Description: How have you turned out the way you have so far? You are unique, but the age-old question of how much of who you are is in your genes and how much is in how you were, or are being, raised is not a simple one. Yes, it IS both but the idea that… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Intelligence
Pattern Separation and Human versus Animal Intelligence
Description: What do you know about how memory works? You likely have a basic understanding of how information comes in through or senses (via a very short term sensory store), pauses in working memory (if we work on it) and perhaps eventually gets processed into long term memory. Does that take you bac to a… Read more »
Is it Exercise or Nature That is Good For You? Or is it Both?
Description: Imagine you volunteer for a research study. As part of the study you are shown a pair of pictures (two men or two women) and you are asked to pick the one that is the most attractive. After you make your choice you are handed the picture you chose and asked to explain why… Read more »
Psychologists as Expert Witnesses: Ethics = Reliability + Validity
Description: What do Psychologists do in courtroom when they serve as expert witnesses? This is a huge and complicated topic so let’s focus in a bit. If a Psychologist has been asked by the court to assess an accused individual and if they use a measure or two in order to develop their opinion of… Read more »
Psychological Research and Public Policy: A Study of Fluoridation and IQ
Description: You have certainly heard about people described as anti-vaxers, people wo do not want their children vaccinated against diseases link the measles, mumps and rhubella because they believe there is scientific evidence that immunizations cause autism (despite the fact that the evidence is conclusive that there is no such effect and that the dangers… Read more »
Personality Testing: Diversion or Thin Edge of the Big Data Wedge?
Description: How do you feel about personality tests? If your response to this question is some version of “meh” you might want to reconsider. Aside from being a part of all introductory psychology course curricula many people view personality tests as those diversions they encounter in magazines (well, on line these days). However, it is… Read more »
Self-Driving Vehicle Learning Curves: Have Some Empathy
Description: How do you feel about self-driving cars? Would you trust your safety if they started driving though your neighbourhood (perhaps delivering packages or food)? What is a major challenge to computers (AI) learning to drive and to drive safely? Well, recognizing what they “see” so they can respond appropriately. A common position is that… Read more »
Politicians and Statistics: Why Are We Suckers?
Description: We would all like to think that we are well aware that politicians sometimes play fast and loose with the numbers related to issues and that we are not likely to be fooled by them when they do. The reality, however, is that we buy more of what we hear politicians say about the… Read more »
Creativity in the Brain: That’s Not Obvious
Description: Ok here is a neurological question. Creativity involves coming up with something new right? But not just new … something new that works or fits or otherwise impress, like a novel solution to an old problem or a new story or mystery plot line. So how does out brain come up with new things… Read more »
Are Grades the Only Metric of Post-Secondary Development and Success? I hope NOT!
Description: Do you get, or/and do you think that your life would be entirely on the right path if, you got straight A’s in college/university? Well on the one hand, of course it would, right? Grades are the markers of accomplishment and content mastery in post-secondary institutions and, it might be said, the only serious… Read more »
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