Is this week 4? I'm a bit confused about the Christmas break and I haven't had time to even log on in a few days, which worries me!
So this is just a usual blog post, no psychology except to say that families can sometimes be wonderful but right now I feel like I was raised by wolves. Christmas with my family has been a horrible experience. My dog doesn't get along with their two "little angels," one of whom is a growly, aggressive holy terror, so we've been nonstop fighting over that. And all kinds of crap from years ago gets dredged up, and then the whole thing is just a giant ball of suck. So, fellow psychology students, this is normal, yes? >:(
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Week 3
I am sooooo busy!!! Argh! I think week 3 is due today, so I'm going to err on the side of caution and blog... I seem to be blogging about the class and the stuff we're learning, which I don't know if we must do or if this is just a social activity. But heck, I'm really enjoying it!
I took a class a long time ago in sensation and perception, so this week's material is stuff I've learned and forgotten, only to learn again now... I'm not sure I have too much to say!
One thing I do think is nifty is about size constancy. I remember reading in Colin Turnbull's book The Forest People about an incident when Turbull took one of the tribe members (Mbuti? I think they're "pygmies") onto open plains. They spent their entire lives in the dense forest and apparently this guy was overwhelmed and really confused by so much open space. He couldn't distinguish buffalo in the distance from insects. I thought of that after reading on p111 about how people who don't live with a lot of right angles aren't as suceptible to the Muller-Lyer illusion...
Something else I like is that on p97 our textbook refers to the "mystery of smell" and says researchers haven't yet figured out exactly how it works. I already knew that it influences your sense of taste, but I think it's strange that we have such detailed understanding of some other senses and so little is known about this one.
I've also noticed that just like with everything else, not everyone smells the same way. There are some things I can't smell that my other half does, and vice versa. Hmmm.
Well, that's all for now.
I took a class a long time ago in sensation and perception, so this week's material is stuff I've learned and forgotten, only to learn again now... I'm not sure I have too much to say!
One thing I do think is nifty is about size constancy. I remember reading in Colin Turnbull's book The Forest People about an incident when Turbull took one of the tribe members (Mbuti? I think they're "pygmies") onto open plains. They spent their entire lives in the dense forest and apparently this guy was overwhelmed and really confused by so much open space. He couldn't distinguish buffalo in the distance from insects. I thought of that after reading on p111 about how people who don't live with a lot of right angles aren't as suceptible to the Muller-Lyer illusion...
Something else I like is that on p97 our textbook refers to the "mystery of smell" and says researchers haven't yet figured out exactly how it works. I already knew that it influences your sense of taste, but I think it's strange that we have such detailed understanding of some other senses and so little is known about this one.
I've also noticed that just like with everything else, not everyone smells the same way. There are some things I can't smell that my other half does, and vice versa. Hmmm.
Well, that's all for now.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Week 2 Redux
Oh, yeah... coming from a background in which I've already studied some of these things, some from the point of view of psychology and some from the point of view of the philosophy of mind and self, I again find the split brain idea particularly interesting.
Just a thought... Thomas Nagel (a philosopher) wrote an essay in which he argued that we have no real unity to our consciousness -- no real self there behind all the neurological "stuff." So he would say that brain bisection doesn't result in two minds, because there isn't really a coherent mind there to begin with.
Reminds me of the Buddhist concept of anatta -- "no self." We're just a conglomeration of transitory mental states. And some days I definitely feel like that! :P
Just a thought... Thomas Nagel (a philosopher) wrote an essay in which he argued that we have no real unity to our consciousness -- no real self there behind all the neurological "stuff." So he would say that brain bisection doesn't result in two minds, because there isn't really a coherent mind there to begin with.
Reminds me of the Buddhist concept of anatta -- "no self." We're just a conglomeration of transitory mental states. And some days I definitely feel like that! :P
Week 2
Wow, so much information and so little time.
One of the things I find most interesting is lateralization in the brain. I am particularly fascinated by what happens when the corpus callosum is cut, and how this might differ in patients who suffer from agenesis of the corpus callosum. I'm writing my C&R on that. I've known about the split brain experiments since someone came to the gifted program in my high school to talk about it... what an eye opener that was! I've always wondered about the fact that the patients who now have split brains say they don't perceive anything different... is that just their left hemisphere talking? What about the mostly mute right side? And is this just an innacurate perception because neither hemisphere realizes there's been a change? Clearly the person (persons?) talking understands what has happened...
And yep, do we now have two brains in one body? What if one likes chocolate ice cream and the other one doesn't? Weird stuff!
One of the things I find most interesting is lateralization in the brain. I am particularly fascinated by what happens when the corpus callosum is cut, and how this might differ in patients who suffer from agenesis of the corpus callosum. I'm writing my C&R on that. I've known about the split brain experiments since someone came to the gifted program in my high school to talk about it... what an eye opener that was! I've always wondered about the fact that the patients who now have split brains say they don't perceive anything different... is that just their left hemisphere talking? What about the mostly mute right side? And is this just an innacurate perception because neither hemisphere realizes there's been a change? Clearly the person (persons?) talking understands what has happened...
And yep, do we now have two brains in one body? What if one likes chocolate ice cream and the other one doesn't? Weird stuff!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Week 1
Most of the information in Chapter 1 consisted of things I already knew, but I did learn more about the origins of psychology, as well as the different approaches psychologists take. I like the ecelctic approach. I don't like behaviorism at all. Poor little Albert! I also liked the discussion of ethics -- already knew about the Milgram experiments, but a refresher is always good. I'm looking forward to delving into Chapter 2!
Yay, a blog!
So now I have a blog for Psychology 1010! Kewl stuff... I'm not sure if anyone really wants to read about me, but I can repeat what's in my profile on Angel.
I like to learn and am really interested in a lot of different things. Most of the time I am very busy. I am active and like running quite a bit. I have a number of hobbies I have no time for. I like things that challenge me and push me creatively.
Family life wise, I have a husband but no kids. We have a dog and three cats, as well as various and sundry other creatures from time to time. We've "housed" every animal from spiders -- including a black widow at one point -- to snakes, to ferrets, and so on. I am fascinated by animals in general. I love the snakes in our backyard. I love the black squirrels we';re seeing now with increasing frequency. They're just awesome.
I have been educated in philosophy and English literature (not that I remember much lit). I'm particularly interested in animal cognition, psychology, and behavior as well as the ethics of animal welfare. I am a vegetarian and an ardent animal rights supporter (though I think PETA crosses the idiot line too often, and I don't push it in people's faces). I want to study animal consciousness via the intersection of neuroscience, straightforward psychology, and philosophy.
I love love love music of all kinds, including a bunch of European symphonic prog metal bands I'll bet no one here has ever heard of. I have no children and I'm not like most of the other people in the class, in all probability. I'm a big geek and a science fiction and media fan with a toughchick hero worship thing. I'm an INFP, if you know what that is.
And yes, I have been told often that I am in fact strange.
I like to learn and am really interested in a lot of different things. Most of the time I am very busy. I am active and like running quite a bit. I have a number of hobbies I have no time for. I like things that challenge me and push me creatively.
Family life wise, I have a husband but no kids. We have a dog and three cats, as well as various and sundry other creatures from time to time. We've "housed" every animal from spiders -- including a black widow at one point -- to snakes, to ferrets, and so on. I am fascinated by animals in general. I love the snakes in our backyard. I love the black squirrels we';re seeing now with increasing frequency. They're just awesome.
I have been educated in philosophy and English literature (not that I remember much lit). I'm particularly interested in animal cognition, psychology, and behavior as well as the ethics of animal welfare. I am a vegetarian and an ardent animal rights supporter (though I think PETA crosses the idiot line too often, and I don't push it in people's faces). I want to study animal consciousness via the intersection of neuroscience, straightforward psychology, and philosophy.
I love love love music of all kinds, including a bunch of European symphonic prog metal bands I'll bet no one here has ever heard of. I have no children and I'm not like most of the other people in the class, in all probability. I'm a big geek and a science fiction and media fan with a toughchick hero worship thing. I'm an INFP, if you know what that is.
And yes, I have been told often that I am in fact strange.
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