2008 m. gegužės 8 d., ketvirtadienis

Self- assessment of ESP learning

Writing sklls: I think I could perform better in dictations, because I cannot be as quick as I should be. I am not a very quick writer so I had difficulties in this task. Summaries was a new task for me. In my view, I performed quite well. But I should improve my punctuation and register. Contributions to weblogs was an interesting task because the topics were more exciting than in the previous term.So I think, I performed better. In my view, ESP vocabulary tests were more difficult than earlier so I had difficulties in this task because there were a lot of confusing definitions. Making self- designed tests was a new task, I enjoyed it and performed very well.

Speaking skills: In my view, I participated in class discussions better than in the previous term. I am pleased with myself. I succeeded in making presentations, I got better mark and I enjoyed my topic. Speaking in pairs was the most interesting task. But I think, I should improve my vocabulary.

Listening skills: listening activities in class was the most difficult task for me. In my view, I could perform better. I need more practice because sometimes I miss some words. Listening to podcasts was a new task. It was difficult for me to do this. I need to listen podcasts as much as I can if I want to get more practice and perform better.

Reading skills: the topics were more difficult in this term so I had to read more carefully but I succeeded in doing this task. Class reading was an interesting task I managed to know a lot of new information. It was not a difficult task. Computer tasks were very useful for me because I could learn about everything. I succeeded in doing this.Reading comprehension exercises was an interesting task but sometimes it was quite difficult to understand some new definitions.

2008 m. balandžio 30 d., trečiadienis

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is both the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science which aims to create it. The ability to create intelligent machines has intrigued humans since ancient times, and today with the advent of the computer and 50 years of research into AI programming techniques, the dream of smart machines is becoming a reality.
There are many computer programs which give an impression of „talking“ with real human but it is not like you think so.

ELIZA is a computer program by Joseph Weizenbaum, designed in 1966, which parodied a Rogerian therapist, largely by rephrasing many of the patient's statements as questions and posing them to the patient. The last sentence gives the impression of comprehension, but in fact the program is written so that at one point, it modifies the first sentence and applies it as a response.

Using Eliza helps students grasp therapy. Computer-simulated psychotherapy as an aid in teaching clinical psychology. Nevertheless, by interacting with computer-simulated psychotherapy, students can understand the facets of effective psychotherapy by witnessing where computer simulations go wrong. They learn to appreciate the truly human dimension of psychotherapy, as well as explore exactly what beneficial role computers might indeed play in basic counseling and assessment. Computers will never be able to replace humans as psychotherapists.

2008 m. kovo 19 d., trečiadienis

Body language

People can not live without each other, we are social beings. As soon as we are in contact with others we are communicating. For this we can make use of spoken and written language. In these ways we make the content of a message clear to each other. However we can also communicate without words. This kind of communication tells us something about the relationship between people. Often this is more important than getting the content of the message across. The communication about this non spoken communication, which tells us something about the relationship between people, is called Meta-Communication.
Body language is a language without spoken words and is therefore called non verbal communication. We use body language all the time, for instance looking someone in the eyes means something different than not looking someone in the eyes. In contact with others it is just not possible to be not communicating something.
Body language is a term for communication using body movements or gestures instead of,or in addition to, sounds, verbal language or other communication. It is an important part of communication which can constitute 50% or more of what we are communicating.
If you wish to communicate well, then it makes sense to understand how you can (and cannot) use your body to say what you mean. It comes in clusters of signals and postures, depending on the internal emotions and mental states.
There are many books and articles how to improve our body language. Improving our body language can make a big difference in our people skills, attractiveness and general mood.

2007 m. gruodžio 11 d., antradienis

Chimps beats human in memory test.Restatement summary

An incredible research was made by Kyoto University scientists.There were tested university students and three pairs of mother and baby chimpanzees. The task was to remember the location of numbers on a screen and correctly recall the succession.Researcher Tetsuro Matsuzavura claims that young chimps performed better than the adult humans in a memory task involving numbers. The mothers and young chimps had already been taught to ,,count" from one to nine.Chimps were better than university students in speed and accuracy when the numbers briefly appeared on screen.The researchers claim that young chimps have a photographic memory which allows them to memorise the sequence at a glance.

2007 m. lapkričio 22 d., ketvirtadienis

Human who influence me

Every person has their authorities by who they are being influenced for some period of life or all the time. It is very good thing to follow somebody‘s perfect example.My mother is the person who influence me mostly. She is my authority. My mother is my best friend. We do not feel the age difference between her and me. I can talk to her about everything. She is very sensitive, sympathetic, outgoing. My mother helps me to decide which way is the best. She always supports my decisions and dreams.
In my view, suggestiveness is the most influential my mother`s feature. She can convince somebody of the truth of the words. She speaks very persuading. But there are more influential qualities which my mother has. She is full of self confidence. She knows that she can handle anything life throws at her. Furthermore, she has an optimistic attitude which helps not to give away.
I cannot forget the fact that my mother helped me to choose my profession. It was very important for me because she supported my decision to study psychology. In my view, I would not reach so much things without my mother‘s helping. She is my supporter in every way. First of all, she influence me to reach the best things that I can get. Secondly, when I am at bad period of my life, my mother do not let me give way to panic. She fulfills me with positive minds. I know that my mother will be authority for me and influence me all the time.

Phobias

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It is a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger.
Eremophobia – defined as a persistent, abnormal fear of being oneself or loneliness, each year this suprisingly common phobia causes countless people needles distress. Fear of lonelines often significantly impacts the quality of life. It can cause panic attacks and keep people apart from loved ones and business associates. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, rapid breathing, irregular heart beat, sweating and overall feelings of dread.
Like all fears and phobias, being lonely phobia is created by the unconsc ious mind as protective mechanism. At some point in the past, there was likely an event linking being himself or loneliness and emotional trauma. But so long as the negative association is powerful enough. Just like that being lonely phobia is born. Attaching emotions to situations is one of the primary ways that humans learn.
There are a number of treatment approaches for phobias. These are just a few potential phobia treatments:
In exsposure treatments, the patient is exposed to fear object in order to help them overcome their fear. One tipe of exposure treatmen is flooding, in which the patient is confronted by the fear object for an extended length of time without the opportunity to escape. The goal of this method is to help the individual face their fear and realize that the fear object will not harm them.
Another method often used in phobia treatment is counter – conditioning . In this method, the patient is taught a new response to the fear object. Rather than panic in the face of the feared object or situacion, the patient learns relaxation techniques to replace anxiety and fear.

2007 m. spalio 1 d., pirmadienis

Favourite subfield of psychology

I would like to work in industrial/organizational psychology. Industrial/organizational psychology is concerned with the psychology of the workplace.
First of all,it is my favourite subfield. After finishing university I would like to work in this subfield because industrial branch is very perspective ad fast developing. So there is a lot of corporations and firms where need hudge amount of employees with such speciality. So I can be calm that I will get a job.
Secondly, business field is well-paid. Money nowadays is important thing due to this employees should be well-paid in this subfield.
Moreover,it is quiet dynamic subfield of Psychology.Synthesizing and evaluating information, thinking critically,these skills are necessary. So I will get these analytical skills after finishing university.