i need inspiration
Let's do a compliation of Pearls' list of things-to-do:
7/10/05 (Friday) - deadline for Developmental Processes commentary paper, 4 pages (completed!)
- also the day for presentation on The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem, a 22-page journal article, for Developmental Processes.
10/10/05 (Monday) - deadline for Evolutionary Psychology essay 2000 words(incomplete. Stuck.)
14/10/05 (Friday) - deadline for Early Language Learning essay, 1500 words (not started. Only references collected)
21/10/05 (Friday) - deadline for Developmental Processes status paper, 2000 words (not started. Only found one relevant book)
31/10/05 (Monday) - 2nd mid-term test for Evolutionary Psychology, MCQs.
10/11/05 (Thursday) - deadline for Issues in Research and Testing essay, 4000 words (of course I've not started on this one!!)
Now, I badly need inspiration for my paper on Evolutionary Psychology. Skipped lecture today in hope of getting something done. But now, all my references are right in front of me yet I'm still stuck. My MS Word is filled with paragraphs here and there but I can't connect them... Arrrggghhh!!!!
The question is "what would you regard as the most significant attribute separating humans from animals, and why? Discuss how an evolutionary perspective might try to account for this attribute." I haven't even successfully answered the first part of the question. I've decided on my attribute, but as I said, can't connect ideas.
Doesn't help that I'll be conducting auditions on Sat and will be occupied the whole of Friday because of the presentation and the script... I NEED to finish this paper by TODAY!!! So that I can finally start on my paper on Early Language Learning!!! (my most dreaded subject. It's interesting, but all the linguistic terms are absolutely of no help...).
Oh my oh my oh my....
On a sidenote, this pseudo-classical albumI'm listening to now, called simply "The Classical Album", is actually quite a listening pleasure, with a nice mix of opera and orchestra pieces ranging from true classical pieces to movie soundtracks and modern instrumental. Alas, not exactly in a mood to enjoy... No inspiration.
About Me
- Pearl
- Fat, love to eat, love to sleep, love movies and TV serials especially TVB, love animals especially my cats, love dancing though got poor coordination between my hands and legs, love theatre but no motvation to pursue it seriously, love to ramble yet have a very poor grasp of the English language - like what is happening now.
Favourite links
Wikipedia - use contents with caution
Internet Movie Database (IMDB) - All you need to know about movies
Love HK Film.com - All you need to know about Asian cinema
OchaCream - Shop online for handmade accessories
Birdsnestfern - Shop online for handmade accessories
A Little Bird Told Me - Shop online for handmade accessories
Point2Entertainment - Funn's blog and reviews
8 comments:
Evolutionary Psychology?
Ermm Pearl speak English! What are you talking about? So many deadlines??
That's precisely what I'm talking about, my dear friend - deadlines. All the deadlines for all these essays within one month and I'm in grave danger of not meeting them. I am soooo BUSTED.
In fact, as I'm typing this, I'm actually still poring over my Evolutionary Psychology paper, incompleted and lying idle in my MSword.
Evolutionary Psychology? Good question cos I'm not sure how to answer that. To put it in English, it's a sub-topic in Psychology where we study psychological processes with an evolutionary perspective. For example, because women incur much more cost than men in child-bearing (9 months of of health problems and a life-time of raising the kid for the lady, while all it takes is a moment of passion for the man and he is free to say bye-bye), women have evolved to select long-term mates who are able to and willing to invest in her kids, why modern women tend to choose men with economic resources (even if she's rich herself) as long-term partners. Just one part of the explanation ^^.
Ermm Pearl, I am a woman so maybe it's not polite for me to say this but maybe there is anotehr branch of evolution called golddiggers? Women want security, women want comfort and therefore women tend to choose a mate who can provide that comfort for her, child probably second because we women innately wants to live a carefree life without worrying about money, weight or hair problems? Can necessity be once branch of this evolutionary psychology thing??
err... I don't really understand what u mean by another branch of EP called golddiggers??
If u mean that maybe there's another explanation for women looking for rich mates, I think when we think EP, we are looking at the most fundamental level of all explanations ie. why we evolved that way to exhibit that kind of behaviour. In answerig those questions for EP, we usually look at the hunter-gatherer period for humans and what was most likely to be important to them.
EP rests heavily on the theory of evolution, which is the process of natural selection. To cut the long story short, natural selection works the same way in all organisms - to promote not only one's survival but also to promote the propogation of genes. And in cases when survival of offspring is at stake, cross-cultural and comparative (between animals and humans) studies have shown that the survival of one's genetic legacy outweighs one's own life. For example, ground squirrels risk their lives by making alert calls when they see a predator only when their relatives are among the group (oh yeah, and mostly only females do that). It's what we call 'inclusive fitness' which outweighs the benefits of 'individual fitness' that has been observed in all organism.
So I guess in this case, perhaps wanting to live in comfort is an idea (called meme) that is being passed down and across cultures as a by-product of this innate need for rich guys to provide for her and her kids.
Here's a weblink if u're interested to know more about EP: http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/research/cep/primer.html
Of course dun take my word for it. I'm not an expert =P
Oh you sound like one.
Can what you say apply to lions and lioness? That male dominance has evolved in such a way that male lions became so lazy they won't hunt and they expect lioness to hunt and perhaps one day it may evolve to a point that the lioness will get so fed up of hunting for the lions that they simply hunt for themselves and let the lions starve to death as the lions has evolved to a point of complete uselessness?
Am I making sense?? Will read that article. Always have been interested in this kind of stuff.
Have you read Sophie's World before?
About the lion and lioness thingy, I think it's unlikely, at least IMO... Cos this is kinda like a reciprocal relationship that is in balance - lioness hunt for food for lion, while lion provide protection for her and her cubs. I believe that lions don't have that same level of cognitive functioning that gives them the incentive to loaf or take advantage, as compared to say humans, men with less conscience would have probably taken advantage of the situation and run away when trouble is brewing.
So far what I know, when the territory is threatened, lions spare no expense at protecting it, thereby ensuring the safety of the lioness and her offspring. Cos usually when the dominant male is ousted, the new 'leader' actually kills the cubs of the previous dominant male.
No, I haven't read Sophie's World. What is it about? Is it a good read?
It is actually a book about the evolution or many branches of philosophy explained in a manner like a story within a story. The earlier theories are very good read but got more and more difficult but the story inside this story is quite nice. You should give it a try. I am sure you will like it.
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