Conditioning and Labels.

Can human beings be conditioned into someone better? Like how we condition a dog to salivate whenever it hears a bell, can we condition a person's personality in the same way?

Was reading Quirkology last night when I stumbled upon this sentence, "...many people who were well aware of the personality traits associated with their signs, had developed into the person that astrologer predicted..."

It's something like conditioning, isn't it? Except without the stimuli?

Classical conditioning -

Before: Dog --> Bell ---> Food ---> Salivate

After: Dog --> Bell --> Salivate

Conditioning of a personality =

Before: Human --> Star Sign --> List of traits --> Personality

After: Human --> Star Sign --> Personality

I mean, if you have been told all your life that you are outgoing outgoing outgoing outgoing, you will eventually be conditioned to think that you are outgoing and start being outgoing, yes?

Maybe it's not conditioning. I am sure there is a psychology term to explain this or something.

Self-fulfilling prophecy? That you think you are suppose to be like these so you act in ways that are like these and then you get described as that.

I am gibberish. Tired and having gastric pain.

ANYWAYS! Reading "Quirkology" has helped me decide on my last psychology module. My 300 module to be exact and that is HP320 - Learning and Behavorial Analysis(:

So I'll probably know more after I take my modules! But! What if the module is only available in Semester 1?! I am so going to die! Oh no! It is a Semester 1 module from what I see-.- This is dumb. But there's still hope! They might just offer it in Semester 2 in AY08/09?

So here's the psychology modules I need to clear for my minor -

HP 204 Personality and Individual Differences
The study of human personality is central to psychology. This course surveys the major approaches, covering classical and contemporary themes such as psychodynamic theories, behavioural models, humanistic theories, trait theories, social learning theories as well as personality perspectives indigenous to cultures in the Asian region.

HP 2o7 Abnormal Psychology
This course aims to build a broad foundation for the study of psychopathology by covering a whole range of abnormality described in the DSM-IV. The main aim is to acquaint students with the etiology and treatment of psychological disorders through the major paradigms of abnormal behaviour. Students learn to appreciate the multifarious factors that lead to mental illnesses.

HP 320 Learning and Behavioral Analysis
Major theories of learning have developed from psychological research. This course covers ideas from classical and operant conditioning, including reinforcement, punishment, habituation, shaping, desensitization, spontaneous recovery and extinction. The course also considers contemporary learning models such as cognitive learning including cognitive maps, discovery and insight.

Whooo~ Exciting(: But actually, most psychology modules are exciting! EXCEPT motivation stuff. I don't like!

I have one more module to clear for BAF as well. I am thinking of Portfolio Management since I rather like the Wealth Management track(: Then, there's KOREAN! Yeah!! And I have one more prescribed AHSS module to clear and I am rather interested in the module that requires singing!(: Hahas. Whee~

And, I am most probably going for one-on-one career discussion next semester. Yes, with my lousy GPA and all. I need some career direction!