From the yearly archives:

2004

13 March 2004

Read all about it! Psychologist BF Skinner kept daughter in box like rat! Some part of us as human beings is deeply opposed to experimentation on ourselves. Even if it [...]

Continue reading →

Optimism provides no help against cancer

3 March 2004

Counter-intuitive evidence from a small study. "A positive attitude does not improve the chances of surviving cancer and doctors who encourage patients to keep up hope may be burdening them, [...]

Continue reading →

Does Your Life Need Shaking Up?

4 February 2004

I've been reading The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker. It restates the case for the strength of the genetic component of our personalities. Rightly or wrongly, reading Pinker's impassioned prose [...]

Continue reading →

Faking mental disturbance to test the system

31 January 2004

"In 1972, David Rosenhan, a newly minted psychologist with a joint degree in law, called eight friends and said something like, "Are you busy next month? Would you have time [...]

Continue reading →

The Emerging Mind – Reith Lectures 2003

27 January 2004

Vilayanur Ramachandran is Director of the Centre for Brain and Cognition and Professor with the Psychology Department and the Neurosciences Program at the University of California. Last year he gave [...]

Continue reading →