a chain smoker or a staggering drunk. Once reserved to describe the state of clinical dependence on a substance as a result of extended abuse, the concept of addiction is widening and includes activities that seem less obviously harmful at the surface. Addiction may not always be as visible as track marks or as noticeably threatening as a drunk-driving accident. The concept of addiction isn’t just abstract to the layperson. It’s been controversial within the mental health community as well. The most widely-used reference in the medical mental health community, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), is due to be published by the American Psychological Association in its fifth revision in April 2013. Its purpose is to create a common language between practitioners so that diagnoses will be consistent from one clinician to the next (DSM-5 Development). In the book, the word “addiction” was forgone in favor of either “substance dependence” or “substance abuse,” in a very narrow decision. Charles O’Brien, a member of the committee that worked on the revision between DSM-III and DSM-IV, stated that the difference was a single vote. In an editorial published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, O’Brien urged the committee responsible for the changes being made in the fifth revision not to make the same mistake as they made in...
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...The Psychology of Eating Disorders Does the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” stand to be true? For some the answer to this question would be yes. But, to the many health aid companies who advertise in popular teen magazines, commercials, movies, and television shows the answer might be different. The companies that sell “health aide/beauty products” have made a science of understanding the most effective way to advertise and market their products. They spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year targeting specific age groups and races to make sure that their voice and opinions on the best way to attain those “movie star looks” are heard. However, in my opinion, this mass advertising crosses the line when every magazine in a newsstand promotes unhealthy body images and ways to lose weight. Young woman, who are not wise enough to know that everything they read or see is not always true, can take many of the promises that such health/beauty aids promotes to a whole new level. What these girls/young women fail to understand is that there are sellers of products, who in some cases are more concerned with their profits than the health and well-being of the consumer buying their products, . A large portion of the female population has felt the pressure to look or act a certain way at some point in her life. The real problem is how these girls deal with that pressure. More often than not, they will resort to doing extreme things to their bodies. Actions that...
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...With the increased awareness about addictions in our world today, its effects are a growing concern for future generations. The word ‘addiction’ does not only apply to substance and alcohol abuse. Recently the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (D.S.M.), the standard reference work for psychiatric illnesses, announced [in the last decade] updated definitions of substance abuse and addiction, including a new category of behavioral addictions (Markel).'' Although substance addictions are accompanied by a variety of...
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...1007/s11469-006-9009-9 ‘Internet Addiction’: A Critical Review Laura Widyanto & Mark Griffiths Received: 23 June 2005 / Revised: 26 July 2005 Accepted: 22 September 2005 / Published online: 1 March 2006 # Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2006 Abstract It has been alleged by some academics that excessive Internet use can be pathological and addictive. This paper reviews what is known from the empirical literature on FInternet addiction_ and its derivatives (e.g., Internet Addiction Disorder, Pathological Internet Use, etc.) and assesses to what extent it exists. Empirical research into FInternet addiction_ can roughly be divided into five areas: (1) survey studies that compare excessive Internet users with non-excessive users, (2) survey studies that have examined vulnerable groups of excessive Internet use, most notably students, (3) studies that examine the psychometric properties of excessive Internet use, (4) case studies of excessive Internet users and treatment case studies, and (5) correlational studies examining the relationship of excessive Internet use with other behaviours (e.g., psychiatric problems, depression, self-esteem, etc.). Each of these areas is reviewed. It is concluded that if FInternet addiction_ does indeed exist, it affects a relatively small percentage of the online population. However, exactly what it is on the Internet that they are addicted to still remains unclear. Keywords Addiction . Internet . Technology . Internet addiction . Pathological Internet Use...
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...Wednesday, April 9, 2014 PSY/460 - WEEK ONE SHORT ANSWER Environmental psychology is likely to be a new field for you, although many of the concepts are probably familiar. Provide your own definition of the discipline. Discuss an important milestone or influence in the development of environmental psychology and provide reasoning as to why you chose this one. Environmental psychology is a branch of psychology that studies how the environment affects individuals, and vice-verse. There is a reciprocal relationship between people and the environment they live in, as they both affect each other. The relationship between nature and the human species has been an object of study for many decades, and understanding this relationship can help individuals learn about the importance of conserving and maintaining the world that supports them (Steg, 2013). The environment provides humans with food, water, air, and all the other necessities individuals need to survive, even if, in a world dominated by technology and progress, it is easy to forget that one way or another, everything we need to survive comes from the earth. Environmental psychology focuses not only on the physical influences humans and environment have on each other, but also in which ways nature affects individuals’ behaviors. One important aspect of this discipline is the belief that people’s behaviors are not determined solely by the environment (Steg, 2013). Most psychologists in this area believe in free will...
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...externalities of this behaviour. The research also points out that in long term this addiction turns out to be harmful but in the short term in is quite fruitful and this is what turns the normal shoppers into shopaholics. After addressing the above mentioned issues the report moves to explaining what is shopping addiction, a psychological disorder or just a past time, how it is linked to other addictions, what are some of the symptoms of this disorder, what problems arise when someone starts indulging in this excessive shopping behaviour both financial and social problems and then the general personality characteristics of shopaholics are discussed like shopaholics seek other’s approval, they have low self esteem, they have emotional problems, they face difficulty in controlling their impulses, they fantasize everything around them, they are materialistic and finally in conclusion the report discusses some of the measures that can be taken to overcome this problem for example by exercising control on one’s impulses one can control and curb this addiction to some extent, use of credit cards is strictly forbidden because you end up buying more then you intend to when you are using them as no...
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...CHAPTER I A PROPOSAL TO STUDY THE INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISEMENT ON THE ACTIONS OF PARTICIPATING PEOPLE AS PERCEIVED BY UPR PONCE CONSUMERS One of the main factors that influence people to buy or select a product is advertising. There are a varieties of consumer’s perceptions, which are constantly changing. Not everyone receives the same message the same way, and some perceive the same message giving them more importance than others. The future of advertising is not only linked to its own creative ability, but the speed and certainty with which the new media adapted to many of which still exist. (Guerrero, 2006) Statement of the Problem The study will gather data on the behaviors of students from UPR Ponce consumers, if the people are affected or influenced by advertisement strategies, to perceive the different market offerings and are led to buy. Purpose of the Study The objective of this study is to know how commercials affect in the UPR Ponce people decision on buying a product. Also, we want to identify which strategies are most beneficial when making an ad for the purpose of motivating the target market to buy the products. Scope of Analysis Four factors will be analyzed: 1. Commercial advertising that promote the purchase of the product by using subliminal messages. 2. What impact has advertising in UPR Ponce consumers? 3. Why do you purchase a product? 4. Why use this type of product? Methodology In the methodology, we used primary data and...
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...Are You a Shopaholic? 3 Steps To Fixing Your Addiction 1 Posted June 26, 2012 by Danica Saarah Nelson in Advice “The first step to recovering is admitting you have a problem,” is a cliché we hear all the time. But do you see overspending on constant shopping trips as a crucial life issue that’s nearly as harmful as drugs or alcohol? It can be! Spending your disposable income on unnecessary items (especially when they’re charged to your credit card) is a surefire way to an unsuccessful and unhappy future. Below are the first three steps you can take to curing your illness. Step 1 – Remove Yourself From ALL Mailing Lists It’s hard, but it’s the easiest way to avoid succumbing to the temptations of spending money on something you wouldn’t have otherwise if you weren’t victim to that specific e-mail. If you REALLY want to get exclusive information on a sale or get your hands on a coupon code, a simple Google Search will do the trick. Removing yourself from every mailing list you’ve subscribed to is your first step towards curing your spending habits! Step 2 – Ditch the Plastic. Adopt the Paper! This one is pretty simple. All you have to do is take your Credit and Debit Cards out of your wallet. People essentially spend less when they’re using cash because they can see for themselves how quickly it can decrease as opposed to when you’re using plastic, you just swipe and go. Ever change your mind about purchasing something because you don’t want to break your $20? Then...
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...others. 4. Deviant – Is not tolerated by cultural norms and/or is statistically odd, keeping in mind context of behavior. (Religious practice gets a pass.) 5. *Duration – Behaviors, Affects and/or Cognitions are persistent regardless of circumstance over time. 6. *Detachment – Person holds beliefs or acts in ways that do not correspond to reality. (Religious practice gets a pass.) TYPES OF RESEARCH- One and two apply only to the social sciences, whereas three, four and five apply to both natural and social sciences, with exception to history, which relies solely on case studies and archaeological based observations. In this case though, I’m only talking how these methods are used for psychology. 1. CASE STUDIES- A detailed account of a subject’s personal history that can be used to draw conclusions based on availability. While specific and possibly accurate to an individual, case studies lack internal and external validity (The confounding factors cannot be...
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...David Šmahel for his invaluable help and guidance, and also for the opportunity to get the valuable experience in doing the research in psychology. Many thanks also to my colleague Jaroslav Vacek for inspiring discussions that we have had on this topic. I would also like to thank the co-authors of presented texts. In addition, special thanks are due to the people who were willing to participate and shared their own experience with Internet use and addictive behaviour on the Internet. Content 1. Introduction 8 2. Theoretical background 10 2.1. Behavioural addiction 10 2.1.1. Defining the concept 11 2.1.2. Classification of behaviour addictions 12 2.1.3. Behavioural addiction in the context of diagnostic manuals of mental disorders 13 2.1.4. Similar traits of behavioural and substance addictions 15 2.2. Internet addiction 24 2.2.1. Historical background and main research areas 26 2.2.3. Identification of Internet addiction 28 2.2.4. Prevalence rates of Internet addiction 32 2.2.5. Correlates of Internet Addiction 35 2.2.6. Treatment of Internet addiction 37 2.2.7. Future research directions 39 3. Comparing Addictive Behaviour on the Internet in the Czech Republic, Chile and Sweden 51 3.1. Introduction 51 3.2. Country profiles 53 3.3. Methods 54 3.4. Sample description 56 3.5. Two dimensions of addictive behaviour on the Internet: comparing Chile, the Czech Republic and Sweden 60 3.6....
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...David Šmahel for his invaluable help and guidance, and also for the opportunity to get the valuable experience in doing the research in psychology. Many thanks also to my colleague Jaroslav Vacek for inspiring discussions that we have had on this topic. I would also like to thank the co-authors of presented texts. In addition, special thanks are due to the people who were willing to participate and shared their own experience with Internet use and addictive behaviour on the Internet. Content 1. Introduction 8 2. Theoretical background 10 2.1. Behavioural addiction 10 2.1.1. Defining the concept 11 2.1.2. Classification of behaviour addictions 12 2.1.3. Behavioural addiction in the context of diagnostic manuals of mental disorders 13 2.1.4. Similar traits of behavioural and substance addictions 15 2.2. Internet addiction 24 2.2.1. Historical background and main research areas 26 2.2.3. Identification of Internet addiction 28 2.2.4. Prevalence rates of Internet addiction 32 2.2.5. Correlates of Internet Addiction 35 2.2.6. Treatment of Internet addiction 37 2.2.7. Future research directions 39 3. Comparing Addictive Behaviour on the Internet in the Czech Republic, Chile and Sweden 51 3.1. Introduction 51 3.2. Country profiles 53 3.3. Methods 54 3.4. Sample description 56 3.5. Two dimensions of addictive behaviour on the Internet: comparing Chile, the Czech Republic and Sweden 60 3.6....
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