The best defense against authoritarianism? More educated citizens.
For democracy to prosper in the long term, we need more people to reach higher levels of education.
02 March, 2021
Credit: slexp880 via Adobe Stock
- It's difficult to overstate the impact of technology and artificial intelligence. Smart machines are fundamentally reshaping the economy—indeed, society as a whole.
- Seemingly overnight, they have changed our roles in the workplace, our views of democracy—even our family and personal relationships.
- In my latest book, I argue that we can—and must—rise to this challenge by developing our capacity for "human work," the work that only humans can do: thinking critically, reasoning ethically, interacting interpersonally, and serving others with empathy.
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<p>Until now, it's fair to say that technology and artificial intelligence have tended to make people more passive participants in society. Too many have lost the ability to play an active role in the economy as AI has disrupted the workplace. Too many have become passive consumers of information and are living in self-imposed bubbles of belief. And too many have withdrawn into passive lives of isolation apart from any meaningful engagement in their communities or, in some cases, even their families.</p>
<blockquote>When considering human work and the future of democracy, it's impossible to avoid the rise of authoritarianism throughout the world.</blockquote>
<p>How does one escape the temptations of an AI-created bubble of information and belief? The answer, obviously, is to burst the bubble—to escape by being exposed to ideas and experiences that are fundamentally different from our own.</p><p>This begins by being exposed to people who are different from us—who have different beliefs, values, cultures, and life experiences. Human work offers this chance because it is built on human attributes such as empathy, openness, and flexibility—precisely those needed for strong communities and a strong society. The results we need to assure through human work are not just higher incomes but also openness to different cultures, willingness to engage individuals with different ideologies and perspectives, increased likelihood to vote and volunteer, and recognition of the value of open markets and free, democratic systems of government. The characteristics of human work have much more than economic consequences; they are the lifeblood of free people and societies.</p>
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People with higher levels of education are less inclined toward authoritarian political preferences.
Credit: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis of data from the World Values Survey (WVS), 1994–2014.
<p>When considering human work and the future of democracy, it's impossible to avoid the rise of authoritarianism throughout the world. According to <a href="https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/authoritarianism/" target="_blank">new research</a> from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, the alarming increase of authoritarianism on a global scale can't be considered in isolation.</p><p>The postwar world order was based on the expectation in the West that democracy was spreading throughout the world, country by country, and would eventually become the preferred form of government everywhere. Foreign relations were based on the broad consensus that established democracies should be vigilant and unwavering in offering military and cultural support to emerging democracies. Democracy spread throughout Latin America and even appeared likely to take root in China. The end of the Cold War seemed to confirm the inevitability of democracy's spread, with only a few old-style authoritarian systems left in Cuba, North Korea, and other poor, isolated countries.</p><p>Today, the tide seems to be turning in the opposite direction. Authoritarianism—particularly in the form of populist nationalism—has returned to Russia and parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America. China appears resolute in maintaining state control over political and cultural expression. And we now understand clearly that not even the United States and Western Europe are immune from authoritarianism's allure.</p><blockquote>Today, nearly a third of Americans who haven't gone to college believe that having a "strong leader" is good for the country, compared to only about 13% of those with a bachelor's degree.</blockquote>
<p>Of course, much of that allure is based on fear—fear of change, fear of loss of advantage, fear of the other. Authoritarian leaders and wannabes exploit this fear by appealing to group identity and cohesion and by defining those who appear different as a threat. We should recognize that authoritarianism is not just imposed from above—at least, not at first. It is an individual worldview that everyone to a greater or lesser extent is susceptible to. Research on authoritarianism supports the idea that preferences for conformity and social cohesion are among the psychological tendencies that predispose people toward preferring strong hierarchical leadership styles. In other words, individuals who have a greater preference for group cohesion are more inclined to feel threatened by diversity, be intolerant of outsiders, and react by supporting authoritarian leaders.</p><p>With its preference for conformity, authoritarianism is a clear threat to liberal democracy and the diversity of expression, belief, and ways of living that it is designed to protect. But the same education system that prepares people for work can play a role in protecting our democratic way of life. Numerous studies going back decades and conducted throughout the world have shown that higher levels of education are inversely correlated with authoritarianism.</p><p>Today, nearly a third of Americans who haven't gone to college believe that having a "strong leader" is good for the country, compared to only about 13% of those with a bachelor's degree. Meanwhile, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center study, about a quarter of people with a high school diploma or less say "military rule would be a good way to govern our country." Only 7% of college grads support that view.</p>
<blockquote>People with higher levels of education are much less likely to be authoritarian in their child-rearing preferences than others. The shift toward raising children who themselves are more tolerant, independent, and inquisitive may be education's most profound effect on society.</blockquote>
<p>Why does education thwart authoritarian attitudes? At its best, higher education strives to promote independent thought and critical examination of established orthodoxy, not to mention inquisitiveness and curiosity. All this stands in stark contrast to the blind acceptance of information and opinion from authorities. Higher education also exposes people to diverse ideas and cultures, showing that differences are not as bad or as dangerous as people may have been conditioned to believe. Education helps people to better understand abstract principles of democracy and equality and how to deal with complexity and differences in society. Education also helps improve interpersonal communication skills—essential for civic participation in a democracy.</p><p>But perhaps the most powerful reason education is an antidote to authoritarianism lies even deeper. People with higher levels of education are much less likely to be authoritarian in their child-rearing preferences than others. The shift toward raising children who themselves are more tolerant, independent, and inquisitive may be education's most profound effect on society.</p><p>Of course, formal learning cannot on its own change the equation, but absent well-informed citizens who can critically judge the ideas and perspectives of those who hold office, the consequences will be chilling. When the former president of the United States invents "facts" or tells outright lies, dismisses scientific evidence, and demonstrates a stunning ignorance of history, the consequences are real for those who have not developed their own critical-thinking capacities.</p><p>So, the greatest contribution of a better-educated population to shared prosperity is that educated citizens are the best defense against the threats to our democratic way of life. The debate about President Donald Trump's and others' perceived threats to democracy will linger, but for democracy to prosper in the long term, we need more people to reach higher levels of education.</p><p><em>This is an edited excerpt from Chapter 6 of</em> <a href="https://bigth.ink/3uNgqPM" target="_blank">Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines</a><em>, by Jamie Merisotis.</em><em></em></p>
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How the pandemic has affected mental health internet searches
Did America's collective mental health get worse (and then better) after the first COVID-19 lockdown?
08 February, 2021
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- According to a new study, there was an influx of internet searches for mental health symptoms during the beginning of the pandemic, and this has slowly trended downwards.
- Researchers looked at whether mitigation policies correlated with Google searches for terms associated with depression and anxiety between January and June of 2020. Additionally, they monitored search terms for in-home activities.
- While searches for antidepressants and suicide did rise when social distancing measures were being implemented, research shows the search terms exercise and cooking also rose.
<p><strong>The beginning of COVID-19 in America: </strong></p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>On January 21, 2020, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) confirmed the first case of CoV-SARS-2 (COVID-19) in the United States. </li><li>On February 3, 2020 (three days after the World Health Organization declared a Global Health Emergency), a public health emergency was declared in the United States. </li><li>A little over a month later, on March 13, 2020, a national emergency was declared. </li><li>Over the next few months, various parts of the world (including the United States) would implement various levels of precautions: stay-at-home orders and restrictions to try to curb the spread of the virus. </li><li>By the end of May 2020, the United States COVID-19 death toll passed 100,000. </li></ul><p>Within four months, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, and our society was faced with unprecedented circumstances. (For a full timeline of COVID-19 in America, <a href="https://www.ajmc.com/view/a-timeline-of-covid19-developments-in-2020" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here</a>.) While researchers were hard at work attempting to learn more information about the virus and potentially come up with a vaccine, the mental health toll of the pandemic became noticeable. </p><p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X20302331?via%3Dihub" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to a new study</a>, there was an influx of internet searches for mental health symptoms during the beginning of the pandemic, and this has slowly trended downwards. </p><p>Study co-author Bita Fayaz Farkhad, PhD., explains to <a href="https://www.psychcongress.com/article/online-searches-related-mental-health-stabilized-after-spiking-early-pandemic" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network</a>: <em>"</em>We wanted to study how serious the mental health impact of the mitigation phase was during the initial COVID-19 outbreak last spring. Did it go beyond people feeling anxious or disheartened? Was it long-lasting, and did it increase suicide ideation and the need for medical treatment for depression?"</p>
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Mental health internet searches throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTYxOTM3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2ODAzNDUxN30.KY1F3g3HZf58zZvDIweCZlf4eJK57QZVQYj1s0Uvp8g/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C183%2C0%2C312&height=700" id="5da47" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e1dcdabb94dd518ad325750ecc847325" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="woman sitting inside looking outside concept of mental health depression anxiety sadness COVID-19" data-width="1245" data-height="700" />This is one of many studies that have examined the mental health impact of COVID-19 isolation orders.
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<p>In this study, researchers looked at whether mitigation policies correlated with Google searches for terms associated with depression and anxiety. Additionally, they monitored search terms for in-home activities. Researchers covered the time span from January 2020 to June 2020.</p><p><strong>Two previous studies have examined the mental health effects of stay-at-home orders. </strong></p><p>The first study (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X20302331?via%3Dihub#bib0155" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hamermesh, 2020</a>) used a simulation where time spent alone from the 2012-2013 American Time Use Survey forecasted negative impacts of the stay-at-home orders on happiness. </p><p>The second study (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X20302331?via%3Dihub#bib0050" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brodeur et al,. 2020</a>) examined the effects of the stay-at-home orders on mental health symptoms related to searches on Google. In this case, there were reported increases in searches relating to the following terms: </p><ul><li>"Boredom" </li><li>"Sadness" </li><li>"Loneliness"</li><li>"Worry"</li></ul><p><strong>In this study, limited social contact had people searching terms such as "isolation" and "worry." </strong></p><p>Findings from this study indicated that social limits (on restaurants and bars, for example) and stay-at-home orders correlated with immediate increases in searches for the terms "isolation" and "worry" - but the effects within a few weeks.</p><p><strong>The beginning of the pandemic showed significant spikes in mental health symptom searches.</strong></p><p>"At the outset of the pandemic, consistent with prior research, social distancing policies correlated with a spike in searches about how to deal with isolation and worry, which shouldn't be surprising," <a href="https://www.psychcongress.com/article/online-searches-related-mental-health-stabilized-after-spiking-early-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said co-author Dolores Albarracín, Ph.D.</a> "Generally speaking, if you have a pandemic or an economic shock, that's going to produce its own level of anxiety, depression, and negative feelings, and we had both with COVID-19."</p><p>Within two to four weeks of peaking, however, such searches tapered off, the study showed.</p><p><strong>Experts weigh in: time spent at home could be beneficial. </strong></p><p>Why would mental health-related searches taper off when the pandemic was still raging on? This study found that more time spent with family (or working from home, taking up new hobbies due to isolation) because of the stay-at-home orders could have lead to improvements in health and may counteract any potential negative health effect of the isolation policies.</p><p>It's also important to note that not all changes in mental health searches could be in response to the isolation policies being enforced. Historically, infectious diseases have been responsible for the greatest human death tolls and function as a massive stressor on society as a whole. </p><p><strong>Both positive and negative Google searches rose during the pandemic. </strong></p><p>While searches for "antidepressants" and "suicide" did rise at times when social distancing measures were being implemented, research shows the search terms "exercise" and "cooking" also rose. This suggests that people were actively searching for ways to combat the negative feelings the isolation measures brought out. </p>
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10 things you may not know about anxiety
Cold hands and feet? Maybe it's your anxiety.
19 January, 2021
Credit: Antonioguillem / Adobe Stock
- When we feel anxious, the brain's fight or flight instinct kicks in, and the blood flow is redirected from your extremities towards the torso and vital organs.
- According to the CDC, 7.1% of children between the ages of 3-17 (approximately 4.4 million) have an anxiety diagnosis.
- Anxiety disorders will impact 31% of Americans at some point in their lives.
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Here's what you may not know about anxiety...
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0ed8bd7fb8626babd10933f7ce630f96"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w4jiLIzTAa0?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p><strong>There's a fine line between stress and anxiety - and many people don't know what the difference is.</strong></p><p>Both stress and anxiety are <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/stress-anxiety-difference" target="_blank">emotional responses</a>, but stress is typically caused by an external trigger and can be short-term (a looming deadline at work, for example). People under stress experience mental and physical symptoms such as irritability, anger, fatigue, muscle pain, digestive troubles, insomnia, and headache. </p><p>Anxiety, on the other hand, is defined as a persistent, excessive worry. Even in the absence of the thing that triggered it, anxiety lingers. It can lead to a nearly identical set of symptoms, which is why they are often confused. Feelings of anxiety then differ from an anxiety disorder - an anxiety disorder means your anxiety typically persists for months and negatively impacts your daily functioning. </p><p><strong>There are five major types of anxiety disorders:</strong></p><ol><li>Generalized anxiety (GAD) is characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry, and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it. </li><li>Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (or obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). </li><li>Panic disorder is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and/or abdominal distress. </li><li>Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is also an anxiety disorder, and it can develop after exposure to a terrifying event in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include things like personal assaults, natural and/or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat. </li><li>Social Anxiety Disorder (also known as 'social phobia') is characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. </li></ol><p><strong>Anxiety disorders can impact 31 percent of Americans at some point in their life. </strong></p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/stress-anxiety-difference" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">American Psychological Association</a>, 19 percent of Americans over the age of 18 have had an anxiety disorder in the past year and 31 percent of Americans will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. </p><p><strong>Anxiety may be genetic. </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/is-anxiety-genetic#:~:text=Most%20researchers%20conclude%20that%20anxiety,and%20more%20research%20is%20needed." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According to HealthLine</a>, anxiety may be genetic but can also be influenced by environmental factors. It's possible to have anxiety without it running in your family, however, there is speculated to be some genetic component that makes anxiety more prevalent in some individuals. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573560/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Research</a> has indicated some link between genetics and anxiety, though much more research is required in this area. </p><p><strong>Anxiety often begins in childhood. </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html#:~:text=For%20children%20aged%203%2D17,also%20have%20depression%20(32.3%25).&text=For%20children%20aged%203%2D17%20years%20with%20behavior%20problems%2C%20more,also%20have%20depression%20(20.3%25)." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According to the CDC</a>, 7.1 percent of children between the ages of 3-17 (approximately 4.4 million) have an anxiety diagnosis. Six in ten children (59.3 percent) between the ages of 3-17 have received anxiety therapy or treatment. </p><p><strong>Having an anxiety disorder can increase your risk of other physical health complications. </strong></p><p>According to research from <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Harvard Medical School</a>, anxiety has been indicated in several chronic physical illnesses, including heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal conditions such as IBS, and more. </p><p><strong>Cold hands and feet? Anxiety may be the reason. </strong></p><p>If you're someone who constantly struggles with having cold hands or feet, it could be a result of your anxiety. When we feel anxious, the brain's <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response#:~:text=The%20autonomic%20nervous%20system%20has,can%20respond%20to%20perceived%20dangers." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fight or flight instinct</a> kicks in, and the blood flow is redirected from your extremities towards the torso and vital organs. </p><p><strong>Anxiety can be related to anger issues and memory loss. </strong></p><p>A lesser-known side effect of anxiety is <a href="https://discoverymood.com/blog/anxiety-and-anger/#:~:text=Anxiety%20is%20often%20connected%20with,which%20can%20lead%20to%20anger." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">anger</a>. When you feel powerless over a situation, expressing anger is a natural way to feel as though you have some kind of control. With chronic sufferers of anxiety, depression is the most common issue to develop, but anger is close behind. As <a href="https://discoverymood.com/blog/anxiety-and-anger/#:~:text=Anxiety%20is%20often%20connected%20with,which%20can%20lead%20to%20anger." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Discovery Mood</a> explains, "anxiety is often connected with overstimulation from a stressful environment or threat, combined with the perceived inability to deal with that threat. In contrast, anger is often tied to frustration. When anxiety is left unacknowledged or unexpressed, it can turn into frustration which then easily leads to anger." </p><p><strong>Anxiety can also cause memory problems. </strong></p><p>According to <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/memory-loss/art-20046326#:~:text=Stress%2C%20anxiety%20or%20depression%20can,loss%20by%20interacting%20with%20medications." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mayo Clinic</a>, stress, anxiety, or depression can often cause forgetfulness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/anxiety-and-memory-1393133" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">VeryWellMind</a> explains further, "memories can be affected when you are under periods of stress or experience some sort of disturbance in mood. Having a significant anxiety disorder like GAD can create some of these problems routinely, leaving you operating below your normal level of memory functioning." </p><p><strong>Anxiety can even impact your sense of smell. </strong></p><p>People who struggle with anxiety may be more likely to label natural smells as bad smells, according to research published in the <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/39/15324" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Journal of Neuroscience</a>. When processing smells, typically it's only the olfactory system that is activated. However, in people with high anxiety levels, the emotional system can become intertwined with the olfactory system, which can slightly alter our perception of smells.</p>
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Sexual harassment claims from "non-stereotypical women" seen as less credible
A new study shows that beauty standards affect whether or not accusers are believed.
15 January, 2021
Credit: David Pereiras / Adobe Stock
- Sexual harassment is behavior characterized by the making of unwelcome and inappropriate sexual remarks or physical advances.
- Results of a 2018 survey showed that 81% of women (and 43% of men) had experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.
- According to a new study published by the American Psychological Association, women who do not fit female stereotypes for beauty are less likely to be seen as victims of sexual harassment, and if they claim they were harassed, they are less likely to be believed.
**Trigger Warning: this article mentions sexual violence (in the context of rape, sexual assault, and sexual coercion). Reader discretion is advised.**
<p><strong>What is the difference between sexual assault and sexual harassment? </strong></p><p><a data-linked-post="2645300825" href="https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/sexual-assault-psychology" target="_blank">Sexual assault</a> is classified as any type of sexual activity (including rape) that happens without your consent. Sexual harassment is defined as behavior that is characterized by the making of unwelcome and inappropriate sexual remarks or physical advances. </p><p><strong>How common is sexual harassment? </strong></p><p>A <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/21/587671849/a-new-survey-finds-eighty-percent-of-women-have-experienced-sexual-harassment?t=1610689553301" target="_blank">National Study on Sexual Harassment and Assault</a> from 2018 surveyed 2009 adults (18+). This included 996 individuals who identified themselves as female and 1013 who identified themselves as male. The results of this survey showed that 81% of women (and 43% of men) had experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ1NTg4NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NjM4MTI3M30.52wi07xlNiIhGz8SwW_oW19UAkBO0lzCE3qqtWJRsGY/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C438%2C0%2C438&height=700" id="f1858" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3709bef713dd50c5346f43a13e9f1145" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="sexual harassment complaint form sexual harassment victim" data-width="1245" data-height="700" />
<p><br></p><div></div><ul class="ee-ul"></ul><ul class="ee-ul"></ul><div></div><ul class="ee-ul"></ul><ul class="ee-ul"></ul><div></div>The study conducted a series of 11 multi-method experiments, involving over 4,000 participants.
Credit: Andrey Popov / Adobe Stock
<p><a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/apa-shc011221.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According to a new study</a> published by the American Psychological Association, women who do not fit female stereotypes for beauty are less likely to be seen as victims of sexual harassment, and if they claim they were harassed, they are less likely to be believed.</p><p>"Sexual harassment is pervasive and causes significant harm, yet far too many women cannot access fairness, justice, and legal protection, leaving them susceptible to further victimization and harm within the legal system," study co-author Cheryl Kaiser, Ph.D., of the University of Washington <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/apa-shc011221.php" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>. </p><p>According to Kaiser, sexual harassment claims were deemed less credible (and the harassment was perceived as less psychologically harmful) when it targeted a victim who was less attractive and/or did not act according to the stereotype of a typical woman. </p><p>The study conducted a series of 11 multi-method experiments, involving over 4,000 participants. It was designed to investigate the effects a victim's fit to the concept of a typical woman had on participants' view of sexual harassment (and the consequences of that mental association). In five experiments, participants read scenarios in which women either did or did not experience sexual harassment. Participants assessed the extent to which these women fit the idealized image of women, either by drawing what they thought the woman might look like or selecting from a series of photos. Across all experiments, participants perceived the targets of sexual harassment as more stereotypical than those who did not experience harassment.</p><p>In the next four experiments, participants were shown ambiguous sexual harassment scenarios which were then paired with descriptions or photos of women who were either stereotypical or not. The participants then rated the likelihood that the incident constituted sexual harassment. According to authors of the study, participants were less likely to label these ambiguous scenarios as sexual harassment when the targets were non-stereotypical women (compared with stereotypical women), despite the fact that, in some cases, the incident was the exact same.</p><p><strong>The final two experiments in this study found that sexual harassment claims were often viewed as less credible when the victim adhered less to the typical female stereotype.<br><br></strong>Even when a stereotypical woman and non-stereotypical woman submitted the same claim, it was deemed as less credible if the woman was perceived as less feminine. Additionally, the participants found the harassment to be deemed as less psychologically harmful when experienced by a non-stereotypical female.</p><p>"Our findings demonstrate that non-stereotypical women who are sexually harassed may be vulnerable to unjust and discriminatory treatment when they seek legal recourse," co-author Bryn Bandt-Law, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, explained in an interview. "If women's nonconformity to feminine stereotypes biases perceptions of their credibility and harm caused by harassment, as our results suggest, it could prevent non-stereotypical women who are sexually harassed from receiving the civil rights protections afforded to them by law."</p><p><strong>**If you or someone you know has experienced sexual harassment or assault, contact the <a href="https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline" target="_blank">National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline</a> at 800-656-4673. You are not alone.**</strong></p>
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How to outsmart your COVID-19 fears and boost your mood in 2021
First, recognize that our genes make us worrywarts.
28 December, 2020
Photo by panitan punpuang on Unsplash
After a year of toxic stress ignited by so much fear and uncertainty, now is a good time to reset, pay attention to your mental health and develop some healthy ways to manage the pressures going forward.
<p>Brain science has led to some drug-free techniques that you can put to use right now.</p><p>I am <a href="https://www.ebtconnect.net/team" target="_blank">health psychologist</a> who <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a181/476b71de9c9fa3957999af6008a16887974a.pdf?_ga=2.158649086.574190440.1608500635-1725141847.1606132202" target="_blank">developed a method</a> that harnesses our rip-roaring emotions to rapidly switch off stress and activate positive emotions instead. This technique from <a href="https://www.ebtconnect.net/science" target="_blank">emotional brain training</a> is not perfect for everyone, but it can help many people break free of stress when they get stuck on negative thoughts.</p>
<h2>Why the stress response is so hard to turn off</h2><p>Three key things make it hard to turn off stress-activated negative emotions:</p><ul><li>First, our genes make us worrywarts. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived by assuming every rustle in the grasses was a lurking hungry lion, not harmless birds hunting for seeds. We're essentially programmed to be hyperaware of threats, and our brains rapidly launch stress chemicals and negative emotions in response.</li><li>Second, the <a href="https://share.upmc.com/2016/09/about-brain-chemicals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">chemical cascade</a> of stress hormones in the brain associated with negative emotions impairs cognitive flexibility, goal-directed behavior and self-control.</li><li>Third, our tendency to <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-21674-005" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">avoid dealing with negative emotions</a> puts people in a perpetual cycle of ignoring unpleasant feelings, which amplifies stress and the risk of emotional health problems.</li></ul><p><img alt="Brain illustration" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/376443/original/file-20201222-21-8nxpl7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip"></p><p>Thought vs. emotion in the brain.</p><p>Laurel Mellin, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-ND</a></p><p>Traditional approaches for coping with stress were based on <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470241/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cognitive-behavioral therapy</a>, which focuses on modifying patterns of thinking and behavior. It was developed before our modern understanding of <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.09.011" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stress overload</a>.</p><p>Researchers at New York University <a href="http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1305706110" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">discovered a paradox</a>: Although cognitive methods were effective in low-stress situations, they were less effective when dealing with the high stress of modern life.</p><p>Emotional brain training works with these high-stress emotions in an effort to tame them, releasing negative emotions as the first of two steps in preventing stress overload.</p>
<h2>Step 1: Release negative emotions</h2><p>The only negative emotion in the brain that supports <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-10051-023" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">taking action</a> rather than avoidance and passivity is anger.</p><p>Studies have shown that the <a href="http://doi.org/10.1037/a0020655" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">suppression of anger</a> is associated with depression and that <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychophysiology/article/abs/emotion-regulation-affective-cognitive-and-social-consequences/552536BD5988D0D2079A7E0CC82E1ED8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">suppressing anger doesn't reduce</a> the emotion. <a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/01.PSY.0000040949.22044.C6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Healthy release</a> of anger instead has been found to reduce other stress-related health risks.</p><p>Our technique is to switch off stress overload by using a controlled burst of anger to help the brain exert better emotional control and allow emotions to flow rather than become chronic and toxic. After that first short burst, other feelings can flow, starting with sadness to grieve the loss of safety, then fear and regret, or what we would do differently next time.</p><p>You can talk yourself through the stages. To experiment with the process, use these simple phrases to express the negative feelings and release your stress: "I feel angry that …"; "I feel sad that …"; "I feel afraid that …"; and "I feel guilty that …"</p>
<h2>Step 2. Express positive emotions</h2><p>After releasing negative emotions, positive emotions can naturally arise. Express these feelings using the same approach: "I feel grateful that …"; "I feel happy that …"; "I feel secure that …"; and "I feel proud that …"</p><p>Your mindset can quickly change, a phenomenon that has many potential explanations. One explanation is that in positive states, your brain's neural circuits that store memories from when you were in the same positive state in the past can be spontaneously activated. Another is that the switch from negative to positive emotions quiets your sympathetic nervous system – which triggers the fight-or-flight response – and activates the parasympathetic system, which acts more like a brake on strong emotions.</p><p>Here's what the whole stress relief process might look like like for me right now:</p><ul><li>I feel angry that we're all isolated and I can't see my new grandson Henry.</li><li>I hate it that everything is so messed up! I HATE THAT!!!</li><li>I feel sad that I am alone right now.</li><li>I feel afraid that this will never end.</li><li>I feel guilty that I am complaining! I am lucky to be alive and have shelter and love in my life.</li></ul><p>Then the positive:</p><ul><li>I feel grateful that my daughter-in-law sends me photos of Henry.</li><li>I feel happy that my husband and I laughed together this morning.</li><li>I feel secure that this will eventually pass.</li><li>I feel proud that I am doing the best I can to cope.</li></ul><p>After a daunting year, and with more challenges ahead in 2021, upgrading your approach to emotions can be a drug-free mood booster. Our COVID-19 fears need not consume us. We can outsmart the brain's fear response and find moments that sparkle with promise.</p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laurel-mellin-239264" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Laurel Mellin</a>, Associate Professor Emeritus of Family & Community Medicine and Pediatrics, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-california-san-francisco-689" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of California, San Francisco</a></em></p><p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-outsmart-your-covid-19-fears-and-boost-your-mood-in-2021-149139" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">original article</a>.</p>
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