Blumenthal Scholars Journal 2025

Yeshivah of Flatbush

Joel Braverman High School

The May & Bernard Blumenthal

Scholars Program

Dinner Journal

May 30, 2024

YeshivahofFlatbush

JoelBravermanHighSchool

RabbiJosephBeyda HeadofSchool

Dr.MichaelAtlas

AssociatePrincipal

RabbiYigalSklarin

AssociatePrincipal

Ms.EstherHidary

AssociatePrincipal

RabbiDavidGalpert

AssistantPrincipal

Dr.SariMayer

ProgramCoordinator

The May and Bernard BlumenthalScholarsProgramisdedicatedinmemoryoftwopeoplewhofully embraced the Yeshivah of Flatbush vision and philosophy. It is a meaningfulandlastingtributetotheir enduring affiliation with the school, their commitment to Jewish education and their desire to prepare strong leaders for the future. Bestowed by their children, Sharon and AvramBlumenthalandJaniceand Alan Blumenthal, it defines the family’s 50+ year long relationship with the Yeshivah. AvramandAlan are proudalumni,asaretheirrespectivechildren,JudahandBenjaminandDavid,JosephandLeora(only Avram’s son Chaim is not a graduate). All of the grandchildren enjoyedaspecialrelationshipwiththeir grandparents They were influenced by the impact they had on otherpeople’slivesandinspiredbytheir generosityandactsofchesed

The loyalty to community and Jewish causes and the tradition of giving displayed by May and Bernard Blumenthal set an example for the family. Bernard’s distinguished record shows heservedasPresident and Executive Board member of the Jewish Community House in Bensonhurst, was a member of the UJA/Federation Executive Committee, a patron of the Wingate Institute in Israel and a member of the Jewish War Veterans and B’nai Brith. He supported many yeshivot both here and in Israel and was a Master Builder at Yeshiva University, as well as a major benefactor of hislocalshul,CongregationSons of Israel. May was a woman blessed with inner strength and sensitivity who created a home of Torah, Mitzvot and Ma’asim Tovim. She was a lifetime member of Yeshivah of Flatbush, as well as Yeshiva OhelMoshe,HadassahandAMIT

The May and Bernard Blumenthal Scholars Program offers a high-profilecurriculumthatintroduces a challenging and innovative course of study to an elite group of students and is based on independent study and the development of research skills, leadership qualities, talents and abilities in academics, the arts and sciences The generosity of Sharon andAvramBlumenthalandJaniceandAlanBlumenthalhas enabledtheYeshivahtoadvanceitsongoingmissionofexcellenceinanexcitingandvitalway

TableofContents

EdenAmram: Alcoholism

ElianaBonduransky: TheInfluenceColorGradingHasonAudience’sEmotions

IreneCohen: Covid’sEffectonSocialAnxiety

BaruchElmann: BehavioralEconomics

KellyFatiha: GeneTherapyonCancerCells

AbigailFuzaylova: TheHealingPowerofArt

SamGindi: ChaosTheoryandFractalsinNature

LiliHanan: TheTorturedGenius

SarahKezra: ExtremeExtraversionandtheNeuroscienceBehindIt

FortuneKhabih: Alzheimer’sDiseaseandtheBredesenProtocol

RachaelKopylov: BehindCupid’sArrow

SusieMasri: TheEffectsofBeinginanHonorsProgram

CarolinePalacci: CollectiveDelusion

OliviahShamah: TheCorrelationBetweenSocialMediaandBodyImage

EmilyTarrab: GMOs:TheUniversalRemedy?

EdenAmram

Frommanyteenagers’pointofview,apartyisnotconsideredapartyifalcoholisnot involved.Inreality,drinkingevenonetimecandoalotofdamage.Therefore,itiscrucialfor peopletoknowwhattheyputintotheirbodiesandtheeffectsthatitcanhaveonthem. Alcohol,whichismoreaccessibletokidsthandrugs,cancauseanindividualtofeelcalm andmellow.Thissometimesdrivesapersontorelyonalcoholinordertofeelthatsenseof calmnessagain.Arelianceonalcoholisnotamodernphenomenon.Peopleallaroundtheworld havebeenusingfermentedgrainsorfruitsinordertocreatesomeformofalcohol.AsDr.Smith explains,“fromancienttimes,whenbeerrecipeswererecordedontablets,toProhibitioninthe UnitedStates,tothestaggeringmodernratesofalcoholism,alcoholconsumptionhasbrought peopletogetherandtornthemapart”(“TheHistoryofAlcoholThroughouttheWorld”).The earliestproofofalcoholwasfoundinpotteryjarsinChinafromabout7000-6600B.C.Lateron, theEnglishimmigratedtoAmericaanddidnotfeelcomfortabledrinkingwaterbecausetheyfelt thatitwascontaminatedandunsafetodrink.Bythe1630s,colonistsstartedmakingtheirown beerusingthebarleythatwasshippedtothemfromEngland.Bytheendofthe17thcentury, Americansstartedconsumingrumontheregularanditbecameoneofthecommonsubstancesof alcohol.Lateron,duringtheCivilwar,alcoholwasusedformedicalpurposes.Thiswasgood untilthesoldierstookadvantageofthealcoholandliquor,whichledtomanywarcrimes, includingrape(“TheHistoryofAlcoholThroughouttheWorld”).

Reasonsfordrinkingalcoholinclude,butarenotlimitedto,emotionaldistress,social engagement,mentalillness,relaxation,ortoescapetheirproblems.Emotionaldistresscanlead peopletodothingsthattheyfeelmighthelpwiththeirstrongemotions,suchasdrinkingalcohol. Whenanindividualgoesthroughacertainoccurrence,theymayfeelasifalcoholistheironly

routetorelief (Bradizza).Thisoccurrencecanbeanintensebreakup,thepassingofalovedone, oreventhedivorceoftheirparents.

AlmostaquarteroftheAmericanpopulationhasorcurrentlyexperiencementalillnesses. Whetheranxiety,depression,orbipolardisorder,thesementalillnessesrequireacertainamount ofattentionandcare.Drinkingalcohol,however,isnottherightapproachtotreatamental illness;infact,alcoholhastheabilitytomakeamentalillnessmoresevere.Despitethisreality, alcoholuseamongpeoplewithmentalillnessesisgreaterthantheaverageuseofalcoholamong peoplewithoutamentalillness.Forexample,apersonwithdepressionmightcravealcoholin orderto“feel”somethingagain,andapersonwithanxietymightturntoalcoholtosuppresstheir feelingofanxiousness(“AlcoholandDepression”).Alcoholhasalsobeenproventobe connectedtosocialanxiety Someteenagersandadultswithsocialanxietyfeeltheyneedto consumealcoholbeforehavingsocialinteractions,astheyfeelthatitwilleasetheir communication,whichmaybeanimportantevent,meeting,date,orevencelebration.Many individualsbelievethatdrinkingalcoholwillhelp“loosen”themupandtaketheedgeoffin orderforthingstohaveasmootheroutcome.

Alcoholuseisalsocommonamongpeoplewhoneedtorelaxorenjoythemselves.After alongdayofworkoraharddayatschool,peoplemayfindthataglassofwineoracoldbottle ofbeerisexactlywhattheyneedtodestress.“Alcoholusedisordermostoftendevelopswhen alcoholbecomesatoolforapersontocopewiththeiremotions,”statesKaraNassar(“How AlcoholImpactstheBrain”).Althoughitisonlytemporary,thefeelingthatcomesfromalcohol canactuallyhelpdelayaproblemorsituationthatapersonistryingtoavoid.Thekeywordhere is temporary becausethatisallthatitis.Thefeelingwilleventuallywearoffandthatpersonwill stillhavetodealwiththeproblemorissuethattheyoriginallyranawayfrom.CowanJ.Dtests

thetheorythatalcoholassistsusersinforgettingtheirfeelings.AfterCowan’sproceduretotest outthistheory,acloseinspectionrevealed“nobasisforsuchafinding,”(Mueller).Hissubjects ratedtheiremotionsonthreeseparateoccasions,includingtheonetheywereaskedtorecall,and eachtimereportedalmostidenticalmoods.Tohighlighttheproblemsofinterpretation encounteredinthisdesign,analternativeanalysisofCowan'sdataisoffered,suggestingthat alcoholmayenhance,ratherthanimpair,memoryforfeelings.Hisstudy,similartoNassar’s, revealedthatalcoholdoesnothelpaperson forget theirfeelings;rather,ithelpsdelaytheir feelings.Thesedelayedfeelingsareenhancedoncethealcoholwearsoff(Mueller).

Justlikeanyaddiction,alcoholaddictionhasmanystages.Thefirststageofaddictionis theexperimentalstage.Thisiswhenapersonisonlyinterestedinthetasteorfeelingofalcohol andwantstotryitoutofcuriosity Onceapersontriesit,theystarttobuildtheirtoleranceforit whichbringsusintothesecondstage,whenthepersonwillbegintodrinkregularlyandstartto becomecomfortablewiththefeeling,normalizingtheiractions.Thisbringsustothethirdstage ofaddiction:comfortability.Drinkingalcoholwilleventuallybecomearoutineandapersonwill begintorelyonit.Thelastandfinalstageisofficiallyaddiction.Atthispoint,theconsumerwill starttohaveaconstantcravingforalcoholandexperiencewithdrawalsymptomswithoutit. Alcoholtriggersaperson'sbraintoreleasedopamine,aneurotransmitterthatcausesthisperson tofeelpleasure.Becauseofthis,thebrainassociatesthesepositivefeelingswiththe consumptionofalcoholwhichstrengthenstheaddiction.Themoreoftenapersondrinks,the moretheirtolerancegrows,themoredopaminetheyreceivetostimulatetheaddiction developed.Asthetoleranceincreases,thefeelingofthealcoholdecreases.Thisenhancesthe person’scravingforalcohol,andwillcausethepersontoconsumemorethanusualinorderto obtaintheoriginalfeelingtheyreceivedwhentheaddictionfirstbegan.Inresponsetothis,the

personbeginstodrinkmorealcohol,graduallylosingthemselvestoaddiction.Itisnot uncommonforalcoholusedisordertopresentinpeoplewhodrinkagreatamountofalcohol, perhapsmorethantheyintended.Ontheotherhand,theremaybepsychologicalcausesfor addiction.Someofthesecausesincludeahistoryofissueswithimpulsecontrol,constantissues withself-loveandself-esteem,mentalhealthdisorders(includingdepressionandanxiety),and anytypeoftrauma,includingPTSD(“TheHistoryofAlcoholThroughouttheWorld”).

Alcoholcancontrolaperson'slifewithouttheuserbeingfullyawareoftheeffects.Once someonetakesadrinkofalcohol,itgetsabsorbedthroughtheliningoftheirstomach.Itthen spreadsintothetissuesthroughoutthewholebodyandinabout10minutes,theywillalready starttofeeltheeffectslikelaughingalotorfeelingarushofemotions.Around20minutesafter consumingalcoholiswhentheliverwillstarttoactuallyprocessthealcohol.Althoughtheentire bodyabsorbsthealcohol,thebrainisprimarilyaffectedbythealcoholbecausealcoholinterferes withtheBrain’scommunicationpathways.Becauseofthis,whenapersonisdrunk,theydonot havecontrolovertheirfeelingsandwilldoorsaywhattheytrulyfeel.JeffreyT.Johnsonstates that“intoxicationoccurswhenalcoholintakeexceedsyourbody’sabilitytometabolizealcohol” (“HowAlcoholImpactstheBrain”).Inotherwords,everybodyhasalimittometabolizethe alcoholthatisconsumed.Thereareactuallysevenstagestointoxication.Let'suseJohnasan example.Stage1issubliminalintoxication.Thisoccurswhenthebloodalcoholconcentration (BAC)is0.01-0.05.Duringthisstage,Johnwillnotlookorfeeldrunk,buthisbehaviormaybe abitdifferentthanusual.Hemightstarttofeelthealcoholkickingin,butcanstillperformtasks asusual.Stage2iseuphoriaandoccurswhentheBACis0.03-0.12.Atthisstage,Johnwillstart tofeelextrarelaxedandcalm.Becausehisbodyisintheprocessofreleasingdopamine,hewill feelextraconfidentandmellow DuringthisstageitwouldbewiseforJohntostopdrinking

alcoholinordertopreventfurtherintoxicationwhichbringsustostagethree.Stage3is Excitement,whentheBACis0.09-0.25.ThisisthestagewhereJohnwillstarttohaveblurred visionandhavetroublespeaking.Hemayfeellikehecannotholduphisbodyandthe“good feelings”willpass.DuringthisstageJohn’sbody'sreactiontimeisextremelyslowandon occasion,hewillexperienceafeelingofnausea.Thisisusuallythestagewheremostpeople vomitbecausetheirbodycannotmetabolizeanymorealcohol.Stage4istheconfusionstage wheretheBACis0.18-0.30.Duringthestageofconfusion,Johnusuallyneedshelpwalkingor evenstandingupstraight.Hisbodycannotfunctionnormallyandhehasahardtimedoing anythingbyhimself.Healsostartstoforgetcertainmemoriesandhisbrainhasdifficulty creatingnewones.Stage5isstuporandoccurswhenJohn’sBACis0.25orhigher Atthisstage, Johnhasreachedthepointofalcoholpoisoningandmaypassoutorvomit.Thisisalsothestage wheremanyindividuals,includingJohn,arerushedtothehospitalinneedofpumpingtheir stomach.Stage6iscomawheretheBACispast.3.John’sBACisnow0.35andgivenfromthe nameofthestage,thisiswhenJohnisathighriskofslippingintoacomaandisalsoathighrisk ofdeath,whichisourlastandfinalstage.Stage7isdeathandshouldneverbesomethingthat Johnshouldlethimselforanyoneelsereach.BACis0.45andcanhappenfromalcohol poisoningduetothehighconsumptionofalcohol(“HowAlcoholImpactstheBrain”).

Alcoholcanhaveanegativeeffectonthebrainlikeblurredvision,difficultywalking, andevenslurredspeech..Anothereffectthatiscommonlyexperiencedbyaddictsismemory lapses.Thisiswhenapersonisunabletoremembercertaineventsandwillhavetroublecreating newmemories.Scientistshavehypothesizedthat“blackoutsaremuchmorecommonamong socialdrinkersthanpreviouslyassumedandshouldbeviewedasapotentialconsequenceof acuteintoxicationregardlessofageorwhetherthedrinkerisclinicallydependentonalcohol.”

Hundredsofcollegeundergraduatesweresurveyedabouttheirexperienceswithblackoutsand wereaskediftheyhadeverwokenupafteranightofdrinking,notbeingabletodecipherwhat hadhappenedthenightbefore.Amongthestudentswhohadeverconsumedalcohol,51% reportedblackoutepisodesatsomepointintheirlivesduetoalcoholconsumption.About40% reportedexperiencingablackoutintheyearpriortothesurvey.Ofthosewhoadmittedto drinkinginthetwoweeksleadinguptothepoll,9.4%confessedtoblackingoutduringthattime frame.Thestudentslaterreportedthattheyhadparticipatedinawiderangeofpotentially dangerouseventstheycouldnotremember,includingvandalism,unprotectedsex,anddriving. (“HowAlcoholImpactstheBrain'').Thiswasdonetoprovethatblackoutshappenfromextreme intoxicationandareextremelydangerous.Individualswhohavebeendrinkingforalongperiod oftimemayalsobeatriskofdevelopingbraindamage.Additionally,itiscommonforusersto developthiaminedeficiencywhichnormallyresultsinpoornutritionhabits.Anothercommon effectofalcoholisliverdamage.Becausealcoholismetabolizedbytheliver,consumingtoo muchalcoholcanandwilldamagetheliver,whichcanalsoendupdamagingthebrainaswell. Theseareeffectsthatcanhappentoalmostanyone,butitrequiresmanydifferentfactorstolead uptotheseeffects.Theamountoftimesandalcoholauserdrinks,theageheorshefirstbegan drinking,andhowlongheorshehasbeendrinking,impacttheeffectsthatalcoholhasontheir body.Aperson’sage,levelofeducation,gender,geneticbackground,andfamilyhistoryof alcoholismwillalsoimpacttheirbodiesreactiontoalcohol.

Manyfactorscanleadtoanindividualturningtoalcoholforhelp.Thenumberofdeaths peryearcausedbyalcoholisapproximately88thousand,anditisimportantforustohelpto makesurethatnumberdoesnotcontinuetoincrease.Thereisnosuchthingasa“quickfix”and weshouldstrivetolowerthisnumbereachyear Weneedtostayintouchwithourselvesanddo

whatisnecessarytopreventthisfromhappeningtousortosomeonewelove.Weshouldnever

drinkalcoholtoforgetaboutproblems,turntoalcoholwhenanxietyordepressionfeel overbearing,orfeelembarrassedtospeakaboutourproblems.Itisalsoimportantnottolieabout drinkingorfeelpressuredintodoingsomethingthatwedonotfeelascomfortabledoing.

Instead,weshouldremembertoalwaysadmitwhenwehaveaproblem,speaktoatherapistif youhaveanurgetodrink,anddiscusswaystohelppreventanaddiction.Alwaysbeintouch withyourselvesandyouremotionsandtakecareofyourmentalhealth.Alcoholwillneverbe theanswerthatyouarelookingforand,regardless,lifeistooshorttowasteitoveragooddrink.

AlcoholandDepression. Alcohol Rehab Guide,8Jan.2024, www.alcoholrehabguide.org/resources/dual-diagnosis/alcohol-and-depression/#:~:text=A buse%20And%20Depression-,Individuals%20who%20suffer%20from%20depression%2 0are%20more%20likely%20to%20abuse,how%20people%20think%20and%20act AmericanAddictionCentersEditorialStaff.(2022).“TheHistoryofAlcoholThroughoutthe World.”https://recovery.org/alcohol-addiction/history/

Bradizza,C.M.,Reifman,A.,&Barnes,G.M.(1999).SocialandCopingReasonsforDrinking: PredictingAlcoholMisuseinAdolescents. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 60(4), 491.

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A55017659/AONE?u=nysl_me_touro&sid=summon&xid =af9006d2

Carpenter,K.M.,&Hasin,D.(1998).Aprospectiveevaluationoftherelationshipbetween reasonsfordrinkingandDSM-IValcohol-usedisorders. Addictive behaviors, 23(1), 41–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4603(97)00015-4

Mueller,C.W.,&Klajner,F.(1984).Theeffectofalcoholonmemoryforfeelings:Doesitreally helpuserstoforget? The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 172(4),225.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6707621/ NorthwesternMedicine.,(2021).Howalcoholimpactsthebrain. Northwestern Medicine.

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/alcohol-and-the-brain

Reagan,R.W.,(2012).AcuteAlcoholEffectsonNarrativeRecallandContextualMemory:An ExaminationofFragmentaryBlackouts, National Center for Biotechnology Information, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3101897/ Solomon,W.(n.d.).(2022).Whatcausesalcoholaddiction? WebMD.

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/what-is-alcohol-abuse

Zahr,N.M.,&Pfefferbaum,A.(2017).Alcohol'sEffectsontheBrain:NeuroimagingResultsin

HumansandAnimalModels. Alcohol research : current reviews, 38(2), 183–206.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513685/

ElianaBonduryansky

Whentheywatchmoviesandviewimages,theaudienceusuallyisnotawareofhow impactfulthecolorgradingisinthework.Aslightchangeinthetechniqueofthecolorgrading coulddrasticallychangeaperson’sinternalemotionalresponse,impactingthecomprehensionof thepiece.Colorgradingistheprocessofadjustingvariouselementssuchashue,saturation, brightness,and“Red,Green,Blue”;thisformofaestheticalterationisamethodthatcreatesa particularemotionthroughoutthescene(“WhatisColorGrading?”).Theemotionaland neurologicalaspectsthatcorrelatewithcolorgradingareimmenselycomplex.Tofullymeasure theextentcolorgradingpresenceincinematographyaffectstheaudience'semotions,itis significanttoexamineboththechemicalandphysicalreactions.

Manymaydescribeemotionssimplyasafeeling,likeangerorsadness.However, emotionsconsistofthreecomponents:behavioral,physiological,andcognitive.Forinstance, whenencounteringabear,onewouldexperienceanincreaseinheartrate(physiological)and wouldrespondbyrunningaway (behavioral);thewholeresponseis basedontheinterpretation (cognitive)ofthesituation.The orderinwhichthesethree componentsofemotionoccuris debatedandcategorizedintothreetheories:James-Lange,Cannon-Bard,andSchachter-Singer. James-Langetheorizedthatwhenoneexperiencesastimulus,ittriggersaphysiological response,andthenbasedontheresponse,theemotionisconstructed.TheCannon-Bardtheory speculatesthatthephysiologicalresponseandemotionoccursimultaneouslyafterthestimulus.

Lastly,theSchachter-Singertheorystatesthatthephysiologicalresponseoccursfirst,followed byacognitiveinterpretationthatisthen identifiedasaspecificemotion(Wright).

Thesysteminvolvedwithcolorprocessingis calledthelimbicsystem,consistingofthe thalamus,amygdala,hippocampusand hypothalamus.Thesefourcomponentsinthe brainworktogethertoconstruct emotionalresponses.Thethalamusstoresemotional experiences,particularlythosefacilitatedbytheamygdalaandtheamygdalacommunicateswith thehypothalamus,whichisresponsibleforthephysiologicalarousalaspectoftheemotionsand thehippocampusworkswiththeamygdalainstoringmemoriesandtheemotionsconjoinedwith thosememories.Althoughtheprefrontalcortexisnotofficiallypartofthelimbicsystem,itis stillgreatlyinvolvedthroughoutthewholeprocessduetoitsfunctionoforchestratingthe behavioralqualityofemotions.Allthesestructuresworktogethertoassembleemotional understandingandasanextensioncolor-processing(Wright).

Whencolor-gradedscenesareviewed,agreatdealofchemicalresponsesoccurinthe brain.Tocalculatethebrain'sresponseacontrolledexperimentwasconducted,examining participants'electricalactivitytoRGB(red,green,blue)inlimbicsystemstructures.The experimentinitiallytestedtheBeta-Bands,Theta-Bands,andDelta-Waves.Locatedinthe prefrontalcortex,betabandsareresponsibleforthemotorsystem.Secondly,inthe hippocampus,Theta-Bandsmanagethecognitiveandbehavioralprocesses,includingsensations, learning,andmemory Lastly,deltawavesinthethalamusareinvolvedinvariousfunctionssuch

assleep,braindevelopment,thereleaseofgrowthhormones,emotionalprocessing,andmore.

Theresultsoftheexperimentshowedalatencyshiftinthebetabandswhenparticipantsviewed greencomparedtoredandblue,indicatingalinkagebetweengreenandalertness.Bluecauseda significantdecreaseinTheta-Bandspower,whileredandgreenexperiencedaslightincrease, suggestingbluehasacalmingeffectwhilegreenandredhaveamorestimulatingeffecton viewers.Finally,theDeltaWavesexperiencedalatencywhengreenwasintroduced,proposing thatgreenhasaninhibitionmechanism,restrainingenzymesfromactivity.Lateron,green causedadecreaseinthetawavesindicatingapossibleemotionalshifttowardsamorecalming effect(“BrainActivityCharacteristicsofRGBStimulus:anEEGStudy”).

Thepsychologicalaspectofcolorsisincrediblycomplex.Eachcolorandshade contributestotheinfluenceithasonaperson’semotions.Thepsychologybehindeachcolorhas animpactontheeffectcolorgradinghasontheaudience.Manyfactorscontributetohow specificcolorsandhuesaffecteachperson.Therehavebeenvariousstudiestestingthe psychologybehindcolorsandhowtheyaffectpeople’semotionsinmodern-daylife.Onestudy focusedonthecolorofsportsteams’uniforms,measuringtheeffectsthecolorshaveonthe players'performance.Ithasbeenproventhatredsportswear-wearingteamstendedtobemore successfulcomparedtoteamswithothercolors.Thisisduetoredbeingperceivedasadominant andaggressivecolor.However,notallsportsteamsalignedwiththisanalysis;thiscontradiction suggeststhatmultiplefactorsinfluencecolorprocessingandemotions.First,thereisthe biologicalresponse,whichisacellularreaction.Secondisthecollectiveunconscious,also knownasmutualunderstanding.Culturalinfluencecomesthird,withconscioussymbolism following,simplymeaningthewayonemightlearntocomprehendcolor.Lastly,personal relationshipsarealsodependentonanindividual'spreference.Thisinformationrevealsthatthere

isnofixedwaytoprocesscolor(“ColorPsychology:EffectsofPerceivingColoron PsychologicalFunctioninginHumans'').

Additionally,cinematiclighting,particularlywarmandcoldhues,servesasapowerful tooltoinfluenceemotions.Theintensityandplacementofthesehuesinduceemotions,providing visualfocusandmore.AsProfessorDondissaid,‘‘Perceptionofcoloristhesinglemoststrongly emotionalpartofthevisualprocess,itcanbeutilizedtoexpressandreinforcevisualinformation toagreatadvantage.’’Thisnotationis provencontinuouslybyvarious experiments,suchasScanalon’s experimentalstudy,suggestingthatdifferent colorsevokespecificemotions.According toScanlon’sexperiment,blueevokes calmness,yellowevokescautionand warmth,greenevokessecurityand relaxation,redevokespassion,orange evokesadventure,whiteevokespurity, blackevokesmystery,brownevokesmasculinity,andsilverandgoldevokeregality One experimenttestedtheimpactdifferentcinematiclightingshadonviewers'emotionsbyshowing ninecinematicshotslitbythreedifferentcolors:blue,orange,andwhite,eachhittinganimage fromdifferentdirections(frontal,cross,andside).Eachindividualwasprovidedwithsheets listingcontrastingadjectivestopotentiallydescribetheimagebeforethem.Theresultsrevealed thatcharactersinwhitelightinggenerallyseemedneutral,withtheperceptiondirectlybasedon thedirectionofthelight,creatingeitheranalertorrelaxedmood.Orangelightingwasassociated

withanalertoratenseappearanceandwasoccasionallydescribedaswarm.Bluelightingwas linkedwitharangeofemotions,includinghappiness,relaxation,mystery,tension,andeven depression,alldependingonthelightinglocation.Frontalwarmlightingwasfoundtobemore effectiveincreatingahappierappearanceforthecharacters.Whiteandorangelighting,eithera frontalorcross,causedthecharactertobeperceivedasalert.Angerisconstructedusingside lighting,specificallywithbluelighting.Bluesidelightingalsocreatedamysterious-looking character.Akeytakeawayisthatcolorgradingcanevokeavarietyofemotions,dependingon thetechniquesused(Matbouly).

Thisexplorationdivesintotheusageofcolorgradinginthecinematicworldbyexploring theworksdonebyfamousproducers,specificallyWesAnderson.Andersonhasdirectedvarious well-knownfilms,including Fantastic Mr Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel, amongothers. Theaimistofullyunderstandthepowerofcolorgradingandhowcolors,ingeneral,impactthe overallmoodandunderstandingofcinematicartwork.Throughout The Grand Budapest Hotel, Andersonusesanassortmentofbrightcolorssuchasred,yellow,andblue.Hesaturatesthe piece,whichallowsAndersontoexaggerateotheraspectsofthefilm;“whenweseeasilly prisonescapeoccurwheretheprisonersclimbaropeovertheguards,weacceptitmorereadily” (Bedard).Colorsinafilmplayacrucialroleinportrayingthestory Deeperhuesandlifeless colorsthroughoutafilmhelpsdefineitintoadepressingstory,whereasbrighthuesandlively colorspaintanentirelydifferentpicture.

Colorgrading’seffectontheaudience'semotionsisundeniable.Everyfactorthatgoes intothedevelopmentofcolorgradingcouldgreatlyinfluencehowcinematographyis interpreted.Colorgradingisapowerfultoolbecauseofthesubstantialpresenceoftechnology andsocialmediainoureverydaylives.Althoughcolorgradingplaysacrucialroleinhow

cinemaisperceived,therearestillmanyfactorsthatcontribute,includingmusic,setting, dialogue,etc.Producersmustunderstandthepsychologicalandneurologicalaspectsofcolor gradingtotakeadvantageofitspoweranduseiteffectively

Bedard,Mike.“TheWesAndersonColorPalette:BrightColorsMeetDarkSubjects.”

StudioBinder,14Mar.2023,www.studiobinder.com/blog/wes-anderson-color-palette.

"BrainActivityCharacteristicsofRGBStimulus:anEEGStudy.''Scientific Reports (Nature

Publisher Group),vol.13,no.1,2023,pp.18988 ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/brain-activity-characteristics-rgb-stimulus-e

eg/docview/2885680767/se-2,doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46450-z.

"ColorPsychology:EffectsofPerceivingColoronPsychologicalFunctioninginHumans."

Annual Review of Psychology,vol.65,2014,pp.95. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/color-psychology-effects-perceiving-on/dre view/1491419187/se-2,doi:https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115035.

Matbouly,M.Y "QuantifyingtheUnquantifiable:theColorofCinematicLightinganditsEffect onAudience’sImpressionsTowardstheAppearanceofFilmCharacters:Researchand Reviews."CurrPsychol41,3694–3715(2022).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00900-3

"WhatisColorGrading?" Videomaker,vol.34,no.1,July2019,pp.36+. Gale OneFile: Fine Arts, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A592785812/PPFA?u=nysl_me_yeshivah&sid=bookmark-PPFA &xid=46b1b58f.Accessed27Nov.2023.

Wright,Judene MCAT Psychology and Sociology Review 2ndEdition.UnitedStates: PenguinRandomHouse.

Covid’sEffectonSocialAnxiety

IreneCohen

Duringthetransitionalstageoflifealsoknownasadolescence,whichistypicallymarked bypuberty,ashiftoccursinbothone'sphysicalandemotionalwellbeing.Emotionally,thereisa shiftfromparentalinfluencestoinfluencesof friendsandpeers.Thesedevelopments maylead toemotionalvulnerabilities.Studieshaveshownthatadolescentsarelikelytoencounter heightenedlevelsofsocialanxiety,generalizedanxiety,anddepression.Thesementalhealth disorderscanbecausedbyschool,alongwithparentalandpeerpressures.Exacerbatedbythese externalpressuresistheeffectofCovid19,aglobalpandemicthatshutdowntheworldfor months.Thispandemicledtoalargeriseinmentalhealthdisorders,suchassocialanxiety.

Thedevelopmentalstagebetweenchildhoodandadulthood,theageofpuberty,isoneof themostcriticalstagesinone'slife.Astheirbodychangesduringtheseyears,sodoestheir focus.Adolescentsshiftfromthemselvesandtheirfamilytofocusingonsocialrelationships withfriendsandthosesurroundingthem.Thisshiftintheirlife,alongwithoutsidepressure, leadstoemotionalvulnerabilitiesinteenagers(Bosaki).Duringthisperiod,teenagersfocuson encounterswiththeirpeers,typicallyduringschoolhours.Theoverallatmosphereofaschool affectshowonecanactandfeel.Ifastudentdoesnot perceiveaschoolclimateasa compassionateplace,itmayaffectthementalwellbeingof thatteenager(Gábor).

Teenagerswhoperceiveschoolwithanegativeconnotationmayencountermental disorderssuchasanxiety,avoidingsocialencountersanddepression(Bosacki).Additionally, duringadolescence,studentstypicallyhaveheightenedlevelsofanxietyduetostressinflictedby school,leadingto10percentofchildrenunder16tohaveanxiety.Stressisinherenttolifebut canalsobeaprecursortootherdisorderssuchasdepression.Thiscanoccurbecausestress

affectsthehomeostasisalsoknownasthebalanceinone'sbody(Gábor).Studentsarelikelyto havehighanxietyduringschoolhoursduetoworkandinteractionswithpeers(Bosacki).

Whilesomeanxietystemsbacktochildhood,anxietyisoftenpresentbecauseofstress duringadolescence.Theamountofstressandanxietycanbemeasuredaccuratelybytesting one'scortisollevels.Cortisol,alsoknownasastresshormone,canbemeasuredovertimeand indicateifonehashighlevelsofstressandanxiety.Theaveragehormonelevelsaredepictedby anon-invasivetestingprocess.Astudyofcortisollevelshasshownthatgirlsexperiencemore stressthanboys.Theamountofanxietyamonggirlsmayalignwithanincreaseinsocialanxiety inwomen.Additionally,socialanxietymayintensifyinschoolatmospheresduetopeer interactions(Gábor).

Socialanxietyisapersistentfearofbeingjudgedinsocialsituations.Somepeopletend togetanxietybeforeabigday,butsocialanxietyinterfereswitheverydayactivities.For example,speakinginclass,leavingaroom,anddrinkingwatercaninspireanxietyinthosewho havethisdisorder.Thisfeelingleadsadolescentstoavoidsocialsituationsoutoffearofbeing judgedfornormalactivities.Whenthisfeelingisintense,adolescentsmissoutonopportunities withfriendsandfamily Someothersymptomsofsocialanxietyareintenseanxietythatdoesnot correlatewiththe“normal”amountofanxietyforthatsituation,racingheart,twitching,and sweatingbeforeorinsocialsituations(“SocialAnxietyDisorder:MoreThanJustShyness”).

DuringCovid-19,theworldwentonlockdownformanymonths.Thetransmissionof Covid19occursbetweenthosewhoareinclosecontactwitheachother.Asaprecaution,for monthspeoplewereurgedtowearfacemaskscoveringtheirnoseandmouthandmaintain a minimumofsixfeetdistancebetweenothers.Theobjectiveofthisprecautionwas toprotect othersalongsideoneselffromcontracting harmfulgerms.Despitethesemeasures,thespreadof

thisvirusstillcausedthousandstofallill.Asfeargrew,withthousandsdyingeveryday,many stayedhometoavoidthechancesofcontractingthisdisease.Theworldstoppedforweekswith nosettimeofwhenlifewouldreturn.Everyone,whetheritwaschildrenortheelderly,hadtheir dailyroutinesdisrupted–whetheritwasgoingtowork,schoolorgatheringwithfriendsand family(Graf).Duringthepandemic,adolescentsdidnothavedaytodayinteractionswiththose whotheyareusedto.Forexample,theydidnotseetheirfriends,family,andcoworkersfor manymonths.Thisvoidwasnotlaterfilleduntilmanymonthsafterwhenlifereturnedsemi “backtonormal.”Atthestartofthispandemicadolescentsfeltlikethiswasa“giftfrom heaven.”Itwasnotuntillaterwhentheyrealizedthetollthisviruswouldhaveonsocial experienceslateroninlife(Rodriguez).

Researchhasfoundthatanadditional76millionpeople,roughly26percent,hadan increaseinsocialanxietyafterCovid.Forsome,thisperiodofisolationtemporarilyrelieved theirsymptomsofsocialanxiety,butwhenthetimecametogobacktonormallife aftermonths, adolescentsweregreatlychallengedandfoundtheirsocialanxietyroseimmenselysincethey hadnothadinteractionsthatputthemin“anxietyfilledsituations”inawhile.Therefore,these adolescentshadtroublecopingwiththeirfeelings(Kindred).

Althoughthereisnotaspecificcure,therearemanyavailableoptionsthatmayimprove socialanxiety.Apopulartreatmentisphyscotherapy,whichisalsoknownasverbaltherapy.A branchofthistherapyisCognitiveBehaviorTherapy.CognitiveBehaviorTherapy,alsoknown asCBT,teachesonedifferentwaytobehaveandthinksopeoplefeelincontroloftheiranxiety insituations.Thistherapyhelpsconfrontfearscausinganxiety(“SocialAnxietyDisorder:More ThanJustShyness”).

Additionally,ifoneexposesthemselvestomoreanxietyproducingsituations,theyare likelytolearnhowtocopeproperly.Asonedoesthis,theytendtorealizethatnothingbadcame outofasocialinteractionleadingtheirfearstobeslightlyreduced.Medicationslikebeta blockers,whichhelpslowdownheartrateandothersymptomsofsocialanxiety,mayalsohelp. Otheroptionsareantidepressantsandantianxietymedication(Harenberg).

Althoughsocialanxietycanbeprevalentinbothmenandwomen,itisfoundthatmore womenhavesocialanxietythanmenafterthepandmeic.Itisalsoshownthatwomenhave higherlevelsofsocialanxietythanmen(Graf).

Covid-19hassignificantlyimpactedadolescentsregardingsocialanxiety.The pandemic'sdisruptionstodailyroutinesandisolationledtoheightenedsocialanxietyupon returningtonormallife.Althoughthereisnocure,therearemanytypesoftherapythatcanhelp onestruggling.

Bosacki,Sandra,etal.“CriticalReview:SecondarySchoolClimateandAdolescents’Emotional Well-Being.” MDPI,MultidisciplinaryDigitalPublishingInstitute,14Aug.2023, www.mdpi.com/2673-7051/3/3/36.

Harenberg,Madi.“SocialAnxiety:WhatItIs,Symptoms,Treatments&More,” www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-03-03/social-anxiety-what-it-is-sympt oms-treatments-more.Accessed18Mar.2024.

Kindred,Reuben,andGlenW.Bates.“TheInfluenceoftheCOVID-19PandemiconSocial Anxiety:ASystematicReview.” MDPI,MultidisciplinaryDigitalPublishingInstitute,29 Jan.2023,www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2362.

“SocialAnxietyDisorder:MorethanJustShyness.” National Institute of Mental Health,U.S. DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness. Accessed18Mar.2024.

Stephanie,Rodriguez-Besterio.“SocialMedia,AnxietyandCovid-19LockdownMeasurement Compliance,” www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Social-Media,-Anxiety-and-COVID-19-Lockdown-Rodr iguez-Besteiro-Beltr%C3%A1n-Velasco/71bc09acbadadd1e884b7de18b2acb86331a5f5b. Accessed18Mar.2024.

Stromájer,GáborPál,etal.“StressandAnxietyamongHighSchoolAdolescents:Correlations betweenPhysiologicalandPsychologicalIndicatorsinaLongitudinalFollow-upStudy.” MDPI,MultidisciplinaryDigitalPublishingInstitute,14Sept.2023, www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/9/1548.

TheInterconnectednessofEmotionsandDecisions

BaruchElmann

Economicsandpsychologymayseemliketheyaretwoverydifferentfields.Peopleare likelytoassumethatwhatmakesuppeople’sculture,emotions,beliefsandpoliticalviewssurely hasnoeffectoneconomicoutcomes.Infact,economicsandpsychologyarenotonlyclearly inextricablylinked,thereisanentirefieldthatstudiestherelationshipbetweenthetwocalled behavioraleconomics.Recognizingthesignificanceofbehavioraleconomicsisvital,asit underscoresthatexternaltriggersinfluenceeveryaspectofhumanbehavior.Thisfieldofstudy emphasizestheroleofemotionsindecision-making.Emotionsarecrucialinlifebecausethey guideaperson'sdecision-making,affectingtheirmoralcapacityandeconomicdecisions.

BehavioralEconomicsisthefieldthatmergespsychologicalandbehavioralideas togethertohelpunderstandhowpeoplemakeday-to-daydecisions(“WhatIsBehavioral Economics?”).Itiscrucialtounderstandhumanbehaviorandotherpeople'sperceptionoflife withtheirirrationalminds–whytheymakethedecisionstheymakeandhowtomakethose decisionsbetter.Emotionsdriveindividualstomaketheseimportantdecisionsthatcouldhave significantimpactsontheirlives;infact,manyresearcherssaythatemotionsaccountforabout 90%ofdecisionsmadeaday(“HowEmotionsPlayanImportantRoleinDecision-Making”). Therefore,itisimportanttoconsideremotionalresponseswhenstudyingandpredictinghuman behavior–themanyjudgmentspeoplemake,nomatterhowlargeorsmall,andhowtheyshape people'slivesand thewaytheyapproachcertainsituations.

ResearchersfromtheUniversityofSanDiegoandDukeUniversitycreatedastudyin whichanactorgaveoutsheetsofpaperwithtasksonatacoffeeshop,promisinga$5payment fortheircompletion.Inroundoneofthisstudy,theactorsimplygavetheinstructionsandthen

paidtheparticipants.Crucially,however,theactoroverpaidbyafewdollars.Mostpeopleinthe studyreturnedtheextramoney,suggestingthatinnormalconditions,peopleareethical.Inthe nextversionofthestudy,theactorreceivedapersonalphonecallmidwaythroughgivingthe task’sinstructionsandthencarriedonwithnoapology Inthiscase,theoverpaiddollarswere rarelyreturned.Butiftheactorinsteadapologizedafterthephonecall,theparticipantsreverted backtotheirnormalbehaviors(“WhatIsBehavioralEconomics?”).

Manypeoplethinkthateconomicdecisionsaremadeonlythroughlogic;however,in actuality,thecompleteoppositeistrue–emotionscontrolthedecisionspeoplemake.Ineconomic models,peoplechoosebetweenalternativecoursesofactionbyassessingthedesirabilityand likelihoodoftheirconsequences.Thedesirabilityiscalledutilityandmakingthemostoutofthe desirabilityisreferredtoas“maximizingutility”(RickandLowenstein).Peoplehavetwotypes ofemotions:immediateandexpected.Expectedemotionsareanticipatedandoccurasaresultof theoutcomesassociatedwithdifferentpossiblecoursesofaction.Forexample,ifsomeoneis consideringenteringastock,theywillconsiderthehappinesstheywillgetfromthestockrising, thedespairtheywillfeelifthestockdrops,andtheregrettheywillhaveiftheydidnotpurchase it.Immediateemotions,however,arebasedonthinkingonthespotinasituationthatputsthe personmakingitinshockandinneedofadecision(RickandLowenstein).Whilethedecisions aremadethroughemotionalfactors,thecomplexbrainisconstantlychangingasaresult.

AccordingtoaPrincetonBulletin,“People'schoicescandependinpartonwhatregionof theirbrainemergesvictoriousfromabattlebetweencentersofemotionalimpulseandrational thinking.”Thesescientistsusedbrainimagingtechnologytotrackaperson'sbrain'sbehavior whiletheyaremakingdecisionsinvolvingmoney.Inthe“UltimatumGame,”twostrangersmeet eachotherandhavetofindawaytosplit10dollars.Onepersonhastoproposeanoffer,while

theotheristhereceiverwhoeitheracceptsorrejectstheoffer.Thereceiver'sbrainwasscanned usingfunctionalmagneticresonanceimaging(FMRI),atechnologythatallowsresearchersto seewhatbrainareasareactiveatallmomentsduringthestudy Theyfoundthatthemoreunfair theoffer,themoreactivitytheysawinanareacalledtheanteriorinsula,whichisassociatedwith disgustandothernegativeemotions(Schultz).Standardeconomictheorysuggeststhatthe proposershouldalwaysoffer$1orsomeotherminimalamountandthatthereceivershould alwaysaccept,preferringtoreceive$1ratherthannothing.Manyotherstudies,however,have shownthatpeopleoftenrejectwhattheyseeasunfairoffers.Anotherareaofthebrain,the dorsolateralprefrontalcortex,whichisassociatedwithworkingmemoryanddeliberative thought,alsorespondstounfairoffers.Itnotonlytellsthemthatthereisanemotionalresponse butthatthereseemstobecompetitionbetweenthesedifferentconsiderationsorwaysof processingthesituation(Schultz).Throughthissimplebutinterestinggame,itisclearly displayedthatbrainactivitychangesbasedonemotionalresponses.

Theideasthatpeoplehatelosingmorethantheyenjoywinning,thatrationalitycanlead toimplications,andthatmathematicsarenotthesolefactorofeconomicsareexploredin behavioraleconomics(“NobelPerspectives”).Theintegrationofbehavioraleconomicsintothe studyofdecision-makingrevealsthatemotionsplayacrucialroleineconomicchoices, challengingthetraditionalassumptionofpurelyrationaldecision-makingineconomicmodels.

Themultifacetedemotionsthatsomeoneisexperiencingisextremelycomplexaseven smallfactorscandrivetheirdecisionsandcouldhavealargeimpactontheireconomic selections.Whileitmaynotseemthatsurroundingthingsmakeadifferenceineconomic decisions,therearemanycomponentsthatjointogetherandmakesuretheshopperishavingthe mostenjoyableexperienceintheirstore.Thekeytocreatingemotionalconnectionswith

customersisbyprovidingtherightcombinationofsights,soundsandsmellstoputshoppersin themoodtobuy.Creatinganemotionalconnectionwithcustomersanddesigningapositiveand engagingshoppingexperiencethroughtheuseofexperientialmediaallowsretailerstotapinto thepowerofhumanemotionandseegreaterbusinesssuccess(“EmotionsDriveSales”).

AccordingtoHarvardBusinessSchoolprofessorGeraldZaltman,95%ofpeoplemake purchasingdecisionsbasedonunconsciousemotionalconnections.Retailerswhobecomemore emotionallydrivencansignificantlyincreaseprofitsandbuildastrongerconnectionbetween theircustomersandtheirbrand.Thesefactorsleadtoincreasedloyalty,repeatbusiness,and morepurchasestotheseshops.Theseallchangedependingonthestorethatisbeingshoppedat though.Forexample,therearetacticsthatstoresusetochoosemusicthatfitstheenvironmentof thestore.Studiesshowthat83%ofpeoplelikelisteningtomusicinastore.However,57%of consumerssaytheywilldisengagefromshoppingatastorethatplaysmusictooloudlyordoes notfittheshoppingenvironment(“EmotionsDriveSales”).Lightingalsoplaysanessentialrole incustomerperceptionandmoodwithintheretailstore.Bychangingthewaycustomers perceivetheirenvironment,lightinghasapowerfulinfluenceonemotions,engagement,and loyaltytowardproductsorbrands.Forexample,Applestoreskeepaconsistenttoneinalltheir storesworldwide,whichrepresentstheirbrandperfectly;clean,bright,andpremiumfeel.When shoppersenterastore,thelightingplaysanimportantroleinhowtheyperceivethespaceand overallcustomerexperience.Itcaninfluencetheirmoods,senseofcomfort,andreceptivenessto browseandexploreproducts(“MoodMedia”).

Whilesightsandsoundsarethemostnoticeableandexcitingsolutionstocreating connectionswithcustomers,alotofemotionalconnectionsaredevelopedthroughhumans'sense ofsmell.Humanbeingsare100timesmorelikelytorecallamemorybasedonsmellover

somethingwehavetouched,seenorheard.Consideringthat75%ofallemotionsaregenerated byscent,thisiswhatmakesbehavioraleconomicssointerestingandengaging.Inawork environment,toresonatewiththetargetaudience,storeshavetodowhatevertheycantoengage theircustomers.Oncetheyaredriveninbythesights,smells,andnoise,thentheywillbuy productsintheshoppingenvironment,drivingsalesforabusiness.

Emotionsareintegraltohumanexperiences,influencingourperceptions,attitudes,and responsestovariousstimuli.Theyarenotisolatedfromdecision-makingbutratherintricately wovenintothefabricofourchoices.Byrecognizingthisconnection,wegaininsightintohow emotionsguidemoralreasoningandinfluenceeconomicdecisions.Emotionsserveasa compass,guidingindividualsindeterminingwhatisbestforthem.

“EmotionsDriveSales:ThePowerofBehavioralEconomics.” Retail Dive,13March2023, www.retaildive.com/spons/emotions-drive-sales-the-power-of-behavioral-economics/643 967/.

“HowEmotionsPlayImportantRoleinDecisionMaking.” | Mental Health Magazine /Psychology Magazine | Self-Help Magazine,31Oct.2023, www.psychologs.com/how-emotions-play-important-role-in-decision-making/#:~:text=S ome%20researchers%20have%20found%20that,experience%20strong%20and%20compl ex%20emotions.

“ImportanceofLightinginRetail:FullGuide[2024].” Modern.Place,21Oct.2023, https://www.modern.place/importance-of-lighting-in-retail-stores/

“IsThereaLinkbetweenEmotionsandEconomicOutcomes?” Nobel Perspectives, www.ubs.com/microsites/nobel-perspectives/en/latest-economic-questions/success/article s/emotional-economics.html.

Pedersen,Morten,etal.“WhatIsBehavioralEconomics?” iMotions,15Nov.2022 imotions.com/blog/learning/research-fundamentals/what-is-behavioral-economics/.

Rick,ScottandLowenstein,George. Homepage - CMU - Carnegie Mellon University, www.cmu.edu/dietrich/sds/docs/loewenstein/RoleEmotionEconBehav.pdf.

Schultz,Steven.“Princeton-WeeklyBulletin12/08/03-BrainImagingStudyRevealsInterplay ofThoughtandEmotioninEconomicDecisions.” Princeton University,TheTrusteesof PrincetonUniversity,pr.princeton.edu/pwb/03/1208/7a.shtml.

GeneTherapyonCancerCells

KellyFatiha

Onceperfected,genetherapycanbecomethecureforalllivingspeciesstrugglingwith geneticmutationsordiseasessuchascancer Thepurposeofgenetherapyistocorrectany mutationinthegeneticmakeupofanybiologicalcell;sinceitsdiscoveryin1972,ithascomea longwayandhasexhibitedsuccessfulresultsinareasinvolvingcancer.

Canceristheuncontrollabledivisionofcellscausingatumororamassofmutatedcells. Itcouldgrowandspreadtootherpartsofthebodycausingmanybiologicalfunctionstofailor functiondifferentlythanusual.Sometimesthetumorsaremalignant,meaningfatalandharmful, andsometimestheyarebenign.Therearemanydifferentcausestocancersuchasgenetic factors,smoking,andexposuretoradiation.Becausetheplacesthatcanceroccursvaries, each formofcancerrequiresdifferenttreatmentsandcare(“WhatIsCancer?”).

ThreeofthemostcommoncancertreatmentsusedinAmericatodayaresurgery, chemotherapy,andradiationtherapy.Thegoalofallthreeofthesetreatmentsistoannihilatethe uncontrollablydividingcancercells.Asstatedinthearticle“WhatIsCancerSurgery?,”“Cancer surgeryisanoperationorproceduretoremoveatumorfromthebody Sometimes,some surroundinghealthytissueisalsoremoved.Itistheoldestkindofcancertreatment,anditstill workswelltotreatmanytypesofcancertoday.”Ontheotherhand,“Chemotherapyisadrug treatmentthatusespowerfulchemicalstokillfast-growingcellsinyourbody.Manydifferent chemotherapydrugsareavailable.Chemotherapydrugscanbeusedaloneorincombinationto treatawidevarietyofcancers”(“Chemotherapy”).Thistreatmentusesbeamsofintenseraysof energytokillcancercells.RadiationtherapymostoftenusesX-rays,butothertypesofradiation therapyareusedsuchasprotonradiation(“RadiationTherapy”).

Oneofthemostnewandmodernizedformsoftreatmentsforcancerisgenetherapy.

Genetherapyisamedicalapproachthattreatsorpreventsdiseasebycorrectingtheunderlying geneticproblem.Genetherapytechniquesallowdoctorstotreatadisorderbyalteringaperson’s geneticmakeupinsteadofusingdrugsorsurgery Thebasicsoftheprocessaretheidentification ofthegeneinquestion,duplicationofthatgene,andinsertionofthegeneintothehuman genomeneedingthegene(Trites).Thegenethatneedstobealteredorreplacedmustbe identified.Thecorrectlyfunctioninggenethatreplacesthedefectivegenemustfirstbeisolated andafter,duplicated.Thegeneinquestioncanbeisolatedbyattachingamolecularmarkertothe gene.Thegeneisthenremovedfromthegenomebyarestrictionenzymethatwillbreakthe genomeonlyatthedesiredbasejunctions(i.e.whenATAisnexttoGAT).Genesremovedfrom thegenomecanbeduplicatedeasilybyPCR.PCRistheprocessinwhichthegeneticsequence ofthegeneisreplicatedbytheintroductionofbasepairsinthesequencealongwithreplication enzymes,whichinduce,cause,andproofreadreplication(Trites).Next,thatgenemustbe insertedintothebody.Thevector(aDNAmolecule–oftenplasmidoravirus–thatisusedasa vehicletocarryaparticularDNAsegmentintoahostcell)canbeinjectedorgivenintravenously directlyintoaspecifictissueinthebody,whereitistakenupbyindividualcells.Alternatively,a sampleofthepatient'scellscanberemovedandexposedtothevectorinalaboratorysetting (“WhatisGeneTherapy?”).Themostfrequentsideeffectsarefeverandsymptomsthat resembleacold.

Genetherapycanbeutilizedinordertotreatmanysortsofinheritedorgeneticdiseases, suchascancer,cysticfibrosis,heartdisease,diabetes,hemophilia,andAIDS.Researchersare stillstudyinghowandwhentousegenetherapy(“WhatisGeneTherapy?”).However,gene therapydoesraisesomeethicalconcerns.Peoplewithgeneticdefectsmaynotwantthetherapy

orfeelthetherapyshouldnotbegivenbecausefatehasdealtthemthishandandtheyshould playit.Notallpeoplemaybeabletohandlethetherapy,eitherduetothevectororthe"foreign" genereactingwiththeirsystem.Manypeoplemayfeelthatifatreatmentdoesnotworkforsome people,thennooneshouldattempttotakethetreatmentbecauseofthepotentialrisks(Trites).

Someworrythatperhapsthewidespreaduseofgenetherapywillmakesocietylessacceptingof peoplewhoaredifferentandostracizethem.Anotherpotentialproblemisthatpeoplecouldfind awaytoutilizegenetherapyinordertoformulatedesirabletraitsforthemselvesorfortheir unbornchildren,whichwouldputharmfulstandardsontohumansocietyandpromotetheideaof onehavingtoappearperfect.Althoughtheethicalconcernsdo,infact,remainstanding,the benefitsoutweightherisks.Thepossibilityofstandardsofsocietybeingchangeddoesnot supporttheideathattreatingcancerpatientswithgenetherapyshouldnotberesearchedoreven used.

Genetherapywasfirstdiscoveredinthe1960s.In1961ascientistbythenameDr.

LorraineMarquardtKrausmanagedtogeneticallyalterthehemoglobinofcellsfrombone marrowtakenfromapatientwithsickle-cellanemia.Immunotherapy,ortheconceptofboosting theimmunesystemtotargetanddestroycancercells,hasbeenagoalofcancertreatmentfor over100years.However,limitedsuccesshasbeenachievedwithtraditionalimmunotherapy, becausecancercellstendtoevolvemechanismsthatevadeimmunedetection(Crossand Burmester).Currently,therearemanyongoingtrialshappeninginordertoanalyzethesafetyand abilitytotreatcancerofthesenewtreatments.RecentclinicaltrialswithGVAX,avaccinemade fromautologoustumorcellsmodifiedtoexpressgranulocyte-macrophagecolony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF),haveledtofurtherclinicaltesting.ThefirstphaseI/phaseIItrialresultedin3

of33subjectsexperiencingcompleteremissionandanadditional7whoachievedstabledisease foranaverageof7months.(CrossandBurmester).

TherehavebeenveryfewFDAapprovedgenetherapeutictreatmentsasoftoday An articlepublishedbyAllianceForCancerGeneTherapystates,“Atthebeginningof2022,the FDAapprovedaT-cellreceptortherapyforararetypeofmelanomaintheeye,calleduveal melanoma.Thetherapy,Kimmtrak,isthefirstcancercellandgenetherapyapprovedforasolid tumor”(Golden).Severalgenetherapyapproachesarestillbeingdevelopedforthemanagement ofcancer,includinganti-angiogenicgenetherapy,suicidegenetherapy,immunotherapy,siRNA therapy,pro-apoptoticgenetherapy,oncolyticvirotherapy,andgenedirected-enzymeprodrug therapy Researchexplainsthatoncolyticvirotherapyhasproventobethemostpromisingofthe therapiesasatreatmentforcancer;“OVusesreplication-competentvirusesthatcanproliferate selectivelyattumorcells.Thetherapeuticuseofoncolyticvirusesforcancertreatmentisan immune-relatedtreatmentalternative.Oncolyticvirusesactbydirectlylysingtumorcellsandby introducingwild-typetumorsuppressorgenesintocellsthatlackthetumorsuppressorgene” (Belete)”Suicidegenetherapyisatherapeuticstrategyinwhichcellsuicideinducingtransgenes areintroducedintocancercells,thereforestoppingthecellsfromformulatingaworseningtumor (Belete).Antiangiogenictherapyisanewwaytotreatcancerbytargetingthebloodvesselsin tumors.Thevascularendothelialgrowthfactor(VEGF)isaproteinthathelpsbloodvessels grow,andit'sinvolvedinbothnormalandabnormalbloodvesselgrowth(Folkman).Therefore, targetingthesebloodvesselswouldterminatethegrowthofthetumorandwhathasalreadybeen growncanbesimplyremovedbysurgeryoranyothermeans(Folkman).Immunotherapyis treatmentthatusesaperson'sownimmunesystemtofightcancer.Immunotherapycanboostor changehowtheimmunesystemworkssoitcanfindandattackcancercells.

Genetherapyforcancertreatmenthasmadegoodprogressinthelastthreedecades,and therearestilltrialsongoing.Relativelygenetherapyhasbettersafetywithtolerableadverse effectsthanchemotherapyforthetreatmentofcancer(Belete).Withtheenhancedbiological research,cheapergenevectorswillsoonbeavailableinthemarket,whichincreasesgenetherapy accessibilityformostcancerpatients.Thiswillchangethefutureofcancertreatment,from generalizedcancertreatmentstrategiestoindividualizedcancertreatment.Itwillbebasedonthe patient’sspecificgenome,immunestatus,andgeneticprofileofthetumor(Belete).

Belete,TafereMulaw.“TheCurrentStatusofGeneTherapyfortheTreatmentofCancer.”

Biologics : Targets & Therapy,U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine,18Mar 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7987258/.

“CancerTreatments.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,CentersforDiseaseControl andPrevention,15May2023, www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivors/patients/treatments.htm#:~:text=Common%20Types%20o f%20Cancer%20Treatment,-Cancer%20treatment%20may&text=Surgery%3A%20An%2 0operation%20where%20doctors,rays)%20to%20kill%20cancer%20cells.

“Chemotherapy.” Mayo Clinic,MayoFoundationforMedicalEducationandResearch,13Mar 2024, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/chemotherapy/about/pac-20385033#:~:text=Overv iew,different%20chemotherapy%20drugs%20are%20available.

Cross,Deanna,andJamesKBurmester.“GeneTherapyforCancerTreatment:Past,Presentand Future.” Clinical Medicine & Research,U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine,Sept.2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570487/.

Folkman,Judah.“AntiangiogenicTherapy.” Antiangiogenic Therapy - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/antiangiogenic-therapy#:~:text=A ntiangiogenic%20therapy%20constitutes%20a%20new,both%20physiologic%20and%20 pathologic%20angiogenesis.Accessed19Apr.2024.

Golden,Devin.“TopStoriesforCellandGeneTherapyin2022.”AllianceforCancerGene

Therapy,28Mar.2023,

acgtfoundation.org/news/top-stories-cancer-cell-and-gene-therapy-2022/#:~:text=T%2Dc ell%20receptor%20therapy%20approved,approved%20for%20a%20solid%20tumor

“RadiationTherapy.” Mayo Clinic,MayoFoundationforMedicalEducationandResearch,20 Apr.2023, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/radiation-therapy/about/pac-20385162#:~:text=Ra diation%20therapy%2C%20also%20called%20radiotherapy,therapy%20exist%2C%20in cluding%20proton%20radiation.

Trites,Jason.“BasicsofHumanGeneTherapy.” Basics of Human Gene Therapy, www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students/jason.htm#:~:text=Gene%20therapy %20has%20now%20become,needing%20the%20gene%20(CIS)%20 Accessed19Apr 2024.

“WhatisCancer?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,CentersforDiseaseControland Prevention,13Oct.2023, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/cancer.html#:~:text=Poisons%20in%20tob acco%20smoke%20can,and%20create%20a%20cancer%20tumor

“WhatIsCancerSurgery?” Cancer.Net,9Aug.2023, www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/surgery/what-cancer-surgery.

“WhatIsGeneTherapy?” MedlinePlus,U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine, medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/therapy/genetherapy/.Accessed19Apr.2024.

TheHealingPowerofArt

AbigailFuzaylova

Whenhearingthewords“arttherapy,”whatcomestomind?Coloringinacoloring book?Paintingapicture?Cuttingoutpiecestocreateacollage?Sculpting?Althougharttherapy doesincludeartandmaymakeonefeelcalmer,thatisnotexactlywhatarttherapyis.Themain goalofarttherapyistolearnaboutself-expressionandimproveoverallwell-beinginawaythat noothertherapycan.

Manypeoplehaveemotionalstrugglesandmentalissues.Somemayhavetriedtodiscuss theirproblemsinpsychotherapybutfounditdifficulttoexpresstheirfeelingsinwords.For someofthosepeople,arttherapyisthesolution.Arttherapyisatherapeuticapproachthatheals people'semotionsbyallowingthemtoexpresstheirthoughtsandfeelingsmorecreatively In additiontotalkingwiththearttherapist,thepatientexpressesandcommunicatestheirfeelings throughart.Thishelpsindividualsarticulatecomplexthoughtsandfeelingsverydifferentlyfrom speakingone’smind.Itsmaingoalistoreducestressandimprovementalhealth.Arttherapy helpsovercomeissuessuchasanxiety,depression,stress,andothermentalillnesses.Inaddition, arttherapyisespeciallybeneficialtothosewhohavedifficultiescommunicatingtheiremotions verbally Peoplecanexpressthemselveswithphysicalthingsandthenreflecton,process,and understandthosefeelingstohealandfeelbetter(Carr).

MargaretNaumburgwasoneofthefirstpeopletodeveloptheideaofarttherapy.She wasaneducatorandatherapist.Inthe1940s,shedefinedarttherapyasaformofpsychotherapy. Shevieweditasanexpressionofunconsciousthoughtsthroughthearts.Anythingthatpeople wouldfeelbutcouldnotexpressverbally,theyexpressedthroughdrawingandpainting.Shewas oneofthefirstpeopletoutilizepsychoanalysisintheU.S.Inthetwentiethcentury,shebegan

practicingasatherapist,and,often,shewouldaskherclientstodrawtheirdreams,goalsinlife, andfeelings(Susanu).

Inmanycases,arttherapistsarefoundtobeusefulinhospitals.Theyfocusonhelping patientswiththeexperienceofbeinghospitalized.Thisincludeshelpingreducestress,anxiety, pain,copingwiththesituation,andlonghospitalstays.Medicalarttherapistsprovidehelpto theirpatientstoovercometheirissues.A2014studybyGirijaKaimalofDrexelUniversity included39healthyadults;thestudyfoundthatwhenpatientsinthehospitalhadaveryhigh cortisollevel,themainstresshormone,a45-minutearttherapysessionhelpedlowerthestress. Moreover,anarttherapistaddressedthecauseofthesituationthroughtheartthattheclient createdandhelpedfindanewperspective.AnotherstudycompletedinFebruary2018,onThe ArtsinPsychotherapy,foundthatanaverageof50minutesofarttherapysessionsbenefit hospitalizedpatientsbyloweringstress,andpain,andimprovingtheirmood(Otto).

Patientsusingarttherapycanengagewithanytypeofartformthattheychoose.Infact, inhospitals,clientsneedtohavechoicesbecausetheyoftenfeelliketheydonothaveasay. Sometimes,itdependsonwhatthedoctorsaysisthegoalofthearttherapysession.Ifthegoalis toreducestress,thearttherapistmayrecommendusingflowywaterypaintsastheyappearcalm. Ifthegoalistorelieveangerandtension,theywouldsuggestusingclayastheirartformbecause it’seasytopunchandreducesrage.

Arttherapyisbeneficialforbothphysicalandmentalhealth.Ithelpspeoplelessen depressionandovercomeanxietyandstress.AsshowninSarahCourture’sarticle“Crochetas ArtTherapytoReduceStress,”shefoundmanycollegestudentsexperiencinghigh-stresslevels. Theyneededtoengageinstress-relievingactivitiestorelievetheirstress,andarttherapywasthe waytogo.Forinstance,somestudentsdidcrochet.Itmaynotbewhatfirstcomestomindwhen

thinkingofart,suchasdrawingorpainting,butitwasaveryeffectiveformofartthathelped manycollegestudents.HofstraUniversitywrotearesearchpaperonhowmuchcrochetaffected theirwell-beingandreducedstress.Theresultsdemonstratedpositiveexperiencesthrough crocheting(Couture).

Inadditiontoreducingstress,arttherapyhelpspeoplehandletheirstrongemotionsor evenuncoverunconsciousones.Forinstance,amothernoticedthather13-year-oldgirlwas havingbehavioralissues.Shewouldconstantlylieandcheat.Hermotherfeltpowerlessandwas onthevergeofsendingherdaughtertoagirls’home.However,asherlastresort,shedecidedto sendhertoanarttherapisttofigureoutwhatwaswrong.Thisiswheretheydiscoveredshehada poorsenseofself.Ms.AmandaChen,thearttherapist,saidthat“thegirlhadfeelingsof inferiorityanddifficultyprocessingheremotionsfrommajorlifechanges.”Theseinclude transferringtosecondaryschool,puberty,andherparents’divorce.Arttherapyhelpedclarifyher feelingsandexpressheremotionsbetter.Now,theyunderstandthecauseoftheproblemandwill workonwaystofixit.Furthermore,otherarttherapistsinsimilarorganizationssaythatart therapyhelpsyoubeawareofyourissuesandcanexpressanduncoverunconsciousemotions (Singh).

Acommonmisconceptionisthatarttherapyisonlyforchildren.Arttherapyissuitable forpeopleofallagesandallstagesoflife.Moreover,arttherapyisnotonlyofferedathospitals, butalsoinschools,rapecrisiscenters,domesticviolencecenters,andeveninprivatepractice.

Arttherapybenefitsadultsinvariousways.Forexample,ithashelpedadultsovercome traumaticexperiences,copewithgrief,reducestress,andimproveself-esteemandwell-being. Forinstance,mindfuldrawingorpaintinghashelpedreducethecurrentpressureadultswouldgo through.AnothertechniqueisZentangledrawing.Thismethod“allowslinesandshapesto

emerge,reducingstressandpromotingrelaxation.”Itcanalsobeagroupactivity.Sometimes beingpartofagroupthatsupportsyouismorehelpfulthandoingitalone.Overall,ithelps adultsbecomelessstressed,morerelaxed,andhealthy(Batool).

Arttherapyhashelpedalotwithillnessesandmentalhealth.Cancerpatientsfoundthat arttherapyhelpedthemfeellesspain.Patientswithdementiafoundarttherapytoboosttheir mentalhealth,andpeoplewithParkinson’sdiseasefeltadecreaseindepressionandanincrease inself-worth(Batool).

Itisimportanttorememberthatarttherapyisnotonlyforartisticpeople.Patientswho arenotknowledgeableaboutartcanbenefitfromarttherapyasmuchasanyone.Arttherapyis aboutbeingopen-mindedandbeingwillingtocreatesomething.Theprocessitselfisthepart thathelpspeopleexpressthemselves.Itdoesnothavetolookprofessionalorbeabeautifulart piece eventhoughmostofthetimeitis;itjustneedstobecreativeandenjoyable.Themain benefitarttherapyhasthatcannotcomparetotalk-therapyisthatonecancommunicatethrough artinsteadofspeech.Thisisveryusefultopeoplewhohavedifficultyexpressingtheirfeelings andemotionsverbally.Theymightfindexpressingtheiremotionsthroughartmoreeffective thanspeakingaboutthem,andtheydonothavetobeartisticallyskilled.

Inadditiontocreatingart,arttherapistsmightaskthemtospeakabouttheirfeelingsand whattheyhavecreated.Thishelpsthepatientandthetherapistbetterunderstandwhattheyare goingthroughandhowtomakethemfeelbetter.Theyusevarioustechniquesfordifferent purposes,forinstance,activeimagination.Thistechnique,inventedbyCarlJung,allowsthe patienttoexpressthethoughtsorfeelingsthatcomeintotheirmind.Thishelpsthepatientbetter understandwhattheyarefeeling.Anothermethodcommonlyusedisgestalt.Gestaltfocuseson theemotionstheclienthasatthemoment.Itisaboutthewholeratherthanthesumofdifferent

parts.Themaingoalistheprocessofcreatingtheartpiece.Aftertheclienthasdrawnhis/herart piece,thearttherapistaskstheclienttodescribeitfromtheirperspective.Thisallowstheclient tospeakabouttheirexperiencesandthoughtsthroughartwork.AsKelemanexplains,“Art therapyisaformofpsychotherapythatusesartmediaasitsinitialmodeofcommunication.”It reducestheneedforwords.Throughmakingimagesanddiscussingthem,clientslearnhowto expressthemselvesbetterwithwords.Therefore,arttherapyhelpsteenswithanxiety,trauma, anddepressionandtofindtheiridentity.ThereisahumanisticformgroupcalledArtTherapy OpenStudio(OS)wherethefocusisnotontheproductbutontheprocessbecausetheprocess itselfiswhatdoesthehealing.Furthermore,manypeoplefindindividualsessionsmoreeffective thangroupones.Whenworkinginagroup,theremightnotbeenoughemotionalsafety Working individuallyreducesanxietymoreefficientlythaningroupwork(Kelemen).

Arttherapistssometimesusethe“third-hand”technique.Thisiswhenthetherapisthelps withtheprocessofcreatingtheartitself.Forexample,peoplewithdisabilitiesormental illnessesfoundithardtocutandpastepicturesfortheircollages,sothetherapisthelpedthem out.Atthesametime,theclientpickedouttheimageshe/shewantedtopaste.Inadditionto helpingthemoutphysically,thishelpsdeepentherelationshipbetweenthetherapistandthe client.Theclientbeginstofeelliketheycantrusthertherapistwhichwillhelpthemopenupto theirthoughtsandfeelings(Malchiodi).

Arttherapyhasalsobeenverybeneficialfortreatingcancer.Althoughitisnotacure,it helpscopewiththestressandanxietyonemayfeelasaresultoftheillness.Moreover,itcan helpimproveone’smood,reducedepression,andmaybejustbeadistractionfromthediagnosis. Bydrawingorpainting,patientsaredistractedfromfeelingpainoranxiety.Cancerpatientswho usearttherapytendtofeelbettermentallywhichalsohelpswithphysicalwell-being.Art

therapistsbelievethatthisworksbecausecreatingartaffectsthebrain.Itreleasesunconscious emotionsandprovidesasenseoffreedomtospeakone’smind(Singh).

Arttherapyhasbeenaroundsincethe1940sandstillhelpsclientswiththeiroverall well-being.Withnoartisticskillsrequired,arttherapyisbeneficial,andenjoyableandcanbe muchmorehelpfulthantalktherapy.

Batool,Zohra,andTahiraYosuf."AugmentedRealityBasedArtTherapyforBorderline PersonalityFeatureofSelfDestructioninYoungAdults” Pakistan Journal of Clinical Psychology,vol.22,no.1,2023,pp.41 ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/augmented-reality-based-art-therapy-border line/docview/2920590064/se-2.

Carr,CatherineE.,etal."EffectivenessofGroupArtsTherapies(Arttherapy,DanceMovement therapyandMusictherapy)ComparedtoGroupCounselingforDiagnostically HeterogeneousPsychiatricCommunityPatients:StudyProtocolforaRandomised ControlledTrialinMentalHealthServices(theERAstudy)." Trials,vol.24,no.1,2023, pp.557 ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/effectiveness-group-arts-therapies-art-thera py/docview/2857166290/se-2,doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07232-0.

Couture,Sarah. Crochet as Art Therapy to Reduce Stress, www.proquest.com/docview/2818619316?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&fr omunauthdoc=true.Accessed19Nov 2023.

Kelemen,L.J.,&Shamri-Zeevi,L.ArtTherapyOpenStudioandTeenIdentityDevelopment: HelpingAdolescentsRecoverfromMentalHealthConditions. Children, 9(7),1029.

doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/children9071029

Malchiodi,Cathay.“CoolArtTherapyIntervention#1:TheArtTherapist’sThirdHand.” Psychology Today,SussexPublishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/arts-and-health/201010/cool-art-therapy-intervention -1-the-art-therapist-s-third-hand.Accessed5May2024.

Otto,Frank.“AtAnySkillLevel,MakingArtReducesStressHormones.” Drexel Home,23Jan. 2023, drexel.edu/news/archive/2016/june/art_hormone_levels_lower

Singh,Bryna.“MendingParent-ChildrenTiesThroughArtTherapy:MoreParentsand Children withEmotionalStrugglesareTurningtoArtTherapytoHealBrokenRelationships.” The Straits Times Retrievedfrom https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/mending-parent-children-ties-through-art-therapy/ docview/2007811400/se-2

Susanu,Neaga."Art-Therapy-Cognitive-BehavioralApproachArt-TherapyMethodofWorking withChildrenwithT.S.A." New Trends in Psychology,vol.1,no.2,2019 ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/art-therapy-cognitive-behavioral-approachmethod/docview/2585933845/se-2.

ChaosTheoryandFractalsinNature

SamGindi

ChaosTheoryandfractalscanprovideexplanationsforthewaythingsareinnatureand showhowapatterncanbefoundinareaswheretheyweredeemedimpossibletobefound.With theuseofChaosTheoryandfractals,scientistscanbetterunderstandthingsfromsocial dynamicstoweatherreportstochangingthewaypeoplestudy,allbasedonanintricatearrayof systemsandchaoticcollisionsofbehaviorpatterns.

ChaosTheoryistheideathattherandomnessofsomethingcanbepredictedbytheinitial state,andthattheendresultcanbecontrolledbychangingtheinitialstate.Ithelpsusunderstand howtopredictcareerprogressionandhowwecanmaketrainingasefficientaspossibleby predictingthetrainee’soutcomewithdifferentstylesofteaching.Intheareaofmedicineand surgery,ithighlightsthesensitivityoftheinitialstateofthedynamicsystem(Bowman). AccordingtoChaosTheory,systemsthatappearchaoticmayactuallyhavehiddencomplexityor order(Bolland).

OneexampleofChaosTheoryinnatureisweatherpatterns.Thesetwothingsare inherentlyconnectedtothecomplexityofeachofthem.Theyarebothheavilyinfluencedbythe initialconditions,andtheybothusenonlineardynamics.Nonlineardynamicsaresimilarto chaoticsystems,wheresmallchangescanhaverandomandsevereeffectsontheoutcomeofthe system.Whilelongtermweatherpredictionsarestillverydifficulttomakebecauseofthe exponentialchangestothesystemovertime,meteorologistshavefoundwaystoeffectively predictshorttermweatherpatterns.Oneofthesewaysisensembleforecasting,where meteorologistsrunmanysimulationsofhowtheweatherwill,eachtimeslightlyalteringhowthe systemstarts,inordertogetanicerangeofpossibleoutcomesfortheweather Thissystemis

alsomorecommonlyknownastheLorenzsystem,whichisthemostcommonandoneofthe mostaccuratewaysofpredictingweather(Buizza).

AnotherplacewhereChaosTheoryiscommonlyfoundisinecology ChaosTheorywas firstappliedtoecologyinthe1970s,whenscientistswantedtoseeifpopulationfluctuationsin naturecouldbeexplainedandapatterncouldbefound,oriftheywereseeminglyrandom.They thoughtthattherewasnopattern.However,withnewadvancedalgorithms,ecologistshave foundthatover30%ofpopulationfluctuationsinnaturehaveanunderlyingpatternthatcanbe predictedbyapplyingChaosTheory.OnereasonthatChaosTheorywasfoundinarecentstudy andnotinthe1970swasbecauseoftheabilitytostudymoreinformationanddatapoints.The moreinformationyouhave,theeasieritistofindunderlyingchaoticpatternsinmanythingsthat theywerenotfoundinbefore(Rogers).

Gleickwritesin“Chaos:Makinga NewScience”howChaosTheoryrevolutionized scientificunderstandingbyshowingthatcomplexsystems,likeweatherreportsandpatternsof thehumanheart,allcanbepredictableifyouhavealargeenoughsample.ChaosTheoryisalso usedinhealthcare,particularlywhenitcomestotheconceptofchaoswithinindividuals(Zt)and environments(Ut),showingtheirimpactonhowwellthingsperformandtheirbehaviorpatterns. Italsoshowshowsomeofthesechaoticcollisionscanchangethepredictionsofwherethatthing willendup.

ChaosTheoryalsocomesintoplayinthefieldofphysics.Oneofthemostfamous chaoticsystemsisthedoublependulum,whereyoucanswingitforever,andtomostpeopleit seemscompletelyrandom.Whileasinglependulumisveryeasytopredictwithasimple mathematicalformula,adoublependulumhasamuchlongerformula(Johnson).Whileitmay seemstrangethatoneextrastickcanmakesomethingveryeasytopredictbeseeminglypossible

topredict,itactuallymakesalotofsense.Becauseofthetransferofenergyfromonestickto another,itmakesthemveryunpredictable.Whilethereisaformulathatcanpredictadouble pendulumveryprecisely,nonecantrulypredictin100%.

Fractalsarewhenashapecanbefoundwithinthesameshape,anditgoesoninfinitely FractalsarerelatedtoChaosTheorybecausedependingonthestartingposition,somethingscan gointoaninfiniteloopwhenChaosTheoryisappliedtothem,likefractals.Theycanbefound inspheres,cones,andmostcylinders.Whenyoutakeadeeperdiveintotheworldoffractals, youcanseethatfractalscanbefoundinmanydifferentabstractshapesaswell.Forexample,it canbefoundintheheadofabroccoliandintheflowerofaQueenAnne'sLace.Thesethings canbedividedintosmallerpartsthatstilllooklikethewholethingwhenyouzoomin.Even somemountainrangesaremadeupofsmallermountainsthatcanlooksimilartotheentire range.Animportantthingtorememberaboutfractalsisthatinthesmallersample,youshouldbe abletodivideitintoevensmallerportionsthatstilllooksimilar.

WhiletosomeChaosTheoryandfractalsmayseemlikeadvancedmathematicsthatthe everydaypersonwillneverbeabletounderstand,itismuchdeeperthanthat.ChaosTheoryisa wayoflivinglife,knowingthateverythingisgoingaccordingtoplan,eventhoughthatplanmay sometimesbechaotic.Italsorelatestomanycoreideasofmanyreligions,thatnomatterwhat happens,Godiswatchingoveryouandhasaplanforyou.Eventheideaofdifferentstatesofa dynamicsystemcanrelatetohowmanypeoplehavedifferentupbringings,whichcandrastically affecthowtheirlifeunfolds.Fractals,ontheotherhand,canbeaverycalmingideatosome people.Knowingthatwhentheylookatsomethingnewtherearetinypatternsthattheyare familiarwithiscomfortingtothem,andcanencouragethemtotrythingsthatlookverydifferent becausetheyarefamiliarwiththeminaway ChaosTheoryandfractalsareanewand

complicatedareaofmathematics,andyettheyaffectpeopleinsomanydifferentwaysoutsideof math.

Bolland,KathleenA.,andCharlesR.Atherton."ChaosTheory:AnAlternativeApproachto SocialWorkPracticeandResearch." Families in Society, vol.80,no.4,1999,pp.

367-373.ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/230173813/8456DA4DAA6248A1PQ/12?accountid =37425

Bowman,Chris,etal."ChaosTheory:LessonsonEducatingEqualityandLeadership."

Postgraduate Medical Journal,vol.98,no.1165,2022,pp.813-815.ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/2729122433/5252069BF07F48CBPQ/9?accountid=3 7425

Buizza,Roberto.“ChaosandWeatherPrediction.” ECMWF,2002, www.ecmwf.int/en/elibrary/79859-chaos-and-weather-prediction#:~:text=The%20weathe r%20is%20a%20chaotic.

Gleick,James. Chaos: Making a New Science. NewYork,PenguinGroup,1987.

"MysteriousPatterns:FindingFractalsinNature." Kirkus Reviews,vol.LXXXII,no.4,2014. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/mysterious-patterns/docview/1497199360/se-2

Johnson,OliverW.“TheDoublePendulumandbeyond:InvestigatingChaoswithMulti-Armed Pendulums.” Medium, Towards Data Science,3Apr.2024, towardsdatascience.com/the-double-pendulum-and-beyond-investigating-chaos-with-mul ti-armed-pendulums-7a5751d059db.

Rogers,Tanya.“ChaosinEcologyIsMoreCommonthanYouThink.” Research Communities

bySpringerNature,26Feb.2024,

communities.springernature.com/posts/chaos-in-ecology-is-more-common-than-you-thin

k.https://trinket.io/glowscript/a6ce7ae94b?toggleCode=true

TheTorturedGenius

LiliHanan

Creativityisthecognitiveandimaginativecapabilityofthehumanmindtogenerate concepts,ideas,andsolutionsthroughthesynthesisofdiverseknowledgeandman’sabilityto perceiveandformulateinformationinuniqueor“creative”ways.Themanifestationof expressioncanbeusedasafundamentalunderstandingoftheimportanceofcreativityandits relationshiptothenegativebehaviorsofthehumanmindandthedeclineofmentalhealth.

Theconceptoftheleftandrightbrain helpsscientificresearchunderstandthe relationshipbetweencreativityandmentalhealth.Thecerebrum,apartofthebrainresponsible forperceptionofthefivesenses,intellect,memories,emotionprocessing,etc.,istheareaofthe braindividedintotwoleftandrighthemispheres(Hanes).A“leftbrained”personismostlikely expectedtothinklogicallyandquantitatively,resultinginexceptionalabilityinmathematicsand physics.A“rightbrained”person,incontrast,ismostlikelyexpectedtothinkfreely, qualitatively,andintuitively,oftenconsideringthebiggerpictureresultingincreativityand artisticabilities.Studieshaveshownthathumanswerebornwiththeinclinationtothefull functionoftherighthemispherebecauseitisfullydevelopedatanearlierrate,leadingits abilitiestobepresentatanearlyage.Ontheotherhand,thelefthemispheredevelopslateron andthefunctioncanactuallychangedependingonotherfactors.Oneexamplecanbehigh emotionalintelligenceatanearlyage,whichusuallyoccursasaresultofcopingwithmental healthdisordersorsignificantsituationsthatforceachildtomature(Olivine).

Theterm“torturedgenius”capturesancientGreekphilosopherSocrates’stheorythat exceptionalcreativityisaresultofmadnessortrauma.“Madnessisthechannelbywhichwe receivethegreatestblessings,”saysSocrates.Similarly,in1961,artcriticClementGreenberg

notedthatthegreatestartistsofhistimewerealcoholics,schizophrenicsandmanicdepressives.

Forexample,VincentVanGogh,afamousDutchartistwhoproduced150greatestpaintingsina psychiatrichospitalinSaint-Rémy-de-ProvenceinsouthernFrance(including The Starry Night), andSylviaPlath,afamousauthor producedherworkwhileinandoutofastateofdepressionin her20s(commitingsuicideattheageof30).Asintriguingasthisconceptis,manypeoplealso shyawayfromthisideabecausetheyfeelitdiscreditsgreatartanditsgreatness,bycreditingit tothecreator’sneurosisorpsychosis.Ontheotherhand,the“torturedgenius”concepthas intriguedthescientificworld;“JohnsHopkinsUniversitypsychiatryprofessorKayRedfield Jamison,foundstrongevidencethatmooddisorders,suchasdepressionandbipolarism,are moreprevalentamongartistsandwritersthaninthegeneralpopulation.”USCneuroscientist AntonioDamasiocontributestothisideabystating,“Theexperienceofsufferingthatisa hallmarkofmooddisordersmaywellstimulatecreativeendeavors,especiallyinthearts”(Woo).

NancyC.Andreasen,afamouspsychiatristandneuroscientist,contributedtomany revolutionaryscientifictheoriesandideas,aidingintheunderstanding oftheseeminglyopposed term“thetorturedgenius.”Andreasenresearchedthesocialforcescontributingtothenature nurtureosmosisofgenius,andhowmanyindividualswhoarebornthroughouthistorywhose geniuswasnevermanifestedduetothelackofnurture.Thisstatementcanbeappliedtohowwe viewcreativeindividuals.Istheir“genius”onlymanifestedbecauseoftheirpsychosis? Orcan thisrelatetohumanbeingsandtheircapabilitytotheoptimumfunctionoftherighthemisphere ofthebrain?Andreasen’srevolutionarynovel The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius combinesherknowledgeonneuroscience,psychology,andculturalhistoryinordertotalkabout thesignificanceof geniusanditsrelationtohumans,brainfunction,andsocietyasawhole.One ofAndreasen'schaptersdealswiththeunderstandingonthecorrelationbetweencreativityand

mentalillness,combiningallofherknowledgeinordertoscientificallybaseclassicexamplesas thoseevidencedinSylviaPlath'sjournals, LeoTolstoy'sdiaryofdepression,orVirginiaWoolf suicidenote.Inthischaptersheasks,“Didmentalillnessfacilitatethesecreators'unique abilities…ordidmentalillnessimpairtheircreativityafteritsinitialmeteorburstintheir twenties?Oristherelationshipmorecomplexthanasimpleoneofcauseandeffectineither direction?” Thereisanimplicationthattherecouldbeavastvarietyofreasonsinordertoprove thiscorrelation,whichmakesitextremelyhardtorunstudiesbecauseofthemanyintricate factorstothisidea(Popova).

Despitethischallenge,Andreasonwasdeterminedtorunastudyinordertohelpthe scientificcommunitybetterunderstandthe“torturedgenius”concept.Andreasenrigorously studiedwriterswithdifferentenvironmentalfactorsandmentalfactorsthatcorrespondto negativementalhealth.Forexample,shetestedwriterswithbipolardisorder,anymooddisorder, alcoholism, anddrugabuse.Toherastonishment,shediscoveredthatnotasinglewriterwith thesetraitsvisiblydisplayedanysymptomsofthesetraitswhilecreating.Themonumental importanceofthisstudyisportrayedafterAndreasenfoundthattheircreativehabitsshined whileatthemost“normal”state.Throughthisstudy,twocontradictingstatementswereformed. Thefirstideabeingthatthegiftedindividualsareinfactsuperior Shestates,“Mywriters... Theywerecharming,fun,articulate,anddisciplined.Theytypicallyfollowedverysimilar schedules;theywouldrarelyletadaygobywithoutwriting.TheymanifestedtheFreudian definitionofhealth:“toloveandtowork.”Onthecontrary,thesecondideapresentedisthat theseindividuals'talentcanpossiblybecreditedtotheirmadness.Assaidinthechapter,“...To MadnessnearAllied.Manydefinitelyhadexperiencedperiodsofsignificantmooddisorders, importantlythoughhandicappingcreativitywhentheyoccurredthesedisorderswerenot

permanentorlonglived. Insomeinstancestheymayhaveevenprovidedpowerfulmaterial uponwhichthewritercouldlaterdrawasthewordsworthyinemotionrecollectedin tranquility.”

Theconceptof“emotionrecollectedintranquility,”introducedbypoetWilliam Wordsworthinthe1800s,canbeappliedtotheunderstandingofoutcomestoAndreasen'sstudy results.Wordsworthwasapoethimself, andhewrotemultipleworksonPoetics.Withinoneof hisessays,hestatesthat“Poetryisthespontaneousoverflowofpowerfulfeelings:ittakesits originfromemotionrecollectedintranquility,”explainingthatpoetryandtheabilitytocreateit isprevalentinthetimeoftranquility after feelingextremeandpowerfulemotions(“Whatis Psychosis?”).ThisissimilartotheresultsofAndreasens’sstudy,wherewritersproducedtheir workinacalmstate,showingnosymptomsoftheirdisorder Thisideaissignificantinscientists' understandingandresearchonthecorrelationbetweenemotionandmentalhealthtocreativity becausenowitcanbeacknowledgedthattheonlytimethedistressedcanproducetheirunique creativetalentsisinthepeacefultimeframe after (notduring)themomentofdistress.

Theeuphoricstatethathumanssubjecttomentaldisordersexperienceafteranepisodeof psychosisisapolarextremeuniquetothesepeople,thatcanaidintheircreativeability Psychosisisaresponsetomentaldisordersincludingbipolardisorder,melancholia(depression), andanxiety. Anepisodeofpsychosiscanconsistofalterationinperceptionsofreality,extreme paranoia,andzerocontroloveremotionsandoneself.Thisextremeepisodeisaresponseto manyofthesementaldisorders,andcontinuousimpropermanagementofthesedisorders. Commonlyinthenatureofhumanemotion,whenoneenduresanextremetheysoonendurethe oppositeextreme;inthiscase,theextremeistheepisodeandtheoppositeextremeisthe euphoricstateoftranquility,similartoWordsowrth’swords(“WhatisPsychosis?”).Theurgeto

createinthisstatecanseeminglybeunderstoodasthehumansneedtobepresentandfindthe middlegroundofbothextremes.Whilstintheprocessofcreating,itcanbepossiblethathumans inthissituationcandetachfromthisfalsestateoftranquility,andslowlygroundthemselvesback tothepresent.Theirabilitytotapintothemselves(theirrighthemisphere) andproduceworks throughuniqueabilitiesinextremestatescanresembletheideathattheirworkisnotcredited solelytotheirpsychosis,buttohowtheyashumanbeings respond totheirpsychosis.

Thetorturedgeniusconceptcanaidinthescientificresearchinthecorrelationbetween creativityandmentalhealth.Theparadoxicalquestionchallengesthenotionofthetormented artistsandhighlightsthecomplexinterplaybetweenmentalwell-beingandartisticexpression; beginningtoportraythedichotomythatisthepotentialofahuman'sabilitytocreate.The torturedgeniusremindsusthatthelinebetweengeniusandmadnessisoftenasthinasthepages andcanvasesuponwhichtheirlegaciesarewritten.

Ashley,Olivine.“LeftBrainvs.RightBrain:Functions,Traits,andMisconceptions.”

Verywell Health,2Feb.2023,

www.verywellhealth.com/left-brain-vs-right-brain-7093257

Forthmann,Boris,etal.“TheManicIdeaCreator?AReviewandMeta-analysisofthe

RelationshipBetweenBipolarDisorderandCreativeCognitivePotential.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,vol.20,no.13,2023,p.6264,

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136264

Hanes,Elizabeth.“TheAnatomyoftheCerebrum.” Verywell Health,3August2023,

https://www.verywellhealth.com/cerebrum-anatomy-4798564

Popova,Maria.“TheRelationshipbetweenCreativityandMentalIllness.” The Marginalian,23 June2016,www.themarginalian.org/2014/07/21/creativity-and-mental-illness

“WhatisPsychosis?” Yale.edu

https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/step/psychosis/ “WinnowingsfromWordsworth.” Yale.edu,30April2015,

https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/article/winnowings-wordsworth

Woo,Elaine.“TheLinkbetweenCreativityandMentalIllness.” Getty News,6November2023, www.getty.edu/news/the-link-between-creativity-and-mental-illness

ExtremeExtraversionandtheNeuroscienceBehindIt

SarahKezra

Extraversionisapersonalitytraitthatallowspeopletheabilitytobeinteractive, outgoing,andsociable.Influencers,mediamoguls,andcelebritiesareallpeoplethathaveto attain-orisitthattheymustbebornwith?-suchaqualityinordertosucceedintheirrespective occupations.

Neuroscience,thestudyofthenervoussystemandbrain,canbeusedtostudypersonality traits.Onebranchofneuroscienceis“behavioralneuroscience.”Behavioralneurosciencestudies therelationshipbetweenpsychologicalandbiologicalfunctions,or,insimplerterms,itisthe studyofhowaperson’sbraininfluencesaperson’sbehavior,suchasthenatureofone’s personalitytraitsandcharacteristics,whichincludeextraversion.

Thebiggestquestionthatcanbeaskedaboutallofthisiswheredoestheextraversion,or anypersonalitytrait,forthatmatter,rootfrom.Isitgenetic?Canitbeattainedorsoughtafteror doyouhavetobebornwithit?TheMinnesotaStudyofRearedTwins(1979-1990)hasbeen referencedover1,500timessinceitwasfirstpublished,anditexploresanswerstothequestions aboutthesourceofhumancharacteristics.Thestudybroughttogetherover100setsof monozygotic(identical)twins,whowereseparatedfromeachotheratayoungage.Monozygotic twinsstemfromasinglespermcellandthefertilizationofasingleeggcellthatisthensplitinto two.Unlikedizygotictwins,monozygotictwinsshareallofthesamegenes.Becauseofthis, scientistscanassumethatanysignificantdifferencesbetweenasetofmonozygotictwinscome fromenvironmentalfactors.AfterintenseIQandpersonalitytesting,researchersreachedthe conclusionthat“geneticfactorshavealargeinfluenceonbehavioralhabits”(Bahjat).Although thisistrue,itisnottosaythattraitsarenotalsosomewhatreliantonenvironmentalfactors.

Culture,religion,family(orlackthereof),etc.,donotalsoimpactpersonality.Becauseofthis, theyoftentakeanapproachwith“interactionism”toexplainacombinationofgeneticsand environmentalfactorsonpersonality Interactionismisaconceptthatcombinesthetwobeliefs bysuggestingthattheybuildoffofoneanotherandinteractwitheachother Thisbiocognitive descriptionalsosuggeststhatone’sbehaviorisdifferentfromone’spersonality.Forexample, someonewhoisusuallyintrovertedmaycomeoutoftheirshellincertainenvironments,butthat doesnotmeantheyhaveanextrovertedpersonality.Personalityundoubtedlyaffectsbehavior, buttheenvironmentinwhichapersonisplacedinplaysanimportantroleaswell.

Ifextraversion–andpersonalityingeneral–comesfromacombinationofbothgenetics andenvironmentalfactors,whereisthattraitstored?Whatpartofthehumanbrainholdsonto personalitytraitslikeextraversion?Humanpersonalitytraitsarebrokenintofivedifferent categoriesknownas“TheBig5”:“conscientiousness,extraversion,neuroticism, intellect/openness,andagreeableness”(“NeuroanatomicalCorrelatesofExtraversionand Neuroticism.”).Thelevelsapersonhasofeachofthesemaincategoriesiswhatdictatestheir personality.Thefrontallobesofahumanbrainareresponsibleforvoluntarymovement, cognitiveskills,theabilitytoorganize,self-control,expressivelanguage,andabilitytoreacha goal.Thefrontallobesareaccreditedforbeingtheheadquarterstopersonality,emotion,and behavior.Thefrontallobe,ormorespecifically,theorbitofrontalcortex,workswiththe amygdalatodictatebehavior.Theamygdalacontrolssocialandemotionalbehaviorbysending responsestowardssocialcues.Theseresponsesinclude,butarenotlimitedtofacialexpressions, speechandbodylanguage,allthingsthatcontributetoone’spersonality.

Normally,thehumanbrainandbodywilladapttothehabitsofthepeoplesurrounding them.Ifextraversionisatraitthatcanbespecificallyobservedinevolutionarycontext,whyhas

naturalselectionandadaptationnotruledoutdifferentlevelsofextraversion?Whyisthescale stillsovaried?Keepinginmindevolutionandadaptation,peopleshouldhaveadaptedtohave similarlevelsofextraversion.“Inevolutionaryperspective,themysteryofextraversion’sorigins boilsdowntothequestionofwhynaturalselectionhasmaintainedvariabilityalongthis continuum”(Lukaszewski).Therestillremainpeoplewithtraitsallalongtheextraversion continuum.AccordingtoScienceDirect,thisphenomenoncouldbedefinedbygeneticdiversity andflexibleadaptations.Firstly,sincegeneticsareacontributingfactortopersonality,nonatural selectioncanchangethefactthatgenescandictatetraitscausingsomeonetobemorereservedor moreoutgoing.Secondly,personalitieshavetobediversewithinapersonsothatonecanadjust totheirsurroundingsaccordingly Ifsomeoneisputinapositionwheretheymightneedtoact moreintroverted,theyneedtohavethatability Thesamegoesforasituationwhereitmaybe beneficialtoactmoreextroverted.

Extraversionisatraitthatcanalsobedefinedbyoutgoing,gregariousorsociable.Since itisoneofthe“BigFive”traitsthatmakeupahuman’spersonality,itisstudiedincorrelationto behavioralneuroscienceandbehavioranalysis.

Bahjat,Mudhaffar.“SourcesofHumanPsychologicalDifferences:TheMinnesotaStudyof TwinsRearedApart”(1990),byThomasJ.BouchardJr,DavidT Lykken,Matthew

McGue,NancyL.SegalandAukeTellegen.” ASU Embryo Project Encyclopedia, 19 October2019,

https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/sources-human-psychological-differences-minnesota-studytwins-reared-apart-1990-thomas-j

Bowden-Green,etal.“HowisExtraversionRelatedtoSocialMediaUse?ALiteratureReview.”

Science Direct, 2020October,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920302294

“BrainMapFrontalLobes.” Queensland Government Health.

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/abios/asp/bfrontal#:~:text=The%20frontal%20lobes%20ar e%20considered,and%20home%20to%20our%20personality.

Ewing,Tony.“5Belief-ShatteringAdvantagesOfExtremeExtravertsAndHowYouCanImitate Them.” Forbes, 31October2020,

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonyewing/2020/10/31/5-belief-shattering-advantages-of-ex treme-extraverts-and-how-you-can-imitate-them/?sh=2aefcbab45b0

“FrontalLobe.” Cleveland Clinic, 2December2022,(LastReviewed)

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24501-frontal-lobe

Kihlstrom,John.“Personality:ACognitive-SocialPsychologicalPerspective.” University of California, Berkeley, 17August2022,(LastRevised)

https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~jfkihlstrom/PersonalityWeb/Ch11Interactionism.htm

Lukaszewski,AaronW “TheExtraversionContinuuminEvolutionaryPerspective:AReview

ofRecentTheoryandEvidence.” Science Direct, April2015,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886915000070 Schlinger,HenryD.“BehaviorAnalysisandBehavioralNeuroscience.”

National Library of Medicine, 17April2015,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4400857/ Wright,ChristopherI.,Williams,Danielle,Feczko,Eric,FeldmanBarrett,Lisa,Dickerson, BranfordC.,Schwartz,CarlE.,Wedig,MichelleM.“NeuroanatomicalCorrelatesof ExtraversionandNeuroticism.” Oxford Academic, 18January2006,

https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article/16/12/1809/277951

Alzheimer’sDiseaseandtheBredesenProtocol

FortuneKhabih

MoreindividualsarelivingwithAlzheimer'sdiseasethanthepopulationofalarge Americancity Alzheimer’sisadiseasewherememoryandothercriticalmentalfunctionsare ultimatelylostduetotheworseninganddeathofbraincellconnections.Alzheimer’sdiseasehas nocure.However,thereisaprogramcalledtheBredesenProtocolwhichmighthelpreverseand enhancecognitivedecline.

ManypeopledonottrulyunderstandhowseriousAlzheimer’scanbeandhowitimpacts muchmorethanjustthepatient.Alzheimer'sdiseaseisabraindisorderthatslowlyattacks memory,thinkingskills,andtheabilitytocarryouteverydaytasks.Accordingtoresearch, “Changesinthebrainmaybeginadecadeormorebeforesymptomsappear.”Somepeopleeven experiencechangesinbehaviorandpersonality(“Alzheimer’sDiseaseFactSheet”).

InordertostartatreatmentplanforAlzheimer’s,weneedtofindthetypeof Alzheimer’sthepatienthas.TherearesixsubtypesofAlzheimer’s.TypeoneAlzheimer’s diseaseis“hot,”meaningthatongoinginflammationputsthematgreaterrisk.Typetwo Alzheimer’sdiseaseiscold,whichoccurswhenthepersonhasanunhealthylifestyle.Typeone inahalf(1.5)Alzheimer’sdiseaseissweet,whichhastodowithhighbloodsugarlevelsinthe body.Typethreeistoxicbecausethereisexposuretotoxinsintheenvironment.Typefour Alzheimer’sdiseaseispale;thisiswhenonehasheartdisease.Typefiveisdazed,whichiswhen onehasheadinjuriesthatincreasestheirriskforAlzheimer’s(“TheSixTypesofAlzheimer’s”).

Additionally,therearethreestagesofAlzheimer’s:mild,moderateandsevere.The DementiaResourceCenterstated,“SinceAlzheimer'saffectspeopleindifferentways,each personwillexperiencesymptoms-orprogressthroughAlzheimer'sstages-differently.”Whena

patientisinthemildstageofAlzheimer’s,theyhavememoryloss,theywanderandgetlost, cannotpaybills,andhavepersonalityandbehaviorchanges.Patientsareusuallydiagnosed duringthisstage.WhenapatienthasmoderateAlzheimer’s,damageoccursinareasofthebrain thatcontrollanguage,reasoning,andsensoryprocessing.Thisiswhenpatientsbeginhaving problemsrecognizingfamilyandfriends.Theseverestageiswhentheyareneardeath.Theycan nolongercommunicateandcompletelydependonotherstotakecareofthem(“3Stagesof Alzheimer’s”).

Alzheimer'sdiseasestartsyearsbeforethesymptomsshow.ThecauseofAlzheimer’sis notclear.However,itcanbeage-related,passeddownbyafamilymember,orhealthand environmentalfactors,suchasexposuretopollutants,heartdisease,stroke,highbloodpressure, diabetes,andobesity TherearemanysymptomsofAlzheimer’sdisease.Thefirstonebeing memoryloss.ThisisthemostcommonsignofAlzheimer’sdiseaseintheearlystage.Apatient withAlzheimerscanforgetthemostbasicorrecentlylearnedinformation.Itisalsocommonfor apatienttoaskthesamequestionmanytimes.

Alzheimer’sdoesnotonlyimpactthepatient,italsoimpactsthefamily;“Thedemandsof caregivingcanlimitacaregiver’sabilitytotakecareofthemselves.Familycaregiversofpeople withAlzheimer’sandrelateddementiasareatgreaterriskforanxiety,depression,andpoorer qualityoflifethancaregiversofpeoplewithotherconditions.”CaregiversforAlzheimer's patientsaremainlyfamilymembers.Mostofthetimethosecaregivershavechildrenoftheir own.AccordingtotheCDC, “In2019,thesecaregiverswillprovideanestimated18.5billion hoursofcare.”Alzheimer’spatientscanbecomeaggressiveandviolent,whichmakesitharder forafamilymembertotakecareofthem.ThereareotherwaystotreatAlzheimer’sforexample, somemedicationscanhelpwiththesymptomsofAlzheimer’s.Additionally,itcanhelprelieve

thecaregiversstress.Thesemedicationscanhelpprovidethepeoplewithcomfort,dignityand independence(“CaregivingforaPersonwithAlzhiemr’sDiseaseoraRelatedDementia”).

ManyAlzheimer'spatientsgetreferredtoaneurologistforfurthertesting.Thehuman brainisextremelycomplex,andAlzheimer'sdiseaseisoneofthemostcomplexdiseasesofthe brain.Itwilltakefundingandtimetoinvestigateacure.Asofnow,thereisnocurefor Alzheimer’sbuttherearewaystohelp.Forexample,theBredesenProtocolisaprogramthat aimstoreverseandenhancecognitivedecline.Dr.DaleBredesenisaneurologistwhocreateda modernapproachtopreventthedeclineofthebrainthroughlifestylechanges.Hesaysmany causesandfactorscontributetoAlzheimer’s;therefore,therearemultiplestepstoitsprevention.

TheBredesenProtocolisapersonalizedapproachtoreverseandpreventbraindecline.It beginswitha“cognoscopy”attheageof45.Acognoscopyconsistsofbloodtestsanda cognitiveassessment.Itistogiveaplanforahealthybrain.ThemaingoaloftheBredesen Protocolistoremoveexposedcausesthatleadtocognitivedecline,enhancehealthsupport,and rebuildtheneuralnetwork.Burningfatisimportantinaddressinginsulinsensitivity.Itis importantthatone'sbodyreceivesallthenutrientsthatcanrebuildthebrainsystem Itis recommendedtoeataplant-rich,fiber-rich,lowcarbohydratediet,andhavehealthyfats.Fasting overnightfor12hours,andexercisingfrequentlycanhelpwithhealthsupport.Thesecondstep isbeinginsulinsensitivity,tobeinsulinresistanceandrestoringinsulinsensitivity Insulin sensitivitycanberestoredbyhavingessentialnutrientssuchaszinc,reducingstress,treating sleepapneaifonehasit,andmore.Thethirdishealthsupport.It’simportanttoimprove nutrient,hormoneandtrophic(growthfactor)support.Withthissupport,itstrengthensimmune systems,maintainmitochondria,createresilienceandstarttorestorethebrain’ssynaptic networks.Cognitivedeclineislinkedtolowlevelsoftrophicfactors(growthfactors)including

nervegrowthfactor,vitaminB12,vitaminD,testosterone,estrogenandvitaminB1.Reducing inflammationwillalsohelpsincetheinflammationaroundthebrainblockssignals.Thereareso manytriggersthatcancauseinflammationinourbody,suchasdentaldisease,guthealth,air pollutionormoldtoxins,andsinusinfections.Oncethebacteriacausinginflammationis removed,itisimportanttopreventitfromhappeningagainbytakingsupplements.Treating chronicpathogensisalsocrucial.Infectionsthatarechronicandundiagnosedcanbea contributingfactorincognitivedecline.Theinfectionneedstobefoundandtreated.Certain toxinscanalsoleadtocognitivedecline.Lastly,oneshouldmakesuretherearenosleep problems.Whenoneissleepingtheoxygeninourbloodcandecrease,whichmakesbrain functioningdecrease.ThiscanbeaddressedwithdevicessuchasCPAP,whichcanimprove one'soxygenthroughthenight.Oronecansimplyreduceweightandinflammation.Identifying thesefactorsearlyonshowthegreatestresultsintreatment(“TheBredesenProtocol:6 Strategies”).

ManypeoplehavedifferentopinionsontheBredesenProtocol.TheAmosInstitute, whichspecializesinpatientswithcognitivedeclineandAlzheimer’sdisease,believes Alzheimer’scanbereversedatanystageandthatthereishope.However,themoretimethat passes,thefurtherthebrainwilldecline,makingitharder ApolloHealth,amedicalinformation company,hasadifferentviewofAlzheimer’s.Theyconsideritaninsufficientnetworkand stated,“Coordinatedsetofmoleculesgoverningneuroplasticitybysupplyanddemand:toolittle supplyand/ortoomuchdemand,andyouendupcreatingaframeworkfordevelopingthe pathophysiologythatleadstoAlzheimer’s”(“CriticismoftheBredesenProtocol”).Thisledtoa personalizedprotocolwhichreporteditsfirstsuccessin2014.

Withsuccesscamemuchdestructivecriticism,thereforeApolloHealthresponded,

“Whilewewelcomeconstructivecooperationwithotherhealthprofessionals whoclaimto desirebestpatientoutcomes somedestructivecriticismshavepersisted,despitethefactthat thecriticshavenothingeffectivetooffertheirownpatients”(“CriticismoftheBredesen Protocol”).Thefirstcriticismisfor“poorscience.”Somepeoplethoughtthatbeforecombining eachofthestrategiesintoaprotocol,itshould’vebeenconfirmedwithaclinicalstudy.Dr. BredesensaysthatthismissesthepurposeoftheresearchandtreatmentsinceAlzheimer’sisa complicateddiseasewithnumerousroutesinvolved.Thismeansthatthereislessbenefitto treatinganysingleoneofthem.TheybelievethatAlzheimer’sisacomplexdiseasethatshould betreatedbyrecognizingandaddressingthecausesofthecognitivedeclineandnottreatit blindlywithadrugthat’suseless.

Thesecondcriticismisthattheprotocolwaspublishedinthe“wrongjournals.”Since thisprotocolisnewandunknowntoalotofpeople,medicaljournalswillnotpublishthework. Theydonotwanttorisktheirreputationsolesspopularonesarepublishedandtheyruntherisk ofnotbeingtakenseriously(“CriticismoftheBredesenProtocol”).

Thethirdcriticismisthatitis“toosoon.”Peoplesuggestthatbeforetheprotocolisoutto thepublic,itshouldbepeer-reviewedinrandomized,double-blind,placebo-controlledtrials. AccordingtoApolloHealth,“However,thereisatime-honoredtraditioninmedicinecalled compassionate care:whendealingwithafatalillness,itiscommonpracticetoofferpromising experimentaltreatmentswhileconcurrentlyworkingtobuildscientificevidence.”Thisiswhat Dr.Bredesenandhisteamdid.Theyalsostartedinthelaboratoryandtransitionedtoclinical practiceandstudiedafewcasestudies,andthenaproof-of-conceptclinicaltrial.Iftheydidnot dothisandwaited,thepatientsusingtheprotocolwouldnotbesuccessful(“Criticismofthe BredesenProtocol”).

Thefourthcriticismisthatthestandardofcareisnotoffered.Standardofcareisalways availableforpatients,howeveritdoesnotworksomanypeopledonotdoit.Therearealsoother thingsthatareofferedwhenthereisstandardcare;however,noneofthesethingsturnouttobe successful.Forexample,patientsoftengetspinaltaps,eventhoughtheyhavenotbeenfoundto haveanybenefit(“CriticismoftheBredesenProtocol”).

Thefifthcriticismtheygiveisthattheprotocolisthatitistooexpensive.Alzheimer’s diseaseisprogressiveandfatalandlivingwithitismoreexpensivethantreatingitwiththe protocol.Nursingcareandassistedlivingisalsoexpensiveandtheoutcomeofitdoesnotturn outtobesuccessful.Anotherthingisthatcurrentlymainstreammedicinedoesnothaveanything togive.TheFDAapprovedAduhelm,amedicationforAlzheimer’s,whichcost$50,000 annually–andthatdoesnottakeintoaccountthecostofdoctorvisits,monthlyinfusions,and MRI’s.Dr.BredesenbelievesthatcareandafightingchanceatsurvivalarewhatAlzheimer’s patientsdeserve(“CriticismoftheBredesenProtocol”).

ThelastcriticismisthetitleofDr.Bredsen’sbook, The End of Alzheimer’s. Manypeople thoughtthatthetitlewasanexaggerationofwhatispossible.Howeverhewantedtosharethe goodoutcomesoftheprotocolandhelpthoseinneed.Therearemanyreviewsonpatientswho havedonethisprotocol.Therewasonepatientwhowas64yearsoldandgotdiagnosedwith Alzheimer’s.Hehadmanyriskfactors,butnogene.Hisneurologistputhimonamedicationfor Alzheimer’scalleddonepezil.Afterthathestartedthesupplementprotocolusing The End of Alzheimer’s book.Threemonthslaterhetookamedicationcallednamenda.Hereturnedto80% ofbaselineaftersixmonths,andto95%ofbaselineafterayear.Hisneurologistsaidhenever heardofthisprotocol.HedidAddenbrooke’stesting,whichiscomposedofattention,memory, language,orientationandmore.Hewasontheprotocolfortwoyearsandlistenedtosomeofthe

guidelines.Forexample,heexercisedmore,andgotseven-eighthoursofsleepanight.Hisscore wentfrom83to97.HisneurologistnowdiagnosedhimwithMCIalongwithmemoryloss insteadofdementia.Hiswifeexplained,“Hedoeshavesomelong-termmemoryloss,buthis day-to-dayexecutivefunctioningisintact.”AnotherpatientwhodidtheBredesenProtocolwasa psychiatristandgotdiagnosedwithAlzheimer’s.Thepatientdidaneuropsychologicaltestand threemonthsafterhebegantheprotocol,thetestresultsreturnedtwolevels.Healsocontinued todohiswork-relatedtasksandwasbetterthanbefore.Therewasanotherpatientwhobefore startingthisprotocolhadmanyhallucinations.However,afterstartingtheprotocol,the hallucinationsdisappearedwithachangeindiet.

TheBredesenProtocolisgearedtoreverseandenhancecognitivedeclinethroughdiet, testsandotherimportantfactorsthatcanimpactlife.Thegoalistoreducetheglobalburdenof dementiathroughwidespreadcollaborationtoenhancetheoveralltreatmentforpatients.

“3StagesofAlzheimer’s.” Act Now Foundation,May5,2024

https://www.actnowfoundation.org/3-stages-of-alzheimer-s

Amos,Amylee.“IsItTooLatetoReverseAlzheimer’sDisease?” Amos Institute, https://amosinstitute.com/blog/is-it-too-late-to-reverse-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-disease/

“Alzheimer’sDiseaseFactSheet.” National Institute on Aging,

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet

“CaregivingforPersonwithAlzheimer’sDiseaseoraRelatedDementia.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, June30,2023

https://www.cdc.gov/aging/caregiving/alzheimer.htm

“CriticismoftheBredesenProtocol.” Apollo Health, August4,2022

https://www.apollohealthco.com/criticism-of-the-bredesen-protocol/ “CustomerTestimonials.” Apollo Health,December7,2021

https://www.apollohealthco.com/customer-testimonials/ “HowisAlzheimer’sDiseaseTreated?|NationalInstituteonAging,”

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-treatment/how-alzheimers-disease-treated Rafatjah,Soyona.“TheBredesenProtocol:6Strategies(plus,DoesItWork?).” PrimeHealth Denver,5May2023,

https://primehealthdenver.com/bredesen-protocol/

“WhatIsAlzheimer'sDisease?:NationalInstituteonAging.” Alzheimers.gov, https://www.alzheimers.gov/alzheimers-dementias/alzheimers-disease.

BehindCupid’sArrow

RachaelKopylov

Inallofhumanexperience,fewphenomenaencapsulatetheuniqueemotionaljourney thatfallinginloveseemstocapture.AsEnglishdramatistW.S.Gilbertfamouslysaid,“love makestheworldgoround.”Love,beingacomplexandmultifacetedhumanexperience, manifestsitselfasaprofoundforceshapingrelationships,inspiringcreativity,fosteringpersonal growthandservingasakeyelementinthedevelopmentofcultureandsociety.

Onapsychologicallevel,theprocessoffallinginloveisaunionofemotionaldynamics andcognitiveprocessesthatshapeone’sthoughtsandbehaviors.AmericanpsychologistRobert

Sternberg’striangularlovetheorydiscussesthethreemainreasonswhypeoplefallinlove: intimacy,passion,andcommitment.Sternbergdefinestheintimacycomponentofloveas “feelingsofcloseness,connectedness,andbondednessinlovingrelationships,”including“those feelingsthatgiverise,essentially,totheexperienceofwarmthinalovingrelationship”and “largely,butnotexclusively,derivingfromemotionalinvestmentintherelationship.”Intimacy playsamediumroleinshort-term relationshipsbutplaysasignificantly largerroleinlong-termrelationships.

Sternbergdefinesthepassion componentofloveas“thedrivesthat leadtoromance,physicalattraction, sexualconsummation,andrelated phenomenainlovingrelationships.”

Accordingtohim,passionis

unstableinthesensethatitcanchangeatanymoment,butitisalsounstableinthesensethata personcannotcontrolit.Passionplaysalargeroleinshort-termrelationshipsandamediumrole inlong-termrelationships.Finally,Sternbergdefinesthedecision/commitmentcomponentof loveas“intheshortterm,thedecisionthatonelovessomeoneelse,andinthelongterm,the commitmenttomaintainthatlove.”Commitmentincludes“thecognitiveelementsthatare involvedindecisionmakingabouttheexistenceofandpotentiallong-termcommitmenttoa lovingrelationship”and“derivinglargely,althoughnotexclusively,fromcognitivedecisionin andcommitmenttotherelationship.”Itplaysanegligibleroleinshort-termrelationshipsanda substantialroleinthelongterm.AccordingtoSternberg,thethreecomponentsoflovecome togethertocreateeightdifferenttypesofformsoflovethatmanifestthemselvesindifferent ways:nonlove,liking,companionate, emptylove,fatuouslove,infatuation, romanticlove,andconsummatelove (Sternberg).

Anothertheory,byCanadian psychologistJohnAlanLee,usesthe analogyofacolorwheeltoexplainwhat hebelievesarethethreedimensionsof love.Hearguesthat,likeacolorwheel, lovehasthree“primary”elements,or “colors,”thatcanbemixedtocreate everyotherelement.Thistheory, proposedinthe70s,saysthatthemost

authentickindofloveisludus(blue),orloveasagame;eros(red),lovinganidealperson;and storge(yellow),loveasfriendship.Whenonemixesthethreecolors,theygetnewand fascinatingshades;however,nothingismoreimportantthantheprimarycolorbase.Ludusisa Latintermthatmeansgame.Havingaludicrelationshipishavingfun,fulloflaughterand flirtatiousbehavior,butwithoutanyseriousattachmentordesireforanythinglong-term.Itis essentiallytheoppositeofSternberg’selementofcommitmentinhistheory.Eros,thenameof theGreekgodoflove,is,accordingtoLee,aneroticandromantickindoflove.Itisintense, formedbyphysicalchemistry,instinct,lust,andintensity.Storgeisthekindoflovebetween familymembers,butisalsoviewedasfriendshipandstability.The Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon defines storge as“cherishingone’skindred,especiallyparentsorchildren;themutualloveof parentsandchildrenandwivesandhusbands;lovingaffection;pronetolove;lovingtenderly; chieflyofthereciprocaltendernessofparentsandchildren.”Whenthesethreeprimaryelements aremixed,theresultarethreedifferentsecondaryelements:pragma,amixofludusandstorge; mania,amixoferosandludus;and agape,amixofstorgeanderos.Pragmaisanabbreviation forthewordpragmatic,meaningtodealwiththingssensiblyandrealistically.Thisrelationship style,sometimesconsideredtobecalculated, isruledbylogic,ratherthanemotionandpassion. Mania,whichstemsfromthewordmanic,meaningeuphoriaanddelusions,isoftena codependentrelationshipwhereneedandobsessionaresometimesseenasfitsofpassionand intensity.Thisstyleismarkedbyperiodsofvehementexcitement,jumpingextremesbetween overlypossessiveandoverlydistant.IntheGreekNewTestamentLexicon,agapemeans goodwillandbenevolence.Thisrelationshipisbasedonmutualrespectoutofdevotionandpure love,withpartnerssacrificingsomeoftheirneedsforoneanotherwithoutbitterness(Lebis).

Forcenturies,peoplehavethoughtthatthefeelingoflovestemsfromtheheart,butasit turnsout,itisreallythebrainwhichcausestheclassicsymptomsoflovelikesweatypalmsanda racingheart.Atachemicallevel,fallinginloveisdrivenbyanorchestraofneurochemical reactions,releasinghormonessuchasoxytocinanddopamineinthebrain,whichplayanintegral roleincreatingtheemotionalbondsandromanticsensationsassociatedwithfallinginlove.

AccordingtoateamofscientistsledbyDr.HelenFisheratRutgers,romanticlovecanbebroken downintothreecategories:lust,attraction,andattachment,witheachbeingcategorizedbyits ownsetofneurologicalhormones.Luststemsfromthehuman’sevolutionarydesireto reproduce,aneedsharedbyalllivingorganisms.Theendocrinesystemismainlyresponsiblefor lust(Wu).Theprocessstartswithapartinthebraincalledthehypothalamus.Thehypothalamus secretesahormonecalled gonadotropin-releasinghormone(GnRH), whichsignalstothepituitaryglandto secreteluteinizinghormone(LH).The pituitaryglandthenproducesLH,the hormonethatstimulatesthereleaseofsex hormoneslikeestrogenandtestosterone (Hiller-Sturmhöfel).Inthepituitarygland ofawoman,LHisreleasedonlyinthe secondpartofthemenstrualcycleafterthereleaseofanegg,alsoknownasovulation.LHis releasedatasteadypacefortwoweeks,whichsignalstotheovariestomakeestrogen.Formen, LHsignalstothetestestosecretetestosterone.LHisreleasedataconstantrateovertimeover time,causingtestosteronetobeproducedataconstantrateaswell(“LuteinizingHormone”).

Testosteroneproduceslibidoforeveryone,buttheeffectsarelesspronouncedwithestrogen, withwomenreportingfeelingitthemostaroundovulation.

Meanwhile,attraction,whichmayseemcloselyrelatedtolust,isadistinctphenomenon, butthetwooftengohandinhand.Itinvolvesthebrainpathwaysthatcontrol“rewardbehavior,” whichcanexplainwhythefirstfewmonthsofarelationshipcanfeelexhilarating.Brainscansof peopleinlovehaveactuallyshownthatthe“reward”centersofthebraingetextremely stimulatedwhenshownaphotographofsomeonetheyareextremelyattractedto(Wu).

Attractionismainlyregulatedbythecentralnervoussystemsystem,buthasalotofoverlapwith theendocrinesystem.Thecentralnervoussystemismadeupofthebrainandspinalcord,andits responsibilitiesincludereceiving,processing,andrespondingtosensoryinformation(Thau).The overlapbetweenthetwosystemsoccursinthehypothalamus,whichplaysapivotalroleinboth lustandattraction.Becausethehypothalamusisapartofthenervoussystem,hypothalamic hormonesareactuallyproducedbynervecells.Oneofthehormonesthatthehypothalamus producesisdopamine(Hiller-Sturmhöfel).Dopamineisaneurotransmitterthatactsonareasin thebraintogivefeelingsofpleasure,satisfaction,andmotivation.Italsohasaroleincontrolling mood,concentration,movement,andotherbodilyfunctions.Dopamineisreleasedwhenone doessomethingthatfeelsgoodtothem,suchasspendingtimewithlovedones.Dopamineisa major“reward”partofthebrain(“Dopamine”).Highlevelsofdopamineandasimilarhormone, norepinephrine,arereleasedduringattraction(Wu).Norepinephrine,alsoknownas noradrenalin,isaneurotransmitterandhormonemadefromdopaminethatplaysasignificant roleinthebrain’s“fightorflight”response,whichkicksinwhenoneisstressedtokeepthemon highalert(“Norepinephrine”).Boththesechemicalscancausesomeonetofeelextraperkyand energetic,butcanalsoleadtoinsomniaanddecreasedappetite.Thiscanmeanthatapersoncan

beso“inlove”thattheycannolongersleeporeat.Attractionalsooftenleadstoreducedlevels ofserotonin,thehormonethatdealswithregulatingmoodandappetite.Peoplewith obsessive-compulsivedisorder,aconditioncharacterizedbyobsessiveandrepetitivethoughts andbehaviors,typicallyalsohavelowserotoninlevels,leadingscientiststohypothesizethatthis maycontributetotheintenseinfatuationintheearlystagesoflove.

Thefinalcategoryisattachment,whichisarguablythemostimportantfactorin long-termrelationships.Whilelustandattractionareexclusivetoromanticpartners,attachment isalsoinvolvedinbondsbetweenfriends,siblings,parentsandchildren,andmore.Theprimary hormonethatappearsinattachmentisoxytocin,alsoknownasthe“cuddlehormone”(Wu).

Oxytocinisproducedinthehypothalamusandisreleasedintothebloodstreamthroughthe pituitarygland.Whileitsmainfunctionistofacilitatechildbirth,oxytocinisahormonethat promotespositivefeelings(“Oxytocin”).

Whilethismaypaintloveouttobeaperfectpicture,wherehormonesarereleased makingusfeelrewardedandclosetoourpartners,thatisnotthewholestory.Loveisoften accompaniedbyjealousy,irrationality,anderraticbehavior.Thisisbecausetoomuchofthe hormonesthat,wheninmoderation,cancausethepositivefeelingsoflove,willalsoleadtothe downsidesoflove.Forexample,becausedopamineisresponsibleforthebrain’s“reward” pathway,itcontrolsboththegoodandthebad.Thedopaminepathwaysactuallyplayarolein addictions.Thesameregionsthatlightupinthebrainwhensomeoneisattractedtosomeone alsolightupwhenaddictstakecocaine.Cocainemaintainsdopaminesignalingformuchlonger thanusual,leadingtoa“high.”Onecansaythatattractionisjustlikeaddictionbecausethesame regionsinthebrainlightupwhenonebecomesemotionallydependentontheirpartnersand whenonebecomesdependentonmaterialgoods.Toomuchoxytocincanhaveasimilareffect.

RecentstudiesonpartydrugslikeMDMA,commonlycalledecstasy,andGHB(Wu),anervous systemdepressant (“GHB”),have shownthat oxytocinmaybe thehormone behindthe cheerfuland untroubled feelingsthatthese drugscause.Inthiscase,thesepositivefeelingsaretakentoanextremelevel,causingtheuserto disassociatefromtheirenvironmentandactrecklessly.Additionally,oxytocin’sroleasa “bondinghormone”seemstostrengthenpositivefeelingsthatpeoplefeeltowardspeoplethey love,resultinginpeoplebecomingmoreattachedtotheirfriends,family,andsignificantothers. Thismayseemlikeitdoesnothaveadownside,butoxytocinisalsosuggestedtoplayarolein ethnocentrism.Itincreasestheloveforpeopleinone’sestablishedculturegroupandcauses otherpeopletoseemmoreforeign(Wu).Toomuchofanythingisnotgoodforanyone,and oxytocinanddopaminearenoexceptiontothatrule.

Fallinginloveunleashesawaterfallofemotionsandintensifiedcognitivestates, impactingaperson’screativityandfosteringartisticexpression.Lovehasfosteredinnumerable worksofcreativity,fromthearchitecturalmasterpiecesliketheTajMahal,tomodernpopsongs like“Cardigan”byTaylorSwift.Thisleadstothequestionofwhyfallinginlove,orevenjust thinkingaboutlove,canstimulatecreativitysomuch.PsychologistsJensFörster,KaiEpstude,

andAminaÖzelselattheUniversityofAmsterdamhypothesizedthatbeinginloveactually makesonethinkdifferently.Theresearchersfoundthatlovetriggersglobalprocessing,which promotescreativethinkingandhindersanalyticalthinking,andthatromanticloveproducesa long-termperspective.Totestthisidea,theresearchersaskedpeopletoimaginearomanticdate, andfoundthattheyimaginedthedatesasoccurringfartherinthefutureasopposedtoto immediately(Liberman).ThisconnectstotheConstrualLevelTheory,calledCLTforshort.CLT focusesontheideaofpsychologicaldistance,whichistheremovalofanobjectfromdirect experience.Thebrainconsiderseventsthatarefarinphysicaldistance,time,andlikelihoodas interchangeable(“Construal”).Thiskindofthinkingtriggersamoreglobalprocessingstyle,as opposedtoalocalprocessingstyle,whichpromotesanalyticalthinkingandinterfereswith creativity Aglobalprocessingstyleraisesremoteanduncommonassociation,thereby stimulatingcreativethinking.Thepsychologistspresentedastudytosupportthisidea.First,after beingtoldthatitwasanattentiontask,theparticipantsweresubliminallypresentedwithwords relatingtolove,sex,andanon-wordstringofletters,whichwasthecontrolgroup.Theywere thenpresentedwithproblemsfromtheGraduateRecordExamination,whichareproblemsthat assessanalyticalthinking.Thentheyweretestedontheircreativethinkingthroughagenerative task,wheretheywereaskedtodeviseasmanyusesforbricksaspossible.Theexperiment resultedinparticipantsintheloveconditionformulatedmorecreativeusesandsolvedless analyticalproblemsthanthecontrolgroup,andparticipantsinthesexconditionsdisplayedthe oppositepattern(Liberman).

“Thereisneveratimeorplacefortruelove.Ithappensaccidentally,inaheartbeat,ina singleflashing,throbbingmoment,”wroteSarahDresseninher2004novel, The Truth About Forever Whiletherehavebeeninnumerablehypotheses,theories,andstudiesaboutwhatloveis

andwhereitcomesfrom,thereisnooneformulaforlove.Loveisaquintessentialpartofhuman experiencethatcannotbeconfinedtoascience;itcanonlybeexplainedthroughexperience.

“ConstrualLevelTheory.” The Ohio State University,u.osu.edu/construalleveltheory/theory/. Accessed19Apr 2024.

“Dopamine.” Healthdirect,17Oct.2023,www.healthdirect.gov.au/dopamine “GHB.” Better Health Channel,DepartmentofHealth&HumanServices,13June2000, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/GHB.

Hiller-Sturmhöfel,S,andABartke.“TheEndocrineSystem:AnOverview.” Alcohol Health and Research World,U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine,1998, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6761896/.

Lebis,Ethane.“ColourWheelTheoryofLovebyJohnAlanLee.” Medium,Medium,20Dec. 2022, medium.com/@ethanelebis/colour-wheel-theory-of-love-by-john-alan-lee-95cabd6398b5.

Liberman,Nira,andOrenShapira.“DoesFallinginLoveMakeUsMoreCreative?” Scientific American,29Sept.2009, www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-falling-in-love-make/#:~:text=The%20clever% 20experiments%20demonstrated%20that,and%20interferes%20with%20analytic%20thin king

Lovering,Nancy.“ThePsychologyofLove:TheoriesandFacts.” Psych Central,PsychCentral, 20Sept.2022,psychcentral.com/relationships/the-psychology-of-love.

“LuteinizingHormone:Levels,Function&Testing.” Cleveland Clinic,8Jan.2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22255-luteinizing-hormone.

“Norepinephrine:WhatItIs,Function,Deficiency&SideEffects.” Cleveland Clinic,27Mar. 2022,my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22610-norepinephrine-noradrenaline

“Oxytocin:TheLoveHormone.” Harvard Health,HarvardMedicalSchool,13June2023,

www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/oxytocin-the-love-hormone.

Sternberg,R.J.“ATriangularTheoryofLove. Psychological Review, 93(2),119–135.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.93.2.119

Thau,Lauren.“Anatomy,CentralNervousSystem.” StatPearls [Internet].,U.S.National LibraryofMedicine,10Oct.2022,www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542179/

Wu,Katherine.“Love,Actually:TheSciencebehindLust,Attraction,andCompanionship.”

Science in the News,HarvardKennethC.GriffinGraduateSchoolofArtsandSciences, 19June2020, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-behind-lust-attraction-companions hip/

TheEffectsofBeinginanHonorsProgram

SusieMasri

Beingapartofanhonorsprogrammayseemlikeawonderfulopportunityatfirstglance; honorsstudentsoftenhaveaccesstocertainclasses,suchasAPs,thatotherstudentsdonothave theopportunitytotake.However,participationinhonorsprogramshavebeenshowntoleadto problemsthatincludeanxiety,perfectionism,fearoffailure,andtheinabilitytodevelopstrong studyhabits.Thesedisadvantagescanprovetobeverydetrimentaltostudents,suchaswhen theyarefacedwithnewchallengesinthefuture.Honorsstudentshaveshowntobewaryof challengesandtendtoavoidthemoutoffearoffailure.Thiscanharmthemwhentheyenter careerswheretheyneedtoovercomeachallengingobstacle.Advancedcoursesandhonors programshavemanybenefits,butitisimportanttoalsoconsiderthemanydisadvantageswhen choosingtoapplytooneoftheseprograms.

Honorscoursesaredesignedforstudentswhowantamorechallengingcurriculumand arepreparedtoputintheextraworkinordertodemonstratetheiracademicmotivation.High schoolhonorsclassesaregenerallyconsideredexclusivehighlevelclassesthatarenotavailable tonon-honorstudents.Honorsstudentsaregivenhigherexpectations,learnatafasterpace,and areassignedmoreindividualwork.TheirclassesdifferfromAPcourses,however,becausethey donotgivecollegecredit(“WhatareHonorsCourses?”).

Honorprogramsrequirementsvarywiththeschool.Insomecases,studentsmayneedto completeaprojectortakeatestinordertoqualifyfortheprogram.MostprogramshaveaGPA requirement,suchashavinganaverageofabovea90inallclasses.Theserequirementsareto ensurethatthestudentcanhandlethechallengingcoursework,alongwiththedemanding environment(“WhatareHonorsCourses?”).

Beforeconsideringanhonorsprogram,oneshouldweightheadvantagesand disadvantagestotheprogram,alongwiththeskillsneededtoparticipateintheprogram.Someof theseskillsaretimemanagement,giventheamountofcourseworkintheseprograms.Strong notetakingskillsandorganizationskillshelpstudentspreparefortestsandassignments.Alarge amountofworkisindependentsoitisalsoimportanttohavestrongindependentworkingskills.

Havingtheseskillswillhelpensuresuccessinhonorscoursesorprograms(“WhatareHonors ClassesinHighSchool?”).

Theeffectsoftakingpartinhonorsprogramscanbeaffectedbythosearoundyou.A Cornellstudyfrom1989showsthatchildrenlabeledasgiftedbytheirparentsexperiencedmore adjustmentdifficultiesthanthosewhodidnotbecauseparentspushedtheirchildrenand expectedthemtoeasilycompletetheirwork.Whenthechildstruggledwiththeirwork,parents wereunsympathetictothestruggle.Highdemandsfromparentstypicallyleadtoself-inflicted expectationsfromthestudent.Evenifstudentsreachthehighexpectationstheyhavefortheir grades,iftheyfindoutothersdidbetter,theyoftenfeeldisappointed.Furthermore,siblingsnot intheprogrammightbemadetofeelasthoughtheyarenotgoodorsmartenough (Bonaventura).

Animportantpartofbeinganhonorsstudentisfindingbalance.Betweenextraclass work,extracurriculars,friends,andfamily,thereisalottomanage.Therefore,itisimportantto prioritizeandsometimesdropoutofcertainactivities.Itisalsoimportanttofindyourstrengths.

Giventhecompetitivenatureoftheprogram,studentshavetoremainmotivated(Brush).

Honorsprogramsdonotjustexistonthehighschoollevel.Beingplacedinan elementaryschoolhonorscoursemayappearasawonderfulopportunity,buttherearedownsides tobeinginsuchaprogram.Firstly,beingplacedintosuchaprogramatayoungageshapesthe

child'sacademicandsociallife.Atfirst,itmayfeelgreattobedeemedintelligentandbe assignedstimulatingwork.Astimeprogresses,however,thestudentmightdevelophigh expectationsforthemselves,viewinganythingbelowanAasdisappointing.Thissometimes leadstoperfectionismandfailuretodevelopproperstudyhabits(Bonaventura).

Manycollegesofferhonorsprograms,aswell. Somepositiveaspectsoftheprogramis thatstudentsintheprogramlivetogetherinaspecificdorm.Thisishelpfulinmeetingnew peoplethatsharesimilarinterestsandareinthesameclasses.Thishelpslargeuniversitiesfeel moresmallandfriendly.Furthermore,manyhonorsstudentsreceivefinancialaidandsomemay evenearnafullride.Theacademicexperienceandopportunitiesofstudentsinhonorsprograms canrivalthoseofIvyLeagues.Classestendtobesmallerinhonorsprograms,allowingeasy connectionswithprofessorswheninneedofrecommendationsforgraduateschool.Studentsalso receivepriorityregistration,specialopportunities,andadditionalgraduateadmissionsassistance (Vaccaro).

Thechoiceofparticipatinginanhonorscourseorprogramrequiresalotofthoughtand consideration.Whetheritisanelementaryschool,highschool,orcollegecourse,itisimportant toconsiderboththeadvantagesandthedisadvantages.Alongwiththeskillsandrequirements necessarytoexcelinthecourse.Honorscoursesorprogramsarenotforeveryoneanditis beneficialtoconsiderthatbeforechoosingtoapply.

Bonaventura,Allison.“GiftedProgramsandTheirNegativeEffects.” The Holly Spirit,23January2022, https://thehollyspirit.org/4661/showcase/gifted-programs-and-their-negative-effects-and-e xperiences/. Accessed27March2024.

Brady,AnneVaccaro.“TheProsandConsofaCollegeHonorsProgram.” Parents' Guide to the College Puzzle,13June2019, https://parentsguidetothecollegepuzzle.com/2019/06/13/the-pros-and-cons-of-a-college-h onors-program/.Accessed27March2024.

Brush,Katelyn.“AnInsideLookatCollegeHonorsPrograms:ProsandCons.” Student Cafe Blog,27.March2016, http://blog.studentcaffe.com/inside-look-college-honors-programs-pros-cons/. Accessed 27March2024.

“WhatareHonorsClassesinHighSchool?|GreatValueColleges.” Great Value Colleges, https://www.greatvaluecolleges.net/faq/what-are-honors-courses/. Accessed27March 2024.

CollectiveDelusion

CarolinePalacci

Sincethedawnoftime,peoplehavebeenconfrontedwithasimpleyetperpetual question:Howdowebuildafunctionalsociety?Thebaseofallintercontinentalsocietymustbe anomnipresentsetofrules,buthowcan7billionpeoplesimultaneouslyagreeontheserules;we cannotevenagreeonthingsassimpleascommonlanguage,measurements,ormonetary systems!Theanswerliesinoursubconsciousemploymentofmassdelusionandeveryday imaginedrealities,throughwhichwedeviselawsofhumanityinsignificanttoanythingelsein theuniverseyetall-encompassingofus.Theseobjectiverealitiesarethepillarsofourlivesand necessaryforourcontinuedcollectiveexistence;inotherwords,integralpartsofsocietyare completefigmentsoftheimagination.

Collectivedelusioncanbeunderstoodasasharedbelieforperceptionthatisnotbasedon objectiverealitybutisacceptedandreinforcedbyagroupofindividuals.Thissharedbeliefmay beirrational,unfounded,orcontrarytoempiricalevidence.Nevertheless,itpersistswithinthe group'scollectiveconsciousness.Collectivedelusionscantakevariousforms,rangingfrom conspiracytheoriesandmasshysteriatoculturalmythsandreligiousdogma(Briggs). Psychologically,collectivedelusionsplayapivotalroleinshapingindividualandcollective beliefs.Researchincognitivepsychologyhasidentifiedarangeofbiases,suchasconfirmation bias,availabilityheuristics,andgroupthink,thatinfluencesocialbehaviors.Biassuchas "groupthink"does"notallowforeachindividualtoexaminetheirparticularvaluesandbeliefsto seeiftheprevailingtrendissomethingwithwhichtheychoosetotakepart"and,inturn,creates anatmosphereinwhichpeopleareeasilyabletoadopttheideasofothers,howeverintangible theymaybe,andthatcancontributetotheformationandperpetuationofcollectivedelusions

(Bloom).Thesebiasesinfluencehowinformationisprocessedandinterpretedwithingroups, reinforcingshareddelusionalbeliefs(Bojke).

Socialidentityandself-categorizationtheoriesalsoofferinsightsintohowgroup membershipandsocialidentitycaninfluenceindividuals'susceptibilitytoacceptingand promotingcollectivedelusions.Forexample,inastudybyscientistHenryTrajfel,"Participants wereassignedtogroupsdesignedtobeasarbitraryandmeaninglessaspossible.Nevertheless, whenpeoplewereaskedtoassignpointstootherresearchparticipants,theysystematically awardedmorepointstoin-groupmembersthantoout-groupmembers"(Ellemers).Theneedfor socialbelongingandthedesireforcoherenceandconsistencywithinthegroupcanoverride criticalthinkingandrationalevaluationofinformation,leadingtotheadoptionofimagined restrictionsandsociallaws.

Collectivedelusionsareimaginedrealities.Followingthesociologicaltheoryofsocial constructionism,societyplacesanundueburdenoneachcommunityassubjectiveideasbecome ingrainedasnecessarydogmas(MitchamandMartin).Iwasscrollingonmyphonethisweek whenIcameacrossaRedditpostbyusereccentricshift7:"Awomanshouldstayathomeand takecareofkids.Notbecausemenaresuperiorbutsimplybecauseitistheoriginal,simple,and happywayoflife."Theusertakestheattributesoftheirmotherandthemothersintheir communityandcomestothefollowingfallacy:mymotherraisedme,andIamgratefulshedid so.Therefore,womenshouldnotpursuecareersandshouldallbehomemakers.

Furthermore,theuserbelievesanythingelseis unoriginal, complicated, and unhappy. Although theuserbaseshisexperienceonanemotionalbias,heandhisfollowershavetrickedthemselves intofullybelievingtheroleofawomanisinthehomeand only inthehome,andanyonewho believesotherwisemustbeinnocent.Theyhavemadehistoricalandpsychologicallawsoutof

claimswithnobasisotherthan"itworksforus,soitmustworkforeveryone."Inthisway, communitiescandevelopallsortsofsocialconstructsandrestrictions,andtheserestrictions, buildingoffalreadydeceptive"facts,"arewhatcomprisemanywidespread,thoughnotalways harmful,collectivedelusions.

Itiseasiertospotdelusioninthingswedeem"wrong,"yettheyareingrainedinourlives eveninthingsweknowtobebeneficial.Forexample,humanrightslawsexistnowhereelsein theuniverseandamongnootherspecies.However,mostrationallymindedpeoplebelievethem tobea"naturalright"thateveryhumanisbornwith.Thisdelusionhasbeenincredibly successfulinmaintainingagoodqualityoflifeformanypeopleandevensavinglives,however, itisnolessadelusionthanthebeliefthatwomenbelonginthehomeorthatoneraceissuperior toanyother

Collectivedelusionsareprominentacrosscultureandhistory.Culturalanthropology providesvaluableinsightsintothediversityofbeliefsystemsandtheculturalnormsthatshape collectivedelusionswithinspecificsocieties.Culturalmyths,legends,andritualsoftenreflect collectivedelusionsintegraltoacommunity'sculturalidentityandworldview(Mitchamand Martin).Forexample,theAztecsbelievedthathumansacrificewouldensuretheworld's continuedexistence.Withoutsacrificing,lifeastheyknewitwouldceasetoexist,andkilling wassimplyaculturalritual.ChristianSpanishconquistadorsfoundtheprospectworryingand usedsacrificeasanexcusetomassacreandconquertheAztecs(Wade).Thisisthecycleof delusion.Withoutsomecommunaldelusion,wholereligionsandculturalpracticesthatcomprise aperson'sactionsandidentitywouldnotexist,norwouldjustificationfortheaction.TheAztecs madeacommunityceremonyofsacrifice,andtheconquistadorsconnectedthroughmassacring theAztecs;allofthisissimplythefaultofthenurturingofcommunitiesandtheirwillingnessto

agreewithotherslikethem.Whatonegroupviewsasmurdermayseemjustlikeanyother naturalcycle.Insteadofbiologicalneed,collectiveimagination,andcommunalencouragement causepeopletodifferwidelyintheirjustificationyetactsimilarlyontheirbeliefs.

Furthermore,historicalanalysisrevealshowcollectivedelusionshaveshapedsignificant eventsandmovements,fromwitchhuntsandmoralpanicstopoliticalideologiesandmass movements.Studyinghistoricalexamples,suchastheriseoftotalitarianregimes,offersvaluable lessonsaboutthedynamicsofcollectivedelusionanditsimpactonindividualsandsocieties.In GeorgeOrwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, totalitarianleaders,basedonthefamousregimesof Orwell'sday,easilyconvincetheircitizenstobelieveinridiculouslawsandgivetheirlivesand individualitytoameaninglesscause.Whilereadersofthenovelmayviewtheblindconformity ofthedystopianworldasunimaginable,Orwell'snovelisasocialcommentaryonwhatweasa societyaresusceptibletobelieving(Orwell328).

Collectivedelusionscanalsotakeonlessdetrimentalbutnolessprominentforms.For example,anylimitedliabilitycompaniesrunningtheglobaleconomysurvivefromimagined perception.Thesecompaniesexistindependentoftheirproducts,workers,andevenfounders.

Dr YuvalNoahHararibringstheexampleofthecarcompanyPeugeot,citingthatevenifallits currentcarsweredestroyed,currentemployeesgone,orleaderswerereplaced,thecompany wouldnotceasetoexistaslongasitstillproduces.Additionally,onemaysuelimitedliability companiesindependentoftheirowners.Thisimaginedconstructhasallowedforindustrial growthasithastakenmuchoftheriskoutofowningacompany;however,itisstillnottangible anddoesnotexistanywhereasidefromthehumanmind(Harari23).

Thephenomenonofcollectivedelusionisacomplexandmultifacetedaspectofhuman behaviorandsocietythatisessentialtoourflow Bydrawingoninsightsfrompsychology,

sociology,anthropology,andhistoricalstudies,onecanbetterunderstandthepsychological, social,andculturaldynamicsthatwarrantcollectivedelusions.Associetycontinuestonavigate anincreasinglyinterconnectedandinformation-saturatedworld,itisnecessarytoexploreand understandtheconceptofcollectivedelusions.

Bloom,Linda.“TheBandwagonEffect.” Psychology Today,11August2017, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stronger-the-broken-places/201708/the-bandw agon-effect Accessed19November2023.

Bojke,Laura,etal."DevelopingaReferenceProtocolforStructuredExpertElicitationin Health-CareDecision-Making:AMixed-MethodsStudy." Health Technology Assessment,no.25.37,NIHRJournalsLibrary,Southampton(UK),June2021.Chapter6, ReviewingtheEvidence:HeuristicsandBiases.Availablefrom: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571047/

Briggs,Jonathan.“HumanProgressandCollectiveDelusions.” Eastside Preparatory School, https://www.eastsideprep.org/human-progress-and-collective-delusions/.Accessed19 November2023.

Eccentricshift7.“Awomanshouldstayathomeandtakecareofkids.Notbecausemenare superiorbutsimplybecauseitistheoriginal,simpleandhappywayoflife.”,9 November2017, https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/evrtmo/a_woman_should_stay_at _home_and_take_care_of_kids/?rdt=33922 Accessed7March2024.

Ellemers,Naomi.“Socialidentitytheory|Definition,History,Examples,&Facts.” Britannica, 16February2024,https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-identity-theory. Accessed5 March2024.

Harari,YuvalNoah. Sapiens.HarperCollins,2015.

Mitcham,Carl,andRyderMartin.“SocialConstructionism.” Encyclopedia of Philosophy,21 February2024,https://www.encyclopedia.com Accessed5March2024.

Orwell,George. Nineteen Eighty-Four.1949.

Wade,Lizzie.“,.” , - YouTube,6January2023,

https://www.science.org/content/article/feeding-gods-hundreds-skulls-reveal-massive-sca le-human-sacrifice-aztec-capital Accessed7March2024.

TheCorrelationBetweenSocialMediaandBodyImage

OliviaShamah

Itisnosecretthatthereisacorrelationbetweenbodyperceptionandthemedia.Social mediaexposesuserstoharmfulnarratives,evensubconsciously,whichcanleadtofeelingsof inadequacyincomparisontoinfluencersandpeersseenonsocialmedia.Comparisonbetween oneselfandothers,specificallyregardingbodyimage,canresultinunhealthybehaviorsand beliefs,suchasdisorderedeating,askewedviewtowardsbodyperception,andcompulsive exercising.

Bodyidealshaveshifteddramaticallythroughoutthepastcentury,heavilyinfluencedby themediaandcurrentevents.Whetheritbethepainfullythin“cocainechic”bodyinfluencedby supermodelsinthe1980sand90s,orthecurvyhourglassshapefromthelate2010s, predominantlyinfluencedbyfiguressuchastheKardashianfamily,society’sexpectationsforthe shapeofwomen’sbodieshavebeenchangingatthefastestandmostunattainablepaceinhistory, thankstotheever-risingpopularityofsocialmedia.Additionally,thesefast-pacedchangesin idealsforwomen’sbodiesleadstoasurgeindemandforplasticsurgery,specificallybreast surgery,aswellasdisorderedeatingandexercisebehaviors(Aparicio-Martinez3).Astudy publishedin2019bytheNationalLibraryofMedicinefoundastrongassociationbetweenbody dissatisfactionanddisorderedeatingbycollege-agewomen,andauniversaldesireforathin bodyinfluencedbysocialmediacontent.

Evenbeforetheageofsocialmedia,traditionalmediahasplayedaroleinbodyideals andhasinfluencedwomenintheirbodyperception.Astudypublishedin2004provedthe correlationbetweensocialcomparisontheoryorsocioculturaltheoryandbodyimage.Thestudy hypothesizedthattheviewingofunrealisticbodyidealsinmediasuchasmagazinesand

televisionresultsinaskewedviewtowardsone’sbodyanddisorderedeating.Resultsshowed thatunconsciouscomparisonbetweenoneselfandcelebritiesseeninthemedialeadstoabad perceptionofthebodyandthereforecanresultineatingdisorders(Morrison585).

Theriseofsocialmediahasonlycontributedtoastrongerrelationshipbetweenthetwo, asmediacontainingtheseimagesandideasisnowmoreaccessiblethanever,whetherornotthe subjectsoftheimagesarecelebrities.Aseriesofinterviewspublishedin2023concludedthat teengirlsfeellessconfidentwhencomparingthemselvestopeersthantocelebrities.The researchersattributethistothefeelingofrelatabilitythatthesubjectsfeltwiththeirpeers resultedinasensethattheyshouldbeabletoattainsimilargoalstotheirpeerswhotheyviewed astheirequals,asopposedtothecelebritieswhotheyperceiveasbeingonahigherlevel (Papageorgiou5).

Despitebeingafairlynewinnovation,socialmediaisoneofthemostpowerfultoolsfor influencingpeopleinoursociety,somuchsothatcontentcreatorsonsocialmediaplatforms havebeendubbed“influencers.”Socialmediasawaveryrapidriseinpopularityfollowingthe conceptionofplatformssuchasFacebookandMySpaceintheearly2000s(Ortiz-Ospina1).

Thesesitespavedthewayfortheexponentialgrowthofmanypopularcontemporaryplatforms, suchasInstagramandTikTok,whichamasswelloverabillionactiveuserspermonthcombined.

Thesemassiveandextremelypopularsocialmediasitesarearecipeforwidespreadinfluenceat apaceneverseenbefore.

Withgreatpowercomesgreatresponsibility,andaspreviouslystated,prettymuch anyonecanbecomeverypowerfulandinfluentialatthehandsofsocialmedia.Even well-intentionedposts,suchasa“WhatIEatinaDay”videoorsomeonesharingtheirworkout routine,cansteeraviewertowardsbody-imagerelatedmentalhealthissues.“Fitspiration,”or

fitnessinspiration,contentonsocialnetworkingsiteshasbeenlinkedtobodydissatisfaction,a negativeopinionofoneself,andlowself-esteem.Apolltakenof182Pakistanistudentsfound thatthemajorityofparticipantsagreedthatsocialmedia,especiallyfitnessandfashioncontent, promotesanegativebodyimage,evenifitiswell-intentioned(Nasir43-45).Thisisaprime exampleofthedamagingeffectsofsocialmediausageandhowitcanimpacteverydaylife.

Sincethebeginningofthepopularizationofmainstreammedia,bodyidealshaveshifted considerablyseveraltimes,andeachtime,thepublicisinfluencedintermsofbeautystandards andbodyideals.Onestudystates,“Themassmediaplayacriticalroleinpeople’sself‐imageby informingandreflectingwhatpeopleconsidertobebeautifulorattractive”(Mills2).One’s surroundingsplayacriticalroleinhowtheyviewthemselves.Ifthepublichasaunanimous opinionontheacceptableappearanceofsomeone’sboyorwhatisconsideredbeautifulor acceptableinsociety,itisboundtohaveanegativeeffectonpeople,especiallyyoungwomen andgirlswhodonotfitthatstandard.Apollconductedon30highschoolstudents,allfemale, showedthatanoverwhelming83%ofparticipantshaveexperiencedbodydissatisfactionatsome pointintheirlives.Additionally,over66%ofthestudentsrespondedthattheirfrequentactivity onsocialmediacorrelatedtotheirbodyimage.Thisisproofoftheharmfultollthatsocialmedia istakingonthemindsofyoungpeopleandofthewaysthatitcanwarptheirviewsofreality Withsomanyhurtfulandharmfulmessagescirculatingsocialmediasurroundingwomen’s bodies,itishardnottobecomeavictimofthesenarratives.

Confirmationbiasisalsoaconsideredfactorinsocialmedia-drivenbodyinsecurities. Duringaperson’sformativeyears,whichincludeadolescence,theyareextremely impressionableandthereforevulnerabletotheaforementionednarrativeswhich canbe detrimentaltotheirselfesteemandcausephysicalsideeffects.Thiscancauseachildtoinnately

believetheyaresomethingthattheyarenotandprovideaninstrumentthatexposuretomore acceptablebodytypesonsocialmediacanusetodigfalseortaintedbeliefsevendeeper.Social medialeadsuserstobecome“highlysusceptibleto‘confirmationbias’...whereindividuals‘hear theirownvoice’”(Mogdil1).Anarticlepublishedin2021bytheJournalofResearchand Innovationdiscussesthephenomenonof“Socialmediainducedpolarization,”orSMIP,whichis whenasocialmediauserisprovidedwithconfirmationoftheirbeliefs.Arelevantexampleis thepoliticalpolarizationthatoccurredduringtheCOVID-19pandemic,whenpeoplewere constantlyperusingsocialmedia.Thiscanbeappliedtothecurrentpandemicplaguingtheyouth ofmoderncountries,inwhichsocialmediaisconfirmingtheirbiasesthattheyhaveinternalized overthecourseoftheirlifetimesabouttheirbodies.Growingupinaworldwithunattainableand highlyunrealisticbeautystandardscanhelptointernalizebeliefsofthesociallyacceptableways forsomeone’sbodytolookorwhatisconsideredbeautifulintheeyesofsociety.

Furthermore,socialmediainfluencersandpublicfigurescanperpetuateunhealthyideas whichcaninfluenceitsaudience,suchastheneedtolookorfeelacertainway,evenifitis realisticallyunattainable.Astudyontheassociationbetweencelebrityworshipandmental healthalsodiscussestheassociationbetweencelebrityworshipandbodyimagedissatisfaction (Zsila9).Thestudysuggeststhatthisisproofoftheinfluencecelebritiesandpublicfigureshave onthewell-beingandmentalhealthofthepublic,especiallywomenandgirlswhoarealready moresusceptibletohavinganegativeoutlookontheirbodieswhencomparedtoothers.This samelogiccanbeappliedtosocialmediaandinfluencerswhooutwardlyshowwhatsomewould considertobeprivatepartsoftheirlivestothepublic.Relatabilityandvulnerabilityarecritical componentsofthepopularityofsocialmedia.Oneofthemainreasonsforpopularvideothemes like“WhatIEatinaDay,”or“ADayinMyLife,”issoviewerscangainasenseofrelatability

towardsthecreatorofthevideo,aswellasfeelinglikethecreatorisbeingvulnerabletowards thembypublicizingtypicallyprivateaspectsoftheirlives.Additionally,aspreviously mentioned,teenagegirlsfeelagreatersenseofrelationtowardstheirpeersorpeoplewholive moresimilarlivestothem.Thisdriveshomethepointmadepreviouslyaboutthecorrelation betweenpublicfiguresandmentalhealth.

Influencesliketheseonsocialmediaandtraditionalmediacanleadtounhealthy behaviors,likedisorderedeatingandexercising.Asmentionedearlier,socialcomparison throughthemediaisamajorcatalystforeatingdisordersanddisorderedeating.Viewersof socialmediainfluencersoftenfeelasiftheonlywayforthemtobebeautifulortobeperceived asbeautifulisforthemtobethin,andtheonlywayforthemtoachievethatwouldbethrough disorderedeatingand/orexercising.Additionally,“therearesignificantassociationsbetween internetexposureandinternalizationofthethinideal,increaseddieting,bodysurveillance,and reducedbodyesteem”(Mader2).Thisstudyalsofoundthatthelongersomeonespentonsocial media,themorelikelytheyweretofallvictimtoeatingdisorderssuchasanorexia,orthorexia, andbulimia,allofwhichcanbeextremelydestructivetobothmindandbody;anorexiaisthe mostfatalmentalillness,surpassingevendepressionandothercommonillnesses(Heywood2). Eatingdisordersarealsoverycommonamongadolescents,especiallywomen,withoneinthree womendevelopingoneatsomepointintheirlife.Thiscanbedirectlylinkedtothe objectificationofwomeninthemedia.Themediahasalwaysportrayedwomenasredeemable onlyfortheirbeauty,andtherebyonlyredeemableiftheyarethinandfollowingconventional beautystandards.Socialmediahasonlycirculatedthisnarrativefasterandmoreefficientlythan everbefore,withbillionsofpeopleusingsocialmedianetworkslikeTikTokandInstagramevery

day.Thewidespreaduseandinfluenceofsocialmediahasundoubtedlyledtoanincreasein bodyimageinsecurityandeatingdisorders.

Messagescontainingunhealthyandunrealisticbodyidealsperpetuatedonsocialmedia havemanyconsequencesonitsusers,includingbothmentalandphysicalrepercussions.Oneof themostwidelyacceptedtheoriesforwhybodydissatisfactionissowellconveyedthroughthe mediaisobjectificationtheory(Holland3).Objectificationtheorydescribesthephenomenonof howitissocommonforwomentobedissatisfiedwiththeirbodiesasaresultofthe objectificationofwomen’sbodiesbythemedia.Themediahashistoricallyobjectifiedwomen’s bodies,fromWorldWarIIpropagandapostersportrayingconventionallybeautifulwomenin strongroles,whichcanperpetuatetheunderlyingmessagethatonemustbebeautifultobe useful,to2010stabloidswitheyecatchingandobjectifyingheadlineslike“Jessica’sDiet Disaster,”whichappearedonthecoveroftheSeptember2,2013editionof The Sun.As demonstrated,theobjectificationofwomen’sbodiesbythemediahasbeenaroundforavery longtime.Thistheoryissowidelyacceptedbecauseofhowcommonthesemessagesareinboth socialandconventionalmedia.Theyarehardtoescapeandhardtosuppressbecausetheyare prettymucheverywhere.Itisalsoextremelycommononsocialmediatoseephotosthatarenot obviouslyedited,yetphotoandvideoeditingsoftwarehasdevelopedsomuchinrecentyears thatitissoeasytoinconspicuouslyeditInstagramphotostomakethesubjectlookthinnerorfix blemisheswithoutleavingatrace.

Itisfrighteningtolookaroundandseejusthowmanyyoungwomenandgirlsare affectedbysocialmedia.Socialmediahasbecomesuchapowerfultoolforinfluencingpeople bothconsciouslyandunconsciously.Italsocarriesamassivestigmaaroundlargerandless conventionallybeautifulbodies,whichcompelsuserstoedittheircontentbeforepostingonline.

Exposuretothistypeofcontentonsocialmediacanleadtoviewersfeelinginadequateandugly intheirownbodies,andthereforetakeextrememeasurestotrytoachieveamoresocially acceptedfigure,evenifitcomesataharmfulpricetowardstheirphysicalandmentalhealth.

Socialmediaislikeadruginthatitissodangerous,yetsoaddictive.Socialmediaaddictionis real,andplaguesmuchofouryouth.Socialmediashapestheeverydaylivesofmostyoung people,butitsinfluencesshouldnotbedisregardedforhowtrivialorinconsequentialtheymay seemtobe.Adoptingharmfulordestructivebehaviorsinordertolookacertainwayshouldnot bethenormintoday’ssociety,andthereissomethingseriouslywrongwiththeworldifitis.

WorksCited

Aparicio-Martinez,Pilaretal.“SocialMedia,Thin-Ideal,BodyDissatisfactionand DisorderedEatingAttitudes:AnExploratoryAnalysis.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol.16,214177.29Oct.2019, doi:10.3390/ijerph16214177,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6861923/

Heywood,Lauren,etal.“Key-in-SessionIdentityNegotiationsinaFirstLineTreatment forAdultAnorexiaNervosa.” Journal of Eating Disorders,vol.12,no.1,31Jan.2024, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-00979-0.

https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-024-00979-0

Holland,Grace,andMarikaTiggemann.“ASystematicReviewoftheImpactoftheUse ofSocialNetworkingSitesonBodyImageandDisorderedEatingOutcomes.” Body Image,vol.17,June2016,pp.100–110,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.02.008.

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Mader,Lisa,etal."Is(Disordered)SocialNetworkingSitesUsageaRiskFactorfor DysfunctionalEatingandExerciseBehavior?" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,vol.20,no.4,2023,pp.3484 ProQuest,

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DuringCovid-19.” Information Systems Frontiers : A Journal of Research and Innovation,1-25.20Nov.2021,doi:10.1007/s10796-021-10222-9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8604707/

Morrison,ToddG.,RudolfKalin,andMelanieA.Morrison."Body-ImageEvaluationand Body-ImageInvestmentAmongAdolescents:ATestofSocioculturalandSocial ComparisonTheories." Adolescence,vol.39,no.155,2004,pp.571-92 ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/body-image-evaluation-investment-among/ docview/195940965/se-2.

Nasir,Tahreem,andEmaan,Imran."ImpactofFitspirationImagesonSocialMediaand BodyImageComparisonsAmongYouth." Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan, vol.60,no.1,2023,pp.35 ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/impact-fitspiration-images-on-social-media -body/docview/2789205675/se-2.

Ortiz-Ospina,Esteban.“TheRiseofSocialMedia.” Our World in Data,2019.

https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-social-media

Papageorgiou,Alana,etal.“‘WhyDon’tILookLikeHer?’HowAdolescentGirlsView

SocialMediaandItsConnectiontoBodyImage.” BMC Women’s Health,vol.22,no.1, June2022.EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.avoserv2.library.fordham.edu/10.1186/s12905-022-01845-4

Zsila,Ágnes,etal.“IndividualDifferencesintheAssociationBetweenCelebrityWorship andSubjectiveWell-being:TheModeratingRoleofGenderandAge.” Frontiers in Psychology,vol.12,14May2021,https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.651067.

GMOs:TheUniversalRemedy?

EmilyTarrab

Ourworldcontinuestograpplewithnaturallypressingissues,facingvariouschallenges thathavelonghadasignificantnegativeimpactonbothourpeopleandenvironment.Currently, 828millionpeople,about10%oftheworld'spopulation,aresufferingduetotheterribleplight ofhunger.Meanwhile,climatechangeisintensifying,with34%ofCO2emissionoriginating fromfoodproductionandabout40%ofthoseemissionsattributedtoagriculture.Isitpossibleto addressworldhungerwithouthavingtolimitfoodproductiontoreducegreenhousegas emissions?UtilizingabiologicalapproachbyengineeringcropstocreateGeneticallyModified Organisms(GMOs)presentsaviablesolutiontoworldhungerwhilesimultaneouslydecreasing thevolumeofCO2emittedfromagriculture.

AGMOisalivingorganismwhosegeneticmaterialiseditedbyadvancedtechnologyso thatthealteredorganismcouldhavedesirablecharacteristics.Regardlessofthespeciestype, genescaneitherbeintroducedordeletedthroughengineering.Thegeneralprocessofinsertinga genestartsoffbyidentifyingthedesirabletraitinanotherorganism,then“copying”thegene, andfinally“pasting”itinsidetheorganism.Althoughbioengineeringmayseemlikeanalien processtomany,wehave,infact,beendoingthisforthousandsofyears.Circa8000BCE cross-breedingbegan,thebreedingoftwodifferentspeciestogethertoproduceabetter organism,inadditiontoselectivebreeding,whenhumanschoosetoonlybreedanimalsofthe samespecieswithbettertraitstogethertoproduceaneliteoffspring(Rangel).Bothofthese breedingmethodsresultinthemodificationofthespeciesgeneticmaterial,makingitno differentfrommoderngeneticengineeringandGMOfoods.Oneofthemostsignificantcasesof artificialselectionbegan9,000yearsagoinancientMexicowhenawildgrassspecies,teosinte,

wasbredthroughouthundredsofyearstoeventuallybecomewhatweknowtodayascorn, yieldingmuchbiggerearsandmanykernelsincomparisontoitsinitialform(“AncientDNA ContinuesToRewriteCorn’s9,000-YearSociety-ShapingHistory”) Utilizinggenetic modification,weareactivelycuttingdownhundredstothousandsofyearsrequiredtocrossor selectivelybreedorganisms,allowingourworldtoadvancemorerapidlyandefficientlythanit everhasbefore.

Therevolutionaryprocessofgeneticengineeringwasinventedin1973,when biochemistsHerbertBoyerandStanleyCohentransferredagenegivingabacterialstrain antibioticresistancetoanotherstrainofbacteria. yearlater,RudolfJaenischandBeatriceMintz furtherdevelopedthispracticebyinsertingDNA fromSimianVirus40intomouseembryos.Once theyreachedadulthood,thevirusDNAwas presentintheircells,showcasingthesuccessof geneticengineeringandfurtheringourunderstandingofhowforeignDNAcanintegrateintoan organism'sgeneticmakeup,potentiallyimpactingtheirhealth.Lessthanadecadelater,theFDA approvedthefirstbiosyntheticgeneticallyengineeredpharmaceuticalandthemostsignificantof themall--humaninsulin.Insertingtwopolypeptidechains,AandB,whichmakeuphuman pancreaticinsulin,intoacommonbacterialstrain,whichwaspreviouslygeneticallymodifiedto producelargeamountsofinsulin,enabledthebiosyntheticinsulintobecommerciallyavailable (“100YearsofInsulin”).Insulintherapy,utilizingrecombinantDNA,DNAartificiallycreated throughthecombinationofgenesfrommultipleorganisms,isstillinpracticetoday,helping about200millionpeopleglobally

TheFLAVRSAVRtomato,thesparkthatignitedthemodernindustryofGMagriculture, addressedthefrustratingproblemoffruitsandvegetablesripeningtooquicklybyreversingit. Evidenceinthe80sconcludedthattomatosofteningwasduetopolygalacturonase(PG),an enzymewhichdissolvesthecellwall.Calgene,aCaliforniabasedbiotechcompany,focusedon creatingareverse-orientationcopyofthegeneproducingPG,inordertosuppressthequantityof PGpresentinthefruit,thusallowingthetomatotoremainripeforlongerandhavealongershelf life.Onceinsertedintothetomato,thenewtomatolineonlycomprised1%ofthePGfoundin standardtomatolines,turningthisprojectintoasuccess.AlltheelementsoftheFLAVRSAVR tomatoareexactlythesameasitspre-geneticallyengineeredcounterparts.Itwasapprovedfor themarketbytheFDAin1994,followedby1.8millioncansoffoodlabeled“derivedfrom geneticallyengineeredtomatoes”beingsoldthroughsupermarketchains.ABritishdoctor, ArpadPusztai,thenpublicizedthathebelievedthebiologicalchangesheobservedinhistestrats weretheresultoffeedingthemGMOpotatoes,Zeneca, atomatopastecompanyandlarge customeroftheFLAVRSAVRtomatoes,hadtopulltheirproductsofftheshelves.Afterwards,it wasconcludedthatDr.Pusztaidisseminatedanincorrecthypothesisasaresultofprematurely analyzingthedataofhisexperimentsbeforeitwascompleted.Zenecatomatopastenever returnedtothemarket,resultinginanoticeabledeclineandprofitlossinCaliforniaagriculture (BrueningandLyons).

Misconceptionsandmythscirculatingaroundabstractprojectsandideasarealways inevitable;anobviousandpopularexampleofthisbeingGMOs.Whilemanycountriesrequire GMOproductstolabeltheirproductsinformingconsumers,itisalsoverycommontosee produceoringredientpackagingproudlydisplayingtheirnon-GMOstatus,inthehopesof encouragingshopperstobuytheir“safeandhealthy”product.AccordingtoPewResearch

Center,over51%ofU.Sadultsare“wary”ofGMOsafetybecausetheyare“unnatural”and “toxic,”leavingmanyconcernedduetothecrop’schangeinnutritionalcontentandthe possibilityofanallergicresponse.Additionally,manyareafraidofthepossiblenegativeeffect GMOsmayhaveonoffspring.AgroupofresearchersfromSouthDakotaStateUniversitytook ituponthemselvestotestthistheoryby feedingagroupofratsGMOcornthat wasmadetocarryBacillus thuringiensis(Bt),amicrobethat producesanaturalinsecticide endotoxin.Thefertilityandhealthof theembryosofratsfedGMOcornwere comparedtothosefedorganiccorn,andnodifferencewasfound.Anadditionaltestforthe potentialtoxicitybuildupandnegativeimpactsontheorgansoftheBtcornfedrats’offsprings wasconductedthroughthoroughexaminationsoverfourgenerationsofratsthatallconsumed thiscorn,trackingtheirtesticulardevelopments.TheresearchersconcludedthatGMOshadno effectonthem(Norris).

Fordecades,numerousexperimentsandresearchprojectshavebeenconducted,all provingthatconsumingGMOsareashealthyandsafeasconsumingtheirorganiccounterparts. Despitethisevidence,thefalsebeliefthatGMOsareextremelyharmfulpersists,hinderingour abilitytofullyutilizethisproductofbiotechnologytobenefitcountrieswithlargemalnourished populationsandchallengingclimate.Somecountries,includingIndia,China,Russia,andcertain EUandAfricancountries,haveimplementedcompleteorpartialbansonGMOs(Sohi).Onthe otherhand,intheU.S,manyGMcropsmakeupmoreofthecropgrownthantheirnon-GMO

equivalents,suchassoybeans(94%GMO),corn(92%GMO),canola,andcotton;manyof whichareusedasingredientsinthemassproductionofcereals,chips,andoils,ratherthanbeing directlysoldintheproduceaisle,afactthatmanypeopleareunawareof.

GiventheUN’spredictionthatby2050humanswillneedtoproduce70%morefood, CRISPR/Cas9,agroundbreakinggeneeditingtoolthatusesenzymesandguideRNAto preciselyalteranorganism'sDNA,canhelpusachievehighercropyields.Thisemerging technologyiscrucialformitigatingtheminimalrisksassociatedwithDNAmodificationandwill enhancetheefficacyofGMOsinagriculture.

Consideringthis,ourtechnologicallyandagriculturallyadvancedworldisequippedwith whatitneedstoaddressbothworldhungerandthesignificantvolumeofcarbondioxide emissions.Geneticallymodified(GM)cropscanbeengineeredtoexhibitthreekeytraitsto achievethisgoal.Firstly,thesecropscanresistspecificharmfulinsects,reducingtheneedfor pesticidespraysaccordingtotheFDA.Thisnotonlydecreasedtheemissionoftoxicairand waterpollutantsbutalsoreducestheCO2emissionsassociatedwithpesticideproduction. Secondly,theycanbeherbicideresistant,reducingthenecessityforsoiltillagetocontrolweeds, therebyenhancingsoilhealthandloweringfuelandlaborrequirements.Lastly,GMcropscan withstandplantvirusesanddroughtconditions,leadingtoanincreasedcropyield,especiallyin regionswhereitismoredifficultforagriculturetothriveandprovideforcommunities (“AgriculturalBiotechnology”).

Whilesomestrugglingcountries,suchasNigeriawithitsGMcowpea(Black-eyedpeas) andSouthAfricawithGMmaizeandsoy,haveembracedGMOsinagriculture,manyother developingnationsremainhesitant.Theprimarycausesofmalnourishmentandhungerinthese regionsareharshweatherconditionsandpoverty Agriculturecontributesapproximately60%to

acountry'sgrossdomesticproduct(GDP),sowhencropyieldsfailduetoadverseclimatic factors,foodpricessoarandthenationaleconomyplummets,leavingthecountryanditspeople inavulnerableposition.Insteadofincreasingfoodproductionandtransportationtothese regions,whichsignificantlyincreasesCO2emissions,GMOscanbreakthiseverlasting economiccycle.Byprovidingtheseregionswithcropsthatpossesstheuniqueabilityto withstandtheirextremetemperaturesandterrain,itcanmaintainthecountry'sagricultural economy,keepingitafloat(Omotoso).

However,ifthisweresimplythecase,worldhungerwouldhavealreadybeensolvedby now,andpovertywouldnolongerexisttotheextentthatitdoes.Almostallcountriessuffering fromfoodinsecurityhaveacommonexacerbatingfactor,whichisconflict.TheTaliban, throwing20millionAfghanmen,women,andchildrenintoseverehunger TheYemeniteCivil war,starving17million.AndintercommunalviolenceinSudan,forcingathirdofitspopulation intofamine.Despitethis,GMOscanstillmakeasignificantimpactbyreducinggreenhousegas emissionsinothercountries,abatingclimatechangeglobally(“GlobalFoodCrisis”).

GeneticallyModifiedOrganismsrepresentoneofthemostinnovative,realistic,and sustainabletechnologiesintroducedtoour21stcenturysociety,yetitsfruitscannotbe maximizedwithouttheeducationofothersonthehealthandsafetyofGMOs.Withafeasible solutioninourhands,wemustnotdismissitsimplybecauseitcannotfullyaddressthe humanitarianissueofworldhungerorthechallengeofclimatechange.Thefirststepto maximizingtheintegrationofGMOsintoourglobalpopulationistoinformandpromote understandinginthemarketoftheirpotentialbenefits.Thisapproachcanpavethewayformore informeddecisionsandwideracceptanceofGMOs,ultimatelyacceleratingthearrivalofa long-awaitedsustainablefutureforall!

WorksCited

“100YearAnniversaryofInsulin.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration,FDA, www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-history-exhibits/100-years-insulin

“AgriculturalBiotechnology.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration,FDA. www.fda.gov/food/consumers/agricultural-biotechnology.

“AncientDNAContinuestoRewriteCorn’s9,000-YearSociety-ShapingHistory.” Smithsonian Institution,www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/ancient-dna-continues-rewrite-corns.

BrueningandLyons.“TheCaseoftheFLAVRSAVRTomato.” California Agriculture, UniversityofCalifornia,AgricultureandNaturalResources, calag.ucanr.edu/Archive/?article=ca.v054n04p6.

“ClimateChangeandFarming:EconomistsWarnMoreNeedstoBeDonetoAdaptin Sub-SaharanAfrica.” PreventionWeb,17Nov.2023, www.preventionweb.net/news/climate-change-and-farming-economists-warn.

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“GlobalFoodCrisis:10CountriesSufferingtheMostfromHunger.” World Food Program USA, 9Mar 2023,www.wfpusa.org/articles/global-food-crisis

“HowDidTheyMakeInsulinfromRecombinantDNA?” U.S. National Library of Medicine, NationalInstitutesofHealth,www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/fromdnatobeer.

Jaenisch,R,andBMintz.“SimianVirus40DNASequencesinDNAofHealthyAdultMice DerivedfromPreimplantationBlastocystsInjectedwithViralDNA.” National Center for Biotechnology Information,U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine,Apr.1974, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC388203/.

Norris,MeganL.“WillGmosHurtMyBody?ThePublic’sConcernsandHowScientistsHave AddressedThem.” Science in the News, Harvard,17Jan.2021, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/will-gmos-hurt-my-body/.

Rangel,Gabriel.“FromCorgistoCorn:ABriefLookattheLongHistoryofGMOTechnology.” Science in the News, Harvard,23Oct.2016, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/from-corgis-to-corn-a-brief.

Sohi,Manreet.“AnalyzingPublicSentimenttowardGmosviaSocialMediabetween 2019-2021.” GM Crops & Food,U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine,31Dec.2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC.