Discussion 17

● Do you agree or disagree that positive emotions can sometimes be harmful? Support
your position with examples from class.
I agree that positive emotions can sometimes be harmful. This is due to the recent research into
positive emotion disturbances for people with certain psychological disorders (I.E Mania/
Bipolar). There are many dimensions to positive emotions that determine whether it is functional
or dysfunctional; the size of the emotion, situation it unfolds in, specificity of which positive
emotion is felt, diversity of positive and negative emotions, self regulation on emotion, stability
or degree of change of positive emotions over time, and the degree of stiving one takes to feel
positive emotions.
Problems can occur when positive emotions are felt more intensely. There is evidence that
those with increased positive emotions partake in riskier behavior (binge drinking etc) and
heightened/ persistent emotions have been tied to psychopathy (mania/ bipolar). Heightened
emotions in those with Bipolar and mania are less able to gauge threats in risky situations
On the topic of self regulation- the ability to control the intensity of an emotion or how it is
expressed is related to greater well being. The ability to “read the room” and act accordingly is
necessary for us to adapt to social situations. If positive emotions are not regulated and occur in
excess or scarcely the social and mental effects become apparent and damaging.

Discussion 18
● What are some of the emotional effects of stress? How can emotional stress affect
physical immunity?
This response will encompass both information from the lecture and my own personal
experience with intense and chronic stress*
First let me start off by stating that to a degree stress is extremely helpful. When stress is
viewed as a challenge it is motivation. Our personal resources outweigh the demand of the
situation and allow us to feel fueled. When stress is viewed as a threat and exists in a long
lasting condition our bodies are not equipped to handle this and physical reactions occur. These
include; decreased immune system, upset stomach, lowered sex drive, decreased memory and
more.
In highschool I endured a period of chronic stress which lasted a little over a year. At that time I
was both incredibly freaked out by the effects of stress and extremely curious as to the effects
emotion has on the body. I noticed my own immune system greatly weakened as I caught
common colds and anything else rapidly and often. I also experienced ​Alopecia areata- ​when
the immune system attacks the hair follicles as a response to stress (yes, I did lose my
hair). This is due to a variety of factors of stress. hair loss can also be attributed to
Telogen effluvium​- when significant stress pushes large numbers of hair follicles into a
resting phase and within a few months the hair begins to shed.
In a way stress causes the body to shut down. Instead of fight or flight the third option
“play dead” somehow gets thrown in there.
It is important to note that all effects are reversible once the threat/stress is diminished.
 - Response to ​Nora Corser
Hi Nora, I really enjoyed reading your post due to the realness embedded in it.
You made such a good point about the graphs of trauma only spanding two
years when, in reality, trauma is much longer lasting and can come back in
waves/ episodes. Thank you so much for sharing your personal experience with
us and shining light that within two years, yes the pain of it does start to lessen
even if the “scars” of it hang out. I have never really liked the term resilience to
describe the aftermath of trauma as you never feel very resilient yet in the
definition of the word I would agree that we must be to recover.

Discussion 19

● What is the paradoxical pursuit of happiness? Should we strive to be happy?

The paradoxical pursuit of happiness is a concept that describes how attempting to gain
and achieve greater happiness can actually leave a person with less happiness. The
pursuit of happiness in itself places a larger value on happiness as a whole through this
lens. Consequently, we begin to seek happiness through greater means or higher
standards. At this point, the ideal happiness being pursued is out of reach. Since we
have inflated our sense of what is happiness in this concept, the acquisition of
happiness will not be satisfying and the pursuit will continue. This makes it so that the
pursuit of happiness resembles a circular cycle of never ending pursuit.

Even with the paradoxical pursuit of happiness in mind, one ought to strive to be happy.
A key take away from this concept is the perception of happiness. Devoid of this
perception, one would be said not to hold happiness to a high value. In turn, it is
possible to find happiness for people through smaller things that do not result in a
paradoxical pursuit of happiness. Since this is the case, we ought to strive to find
happiness without the ensuing inflation of value that accompanies such a pursuit.
Essentially, one does not typically pursue happiness. Rather, happiness is found and
such happiness ought to be strived for.

Discussion 20

● What is the growing role of social media on our emotional lives and relationships?
Will this help or hurt our emotional development as a species?
Oh gosh was a question. Social media is still relatively new and from my perspective the
role of social media changes with every year it grows. The broad role of social media is
that it provides us with a platform to connect and socialize with our peers when we are at
a greater distance. It has also become a workplace, somewhere to find inspiration and
somewhere to share thoughts and ideals. It is also a place of competition, comparison,
anonymous bullying, and gloating. The way you use social media and who you let on
your page determines whether this helps your emotional life by fulfilling it with social
interaction or dampens your life by filling it with competitive stress which will lower your
self- esteem.

I truly do not know whether social media overall will help or hurt our emotional
development. I think the era of competition and boasting may be a phase. It is still new,
we are still learning its place in our lives, and it feels good to show off what we have for
the world. But I think during current times and current movements social media has
become a place to foster and spread ideals, teaching us to sympathize with situations
we otherwise would not be witness to.

For me the jury is out.