Description: When I first started teaching introductory psychology a few decades ago I used to tell students that they had most of the largest number of brain neurons they would ever have at the time they were born. After their birth the number of brain cells dropped due to things like attrition and pruning (neurons… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Health and Prevention In Aging
This is Your Brain on Lonely
Description: Being lonely is not an enjoyable experience and in many ways that I suspect you are aware of or could guess at, it is not good for you either. But how does prolonged loneliness effect your brain and why might it be useful and important to know how loneliness impacts people’s brains? Think about… Read more »
Challenges to Admitting Defeat
Description: Somewhere in the aftermath of the American election (November 3, 2020) there will be (maybe) a point where the outgoing president acknowledges his loss. At least that is how it has gone in every previous American Presidential election. But, as of today, November 14, 2020, Donald Trump has not yet conceded the election to… Read more »
Focussed Ultrasound Does an End-Run on the BBB and that is a Good Thing!
Description: If you have had an introductory Psychology course, and perhaps even if you have not yet, you are likely aware of the challenges faced when researchers and clinicians want to introduce drugs in to specific brain regions or to influence specific neurotransmitter systems within the brain. Trying to increase the functional levels of a… Read more »
Psychology of Covid-19: Dogs versus Cats?
Description: I am going to ask you a question but before I do I need you to put aside a bias you may have and try to be objective. Are you a cat person pr a dog person? If your answer to that question is something like, “they are both nice” or “I am indifferent… Read more »
Psychology of COVID-19 SES – We Have Functional Prosopagnosia
Description: Have you ever heard of prosopagnosia? It is the term for something called face blindness or the inability to recognize people based on looking at their faces. It can be found among individuals on the Autism Spectrum, who may not process social cues as others do, or it can arise following a stroke. The… Read more »
The Psychology of Covid-19: Schooling and Cognitive Health
Description: I do not have a fully developed professional Psychological opinion as yet on the question of whether or how schools should re-open in the (soon) coming fall. Some aspects if such an opinion will, of course, involve vital matters of health-related safety; will students get sick, if so, how sick, and will they infect… Read more »
Psychology and Covid-19: Mind Control and Identity Development Opportunities
Description: There has been much media discussion and a lot of individual reflection on how to endure the restrictions and losses of access, social contact, and even employment associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Of course, we need to process our new current reality. On the other hand, many people are saying they are trying to… Read more »
Psychology and Covid-19: Impacts of Isolation
Description: The requests and demands for social distancing in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic are new and novel for almost everyone. In addition, the novelty of this experience and the serious uncertainty about how long it will last and what it will involve is adding to our anxiety and potentially eroding our wellbeing. While… Read more »
Psychology of COVID-19 Part 1: Some Psychological Facts
Description: As of today (March 15, 2020) the COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and there is a LOT going on at the international, national, community and individual level. The university where I am currently teaching a couple of courses has decided to finish this term with all our courses… Read more »
Books for Success!
