We did an in-class experiment today: the tried-and-tested "Which is better for recalling sentences?" one. Since our classroom is sort of split into three, we had three groups. One of which, the "middle one", was the control group - this is the group that focused on understanding what the sentences were*. The other two, on opposite sides of the room, focused on visualizing the sentences and pronouncing them, respectively. This experiment was single-blind in its nature - the instructor knows what's going on, but the experiments are kept in the dark. Most of the students didn't act as if they knew what was going on, however; but, some of us, myself included, knew what to expect. The sentences were to be rated on how easy it was to understand the stated sentences, and students were later asked to recall all twenty of them. The independent variable of this experiment would certainly have to be the instructions on the papers - the three "sections" of the room had different instructions from one another - and the dependent variable was how well the students remembered the sentences based on the independent variable. The results were pretty cut-and-dry - the students that focused on the pronunciation got maybe half, at best, the scores of the other two groups. It showed that visualization of information can be a very nice little boost in learning.
* One may argue that the group that focused on pronunciation is not, in fact, an experimental group, that it is, rather, the control group. I disagree with this because not only does pronunciation play a huge part in remembering things [especially words - you don't randomly forget how to pronounce the word "orange"], but because without pronunciation, language as we know it would not exist. Someone can say a sentence and get the meaning wrong/completely misunderstand it, but in most cases, if previously exposed to the words, they will pronounce the words correctly.
I was a part of the pronunciation group, and I got the highest score. I think it was because, for me, I remembered the most ridiculous ones the easiest. Like the one about the lanky leprechaun [which doesn't even make sense!].
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Technology
I'm posting this blog from my assigned netbook. Number twelve, baby. This is SO weird! The keys are pretty little, and I don't like the trackpad (but I could always ask to bring a wireless mouse and plug it in or something, I hope?), though. There's a webcam installed and it's honestly sort of creepy, since I've heard horror stories about hackers hacking webcams and watching people... and I can't turn this one arounnnnd! But it's okay, because no hacker can hack the mysterious power of Afroman. Just kidding... I don't have an afro.
Even though I don't have an afro (yes, I'm implying that most tech-geeks have secret, invisible afros), I like technology. Sometimes. This netbook thing is a little frustraing, since I have somewhat big fingers, and because my hand-arm-things aren't used to this posture. I wonder how it would feel to surf the Internet while upside-down. Or in a tree.
I think that by the time I'm in college, things like netbooks will be even more common. I mean, a lot of college students have laptops as is, but these are a lot less expensive. And decently fast, especially when compared to the molasses-tastic computers in the labs. Those things are infuriating, especially when you have an assignment to do before school starts. It's like they spit in your face and scream, "I AM THE COMPUTER HERE, THANKS, AND I WILL DO WHAT I WANT. LIKE TAKE TEN MINUTES TO LOG YOU IN." This netbook, so far, is pretty much like, "La-la-la-la-laaaaaaalalala I'm your slave!" I hope The Revolution doesn't happen any time soon... since, I mean, I don't want to be a robot's slave.
Even though I don't have an afro (yes, I'm implying that most tech-geeks have secret, invisible afros), I like technology. Sometimes. This netbook thing is a little frustraing, since I have somewhat big fingers, and because my hand-arm-things aren't used to this posture. I wonder how it would feel to surf the Internet while upside-down. Or in a tree.
I think that by the time I'm in college, things like netbooks will be even more common. I mean, a lot of college students have laptops as is, but these are a lot less expensive. And decently fast, especially when compared to the molasses-tastic computers in the labs. Those things are infuriating, especially when you have an assignment to do before school starts. It's like they spit in your face and scream, "I AM THE COMPUTER HERE, THANKS, AND I WILL DO WHAT I WANT. LIKE TAKE TEN MINUTES TO LOG YOU IN." This netbook, so far, is pretty much like, "La-la-la-la-laaaaaaalalala I'm your slave!" I hope The Revolution doesn't happen any time soon... since, I mean, I don't want to be a robot's slave.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Oedipus/Electra Complex = Incest?
Wollersheim cleared me to post my ponderings on this blog, which is great. I didn't really want to start a separate blog for them, because it just seems so wasteful.
When Wollersheim mentioned Freud yesterday, I caught myself thinking about the Oedipus and Electra complexes. For those of you that don't know, the Oedipus complex is a complex that males reportedly have, in which they lust after their mothers and are jealous of their fathers. The Electra complex is the same thing for females, but they want their father sand are jealous of their mothers.
Is parent-child incest the ultimate manifestation of this? A sort of "ultimate fulfillment" of it? I think it definitely could be. Unless it's non-consensual, it wouldn't happen without consent (... obviously). Which means that both parties want it. Does the child want it because of the complex? Why does the parent want it? Is there some sort of complex that accounts for parents secretly wanting their children? What about cases where it's apparently non-consensual - if a father raped his daughter, would she secretly, maybe unconsciously want it?
What about in cases of homosexual/bisexual/whateversexual children? Do they "want" the parent of the same sex? Would a female child want the "manlier" one of two lesbian parents? Would a male child want the "feminine" of two gay parents? Would a female child want the "manlier" of two gay parents?
What about sibling incest? In a "normal" household, would a sibling grow up secretly wanting their sibling? What about situations in which the siblings are separated, and do not come into contact? What if, for example, a mother dies, and a boy's sister raises him and becomes a motherly figure? Will he want to do her, too?
Are the complexes truly just for parent-child incest cases? What about aunt/uncle-niece/nephew cases? Cousin-cousin? Grandparent-grandchild?
Goodness gracious. This is kind of weird. Also, there's the bell. Got to go. Bye for now!
When Wollersheim mentioned Freud yesterday, I caught myself thinking about the Oedipus and Electra complexes. For those of you that don't know, the Oedipus complex is a complex that males reportedly have, in which they lust after their mothers and are jealous of their fathers. The Electra complex is the same thing for females, but they want their father sand are jealous of their mothers.
Is parent-child incest the ultimate manifestation of this? A sort of "ultimate fulfillment" of it? I think it definitely could be. Unless it's non-consensual, it wouldn't happen without consent (... obviously). Which means that both parties want it. Does the child want it because of the complex? Why does the parent want it? Is there some sort of complex that accounts for parents secretly wanting their children? What about cases where it's apparently non-consensual - if a father raped his daughter, would she secretly, maybe unconsciously want it?
What about in cases of homosexual/bisexual/whateversexual children? Do they "want" the parent of the same sex? Would a female child want the "manlier" one of two lesbian parents? Would a male child want the "feminine" of two gay parents? Would a female child want the "manlier" of two gay parents?
What about sibling incest? In a "normal" household, would a sibling grow up secretly wanting their sibling? What about situations in which the siblings are separated, and do not come into contact? What if, for example, a mother dies, and a boy's sister raises him and becomes a motherly figure? Will he want to do her, too?
Are the complexes truly just for parent-child incest cases? What about aunt/uncle-niece/nephew cases? Cousin-cousin? Grandparent-grandchild?
Goodness gracious. This is kind of weird. Also, there's the bell. Got to go. Bye for now!
Writing Assignment #1 - Expectations
I went into this semester not quite sure what to expect - I'd never, before now, taken part of an AP course. The format of the class isn't quite what I expected, but that's to be expected, isn't? I like how "technologically" advanced this class is seeming to be, but I'm not sure if I like it quite yet. It's definitely something I'll have to be used to.
The class itself is good, so far. I really like the textbook - it has a lot of information, but it's stated and conveyed in a way that doesn't put me to sleep after the first page. The author seemed to include his own comments, which is actually pretty nice. It adds some wit to the book, I'd say. And the pictures and vocabulary sections in the margins are nice, too.
I felt rather strange about doing the quiz online like that. I'm used to shaving trees when I take tests. It's fine that it was online, though, since I'm running low on shaving cream. I didn't get the best score - 22 out of 30 - but now I have expectations as to how thorough tests will be. I read all the information, but I guess I didn't retain all of it. I have no doubt that actually taking notes helped, though.
I'm looking forward to the "Interview with a Corpse"... because I'm working on my own, and my subject is Mary Calkins. I'm not afraid to make a fool of myself, especially for a hopefully good grade. This will, however, be the only time I will ever wear a wig. I might be able to get a friend of mine to mess with "Mary"'s voice so it sounds more woman-ly [Feminine? Womanish? What adjective goes here?]. I'm planning on doing a lot of cuts.
I ponder about what we learn sometimes. If I come up with anything good, I'll post it. Or something.
The class itself is good, so far. I really like the textbook - it has a lot of information, but it's stated and conveyed in a way that doesn't put me to sleep after the first page. The author seemed to include his own comments, which is actually pretty nice. It adds some wit to the book, I'd say. And the pictures and vocabulary sections in the margins are nice, too.
I felt rather strange about doing the quiz online like that. I'm used to shaving trees when I take tests. It's fine that it was online, though, since I'm running low on shaving cream. I didn't get the best score - 22 out of 30 - but now I have expectations as to how thorough tests will be. I read all the information, but I guess I didn't retain all of it. I have no doubt that actually taking notes helped, though.
I'm looking forward to the "Interview with a Corpse"... because I'm working on my own, and my subject is Mary Calkins. I'm not afraid to make a fool of myself, especially for a hopefully good grade. This will, however, be the only time I will ever wear a wig. I might be able to get a friend of mine to mess with "Mary"'s voice so it sounds more woman-ly [Feminine? Womanish? What adjective goes here?]. I'm planning on doing a lot of cuts.
I ponder about what we learn sometimes. If I come up with anything good, I'll post it. Or something.
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