Using mindfulness to sharpen perception
There are many more aspects to perception than are available to our conscious minds. Psychological experiments have repeatedly shown that we are often not consciously aware of much of the information our brains are processing.
Some of these shards of perception, if brought to the conscious level, can make a huge difference to our everyday lives. The question then is how do we access this information. A recent trend in psychology has been towards the study of 'mindfulness', a kind of meditation aimed at focussing the mind on the present. Perhaps this technique can aid certain types of mental processes.
> From the New York Daily Times
Some of these shards of perception, if brought to the conscious level, can make a huge difference to our everyday lives. The question then is how do we access this information. A recent trend in psychology has been towards the study of 'mindfulness', a kind of meditation aimed at focussing the mind on the present. Perhaps this technique can aid certain types of mental processes.
> From the New York Daily Times
Labels: Mindfulness
The backlash against Fahrenheit 9/11
In the lead up to the recent US presidential elections, the outspoken film-maker Michael Moore was campaigning against George Bush's re-election. Moore's primary weapon in his fight against Bush was his documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11 - a film heavily critical of Bush and his presidency.
Back in September before the elections, Dr Kelton Rhoads, expert in the psychology of persuasion, produced a fascinating analysis of Fahrenheit 9/11. In it he showed that Moore had used many of the classic propaganda techniques in his attempt to persuade voters. [Go to my summary of his paper]
Now, after Bush's victory, the effect of Moore's film appears much weaker than many people expected. After all, the film grossed $157 million at the US box office so millions of Americans saw it and still voted for Bush - what went wrong?
In a new article on his site Dr Rhoads suggests there has been a backlash against Michael Moore and his 'propaganda':
"Why do influence attempts backlash? I can think of three reasons: 1) the message repulses the audience as inappropriate or extreme...2) the message is recognized as an attempt to manipulate, so the messenger loses credibility while the audience raises their cognitive defences...or 3) the message energizes the opposition..."
It appears that Moore's biggest mistake was in misunderstanding the psychology of influence. He used the right techniques, but he failed to use them subtly.
> From Working Psychology
Back in September before the elections, Dr Kelton Rhoads, expert in the psychology of persuasion, produced a fascinating analysis of Fahrenheit 9/11. In it he showed that Moore had used many of the classic propaganda techniques in his attempt to persuade voters. [Go to my summary of his paper]
Now, after Bush's victory, the effect of Moore's film appears much weaker than many people expected. After all, the film grossed $157 million at the US box office so millions of Americans saw it and still voted for Bush - what went wrong?
In a new article on his site Dr Rhoads suggests there has been a backlash against Michael Moore and his 'propaganda':
"Why do influence attempts backlash? I can think of three reasons: 1) the message repulses the audience as inappropriate or extreme...2) the message is recognized as an attempt to manipulate, so the messenger loses credibility while the audience raises their cognitive defences...or 3) the message energizes the opposition..."
It appears that Moore's biggest mistake was in misunderstanding the psychology of influence. He used the right techniques, but he failed to use them subtly.
> From Working Psychology
The chemistry of social interaction
It was Dr. Martha McClintock who first published the study that showed that women's menstrual cycles tend to fall into step over time. Recently she discovered that the pheromones given off by lactating mothers increases the sexual desire in other women. The evolutionary explanation is that it is better for women to have babies when surrounded by other mothers.
Now she is investigating the different ways that black and white women are affected by cancer. All of her research is informed by connecting the social world with the genetic. In other words she is showing the huge effect psychology has on biology - with fascinating results.
> From The New York Times
Now she is investigating the different ways that black and white women are affected by cancer. All of her research is informed by connecting the social world with the genetic. In other words she is showing the huge effect psychology has on biology - with fascinating results.
> From The New York Times
Danger of hands-free mobiles while driving
Organisations like the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have long been campaigning for the complete ban of mobile phone use while driving. Research carried out as early 1991 by The Foundation for Traffic Safety pointed to the deleterious effects of mobile phone use while driving.
So called 'driver's organisations' like the RAC and the AA have opposed complete bans in the past because phone use while driving is 'like applying make-up, drinking or shaving'. These are statements for which they have no scientific evidence. They are simply guesses as to what they hope might be true. The mounting scientific evidence present a different picture.
New research published this month into hands-free phones makes it clear exactly what effect their use has on drivers. Their study has found that driver's cognitive function is significantly impaired, especially in older participants. Drivers were found to be significantly less aware of developing situations on the road, a major contributor to accidents.
The continuing reluctance of the government to act decisively seems to come down to how much people love their cars. The current half-way house in the UK of just banning hand-held mobiles will simply result in more people losing their lives.
> From The Univesity of Illinois
So called 'driver's organisations' like the RAC and the AA have opposed complete bans in the past because phone use while driving is 'like applying make-up, drinking or shaving'. These are statements for which they have no scientific evidence. They are simply guesses as to what they hope might be true. The mounting scientific evidence present a different picture.
New research published this month into hands-free phones makes it clear exactly what effect their use has on drivers. Their study has found that driver's cognitive function is significantly impaired, especially in older participants. Drivers were found to be significantly less aware of developing situations on the road, a major contributor to accidents.
The continuing reluctance of the government to act decisively seems to come down to how much people love their cars. The current half-way house in the UK of just banning hand-held mobiles will simply result in more people losing their lives.
> From The Univesity of Illinois
Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood by Jennifer Traig
"...what happened was a strange condition called scrupulosity, a hyper-religious form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It hit me when I was 12 and plagued me, off and on, throughout my teens, making every day a mortifying adventure. The illness manifested itself in different ways, but they were always, always embarrassing."
> From The Observer
> From The Observer
Parents of person with Asperger's lost hope
Suicide, actual and suspected, has been in the news all week. The story of Bill and Wendy Ainscow is similarly tragic. Their daughter has Asperger syndrome, a type of autism normally situated at the less severe end of the spectrum.
Asperger's typically manifests itself in a difficulty communicating, problems forming and maintaining relationships and a lack of imagination. In many cases it is possible to live a relatively normal and fruitful life with this condition. The circumstances of this family however were different.
> From The Independent
Asperger's typically manifests itself in a difficulty communicating, problems forming and maintaining relationships and a lack of imagination. In many cases it is possible to live a relatively normal and fruitful life with this condition. The circumstances of this family however were different.
> From The Independent
Labels: Autism
Suicide on the railways
The BBC Magazine has a thought provoking article about suicides on the railway system. This comes in the wake of a rail accident in the UK possibly caused by a suicide.
It seems a number of efforts have been made to try and alleviate the problems of suicide on the railways. These preventative measures include training staff in suspicious behaviour, use of CCTV and placing more adverts for The Samaritans in stations.
While all of these things are laudable it seems to me that if someone is determined to kill themselves then they will succeed. Unintentionally, they may well do it in such a way as to endanger other people. In that case it is important that we take whatever precautions we can.
Ultimately though we need to recognise that sometimes there are tragedies that no amount of forward planning can avoid.
> From BBC News
It seems a number of efforts have been made to try and alleviate the problems of suicide on the railways. These preventative measures include training staff in suspicious behaviour, use of CCTV and placing more adverts for The Samaritans in stations.
While all of these things are laudable it seems to me that if someone is determined to kill themselves then they will succeed. Unintentionally, they may well do it in such a way as to endanger other people. In that case it is important that we take whatever precautions we can.
Ultimately though we need to recognise that sometimes there are tragedies that no amount of forward planning can avoid.
> From BBC News
Early detection of Alzheimer's
"Early signs of Alzheimer's can now be detected in middle age. Jane Feinmann took the tests - and the results were less than perfect. So what can she do now?"
> From The Independent
> From The Independent
Treating depression chemically
One reason that depression is so difficult to treat is that it can have a wide range of causes. If, as in most cases, an anti-depressant is prescribed, it is hard to predict exactly how a patient's condition will interact with the drug.
Recently Seroxat's developers GlaxoSmithKline have received considerable bad publicity about the drug's dangerous side effects. The evidence is mounting that it may not be suitable for treating children. Research has found that after taking Seroxat, children can experience an increase in suicidal thoughts.
There is a growing awareness that psychoactive treatments do not make the best default option for treating depression. Unfortunately they represent the easy option and of course make huge profits for the pharmaceutical industry.
> From The Guardian
> From The Observer
> From The London Times (the most medically informed of these articles by Dr Thomas Stuttaford)
Recently Seroxat's developers GlaxoSmithKline have received considerable bad publicity about the drug's dangerous side effects. The evidence is mounting that it may not be suitable for treating children. Research has found that after taking Seroxat, children can experience an increase in suicidal thoughts.
There is a growing awareness that psychoactive treatments do not make the best default option for treating depression. Unfortunately they represent the easy option and of course make huge profits for the pharmaceutical industry.
> From The Guardian
> From The Observer
> From The London Times (the most medically informed of these articles by Dr Thomas Stuttaford)
Labels: Depression
Optimists live longer
Optimists may live longer but with Bush looking like he'll get a second term, they're obviously sadly deluded.
> Go to Harvard Medical School
> Go to anywhere else you care to mention to get the latest on the presidential election.
> Go to Harvard Medical School
> Go to anywhere else you care to mention to get the latest on the presidential election.