The First Impression

What do you think of me?

by Azadeh Aalai, Ph.D.

The Face of America Undergoing Change

As a first generation Iranian American, I have been the recipient of a number of prejudicial actions. ’d like to be able to write that I have been calm and eloquent in the face of these types of offensive confrontations, but more often than not, for lack of a better word, I have seen red. Read More

Summer Awakening: Top Five Tips for the Season

Summer is a time that many of us look forward to: students have extended time off, families are planning vacations, and the sunny days and long nights seem endless in their possibilities. Even as a full-time professor, I find myself in the enviable position of having more time off than any other time of year. Read More

Sports as Warfare?

Historically, gaming rituals have oftentimes been either precursors to actual war or ways to prepare young boys for war. The metaphor of sports as warfare is in no way a new one, and has endured throughout the ages. However, in the present day, American football serves as a prime example of how the notion of sports as war can be taken too far. Read More

Will the Real Iranians Please Stand up?

Despite that it is reality television, we Iranian-Americans have been eagerly (and skeptically for this particular one) anticipating the Sunday night premiere of the Shahs of Sunset on the Bravo channel. Most of the time we only see Iranians (or, as is often referred to in the presence of Americans, "Persians") represented on television chanting something derogatory about Americans. Read More

Living Alone Is the New Black

An increasing number of Americans are choosing to live by themselves, according to the latest census figures. In fact, more people in the United States are living alone than any other time in history. Read More

Love at First Fight?

For the most part, Adele's performance withstanding, I was not particularly impressed by Sunday night's 2012 Grammys. It wasn't until the day after the Grammys, when I heard on the radio a sample of fan Twitter feeds following Chris Brown's performance, that it became apparent there was a significant topic to discuss. Read More

DSMV Revisions Erupt in Controversy

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has been undergoing revisions, with the newest edition slated to be released in May 2013 (according to the American Psychiatric Association, refer to dsm5.org). Inevitably, the inclusion of some disorders and alteration to the standards of others has led to controversy. Read More

The Power of RED (Lipstick)

Those of you who watched my TV debut on What Not to Wear know that I am not one to wear a lot of makeup. I will begrudgingly use eyeliner and the occasional eye shadow for work, mainly to combat my apparent youthful appearance that leaves me mistaken for a student on campus. Read More

My Phone Is Smarter than Your Honor Roll Student

On a recent trip that began on an airport shuttle bus, I found myself surrounded by travelers who were transfixed by the screens of their respective "smart" phones. As I observed this incessant interaction with their screens, I found myself suddenly nostalgic for a time when we didn't have such ready access to digital devices. Read More

Generation Apathy: Six Ways to Get Inspired

As a thirty-something, I have observed many in my cohort show signs of listlessness, or apathy. We are no longer idealistic and bouncing with energy and ideas like 20-year-olds, nor are we rediscovering ourselves the way we may hope to by the time we hit our 40s. Maybe those in our 30s are the middle children of history, as Tyler Durden would say. Read More

Did Your Thanksgiving Come with a Side of Family Drama?

Even with the best of intentions, the holiday season can become a time of high pressure for families. For those of you experiencing a hangover-like effect in the aftermath of family drama, perhaps you will find little comfort in this refrain, but I will offer it nonetheless: you are not alone. Read More

Once Bitten: Confessions of a Twilight Junkie

I had my first taste of the Twilight series on a weekend trip to New York. My sister, it should be noted, is older than me; she had been devouring the four-part vampire series for some time and had been trying to get me to read the books. Read More

Victory at Any Cost: The Case of Penn State

We are a culture that likes our sports. Baseball is commonly referred to as "America's pastime," while the Super Bowl has received near national holiday status; we pay reverence to the speculation of which teams will get to that coveted Sunday of the year. Read More

I Do, Until 72 Days Later, When I Don’t

In 1996, then President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act, effectively defining the institution of marriage as an act between a man and a woman. Since that time, the constitutionality of this law has been challenged, and the debate rages on regarding whether or not same-sex couples should be granted the same rights as heterosexual ones. Read More

Will the Real Shakespeare Please Stand Up?

Opening in theatres nationwide this weekend is Anonymous, a film directed by Roland Emmerich, the man behind Independence Day and 2012. Here, Rotten Tomatoes describes the film: Read More

What’s the Girl Worth: Gender Inequity in the Workplace

To the women out there, have you ever wondered how much you are making at your job relative to the males who you work side by side with everyday? Read More

Five Lessons from the Dalai Lama Part 2

In Part 1, I conveyed two out of the five lessons I have learned from the Dalai Lama. The importance of compassion was the first, while taking the time to be quiet and still was the second. The series is completed with the three final lessons. Read More

Five Lessons from the Dalai Lama Part 1 of 2

This past July, I had the pleasure of being one of hundreds of volunteers for the Kalachakra for World Peace with his Holiness the Dalai Lama. I had spent years reading many of the Dalai Lama's books and attempting to cultivate my own brand of mindfulness based largely on the teaching of Buddhism, so the opportunity to take part in this historic event was a very memorable experience. Read More

If Johnny Wore Pink

Dance on Chaz Bono, dance on. Read More

Is Technology Ruining Romance?

What would Keats have written to his beloved in this modern age? Read More

To Tweet or Not to Tweet, That Is the Question Part 2

How bad can it be if the Dalai Lama is doing it? Read More

To Tweet or Not to Tweet, That Is the Question Part 1 of 2

Can a digital skeptic go against her resistances and allow Twitter into her life? Read More

Think Before You Post

Is Facebook and other digital mediums usurping or even replacing socialization in your real flesh-and-blood life? What is the potential fallout that could come from revealing too much information about yourself online? Read More

9.11 We Remember: Making Sense of the Senseless?

On a recent flight out of Reagan National Airport, the flight attendant made general announcements regarding rules and regulations as the aircraft prepared for takeoff; she also made a reference to the events of 9/11, reminding us that we should know why such rules are necessary. After all, they were spawned by the events that we would be "celebrating" in the coming week. Yes. Read More

Asian American Portraits of Encounter: Navigating Multiple Identities

One of the many advantages of living so close to Washington, DC, is the opportunities to visit cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian. Read More

Parisian 101: Bridging the Cultural Divide?

It appears that to the French, the notion of being Parisian is analogous to how a New Yorker is perceived as being distinctly different from Americans who reside in other parts of the United States. Read More

Cultural Identity and Calorie Consumption: There’s a Mouthful!

What do you think of when confronted with the term American culture? Undoubtedly, there are a slew of "classic" images or notions that come to mind. The American Flag; Reality television—Jersey Shore anyone? There are of course standard American pastimes, such as baseball or Super Bowl Sunday which could also be seen as staples to American culture. Read More

Azadeh Aalai, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at Montgomery College in Maryland. She is the author of Understanding Aggression: Psychological Origins & Approaches to Aggressive Behavior.

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