As an avid Minneosota Wild fan, I was devistated upon hearing of Wild's defensman, Derek Boogaard's death. Standing at 6"8, 265 pounds, the "Boogyman" (as he was known) was an ultamite intimidating force that ensured justice on the ice. One of the most violent sports, hockey is one of the only profesional sports that allows fighting during games. At times, the sport appears more like WWE than hockey. Recently, 3 current hockey athletes died. All of them were intimidating enforcers like Boogard and all of their deaths were strongly linked to depression and suicide.
This raises a critical issue. To what extent, does violence contribute to depression? Is there something about the emotional distress of fighting night after night, that might predispose them to depression, addictive behavior, or suicide? Perhaps, repeated physical assult to the head affects the neurological process in the brain?
Emotions are in absolutly no way simple and there is no doubt that there are many variables that contribute to our everyday feelings. Chapter 11 discusses the differnet theories regarding emotion. For example, according to the James-Lange theory, our emotions result from our interpertations of our bodily reactions to stimuli. Cognitivists suggest that emotions are products of thinking. While these theories offer valuable insight, in psychology, it is important to study multiple levels of analysis. Personally, I believe that the nerological process in the brain plays a larger role in emotion than it is granted. Different nerotransmitters effect different emotions and dammage to certain neurological pathways can lead to negative reprecussions. While these deaths in no way gurantee causation, it does seem to suggest some degree of correlation. What are your thoughts, feelings and emotions?
1.)My favorite blog was " "Frickin' Dolphins with Fricken' Laser Beams on their Frickin' Heads" by hahta009 because it not only quoted a funny movie scene but also raised implications on the possibilities of shaping. The Skinnerarian tactics have huge potential beyond just fun shows in Sea World.
2.) My next favorite blog was "A Voice with No Words" by corr0147. It discusses the case of Genie, a girl who was neglected as a child and never learned to speak. Although the case was tragic, it seems to suggest that there is a critical period for development of language.
3.) My third favorite blog was "I remember nothing" by deere003 because it shows how succeptable memories are.
Furthermore there have been many former football athletes who have been diagnosed with depression. Most recently, former great-Walter Peton was revealed to have depression.
I liked how you linked something that is so broad like emotion to a subject quite narrow like suicide. Emotion is so complex and constantly evolving that it is difficult to find an answer to why/if fighting contributes to depression and ultimately suicide. Also I liked how you used an example that many people are interested in, hockey.