Oxytocin Gives

When we feel good, we have loads of oxytocin in our body. Can it be an energy drink?

Photo from photoXpress

Oxytocin is a happy hormone. It is associated with caring, bonding and intimacy (dubbed as “love molecule”). It helps rebuild a wounded relationship. Having more of it will reduce anxiety and social fears. A nasal spray of it can cure shyness and improve social proficiency.

We also know that Oxytocin will make us more generous. In the study of Dr. Paul Zak and his colleagues, 8 OUT OF 10 are more generous when infused with oxytocin compared to those who received a placebo. The more we have this, the more empathetic we feel towards co-humans.

The amount of oxytocin in us can also predict who will donate more. Oxytocin and generosity are directly related where the more oxytocin is released, the more amount of money we will hand out. This means that altering our brain chemistry will change our behaviors.  It’s scary to think that we can be manipulated to give.

The idea of drinking oxytocin has insidious and expedient potentials. It can passively coerce someone to do charity; and it can be prescribed to people who really needed it. If you do not have a health concern in which oxytocin can help, you can’t get it in a non-natural way.

Probably the easiest way to have an oxytocin flowing in you is hugging someone. It’s cheap too.

Do you think it’s okay to make oxytocin more accessible?

Sources:
Oxytocin Increases Generosity in Humans; Plos One
10 Reasons Why Oxytocin Is The Most Amazing Molecule In The World; io9
Oxytocin – the love hormone – could cure shyness; The Telegraph
Oxytocin: energy drink of the future?; beeblu’s blog

What Your Birth Order Says About You

No two children are alike, and your birth order appears to sway that difference.

Photo from photoXpress

You don’t have the choice to be born the eldest, or the youngest, but have you yearned to be born in a different order? Perhaps you despised your eldest bro being bossy, or the youngest being spoiled while you, the middle child, was given the least amount of time from parents. Or have you died in the immense expectations, as the eldest, to be the one that the family will be proud of?

Our birth order affected us.

Renowned psychiatrist Alfred Adler elaborated in his theories that the child’s characteristics are based on birth order. Here are the descriptions by the simplification of Dr. Stein:

Oldest Child

• Family Situation: Dethroned by next child. Has to learn to share. Parent expectations are usually very high. Often given responsibility and expected to set an example.
• Characteristics: May become authoritarian or strict. Feels power is his right. Can become helpful if encouraged. May turn to father after birth of next child.

Middle Child

• Family Situation: Is “sandwiched” in. May feel squeezed out of a position of privilege and significance.
• Characteristics: May be even-tempered, “take it or leave it” attitude. May have trouble finding a place or become a fighter of injustice.

Youngest Child

• Family Situation: Has many mothers and fathers. Older children try to educate him. Never dethroned.
• Characteristics: Wants to be bigger than the others. May have huge plans that never work out. Can stay the “baby.” Frequently spoiled.

Are you the only child, have a twin, the only boy, only girl or in any child position not in the typical above? Head on to Adlerian Overview of Birth Order Characteristics.

A few more interesting findings from birth order studies:

• Firstborns claim IQ advantage, having more IQ points than the younger sibling. Concurrently, a secondborn is smarter than the third based on IQ.
• Elders weight more and stood taller than later-born siblings.
• High-paying professions often inhere with elders, while the “exhilarating life of an artist or a comedian, an adventurer, entrepreneur, GI or firefighter” are for the youngest. Middle children remained a puzzle, as it seems that their record differs profusely.

Psychologist Diana L. Walcutt added that spacing between children matters. It is especially true when the gap went over 6 years, meaning the siblings belonged to different generation of fad, music, events, and even exposed to different administration of governance.

It seems, to my case, that these birth order findings held true. I’m a middle child, and you can only imagine the existing and unsparing competition between me and my elder sister. How about you, what does birth order says about you and your siblings?

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Sources:
Adlerian Overview of Birth Order Characteristics; Adlerian.us
Birth Order and Personality; PsychCentral
The Power of Birth Order; TIME

What Your Sleeping Position Says About You

People with the same sleeping position have similar personality characteristics.

Photo from photoXpress

Not everything is needed a thought. You probably don’t notice your sleeping positions.  Like breathing, sleeping is a mandatory physiological habit that you just do.

But we observe other people sleep, right? That is for the sole reason of it being fun. You poke someone with something, then he grunts but you continue the poking and chuckle. Other times you take a picture of a person sleeping, idiotic looking, and showed it to everybody.

You should think about your own sleeping position. The study of Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service in UK, found that these positions can give a hint of a person’s personality, alongside the health concern.

Here’s the meaning of the most popular sleeping positions, directly taken from BBC Health and Men’s Health:

Popular Sleeping Positions. Photo from sweetadditions.net

The Foetus: Those who curl up in the foetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax. Sleeping on your left side can cause stress on your vital organs (liver, stomach, lungs).

Log: These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being part of the in-crowd, and who are trusting of strangers. However, they may be gullible.

The yearner: People who sleep on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious, cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely ever to change it.

Soldier: People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They don’t like a fuss, but set themselves and others high standards. Research shows that sleeping on your back may lead to snoring, trouble breathing, and an overall bad night’s sleep.

Freefall: Often gregarious and brash people, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and don’t like criticism, or extreme situations. Lying face down is good for digestion.

Starfish: These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don’t like to be the centre of attention. Like the soldier, starfish sleepers are more likely to snore and have breathing problems while they sleep, resulting in a less refreshing night’s sleep.

Do you agree with what your sleeping position says about you?

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Sources:
Sleep position gives personality clue; BBC News
Sleep Health: Men’s Health Spotlight; Men’s Health

Offense Defense: Your Chosen Side?

People can be offensive, defensive or in-betweener.

Photo from photoXpress

Adherence to any of the opposing poles, offense and defense, is revealing to the character of a person. It shows how you approach a challenge. Both sides are used as a tactic to win in situations such as in games or in debates, but is one more advantageous compared to the other?

The aggressive player will choose offense; defense is the strategy of the mire but sure strategist; the safe person will say neither; and the wise man will say it is the combination of both. I’d say a truly prudent contriver will take the situation into account where the offense or defense strategy will depend. We’ll look at examples of the varying situations I’m talking about.

In Sports

For sports, lets say Badminton, you wouldn’t win without attacking. If you’re keen on just receiving and you keep in mind of the best ways to deflect an attack, you keep on scoring by chance. So in these physical sports, offensive is the canny side.

In a mentally dominating sport like chess, defense could be the key. After all, the ultimate goal of the player is defending the king. You actually win the game by having the most robust defense on your king.

In Arguments

Well, it is perhaps inherent and instinctual for each person to want winning an argument. It uplifts the ego, and feeds your pride. But the danger here is that you may keep on pushing your offensive propositions, even after knowing that you are wrong or your argument was weaker compared to the other.

Arguments and discussions are complicated indications. An offensive strategist may resort into fallacies, and actually attack the person of the claim (Ad Hominem). In that way, the argument becomes dangerous because you are attacking the character of the person instead of the arguments itself. Defensive strategists are also susceptible to fallacies, so it is critical to be wary of it.

In Trial

I’m not a law expert but I know offense and defense applies here. This is an example of how these two strategies should depend on the situation. Naturally, the accused would defend his innocence, and the accuser will attack his suspect with valid claims.

 

There is a possibility of a wise man choosing the both sides. You might have heard of the adage “the best defense is a good offense”; and thus masking the intention of offense through hefty defense. This offensive defense style has claimed wild support from business, team coaches and avid players. But there is another end of the combination of two.

In defensive offense, frisky offense is actually done in the name of defense.  You won’t let the opponent have the opportunity to attack you by attacking them first and serially. This is the less humble, more infamous combination; but you as a person will choose which works for you.

What is your chosen side?

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