This lab seems like it is heaven

http://www.stanford.edu/group/mcslab/cgi-bin/wordpress/examine-the-research/#project6
Remember this:

The Dynamic between Independence and Interdependence in
Middle Eastern Cultural Contexts

Although we have had increasingly close political and economic ties with the Middle East in the past decades, there has been very little research to understand the Middle Eastern cultural contexts so far. Existing few studies in the literature indicate that individuals in the Middle Eastern contexts possess independent and interdependent tendencies in different domains. Although they tend to have self- enhancing biases, such as unrealistic optimism, even more than the individuals in the Western contexts, they also tend to highly value conformity just as the individuals in the East Asian contexts do. In this research, we aim to understand the roots and nature of this dynamic between independence and interdependence in the Middle Eastern cultural contexts along with its implications for the relations between the US and Middle East

Social Butterflies

Speaking of where research ideas come from...I wonder if there has been  research done on social butterflies...I should look into this.

Bungee-Thoughts-Jumping!

At first sight, I must confess that I have been a bit dissapointed with the structures of the elective courses in the Master's program. We have 4-5 articles to read on motivation, power and leadership for each week, and what bothers me is not the amount of readings that we have, but not being able to discuss the articles in depth or writing our own critical analyses of the papers. This elective course I am taking has nothing different than the courses I had taken in my undergrad years. Then again, I am not even interested in all the articles we are supposed to read. I don't even have the slightest interest in some of them. So, I am kind off discontent with wasting time in reading uninteresting text and forgetting them right after the class.

It's 12am! Library is closing. Gotta go home. Argh neeee, it's raining (again). I'll be back here right away!!!

...

Well, I couldn't get back right away. After a 2-day long delay, I am finally back to blogging about...so where was I left???

Today, another colleague of mine burst into tears, after the one who did last week...I haven't boohooed yet and will probably never do, but the point is clear I guess. Us, the international students are not much satisfied with the courses and the structure of the research program.

Ok enough blah-ing. I now want to get into some interesting business. These are reminders for myself:

Possible Thesis Topics:
1) Explaining immigrant acculturation from the intersectionality theory perspecting by focusing on Turkish/Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands. - Ample research in social sciences, feminist sociology, gender studies, etc., but not in social psychology!

2) Domain dis-identification theory (Crocker, Major & Steele, 1998). Sounds familiar, eh? - The issue of domain dis-identification by minority populations (gender, ethnic/cultural, religious, etc.). - can possibly get better supervision in Leiden?

3) Highly interesting topic that I would like to read more: Coercive Persuasion (Brainwashing). Start with reading: http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/fear-cult-mind-control.php . Identify sources from psychology, and read read read!

How will I figure out what I want to do for my thesis when I don't even have time to finish my mandatory course work?!

p.s. Look into collaquia in Tilburg...seems like very interesting talks going on there!!!

And last but not least...

met vriendelijke groet,
P.


, 

Research ideas # 1

Once again, there were thousands of things that I could write in my blog, but I preferred to share most of my time interacting with people face-to-face rather than sitting in front of a computer and writing writing erasing writing again. The drive to socialize in the most direct way possible is at the maximum level for me...at least for now.

Leaving aside the reasons why I wasn't writing (yet again) to my new blog, I thought that I may as well share my research ideas here, so that this blog can at least function as a storage place for my psychology/scientific-related thoughts.

Check this out:
Social categorization (Ellemers, 2004) and ethnic/cultural minorities acculturation. Has there been research done on these concepts? Has social categorization theory been used to explain immigrants' acculturation processes, interactions with in-groups, and out-groups, group processes in multicultural settings, etc.???


Doesn't really make sense I know.

Soon to add rain to my perspective.

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of looking at things" said Henry Miller.

A new journey is beginning this Sunday. Just like the one before, I have lots of expectations along with lots of worries, and hopefully even more inexpectations!

Maybe, this time, I will completely be able to break my prejudices and obsessions. Have more time for productive thinking while sitting beside the canal or cycling in the rain with my red raincoat on.

I'll be writing about my life in Leiden and the Netherlands here when I'll feel like it.