Stockholm Syndrome

There was a morbidly fascinating story on the psychological dynamic between captor and captive in today's New York Times.

One would think that the captive would be overjoyed at being freed; but it's not that simple. People held for a long time in captivity like Jaycee Dugard develop ambivalent feelings towards their captors.

Excerpt from the article:

David Wolfe, professor of psychology and psychiatry said:

“The child is frightened, and the perpetrator works to gain or regain the child’s confidence, to come across as a really good person: ‘I’m not going to hurt you, everything’s going to be O.K.’ and so on.

“So the child never knows when to fight or run,” he continued. “Do I wait and it’ll get worse? Or do I believe him and I won’t be hurt?”

Humans are wired to form social bonds, and such scraps of kindness can deepen even a relationship built on manipulation and abuse.

?#@*&%!

A friend's 6 year old son recently asked the question: If you say bad words to a police officer, will he or she arrest you?

Maybe. But if you say bad words in a different situation, it might actually be helpful. That situation is: when you are in pain. That's according to this study.

Laughing Matter?

Regina Barecca, a teacher of English at University of Connecticut, wants to know: is the following joke funny? Why, or why not? You can post your opinion here.

A husband and wife were having dinner at a very fine restaurant when this absolutely stunning young woman comes over to their table, gives the husband a big french kiss, then says she'll see him later and walks away.

The wife glares at her husband and says, "Who the hell was that?"

"Oh," replies the husband, "she's my mistress."

"Well, that's the last straw," says the wife. "I've had enough. I want a divorce!"

I can understand that," replies her husband, "but remember, if we get a divorce it will mean no more shopping trips to Paris, no more wintering in Barbados, no more summers in Tuscany, no more Infiniti or Lexus in the garage and no more yacht club. But the decision is yours."

Just then, a mutual friend enters the restaurant with a gorgeous babe on his arm.

"Who's that woman with Jim?" asks the wife.

"That's his mistress," says her husband.

"Ours is prettier," she replies.

image: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/129/376588066_ae1f1f8363.jpg

What Disgusts You?

Psychologists at the University of Virginia have developed a fascinating battery of tests designed to both do research and give individuals insight into their moral and political outlooks.

One of the tests lets you know what disgusts you; another one asks what you would do for a million dollars.  The idea is that political conservatives feel disgust stronger, and have more of an aversion to violation of rules than liberals.

 www.yourmorals.org 

image: http://www.magazine.ucla.edu

Love with all the trimmings

A new study published strives to determine if it's true that love in a long-term relationship necessarily mellows out and and the couple becomes "companionlike".

They found, perhaps not surprisingly, that couples in long-term relationships who also had romantic love were the the most satisfied with their relationships.

Couples in long-term relationships that had companion-like love were only moderately satisfied with the relationship.

Couples in short-term relationships with passionate love were also satisfied with the relationship.

The researchers suggested that “Couples should strive for love with all the trimmings.”

Hear, hear!

(picture: roast turkey with all the trimmings, courtesy Wiltshire Farm foods)