By Dr. Joshua Fuller

There is a wealth of information out in cyberspace.  In fact, some estimate it would take over 57,000 years to read everything published on the internet as of 2012.   Choosing which content to read and which to ignore is not only a time consuming task, it also requires energy.  Personal recommendations are one option to reduce some of the burden of navigating the internet.  If I may be so bold as to recommend a particularly good website, I would have to say that DanAriely.com is an excellent choice.  Dr. Dan Ariely is a world famous researcher and expert in behavioral economics.  He has published several New York Times Bestselling books on the subject and holds doctoral degrees in social psychology and economics.  

In his book, The Upside of Irrationality (Ariely, 2011), Ariely discusses an experiment he conducted to look at gender differences in couples.  To mimic real life scenarios, Ariely used the “ultimatum game.”  This simply game is played between two people whom need to split a sum of money.  One individual (the sender) proposes an offer of how to split the money either fairly or unfairly.  Another individual (the receiver) either chooses to accept the offer or reject it.  If the receiver accepts the offer both people get the proposed amount of money, but if the receiver rejects the offer neither individual gets any money.  To apply the game to emotions individuals were divided in two groups, a happy prime and an angry prime.  In these two conditions participants either watched an enjoyable episode of Friends and wrote about their own experiences or watched a clip from the movie Life as a House, and wrote about similar times in your life when you were wrongly treated and very angry.  In the current setup of the game males accepted unfair offers about 50% of the time in either the happy or angry conditions.  However, with the addition of more options in the ultimatum game, interesting gender differences can be observed.  After being primed with a specific mood, participants were asked to play a new version of the ultimatum game.  The new version of the game added two new options.  If the offer from the sender was $16:$4, (the sender gets $16 while you only get $4) then Option 1: allows the receiver to deal which means the offer now changes to $3:$3.  Both people still get money but it’s less than what was original proposed, especially for the sender (you get to teach the other person a lesson about fairness).  Again if the original offer was $16:4 Option 2 allows the receiver to take a deal of $0:$3 which means the sender gets $0 and the receiver gets $3.  The receiver gets the same amount in both the new options but gets to tell the sender two very different messages.  Option 1 tells the sender to “be fair or suffer the consequences” while option 2 tells the sender “if you are unfair, I will be unfair.” 

What do you think is the result?  Are men and women level headed in either emotional prime?  Maybe women are more fair when they’re happy?  Or perhaps men feel no emotion at all and respond based on profit? As it turns out, men are more sensitive than one might think.  In the angry prime condition, women chose the equal payment option $3:$3 most of the time.  However the men chose the $0:$3 option more often thus taking the same amount of money but effectively sending a harsh message to their counterpart.

So what does this have to do with canoeing?  Well, as Dr. Ariely points out in the study above, we often respond differently when angry or happy.  And although we would like to think ourselves immutable from brazen reactions, people succumb to their current emotional state most of the time.  Dr. Ariely recommends simulating a stressful/angry situation before diving head first into any major life decision.  Before getting married or starting a joint bank account, it might be a good idea to go canoeing together.  Canoeing can be stressful with no immediate escape.  In a confined and challenging environment, how does your partner respond?  Is this someone you want to spend the rest of your life with?  If nothing else, its food for thought!

Ariely, Dan. (2011). The upside of irrationality: the unexpected benefits of defying logic at work and at home: Harper.

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By Dr. Kristin Mauldin, Ph.D.

This past week I held the last class of my Sports Psychology course.  The students expressed sadness over it ending, took the time to share contact info with each other, and then gave each other (and me!) hugs as they left.  Several of them made comments about how amazing the class was, a comment that absolutely makes my day (week?  year?), but I also only take a small bit of the credit for.  See, what I know, is that they were the ones that made that course amazing.  

Let me give a little background here.  Sports psychology IS a course that lends itself to fun and introspection.  We talk about things such as group cohesion, imagery, and communication, all topics that are very relatable and focus on increasing confidence and coping skills.  Then we get to enjoy some experiential learning through various activities such as obstacle courses and untangling human knots.  These activities are fun, but what is really neat about them is how they break down the barriers between the students.  On the first day of class, like in most classes, the students are fairly quiet and reserved, sort of feeling things out.  Not too many weeks in, after various activities and discussions, the room is filled with discussion and banter.  I LOVE watching this transformation!  We go from a class of several individuals to a cohesive group.  A team.  Friends.  And, yes, I’m including myself in that.  

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So how am I giving credit to the students for this cohesive ending?  The students are willing to be vulnerable.  They each, in their own time, and their own way, make the decision to come forward and take a risk.  And this is what that looks like.  That risk is my shy, introverted student stepping in to a rather raucous class activity, and speaking up.  That risk is my students sharing the struggles they are currently experiencing, or have experienced, because they see how it ties to the topic that day.  That risk is my students pairing up in unlikely partnerships and putting in effort to connect with each other.  That risk is my students bravely participating in activities that ask them to reveal fears and insecurities in front of each other.  What comes out of all of this risk taking is the students begin to understand each other, and they feel more understood.  When that quieter student talked, the rest listened and responded.  When that struggling student shared, the other students showed empathy and care.  When emotions rose, hugs were given.  With all of these difficult and scary moments, came an equal amount of support, bonding, and laughter. 

Just a few weeks ago the Sport and Performance Psychology (SPP) program participated in the 2019 Bullying Prevention Conference.  This is a part of our ongoing partnership with Riverside Medical Clinic Charitable Foundation to prevent bullying in Riverside high schools by pairing SPP graduate students with high school students.  Through these pairings, our graduate students teach the high school students to put on presentations and events at their high schools with the hope that they will teach these skills to their peers.  While the link between sport and performance psychology and bullying prevention may not be obvious to all, the overlap is actually quite strong.  Techniques used to increase performance are effective because they lead to more positive framing, imaging, self-talk, communication, self-awareness, stress management, coping strategies, and self-confidence.  All of these skills can be used to help adolescents deal with the stressors that come with high school.  

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A major component of sport and performance psychology, and of bullying prevention efforts, is increasing social cohesion.  In his presentation, Bullying & The Bully: How Can We Address This Behavior?, Joseph Antonelli discussed how bullies ostracize their victims in order to increase their own social capitol.  By focusing on differences between their social group and the victim, the bully increases the cohesion within their group, as well as their own group status.  Thus, focusing on differences and splintering social groups can advance bullying activities, whereas creating a culture of empathy and inclusivity can undermine bullying activities, making it ‘cool’ to bring in group members rather than ostracize them. 

And, of course, creating a culture of empathy requires the participation of students willing to be vulnerable.  Willing to take a step forward to try to connect with their peers, include them, and understand them.  It requires the type of behavior that I saw from my Sports Psychology students this past semester, leading us to have an amazing semester together.

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Dr. Mauldin graduated with her Ph.D. in psychology from Miami University and conducted research as a postdoctoral fellow at University of California, San Diego.  She specializes in the cognitive neuroscience of learning and memory and sport, performance, and exercise psychology.  She enjoys her role as a professor of psychology because it gives her the opportunity to study topics she loves while connecting with her students.  Now, as the Director of the Sport and Performance Psychology program at California Baptist University, she has had the opportunity to build a graduate program that serves its students and the community.  Dr. Mauldin’s own experience growing up with a physically debilitating disease has helped fuel her efforts to design programs that helps others increase their own physical and mental health through the use of techniques grounded in psychology. 

By Dr. Erin Smith

Are you familiar with Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13? The ones about the seeds falling in rocky soil, thorns, or good soil? Or about sowing weeds among seeds, or the size of a mustard seed plant? Among these verses, as Jesus explains why he speaks in parables, he says, “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Matthew 13: 16-17).

Why was it so hard for the religious leaders to open their ears and eyes? (And, related, why is it so easy for us to see that their ears are closed, but be blind to areas of our own deafness? See Matthew 7:3-5 if you don’t believe that we are blind in this way.)

As a psychologist, I think about this question in empirical—testable, measurable—terms. And it turns out that psychology has been investigating a variant of this question for the past 5 or 6 decades. When the question of hearing ears and seeing eyes is rephrased in psychological language, it might look something like this: how are incorrect beliefs revised; how are beliefs challenged and changed in such a way that we move closer to truth, and why do we so rarely see legitimate belief change in light of evidence? I think this is a fair rephrasing of Jesus’ question because Jesus wasn’t saying, “blessed are you because you’ve always believed the right thing”, but rather, blessed are you because you remained open to—and were thus changed by—God’s truth, despite the fact that it wasn’t what you were originally thinking, expecting, or looking for.

The story that psychological research tells about belief revision, about the process of opening our ears and eyes, is nuanced. It turns out that the cognitive and social systems humans are equipped with and embedded in have particular operations that make belief revision especially difficult. Much of this nuance is explored in an area of psychology called motivated reasoning (see Kunda, 1990) or, more recently, in the study of cultural cognition. Although we might hope that the goal of human reasoning is accuracy (e.g., moving closer toward what is true, in reality), research in psychology shows that we all also engage in forms of motivated directional reasoning. Motivated reasoning refers to the process of evaluating arguments and evidence in such a way that we arrive at our preferred conclusion. That is, we engage with information in a way that allows us to preserve our beliefs, even in the face of data to the contrary. Maintenance of beliefs may be another goal of human reasoning, a goal that is sometimes at odds with the goal of accuracy.

A considerable amount of research on motivated reasoning is nested within the context of politically-motivated reasoning (though religion is also an important factor that must be considered). For example, Campbell and Kay (2014) demonstrated that motivated reasoning is due, in part, to an aversion to the solution implicated in the problem. If we don’t like the solution, we are motivated to dismiss the problem (i.e., claiming that the data do not actually show a problem, that the problem is overstated, etc.). Crucially, Campbell and Kay demonstrated the explanatory power of solution aversion for Republicans and Democrats, albeit for different issues. Republicans and Democrats both dismissed issues when they were tied with solutions that countered typical conservative or liberal ideals.

Potentially more powerful in promoting motivated reasoning than solution aversion, however, is the connection of our beliefs to our identities. Shared Reality Theory proposes that “experience is established as valid and reliable to the extent that it is shared with others” (Hardin & Higgins, 1996, p. 28). That is, when we share beliefs with others, not only does that bond us with the other, but it also provides “evidence” of the reality of that belief. For example, research suggests that individuals were less likely to accept scientific arguments if they believed that their parents or friends did not accept those same arguments; accepting the argument would have threatened the reality shared within these relationships.

To be clear, motivated reasoning is rarely (if ever) conscious. People rarely look at data, read articles, have a debate with a friend and think, “I’m going to take what they say and totally misinterpret it…on purpose!” No, that’s not what happens. Rather, as a function of unconscious cognitive processes, we selectively remember, interpret, are critical of information in a way that protects our beliefs. If the evidence can be discounted (for presumably “good” reasons), then our beliefs can continue unchanged and the social connections with whom we share these beliefs are maintained or even strengthened.

Think about the implications of this. When evidence comes to light that something that we believe might not be true, it’s not just about the data. In fact, research in motivated reasoning indicates that exposure to data that suggests we might be wrong may, in some cases, polarizes belief, causing us to believe more strongly despite the mounting evidence that the belief is wrong. Why is this? Our most important beliefs are inextricably intertwined with our most important social connections. Shared Reality Theory suggests that these relationships are important, in part, because of their connection to the beliefs shared within them; our relationships validate our beliefs and our shared beliefs solidify and strengthen our relationships. (It’s a bit of a chicken-egg/important belief-important relationship thing.) Considered in this light, changing beliefs also threatens to upend our most pivotal social connections and our understanding of what makes life meaningful. What shared reality suggests is that it is exceptionally difficult to change beliefs, especially some of our most important ones, because of the threat this change implies for our social world. This is true even when there is a lot of evidence that our beliefs are wrong.

At this point, let’s return to the original question of the blog: why was it so hard for the religious leaders to open their ears and eyes? We find one answer in the very human process of motivated reasoning, especially considering the power of our social relationships as both a source of belief validation and belief maintenance. Although it might be easy for us to paint these religious leaders as bull-headed, arrogant, or even just as unidimensional characters in a story, this would be a mistake. These religious leaders were challenged with information that contradicted their views—their views about religion, who the Savior would be, what the Messiah would do, etc. This challenge was deeply threatening, psychologically and socially. For these religious leaders, to abandon their beliefs would have meant an entire upheaval to how they had always lived their lives and the social organization that had always guided it.

There is, however, more to this story. The New Testament tells of many followers of Jesus, some of whom were from those same circles of religious leaders who rejected Jesus. So, how did they develop ears to hear and eyes to see? This very important question with implications for you and your life—how can you develop ears to hear and eyes to see? Although I will take up this question from the perspective of psychological research in the next part of this blog, I’d like to hear your thoughts: what do you think is important in the process of changing beliefs? How do you think the process of motivated reasoning or shared reality inhibit belief change?

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What are your thoughts? Share below-CBU student comments left within a week of the publication of this blog will be entered into a raffle for a CSHB external battery to keep your phone charged when you are on the go. Winners notified via email.

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By Julie Goodman-Bowling, Ph.D

My Story:

Many years ago, when I was an undergraduate student at Biola University, my hallmates got together for an event. Little did I know that in that one evening, the trajectory of my life would be so dramatically determined. A group of about 20 college students, we sat around a table while drinking coffee and talked about disadvantaged, mistreated factory workers for a major apparel corporation. I was stunned by how much I did know about something so benign, so seemingly mundane as my daily wardrobe. Like many college students, for us, the call to “social justice” meant doing something significant for the good of the world, however small. Our contribution was writing letters to congressmen, letting them know that we were concerned about the conditions of garment factory workers both locally and overseas and urging them to enforce penalties and fines for a major corporation whose unlawful practices broke many labor codes and violated human rights. I suddenly cared about where my clothes, and many other of my things were mined, assembled, and imported from along with the people involved in every step of the process. Schooled in the ways of “culture” and various practices throughout the world, my perspective of global capitalism and its plethora of effects on the every-day lives of people around the world was dim; that night was when my interest in globalization, culture, capitalism and labor began. Anthropology is the study of humanity across time and culture and touches every part of the human experience – including how we get the stuff we need (and want) to how a broad global system of exchange has so drastically affected the everyday lives of real people “on the ground.”

Why Migration and Labor?

A lot has happened since then – personally, professionally, and globally. I went on to study factory workers in the Los Angeles Garment District as part of my master’s thesis at Cal State Fullerton. I interviewed several workers, primarily from Latin America who shared their stories with me. One woman’s plight remains embedded in my memory. Lourdes* fled from poverty in Honduras in hopes of earning money at a garment factory in Los Angeles at a place that she had learned would hire undocumented workers. She described how she left her husband and children, crossed into the United States, came to Los Angeles, and how quickly her life had changed since her journey began. Growing up in a traditional, Catholic, Honduran home, she valued chastity, family, and faith. Like many well-intentioned mothers** this woman sacrificed so much of her life in order to try to provide for her family. Along the way, she faced many challenges, and at one point, found herself cohabitating with a man for the sake of protection and to share the expenses of living in L.A. The relationship turned physical; she became pregnant. Now, she explained, she felt the many strains of being a cross-cultural, undocumented migrant worker without a lot of support in the United States. Her husband was devastated, and her children were afraid that their mother would forget about them and start a new life in America. Feeling stretched financially already, Lourdes now felt the pressures of providing her family at home and a new, emerging family on the way. She was overworked and aching from performing many repetitious movements as she assembled t-shirts day in and day out, making less than minimum wage (when she was forced to clock in for 8 hours but expected to work 10 to 12 hours each day), and faced difficult working conditions in the factory. For Lourdes, the hope of a better life at the pull of available wage labor, offered opportunity in some ways, but was not at all what she expected. Throughout my years of research, I learned that Lourdes’ story was all too common for many migrant workers, not only in the United States, but around the world.

Since completing my fieldwork in Los Angeles, I continued to study labor migration for my doctoral thesis, spending two years with migrant day laborers in Southern California at a local home improvement store. Through observation, participation, offering English lessons, and conducting interviews, I learned that the processes of migration, labor, culture, and capitalism are all interconnected through a vast web that we call “globalization” – that ever-nebulous interconnectedness that we see evidenced in the movement of labor, finance, disease, resources… among so many other moving parts! I have striven to centralize something that many often miss – the people who are most affected by these broad processes–the migrant workers, the transnational families, the underpaid mothers, fathers, and emerging adults–who are trying to eke out a living and are most affected by globalization, political policies in place to try to regulate global capitalism, and by the many cultural shifts they are challenged to navigate.

Why it Matters

Maybe you have never considered that the cost of producing a denim garment in Bangladesh costs about four times less than in the United States1 or that no more than $6 U.S. usually goes to the labor for a typical garment2. I usually tell my students to take a trip around the globe by opening their closets and investigating all of the tags. Chances are you will find underwear made in the Philippines or Israel, simple t-shirts made in Mexico and blouses from India, pants and socks from Bangladesh, Honduras, or Guatemala. Look a little further and you may be somewhat surprised to find much of your technology–like your cell phone–has taken a trip around the world! It may have gone from the Democratic Republic of Congo where the raw materials were initially mined, to Singapore where many component parts (such as memory chips) were manufactured, to Brazil, where it was assembled, boxed, and shipped eventually to the United States and finally, to your local retail outlet. At the end of the day, the core is cost-effectiveness and in a global capitalist economy, profit prevails over people.

And that is where I come in…or rather, my research interests. Lest I think you have perused this blog to learn more about globalization (a fascinating and important topic of inquiry to be sure!), perhaps you are more interested in applying what we are trained to do in the Behavioral Sciences–to address and find solutions to real social problems in the world. See, I understand we all need “stuff.” I’m not sure I need so much of it, but I am sure we all need, to some degree, “stuff” to survive and “stuff” that we like – which is often culturally determined. Be it clothing, furniture, décor, food, or technology–like our cell phones, computers, and televisions, our “stuff” comes from all over the world, usually because its costs much less to mine, manufacture, assemble, and ship from all over the globe. And, as I have learned from my own research and that of many seasoned scholars, the most effective cost reduction is the human resource – you got it – the worker. Labor is the best place for any company to cut costs which is why, in the grand supply chain of our “stuff,” it is usually the workers who suffer the most. But, this may be beginning to change…

Every year that I teach about this – and oh, there is much more as I’m sure you’ve realized already – my students inevitably ask, “But, Prof. G, how can it be any different? Is there a way to buy “stuff” without contributing to the ever-increasing, profit-driven, global capitalist system to which manufacturing, corporations and even public policies and laws are so deeply embedded? How can I buy anything that won’t hurt someone!?” In other words, where can you shop? If you don’t want to contribute to the bottom line being the bottom line…let me offer you a few suggestions.

The good news is that you are not alone! In fact, there is an emerging movement toward social equality to help ameliorate the many deleterious effects of the current market system. Consumers seem to desire better labor practices, fair wages, and fair-trade products. Local communities are getting involved by creating stronger relationships between producers and consumers of goods, increasing trade and exchange using social media, and requesting greater transparency from corporations about their economic practices. Though not everything you purchase is (currently) available through such conscientious consumption, I suggest that if you are convicted about where and how you choose to buy your products and the type of businesses you want to support, that you simply peruse these ideas–and then, send us some of your own! These are just a few my thoughts as a humble anthropology professor, student of migrant labor, and an increasingly conscientious consumer^[3]:

The artisan movement is quickly becoming a go-to for local consumers for goods such as clothing, accessories, and artwork. The value of local, indigenous representations of culture is priceless! One company, Noonday, is a recent find for me and offers artisan goods from around the globe! Their mission is to be a “socially responsible business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities for people across the globe,” through a network of nearly 4,500 artisans in fourteen counties! From necklaces to bracelets, earrings, and scarves, Noonday strives to support job opportunities, the empowerment of women, the livelihood of children, and values connections between producers and consumers. You can find them here: Noonday Collection.

Another great local outfit I recently discovered is a little shop off of Main Street in Seal Beach, California called Jennings and Allen. When I first walked in the shop I was amazed! I felt like I had walked into a museum with all of the material goods they had displayed – and every object had a story! The owners have traveled in search of goods, made by local community artisans and that support many important causes including women empowerment and rebuilding

communities that have fallen victim to famine, war, and many injustices. From Ugandan baskets, Haitian soapstone carvings, Ethiopian bracelets fashioned from refurbished PVC, Guatemalan hand-sewn purses to double-sided, hand-stitched saris-turned-scarves from India, each product tells a story. One of my favorites was the necklace made from repurposed bullet-shells from Ethiopia – a sign of hope and a future. The owners of this establishment know each of their producers and attest to having been to almost all of the places where their goods are made; they either know the artists themselves or have a solid relationship with established community organizations work with local artisans and resource the goods. Here is their website: Jennings and Allen.

Some companies with whom you are already familiar have a “fair trade line” which means you can still get the styles you like while remaining ethically sound! Now, this does not mean that the company is a fair trade company – so don’t be fooled! But it does mean that a company may be taking steps to move in that direction. And because so many companies have joined efforts, one brand may also be a branch of another – for example, J. Crew, Gap, and Old Navy are all connected “brands” so be sure to do some research to make sure the purchase you are making is supports ethical consumerism. This website Fair Trade Styles from Mainstream Companies offers information on many companies like this – but dig deep to get trustworthy facts!

Similarly, Redemption Market, a mobile outfit based in Phoenix, Arizona, travels to local merchants and makeshift markets. They offer goods at their mobile “brick-and-mortar” but they also offer online purchasing and provide a list of fair-trade business at this website: Redemption Market https://redemptionmarket.com.

Finally, if you didn’t think that there were any faith-based organizations in on the fair-trade, ethical shopping action – think again! Jesus’ Economy is an organization whose goal is to offer fair trade goods in order to reduce poverty around the world by offering microbusiness opportunities but also, to fund church planting in poor communities. Their board members are from a variety of denominations and together have a vision to help reduce poverty by helping the poor to build business. You can peruse goods on their website and learn about how you can pray for the needs of the people with whom they minister around the world. Here is their website: Jesus’ Economy.

Okay – so there it is! This is not a comprehensive list – you can find more goods at local markets, including farmer’s markets, craft fairs, or a local bizarre. Even stores like Whole Foods offer aisle displays of a few fair trade goods and unique offerings from around the globe. In Southern California, these goods are getting easier to find – you just have to look in some unexpected places! As you prepare for the holidays hoping to find something special and unique, I hope you have a great time doing some conscientious shopping and making some discoveries of your own!

*Name changed for security purposes

**See the work of sociologist Rachel Parrenas (2005, 2014) and anthropologists Barbra Ehrenriech and Ernie Hoschild (2002)

^[1] N.d. CNN 2013 http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/02/world/asia/bangladesh-us-tshirt/index.html

^[2] Boncich and Appelbaum 2002 

^[3] Disclaimer: My discussion of globalization here is very brief; please realize that there are many reasons for the global economy being what it is today – this is by no means a comprehensive study on globalization, the global economy, or labor migration. There are many layers to these broader systems – all of which we address in anthropology! (Check out the CBU Course Catalogue – ANT 360 and ANT 410 specifically address these issues). The goal of this brief discussion is to introduce unfamiliar readers to my own journey, a background of how global production is embedded in a broader system of global economics, and to really drive home that what we buy can (and does) matter.

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A note from the CSHB: Here in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, we believe that we can be the difference one person at a time. As we enter a season full of holiday gift-giving, we would encourage you to think about how your purchases can be the difference for someone, even if you never see them directly. We are starting a list of some of your favorite people-conscious shopping outlets, including those listed by Dr. Goodman-Bowling above. Please feel free to add to that list HERE, and consider exploiting the power of your purchase for the benefit of people in your local and global community, people who beautifully bear the image of our good God.

In response to Dr. Goodman-Bowling’s blog on fair trade labor practices, and the reason we should care about how the products we buy are made, this is a working list of some of our favorite places to shop, as suggested by CBU faculty, students, and community. Please feel free to add to the list in your comments below. Many of these are Corporation B Certified (e.g., guarantee of fair wages), and all focus on dignified treatment. Some also may focus on offsetting the environmental impact of our production. We hope you will find this list useful as you look to make choices that are more in line with your convictions about the importance of treating people of all kinds with dignity and respect.

Noonday Collection: Sells necklaces, bracelets, earrings, bags, and scarves, etc. Supports job opportunities, the empowerment of women, the livelihood of children, and values connections between producers and consumers.

Jennings and Allen: Sells: jewelry, soapstone carvings, scarves, hand-sewn purses, etc. Support many important causes including women empowerment and rebuilding communities that have fallen victim to famine, war, and other injustices.

Fair Trade Styles from Mainstream Companies: Offers information on many companies that support ethical consumerism

Redemption Market: Provides a list of fair trade businesses; online purchase available.

Jesus’ Economy: Sells holiday items, jewelry, accessories, bags, wallets, purses, dining, clothing, kids & baby items, journals, etc. Fair trade goods in order to reduce poverty around the world; has a vision to help reduce poverty by helping the poor to build business.

Finally! After three long years of classes I was entering my senior year of college. I was excited to only have a few classes left to complete my degree in Psychology and Social Behavior. However, for some reason I couldn’t fully enjoy my new “senior” status. Suddenly I felt overwhelmed by the fact that I had no idea what I was going to do after I graduated. I had spent most of my life as a student so I always knew what to expect. Finish one grade…move on to the next. Graduate from high school…go on to college. For the first time I was faced with making a major life decision and I wasn’t sure what to do.  

I started to look for various jobs online. I just couldn’t imagine going to work day after day just to get a paycheck. I had to do something that felt meaningful…that made a difference in someone’s life. I began to reflect on what I liked to do and what I felt passionate about. I thought, “I guess I like kids. Maybe I should do something with kids”. If I was really honest with myself though, I cared about children’s wellbeing but I didn’t really like working with them. I was at a loss.  

It just happened that I had the opportunity to enroll in a Social Work class the next semester. I looked over the course description and it seemed like an easy “A” so I signed up. Each week in that course something started to click. The more I learned about what social work was and what social workers did I started thinking “this sounds like me”. The values and ethics felt like my own. The focus on fighting for the underdog was refreshing and the explicit mention of topics like discrimination, oppression, and marginalization spoke to my heart.  

Sometime around the middle of the semester two recruiters from Masters Social Work programs came to pitch their programs to the class. “A Master’s degree?” I thought. I’d never considered going to graduate school. No one in my family had ever gone and I wasn’t quite sure I could be the first. Was I smart enough? Could I afford it? What would my friends and family think? After all only 9.5% of Americans pursue graduate degrees, and even fewer African Americans (less than 7%). Yet, I felt like God was speaking to me through this Social Work class but I couldn’t be sure. I prayed and asked God to make it clear if social work was what He wanted me to do. I picked a couple of graduate programs, put my applications together, and left it in His hands. I prayed “Lord, let your will be done” and trusted that if He wanted me to go, He’d get me in, and help me get through it.  

My answer came around March. I was in! I would be pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work. I was excited, anxious, and terrified all at once. It would be the most challenging (and expensive) thing I’d ever done. I was confident that this is what God was calling me to do.  

My entry into the field of social work was unlike anything I could have imagined. I found myself taking classes about substance abuse, mental illness, and racism. I was absorbing the values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, human relationships, integrity, and competence. I loved it!  

After about a month of interning I felt like I was home. A sense of gratitude overwhelmed me. I would have never guessed that I would be a social worker in a mental health setting. But by God’s sovereign grace and omniscience He led me right where He needed me to be…and it felt good. Over the course of the two year MSW program I would continue to be challenged and develop the necessary skills and insight to function as a professional social worker. What I didn’t know was that my journey home was just beginning. 

I was assigned to an internship in an adult mental health clinic. This was definitely not my choice since I had serious fears and biases of those classified as mentally ill. In fact, most Americans believe that people with mental illnesses are dangerous although data suggests otherwise. Nevertheless, I was sure the Field Instructor must have made a mistake because I was supposed to help kids. I decided to trust the process and go where I was sent. At the clinic I learned from a great supervisor and awesome staff who helped to transform people’s lives every day. I met with clients who were a lot like me. They were average folks who had suffered a bad experience, trauma, or were just feeling depressed. I became more aware of the stigma I held about this population. I was especially touched by my African American clients who reminded me so much of my cousins, aunt, mother, and father and I wanted so badly to see them made whole. 

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Stay tuned for Part II….and in the meantime, leave a comment below letting us know if any of this resonated with you today! All CBU student comments are eligible for a raffle giveaway within one week of posting!

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Stuart, H. (2003). Violence and mental illness: an overview. World Psychiatry, 2(2), 121. 

Educational Attainment in the United States: 2018. February 2019. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2018/demo/education-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html 

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A football player getting tackled to the ground by an opponent. A hockey player being bashed into the boards. A soccer player heading the ball into the goal. All of these scenarios could possibly lead to the athlete sustaining a concussion. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by rapid acceleration or deceleration that causes the brain to rock against the inner walls of the skull. Concussions can happen to anyone however they are most prominent in the athlete population. Symptoms of a concussion can have effects on the physical and psychological states of an athlete which in turn can affect different portions of their life.

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Diagnosis of a concussion is typically based on the nature of the incident and the presence of specific symptoms. This injury is unlike the typical physical and visual injury some athletes incur and it is invisible to the naked eye. With rapid acceleration or deceleration that causes the brain to hit the inner walls of the skull, there is potential for tearing of blood vessels, bruising or swelling of the brain. These injuries to the brain create a multitude of symptoms for an athlete. Typical signs and symptoms of a concussion are headache, temporary loss of consciousness, confusion, amnesia surrounding the incident in which the concussion was sustained, dizziness, vomiting, fatigue, delayed response to questions, slurred speech, amongst many other signs and symptoms as well.

When recovering from a concussion, athletes are only cleared for return to learn and return to play when their symptoms have completely subsided. If an athlete returns to learn or play before there is a chance for the individual to suffer from Second Impact Syndrome (SIS) if a second concussion is sustained before the first concussion is healed. SIS can diffuse the cerebral swelling within the brain, brain herniation, or even death can occur. Even if an athlete heals completely from the first concussion, it makes them more susceptible to incur more concussions later on in their athletic career.

With the risk of being more susceptible to sustaining multiple concussions throughout the rest of their athletic career, athletes run the risk of having long-term, lifelong symptoms. One major long-term, even fatal, danger of multiple concussions is an athlete developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a neurodegenerative disease that is caused by an individual accumulating numerous head injuries. The only way to diagnose an athlete with CTE though is post-mortem. However, from cases such as Mike Webster or Junior Seau, two famous NFL stars who passed away due to CTE, it gives an idea of what the symptomology may look like. Typically, an athlete with CTE may express feelings of depression, paranoia, agitation, impaired judgement, aggressive behavior and even suicidal behavior as well, as these two athletes did. These symptoms, connected with the symptoms of your basic concussion, also lead into the psychological emotional aspect of these head injuries, how an athlete feels and what experiences they have through recovering from the injury.

A concussion being an “invisible injury” means that just by looking at an athlete you would not know anything is wrong with them. It takes some digging to figure out if an athlete has received a concussion, but once it has been determined they are taken out from all activities. As an athlete, these individuals thrive off of comradery and teamwork. Having a concussion prevents them from practicing, playing, and engaging with their team, the sources of comradery and teamwork they thrive off of. Their teammates or coaches may not understand what they are going through and experiencing during this process either since the injury is not visible like a broken arm. This can create feelings of isolation which can lead to feelings of depression if the recovery process takes longer than average. Concussions also create cognitive impairments, such as memory, slowing of the cognitive processes, or concentration difficulties. These symptoms may create feelings of frustration or anger within an athlete because they may not be remembering little things such as a passing pattern or when an assignment is due.

There has been little research on the experiences of athletes during their recovery from a concussion. It is pivotal that more is done in order to better understand the effects of concussions on an athlete and the emotional aspects of recovery as well. Luckily, CBU’s Sport, Performance, and Exercise Psychology (SPEP) lab is currently working on adding to the research. In researching the experiences of NCAA athletes with one or multiple concussions, the research team hopes to provide the public a better understanding of the experiences of these elite athletes and how their concussion(s) affected their athletic career, academics, personal relationships, and quality of life.

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Have you ever experienced the effects of a concussion or do you know someone who has? Let us know what that was like–or let us know what you found interesting above–in the comments below. All CBU student comments are eligible for a raffle giveaway within one week of posting!

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I recently attended a Maternal Health Summit where presenters and attendees discuss ideas on how to support immigrant families and children born to immigrant mothers. As I pondered on some of the ways I could help, I realized that it was a very emotional topic for me personally. Like many immigrant women, my mother came to the United States to provide a better life for her children. As a researcher in maternal child and women’s health my observation of what is happening today with parents being detained, I can only ponder on the implications for this hurtful and painful action and its effect on a child’s development. 

Research indicates that a child’s separation from their parent, when planned or unplanned, can cause significant stress; in some cases it is very traumatizing. I know this first hand because recently my daughter became overly stressed at school because she overheard a conversation about deportation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from a classmate. As a parent I try my best to be transparent. My children are aware that I and their father are both immigrants from Belize. My oldest daughter came home crying asking if her dad and I were going to get deported. The look on her innocent face made me so upset and scared for her as she grows up in this perils of immigration reform in America.

Fortunately for my daughter, we were able to calm her nerves because we let her know that, yes, we are indeed immigrants, but we are in the United States legally so she had no reason to be worried. This, however, is not the case for many American children who go home every day questioning their parents about their immigration status. Recently on the news I saw children crying because their parents were detained at their worksites. One young child worrying about how she would get her next meal or when she would see her father, the family’s breadwinner, again. As an immigrant mother with 3 American children I could never imagine dropping off my children for their first day of school and going to work for the day only to be picked up for deportation. This is a daily heartbreaking reality for many innocent American children born to immigrant mothers.

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Knowing this new reality for many American children, I began looking at a few articles that explored separation around immigration. One study implied that such sudden and unplanned separations could lead to disruption of eating and sleeping habits, sadness, anger, guilt, and anxiety in children (Chaudry et al., 2010). Besides these serious emotional consequences, children often suffer from an instantaneous loss of income, particularly in instances where the primary breadwinner is detained. Other studies implied that subsequent economic instability can have severe consequences to the child’s well-being (Barajas, Philipsen, & Brooks-Gunn, 2008; Leventhal & Brooks-Gunn, 2004). Poverty is associated with a number of negative social conditions, such as inadequate education and delayed cognitive development, which are crucial to success later in life (Ceballo, McLoyd, & Toyokawa, 2004). These poor American children are now in distress overload; they are in fear and being traumatized during the most important stages of development. When compared to their peers they are now most likely to have poorer life outcomes. 

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Matthew 18:3-6 reads 3 “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 If anyone causes one of these little ones -those who believe in me- to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” 

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Children are supposed to be the light of the world. Their innocence bring joy and laughter to our homes. Today, Immigrants are being portrayed as if they are sucking the sweets of America which, in most cases, is absolutely false. The take away from the summit, in my interpretation, is that American children born to immigrant women are at higher risk to be separated from their mothers which is an injustice. It is not okay to do this to the little gifts that God has blessed us with on earth.

As the scriptures implied, those who turn a blind eye or are complicit and causes little ones to stumble will deal with the wrath of our God. Our future is our children and we should not be okay with what is happening today in America. Families should not be torn apart and children should not have to worry about their next meal or when they will see their parents again. 

Now let’s hear your thoughts…

If you had the opportunity to work on immigration reform as it relates to separation of families. What would be some suggestions on how we could approach this issue? 

Many of the children who’s families are being deported are American. What do you believe will happen to these children as they grow older? 

CBU Students: Leave a comment for a chance to win a CSHB powerbank!

Although cultural encouragement for fresh starts are often reserved for the new year marked every January, the start of a new academic year is, perhaps, a better time for those of us running on a traditional academic calendar to take advantage of a new “year”. With the new academic year comes a new schedule, perhaps a new living situation, new friends, professors, responsibilities….I’m sure your list goes on. With all this new, there is also an opportunity: an opportunity for growth. Maybe it’s about time for you to really prioritize reading the Bible. Maybe you want to finally run that 5k or eat the vegetables your doctor says you should. Perhaps you just want to have better relationships this year. Luckily for us, psychological science has a lot to say about how to make the most of these kinds of opportunities. Here I want to share just a few of these evidence-based practices for real, lasting change.

1. Set the right kind of goals.

Spoiler alert: The kinds of goals we set are directly related to the outcomes we attain.

There is lots of research parsing this specific statement apart, specifying it, supporting it, and fine-tuning our understanding of it. For example, goals that emphasize growth and progress over perfection and demonstration lead to better outcomes[1]. Pursuing goals that are inherently meaningful to you, that you choose freely, are associated with a host of better outcomes for the goal itself, and for associated well-being. Factors like specificity of the goal and affect, among others, also influence how successful goal pursuit will be.

Much of the research on goal success is organized around what researchers call the “SMART goal framework.” SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Oftentimes, New Years’ Resolutions (or new academic year opportunities!) fail because we never turn our “good ideas” into “actionable ideas.” Take, for example, someone who has the admirable idea of wanting to be a better student this year. As a professor, I say, ‘yes! Pursue that!’, but then I have the SMART goal follow-up: How? What would being a better student look like for you? What kinds of behaviors are associated with the success of that goal? Perhaps it is reading all the assigned work for your social psychology course prior to the lecture date and committing to studying, review, and assignment completion for that class three times a week for 1 hour each session. Those statements are specific (read what has been assigned, study for three 1-hour sessions), measurable (at the end of the week, did you do it? Yes/No), attainable (this will depend a great deal on your own schedule, but I would suggest that if you don’t have three hours a week to devote to studying for a class, you may have too much on your plate[2]), relevant (completing course reading, assignments, and studying is surely part of being a good student), and time-bound (this goal will conclude at the completion of the course, since you don’t need to study for a class that has finished!).

It turns out that when we take the time to translate good ideas into SMART goals, we are much more likely to accomplish them. One potential reason is that SMART goals, when well-constructed, force us to face our reality honestly. For example, for someone with limited physical fitness it wouldn’t be an attainable goal to run a marathon at the end of the month. Sometimes it is hard to know if your goal is indeed structured well in this kind of formula; keep reading (especially tip #4!).

2. Consider Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medal Goals[3]

One problem, especially for perfectionists out there (seriously, go read Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset), is that goals are often framed as a “pass/fail.” You either did it or you didn’t. This, on its own, can actually be de-motivating. Folks who have tried to eat better by restricting all kinds of “bad” foods can experience this; one slip up can often lead to a downward spiral of out-of-control eating of the supposed “off-limits” food. This kind of black-and-white approach to goals is inherently self-defeating.

So, how do you set measurable, specific goals that also have room for grace and failure? One way is to have “tiered” goals: a gold medal, silver medal, and bronze medal goal. You want to start exercising? Maybe your gold medal goal is a SMART goal for exercising 5 times a week for 30 minutes [4]. So what about that week that every class has a paper due, your car breaks down, your best friend has a crisis….what then? Is your goal doomed? Maybe not. What if you can still make it to the gym 3 times that week for 20 minutes? That can be a silver medal goal. Because those days and minutes are better—in terms of moving you toward your ultimate long-term goal of an exercise habit—than nothing. And if you didn’t make three times…what about one day? Or intentionally taking a parking spot that is crazy far away and sprinting to class or chapel a few days a week? Might that count as something, perhaps a bronze medal goal? Having thought through various levels of achievement allows you the flexibility to view “near hits” of a goal not as a miss, but as a different level of achievement. The more successes you have, the more likely you are to continue in your goal pursuit because intention to achieve a goal alone is insufficient to actually achieve that goal.

3. Understand your time.

In order to set effective goals, given the parameters above, you need to have a clear understanding of how much time you have and where it is spent. You can’t honestly assess if it is realistic and attainable to exercise 5 days a week for 30 minutes or take on that part time job for 15 hours a week or spend 45 minutes each morning in Scripture and prayer if you don’t have an accurate handle on your time.

…we also need to be realistic about the time we have and the goals we chose to pursue in that time.

Time management skills are an important predictor for many goals, including academic success. The more we think about time as a resource, the better we can steward it. Just as we wouldn’t build a tower without first counting the cost (Luke 14:28), we also need to be realistic about the time we have and the goals we chose to pursue in that time. I find the visuals here to be helpful: time is fleeting. Understanding and using it appropriately (perhaps a topic for a different blog) is key. By sitting down and being honest with how you currently spend your time and how you can reclaim it in pursuit of your goals, you are (once again) adding to the stack of influences increasing your odds at goal achievement. As you prepare for a new semester, spend some time charting time in class, time at work, time studying/doing coursework, time eating, time exercising, time spent with friends…This kind of reverse engineering is an important reflection of what you are able to pursue, but also how what you pursue reflects about your priorities, as you live them.

4. Seek wisdom

Sometimes it is hard to know if the thinking inside your head makes sense outside your head, or how to make the most of the time you have. (I’m just going out on a limb here, assuming that’s not just me.) Thankfully, we don’t do this life thing alone and, as Christians, we are specifically called not to! As you think about what opportunities the new semester presents to you, what habits might need to change, and how best to change them, don’t have that conversation in a vacuum. Seek counsel. Bounce ideas off trusted friends. Ask a mentor for feedback on your goals. Visit a faculty member you respect during office hours. It might sound scary or a bit vulnerable to do these things but consider Proverbs 4:7: “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom…”. I love this. You want wisdom? Get it. But how—you can’t use what you don’t have! I believe the Biblical answer lies in community; seek those who have wisdom and in those relationships, get it. What better place to start than questions around how to improve your habits, habits which are the core of your character.

One important caveat: be strategic in your accountability. Turns out that there are some unexpected consequences of sharing your goals, some of which can actually decrease the likelihood of goal achievement. However, when you choose whom to share your goals with carefully, such as sharing with a trusted friend of mentor, the effect of accountability serves to increase the likelihood of goal completion. In many ways, this mirrors what Scripture says about wisdom: you can’t get it from someone who doesn’t have it. To pursue it, you need to first go to the few who have it.

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Most of these tips fall under a large umbrella called motivational science. This literature has a lot more to say about how to produce lasting change successfully. Check out some of the links above and explore the rabbit-hole of internet knowledge. However, even without traveling that rabbit hole, I hope that you will take some of the cues in these tips and realize that you don’t need to know everything in order to make small changes. (That’s right: you don’t need to be an expert in motivational science to benefit from the knowledge it has produced.) Big changes are, after all, often just a series of routinized small changes.

With that in mind: where can you start fresh this academic year? What habit(s) need revision? Need better study habits? To prioritize your relationship with God? To take your eating or exercise habits more seriously? Or perhaps you need to develop better relational capacities. Whatever the change is, I hope that these tips will provide a starting point for thinking about how to make that change and make it last. I also hope that you will check back to this blog and check out some of the curriculum in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences here at CBU, as both will offer specific tools to help you in this journey.

Where can you start fresh this academic year?

As an added incentive for you to think about these questions, leave a comment below: where are you hoping to start fresh or what evidence-based tip above did you find most helpful? One comment from a current CBU student will be selected at random to win a CSHB power bank….you know, to keep your cell phone charged and ready to check back for more blogs, all semester long.

Update: Comments are working again! Please comment below. For the hassle, we’ll give away an extra power bank to a lucky CBU student!

Note: We will be giving away power banks all semester when you read and engage with new blogs, so be sure you check back for new blogs and leave comments! Raffles will be held a week after the blog is posted. Please email CSHB@calbaptist.edu if you have any questions.

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[1] This is a statement I’m particularly passionate about. There is a wonderful book on this topic, accessible to a non-technical audience, that I would heartily recommend. Check out more information here: https://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/about/index.html

[2] As a note on time: each unit of a course translates to 2 hours expected outside that course a week. Thus, a typical 3-unit class expects 3 hours in-class engagement and 6 hours out-of-class engagement in a typical week. Thus, the estimate above is actually a low estimate of expectation.

[3] Thank you to Dr. Iverson for sharing this model with me and a former Introduction to Psychology course.

[4] Keep in mind that the more specific you can make “exercise”, the better (e.g., cardio? Weight lifting? A GroupX PiYo class?).

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The camera captures a shadowy figure, cloaked by night, watching from the cover of trees, with the steady gaze of a predator he tracks his prey. Anticipation builds in the audience as he leaps upon his unsuspecting victim! Cue ominous background music. Camera pans to the obviously deceased, yet beautiful face of a woman, statuesque, languidly posed over a crushed velvet chaise in an expansive, immaculate home. Hair perfect, skin flawless, lipstick meticulously smeared, delicately inferring the indecencies that occurred before her untimely demise.

For the next 45 minutes, quirky, good-looking, gun wielding geniuses come together to solve the crime. With mind-blowing expertise and witty banter, they identify the murderer, down to personality pathology, height, weight, shoe size, and favorite ice cream. Captivated fans of shows such as these often ask if being a forensic psychologist is anything like what is portrayed on television. While I want to say, “YES!  Of course I solve crimes within about an hour with my obvious genius and wit” (please read sarcasm). Sadly, I am merely human, with a desire to help, more questions than answers, and a penchant for hoarding as much information and research as I can.

Forensic psychology is a broad field that encompasses both psychology and law. Psychologists can work in a variety of settings ranging between research and practice. On the research end of the spectrum, forensic psychologists may work within academic settings: teaching, and researching any aspect of the field. Whereas, those working within applied forensic psychology have a myriad opportunities to provide treatment, evaluation, and expert testimony in any setting in which psychology interacts with the law. Some psychologists decide to work within law enforcement where they can help police officers and provide pre-employment evaluations, trainings, and crisis management. Other psychologists may work with judges and attorneys, providing consultations, psychological evaluations, and expert testimony. While others may decide to work in prisons, providing inmates with much needed treatment, evaluation, and parole recommendations. There are many more opportunities, but I am told I have a word limit. 🙂

The graduate Forensic Psychology program at CBU allows students the opportunity to learn from instructors who are all active in the academic and applied field of forensic psychology. Our program is unique and diverse, providing students the opportunity to conduct research and explore application through one-year practicum placements. Students are introduced to the FBI, Secret Service, National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, and various other organizations, which allow for internship opportunities and career development. Students in the program are engaged in a rigorous academic program that challenges them both professionally and personally. When students graduate the program, we hope that they leave with more questions than answers, with the tools to explore, and the compassion to meet people at their humanity.

I happen to work within both academic and applied settings. In the academic spectrum, I am able to teach within CBU’s graduate forensic psychology programs and I conduct research on psychopathy and psychotic disorders. The courses I teach range from Advanced Psychopathology and Criminality, Biological Bases of Behavior, to Research Methods and Criminal Profiling. On the applied front, I provide treatment and evaluations for individuals who have been convicted of sexual offenses, conduct and present research and trainings, as well as act as a consultant for active cases that require psychological profiling. My education and career has afforded me opportunities that I could have never imagined. My education and career has afforded me opportunities that I could have never imagined. As I continually confront new and complicated questions born out of forensic psychology, I have opportunities to learn, develop new understanding, and participate in the research that helps me and others address important issues facing our society. To be sure, there are times that I feel overwhelmed and frightened by what I see and hear. However, in exploring the darkness of humanity, I am constantly reminded of all the goodness, hidden in the strangest of places.

Forensic Psychology is not for everyone and that is OK! However, it is a field that you will do well in if you have an inquisitive mind, a compassionate heart, an amazing (sometimes-dark) sense of humor, can roll with the punches (sometimes literal… depending on where you work) and strength in grace. I hope that this post shed a little light on the field. Should you read this and have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your friendly, neighborhood Forensic Psychologists!

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Jenny E. Aguilar, PsyD is an Assistant Professor of Psychology who has been teaching in the Graduate Forensic Psychology Program at CBU for the last 7 years. She is also a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, who works in a private forensic practice.

Check out the other posts in the series here:

Introducing the Graduate School Blog Series: A Story

Practice Compassion in California Baptist University’s (CBU) Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology Program: Training 21st-century “Good Samaritans” to Respond to a Suffering World

MS Sport and Performance Psychology program at CBU

What is Marriage and Family Therapy?