Chapter 4 Activity and Chapter 5 Pause and Reflect

Kristen Halbritter
October 7, 2016
COMM 320
Chapter 4 Activity & Chapter 5 Pause and Reflect

Chapter 4 Activity

For the chapter 4 activity I chose to do the Mood Monitor Test from  http://mood-monitor.perbang.dk/
 to monitor possible depression I can potentially have.  My results on the Goldberg Scale according to this test is a 5 out of 53, which indicates that I have no obvious signs of depression and no depression is likely.  Additionally, it says that I accept the ups and downs which are a part of everyday life.  

I agree with the results.  I have never really felt chronically depressed and I think my future is full of hope and purpose.  Even if I did feel a little hopeless, I would remember that God has a plan for my life and wouldn't let it get me down.  Everyone gets sad and blue, but I am fortunate to rarely feel those types of feelings unless it is for obvious reasons.  I am also fortunate to be surrounded by people who love and care about me and would uplift me if I did feel somewhat depressed.  

Chapter 5 Pause and Reflect 

*All quotes found in the book 'Looking Out Looking In' on page 164

1) "Take a few minutes to listen to the inner voice you use when thinking.  Close your eyes now and listen to it. Did you hear the voice? Perhaps it was saying, "What voice? I don't have any voice..." Try again, and pay attention to what the voice is saying."

- My voice was thinking about the different things I need to pack for my camping trip this fall break and about the things that I need to do before leaving such as possibly watering my plants, finishing this assignment and cleaning up my room.   

2) "Now think about the following situations and imagine how you would react in each.  How would you interpret them with our inner voice? What feelings would follow from each interpretation?"

a. "While sitting on a bus, in class, or on the street, you notice an attractive person sneaking glances at you."

- At first I know I would question with my voice whether they are actually looking at me or at another person.  Knowing myself and being an introvert,  I would start to feel uncomfortable even though I think they're attractive and would think they're kind of sketch.  I would think to myself whether I'm sending out signals I'm not aware of and would probably try to figure out why they were looking.  Then I might proceed to move to get out of their field of vision because I would be a little creeped out. 

b. "During a lecture your professor asks the class, "What do you think about this?" and looks toward you."

- At first I know for sure that I would get butterflies in my stomach and would become extremely nervous because of my stuttering problem and possibility of talking about the wrong thing.  I would try to recall what they just talked about before asking the question.  I would be thinking with my voice "Oh goodness, what did they just talk about?!" and I would go over in my head quickly what I heard and what I should say before actually saying it.  If I had no clue what to say, I would just stay quiet until they looked to another person.  If they verbally asked me after giving me the look, I would say I didn't know or would risk saying something pertaining to the wrong subject. All this is assuming I wasn't paying attention previously.  If I did know what to say, I would still get butterflies in my stomach, would go over in my head what to say real quick, then say what I thought. 

c. "You are telling friends about your vacation, and one yawns."

- At first I would think with my voice, "What the heck?! How rude!" and then I would get a little upset at them.  I would feel disrespected and not really cared about.  If they were a good friend, why would they get bored or tired with me talking about my awesome vacation?  That would be my initial reaction, but if I knew they were tired and was sure that they do really care about me, I would just make a joking comment about the yawn or would just forget it happened in the first place. 

d. "You run into a friend on the street and ask how things are going. "Fine," she replies, and rushes off."

-At first I would think with my voice, "How strange of them to do that..."  Then I would proceed to question whether they were actually okay and would want to help them.  Rather, I would assume right off the bat that they were not doing 'fine.'  I would feel worried and would call for them or run after them and offer to help and get down to the bottom of the problem.

3) "Now recall three recent times when you felt a strong emotion.  For each one, recall the activating event and then the interpretation that led to your emotional reaction."

a. This last summer I had about a weeks time where I felt very anxious and worried.  The activating event was when someone very significant in my life expressed feelings of doubt about something very important to me.  I felt like this because I interpreted that in the near future I would be abandoned in a way.  That really worried me because I invested a lot in this 'something,' and it would greatly effect my life and future plans.  Everything turned out to be okay, though.

b. When my very loved Grandmother passed away in the beginning of the school year, I obviously felt very sad.  She helped my mother raise me, was very involved in my life, and was very important to me.  She was one of strongest supports in my life.  My sadness came from the interpretation that I will never see her again in this lifetime, that I will never get to hold her hand again or hear her sweet voice.  

c.  I felt happy when I found out that I am going to Aspen, Colorado with some of my family for a bit over Christmas break for an awesome ski vacation. I became even more happy when I found out that my boyfriend can come with me too!  My interpretation that made me so happy was that I get to finally ski again after years of not being able to cause of school, getting to see the new place my uncle has out there, and getting to go with my boyfriend who has never been to CO before.  Can't wait!