Preserve Your Health

The behaviour involving the care and protection of the offspring by the females of a species is called maternal behaviour and the motive that energizes a female to indulde in such behaviouor and the motive that energizes a female to indulge in such behaviour called the maternal drive or motive. The maternal drives is stimulated both by the biological and phychological factors inter-related with learning. The earlier scene in this direction is dominated by the role of the hormones. The hormones progesterone has been found to be important in maintaining pregnancy and estrogen helps to trigger birth. Another hormone, prolactine produced by the pituitary gland, directs the mammary glands to secrete milk for the new born.

The later period of othe maternal behaviour is controlled and guided by the learning components of the maternal drive and behaviour spring from a variety of sources: from mother and grandmother, from observing the behaviour of friends and neighbours, from books, from movies and television, etc. One’s own physical and mental health may also contribute in this direction. However, much depends upon the impact of the social learning and earlier experiences that leave an unforget table impression on the mind of the mother justifying the finding that being a good and loving mother depends considerably on having a good and loving mother.

The need for self-assertion: Every one of us has inherent desire to get an opportunity to rule or dominate others. It may vary in intensity from person to person but it is surely exhibited by all of us in one or other situations irrespective of age, stength and status. Some may show it to their juniors, servants, life partner or children while others may exhibit it towards their pet animals, birds, and even inanimate things like dolls or pictures. This need of asserting oneself gives birth to an important motive called power motive that works as a strong determiner of one’s personality and behaviours.

The need for self-expression or self-actualization: We all have an inherent craving for the expression of our self and actualization of our own potentialities. An individual may have a hidden poet, musician or painter in his self and thus may have a strong desire to get his talent exhibited or nutured. In this way one wants to get adequate opportunities for the expression and development of his potentialities and subsequently he strives for and is not happy until he gets opportunities for such expression and self-actualization.

The need to achieve: Every human being has a strong desire to achieve some or other things like money, fame, reputation, degree, merit position, medals, good lifr partner, spiritual attainment, etc., not only for raising his status in the eyes of others but also for the satisfaction he gets out of his own accomplishment.

The need for recognition or social approval: Each one of us has an inherent desire for gaining recognition, appreciation and esteem at the hands of others. An artist may thus desire to be known for his art, a young woman may desire to appreciated for her beauty, goodmanners or house keeping by fellow humanbeings especially the members of the group to which she belongs. A student may show this desire in surpassing other students of his class and thus gaining required social status, prestige or approval from his fellow students, teachers and parents.

The need for Social Company: Man is referred to as a social animal in the sense that he has a strong urge to be with his own kind and maintain social relations with them. The real strength ofthis need can be felt by those individuals who are faced with social rejection or solitary confinement.

Under this category, we can list all those needs that are associated with the socio-cultural enviornment of an individual. They are acquired through social learning. Although such needs are not linked with the survival of the organism or species, yet their deprivation may lead to a psychological state seriously affecting his survival and welfare. These needs for the sake of clarity may be classified as below:

The need for freedom or gaining independence: An individual possesses a craving for independence. Nature has created us free and independent as individuals and requires us to remain so. Therefore, all human beings have an urge too remain free and independent.

The need for security: Every one of us needs to feel secure not only to save himself from the physical dangers but also from socio physhological angles he needs desirable emotional, social and economical security for his well being.

The need for love and affection: Every one of us irrespective of age, caste, colour and creed have a strong desire to love and be loved. Depending upon one’s age and circumstances, it may vary in kinds and nature, but a sort emotional craving for the satisfaction of his need is exhibited univesally by all living organisms.

Thinking in one way or other shows evidence of the involvement of a slight incipient movement of groups of our muscles. It can be easily noticed that there are slight muscular response when we think of a word, resembling the movements used found to exist between the thinking unless the same is received by our brain cells and properly interpreted for driving some meaning. The mental pictures or images can be stored, formed, reconstructed or put to some use only through the functioning of the brain. Therefore, what happens in our thought process can simply be called a game, function or product of the activities of our brain.

Brain functions: Whatever may be the role of muscles, thinking is primarily a function of our brain. Our mind or brain is said to be the chief instrument or reservoir for carrying out the process of thinking. Whatever is experienced through our sense organs carries no meaning and thus cannot serve a stimulating agent, an instrument or object for our thinking unless the same is received by our brain cells and properly interpreted for driving some meaning. The mental pictures or images can be stored, formed, reconstructed or put to some use only through the functioning of the brain. Therefore, what happens in our thought process can simply be called a game, function or product of the activities of our brain.

Symbols and signs represent and stand as substitutes for actual objects, experiences and activities. In this sense they cannot be confined to words and mathematical numerals and terms. Traffic lights, railways signals, school bells, badge, songs, flags, and slogans all stand for the symbolic expression. These symbols and signs stimulate and economize thinking. They at once tell us what to do or how to act. For example, the waiving of other green flag by the guard tells us that the train list about to move and we should get in the train. Similarly, the mathematical symbol for subtraction will get in the train. Similarly, the mathematical symbol for subtraction (-) tells a child what he has to do. The conclusion drawn by Boring, Lang field and Weld for emphasizing the role of symbols and signs in to the process of thinking is worth mentioning. They write “symbols and signs are thus seen to be the pawn and pieces with which the great game of thinking is played and It could not be such a remarkable and successful game without them” (1961).

Language: Language is the most efficient and developed vehicle used for carrying out the process of thinking. When one listens or reads or writes words, phrases or sentences or observes gesture In any language, one is stimulated too think. Reading and Writing is of the promoting our thinking process.

This type of thinking is chiefly aimed at creating something new. It is in search of new relationship and associations too describe and interpret the nature of things, events and situations. It is not bound by any pre-established rules. The individual himself, usually, formulates the problem and he is free to collect evidence and to invent tools for its solution. The thinking of the scientists or investors is an example of creative thinking.

Non-directed or Associative Thinking: In strict psychological sense, what we have discussed above in terms of the type or categories of thinking constitutes real or genuine thinking. It is essentially a directed thinking which pertains to reasoning and problem-solving procedures aimed at meeting specific goals. However, there are times non-directed and without goals. It is reflected through day-dreaming, dreaming, free associations, fantasy, delusions and other flowing uncontrolled activities. In psychological language such forms of thought are referred to as associative thinking.

The various element involved in the thinking process may be summarized as under. In the process of thinking we usually rely on these elements or tools.

Images:

Images, as mind pictures, consist of personal experiences of objects, persons or scenes once actually seen, heard or felt. These mind pictures symbolize the actual objects, experiences and activities. In thinking, we usually manipulate the images instead of actual objects, experiences or activities.

Concepts:

A concept is a ‘general idea’ that stands for a general class will represent the common property of all the objects, or events of this general class. The concepts as a tool economize our efforts in thinking. For example when we listen to the word ‘elephant’ we are at once reminded not only about the nature and qualities of the elephants as a class built also our particular experience and understanding about them emerge from our consciousness that stimulate our present thinking.

Thinking, as a mental process, is usually classified in to the following types:

Perceptual or concrete:

It is the simplest form of thinking. The basis of this type of thinking is perception that is interpretation of sensation according to one’s experience. It is also named as concrete thinking as it is carried over the perception of actual or concrete objects and events.

Conceptual or Abstract Thinking:

Like perceptual thinking it does not require the perception of actual objects or events. It is an abstract thinking where one makes use of concepts; the generalized ideas and language. It is regarded as a superior type of thinking to perceptual thinking as it economizes efforts in understanding and problem-solving.

Reflective thinking:

It is somewhat of a higher form of thinking.
It can be distinguished from simple thinking in the following ways:

• It aims at solving complex problems rather than simple problems.

• It requires reorganization of all the relevant experiences and finding new ways of reaction to a situation or of removing an obstacle instead of simple association of experiences or ideas.

• Mental activity in reflective thinking does not undergo any mechanical trial and error type of effort. There is an insightful cognitive approach in reflective thinking.

• It takes logic into account in which all the relevant facts are arranged in a logical order, in order to get too the solution of the problem in hand.

Some tips on health are followed blindly by most people. They do not care about the outcome except that the fact had been highlighted to them by someone in the next cubicle or someone known to him! But all those tips are not true is the recent finding by some scientists. Here are certain myths that have been proved wrong by scientists.

Myth#1 – You get fatter by eating carbs.
Foods are fattening only if they contain cream or margarine. Carbs contain less than half the calories of fat and hence are more satisfying your appetite!

Myth#2 – Eight glasses of water are a must for all daily.
There is no single study to back this claim. Around 750 ml of water is enough for most persons. Excessive amounts can actually be dangerous.

Myth#3 – A pregnant woman has to eat for two.
Pregnant women need just 200 extra calories a day which is just equivalent to 2 slices of bread. They can have a normal diet otherwise.

Myth#4 – You can live longer if you take vitamins regularly.
Antioxidant vitamins like A, C & E do not prolong life. They may even lead to premature death according to a study!

Myth#5 – You get spots if you eat chocolate.
Acne is caused by hormones and not due to chocolates!

Just be aware of some facts to lead a healthy life.