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Bilingualism Alters the Way the Mind Works
Over the past 20 years, researchers have increasingly accepted the fact that different types of experiences can alter the structure and function of the brain over time. In an article published in the Journal of Cognitive Psychology, APS Fellows Judith Kroll (Pennsylvania State University) and Ellen Bialystok (York University) highlight bilingualism as one experience that can have a profound impact on lifelong neural and cognitive development and functioning.
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Procrastinators are pretty impulsive too!
Zee News: A new study suggests that procrastination and impulsivity are genetically linked, suggesting that the two traits stem from similar evolutionary origins. The research indicates that the traits are related to our ability to successfully pursue and juggle goals. "Everyone procrastinates at least sometimes, but we wanted to explore why some people procrastinate more than others and why procrastinators seem more likely to make rash actions and act without thinking," psychological scientist and study author Daniel Gustavson of the University of Colorado Boulder said. Read the whole story: Zee News
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10 Courses With a Twist
The New York Times: Why are so many nonmajors taking “Introduction to Computer Science” at Harvard or “Introductory Oceanography” at Cornell? Why is Temple Grandin’s livestock course at Colorado State always filled, and not just with students at home on the range? Some professors can make a subject sing, and their courses are not just a credit but an event. “I’ve wanted to take it since freshman year,” Rhyann Dozier, a Virginia Tech senior, said of “World Regions,” taught by John Boyer, whose high-octane style and throwback vibe channels Will Ferrell, turning lectures into performances. ... Prepare to take on your demons in this freshman psychology seminar. Dr.
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The truth about little white lies: Why they’re actually more dangerous than you think
Scientific American: “Could switching to Geico really save you 15 percent or more on car insurance? Was Abe Lincoln honest?” So intones the Geico commercial spokesperson, followed by faux vintage film footage of Mary Lincoln asking her husband, “Does this dress make my backside look big?” Honest Abe squirms and shifts, then hesitates and, while holding his thumb and forefinger an inch apart, finally mutters, “Perhaps a bit,” causing his wife to spin on her heels and exit in a huff. ...
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Truth-Seeking In The Age Of Speculation
NPR: The marvel-filled Information Age is also turning out to be the muddled-up Epoch of Conjecture. The Era of Error. Seemingly, we know everything. What is not in Wikipedia can be found through Google. And what Google can't scrape up, the National Security Agency — or international hackers — can. Through crowdsourcing, we can solve crimes and answer questions. Just as seemingly, there is an enormous lot that we do not know. For example: Where is Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? Is faster-than-light speed really possible? What exactly is causing colony collapse disorder among bees? Do cellphones cause cancer? Can we on the Internet? And when we don't know for sure, we speculate.
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Cognitive Motor Skills Start to Fall Before Age 25
Today’s college graduates may enter the workforce with a lot of naiveté about business protocol and negotiation skills, but their technical prowess is arguably unprecedented. These are individuals who grew up with the Internet and the advent of smartphones, tablets, Wi-Fi, Twitter, and online multiplayer games. They’re the people you turn to when you need to develop a social media strategy or a new app for your customers. But the technical skills that millennials bring to the office are not only generationally based, a new psychological study shows. People over 24 years of age have already reached their peak cognitive motor skills — including those used to learn new computer skills.
