Chapter 22. Psychology - Part 2 Academic Words

Active Vocabulary General and Academic Words - Amy E. Olsen 2013

Chapter 22. Psychology
Part 2 Academic Words

FAQs on Growing Up

Welcome to Kids Grow!

We hope you will enjoy interacting with parents, grandparents, guardians, educators, and others interested in the well being of children. To help you become acquainted with the site, read over our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Q. What changes should I be aware of in my child's first five years?

A. Children go through numerous mental, emotional, and physical changes. Parents can help children to mature in a healthy fashion by understanding the transformations their children will experience. Two basic changes are the assertion of independence and an awareness of a wider world. Children begin establishing their independence from roughly ages one to three. This time is commonly known as "The Terrible Two's," and it can be a trying period for adults when children routinely use "No" to assert themselves. From approxi­mately ages three to six, children come to be aware of a wider world around them and start to ask "Why" (another test of the patience of nearby adults). Most of the changes will be subtle with parents noticing differences over a period of months. For more information on life stages, start by examining the pioneering studies done by psychologists Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson.

Q. Is there really a best parenting style?

A. The actions of parents can encourage or suppress a child's development. Three basic parenting styles exist: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative. Authoritarian parents set strict rules and punish children who don't obey, often by using physical methods. Children of parents who use this style often display inhibitions, such as being withdrawn. Conversely, permissive parents defer to their children's wishes, make few rules, and rarely follow through on those they do make. Children raised in this manner often display immature behavior and have poor grades. Between these two styles are authoritative parents who set high but realistic expectations for their children. They are also willing to talk to their children about the reasons for the rules they make. Authoritative parents tend to endow their children with the socially desirable skills of self-reliance and high self-esteem.

Q. What help should I try to get for my teenager who is exhibiting possible psychological problems?

A. Start by looking for a therapist that you and your child feel comfortable talking with and one who acts in a professional manner. Psychological problems may stem from biological and or environmental factors. What happens in a child's early years is often crucial to one's later life. Many fears can be traced back to traumatic childhood experiences, such as claustrophobia coming from being locked in a closet as a form of punishment. Various types of obsessions—cleanliness or aggression—may require therapy to over­come. Look for help from a professional who can find the underlying causes of a mental problem.

Predicting

For each set, write the definition on the line next to the word to which it belongs. If you are unsure, return to the reading on page 146, and underline any context clues you find. After you've made your predictions, check your answers against the Word List on page 151. Place a checkmark in the box next to each word whose definition you missed. These are the words you'll want to study closely.

Set One

yield

restraints on behaviors 

changes

to repress

hard to see

□ 1. transformations (line 7) ...

□ 2. subtle (line 14) ...

□ 3. suppress (line 18) ...

□ 4. inhibitions (line 22) ...

□ 5. defer (line 22) ...

Set Two

disturbing

furnish

basic or concealed

a fear of small or enclosed places

ideas that excessively occupy the mind

□ 6. endow (line 28) ...

□ 7. traumatic (line 34) ...

□ 8. claustrophobia (line 34) ...

□ 9. obsessions (line 35) ...

□ 10. underlying (line 36) ...

Self-Tests

1 Match each vocabulary word with the words that could be associated with it.

Set One

1. suppress     a. change, makeover

2. traumatic     b. yield, delay

3. underlying     c. repress, censor

4. defer      d. painful, shocking

5. transformation    e. basic, hidden

Set Two

6. endow      f. slight, faint

7. subtle      g. constant, fixation

8. obsession     h. give, donate

9. inhibition     i. small, fear

10. claustrophobia     j. restraint, shyness

2 Finish the sentences with the vocabulary words. Use each word once;

Vocabulary list

obsession

underlying

defer

inhibition

endow

subtle

claustrophobia

traumatic

transformation

suppress

1. This summer the core of the downtown area will experience an amazing ... as five high rises replace century-old structures.

2. The taste is ..., but I can detect a bit of cinnamon in these cookies.

3. Ms. Lee has promised to ... two million dollars to the college when she dies.

4. Quan tried to ... his feelings, but he eventually had to tell Araceli how he felt about her.

5. I will ... to your judgment on this matter. You have much more experience in selecting wines.

6. Her ... has prevented Hana from ever going in the water. She is afraid to wear a swimsuit and expose her body to public view.

7. Len won't be joining us on the submarine ride because he suffers from ... .

8. After thinking about it over night, I was able to figure out the meaning of the ... man's final words in the short story I just finished.

9. The woman's ... with glass figurines is beginning to have serious consequences.

Her family can no longer eat at the dining room table because it is covered with them.

10. The automobile accident, which resulted in two fatalities, was a ... experience for everyone involved.

3 Pretend you are engaged in the following activities, and match each to the word it suggests.

Vocabulary list

endow

subtle

defer

inhibition

suppress

traumatic

claustrophobia

underlying

transformation

obsession

1. You are the head of a committee that decides to delay making an important decision until it receives a report that contains helpful information.

2. You are afraid to speak in front of more than four people.

3. You go from being inactive to running four times a week.

4. You discover that a fear of starving based on food shortages in your youth is the reason you overeat as an adult.

5. You give your children an interest in art by taking trips to museums.

6. You keep storing old newspapers in your garage even though you have no use for them.

7. You stop yourself from eating a second slice of pie.

8. You are afraid of getting into an elevator.

9. You suggest a vacation to your spouse by leaving brochures around the house.

10. You are four years old and separated from your parents in a busy mall.

Identify the two vocabulary words represented in the photographs.

Collocations

After her divorce, Yvette underwent a complete transformation. I didn’t recognize her since she lost sixty pounds, cut and colored her hair, and started wearing dresses. (Chapter 22)

Because combat can be,a traumatic experience for many soldiers, counseling can be an effective way to help them transition back to their daily activities. (Chapter 22)

Some students do not know how to make judicious use of their time; therefore, they end up doing projects at the last minute. (Chapter 23)

Though we all agree that the process for submitting forms could be easier, Elena continues to belabor the point at every staff meeting. (Chapter 23)

Interesting Etymologies

Claustrophobia (Chapter 22) comes from the Latin claustrum, "a place shut in," which comes from claudere, "to close." With the addition of the Greek phobos, "fear," claustrophobia means "a fear of small or enclosed places." The word was first used in the British Medical Journal in 1879.

Obsession (Chapter 22) comes from the Latin obsessio, "to occupy." In the past, it referred to an evil spirit that was trying to take over or occupy a person. Today the meaning is not as supernatural; it is "an idea that excessively occupies the mind."

Interactive Exercise

List two examples of a time or place that could be associated with or connected to each word. Example: transformation—In the novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; a garden in the spring

claustrophobia

1. ...

2. ...

defer

1. ...

2. ...

endow

1. ...

2. ...

inhibition

1. ...

2. ...

obsession

1. ...

2. ...

subtle

1. ...

2. ...

suppress

1. ...

2. ...

transformation

1. ...

2. ...

traumatic

1. ...

2. ...

underlying

1. ...

2. ...

Play Games with Words

To make reading and vocabulary fun, learn to enjoy using words in recreational contexts.

✵ Pick up the Sunday paper. and do the crossword puzzle.

✵ Buy popular games that are based on using words such as Scattergories, Bananagrams, Scrabble, or Boggle. Invite your friends over to play. Also try online games such as Words With Friends.

✵ Play simple word games when traveling-for example, using words that are at least five letters long, the first person says a word and the next person must say a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word: backward, doctor, rabbit, talking. girls.

✵ Write cards, e-mails or text messages that play with language-for example, write a thank-you note that uses several synonyms to express what a "great" time you had: wonderful, magnificent, fabulous, splendid. Your friends will enjoy getting your cards or messages.

Word List

Words to Watch

Which words would you like to practice with a bit more? Pick 3-5 words to study, and list them below. Write the word and its definition, and compose your own sentence using the word correctly. This extra practice could be the final touch to learning a word.

Word

Definition

Your Sentence

1.



2.



3.



4.



5.