Susan Pinker TED Talk PDF

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This assignment consisted of listening to the TedTalk of psychologist Susan Pinker. Questions on the video are answered with descriptions....

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Susan Pinker TED Talk ● Do you agree with Pinker’s research? I agree with Pinker’s research, it is very well organized and she has lots of background sources to prove that social integration is essential in living a longer life. The examples of families she used helped me understand the concept more in depth. ● Can you notice changes in your own attitude on days when you interact with people around you more frequently as opposed to days in which you don’t? Within my own attitude, I do feel better and more productive when I interact and socialize with people. It makes me feel good and welcomed in a way. If I am having a bad day it is very good to hear positive comments from people even if it's as little as “have a nice day” or “how are you doing”. Interacting with others also allows for me to focus in the moment rather than be caught up in personal problems or overthinking things in my life. I never noticed how much it impacts me prior to this video, and I think this is important for people to know how much of a positive impact this has on our daily lives. ● Do you agree with her belief that social media can’t substitute for encounters “IRL”? Why or why not? I agree with Pinker that social media may not be the best substitute for real life interactions. Making eye contact or shaking someone's hand does have a greater impact than just a text or call on the phone. Being in person is different as you can see facial expressions and get a better feel of that person's energy. I also agree with Pinker that technology is evolving and can definitely improve over the years and make us feel even more connected without being face-to-face. But, I believe that if someone does not leave their house or have any social interactions that day, it is important they use social media to interact. It is better than not interacting with people at all since keeping in touch with friends and family is a good thing to do and can help brighten someone's mood.

● Can you think of some ways in which to apply information about “social integration” into your own life? How would you go about it? To apply social integration into my own life, I can bond more with my family and friends by making plans with them in person instead of facetiming and texting. Since social media is a big part of the world today, there are many ways for people to limit social interaction and do things right through their phone. This unfortunately decreases interactions I have with people and can possibly shorten my lifespan! I usually order food and items right through my phone but I can start to limit that and order things in person to allow for more face-to-face encounters....