ePortfolio presentation

1. 1 Undergraduate Studies ePortfolio Shannae C. Peters B.A. Psychology, 2009-2011

2. Personal Statement My name is Shannae C. Peters and I am African American, Native American, and Cuban. Although I was born in Sacramento, California, I moved to Washington State at age 6 and this has been my home since. I am now a 21-year-old undergraduate student nearing my Bachelor’s degree in psychology. I am a loving and devoted mother, daughter, sister, companion and friend as well as a determined and successful student. When I receive my B.A. degree, I will be the first person in my immediate family finish school and earn a degree. Seeing my family struggle to find good jobs without an education motivated me to work hard throughout school to achieve outstanding goals and financial stability. In addition, now that I have a daughter, it is even more important for me to be an example for her. My daughter is my greatest motivation to be successful and financially secure. Although I did not have a positive example in my life as a child, I was fortunate enough to see the wrong paths in life, learn from others’ mistakes, and do things the right way. I want to present my daughter with this same knowledge as well as be a positive example for her to follow and one day surpass.

3. Personal Statement I have always had a competitive mind state when it came to academics and success. Some of my strengths are courage, determination, self-esteem, problem solving, independence, and the ability to multi-task. Throughout junior high school and high school, I was trained to be a peer mediator for my school. This allowed me to help my peers to work through their problems and function together in school by asking questions, listening to each person’s side of the story, and using the information gathered to get to the root of the problem. Once this was done, I would help them construct a solution to their problem and create a written agreement to comply with one another for the sake of their educational success. This was my first introduction to the field of psychology and therapy. I have a passion for children and human behavior. These two factors are what lead me to study psychology. I have always been extremely interested in how the brain works and why people behave the way that they do. Growing up it was hard to understand how people could act inappropriately without remorse or a sense of right or wrong. Because of this, it has always been a quest of mine to understand the human mind and why certain people may act the way they do based on environment, upbringing, ethnicity, religion, mental state, etc. I plan to continue my education and learn new things even throughout my career. One can never know everything and this is why I do not believe my education will ever be finished. Even after I have achieved every degree that I see fit to achieve, I will still continue to learn everyday through my life experiences and interactions.

4. Personal Statement Throughout my career, I would like to experience many different avenues through psychology including working with law enforcement, mental institutions, and prison inmates. It is very important for me to give back to the community, therefore, throughout my career I plan to find ways to do so effectively. I plan to work very hard to become successful in my field and continually progress throughout my career. Currently I am looking up information about how to use a Master’s degree in Forensic psychology to work with law enforcement. Of all my career interests, working with law enforcement has been the most intriguing. I believe this is so because of my passion of the greater good. I want to help make the world a better place in any way that I possibly can. This is why it is important for me to spend at least a portion of my career working with law enforcement and assisting with criminal cases. I am also interested in criminal profiling and hope to learn about the credentials needed to be a part of a law enforcement team involving profiling. However, I am very open to new experiences and would like to go wherever my career can take me.

5. Reflection Throughout my college experiences I have learned many things. I learned who I truly am as a person and I have become aware of my strengths and weaknesses as well. Studying psychology has brought about a self-awareness that I did not have before. I now understand why I am who I am and how to cope with the tragedies of my past. I also have a better understanding of relationships and how to communicate my feelings with others. According to the SSAL, my strengths and weaknesses are as follows:

7. Knowledge of Applied Psychology-

8. Diversity

9. Ethics

10. Research-Understanding Research Methods

12. Communication Skills-Oral & Written

14. Critical Thinking Cognitive Abilities: Critical Thinking and Information Literacy

15. Critical Thinking M2:A2- Self-Reflection Paper In this reflective paper, I will describe an event in my life that occurred during early childhood and directly relates to the developmental processes/issues identified in this week’s reading. While doing so, I will address the following areas: •Analyze the influences that contribute to the physical development in early childhood. •Present specific recommendations for maximizing the physical development in early childhood. •Analyze the influences that contribute to the cognitive development in early childhood. •Present specific recommendations for maximizing the cognitive development in early childhood. •Analyze the impact of family in early childhood socio-emotional development. •Analyze the influences that contribute to the socio-emotional development in early childhood. •Present specific recommendations for maximizing socio-emotional development in early childhood. As a child I scored above average on all of the developmental and learning tests I was given. I think this is because of the interaction I was subjected to from adults and other children early on. My parents were very involved with my learning process and began teaching me things long before I attended a day care, preschool, or regular school. In early childhood, a child’s physical development can be greatly affected by health issues. OME, also known as an ear infection, is an example of such health issues. “Children with severe and chronic ear infections showed a marked decline in motor development. In addition, some research has found a link between children with chronic OME and later problems with language acquisition, balance, and hearing loss” (Argosy, 2010, pg 2). Another health issue affecting physical development is nutritional problems, which usually occur most often in kids that are poor. Some of these nutritional issues are iron-deficiency/anemia and growth retardation. To prevent these types of issues and avoid physical development issues, it is important that children receive proper medical treatment, grooming, vaccination, and anything else that is needed to promote physical health. As a child, I went to the dentist as well as a primary care physician regularly to keep up with my health (although doctors were not my cup of tea). This as well as being fed the right nutrients and being groomed properly helped me to grow healthily.

16. Critical Thinking Some basic cognitive skills of early childhood are memory and attentiveness. Kid’s attention span becomes greater as they grow in age. They are able to learn more and remember more. As a young child, repetition helped me to learn and remember things. However, adults would always make these repetitive activities fun and intriguing to catch and keep my attention. As stated in this module’s reading, “a child’s physical movements are thoroughly integrated with the environment, therefore, producing specific behavioral consequences. As a result, the child’s physical and cognitive development becomes an interactive process impacting behavioral patterns” (Argosy, 2010, pg 4). Programs like head start, preschool, and other learning centers promote early learning, which helps for later success. To promote cognitive development, children should experience types of early learning like non-sexist early education, child-centered kindergarten, and the Montessori approach, which allows them the freedom to choose activities. Family can influence a child’s socio-emotional development in many ways. The experiences and bonds a child has or does not have with their family are detrimental (especially with the immediate family). My family has always been a close-knit family. Every adult was sure to be appropriate around the kids in the family to ensure that things were not influencing us negatively. At the age of four I experienced a traumatizing event with my uncle that left me emotionally confused. This event caused me to be non-sociable and less interactive with people. However, because my family was so attentive, I was able to work through my issues by talking about them, learning that what took place was wrong, and not my fault. If kids experience verbal and or physical abuse (either as victims or as witnesses), their emotional states can be negatively affected. The relationships a child has with their parents and siblings are very important. This is why it is important for a parent to choose a parenting style that allows them to feel comfortable with their children. Parents need to adapt to their children and learn what is appropriate for each child based on personality, level of progression, and age.

17. Critical Thinking Other things can affect a child’s socio-emotional development as well. For example, if a child is physically impaired, their self-esteem may be lower than other kids’ may and they may become outcasts. A child’s resilience will determine how they react to impairments. Medical issues like bipolar syndrome, depression, anxiety, psychosis, (etc) would also affect a child’s emotional state. In addition, moral development is very important so that a child learns right from wrong. To promote health socio-emotional development in early childhood, it is important to watch your actions around and towards children. Their experiences will affect their emotional state whether it is negative or positive. In addition, kids should be counseled on certain events that take place in their lives so that they gain an understanding about them and are able to properly cope with them. Parents and adults should also be informed of early warning signs for mental health issues (as mentioned earlier) so that children can receive the proper treatment and/or medication to help contain the issue and allow progression rather than regression. A child’s physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development are very important. It is vital that children receive the proper care to ensure that these areas are progressing in a timely manner. A child’s overall health and prosperity depend on the development of the discussed areas. This is why it is important to be aware of them at all stages of growth. Reference: Argosy University. (2010). Module 2: Online Lecture Material. Retrieved on 07/13/2010 from: http://myeclassonline.com/

18. Research Skills Research Skills

19. Research Skills M2:A2- Neuroanatomy Project The nervous system is a group of nerves that coordinates the actions of the muscles and organs. It acts as a line of communication for the brain and other systems in the body by transmitting information from the brain to other parts of the body, and vice versa, in the form of electrical impulses. The nervous system is divided into two systems: the CNS and the PNS. The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and the spinal cord. Within the CNS is cerebrospinal fluid, which can be found between the skull and the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid protects the brain and spinal cord from injuries by absorbing the impacts of sudden falls/movements. It also delivers nutrients to the nervous system and gets rid of waste from the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) consists of all the nerves and neurons outside of the CNS serving the limbs and organs. Some nerves in the PNS called efferent nerves carry messages CNS to the muscles and glands. Other nerves, called afferent nerves, carry messages from the sensory organs to the CNS, (Argosy University, 2011, p. 3). The brain has three divisions (forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain) and five subdivisions (the myelencephalon, the metencephalon, the mesencephalon, the diencephalon, and the telencephalon). The myelencephalon and the metencephalon are located in the hindbrain (at the bottom of the backside of the brain). Located within these two divisions are the cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata. The mesencephalon is located in the midbrain (the middle of the brain). Located in this division is the tectumtegmentum. The diencephalon and telencephalon are located in the forebrain (from the top of the midbrain and above). Located in these two divisions are the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex, (Carlson, 2010, p.p. 79). Fluid, meninges (dura matter, arachnoidmembrain, and pia matter), the skull, and thick layers of skin protect the brain very well. These protectors, along with cerebrospinal fluid, keep the brain and spinal cord safe from physical trauma, infection, and toxins. Another protector of the brain is the blood-brain barrier. The capillaries in the brain make this barrier. The capillaries are selectively permeable only allowing some substances to cross. Therefore, toxins and infections cannot pass through from the blood, (Carlson, 2010, p.p. 41). Each part of the body has a particular function. All of the organs, neurons, nerves, and systems in the body, work together to dictate our movements, thoughts, behaviors, health, and life in general. It is very important to understand each part of the human body, where it is located, and its’ general functions. References: Argosy University. (2011). Physiological Psychology: Module 2. Retrieved on March 14, 2011 from- http://myeclassonline.com Carlson, Neil R. (2010). Physiology of Behavior, 10th ed. Ally & Bacon-Pearson inc. Retrieved on March 15, 2011 from- http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/#/books/0558302610/pages/3587299

20. Communication Skills Communication Skills: Oral and Written

21. Communication Skills An example of my communication skills would be a PowerPoint presentation I created for my substance abuse and the family class (Psy481). Due to software differences, I will reference the presentation through attachment rather than inserting a copy here. Please click here to view the PowerPoint presentation.

22. Ethics and Diversity Awareness Ethics and Diversity Awareness

23. Ethics and Diversity Awareness M2:A2- Final Project Joe is a mental health counselor. As stated in the text of The Ethics of Professional Practice, “practitioners within a profession also hold membership within the associations representing that profession,” (Parsons, 2000, p.p. 54). Since most counselors belong to the American Counseling Association (ACA), Joe would have to report to this committee in the event of an issue, review, or violation (Parsons, 2000, p.p. 54). According to the ACA code of ethics, there are five main purposes. These purposes are to provide clarity of ethical responsibilities of its members, support the mission of the association, define ethical behavior and practices, serves as an ethical guide, and serves as a basis for processing ethical complaints against its members, (ACA, 2005, p. 3). A complaint is usually only reported against a counselor or other professional when an informal resolution is not appropriate. An informal resolution occurs when a counselor believes another counselor has violated an ethical standard (ACA, 2005, p. 19). “They attempt first to resolve the issue informally with the other counselor if feasible, provided such action does not violate confidentiality rights that may be involved” (ACA, 2005, p. 19). If a counselor is uncertain of whether or not another counselor is in violation of the ACA code of ethics, they may consult with another counselor who is more knowledgeable (ACA, 2005, p. 19). When a complaint is lodged against a professional member of the ACA, specific guidelines and steps are to be taken. If a violation has been made and the informal resolution is not an appropriate approach for it, the counselor may take further action. “Such action might include referral to state or national committees on professional ethics, voluntary national certification bodies, state licensing boards, or to the appropriate institutional authorities,” (ACA, 2005, p. 19). It is very important to make sure that the counselor in question is indeed committing an ethical violation before reporting it. Also stated in the ACA code of ethics, “Counselors do not initiate, participate in, or encourage the filing of ethics complaints that are made with reckless disregard or willful ignorance of facts that would disprove the allegation” (ACA, 2005, p. 19). If a counselor is reported, that counselor is expected to “cooperate with investigations, proceedings, and requirements of the ACA Ethics Committee or ethics committees of other duly constituted associations or boards having jurisdiction over those charged with a violation” (ACA, 2005, p. 19).

24. Ethics and Diversity Awareness The preamble of the ACA code of ethics states, “Values inform principles. Inherently held values that guide our behaviors or exceed prescribed behaviors are deeply ingrained in the counselor and developed out of personal dedication,” (Waichler, 2010, paragraph 2). In addition, the primary goal of the ACA code of ethics is to maintain the idea that a member will not do anything to harm a client. The client has the right to obtain a professional relationship with a counselor, or other profession, holding specific expectations regarding that counselor's ethics, principles, and/or morals, (Waichler, 2010, paragraph 3). In doing so, consequences are set in place to ensure that counselors and other professionals follow this code of ethics. If for some reason a counselor does not comply with the guidelines of the ACA code of ethics, he or she could face a number of consequences, pending on the severity of the issue, the amount of violations, and the decision of the committee that contains jurisdiction over the counselor in violation. “Counselors are mandated to follow this ethical code which outlines the standards of excellence of practice in their field. A violation of this code of ethics can result in the forfeiture of the counselor's license” (Waichler, 2010, paragraph 1). Although there are also lesser punishments, this provides an example of why it is so important to follow the ethical codes in place.References:ACA Governing Council. (2005). ACA Code of Ethics. Retrieved on January 25, 2011 from- http://www.counseling.org/Resources/CodeOfEthics/TP/Home/CT2.aspxParsons, R.D. (2000). The Ethics of Professional Practice. Pearson. ISBN: 0-205-30878-3. Retrieved on January 25, 2011 from- http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/#/books/0558228976/pages/2568723?return=/books/0558228976/outline/6Waichler, Iris. (2010). The Counseling Code of Ethics. Retrieved on January 25, 2011 from- http://www.ehow.com/about_6313579_counseling-code-ethics.html

25. Foundations of Psychology Knowledge of Foundations of Psychology

26. Foundations of Psychology Module 2: Assignment 2- A Case of Behavior In this assignment, I will construct a case study based on the classical conditioning approach and the operant conditioning approach. My case study will be about a twelve-year-old boy, by the name of Malik, which has a problem socializing and working with other students in class. He becomes very shy in class and gets upset when he is forced to work with others in class. Sometimes it gets to the point that he refuses to participate in class. His issues have disrupted his ability to focus in school so he has been referred to the school’s counseling office. I will use both the classical conditioning and operant conditioning approaches to recommend solutions to this problem. “Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which an organism learns to connect stimuli. The classical conditioning perspective explains how neutral stimuli become associated with unlearned, involuntary responses” (Argosy, 2010, pg 8). Operant conditioning, on the other hand, “Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which the consequences of behavior produce changes in the probability that the behavior will occur. In other words, consequences or antecedents strengthen or weaken voluntary behavior” (Argosy, 2010, pg 11).Malik’s teachers and parents are very concerned about his social issues, which have only become more and more of an issue over the years. From the perspective of a counselor using the classical conditioning approach I would suggest the following: Do not try to force Malik to participate in-group work. It will be more effective for him to be conditioned to feel comfortable working with others on his own. Forcing him into this situation will only make him feel more uncomfortable. Start by congratulating Malik on his work when he receives a good grade on something. This will allow Malik to feel more confident about his work, which will then, prompt him to associate a more positive feeling with his work abilities. Then, use one of Malik’s answers to a problem as an example in class. This will give him a boost of confidence publically so that he may start to feel better about opening up in class. If he has issues raising his hand in class, try calling on students for a certain assignment. Call on Malik and ask him to demonstrate a part of the assignment for the class. When Malik learns to successful share his ideas with the class (whether right or wrong) he will understand that every student has to learn and will make mistakes but he will also learn to trust his work and open up. Eventually Malik will feel much better about working in groups. To start, Malik should be placed in partner group that consist of him and one other student. This will be a trial to see how he works with one other student.

27. Foundations of Psychology Once he is comfortable with this, he will be ready to work with groups of larger size. From a perspective of a counselor using the operant conditioning approach, I would suggest the following: To condition Malik to work with his classmates and properly function/participate in class the teacher and/or parent should present rewards and incentives for his behavior. For example, a reward should be given if he participates in class and group work. This reward could be a pizza party for all students in class or a special event at home when good reports are sent home from his teachers. In addition, an incentive (or negative stimulus) should be presented to steer Malik away from refusing to participate in class and group work. This incentive could be that if Malik (or any student in the class) does not participate in class and in group work, he (or those students) will have to do a harder assignment instead, like a research report. Whether this incentive is applied to just Malik or the whole class will depend on whether the incentive is being presented by his parents or his teacher. If it is applied by the teacher to the entire class he will want to participate so that he isn’t the only one who has to do the harder assignment and so that he isn’t the only one left out of the pizza party after all the other students have participated in class properly. The possibility of being excluded from class celebrations alone will intrigue Malik to participate in class to avoid it this consequence. In Malik’s situation, both conditioning approaches can be very effective to helping Malik to participate in class. However, in my opinion, the classical conditioning approach would be the most appropriate for him because it will allow him to feel comfortable and open in class on his own rather than being forced, pressured, or bribed into doing so. Reference:Argosy University. (2010). Module 2: Online lecture material. Retrieved on 07/31/2010 from: http://myeclassonline.com/

28. Applied Psychology Knowledge of Applied Psychology

29. Applied Psychology Shannae Peters09/13/09PSY180Reflection Paper In order to complete my mindfulness activity, I engaged in a conversation with my mother while we were cooking in the kitchen. I started asking her what ambiguous meant, because I heard it on the television and was not sure what it meant. She told me that it meant to be able to use both hands. I told her that could not be right because the word for being both-handed is ambidextrous. We began to debate about the topic and while we were debating, I began to work on my mindfulness. When I first asked her the question I noticed that the look on her face seemed as if she was uncertain of what the answer could be. However, when she did conclude about what the word meant her facial expression changed to one that seemed as if she were trying to convince me that she was right. Even though all I did was ask a question, when giving me her answer she automatically became defensive. I decided that the reason for her defensiveness must have been that I had an expression on my face that led her to believe I did not trust her answer. Therefore, I tried to change my expression so that I did not show disbelief, though I was skeptical. After she gave me her answer, I calmly and respectfully told her that the word for being both right and left-handed was ambidextrous, and therefore it could not be ambiguous. My efforts did not succeed because our harmless debate became an argument. As I watched her facial expressions and listened to the change in her tone, I realized that her emotions had changed. At the beginning of our conversation, she was calm but persuasive, and then when she figured out that her persuasive tone did not entice me, her whole demeanor changed to defensive and argumentative. Her tone was very harsh and choppy, as if she felt I was challenging her authority and knowledge. Therefore, in order to solve our debate over the meaning of the word ambiguous, I looked it up online to see what the actual definition was. We found that ambiguous actually meant vague or unclear. Once that was settled, she apologized for being so defensive and the mode of our conversation became calm again.

30. Applied Psychology After completing my conversation with my mother, I realized that being mindful is not as easy as it seems. When it was time for me to respond to something my mother had said, my thoughts interfered and my responses were somewhat delayed. While I was speaking I was trying to be mindful of how my words would affect my mother, so my thoughts were in the future, trying to predict how my mother would react after I said certain things. It is not as easy to sort out your thoughts and decide on what is best to say while you are in the middle of a conversation. It is very easy for me to be refocused and gather my thoughts but my main issue is staying focused. Overall, I learned that it is good to be mindful, but being too mindful can cause you to lose focus of the point you are trying to make and how you wanted to make it. In addition, you cannot control others actions so it is not always a failure if someone reacts in a way that you did not plan or if someone takes something the wrong way. People have their own minds so at the end of the day all you can do is try your best to be clear and respectful.

31. Interpersonal Effectiveness Interpersonal Effectiveness

32. Interpersonal Effectiveness M4: A2- Stereotypes of Women in the Media For this assignment, I will research and discuss how women are depicted in the media. I chose three different types of media to obtain information about this issue. One source was printed media. For this source I used Time magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, and Teen Vogue magazine. My second source was television ads. For this source, I used a workout commercial that was selling equipment for women (young adults to upper aged women), an Extense commercial, and a proactive commercial. My final source was to watch 15 minutes of television program of which one of the leading actors were female. For this source I watched an episode of the hit TV series Bones. During my printed media search, I first landed on Time magazine. I came across an article about nannies and the affects they have on young boys. The article expressed a psychological theory that when young boys have nanny’s they grow up to be womanizers and adulterers. The theory is that a nanny introduces the notion of “the other woman” to young boys, so when they are being taken care of by two women it makes them feel as if this is applied in all aspects of life, as if it is meant for them to obtain more than one woman at time. The article also explains that young girls that taken care of by nannies creates a “vacuum of need” within them. This leads these young girls to be dependent on alcohol and other substances as well as living a promiscuous life, often with the married men in their circle of friends that were also taken care of by nannies. It seemed that even though this article was focusing on the role of nannies, it still portrayed women in a sexual manner because it stated that boys being raised up by nannies caused them to be adulterers, claiming that having a second woman in their lives tempted them to do the same in later years and during marriage. It also, in my opinion, portrayed women to be weak and submissive because it stated that women who were raised up by nannies became dependent on extra attention and felt the need to depend on other things like alcohol, drugs, and sex.

33. Interpersonal Effectiveness The second magazine I came across was Cosmopolitan. In this magazine, I read an article about why men hate needy girlfriends. It expressed that neediness shows insecurity and that is a definite turn off to men. In addition, putting all of your devotion into a relationship too soon could also show the man that you do not have a life of your own. It give tips and guidelines to how much you should depend on your boyfriend at different stages of the relationship and that during the first couple of months you should not plan to spend time with him more than several times per week to avoid him getting bored with you too quickly. This article seems to praise the completely dependent females of society and frown upon the insecure and dependent females. This article portrayed many women as weak although they did mention an alternative personality of strong independent women as well. The third and final magazine I decided to use was Teen Vogue magazine. In this magazine, I came across an article about a girl named Lea Michele, a celebrity that attended the Kid’s Choice Awards. The article was critiquing her simple but glamorous look of that night. This article portrayed Lea as a modest schoolgirl type of gal. Next, I moved onto television ads. The first ad I came across was an infomercial on a workout product named The Wave. It is a crescent like stepping bench and workout tool that allows women to easily and efficiently do cardio, aerobics, and yoga to quickly work their problem areas and lose weight as well as provide definition and curves. This infomercial pointed out every little flaw that most women have and showed women working out in sports bras and tight, short- shorts or spandex. This seemed to put many women down about their flaws and depict women as sexual tools that should always look a certain way in order to feel like a woman or to be appealing to men. Many women attested to how the product helped save their marriage or their sex lives. The second ad I saw was an ad about Extense, a male enhancement supplement that makes the male’s performance better as well as making their sex organs larger. This commercial depicts women as needy when it comes to their sex drives. It would seem as if women needed men to perform better in order to be happy in their relationship. The final commercial I watched was an infomercial about proactive, a facial cleansing system targeted at young teens and young adults who suffer with acne problems. This portrayed many teens and young adults to be insecure, especially the females. They were ashamed of their appearance because of their acne. This is why many said that they needed proactive to help boost their self-esteem, popularity, and self-image.

34. Interpersonal Effectiveness My third and final source was the television show by the name of Bones. This show is about the partnership between a male detective known as Booth and a female anthropologist known as Bones. They solve cases together along with a team of forensic scientists. In this episode, the team tries to solve the murder of a college student whose body is found inside an alligator. Booth plays the cocky, jock-type but is still in touch with his feelings and emotions. Booth is very enclosed and strictly literal. She thinks of everything in a literal and logical sense, excluding emotions and only focusing on pure facts. Surprisingly, this show portrays the female to be the stronger-minded more logical person rather than the emotional wreck that most shows portray women to be. However, this show makes the female character so logical and that she is numb and incapable of many of the emotions that normal people have or portray to one another. This makes her sort of an outcast and oblivious to the wonders of love and emotions. However, she is very modest, mature, and aggressive when need be. The different sources of media that I have encountered during this activity have led me to believe that media portrays women as sexual beings. They focus on the physical aspect of women and downplay a woman’s personality, making them seem emotionally unstable and helpless as well as passive. Unfortunately, there are very few instances in the media where women are portrayed positively. The focus in media is beauty, sexuality, and money. These things affect young girls and women of our society negatively because it causes them to think they have to be slim, in style, and sexy in order to be noticed, wanted, and appreciated. It causes a lot of insecurity, low self-esteem, and it makes it nearly impossible for women to ever reach a point of self-actualization and acceptance because there will always be something they can fix or something that is flawed in their appearance. I believe media is the core issue that has lead to the mass narcissism and materialism we see in our society today.References:Chen, E. (2010, March 28). Get lea's look. Teen Vogue MagazineFahner, M. (2010, March). Why Guys hate needy chicks. Cosmopolitan Magazine.Luscombe, B. (2010, March 25). Do nannies really turn boys into future adulterers?. Time Magazine.

35. My Future in Learning As a lifelong learner, I envision myself to working and learning in my field and then teaching at college or university to share the knowledge I have gained throughout school and my career. I believe that people learn every single day of their lives. I plan to learn not only through school but through working in my field and through teaching in my field. Even teacher’s learn because you can learn something from everyone as long as you have an open mind. I hope to become an expert in my field, however, I will never feel as if I know everything in my field because people who think they know everything are not open to learn new things. I hope to continue to learn new things that will help me as well as society to progress in the field of psychology and many other aspects of life.

36. Contact Me Thank you for viewing my ePortfolio. For further information, please contact me at the e-mail address below. Shannaep@stu.argosy.edu Or Missladilovely@gmail.com