A Great song and a Great flick
The bewitching hour of 2 a.m. Sunday marked the end of daylight saving time and the beginning of shorter days and longer nights. For many people, especially women, this annual change of seasons also triggers a change in mood, leading to feelings of fatigue, depression and anxiety --- more severe than just winter blues.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, about half a million Americans suffer from winter-onset depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. Although more common in northern regions where the winters are longer, the condition plagues residents in southern regions, too.
Symptoms, which can include weight gain and insomnia, can start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses. They usually lift during spring and summer but return about the same time every year.
Many women already experience heightened stress leading up to the holidays trying to juggle work and family demands, plan for holiday gatherings, shop for gifts, and cook. Lower the temperatures, gray the days and dim the sunlight, and women succumb to seasonal affective disorder more often than men.
"They're trying to cram more into less daylight hours," said Jacqueline Dawes, owner of Brookhaven Retreat, an East Tennessee residential treatment center for women. She said that many women complain of feeling completely helpless by the end of October, isolate themselves and create excuses for not going out. "Suddenly they find themselves just kind of stuck," she said.
To unstick yourself, start by unloading some of the stressors.
Instead of taking on more during the holidays, prioritize activities and make good choices about what you can get done. Plan ahead and share responsibilities with other family members. Learn to accept imperfection and set boundaries.
"Women don't like to say no," said Dawes, of women's need to perpetuate the superwoman image. "It's OK to say no."
When feeling down in the dumps consumes your life, especially if you struggle to get out of bed, socialize and sleep, seek help. Don't let depression persist or worsen into feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of suicide.
A doctor will conduct a psychological evaluation, asking questions about changes in your mood, behavior, sleeping and eating patterns and a physical exam to check for underlying health problems. Treatment options include light therapy, antidepressant medication or psychotherapy.
"Once a woman understands what and why it's happening and understands the skills of self-regulating, she learns the tools to manage it," said Dawes.
TAKING CONTROL
Unmanaged stress can lead to depression (seasonal or otherwise). Here are some ways to avoid feeling overwhelmed:
> Manage expectations. Pace yourself. Organize your time. Make a list and prioritize important activities.
> Set realistic goals. Know what you can and cannot do. Don't put the entire focus on just one day. Activities can be spread out to lessen stress and increase enjoyment.
> Learn to say no. If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful and overwhelmed.
> Forget perfection. TV specials are filled with happy endings, but in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Expect and accept imperfections.
> Share the load. You don't have to do it alone. Let others share in the responsibility of planning activities.
> Don't abandon healthy habits. Continue to get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet and take time to relax. Don't turn to alcohol or unprescribed drugs for relief.
> Make time for yourself. Spend at least 15 minutes alone, without distractions, to recharge your batteries. Take a walk at night, listen to soothing music or take slow breaths.
> Lighten up. Make your home sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, add skylights and trim tree branches that block sunlight.
> Get out. Get outdoors on sunny days, even during winter. Take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit peacefully on a bench and soak up the sun.
> Exercise regularly. Physical exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can increase SAD symptoms. Being more fit can make you feel better about yourself, too, which can lift your mood.
> Socialize. Stay connected with people you enjoy being around. They can offer support, a shoulder to cry on or a joke to give you a little boost.
> Take a trip. If possible, take winter vacations in sunny, warm locations if you have winter SAD, or cooler locations if you have summer SAD.
Source: National Mental Health Association, Mayo Clinic
BEYOND THE BLUES
Common symptoms of winter-onset seasonal affective disorder include:
Depression, hopelessness, anxiety, loss of energy, social withdrawal, oversleeping, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, change in appetite (especially craving foods high in carbohydrates), weight gain, difficulty concentrating and processing information, fatigue, irritability, increased sensitivity to social rejection, avoidance of social situations.
Source: National Mental Health Association, Mayo Clinic
Friday, November 07, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Stressed Out? Managing It Critical to Physical, Mental Health
Stress in the workplace doesn't have to be all bad. But too much of it can cause both mental and physical problems that can impact not just your work productivity, but your personal life.
Michael Hall, L.M.S.W., outreach coordinator for Memorial Behavioral Health, Gulfport, provides presentations about reducing workplace stress as part of employee assistance programs provided by some businesses in the state. Hall defines stress as the responses our bodies and minds have to the demands placed on them. Workplace stress is the result of high demands placed on an individual on the job, be it real or perceived.
"There are two types of stress," Hall said. "Positive stress can help you concentrate, and can often help you to reach peak efficiency. Positive stress is beneficial in performing your job or other responsibilities. Negative stress is any situation in the workplace that leaves a feeling of depression, anxiety or pressure."
Stress triggers on the job can include being over worked, working long hours for low pay, conflict in the workplace, increased responsibility and unrealistic demands of supervisors. Conflict with other employees or even with customers can also add to workplace stress.
Hall said the physical reaction to stress is always the same, but with negative stress your body stays "geared up" and doesn't relax. When stress becomes chronic and ongoing, your physical and emotional health can suffer.
"Negative stress has been linked to headaches, sleep disturbance, upset stomach, poor concentration, low moral, poor family relations, hypertension, heart disease and psychological disorders," Hall said. "Chronic stress hinders our body's ability to fight off disease and reduces job productivity. There are many factors contributing to stress in general that spill over into the workplace. These include financial, marital, single-family parenting and substance abuse."
Employers can help limit on-the job stress, Hall said, by improving communication sharing pertinent information related to employee's jobs and the future of the organization.
"Set realistic goals and priorities encouraging employees to be part of the process," he said. "This will encourage ownership, which encourages taking responsibility. Support a healthy lifestyle in and outside of the workplace. This investment pays for itself by preventing lost productivity and worker's compensation claims. Wellness programs can decrease stress in the workplace and also cut down on missing work due to illnesses."
He also recommends businesses encourage employees to use vacation days to get away from the day-to-day routine of work and stressful environments.
Tips for employees to manage stress include the following:
* Proper diet and exercise.
* Cognitive techniques such as positive thinking.
* Become more assertive and take control of your lifestyle.
* Improve time management skills.
* Develop a supportive network.
* Do not use alcohol or other drugs.
* Maintain a good sense of humor.
Dr. Harry Mills, who has a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi and did his clinical residency at the University of Mississippi Medical School, said stress can add excitement to your life or it can become the bane of your existence.
"Whether it is the one or the other depends on the source of stress and on you," said Mills, who now practices in Orlando, Fla., and has 30 years' experience as a stress psychologist. "Any event that makes a demand for a response that may exceed your capacity may be experienced as a source of stress."
Michael Hall, L.M.S.W., outreach coordinator for Memorial Behavioral Health, Gulfport, provides presentations about reducing workplace stress as part of employee assistance programs provided by some businesses in the state. Hall defines stress as the responses our bodies and minds have to the demands placed on them. Workplace stress is the result of high demands placed on an individual on the job, be it real or perceived.
"There are two types of stress," Hall said. "Positive stress can help you concentrate, and can often help you to reach peak efficiency. Positive stress is beneficial in performing your job or other responsibilities. Negative stress is any situation in the workplace that leaves a feeling of depression, anxiety or pressure."
Stress triggers on the job can include being over worked, working long hours for low pay, conflict in the workplace, increased responsibility and unrealistic demands of supervisors. Conflict with other employees or even with customers can also add to workplace stress.
Hall said the physical reaction to stress is always the same, but with negative stress your body stays "geared up" and doesn't relax. When stress becomes chronic and ongoing, your physical and emotional health can suffer.
"Negative stress has been linked to headaches, sleep disturbance, upset stomach, poor concentration, low moral, poor family relations, hypertension, heart disease and psychological disorders," Hall said. "Chronic stress hinders our body's ability to fight off disease and reduces job productivity. There are many factors contributing to stress in general that spill over into the workplace. These include financial, marital, single-family parenting and substance abuse."
Employers can help limit on-the job stress, Hall said, by improving communication sharing pertinent information related to employee's jobs and the future of the organization.
"Set realistic goals and priorities encouraging employees to be part of the process," he said. "This will encourage ownership, which encourages taking responsibility. Support a healthy lifestyle in and outside of the workplace. This investment pays for itself by preventing lost productivity and worker's compensation claims. Wellness programs can decrease stress in the workplace and also cut down on missing work due to illnesses."
He also recommends businesses encourage employees to use vacation days to get away from the day-to-day routine of work and stressful environments.
Tips for employees to manage stress include the following:
* Proper diet and exercise.
* Cognitive techniques such as positive thinking.
* Become more assertive and take control of your lifestyle.
* Improve time management skills.
* Develop a supportive network.
* Do not use alcohol or other drugs.
* Maintain a good sense of humor.
Dr. Harry Mills, who has a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi and did his clinical residency at the University of Mississippi Medical School, said stress can add excitement to your life or it can become the bane of your existence.
"Whether it is the one or the other depends on the source of stress and on you," said Mills, who now practices in Orlando, Fla., and has 30 years' experience as a stress psychologist. "Any event that makes a demand for a response that may exceed your capacity may be experienced as a source of stress."
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
In Case You Missed It!
Sex and Gender Video Clips from Class:
Take notes on the following points:
1. How are gender roles learned (operant conditioning and observational learning)
2. The influence of sex/biology on the development of gender specific behaviors (such as play)
3. Culture and gender roles
4. Health and gender
5. Childhood and gender
Clip 1:
Clip 2:
Clip 3:
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Sunday, November 02, 2008
The Week Ahead: 11/3 - 11/7
CHECK eSIS FOR YOUR GRADES -- CHECK FOR MISSING ASSIGNMENTS -- FRIDAY IS THE END OF THE QUARTER...
Monday (11/3)
Operant Conditioning
--Phobia - finish video clips
--Problems with Punishment - finish notes
Observational Learning
--Notes
HW: Read pages 201-205; complete JAS form
Tuesday (11/4)
Observational Learning
--Notes
--Aggression - Bandura (HW)
HW: NONE/Study for Quiz
Wednesday (11/5)
QUIZ
Observational Learning
--Gender Rules - Video
HW: Reading from TEXTBOOK! pages 241-250
Thursday (11/6)
Observational Learning
--Notes
Cognitive Learning
--Discuss HW
HW: Read pages 206-209 (Maps in Your Mind), complete JAS Form
Friday (11/7)
Biology of Memory and Learning
--Assemble notes on studies on the biology of learning
Evaluation of the Perspective
HW: Read pages 253-262 in TEXTBOOK!
Hopkins study finds combination therapy best for child anxiety
The Baltimore Sun, Maryland - October 31, 2008
Oct. 31--Researchers led by Johns Hopkins doctors have found that three popular treatments for childhood anxiety disorders are all effective, but that combining an antidepressant with behavioral therapy is the superior treatment.
It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of children suffer from anxiety disorders -- the most common psychiatric illness in children -- which can cause serious problems in school and in relationships. The authors of the study, released online yesterday by TheNew England Journal of Medicine, said they hope their work will give doctors confidence about the treatments they prescribe and raise awareness of the seriousness of the disorders.
"[A]nxiety disorders in childhood remain underrecognized and undertreated," the authors wrote. "An improvement in outcomes for children with anxiety disorders would have important public health implications."
In the study of 488 children age 7 to 17 done at six institutions across the country, researchers found that, over a 12-week period, 81 percent improved using therapy and medication, 60 percent improved on therapy alone, 55 percent improved when taking the antidepressant Zoloft and 24 percent improved when taking a placebo. A second phase of the study will monitor the children for an additional six months. It is the largest study of its kind.
Some studies have shown antidepressants don't work significantly better than placebos. In this short-term study, medication was clearly the better option.
The children studied all had moderate-to-severe separation anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder or social phobia. Separation anxiety often means children are afraid to be alone, sometimes following their parents around the house, balking at going to school or even having a baby sitter. Generalized anxiety disorder patients are often characterized as "worrywarts," worrying about the future and the past to a problematic degree. Those with social phobia are very self-conscious in social situations, often refusing to speak in school or answer the phone at home.
If left untreated, doctors say, these disorders can lead to more severe anxiety or depression as the child gets older.
"People tend to think of anxiety as part of childhood. Children worry and have fears," said Dr. John Walkup, a child psychiatrist at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and lead author of the study. "This is much more serious than that. They're debilitated by their anxiety."
Now, he said, parents can know they "have lots of flexibility, lots of choices" when it comes to treating their children.
Antidepressants have come under scrutiny for potentially triggering suicide in some children. In this study, no child attempted suicide.
Monday (11/3)
Operant Conditioning
--Phobia - finish video clips
--Problems with Punishment - finish notes
Observational Learning
--Notes
HW: Read pages 201-205; complete JAS form
Tuesday (11/4)
Observational Learning
--Notes
--Aggression - Bandura (HW)
HW: NONE/Study for Quiz
Wednesday (11/5)
QUIZ
Observational Learning
--Gender Rules - Video
HW: Reading from TEXTBOOK! pages 241-250
Thursday (11/6)
Observational Learning
--Notes
Cognitive Learning
--Discuss HW
HW: Read pages 206-209 (Maps in Your Mind), complete JAS Form
Friday (11/7)
Biology of Memory and Learning
--Assemble notes on studies on the biology of learning
Evaluation of the Perspective
HW: Read pages 253-262 in TEXTBOOK!
Hopkins study finds combination therapy best for child anxiety
The Baltimore Sun, Maryland - October 31, 2008
Oct. 31--Researchers led by Johns Hopkins doctors have found that three popular treatments for childhood anxiety disorders are all effective, but that combining an antidepressant with behavioral therapy is the superior treatment.
It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of children suffer from anxiety disorders -- the most common psychiatric illness in children -- which can cause serious problems in school and in relationships. The authors of the study, released online yesterday by TheNew England Journal of Medicine, said they hope their work will give doctors confidence about the treatments they prescribe and raise awareness of the seriousness of the disorders.
"[A]nxiety disorders in childhood remain underrecognized and undertreated," the authors wrote. "An improvement in outcomes for children with anxiety disorders would have important public health implications."
In the study of 488 children age 7 to 17 done at six institutions across the country, researchers found that, over a 12-week period, 81 percent improved using therapy and medication, 60 percent improved on therapy alone, 55 percent improved when taking the antidepressant Zoloft and 24 percent improved when taking a placebo. A second phase of the study will monitor the children for an additional six months. It is the largest study of its kind.
Some studies have shown antidepressants don't work significantly better than placebos. In this short-term study, medication was clearly the better option.
The children studied all had moderate-to-severe separation anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder or social phobia. Separation anxiety often means children are afraid to be alone, sometimes following their parents around the house, balking at going to school or even having a baby sitter. Generalized anxiety disorder patients are often characterized as "worrywarts," worrying about the future and the past to a problematic degree. Those with social phobia are very self-conscious in social situations, often refusing to speak in school or answer the phone at home.
If left untreated, doctors say, these disorders can lead to more severe anxiety or depression as the child gets older.
"People tend to think of anxiety as part of childhood. Children worry and have fears," said Dr. John Walkup, a child psychiatrist at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and lead author of the study. "This is much more serious than that. They're debilitated by their anxiety."
Now, he said, parents can know they "have lots of flexibility, lots of choices" when it comes to treating their children.
Antidepressants have come under scrutiny for potentially triggering suicide in some children. In this study, no child attempted suicide.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Mom And Dad Are Right: Good Health Equals Better Grades
MINNEAPOLIS - Quit smoking. Turn off the computer. Go to bed.
It could improve your grades. Of course, parents have always known that. Now, in the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of Minnesota have proved it. They matched grade point averages with the typical health problems such as smoking, drinking and stress reported by nearly 10,000 Minnesota college students. They found a clear connection between student health and academic success.
"Health is important," even for young adults who seem to be in the prime of their lives, said Dr. Ed Ehlinger, director of Boynton Health Services at the University of Minnesota and a lead author of the study. Both parents and college administrators "need to make sure that students have access to health care."
What affects grades the most? Stress (lots of it), excessive screen time, binge drinking and gambling.
Students who reported eight or more emotional stresses-anything from failing a class to credit card debt to a conflict with parents-had an average GPA of 2.72. Those who said they had no significant stress reported an average GPA of 3.3.
"Stress is one of the biggest factors," said Marcus De La Garza, a senior from Duluth, Minn. A year ago, just before finals, he had to go home to take care of family members with serious health problems, and it showed in his grades, he said.
"I was out of the game," he said Friday. "Now I'm bouncing back." His GPA is up to 3.5.
The ability to handle stress was equally important, the survey found. Those who said they could effectively manage it performed much better than those who said they couldn't. That's an important finding, because it can persuade colleges to provide students with the resources they need to learn how to manage stress, Ehlinger said.
Earlier surveys showed that students who spend a lot of time on the computer, watching TV or playing video games were more likely to engage in other unhealthful habits such as eating fast food, Ehlinger said. Now it's clear that these activities cut significantly into their grades as well. Four or more hours of screen time a day resulted in an average GPA of 3.04 or less. Less than an hour a day bumped it up to 3.3 or better.
The same pattern held with binge drinking. Teetotalers reported an average GPA of 3.31, compared with 2.99 for students who drank excessively at least once in the previous two weeks.
Ben Flatum, a university senior from Stillwater, Minn., just completed what he called "the year of being healthy." He stopped the regular partying, started eating better and began training for a race in Chicago that he ran last week.
"My time and energy has been exponentially better," he said. His weight is down 25 pounds, and his GPA is up to 3.3 from the 2.5 he had as a partying freshman.
There were some surprises, especially in how resilient young adults can be, Ehlinger said. Students who said they had been sexually or physically abused at some point in their lives had no significant differences in their GPA compared with other students. It shows, he said, that with time, young adults can overcome such trauma, at least as far as their grades are concerned. Those who reported being sexually assaulted or abused in the previous 12 months reported lower grades.
Working to earn money had no effect on grades, another surprise, Ehlinger said. That was true regardless of whether students spent one or 40 hours a week at work.
"There must be something else going on that is protective of folks that are working," Ehlinger said. "It might be a matter of time management."
But Mom and Dad probably knew that, too.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Week Ahead and News - UPDATED 10/28
News:::
1. First period will get their essays back Monday
2. Fourth period will get their essays back Wednesday
3. Expectations for tomorrow: step 1 should be done and some ideas for shaping
4. Podcast I will preview the quiz next week
5. Quiz questions have been identified, see below!
Monday (10/27)
Operant Conditioning
1. Work on projects -- class time!
HW: Work on Projects
Tuesday (10/28)
Operant Conditioning
1. Work on projects -- class time!
HW: FINALIZE project
Wednesday (10/29)
Operant Conditioning
1. Presentation of the projects
2. Notes on problems with punishment
HW: NONE
Thursday (10/30)
1. Skits: Problems with punishment
2. Depression: learned and biology of depression (discuss HW)
HW: HW: Read pages 196-199; complete JAS form
AND Review quiz questions: 1, 2,3, and 4 from page 154. Come with questions!
Friday (10/31)
Happy Halloween! -- bring your best scary story!
1. Phobias -- Video and Analysis
HW: Read pages 201-205 and complete JAS form
1. First period will get their essays back Monday
2. Fourth period will get their essays back Wednesday
3. Expectations for tomorrow: step 1 should be done and some ideas for shaping
4. Podcast I will preview the quiz next week
5. Quiz questions have been identified, see below!
Monday (10/27)
Operant Conditioning
1. Work on projects -- class time!
HW: Work on Projects
Tuesday (10/28)
Operant Conditioning
1. Work on projects -- class time!
HW: FINALIZE project
Wednesday (10/29)
Operant Conditioning
1. Presentation of the projects
2. Notes on problems with punishment
HW: NONE
Thursday (10/30)
1. Skits: Problems with punishment
2. Depression: learned and biology of depression (discuss HW)
HW: HW: Read pages 196-199; complete JAS form
AND Review quiz questions: 1, 2,3, and 4 from page 154. Come with questions!
Friday (10/31)
Happy Halloween! -- bring your best scary story!
1. Phobias -- Video and Analysis
HW: Read pages 201-205 and complete JAS form
Saturday, October 25, 2008
One of the best new Radiohead songs for sure. The first video for this song was made in the studio last New Year's Eve. If you like this song as much as I do, you should check it out. Very interesting to watch these guys play.
Forgetting easy when your brain fights itself
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - October 23, 2008
Oct. 23--Ever forget to drop off dry cleaning on the way to work? This minor error of memory may be evidence of two competing parts of the brain, one that harbors habits, and another involved in learning.
Driving to work is a habit; going to the dry cleaner is a comparatively novel task.
Dr. Christopher J. Pittenger, assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale, calls this symbolic lapse the "dry cleaning effect."
T h e w h i m s i -- c a l l a b e l e n c o m -- passes two o p p o s i n g brain systems that could lead t o n e w u n d e r -- standing of o b s e s s i v e compulsive disorder, drug addiction, and other disorders.
Pittenger and colleagues have demonstrated how these systems work in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Pittenger, along with Yale researchers Anni S. Lee and Ronald S. Duman showed how mice respond to changes in the murine habit and spatial learning centers in their brains.
The striatum, in the middle of the brain, stores habits and acts like an autopilot. The hippocampus, a smaller structure beneath the striatum, handles new challenges.
"There are two processes to navigate through the world, literally and metaphorically," Pittenger said.
"I'm interested in things that we do automatically," he said. This automatic behavior is reflected in driving to work, versus driving somewhere strange, he said.
"I cannot remember to drop off the dry cleaning. It takes extra effort to get off autopilot," he said.
In this case, "autopilot" is the striatum guiding you to work or home, to the degree that when you arrive, you cannot remember the trip. Other examples ate walking, talking, riding a bicycle, using utensils, and other actions we accomplish without conscious thought.
The hippocampus comes into play when the brain is required to use spatial information in a new way, Pittenger said. Finding your way out of a forest with a compass is a job for the hippocampus.
Both systems function simultaneously.
Pittenger and colleagues presented mice with a pool of water containing a platform. The mice can be trained to find the platform, which becomes a habit encoded in the striatum.
When the striatum was disrupted, the mice lost their ability to quickly find the platform. However, the same mice improved on tasks involving spatial learning.
Conversely, when the hippocampus was disrupted, the mice could not navigate as well, but learned "landmark tasks," like the location of the platform, more quickly.
Pittenger said that obsessive compulsive disorder, some aspects of autism, and substance abuse, could be habit learning gone wrong.
Other problems might result when the striatum and hippocampus diverge. Alzheimer's disease rapidly damages the hippocampus, which is why patients often fall back on ingrained behaviors, he said.
"If the autopilot system is destructive, a novel system must be brought online," he said. For example, OCD is sometimes treated with cognitive behavioral therapy that helps patients recognize and change destructive "autopilot" thoughts.
"If we could understand these systems better, perhaps we could develop new tools to treat negative habits," Pittenger said.
Forgetting easy when your brain fights itself
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - October 23, 2008
Oct. 23--Ever forget to drop off dry cleaning on the way to work? This minor error of memory may be evidence of two competing parts of the brain, one that harbors habits, and another involved in learning.
Driving to work is a habit; going to the dry cleaner is a comparatively novel task.
Dr. Christopher J. Pittenger, assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale, calls this symbolic lapse the "dry cleaning effect."
T h e w h i m s i -- c a l l a b e l e n c o m -- passes two o p p o s i n g brain systems that could lead t o n e w u n d e r -- standing of o b s e s s i v e compulsive disorder, drug addiction, and other disorders.
Pittenger and colleagues have demonstrated how these systems work in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Pittenger, along with Yale researchers Anni S. Lee and Ronald S. Duman showed how mice respond to changes in the murine habit and spatial learning centers in their brains.
The striatum, in the middle of the brain, stores habits and acts like an autopilot. The hippocampus, a smaller structure beneath the striatum, handles new challenges.
"There are two processes to navigate through the world, literally and metaphorically," Pittenger said.
"I'm interested in things that we do automatically," he said. This automatic behavior is reflected in driving to work, versus driving somewhere strange, he said.
"I cannot remember to drop off the dry cleaning. It takes extra effort to get off autopilot," he said.
In this case, "autopilot" is the striatum guiding you to work or home, to the degree that when you arrive, you cannot remember the trip. Other examples ate walking, talking, riding a bicycle, using utensils, and other actions we accomplish without conscious thought.
The hippocampus comes into play when the brain is required to use spatial information in a new way, Pittenger said. Finding your way out of a forest with a compass is a job for the hippocampus.
Both systems function simultaneously.
Pittenger and colleagues presented mice with a pool of water containing a platform. The mice can be trained to find the platform, which becomes a habit encoded in the striatum.
When the striatum was disrupted, the mice lost their ability to quickly find the platform. However, the same mice improved on tasks involving spatial learning.
Conversely, when the hippocampus was disrupted, the mice could not navigate as well, but learned "landmark tasks," like the location of the platform, more quickly.
Pittenger said that obsessive compulsive disorder, some aspects of autism, and substance abuse, could be habit learning gone wrong.
Other problems might result when the striatum and hippocampus diverge. Alzheimer's disease rapidly damages the hippocampus, which is why patients often fall back on ingrained behaviors, he said.
"If the autopilot system is destructive, a novel system must be brought online," he said. For example, OCD is sometimes treated with cognitive behavioral therapy that helps patients recognize and change destructive "autopilot" thoughts.
"If we could understand these systems better, perhaps we could develop new tools to treat negative habits," Pittenger said.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Mom Can Increase Her Child's Risk of Depression via Nurture Alone
Science News - October 18, 2008
Some youngsters get depressed in the absence of any genetic legacy, a new investigation finds.
Researchers report that having a depressed mother substantially ups a teenager's likelihood of becoming depressed, even if he or she was adopted and shares no genes with the mother.
This finding provides the first direct evidence that purely environmental factors can promote depression in the children of depressed women, says a team led by psychologist Erin Tully of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
A depressed father does not increase the risk of depression in adopted or nonadopted teens, the team reports in the September American Journal of Psychiatry.
Two other investigations, both published in the same journal, further emphasize nurture's role in depression, showing that successful treatment of depressed mothers spurs emotional gains in their depressed children.
"There is an environmental liability of maternal depression that cannot be accounted for by genes but that almost certainly interacts with genetic factors to create depression risk in children," Tully says.
Depression can impair a mother's parenting skills, cause marital conflict and disrupt a youngster's ties to peers and school - and these outcomes can in turn spread depression from mother to child, she suggests.
A growing number of studies demonstrate difficulties that depressed mothers have in interacting with their children, remarks psychiatrist John Markowitz of Columbia University. Tally's study "bolsters the evidence that maternal, more than paternal, depression meaningfully affects children through home life, not just heritability," he says.
Tully and her coworkers studied 568 adopted adolescents, most from Asian countries, 416 non-adopted adolescents and one or both parents of all the children. Nearly all parents and non-adopted kids were white, and all the families lived in Minnesota. Most adoptions occurred before age 1.
Psychiatric interviews with the parents and teenagers probed for current and past symptoms of major depression and other psychological conditions.
While living with a depressed mother boosted the mood disorder's prevalence in adopted teens, non-adopted teens with depressed mothers were even more likely to become depressed. Having a depressed mother also increased the rate of behavior problems in both groups.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The Week Ahead
Monday (10/19)
The Learning Perspective
1. Overview of the Perspective (152-154 in Reader)
2. Discuss Plato and Locke (HW)
3. History and Assumptions of the Learning Perspective
--Notes
HW: Read page 164-165 in Reader come prepared to discuss
Tuesday (10/20)
1. Classical Conditioning
--Discuss Watson (HW)
--Demonstration
--Review page 172 in Reader
--Video clip: The Office
--Practice Classical Conditioning (page 177 in Reader)
HW: Read pages 166-170 in Reader, complete JAS form.
Wednesday (10/21)
1. Classical Conditioning
-- Discuss Watson (HW)
--Read pages 179-180 and take experimentation notes (hypothesis, methods, results, implications)
2. Learning: Video
HW: Read pages 173-176, complete JAS form.
Thursday (10/22)
1. Classical Conditioning
--Discuss Whitehead (HW)
2. Operant Conditioning
--Introduction
--Project (see page 181 in Reader)
---Sample: Pippin learns to rollover!
---Work on Project, Step 1 -- NOTE HELPFUL STUDIES
HW: Complete Step 1 of Operant Conditioning Project
Friday (10/23)
1. Operant Conditioning
--Continue project
HW: Complete Steps 1-3
The below video is one of my favorites for sure! The symbolism of the light and darkness is really well done! I have my own ideas, but how would you interpret it? What do you suppose the house means? The police car? The trees, etc.?
The Learning Perspective
1. Overview of the Perspective (152-154 in Reader)
2. Discuss Plato and Locke (HW)
3. History and Assumptions of the Learning Perspective
--Notes
HW: Read page 164-165 in Reader come prepared to discuss
Tuesday (10/20)
1. Classical Conditioning
--Discuss Watson (HW)
--Demonstration
--Review page 172 in Reader
--Video clip: The Office
--Practice Classical Conditioning (page 177 in Reader)
HW: Read pages 166-170 in Reader, complete JAS form.
Wednesday (10/21)
1. Classical Conditioning
-- Discuss Watson (HW)
--Read pages 179-180 and take experimentation notes (hypothesis, methods, results, implications)
2. Learning: Video
HW: Read pages 173-176, complete JAS form.
Thursday (10/22)
1. Classical Conditioning
--Discuss Whitehead (HW)
2. Operant Conditioning
--Introduction
--Project (see page 181 in Reader)
---Sample: Pippin learns to rollover!
---Work on Project, Step 1 -- NOTE HELPFUL STUDIES
HW: Complete Step 1 of Operant Conditioning Project
Friday (10/23)
1. Operant Conditioning
--Continue project
HW: Complete Steps 1-3
The below video is one of my favorites for sure! The symbolism of the light and darkness is really well done! I have my own ideas, but how would you interpret it? What do you suppose the house means? The police car? The trees, etc.?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Learning Perspective
Monday begins the Learning Perspective! This is an entirely new unit, it is the second unit in the course. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you establish a new set of notes etc. for this forthcoming information on learning psychology.
The Learning Perspective is all about how the environment influences/produces behavior. In the biological unit we focused on biological determinants/causes of behavior or the nature side of the interactionist coin. Now we turn our attention to the environment of nurture side of the interactionist coin. Topics will range from classical and operant conditioning to social and cognitive learning. We will also look at disorders such as phobias and depression.
We begin with a philosophical question: are we born with knowledge, or is all knowledge gained from the environment? The first reading is from Plato who argues that we are born with ALL knowledge! The second is from John Locke who argues we are born with NO knowledge! Consider both positions and come Monday ready to share your position and analysis!
Agenda:
Wednesday (10/15)
Socratic Seminar
HW: Read pages 155-163; answer questions on page 161 and the "Consider This" on page 163.
Other News:
Podcasts may start as soon as this Sunday night! Check back for updates!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Most kids get no therapy with antidepressants
At least half of U.S. children who take antidepressants aren't in therapy, a large study suggests, and that delays recovery while greatly increasing the number of kids on the medication who are suicidal.
"Therapy with antidepressants is the standard of care. But is it what's going on in the real world? No," says Sheila Marcus, child and adolescent psychiatry chief at the University of Michigan Medical School.
The report tracks insurance claims for antidepressants from a database of 6.8 million children and teens from 2002 to 2006. The analysis was done by the health care business of Thomson Reuters, a research firm.
In the six months after getting at least one new prescription for antidepressants in 2006, just over 40% of children had insurance claims for one or more therapy sessions, says Tami Mark, the Thomson study leader.
The Food and Drug Administration has put the strongest safety warning on antidepressants, saying they could increase suicidal behavior in people 24 or younger.
A government study last year found that depressed kids recover most rapidly with antidepressants and counseling that teaches problem-solving and stress management. Also, 15% of children on Prozac only were suicidal -- either thinking about killing themselves or trying to -- compared with 8% on Prozac plus therapy and 6% receiving therapy alone.
The low therapy-claim rates in the new study could be partly a result of some parents paying out-of-pocket or not taking children for counseling because of poor insurance coverage, Mark says.
A federal law passed last week requires employers with more than 50 workers to provide comparable benefits for mental health and medical care. "Lack of insurance has been a big barrier for kids with mental illness," she says.
There's also a great shortage of child psychiatrists, Marcus says.
Some children probably went off antidepressants because of side effects or because they improved, so they weren't referred for counseling, says Kevin Kalikow, a child psychiatrist in Mount Kisco, N.Y.
Many parents are embarrassed to take their kids for therapy, says Jana Martin, a child psychologist in Long Beach, Calif.
"If kids take a pill, the parents don't feel it's as bad a reflection on them. The pill helps, but if kids get bullied on the playground, it doesn't teach them how to respond and not get depressed, while therapy does. You can't go take another pill every time someone bullies you."
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
GRADES
The posted grades are those that will be posted for the progress report. WARNING: there are some of you who do not have work in and thus will receive a zero if the assignment is not to me BY MONDAY. After that day, no old assignment will be accepted with or without a stamp!
IF YOU DO NOT SHOW A GRADE FOR AN ASSIGNMENT, THAT WILL BECOME A ZERO MONDAY NIGHT!!!!!!
Sunday, October 05, 2008
UPDATE
NEWS::::
Socratic Seminar Topics: - you will sign up for ONE Monday
1. Addiction: Is addiction a disease (Read pages SSB21-SSB8)
2. The Nature and Nurture of Homosexuality (Read pages 145-151)
3. Drugs and Intelligence: (Read pages 140-144)
EXTRA CREDIT MOVIE Dates:
1. Tuesday, October 14
2. Wednesday, October 15
3. Thursday, October 23
5. Friday, October 24
The Week Ahead
Monday (10/6)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Marijuana
---Notes
--Psychoactive Roundtable
HW: Read pages 130-134 in Reader
Tuesday (10/7)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Alcohol
---Notes/Video
HW: Read pages 135-139 in Reader
Wednesday (10/8)
Psychoactive Drugs
Addiction and Recovery
--Notes
--Video: Intervention: Alcohol
HW: Brain Map work OR NONE
Thursday (10/9)
Psychoactive Drugs
Wrap up of Biological Psychology and Psychoactive Drugs
HW: STUDY for Unit Exam
Friday (10/10)
NO SCHOOL! -- I will be at school and available for appointments
Monday (10/13)
Review for Biological Essay Exam
HW: STUDY!
Tuesday (10/14)
Biological Unit Essay Exam
HW: Socratic Seminar Readings (located in Reader): per selected topic (you will sign up for a topic in class)
Wednesday (10/15)
Socratic Seminar
HW: Read pages 155-163 in Reader AND respond to questions on page 161 and page 163 under 'Consider This'
Socratic Seminar Topics: - you will sign up for ONE Monday
1. Addiction: Is addiction a disease (Read pages SSB21-SSB8)
2. The Nature and Nurture of Homosexuality (Read pages 145-151)
3. Drugs and Intelligence: (Read pages 140-144)
EXTRA CREDIT MOVIE Dates:
1. Tuesday, October 14
2. Wednesday, October 15
3. Thursday, October 23
5. Friday, October 24
The Week Ahead
Monday (10/6)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Marijuana
---Notes
--Psychoactive Roundtable
HW: Read pages 130-134 in Reader
Tuesday (10/7)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Alcohol
---Notes/Video
HW: Read pages 135-139 in Reader
Wednesday (10/8)
Psychoactive Drugs
Addiction and Recovery
--Notes
--Video: Intervention: Alcohol
HW: Brain Map work OR NONE
Thursday (10/9)
Psychoactive Drugs
Wrap up of Biological Psychology and Psychoactive Drugs
HW: STUDY for Unit Exam
Friday (10/10)
NO SCHOOL! -- I will be at school and available for appointments
Monday (10/13)
Review for Biological Essay Exam
HW: STUDY!
Tuesday (10/14)
Biological Unit Essay Exam
HW: Socratic Seminar Readings (located in Reader): per selected topic (you will sign up for a topic in class)
Wednesday (10/15)
Socratic Seminar
HW: Read pages 155-163 in Reader AND respond to questions on page 161 and page 163 under 'Consider This'
Friday, October 03, 2008
Psychoactive Drug, Addiction, and Recovery Research
ROUNDTABLE: Psychoactive Drugs, Addiction, and Recovery:
Find an article regarding any psychoactive drug, addiction, or recovery. Read the article and write a one paragraph or more analytical response to the article. Be ready Monday to share your findings and analysis in a round table discussion.
Below is a list of links to sites that post news regarding psychoactive drugs and addiction:
New Scientist
NIDA
Medical News Today
The University of Utah
MayoClinic
TAVAD
The below video is pretty cool. Watch out! It can be disturbing...but it is so awesome! Enjoy
Find an article regarding any psychoactive drug, addiction, or recovery. Read the article and write a one paragraph or more analytical response to the article. Be ready Monday to share your findings and analysis in a round table discussion.
Below is a list of links to sites that post news regarding psychoactive drugs and addiction:
New Scientist
NIDA
Medical News Today
The University of Utah
MayoClinic
TAVAD
The below video is pretty cool. Watch out! It can be disturbing...but it is so awesome! Enjoy
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Twin Study Links Marijuana Abuse, Suicide, And Depression
Men and women who smoked marijuana before age 17 are 3.5 times as likely to attempt suicide as those who started later. Individuals who are dependent on marijuana have a higher risk than nondependent individuals of experiencing major depressive disorder and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The researchers who discovered these relationships, in a recent NIDA-funded large-scale epidemiological study, say that although the causes are not clear, their findings demonstrate the importance of considering associated mental health issues in the treatment and prevention of marijuana abuse.
Dr. Michael Lynskey and colleagues at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, gathered data from four groups of same-sex twin pairs (508 identical, 493 fraternal; 518 female, 483 male) enrolled in the Australian Twin Registry. The groups and findings were:
* Among the 277 pairs who were discordant for marijuana dependence (that is, one twin but not the other met the criteria for a diagnosis of marijuana dependence), the dependent twins were 2.9 times as likely as their nondependent co-twins to think about suicide without attempting it, and 2.5 times as likely to make a suicide attempt;
* Among the 311 pairs discordant for early marijuana initiation (just one twin in each pair smoked marijuana before age 17), the early initiators were 3.5 times as likely as their twins to attempt suicide, but no more likely to suffer a major depressive disorder (MDD);
* Among the 156 pairs discordant for diagnosis of MDD before age 17, fraternal but not identical twins with early diagnosis of MDD were 9.5 times as likely to develop marijuana dependence; and
* Among the 257 pairs discordant for having suicidal thoughts before age 17, fraternal but not identical twins with early suicidal thoughts were 5.5 times as likely as their twins to become dependent on marijuana.
"Overall, the associations between marijuana abuse and depressive disorders suggest a relationship that is contributory but not necessarily causal. Depressive disorders in and of themselves do not cause people to abuse marijuana, and marijuana abuse and dependence do not of themselves cause depression or suicidal behavior," Dr. Lynskey says. "Nevertheless, clinicians treating patients for one disorder should take the other into account at initial assessment and throughout treatment. In the context of treatment, both need to be addressed, because it is not necessarily the case that eliminating one disorder will get rid of the other." The fact that two of the relationships were observed in fraternal but not identical twins suggests that the experiences related in each—marijuana dependence and MDD, and marijuana dependence and suicidal thoughts—may share a common underlying genetic basis, notes Dr. Lynskey.
The associations identified in this study are complex, but point to a simple policy implication, observes Dr. Lynskey. "It is important to see that prevention efforts aimed at one disorder may well have the additional benefit of preventing or reducing the other," he says.
Dr. Michael Lynskey and colleagues at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, gathered data from four groups of same-sex twin pairs (508 identical, 493 fraternal; 518 female, 483 male) enrolled in the Australian Twin Registry. The groups and findings were:
* Among the 277 pairs who were discordant for marijuana dependence (that is, one twin but not the other met the criteria for a diagnosis of marijuana dependence), the dependent twins were 2.9 times as likely as their nondependent co-twins to think about suicide without attempting it, and 2.5 times as likely to make a suicide attempt;
* Among the 311 pairs discordant for early marijuana initiation (just one twin in each pair smoked marijuana before age 17), the early initiators were 3.5 times as likely as their twins to attempt suicide, but no more likely to suffer a major depressive disorder (MDD);
* Among the 156 pairs discordant for diagnosis of MDD before age 17, fraternal but not identical twins with early diagnosis of MDD were 9.5 times as likely to develop marijuana dependence; and
* Among the 257 pairs discordant for having suicidal thoughts before age 17, fraternal but not identical twins with early suicidal thoughts were 5.5 times as likely as their twins to become dependent on marijuana.
"Overall, the associations between marijuana abuse and depressive disorders suggest a relationship that is contributory but not necessarily causal. Depressive disorders in and of themselves do not cause people to abuse marijuana, and marijuana abuse and dependence do not of themselves cause depression or suicidal behavior," Dr. Lynskey says. "Nevertheless, clinicians treating patients for one disorder should take the other into account at initial assessment and throughout treatment. In the context of treatment, both need to be addressed, because it is not necessarily the case that eliminating one disorder will get rid of the other." The fact that two of the relationships were observed in fraternal but not identical twins suggests that the experiences related in each—marijuana dependence and MDD, and marijuana dependence and suicidal thoughts—may share a common underlying genetic basis, notes Dr. Lynskey.
The associations identified in this study are complex, but point to a simple policy implication, observes Dr. Lynskey. "It is important to see that prevention efforts aimed at one disorder may well have the additional benefit of preventing or reducing the other," he says.
"Drug abuse and depression co-occur at rates much greater than chance and constitute a serious public health concern," says Dr. Naimah Weinberg of NIDA's Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research. "Understanding how each disorder may contribute to the development and course of the other, and what factors may underlie their co-occurrence, has important implications for prevention and treatment of these disabling conditions. Genetic epidemiologic approaches, such as those applied by Dr. Lynskey and his colleagues, are very powerful tools to help parse out the etiologic relationships between co-occurring disorders."
Source- Lynskey, M.T., et al. Major depressive disorder, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt in twins discordant for cannabis dependence and earlyonset cannabis use. Archives of General Psychiatry 61(10):1026-1032, 2004. [Abstract]
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Cannabis use increases risk of psychotic illness
The below article reports on the correlation between marijuana use and psychotic illness with a special focus on schizophrenia. See also the NIDA for more information on what is known about the use of marijuana. Much of this information we will cover inclass later this week and next. Click here for more information on this issue and other information on marijuana from the NIDA web site.
Researchers say they have the strongest evidence yet that using cannabis increases the risk of later developing psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia.
On average, cannabis smokers have a 41% greater chance of suffering from such disorders than those who didn't inhale, the new study finds. And the likelihood increases with increasing cannabis use, with heavy users - who smoke daily - three times as likely as non-users to develop psychotic illnesses.
Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world. In the UK and the US, for example, around 40% of young adults have used cannabis, according to government research.
Previous research has suggested a link between cannabis and schizophrenia-like symptoms such as paranoia, hearing voices and seeing things that are not there. But the possible association "has been an issue of tremendous debate and controversy for a long time", says Rick Rawson, a professor at the University of California in Los Angeles, US. "The science gets all mixed together with all the ideological views [about the drug]."
Now, researchers in the UK have reviewed 35 studies on the long-term effects of cannabis use in Europe, the US and Australasia and say the drug does in fact appear to be linked with an increased risk of psychosis. The original studies lasted from one to 27 years.
Causal link?Because people with pre-existing mental health problems may be more likely to take drugs in the first place, the researchers excluded data from those already showing signs of psychotic illness. Still, they found an increased incidence of psychosis in cannabis users, suggesting the drug may somehow cause such disorders, they say.
"Although you cannot be certain that the cannabis is causing this increase in risk, we think there is enough evidence to warn people," team member Glyn Lewis of the University of Bristol in the UK told New Scientist.
If cannabis does cause psychosis, it could account for at least one in every seven cases of diagnosed psychotic illness, the researchers say.
"There is a very good reason to be concerned," says Shaul Hestrin of Stanford University in California, US, who is investigating how cannabinoids affect brain cells. He says the evidence of a causal link in this latest study is "very convincing" but adds that even better evidence may come once scientists understand how cannabis actually changes the brain.
Rawson agrees: "The big question is how to determine who's at risk."
The British government is now reviewing the classification of cannabis, which is currently a Class C drug. It may be reclassified as Class B, which means users could begin to do jail time for possession.
"Clearly the health risks are only some of the factors that are taken into account when people consider the legal classification of drugs," Lewis says. This latest study was funded by the UK Department of Health, and Lewis said the results have been given to the UK Home Office.
Journal reference: The Lancet (vol 370, p 319).
Monday, September 29, 2008
Biological Psychology Essay Options
The following questions are eligible for the Biological Psychology Unit Essay Exam:
From page 38:
Questions: 2, 3, and 4
From page 38:
Questions: 2, 3, and 4
This is your brain on food
Study: Kids, this is your brain on food: U. research has implications for early intervention in mental illness and for treatment of juvenile offenders
The Salt Lake Tribune - September 26, 2008
Sep. 26--In adolescents, food engages the primal brain, a lower part of the cerebrum associated with immediate gratification and base urges.
But in adults, food experiences appear to trigger more nuanced responses in the frontal cortex, the part of the brain that processes abstract thought associated with long-term goals, according to a neuroscientist with the University of Utah's Brain Institute.
It's more evidence that adolescent brains are still developing, which holds implications for early intervention in mental illness and for treatment of juvenile offenders.
"The adolescent brain responds differently to these rewarding cues than the adult brain," said Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, who uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study how stimuli affect brain activity, measured in terms of blood flow around the 3-pound organ.
Yurgelun-Todd presented her findings Thursday at the inaugural Lunch with Leo, a new lecture series The Leonardo will host with the Utah Science, Technology and Research initiative. USTAR recruited Yurgelun-Todd, a 25-year veteran of psychiatric research, to lead the U.'s Cognitive Neuroimaging Center with her husband Perry Renshaw.
Yurgelun-Todd's work has been cited in Supreme Court arguments backing elimination of the death penalty for teens and is used by the Indiana juvenile justice system to reduce teen recidivism.
"The more we carry out this research the more we realize the brain is plastic, undergoing change throughout the lifetime," she said, noting that there is a general consensus that the brain reaches "adult" maturity around age 25.
The human brain reaches full size around age 5, but the organ keeps changing.
"The volume of the brain might not change but there is substantial remodeling during adolescence," Yurgelun-Todd said. It's that remodeling that her research seeks to understand.
For the food study, researchers put healthy people, both adolescents and adults who had no first-degree relatives with psychiatric disorders, into an MRI machine. They recorded changes in brain activity while exposing the subjects to 30-second glimpses of food and non-food images.
The results were clear: Adolescents' responses to food were strictly subcortical. This suggests youngsters' reward systems remain relatively unformed, which makes it harder if not impossible for them to understand long-term goals.
"Reward is incredibly important in goal-directed behavior. If your reward system is driving you to the extent that your inhibitions can't control impulse, you won't be able to control short-term gratification in favor of long-term goals," Yurgelun-Todd said.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The Week Ahead: Psychoactive Drugs
Monday (9/29)
Psychoactive Drugs
-Pre-frontal Cortex - Video
-Notes: Introduction and The Stimulation of the Brain
-HW: Add bio of memory to brain map (brain map will be turned in with notes for the unit essay exam)
Tuesday (9/30)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Stimulants: cocaine
---Notes and Video clips
HW: Read pages 118-122 in Reader
Wednesday (10/1)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Stimulants: cocaine
---Notes
--Stimulants: Methamphetamines
---Notes and videos
HW: NONE!
Thursday (10/2)
Psychoactive Drugs
-Stimulants: Methamphetamines
---Notes/Videos
HW: Handout: Marijuana
Friday (10/3)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Marijuana
---Notes and Video
HW: Read pages 130-134 in Reader take notes on studies and affects/effects of LSD
Monday (10/6)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Hallucinogens: Ecstasy & LSD
---Notes and Review HW
--Alcohol
---Notes/Video clips
HW: Read pages 135-139 in Reader
Tuesday (10/7)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Antidepressants
---Notes
Addiction and Recovery
HW: Handout/TBA
Wednesday (10/8)
Psychoactive Drugs
Addiction and Recovery
--Video: Intervention
HW: 'Reflective Psychological Response' to episodes seen in Intervention
Thursday (10/9)
Psychoactive Drugs
--Addiction (video)
--Review/Round table talk on drug use and abuse
HW: STUDY for Unit Exam
Friday (10/10)
NO SCHOOL! -- I will be at school and available for appointments
Monday (10/13)
Review for Biological Essay Exam
HW: STUDY!
Tuesday (10/14)
Biological Unit Essay Exam
HW: Socratic Seminar Readings (located in Reader): per selected topic (you will sign up for a topic in class)
Wednesday (10/15)
Socratic Seminar
HW: Read pages 155-163 in Reader AND respond to questions on page 161 and page 163 under 'Consider This'
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Week Ahead: Biology of Memory and Learning
Monday (9/22)
1. Discuss HW/Mirror Neurons
2. Video: Secrets of the Mind - (finish)
HW: Read pages 97-101 in Reader; take notes on Lashley's search for the Engram AND The Modern Search for the Engram, make special note of Thompson's research.
Tuesday (9/23)
1. Neurology Demonstrations (x2)
2. The Biology of Learning and Memory
--Discuss HW
--Videos: biology of memory and learning -- a series of short studies
HW: Read pages 101-108 in Reader take notes on:
Hebb's work and theories (page 101-103)
The role of the amygdala in memory - (page 104) - and note LaBar & Phelps, 1998
Case study: H.M. (pages 105-108
--note the kinds of memory he has and does not have or appears to lack
Tranel & Damasio, 1997 - (page 108)
Wednesday (9/24)
1. Discuss HW/Biology of Learning and Memory
2. Video: Remembering and Forgetting - Zimbardo
HW: Read pages 108-114 in Reader and note the following:
Maguire, Frackowiak, & Frith, 2000
Korsakoff's Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease - take only general notes here
Thursday (9/25)
1. Discuss HW/Biology of Learning and Memory
2. Read pages 72 & 75 in Reader and complete JAS for notes - discuss in class
3. Review for Quiz
HW: NONE! Study for Quiz 1
Friday (9/26)
1. Quiz 1
2. Psychoactive Dugs and Addiction
--Notes
HW: Read pages 115-122 in Reader and take general notes on the topic of psychoactive drugs and the brain-behavior relationship and types of psychoactive drugs -- do not take excessive notes here, we will be spending a great deal of time in class taking notes on psychoactive drugs. Treat this as a brief introduction.
1. Discuss HW/Mirror Neurons
2. Video: Secrets of the Mind - (finish)
HW: Read pages 97-101 in Reader; take notes on Lashley's search for the Engram AND The Modern Search for the Engram, make special note of Thompson's research.
Tuesday (9/23)
1. Neurology Demonstrations (x2)
2. The Biology of Learning and Memory
--Discuss HW
--Videos: biology of memory and learning -- a series of short studies
HW: Read pages 101-108 in Reader take notes on:
Hebb's work and theories (page 101-103)
The role of the amygdala in memory - (page 104) - and note LaBar & Phelps, 1998
Case study: H.M. (pages 105-108
--note the kinds of memory he has and does not have or appears to lack
Tranel & Damasio, 1997 - (page 108)
Wednesday (9/24)
1. Discuss HW/Biology of Learning and Memory
2. Video: Remembering and Forgetting - Zimbardo
HW: Read pages 108-114 in Reader and note the following:
Maguire, Frackowiak, & Frith, 2000
Korsakoff's Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease - take only general notes here
Thursday (9/25)
1. Discuss HW/Biology of Learning and Memory
2. Read pages 72 & 75 in Reader and complete JAS for notes - discuss in class
3. Review for Quiz
HW: NONE! Study for Quiz 1
Friday (9/26)
1. Quiz 1
2. Psychoactive Dugs and Addiction
--Notes
HW: Read pages 115-122 in Reader and take general notes on the topic of psychoactive drugs and the brain-behavior relationship and types of psychoactive drugs -- do not take excessive notes here, we will be spending a great deal of time in class taking notes on psychoactive drugs. Treat this as a brief introduction.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Quiz 1: Biological Psychology: The Brain and Neurology
Quiz 1: Eligible Questions for Quiz 1 -- (see page 38 of Reader)
Post questions here, e-mail me (fcaro@ttsd.k12.or.us), see me before and/or after school and/or during lunch. Also, feel free to schedule an appointment.
Video: Ambulance LTD: Heavy Lifting
Quiz Questions (Part A questions)
Question 1
Question 2
Question 5
See page 40 for a general outline for essays. The quiz is 45 minutes in length and MUST be focused on research with respect to the question. See page 529 for the IB scoring rubric (how I will grade your essay). The essay is worth 50 points
Post questions here, e-mail me (fcaro@ttsd.k12.or.us), see me before and/or after school and/or during lunch. Also, feel free to schedule an appointment.
Video: Ambulance LTD: Heavy Lifting
Friday, September 19, 2008
Political views 'all in the mind'
Scientists studying voters in the US say our political views may be an integral part of our physical makeup.
Their research, published in the journal Science, indicates that people who are sensitive to fear or threat are likely to support a right wing agenda.
Those who perceived less danger in a series of images and sounds were more inclined to support liberal policies.
The authors believe their findings may help to explain why voters' minds are so hard to change.
In the study, conducted in Nebraska, 46 volunteers were first asked about their political views on issues ranging from foreign aid and the Iraq war to capital punishment and patriotism.
Those with strong opinions were invited to take part in the second part of the experiment, which involved recording their physiological responses to a series of images and sounds.
The images included pictures of a frightened man with a large spider on his face and an open wound with maggots in it. The subjects were also startled with loud noises on occasion.
Their research, published in the journal Science, indicates that people who are sensitive to fear or threat are likely to support a right wing agenda.
Those who perceived less danger in a series of images and sounds were more inclined to support liberal policies.
The authors believe their findings may help to explain why voters' minds are so hard to change.
In the study, conducted in Nebraska, 46 volunteers were first asked about their political views on issues ranging from foreign aid and the Iraq war to capital punishment and patriotism.
Those with strong opinions were invited to take part in the second part of the experiment, which involved recording their physiological responses to a series of images and sounds.
The images included pictures of a frightened man with a large spider on his face and an open wound with maggots in it. The subjects were also startled with loud noises on occasion.
Friday and Monday
Agenda for Friday (9/19)
1. Discuss Rosenzweig's research
2. Video: Secrets of the Mind
HW: Read pages 92-96 in Reader; takes notes on what mirror neurons are and the following studies: -- these are short in mention
Rizzolatti, Gallese, and Fogassi (page 93)
Iacoboni and Arbib and the above team (see page 94)
Rizzolatti and Arbib, 1998 (see page 94)
Gallese and Rizzolatti, 2005 (see page 94)
Iacoboni, 2005 (see page 94)
Wicker, 2003 (page 95)
Harvard Medical School study (page 95)
Ramachandran (page 96)
Monday (9/22)
1. Discuss Mirror Neurons
2. Video: Secrets of the Mind
HW: Read pages 97-101 in Reader; take notes on Lashley's search for the Engram AND The Modern Search for the Engram, make special note of Thompson's research.
1. Discuss Rosenzweig's research
2. Video: Secrets of the Mind
HW: Read pages 92-96 in Reader; takes notes on what mirror neurons are and the following studies: -- these are short in mention
Rizzolatti, Gallese, and Fogassi (page 93)
Iacoboni and Arbib and the above team (see page 94)
Rizzolatti and Arbib, 1998 (see page 94)
Gallese and Rizzolatti, 2005 (see page 94)
Iacoboni, 2005 (see page 94)
Wicker, 2003 (page 95)
Harvard Medical School study (page 95)
Ramachandran (page 96)
Monday (9/22)
1. Discuss Mirror Neurons
2. Video: Secrets of the Mind
HW: Read pages 97-101 in Reader; take notes on Lashley's search for the Engram AND The Modern Search for the Engram, make special note of Thompson's research.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Friday AM Alerts
1. For those students who will be gone Friday, I will post what studies to take notes on in the mirror neuron article Friday AM. I would do it tonight but I left my Reader at school. Sorry!
2. I will post on the blog the three essay options for Quiz 1 which will take place next Friday (9/26).
2. I will post on the blog the three essay options for Quiz 1 which will take place next Friday (9/26).
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Laughter linked to increased productivity
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News Online - September 17, 2008
A researcher has discovered that positive humour in the workplace can lead to greater job satisfaction.
Psychologist Maren Rawlings from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne surveyed 300 workers from 20 different countries about their use of humour and how they perceived the humour used by their colleagues.
Ms Rawlings says she found a direct correlation between the climate of good humour in a workplace and employee satisfaction.
"If there is a lot of good humour that is shared and supports others...then people are generally well satisfied with what they are doing," she said.
Ms Rawlings says previous research has linked job satisfaction with productivity and her findings contradict the misconception that people who enjoy themselves in the workplace are not as productive.
She says it is important for employers to recognise the role humour plays in keeping workers satisfied.
"If employers take measures to encourage a positive humour climate in the workplace, they are more likely to retain their staff," she said.
"And with an ageing workforce it is vital for companies to keep good people."
Ms Rawlings will present her findings at the Australian Psychological Society's annual conference in Hobart later this month.
See http://www.abc.net.au
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Eating veggies shrinks the brain
MELBOURNE: Scientists have discovered that going veggie could be bad for your brain-with those on a meat-free diet six times more likely to suffer brain shrinkage.
Vegans and vegetarians are the most likely to be deficient because the best sources of the vitamin are meat, particularly liver, milk and fish. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause anaemia and inflammation of the nervous system. Yeast extracts are one of the few vegetarian foods which provide good levels of the vitamin.
The link was discovered by Oxford University scientists who used memory tests, physical checks and brain scans to examine 107 people between the ages of 61 and 87.
When the volunteers were retested five years later the medics found those with the lowest levels of vitamin B12 were also the most likely to have brain shrinkage. It confirms earlier research showing a link between brain atrophy and low levels of B12.
Brain scans of more than 1,800 people found that people who downed 14 drinks or more a week had 1.6% more brain shrinkage than teetotallers. Women in their seventies were the most at risk.
Beer does less damage than wine according to a study in Alcohol and Alcoholism.
Researchers found that the hippocampus-the part of the brain that stores memories - was 10% smaller in beer drinkers than those who stuck to wine.
And being overweight or obese is linked to brain loss, Swedish researchers discovered. Scans of around 300 women found that those with brain shrink had an average body mass index of 27 And for every one point increase in their BMI the loss rose by 13 to 16%.
Taken from the Times of India
Vegans and vegetarians are the most likely to be deficient because the best sources of the vitamin are meat, particularly liver, milk and fish. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause anaemia and inflammation of the nervous system. Yeast extracts are one of the few vegetarian foods which provide good levels of the vitamin.
The link was discovered by Oxford University scientists who used memory tests, physical checks and brain scans to examine 107 people between the ages of 61 and 87.
When the volunteers were retested five years later the medics found those with the lowest levels of vitamin B12 were also the most likely to have brain shrinkage. It confirms earlier research showing a link between brain atrophy and low levels of B12.
Brain scans of more than 1,800 people found that people who downed 14 drinks or more a week had 1.6% more brain shrinkage than teetotallers. Women in their seventies were the most at risk.
Beer does less damage than wine according to a study in Alcohol and Alcoholism.
Researchers found that the hippocampus-the part of the brain that stores memories - was 10% smaller in beer drinkers than those who stuck to wine.
And being overweight or obese is linked to brain loss, Swedish researchers discovered. Scans of around 300 women found that those with brain shrink had an average body mass index of 27 And for every one point increase in their BMI the loss rose by 13 to 16%.
Taken from the Times of India
Monday, September 15, 2008
Brain Matures a Few Years Late in ADHD, But Follows Normal Pattern
In youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the brain matures in a normal pattern but is delayed three years in some regions, on average, compared to youth without the disorder, an imaging study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has revealed. The delay in ADHD was most prominent in regions at the front of the brain’s outer mantle (cortex), important for the ability to control
thinking, attention and planning. Otherwise, both groups showed a similar back-to-front wave of brain maturation with different areas peaking in thickness at different times...Click text for full article.
Below: Split Brain video clip: check out the soundtrack here...good stuff.
thinking, attention and planning. Otherwise, both groups showed a similar back-to-front wave of brain maturation with different areas peaking in thickness at different times...Click text for full article.
Below: Split Brain video clip: check out the soundtrack here...good stuff.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Week Ahead: 9/15 - 9/19
Monday (9/15)
1. Biological Psychology: the brain
--Localization of Function
---Demonstration - the hemispheres
---Notes
2. Discuss HW/Brain Map
3. Introduce and Explain J.A.S. form
HW: Read pages 62-67 in Reader and complete JAS form
Tuesday (9/16)
1. Regional Brain Damage
1. Biological Psychology: the brain
--Localization of Function
---Demonstration - the hemispheres
---Notes
2. Discuss HW/Brain Map
3. Introduce and Explain J.A.S. form
HW: Read pages 62-67 in Reader and complete JAS form
Tuesday (9/16)
1. Regional Brain Damage
--Video: Phineas Gage
2. Brain Damage: split brains!
--Discuss HW
--Video: split brain
3. The Brain
--Video - let's welcome Zimbardo!
HW: Read pages 77-84 in Reader and take notes on studies and sex differences (add information to brain map) - try the Notes Form
Wednesday (9/17)
1. Discuss HW: the male and female brain
2. Secrets of the Mind - video - (case studies)
HW: Read pages 85-91 in Reader and take notes on studies
Thursday (9/18)
1. Discuss HW: the maternal brain
2. The Environment and the Brain
--The Responsive Brain - video - KEY VIDEO!
3. The Environment and Neurology
--Review basic neurology
--Demonstration
HW: Read pages 68-71 in Reader and complete the JAS form
Friday (9/19)
1. Discuss HW: experience and the brain
2. Running enhances neurogenesis, learning, and long-term potential - Reader page 72-76 JAS form
3. Identify Quiz 1 questions
HW: Read pages 92-96 in Reader and take notes on studies
--Discuss HW
--Video: split brain
3. The Brain
--Video - let's welcome Zimbardo!
HW: Read pages 77-84 in Reader and take notes on studies and sex differences (add information to brain map) - try the Notes Form
Wednesday (9/17)
1. Discuss HW: the male and female brain
2. Secrets of the Mind - video - (case studies)
HW: Read pages 85-91 in Reader and take notes on studies
Thursday (9/18)
1. Discuss HW: the maternal brain
2. The Environment and the Brain
--The Responsive Brain - video - KEY VIDEO!
3. The Environment and Neurology
--Review basic neurology
--Demonstration
HW: Read pages 68-71 in Reader and complete the JAS form
Friday (9/19)
1. Discuss HW: experience and the brain
2. Running enhances neurogenesis, learning, and long-term potential - Reader page 72-76 JAS form
3. Identify Quiz 1 questions
HW: Read pages 92-96 in Reader and take notes on studies
Friday, September 12, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Study: 70,000 may suffer post-9/11 stress disorder
Associated Press - September 11, 2008
NEW YORK - New data from a public health registry that tracks the health effects of 9/11 suggest that as many as 70,000 people may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the terrorist attacks.
The estimate, released Wednesday by New York City's Department of Health, is based on an analysis of the health of 71,437 people who enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry. They agreed to be tracked for up to 20 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and the study was based on answers they volunteered about their health two and three years after the attack.
Of the estimated 400,000 people believed to have been heavily exposed to pollution from the disaster, data suggests that 35,000 to 70,000 people developed PTSD and 3,800 to 12,600 may have developed asthma, city health officials said.
They include rescue and recovery workers, lower Manhattan residents, area workers, commuters and passers-by.
Overall, half of the respondents said they had been in the dust cloud from the collapsing towers; 70 percent witnessed a traumatic sight, such as a plane hitting the tower or falling bodies; and 13 percent sustained an injury that day.
"The consensus among physicians is that when it comes to physical health, the vast majority of people felt symptoms in the first year," said Lorna Thorpe, the deputy commissioner for epidemiology at the New York City Health Department. "A small proportion of people, however, developed symptoms years later. And in some cases, it's hard to tell whether they're World Trade Center-related or a result of allergies or existing conditions."
The post-traumatic stress disorder rate was highest among injured, low-income and Hispanic study volunteers. In general, minorities and low-income respondents experienced higher rates of mental and physical problems, as did women.
The study was conducted by the city health department and the federal Centers for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. It was released in the Journal of Urban Health.
The city offers free physical and mental health care to eligible people affected by the attacks.
NEW YORK - New data from a public health registry that tracks the health effects of 9/11 suggest that as many as 70,000 people may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the terrorist attacks.
The estimate, released Wednesday by New York City's Department of Health, is based on an analysis of the health of 71,437 people who enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry. They agreed to be tracked for up to 20 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and the study was based on answers they volunteered about their health two and three years after the attack.
Of the estimated 400,000 people believed to have been heavily exposed to pollution from the disaster, data suggests that 35,000 to 70,000 people developed PTSD and 3,800 to 12,600 may have developed asthma, city health officials said.
They include rescue and recovery workers, lower Manhattan residents, area workers, commuters and passers-by.
Overall, half of the respondents said they had been in the dust cloud from the collapsing towers; 70 percent witnessed a traumatic sight, such as a plane hitting the tower or falling bodies; and 13 percent sustained an injury that day.
"The consensus among physicians is that when it comes to physical health, the vast majority of people felt symptoms in the first year," said Lorna Thorpe, the deputy commissioner for epidemiology at the New York City Health Department. "A small proportion of people, however, developed symptoms years later. And in some cases, it's hard to tell whether they're World Trade Center-related or a result of allergies or existing conditions."
The post-traumatic stress disorder rate was highest among injured, low-income and Hispanic study volunteers. In general, minorities and low-income respondents experienced higher rates of mental and physical problems, as did women.
The study was conducted by the city health department and the federal Centers for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. It was released in the Journal of Urban Health.
The city offers free physical and mental health care to eligible people affected by the attacks.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Case Study: Genie
Clip 1:
Clip 2:
We will watch this documentary in its entirety this January for a special socratic seminar. Please post your reactions to the case!
Clip 2:
We will watch this documentary in its entirety this January for a special socratic seminar. Please post your reactions to the case!
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Musical tastes reveal who you are says British study
London (dpa) - A British study investigating the link between musical tastes and personality has found that classical music listeners and heavy metal fans share vital character traits such as creativity and shyness.
The below is a great video and song! Check it out, very interesting use of light and liquid. The director (Jaron Albertin) has made several very cool videos (one I will feature for Freud for extra credit analysis!)
The research, published Friday by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, asked 36,000 music lovers worldwide to list their favourite music and give brief descriptions of their personalities in what is believed to be the largest such study ever undertaken.
It was led by Adrian North, head of the university's department of applied psychology, who said he had been "surprised" by some of the results.
"One of the most surprising things is the similarities between fans of classical music and heavy metal. They're both creative and at ease but not outgoing," said North.
"The general public has held a stereotype of heavy metal fans being suicidally depressed and of being a danger to themselves and society in general. But they are quite delicate things."
According to North, heavy metal and classical fans are united by a "shared love of the grandiose," which meant that a "Metallica fan is more likely to listen to Mahler than an indie kid is to give reggae a try."
"Aside from their age difference, they are basically same kind of person."
Fans of indie music were found to have low self-esteem and little motivation, while rap enthusiasts "tend to think a lot about themselves and are extremely outgoing" and country and western fans were outgoing and hard-working.
Those who love dance and music were extrovert but "more likely to be unfriendly and slightly self-centred."
According to the study, blues and jazz lovers have generally high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing and at ease - traits they share with rock'n'roll fans who were, however, "not very kind or generous."
North suggested that the results explained why "so many people bond over music because it is "profoundly linked to the person we are."
What do you think? Is this research valid?
The below is a great video and song! Check it out, very interesting use of light and liquid. The director (Jaron Albertin) has made several very cool videos (one I will feature for Freud for extra credit analysis!)
The Week Ahead: 9/8 - 9/12
Every Sunday night I will post the week's agenda. Any given day's agenda is subject to change! So please check back to confirm when in question. And of course e-mail me with any questions.
Monday (9/8)
1. Get textbooks
2. Stamp HW - (Descartes)
3. What is Psychology
-- Notes
4. Problem One: Mind Body Problem
-- Notes (with demonstration) and Video Clip: the Replicant
--Discuss Mind-Body debate
5. Problem Two: Free Will vs. Determinism
--Notes
HW: Respond to pages 23-24 in the Reader -- using a separate sheet of paper or tear the page out. Use pages 12-14 as a reference
Tuesday (9/9)
1. Problem Two (continued): Free Will vs. Determinism
--Notes
--Discuss HW
2. Problem Three: Nature vs. Nurture
--Notes
3. Case Study: Genie - Video
Monday (9/8)
1. Get textbooks
2. Stamp HW - (Descartes)
3. What is Psychology
-- Notes
4. Problem One: Mind Body Problem
-- Notes (with demonstration) and Video Clip: the Replicant
--Discuss Mind-Body debate
5. Problem Two: Free Will vs. Determinism
--Notes
HW: Respond to pages 23-24 in the Reader -- using a separate sheet of paper or tear the page out. Use pages 12-14 as a reference
Tuesday (9/9)
1. Problem Two (continued): Free Will vs. Determinism
--Notes
--Discuss HW
2. Problem Three: Nature vs. Nurture
--Notes
3. Case Study: Genie - Video
--Discussion - connect to the three philosophical questions
HW: Reading: read pages 25-28 in Reader and respond to questions on page 25
Wednesday (9/10)
1. Research Methods in Psychology
--Discuss HW
--Review primary methods and terms
--Group Activity: designing research (page 30 in Reader)
HW: Reading from textbook pages 37-40 AND 44-46 AND 53-58 in the TEXTBOOK!
Thursday (9/11)
1. Biological Perspective (start of the first perspective)
--Preview of topics and essay questions (pages 34-41 in Reader)
--History and Assumptions
---Notes
2. The Brain: mapping the brain and the concept of localization of function
HW: Continue work on your brain map (due: Monday: 9/15) AND Read pages 42-50 in Reader and take notes on terms and references to studies
Friday (9/12)
1. Biological Perspective
--Discuss HW
--Video clips on brain damage: Phineas Gage
--Continue work with the Brain Map (using pages 51-60 in Reader)
HW: Finish Brain Map
HW: Reading: read pages 25-28 in Reader and respond to questions on page 25
Wednesday (9/10)
1. Research Methods in Psychology
--Discuss HW
--Review primary methods and terms
--Group Activity: designing research (page 30 in Reader)
HW: Reading from textbook pages 37-40 AND 44-46 AND 53-58 in the TEXTBOOK!
Thursday (9/11)
1. Biological Perspective (start of the first perspective)
--Preview of topics and essay questions (pages 34-41 in Reader)
--History and Assumptions
---Notes
2. The Brain: mapping the brain and the concept of localization of function
HW: Continue work on your brain map (due: Monday: 9/15) AND Read pages 42-50 in Reader and take notes on terms and references to studies
Friday (9/12)
1. Biological Perspective
--Discuss HW
--Video clips on brain damage: Phineas Gage
--Continue work with the Brain Map (using pages 51-60 in Reader)
HW: Finish Brain Map
Friday, September 05, 2008
Welcome to the Weekend
This is a great track from Joy Division. Ian Curtis (lead singer) had a crazy way of dancing! Enjoy!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
The Study of Psychology
9/05: Friday
The below clip is a classic scene from the movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey. One major question proposed by the film is of artificial intelligence. More specifically, to what extent can a machine/computer have a mind? If the mind is nothing different from the brain, then such a computer is completely possible. The below scene has Dave trying to turn off/kill the computer (known as HAL).
And now for the news:
- Questions about the class or what will be studied?
- Collect student information/feedback sheets
- Evaluating common sense psychology - handout
- Distribute the Readers and walk through its contents
- What is Psychology? - (Notes)
- Philosophical Problem I: the mind-body problem - (Notes)
- Video clip: Blade Runner
The below clip is a classic scene from the movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey. One major question proposed by the film is of artificial intelligence. More specifically, to what extent can a machine/computer have a mind? If the mind is nothing different from the brain, then such a computer is completely possible. The below scene has Dave trying to turn off/kill the computer (known as HAL).
And now for the news:
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