Throughout this whole course I can definitely say that I not only have grown a lot more as a writer but also as a critical thinker when it comes to my writing. This course has helped me to explore different topics, sources and even research methods that I will utilize for the rest of my college journey. I have also learned how to look at and analyze different perspectives and evidence with a much clearer mindset than I used to. The writing assignments in this course have allowed me to become way more skilled with breaking down ideas and integrating my sources into a essay. This course also allowed me to have a supportive learning environment through things like peer reviews, constant feedback and even the smaller class size which made it so much easier and better for me to build on my writing skills and build connections with my peers. This course has played a very big role in building my writing and strengthening my research skills which is shaping me into a way more prepared college student. 

    The first assignment that I will be reflecting on is my analysis essay on naturalistic observation. While writing this essay I was able to really understand naturalistic observation on a much deeper level and I was able to learn so much more about naturalistic observation while writing this paper. This essay has helped me to strengthen not only my analysis skills but also my ability to be able to connect real world experiences and observations to research and psychology.

     The next assignment I will be reflecting on is my personal essay. I feel very proud of the essay that I put out and it allowed me to really dig deeper into my life experiences and putting these experiences into words really helped me to see just how much they have shaped and affected my life as I continue to grow as a person. Writing this essay really allowed me to break down and analyze my emotions and thoughts instead of just ignoring them and brushing them aside. I believe that I did really well on this essay because of the fact that I was able to explain my experiences in a way that I haven’t done before and reflect on them to make a meaningful essay to me. This assignment also helped me to strengthen my writing skills since it allowed for me to be more open and detailed in my writing. This assignment allowed me to not only accept myself and who I am but also show me just how much writing can be such a powerful tool when reflecting on yourself. 

    The last assignment that I will be reflecting on is my research paper. I believe that I did really well when it came to presenting my arguments in this essay and backing them up with sources. Writing this assignment really helped me to grow so much as a researcher and writer and also allowed me to strengthen my analysis skills. This essay helped me to improve my abilities to add in quotes correctly when utilizing my sources/evidence and also transitioning between ideas. This essay also made me so much more aware of how culture can really play a big influence in how people go about their mental health struggles/experiences and how important it is that we work on trying to find solutions to this big issue. Overall this assignment not only taught me how to write a much more structured essay that what I use to write but it also allowed for me to think critically about the world around me.  

    In conclusion, this course has had such a big impact on not only my growth as a writer but this course also challenged me in so many different ways which only helped me to improve when it comes to analyzing, expressing myself, researching and structure. I went from breaking down concepts in my analysis essay to being able to write about my experiences in my personal essay and then lastly developing a strong research essay. Every single piece of writing that I have done in this class has contributed to my development when it comes to my writing. This course also helped me to understand just how much power writing has when understanding topics, whether it be personal or academic. The really supportive environment and the constant feedback played such a big role in shaping me to be a better writer and a better student. As I continue with my academic career I will always carry the skills that I have learned in this course with me. 

There are thousands of different cultures that are in this world and these cultures for many shape how they perceive things. However, to every culture there are good and bad aspects. A big issue that many cultures face is the topic of mental health and mental illnesses. For many people in these cultures, struggling with mental health not only becomes a personal issue but also shameful in their families who brush off or don’t understand the gratitude that is mental health due to many cultures associating mental illnesses as weak. This can greatly affect people in these cultures making them scared to seek out help due to the pressures of their families. In today’s essay we will be discussing how culture can influence how mental illnesses are perceived.  

    One big example of how culture can influence how mental health can be perceived is in East Asian culture/communities. Japanese and Chinese cultures in particular have a very strong tradition when it comes to maintaining their families honor which leads to expectations being placed on emotional restraint. In their article  “The role of culture in the stigma of mental illness” anthropologist  Lawrence H. Yang and his colleagues (2007) explain that “mental illness is stigmatizing; it reflects poorly on family lineage and can influence others beliefs about the sustainability of individuals for marriage.” (p.55). The essence of Yang’s argument is that the reason why talking about mental illnesses is so looked down upon in these cultures is because of the way it would make the family image look which could ruin in their eyes potential marriages or opportunities. These cultures’ ideas of maintaining their families honor and in a way “saving face” most times then not discourages people of these communities from talking about their mental health issues because admitting to mental illnesses is seen as a sign of weakness and essentially reflects badly on the rest of the family. A 2020 article published by BMC Psychiatry explains that “the particular manifestations of stigma… are shaped by cultural meanings embedded in Confucianism … and the centrality of ‘face’ (i.e. one’s moral standing within society)” (Wang et al., 2020, p. 3).  Due to this many people in these cultures tend to stay silent about their mental illnesses instead of speaking out and gaining the proper treatment and counseling. Their choice to stay silent is due to the cultural pressures of their families/communities to maintain a mask of strength and perfection. 

       Similarly these same patterns are seen in so many West African cultures where their ideas of mental illnesses stem a lot from a religious and spiritual standpoint. In these cultures serious mental illnesses such as severe depression or schizophrenia are seen as being linked to being possessed or cursed. This leads to families in these cultures relying on spiritual healing rather than proper medical health for people who are going through these mental illnesses. Another example of this is in Latin families who value the idea of personal strength which contributes to how people go about mental illnesses. In these Latin cultures they call pushing through something, aguantar, which pushes the idea that hiding their mental struggles is important so that they don’t appear weak or to avoid stressing others out. In their study of marianismo and self-silencing, Cano et al. (2020) found that “higher scores on externalizing self-perception and divided self were associated with higher odds of depression” (p. 720).  These patterns in these cultures show that mental health problems are commonly dismissed or made to seem lesser than they truly are which leaves many to deal with these problems by themselves and suppressing them which only makes the problems worse. Cultures play a big role in whether or not mental illnesses are taken seriously or dismissed and not seen as serious as they should be. 

      Another very important factor that influences how cultures perceive mental illnesses is due to gender roles in these cultures. In a lot of cultures the gender roles revolving around men and masculinity can make it very hard for men to seek out help when dealing with mental health problems. A publishing by Seidler et al. (2016) found that “conformity to traditional masculine norms … impacts their attitudes to, intention, and actual help-seeking behaviour” (p. 6). This idea of gender roles is especially present in Latin communities and certain African cultures in which the traditional ideas of masculinity and strength in men usually discourages emotional weakness in men. Also a study on East Asian men titled “Traditional Masculinity and Men’s Psychological Help-Seeking: A Meta-Analysis” showed that “higher endorsement of traditional masculinity … is correlated with negative attitudes toward psychological help-seeking … and higher self-stigma”. These gender roles and expectations not only affect the men but also the women who due to these gender roles and cultural ideas prioritize their family over their own emotional well being. A research on Latin women from “Exploring the Role of Marianismo and Loneliness in Latinas’ Physical and Mental Well-Being” written by Gallegos & Segrin states that “Being Latina was associated with family pillar marianismo … that was associated with lower loneliness … lower loneliness was subsequently associated with … lower depression …”  These gender roles in multiple different cultures only build on how much mental illnesses are brushed aside in these communities as they look at talking about mental illnesses as a weakness. These cultural ideas make it extremely hard for men and women to seek the help that they need.

     Another very important factor of culture affecting the stigma of mental health is among Latin Women who are expected to follow the idea of being emotionally restrained or self sacrificing. This means that Latin women are to put their families needs above their own personal health and well being which can make it very hard for these women to go out and seek help for their mental health. Another key factor that plays a role is self silencing which is similar to self sacrificing. Self silencing is withholding your emotions or thoughts in order to maintain peace or gain approval.  In their study about Latina women, Cano et al(2020) states that “higher scores on externalizing self-perception and divided self were associated with higher odds of depression.” Which shows how self sacrificing can lead to bigger health problems within Latin women. Also, Kosmicki (2017) found “positive correlations between Marianismo identity and self-silencing, and between self-silencing and both anxiety and depression,” which shows that these cultural expectations can not only shape behavior but also affect your mental health. Research also shows that in marianismo beliefs it strengthens the idea that Latin women should keep the peace in their home even if it is at the cost of their own mental well being. A study of Latin women that was exposed to discrimination states that the “distressed marianismo” is associated with the highest levels of depressive symptoms (Jones & Briones, 2022). These studies showcase and dive into the gender roles and cultural expectations in these Latin communities which causes significant mental health struggles in these women and prevents them from seeking help.  

      The last important factor of how culture shapes and influences the perception of mental health and illnesses is the role of expectations in communities. In many cultural groups the surrounding community acts as a second family which can increase the negative stigma of mental health and the struggles of speaking out. In these communities your public image and reputation is a big thing and it makes it harder for people to feel comfortable in speaking out about their mental health in fear of their community judging and shaming them. A study in the “International Journal of Social Psychiatry” explains that “community judgement plays a significant role in whether individuals disclose or seek treatment for psychological distress.” (Shin et al., 2019, p.88). This shows that people in these communities try to avoid help for their mental health not because they want to but because they are scared of being talked about and judged in their community. Another example of this comes from a study in Latin and African communities that states “concerns about being labeled ‘crazy’ or unstable contribute to delays in accessing professional support.” (Alarcorn & Parekh, 2020, p.14). The pressures from their communities make these mental health challenges not only personal struggles but also social struggles as well. Admitting to suffering from mental health problems whether it be depression or anxiety could really damage someone’s social reputation in these communities. This really shows just how much cultural expectations can influence someone’s behavior when it comes to their mental health. These communities prioritize social reputation over someone’s well being which can cause people to keep quiet about their struggles mentally in order to protect that social reputation and to avoid being talked negatively about. This causes the stigma about mental health in these communities to be passed down  from generation to generation which will never break the unhealthy cycle that has been normalized by these cultural/community beliefs. 

     To sum it up, culture plays a very important role in shaping how mental health and mental illnesses are perceived in different communities. Whether its due to protecting your family honor in Asian cultures, how mental illnesses are perceived spiritually in African communities or if it’s upholding self sacrifice in Latin families, these cultural expectations and ideas greatly influence how someone in these communities go about their mental health. Gender roles in these cultures also makes it more difficult for men to show a weaker side of themselves or for women to prioritize their health instead of their families for even just a moment. All of these factors contribute to the stigma that these cultures have about mental health and just how misunderstood mental health is. Understanding just how these cultures shape the perceptions of mental health in their communities is only the very first step in potentially breaking these cultural cycles.  

Cano, M. Á., Castillo, L. G., Perez, A., et al. (2020). Marianismo, self-silencing, and depression among Latinas. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 8(3), 717–725.

Gallegos, M. L., & Segrin, C. (2024). Exploring the role of Marianismo and loneliness in Latinas’ physical and mental well-being. Health Communication, 39(12), 2884–2895.

Jones, M. K., & Briones, M. (2022). The impact of Marianismo on the association between intersectional discrimination and depressive symptoms among Latina women: A profile analysis. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 10(4), 304–321.

Kosmicki, M. (2017). Marianismo Identity, Self-Silencing, Depression and Anxiety in Women from Santa María de Dota, Costa Rica. Cuadernos de Investigación UNED, 9(2), 202–208.

Levant, R. F., Hall, R. J., Weigold, I. K., & McCurdy, E. R. (2023). Traditional masculinity and men’s psychological help-seeking: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Men’s Health, 17(1), 1–22.

Seidler, Z. E., Dawes, A. J., Rice, S. M., Oliffe, J. L., & Dhillon, H. M. (2016). The role of masculinity in men’s help-seeking for depression: A systematic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 49, 106–118.

Shin, Y., et al. (2019). Community judgment and mental health disclosure. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 65(1), 88–95.

Wang, X., et al. (2020). Cultural stigma and mental illness in Confucian societies. BMC Psychiatry, 20, 1–9.

Yang, L. H., Kleinman, A., Link, B., et al. (2007). The role of culture in the stigma of mental illness. Social Science & Medicine, 64(7), 1524–1535.

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Growing up throughout my school years I’ve seen many different things and been through many different situations however there was always one thing that stuck out for me due to how much it has followed me throughout my life. Growing up I never really had a problem with how I sounded to others until I started to hear the same thing over and over again. “You talk like a white girl” or I “talked white”. I heard it so often, especially in my middle school years that I started thinking the way I spoke was a problem and I started to second guess myself every time I spoke. It has me wondering if I switched up how I talked if it would make me fit in better with certain crowds. 

      For a very long time I didn’t fully understand just how much that subtle type of judgement could very well take a big toll on a black girl’s mental health especially at a young age. When people mock or question the way someone speaks or acts, not only is that judgement but it also sends a message to people who go through it that if they don’t speak a certain way then their blackness is being betrayed. The pressure that people like me go through with stuff like this, as we’re always trying to prove that we are “black enough” can damage people’s confidence in themselves.  It can cause people to not want to act like themselves more if it just leads to being judged and it makes it hard to be at peace in our minds as well. 

      I recall back in ninth grade when I was in the afterschool program at my school we had been playing a game of Uno. I was getting out of my shell and talking to the kids around me trying my hardest to sound confident in myself. At one point after I had finished talking to someone a girl on the side had spoken up and said “Why do you talk like that…you sound like a white girl.” It wasn’t my first time hearing this in school in general but at the moment I just didn’t know how to respond. I laughed it off and tried to pretend like it didn’t bother me but it really did. After that moment I started to second guess myself every time I spoke. I tried to change how I spoke around certain people even if it felt unnatural to me. It was always exhausting to put up a front just to feel accepted by people of my own community. That’s what really bothered me the most, if it was outsiders it wouldn’t be so bad but hearing it come from my own community just didn’t feel good. 

     As I get older and continue to grow as a person I am realizing that I don’t need to change or alter the way I speak just to please other people. Who I am as a person will always be who I am and I won’t keep trying to change myself to fit in because then I won’t feel true to myself. I also began to realize that there isn’t a way to “sound black”. Everybody has a different voice that fits them and who they are and a way someone sounds doesn’t prove what race they are. It took a lot of time but I have learned to embrace my voice and the way I speak without worrying about what others think or have to say about it. I surround myself with people who accept me for who I am and I’m not letting what people have said in the past or even if it comes up in the future again to have power over me. How I speak doesn’t make me less than what I am, all it does is make me me. Realizing this has really helped me to build confidence in myself and to stop trying to fit in with others who will always have something negative to say.

       These experiences in my life have really taught me a lot even if they were negative. These experiences have shown me just how much words can affect someone’s mental health especially when it comes from people in your community. However it has also taught me how important it is to be confident in myself and accept who I am no matter what. My voice shows who I am, my story, my culture and I won’t let anyone else make me question or feel ashamed of myself again. 

Have you ever wondered about what you could figure out about someone just by simply observing them? Many people don’t realize but you can tell a lot about a person or animal just by observing them in their natural environment as that is when they reveal their authentic self. This is where naturalistic observation shines in psychology. Naturalistic observation is a research method in psychology that records the behavior of a subject in their natural environment without manipulation. Even though criticized, Naturalistic observation unlike a controlled environment allows for psychologists to gain more insight into authentic social behaviors of humans that cannot be replicated in lab environments which is crucial for psychological research. 

    Naturalistic observation helps researchers study and analyze different behaviors/interactions that are very difficult and sometimes even impossible to recreate in artificial settings. Experiences like how people act in public situations or how dynamics play out in work environments. The advantage that natural settings have is the ability to give situations that are unscripted and very often unpredictable giving researchers access to behaviors and interactions that are realistic to what you would see in real life. For example, analyzing how a group of teens talk and interact at a lunch table can show real group dynamics that a controlled environment couldn’t. Naturalistic observation allows for researchers to use what they have learned and apply it more directly into the real world which makes naturalistic observation a strong research method for connecting studies with human experiences. 

    Another important strength that naturalistic observation has is that it helps to remove and bias or influence in the studies. In artificially produced settings by researchers because of the fact that the people who are participating in the studies are aware that they are apart of an experiment/study their behaviors and actions will shift for that experiment and this is actually called the Hawthorne effect which is a phenomenon on which people change their behaviors when they know they are being watched. Naturalistic observation allows for studies to take place without the person’s knowledge that they are being watched and this allows for data to be more genuine and authentic than in artificial settings. This allows for studies to be more reliable because its chances of being influenced by other factors is lowered. For example, observing kids in a playground environment without them realizing allows for their actions on the playground such as kindness, sharing or even conflicts to be a lot more genuine then if they were to be placed into an artificial lab setting under pressure. Naturalistic observation allows for a more clear path into genuine actions and behaviors which makes it a very strong tool for psychological research. 

       Even with all of its strengths, like many methods naturalistic observation does have limitations and weaknesses that researchers should not overlook when using this research method. The main limitation of naturalistic observation is its lack of a controlled outside variable which makes it harder for researchers to really determine sometimes the exact cause of certain behaviors and reactions. When the subject is in an environment that is not controlled it allows for different factors to influence their behavior which can hinder or make it difficult for researchers to figure out the exact cause and effect of an experiment. Another limitation of naturalistic observation is that it can lead to concerns about how ethical it is. This is because since the participants aren’t aware of being observed, questions about privacy and consent are a big thing. One more limitation of naturalistic observation is bias which can be caused if the research unintentionally mistakes the participants behaviors and reactions in a way that only proves their expectations. Even though naturalistic observation provides researchers with authentic data and results. These limitations show that just like any other research method may not always be 100% reliable just by itself and it’s best to be used with other research methods for better results. 

       In conclusion, naturalistic observation really stands out as such a valuable and important research method in psychology due to the fact that it allows for researchers to be able to see and observe genuine and authentic human behavior in uncontrolled and real world situations. Even though it comes with some challenges such as lack of control or ethical concerns, you can’t take away just how important it is to collect authentic interactions and behaviors in people which makes it such a strong research method in understanding human and social behavior/dynamics. Psychologists can balance naturalistic observation strengths and limitations and use it to connect their data a lot more directly to real life situations making the research method meaningful and applicable. FIQWS Composition_ Analysis Essay