Games are everywhere aren’t they? Never before have games had such a high profile or generated so much debate. I enjoy playing a lot of games but I’m equally interested in the psychology of gameplay and how we can benefit socially, emotionally and intellectually from play. Although I am concerned that without additional support (or […]
Archive | Neuroscience
RSS feed for this sectionBlock-Busters: 7 Strategies for Breaking Down Writer’s Block
“Writers’ block” is a thing of terror. Yet the fear of being unable to write can reinforce the block itself. In this article, I’m going to give you a brief rundown of what writer’s block looks like at a neurological level, then give you my favorite seven tools for breaking down the block so you […]
The neurology of gaming
There is ongoing debate about how our brains respond to gaming. I found this infographic from the Online Universities blog interesting. I particularly like the information about which parts of the brain are stimulated by playing video games but I think the jury is still out regarding the effects. What do you think?
Childhood & Family articles
Special needs students and their teachers are the victims of a “muddled” approach to schooling, says Leicester Uni http://j.mp/qB5qcd Socioeconomic status as child dictates response to stress as adult according to University of Minnesota http://j.mp/qDZRZ8 Parents are forgetting how to play with their children, study shows – article from The Guardian last year http://j.mp/jdoiSR Teenage […]
Psychology & Neuroscience articles
NCSU research: Study Shows Sports Can Help Communities Recover From Disaster http://j.mp/o0bzkz Distract Yourself or Think It Over? Two Ways to Deal with Negative Emotions from Association for Psychological Science http://j.mp/l37Fnm Too much choice is a bad thing – Journal of Public Economics http://j.mp/kJXbgT Snooze you win? It’s true according to Stanford reseasrch http://j.mp/iCsjtQ The […]
Psychology & neuroscience articles
A selection of the articles thatI’ve seen about psychology and neuroscience recently: Morality Changes in brain circuitry play role in moral sensitivity as people grow up – UChicago News http://j.mp/ih8rrU Violent video games reduce brain response to violence and increase aggression according to Uni Missouri http://j.mp/j7jSPs Relationships Don’t Believe Facebook; You Only Have 150 Friends : […]
Teach or learn
There’s an interesting article in this week’s Journal of Neuroscience about the how we learn, specifically how our genes might influence our attitude towards learning from instruction or experience. It’s an interesting new perspective on the differences between learning and teaching. According to researchers from Brown University, people genetically inclined to follow instructions can make […]
Education builds your brain
I struggled writing the title for this blog because it’s so obvious isn’t it? Of course education makes us cleverer, for many that’s the whole point. I suspect that many people, like me, have assumed that it’s about ‘filling’ our heads with knowledge but learning offers much more than that – it’s not just about […]
Thinking and Learning
This month, the Royal Society has published its latest report on neuroscience and education, Brainwaves 2. It is a gloriously positive assessment of learning and the contribution science can make to fulfilling its potential. The report’s summary suggests that the fertile common ground between the disciplines offers a “future where educational practice can be transformed […]
If you go down to the woods today
I have found my feet. Literally. The new flexibility I’m enjoying with my business has allowed me to rediscover the benefits of walking. Especially walking in the countryside – through woods, away from the busy streets. Such apparently frivolous activity has tangible benefits: without wanting to state the absolutely obvious, it is good for you. […]