Discussion 1
Technology and Love: Is it a match?
Developmental theorists claim that finding a partner is one of the things we focus most on during young adulthood. Today, research indicates that more and more individuals are turning to online dating in the search for love. Do you feel this is an effective way to search for a companion? Why or why not? The article, Five Myths about Online Dating, briefly addresses some issues that arise with the quest for finding a partner through the Internet. Support your reasoning with information from the text, course materials, and the article.
Five Myths about Online Dating
Comment 1
With the progression of technology and media comes the evolution of dating, and with more dating happening online, the culture of romantic relationships is also changing. The article provided references the rise of “hookup culture, and how this new type of dating is being blamed for ruining romance, it also isn’t much different than dating in the early 1900’s (Rudder, 2015, para 5). I think the main difference of dating a century ago and now is that there is increased amount of exposure to this type of dating, thanks to media and dating apps. For a generation that is so centered around media, I don’t see anything wrong with dating apps. In fact, dating apps allow people to be very upfront about who they are and what they’re searching for in a relationship (or lack thereof), which only streamlines the process of finding a mate. This generation is also extremely work oriented and focused on personal goals, and online dating allows those people to find someone of similar interest and intent without the normal hours spent at bars or coffee shops hoping to meet someone. I also agree that online dating is much safer than meeting someone out and about. When messaging someone online, you have an opportunity to get a feel for them without giving them your number, or having them be near you in case something feels off. You are more in control of where and when you meet the person and are able to tell others of this meet before it happens. I also have to agree with the article when it states that the”everyone lies” bit is a myth. Personally I found people to be almost completely honest, with a few stretching stories here and there, but fundamentally the same in person as they portrayed themselves online.
Of course, I might be biased in this whole topic, since I actually met my fiance on Bumble!
Rudder, C. (2015, October 2). Five myths about online dating. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-online-dating/2015/10/02/a344ba92-5be2-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html.
Comment 2
As much as people want to say that online dating is destroying romance, and making this generation more superficial, it isn’t actually all that bad. In the book (Santrock, 2017), it states that some critics argue that online romantic relationships lose the interpersonal connection while others emphasize that the Internet may benefit shy or anxious individuals who find it difficult to meet potential partners in person. People who would be to shy to approach someone in public, can save themselves from that social anxiety. One of the biggest critiques of online dating is that it promotes hook up culture, but it has also been shown to help people find exactly what they are looking for. For example, people who are looking for a long term relationship are able to find each other, and don’t have to go through the hassle of getting to know someone to figure out if you have the same end goal for a relationship. I believe this should be an effective way to look for a partner because all of the things you would like to know are shown, and you can make the decision if you want to talk to the person or not. If they talk back to you then you know the feeling is mutual, so there is no beating around the bush. One of the factors that make us attracted to someone is physical attractiveness, and is a spark that often ignites romantic relationships (Santrock, 2017). Whether its online or in person we will look at a person and we either will or won’t have that feeling of physical attractiveness towards them. So judging their picture doesn’t make us more shallow, because physical attractiveness is one of the biggest factors for being attracted to someone.
Santrock, J. W. (2017) Life-Span Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Rudder, C. (2015, October 2). Five myths about online dating. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-online-dating/2015/10/02/a344ba92-5be2-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html.
Discussion 2
A Creative Life: Is it all about curiosity?
Some psychologists claim that creativity peaks in early adulthood. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyl is a psychologist who offers strategies for increasing creativity in one’s life. He claims that creative people regularly experience a state he calls flow, which is a heightened state of pleasure experienced when they engage in challenging tasks that absorb their interest. Csikszentmihalyl claims that the first step in achieving a more creative life is through curiosity and interest. Do you agree with Csikszentmihalyl that curiosity and interest can lead to a more creative life? Do you think heredity plays any role in creativity? Why or why not? What other factors may lead to heightened creativity in early adulthood? Support your reasoning with information from the text and other course materials.
Comment 1
I agree with Csikszentmihalyi that one way to achieve a more creative life is through complete immersion in a task of interest. This type of cognitive engagement encourages critical thinking and curiosity toward furthering your ideas or conceptions of the topic. In a Ted Talk he gave, Csikszentmihalyi speaks about the research he did and how it brought the conclusion that when being completely consumed with something, your neural connections are maximizing their activity and bringing you to a state of ecstasy, which he describes as a feeling of alternate reality (Csikzentmihalyi, 2004). Taking this, I think that by regularly engaging in this type of thinking or involvement in something can bring you to a more consistent state of creativity or flow. According to John Paul Garrison, Doctor of Psychology, creativity can also be an inherited trait that links directly to personality traits of being open to different ideas and opportunities. While Dr. Garrison and other psychologists state that this research isn’t as simple as a statement, there are strong indicators that creativity can be inherited just like diseases can (Shannon-Karasik, 2017). I think that while I can agree that there may be some genetic indicators for creativity, I think a lot of the manifestation of creativity comes from one’s environment as they grow. In many of the examples referenced in Shannon-Karasik’s article, the person interested in their creative genes have mothers or fathers that had creative or artistic careers, and grew up also in the arts. Nurturing this environment teaches one from a young age how to be creative and fostered that sort of abstract thinking as the child grew. I think this also applies to any type of creativity in any field: if a child is exposed at a young age a nurtured in that field, then the child will have a better understanding and creative thinking of the concept.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2004, February). Flow, the secret to happiness. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_flow_the_secret_to_happiness?language=en.
Shannon-Karasik, C. (2017, September 5). Got it from my mama: creativity is heritable, says science. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/can-you-inherit-…
Comment 2
I do agree with Csikszentmihalyl’s notion that curiosity and interest can lead to a more creative life. He mentions that when something sparks your interest, to follow it (Santrock, 2017). In this way we are exploring new things, and gaining knowledge and having fresh ideas come into our minds. If we only stick to what we know, we can never find new inspiration, and find things that we are good at and expand our knowledge. One other thing he says is to surprise someone else and do something that you normally wouldn’t do (Santrock, 2017). When you stick to a routine, you might not even need to think about new ideas, so it is good to keep your mind fresh by doing new things. I think heredity does play some part, in determining when you will have your peak of creativity, but I don’t think it is what makes you creative or not. Csikszentmihalyl speaks about flow which is a heightened state of pleasure experienced when we are engaged in mental and physical challenges that absorb us (Santrock, 2017). This just shows that we need to be engaged in something to have a heightened state of creativity, and that is something that will be provided by a persons environment. Whatever a person chooses to be creative in is also a result from environment. Some other factors that can lead to more creativity in adulthood I would say is freedom. Whether its financial freedom or just free time, adults generally have more time to do things like try new things, or more time to divulge in an interest.
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