Category: Psychology

Consciousness and the Brain – Deciphering How the Brain Codes Our Thoughts by Stanislas Dehaene

Post author By theFerkel
Post date February 28, 2020

In the late 1800s, psychology began as the study of the mind. Then the behaviorists convinced everyone to abandon the study of mind and consciousness, for good reasons. At the time, the only way to study consciousness was introspection, a source of no reliable information. Through most of the next century, experimental psychologists avoided not only research on consciousness, but also the term itself. Unconscious processes were equally taboo, to avoid any association with Freudian theories.

A joyous exploration of the mind and its thrilling complexities, Consciousness and the Brain will excite anyone interested
in cutting-edge science and technology and the vast philosophical, personal, and ethical implications of finally quantifying consciousness

Tags brain

Psychology

Johann Hari – Lost Connections (depression and anxiety)

Post author By theFerkel
Post date November 19, 2019

Drug companies would fund huge numbers of studies and then only release the ones that showed success

Well-known author and journalist, Johann Hari, suffered from depression as a teen, taking anti-depressants from a tender age. Told, like so many others, his depression was the cause of a chemical imbalance in his brain, he later studied social sciences and embarked on a quest to discover the truth about the cause of his depression. He swallowed antidepressants like millions of others, and after 13 years of pills, without much change, and a broad investigation into the true causes of depression, he is calling for a different approach.

He says that between 65% and 80% of people on antidepressants are depressed again within a year. There is a tickbox list on the DSM Website which is used to diagnose someone as mentally ill and suffering from chronic depression.

WE’VE BEEN TELLING OURSELVES THIS CHEMICAL STORY FOR 35 YEARS AND EVERY YEAR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY GETS WORSE.

Tags anxiety, audiobook, depression

Excerpts Psychology

The Gift of Fear – Survival Signals by Gavin De Becker (Excerpt)

Post author By theFerkel
Post date May 23, 2019

The following is respectfully quoted from “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker:

Many homicides have occurred at the courthouse where women were seeking protection orders, or just prior to the hearings. Why? Because the murderers were allergic to rejection. They found it hard enough in private but intolerable in public. For men like this, rejection is a threat to identity, the persona, to the entire self, and in this sense their crimes could be called murder in defense of the self. In To Have or To Harm, the first major book on stalking, author Linden Gross details case after case in which court orders did not prevent homicides. Here are just a few:

Tags behaviour, excerpt, quotes, violence

Psychology

Is IQ Genetic or Environmental?

Post author By theFerkel
Post date May 19, 2019

There has been significant controversy in the academic community about the heritability of IQ since research on the issue began in the late nineteenth century.

Scientists have long been intrigued by the origins of IQ, and in particular whether IQ is genetically inherited or whether a high IQ is the result of a stimulating environment.

Intelligence in the normal range is a polygenic trait, meaning that it is influenced by more than one gene, more specifically, over 500, and is thought to be 50% to 80% genetic in origin.(Wikipedia)

Tags genetic experiment, genious, IQ

Psychology

The mystery of mimicking a person in order to get closer to them

Post author By theFerkel
Post date April 21, 2019

When people communicate they use different methods of expressing themselves – gestures always accompany our words and help to express our feelings. Correct interpretation of gestures can tell us even more than words. Some gestures demonstrate partner’s unconcealed intentions, secret thoughts and hidden desires.

Tags dating, psychology, romance

Psychology

The science behind your choices and what happens when you defer your dreams

Post author By theFerkel
Post date March 13, 2019

As you’re probably aware, the subconscious runs the general brain programs. When you’re using your conscious brain to think, plan, visualise or contemplate, the subconscious runs the rest of the show. It runs us on autopilot. That autopilot is in the ‘on’ position, about 95 percent of the time.

Tags brain, psychology

Psychology

Personality and what’s the Real You?

Post author By theFerkel
Post date December 20, 2018

Personality and what’s the Real You?

Personality like many things in life is sort of concrete and can be difficult to define at times. The basic definition is the relatively stable characteristics that are enduring and distinctive which means it separates people from the crowd.

Tags personality, personality type, psychology

Excerpts Psychology

Don’t trust your memories

Post author By theFerkel
Post date November 16, 2018

I came across an interesting take on the False Memory Syndrome. While we all experience memory failures from time to time, false memories are unique in that they represent a distinct recollection of something that did not actually happen. It is not about forgetting or mixing up details of things that we experienced; it is about remembering things that we never experienced in the first place.

Tags memory, psychology, quotes

Psychology

The Birth of Conversion

Post author By theFerkel
Post date February 3, 2018

IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MAN, NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN BRAINWASHED AND REALIZED, OR BELIEVED, THAT HE HAD BEEN BRAINWASHED. Those who have been brainwashed will usually passionately defend their manipulators, claiming they have simply been “shown the light” . . . or have been transformed in miraculous ways.

c53e03b589db4bc6da442f2d6bed4b27 — Conversion can be powerful

CONVERSION is a “nice” word for BRAINWASHING . . . and any study of brainwashing has to begin with a study of Christian revivalism in eighteenth century America. Apparently, Jonathan Edwards accidentally discovered the techniques during a religious crusade in 1735 in Northampton, Massachusetts.

By inducing guilt and acute apprehension and by increasing the tension, the “sinners” attending his revival meetings would break down and completely submit.

Technically, what Edwards was doing was creating conditions that wipe the brain slate clean so that the mind accepts new programming. The problem was that the new input was negative.

Tags history, psychology, religion

Psychology

How Revivalist Preachers Work

Post author By theFerkel
Post date February 2, 2018

If you’ve seen a revivalist preacher on TV, you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve read some books – you know a bit more. Revival * Stephen King, A battle for your mind

If you’d like to see a revivalist preacher at work, there are probably several in your city. Go to the church or tent early and sit in the rear, about three-quarters of the way back. Most likely repetitive music will be played while the people come in for the service.

A repetitive beat, ideally ranging from 45 to 72 beats per minute (a rhythm close to the beat of the human heart), is very hypnotic and can generate an eyes-open altered state of consciousness in a very high percentage of people. And, once you are in an alpha state, you are at least 25 times as suggestible as you would be in full beta consciousness.

The music is probably the same for every service, or incorporates the same beat, and many of the people will go into an altered state almost immediately upon entering the sanctuary. Subconsciously, they recall their state of mind from previous services and respond according to the post-hypnotic programming. Watch the people waiting for the service to begin.

Tags cults, priest, psychology, religion, religious groups, revival, soul