Critical thinking

1. Read the quotation from D. Goleman’s book “Emotional Intelligence” on the role of family life for our emotional development and be ready to say whether you agree or disagree with the author and try to prove your view-point by giving examples from your personal experience or literature:

“Family life is our first school for emotional learning. Here we learn how to feel about ourselves and how others will react to our feelings; how to think about these feelings and what choices we have in reacting; how to read and express hopes and fears.

This emotional schooling operates not just through the things that parents say or do directly to their children, but also in the models they offer for handling their own feelings and those that pass between husband and wife. Some parents are gifted emotional teachers, others are awful.

How parents treat their children has deep and lasting consequences for the child’s emotional life”.

2. In University, in the classroom environment, like in any other setting where people work and spend a lot of time together, it is essential to have a positive emotional atmosphere which would contribute to more successful work and active participation of everybody so that students will show their best and achieve their best. Naturally, the teacher’s role is very important. Do you agree that in creating a friendly relaxed atmosphere in the classroom and outside it much depends on personal qualities and attitudes of every student? Explain your point of view.

3. Should the government have the right to demand that employees submit to the tests on polygraphs? Should national security take precedence over the rights of the individuals?

Role play

1. Emotions are often easily recognized because different emotions are characterized by their own specific changes in overt behavior and in their facial expression. Moreover, one even speaks about universality of emotions their overt expression. Think of some emotion, try to convey it through your facial expression for other students to guess and explain what it is. If their guess is wrong say what your facial expression was to convey.

2. Make up a dialogue with your partner. Choose one of the six situations connected with serious emotional problems given below. Words and expressions given may serve as a guide.

Situation 1. An 18-year-old girl is paying a visit to a counseling psychologist seeking his advice because she has serious emotional problems with boys.

Girl	Psychologist
to feel lonely; to feel embarrassed in the presence of … ; to be confused, shy; to avoid peers	to be the only child; self-centered; Are you satisfied with your appearance? (ab)normal relations with age-mates; I suggest that you spend more time with your age-mates

Situation 2. A University student goes to a counseling psychologist for advice. At exams he is usually so overanxious and tense that he can’t pull himself together and, though well prepared, can’t answer properly.

Student	Psychologist
My future depends on it; to be nervous, anxious; to fail; to overcome nervousness	to reduce anxiety level, to relax; to interfere with … ; I suggest that you volunteer to answer at seminars more often

Situation 3. A mother is worried about her son’s emotional instability and goes to a counseling psychologist for a piece of advice.

Mother	Psychologist
to be unmanageable; to fly into anger/rage; to take to alcohol and smoking; pocket money; You’ve taken a heavy burden off my shoulders;	What’s the matter with him? to invite friends; to be in the know of his life; to punish him; to be patient with him; I’m sure you’ll manage to cope with him;

Situation 4. A young executive finds it difficult to speak in public, so he is seeking advice from a counseling psychologist.

Executive	Psychologist
serious problems of emotional character; to stammer; to be irresolute; self-conscious; to be in two minds; My work suffers.	to overcome shyness; to lack practice and experience; There is nothing wrong with you; I suggest that you should attend group therapy sessions