Author: sabrinasueiro

The famous saying that a picture is worth a thousand words perfectly describes the profound advertisement made by World Vision, a humanitarian aid organization. This advertisement depicts a young white girl clothed in purple pajamas with blue polka dots, possibly around eight-years-old, reading a book in her perfectly arranged vibrant pink room. The floor is carpeted with a white rug, and there’s a pair of slippers as well as toys scattered in the room. The girl is sitting in her twin bed with an elegant white leather bed frame wrapped in a cozy pink blanket. The pink silk trim on the blanket runs feet back to a dark, uninsulated cement room with a young Indian girl, around the same age, sewing the trim. She is wearing a blue dress resembling a hospital gown with a long-sleeve patterned shirt underneath. The girl is at a table with a sewing machine with only one lamp towering over her providing her light to work. She is sitting on a cardboard box with fabrics on top in order for her to be able to reach the table. There is also another cardboard box covered with fabrics behind her. It the corner of this advertisement it says in all capital letters, “not every child gets a childhood.” This organization purposefully used a white girl to be the one in the room that bright and bubbly. The colors used to decorate the room greatly impact the image, pink is a comforting, warm color, and white is a pure innocent color. The combination of these two colors brightens the image, emphasizing the luxury and difference to the back of it. The back of the image, where the young girl is sewing, only has monotoned dark colors besides the pink tying the two separate situations together. The Indian girl is depicted in the background, symbolizing that she is not in anybody’s forethought. The fabrics are neutral colored, but appear to be dirty. The only light shining is a fluorescent desk lamp, the darkness of the room makes this advertisement even more powerful. The difference between the light of the two areas serves to create emotion from those who look at it. It shows the dark reality of how our products are made, at the hands of a child. The pink trim connecting the two girls, I believe, is meant to represent the connection between them. Regardless of race, different social and economic status, they are just two little girls. This organization is trying to bring light to the reality of what is going on in order for mass production to occur. Sadly in some countries, children are seen as adults and forced to go to work. They never have time to be a child, all due to the economic status they were born into. This organization wanted to show side by side, the reality behind how products are made to get an emotional response from their audience. In a society where capitalism runs the economy, products in stores are key to keeping the country going. Without realizing it, the country is run on the labor of children. It is not slavery, because they are getting paid. But it is pennies on the dollar. Nonetheless, it is no excuse for the children sacrificing their childhood for money.

Psychology is the study of human behavior and the brain, something that’s intangible. Studies and their results are key to being taken seriously in the science community. Experiments are key for these studies, and sometimes the questions are based around vulnerable participants. Children and adolescents are placed in morally reprehensible situations, all in the name of science. It is argued over whether the experiment and the results that came from it justifies those who were harmed in the process. It was not until recent history that we have taken notice, and claim, of the actions in the scientific community regarding experiments. Psychologists also have codes of conduct which they must follow in order to protect the participants involved in research as well as the credibility of the psychologist and psychology as a whole. 

It is hard to imagine people participating in a case study unknowingly in today’s society, but it wasn’t too long ago that horrific unethical ones were being conducted. One that stuck with me was the John/Joan case. In the 1960s, psychologist and sexologist John Money, who was employed at the John Hopkins Hospital, prompted the gender reassignment of Reimer. Reimer who was born a male, but endured irreparable harm to his penis in a botched circumcision as a child. It was only after the support from Money that persuaded Reimer’s parents to make the decision to raise him as a female. Reimer then underwent gender reassignment surgery and given female genitals. Reimer was actually the very first gender reassignment on a person who was born normally. His name was changed to Brenda, and as Reimer grew up, he received estrogen. Throughout his adolescence, Reimer was never told they he was biologically born a male. He even met with Money routinely and was unaware that he was the experimental subject in his experiment. This caused Reimer to suffer from severe depression and suicidal ideologies from a young age. He didn’t find out the truth until his father told him when he was fifteen years old. The trauma that Money caused a poor innocent child since birth is unfathomable. Reimer’s battle with mental illness ultimately lead to his death, he was only thirty-eight when he committed suicide. 

The John/Joan case is sadly only one of many psychological case studies involving unwilling and unknowing adolescents. Some psychologists are only fixated by the outcome and potential breakthrough in their theory and psychology. To attempt and manipulate someone else and potentially negatively impact the rest of their lives is a position no psychologist or researcher can ever take. Lives have been destroyed all due to data to back up theories. Children like David Reimer never get justice. It is necessary for the scientific community to have ethical rules and guidelines, and limit how far they’re willing to go.

My research paper is going to be about psychological experiments on children throughout history. I will include many case studies on children and analyze them to determine if was justified. As well as if it was worth the breakthrough in Psychology, or if there wasn’t one. My plan is to begin the intro with my position on the topic then I will dedicate each paragraph to a single case study and the affect it had on its participants. I will begin writing the essay a little everyday because if not I would get overwhelmed and get stuck on the essay. I am anxious on if my essay will flow together, and how I will rebuttal the counterargument. Since this is such a huge part of our grade, I am also anxious on making sure it is well done. 

For my essay, I will engage in the investigation of psychological experiments on children throughout history and whether or not the ends justify the means. I will use many experiments in my essay that were performed at various times, as well as experiments where the subjects did not consent to participate in. By using many different experiments in different time periods, it will help to develop how psychologists in the past got away with so many verses how in today’s society it isn’t as easy to do. This essay will serve as an in-depth analysis of specific experiments, how it affected the participants, and if psychological advances were made due to them. I changed my topic from all human experiments to just experiments performed on children.

This paper proposes to engage in the investigation of psychological experiments on humans throughout history and whether or not the ends justify the means. I will use many experiments in my essay that were performed at various times, as well as experiments where the subjects did not consent to participate in. By using many different experiments in different time periods, it will help to develop how psychologists in the past got away with so many verses how in today’s society it isn’t as easy to do. This essay will serve as an in-depth analysis of specific experiments, how it affected the participants, and if psychological advances were made due to them. If the experiments mean to justify the means, is it still ethical to put participants through psychological torment?

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The Fermi Paradox is defined as the obvious contradiction between the fault of proof of extraterrestrials and their civilization anywhere in the Milky Way galaxy. It is argued that there is a very high chance that planets similar to Earth have already started to acquire intelligent life. Another aspect of this Paradox is that the intelligent creatures would most likely desire to explore space and colonize what they could, but it hasn’t happened. The major question involved in this idea is why. Why hasn’t there been anything found that can back up the scientist? And what if not coming across from extraterrestrials is a good thing. I believe that if the human race ever faced whatever is living out in space because there is no way it’s just us, it would end horribly.

The theorist that came up with this theory believed that some excuses as to why we’ve never come in contact with them are due to how far they are. There are no aliens or any artifacts that would support the theory that they exist, but considering that interstellar travel is so slow it would take around 5 to 50 million years to colonize the universe. (1) Maybe they are still on there way here, or possibly too far to ever be able to communicate but the theorists don’t stop there. They believe that the extraterrestrials would most likely use probes to explore more of the universe and that we should have found bits and pieces of those already. In the Great Filter theory, it is believed that the extraterrestrials had reached a massive stage of evolution that it killed more of there civilizations. There is also an argument that technological civilizations most likely destroyed themselves after being able to progress radio and or spaceflight technology. (1)  I believe that intelligent life is real, there is no possible way that humans are the most intelligent species in the entire universe but the Fermi Paradox won’t ever come up with evidence. It’s all math and the chances of ever receiving anything to back up the theory are so slim to none that we’ll never truly know. 

Although the entire conversation about aliens and how in depth the Fermi Paradox theory got into it, I believe they exist. I don’t think they resemble the cartoon character humans have depicted of a green, big-headed, black-eyed creature and I don’t think I’ll ever even have an idea of what they look like but the universe is too vast to not have life. One of the aspects of the Fermi Paradox that I’m not sure if I believe or not is the idea that humans should have found bits and pieces of probes or old technology from them. If they don’t want to be discovered, I genuinely believe they won’t. This is a theory I never believe will get solid evidence to back it up considering the mathematics aspect of it tells us theres such a slim chance to come across any evidence none the less actually come into contact with the intelligent life.

In To Meme or Not to Meme, Walker wrote a concise, well supported, and organized article on how memes are playing a role in the epidemic of mental illness. Walker expressed that this new comfort has lead to the growth of dark-humored memes that deals with mental illness. Walker continued to argue that the memes make light of a serious problem, and the memes don’t emphasize how dangerous and unhealthy it truly is. Walker does a fantastic job of formatting, organizing, and researching her article. In the introductory paragraph, she uses pathos to grab the reader’s attention and keep them interested. Walker used ethos to show her audience that what she wrote about means a lot to her. Walker did an excellent job to leave the audience with a powerful topic to think about, and how they can help. The argument is organized in a logical manner, leaving little to no room for the reader to be confused or grasp the severity of the situation. She restates in numerous ways and explanations that people who suffer from mental illness can use memes to cope, and or promote unhealthy habits. If Walker did not show so much vulnerability, her authority would not be as strong as it is. In showing her vulnerability, she shows the audience that this is a topic that can affect anyone and she knows first hand what memes can do to someone with a mental illness. Generation Z is the ones who are going to be affected the most, their entire lives they’ve been glued to technology, and as they get older social media. There is no way to get around it. Walker experienced first hand the severity and potentially fatal consequences of what dark-humored memes can do to someone who is struggling. Not only did she flawlessly do so, but she additionally added evidence from credible sources as well as real memes from the internet to get her point across.

Ethos/Authority:

• Mentions credible sources, for example, Loughborough University, Common Sense Media studies, clinical therapist Meghan O’Flynn, US Department of Health & Human Services
• Uses quotes + citations
• Talks about her own experience with mental illness

Pathos/Emotion:

• She used emotion to make the audience care about her point by talking from her personal struggle with depression and suicide
• This article was on a serious topic so it automatically catches the attention/ emotion. She used studies that showed that gen z is being most affected and that something needs to be done 
• Only used recent studies/ reputable sources that backed up her argument, she used the examples in an honest way to back up what she argues with facts 
• Inserted memes to add a visual aspect/ real examples that got a lot of online attention
• Used quotes to show how serious the subject was  

Logos/Reason:

• Used credible quotes to show how the memes can harm people, example: “Direct and indirect exposure to suicidal behavior has been shown to precede an increase in suicidal behavior in persons at risk for suicide, especially in adolescents and young adults” (US Department of Health & Human Services)
• Backs up what she says with studies, credible people 
• Added real memes/ tweets to back up what she was saying 
• Gave an example of the origin of internet memes about mental illness

Kairos/Occasion:

• This topic is a current issue/ gave examples and evidence on how it is affecting teenagers/ young adults 
• Used relevant social media apps that the audience could relate to 
•  With the increase of technology/ social media, this issue can only get more relevant

Structure:

•  Organized the essay in a clear and concise way, had evidence to back up her argument(not just her thoughts on it)
• Each paragraph flowed with the one before, gave evidence and explained the quotes she put in 
• Introduction paragraph gave a personal aspect to the argument making it more personal and relatable 

Persona:

• The author gives a personal aspect to the argument, this shows that the argument she is giving is relevant to teenagers and young adults

Tone /Diction: 

• Serious tone 
• Used words that trigger serious, emotional responses 
• Didn’t try to make light of the situation, kept the serious tone throughout the entire essay

Audience: 

• teenagers/ young adults
• Generation z 
• The author reaches them by using relevant social media and things that her audience can relate to 
• The author wants to bring light to the serious effects that the dark memes have on vulnerable people 

• Identify the thesis and its location. Why is it there? The thesis is at the end of the first paragraph, “The root of this unrecognized internal turmoil was an acclimation to suicidal tendencies, one of the core values in today’s memes. That’s right: internet memes played a role in my depressive spiral.”

• Who are they citing as evidence? American Psychological Association, Loughborough University, Common Sense Media, social media applications, American Behavioral Scientist,  NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness, and other credible sources

All days are unremarkable until it isn’t, April 22nd, 2017 was one of those days. I wish I could tell you how the morning started off, but it was truly unremarkable. The day started for me when my mother shouted to me from down the hallway, she turns her phone to me and showed me a picture of Douglas. She held a phone in her hand, shaking and pale she looks at me with such dread in her eyes. Without even speaking, I knew something horrible happened. My knees gave out from underneath me as if the air around me all of a sudden decided to become ten times heavier. She asked, “Do you know him?” Squeaking out a yes passed the knot that was in my throat. I collapsed on the floor. Tears pouring from my face. She got on her knees and held me tight. Then she said the words that would change me forever, “Sweetie, he died in a car accident this morning”. 

Every moment, every laugh, every conversation we ever had just flooded my brain. The last time I saw him was as I was driving with my mom on the main road in town. Douglas and Jaylee were opening the doors to the little kitchen. In my usual self, I screamed their names out the window, startling them. Then they turned around waving and laughing at me. Nobody thinks the last time they would see their friend would be them entering a Chinese restaurant. But then again, life doesn’t tell you how things will work out. There’s never a reason or a sign that tragedy is going to strike, and the explanation is dwarfed by the pain caused by it. And now with the loss of our friend, it makes me wonder about myself. About my own mortality and how I want to live my life before it happens. I knew what death was, but I didn’t know what death meant.

Hi! My name is Sabrina Sueiro, and I’m from New York. I’m majoring in Psychology with a minor in Forensic Science. I have a golden retriever named Kasey, and a cat named Crystal. I adore animals; I’ve actually been a vegetarian for 5 years. Some of my hobbies are reading, drawing, hanging out with friends, and watching TV. A few of my favorite TV shows are The Office, The Sinner, Criminal Minds, Grey’s Anatomy, and Queer Eye.

I can’t wait to get to know you all!