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Cognitive
Nussbaum – Lessons on Language: Ken Cloke’s Dance of Opposites
April 3, 2014
Ken’s talk at UNLV focused primarily on the language of conflict. Agreeing with Mark Twain’s observation that “kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see,” Ken used examples to illustrate how deconstructing the language of conflict by its grammar, syntax, myth, archetype, and metaphor exposes the deeper meaning of the parties’ conflict. Take grammar for example. A characteristic structure for conflict sentence is: PRONOUN + VERB + ACCUSATION (JUDGMENT). ...
April 3, 2014
Ken’s talk at UNLV focused primarily on the language of conflict. Agreeing with Mark Twain’s observation that “kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see,” Ken used examples to illustrate how deconstructing the language of conflict by its grammar, syntax, myth, archetype, and metaphor exposes the deeper meaning of the parties’ conflict. Take grammar for example. A characteristic structure for conflict sentence is: PRONOUN + VERB + ACCUSATION (JUDGMENT). ...
The Neuroscience of Rationalizing Our Mistakes
April 2, 2014
Many of us have a hard time admitting when we’re wrong, but, even more so, we don’t like admitting that something about...
April 2, 2014
Many of us have a hard time admitting when we’re wrong, but, even more so, we don’t like admitting that something about...
Mysterious Brain Region That is Vital to How You Decide
April 2, 2014
Whether you’re choosing between job offers or deciding which car or house to buy, this region is probably involved. One of the smallest parts of the brain has a vital role in decision-making, a new study suggests. The area of the brain, the lateral habenula, near the centre, has previously been associated with avoidant behaviour and depression, but is now being looked at again. Professor Stan Floresco, one of the study’s authors said: “These findings clarify the brain processes involved...
April 2, 2014
Whether you’re choosing between job offers or deciding which car or house to buy, this region is probably involved. One of the smallest parts of the brain has a vital role in decision-making, a new study suggests. The area of the brain, the lateral habenula, near the centre, has previously been associated with avoidant behaviour and depression, but is now being looked at again. Professor Stan Floresco, one of the study’s authors said: “These findings clarify the brain processes involved...
How Body Language Lets Us Down
April 2, 2014
It is not just ordinary humans who want to believe in the power of body language. The New York Times just posted John Tierney’s article, “At airports, a misplaced faith in body language.” Tierney notes that the federal government poured about $1 billion into training airport personnel to tell if you might be a terrorist just by looking at your nonverbal behaviors as you stand in line waiting to get screened. (I discussed the program here previously.) The problem with relying...
April 2, 2014
It is not just ordinary humans who want to believe in the power of body language. The New York Times just posted John Tierney’s article, “At airports, a misplaced faith in body language.” Tierney notes that the federal government poured about $1 billion into training airport personnel to tell if you might be a terrorist just by looking at your nonverbal behaviors as you stand in line waiting to get screened. (I discussed the program here previously.) The problem with relying...
The Limits of Emotional Intelligence as a Negotiation Skill
March 31, 2014
The concept of emotional intelligence burst into the cultural imagination in 1995 with the publication of psychologist Daniel Goleman’s bestselling book of the same name. Experts have predicted that scoring high on this personality trait would boost one’s bargaining outcomes. After all, the qualities that characterize emotional intelligence—awareness of our emotions and how they affect others, the ability to regulate our moods and behavior, empathy, the motivation to meet meaningful personal...
March 31, 2014
The concept of emotional intelligence burst into the cultural imagination in 1995 with the publication of psychologist Daniel Goleman’s bestselling book of the same name. Experts have predicted that scoring high on this personality trait would boost one’s bargaining outcomes. After all, the qualities that characterize emotional intelligence—awareness of our emotions and how they affect others, the ability to regulate our moods and behavior, empathy, the motivation to meet meaningful personal...
7 Tips for Overcoming Paralysis of Analysis
March 28, 2014
No doubt you’ve dedicated yourself to constantly refining your time management skills, blocking distractions, trimming...
March 28, 2014
No doubt you’ve dedicated yourself to constantly refining your time management skills, blocking distractions, trimming...
Inside Mickey Hart’s Brain: How Tech and Neuroscience Are Converging
March 28, 2014
As highlighted by SXSW this week, health is becoming a major focal point for technology entrepreneurs and investors. The health care and medical industry — from the research of new treatments to patient care — is poised for dramatic disruption, as more money and effort goes into the development of sensors, robotics and big data software. Change could come from the collision of unusual bedfellows, such as academic institutions and gaming companies, and the creative application of emerging technologies...
March 28, 2014
As highlighted by SXSW this week, health is becoming a major focal point for technology entrepreneurs and investors. The health care and medical industry — from the research of new treatments to patient care — is poised for dramatic disruption, as more money and effort goes into the development of sensors, robotics and big data software. Change could come from the collision of unusual bedfellows, such as academic institutions and gaming companies, and the creative application of emerging technologies...
The Daily Routines of Geniuses
March 28, 2014
As I read, I became convinced that for these geniuses, a routine was more than a luxury — it was essential to their work. As Currey puts it, “A solid routine fosters a well-worn groove for one’s mental energies and helps stave off the tyranny of moods.” And although the book itself is a delightful hodgepodge of trivia, not a how-to manual, I began to notice several common elements in the lives of the healthier geniuses (the ones who relied more on discipline than on, say, booze and Benzedrine)...
March 28, 2014
As I read, I became convinced that for these geniuses, a routine was more than a luxury — it was essential to their work. As Currey puts it, “A solid routine fosters a well-worn groove for one’s mental energies and helps stave off the tyranny of moods.” And although the book itself is a delightful hodgepodge of trivia, not a how-to manual, I began to notice several common elements in the lives of the healthier geniuses (the ones who relied more on discipline than on, say, booze and Benzedrine)...
Researchers Use Electricity to Stimulate Troops’ Brains
March 27, 2014
Tired troops may get a jolt out of a late-night caffeine boost, but researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory say they may have found a better way to fight fatigue. A mild electric stimulation has proven in a research study of about 175 volunteers to be more effective for longer times than caffeine, said R. Andy McKinley, a 711th Human Performance Wing biomedical engineer in the Human Effectiveness Directorate. “We found this really helps keep your attention on task,” McKinley said.
March 27, 2014
Tired troops may get a jolt out of a late-night caffeine boost, but researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory say they may have found a better way to fight fatigue. A mild electric stimulation has proven in a research study of about 175 volunteers to be more effective for longer times than caffeine, said R. Andy McKinley, a 711th Human Performance Wing biomedical engineer in the Human Effectiveness Directorate. “We found this really helps keep your attention on task,” McKinley said.
The Neuroscience of Decision Making Explained in 30 Seconds
March 25, 2014
Is it possible to explain the neuroscience of decision making in 30 seconds? I had a go as one of my contributions to a new book called 30-Second Brain that’s released in the USA today. Here’s what I wrote: From Plato’s charioteer controlling the horse of passion, to Freud’s instinctual id suppressed by the ego, there’s a long tradition of seeing reason and emotion as being in opposition to one another. Translating this perspective to neuroscience, one might imagine that successful decision...
March 25, 2014
Is it possible to explain the neuroscience of decision making in 30 seconds? I had a go as one of my contributions to a new book called 30-Second Brain that’s released in the USA today. Here’s what I wrote: From Plato’s charioteer controlling the horse of passion, to Freud’s instinctual id suppressed by the ego, there’s a long tradition of seeing reason and emotion as being in opposition to one another. Translating this perspective to neuroscience, one might imagine that successful decision...
