All Questions
2
votes
0answers
26 views
How do I change my tiredness patterns?
All of you probably know what the human 'circadian cycle' is, and depending on your personality, you would either be a night-owl or a morning-lark.
I am interested in understanding the patterns of ...
5
votes
0answers
17 views
Is there any recent work on modeling how we rapidly acquire new knowledge?
I work with neural network models of human cognition a lot, and one thing that bugs me about them is the timescale: they learn over thousands of trials whereas humans seem to learn after a couple ...
2
votes
0answers
15 views
Does dream recall interfere with “reverse learning”? (Crick and Mitchison's theory of REM sleep)
I've recently became aware of the idea of "reverse learning" that might happen during REM sleep - the brain's attempt to eliminate pathological attractors that might appear in neural networks. The ...
1
vote
0answers
9 views
What is the linguistic equivalent of functional fixedness?
Recently, I saw a crossword clue: (5 letters) "They help you after a crash." After going through the list of EMTs, firemen, police officers, etc. I realized that the answer was "IT Guy." This seems to ...
1
vote
0answers
38 views
Prefer Even or odd numbers?
In my experience most people prefer even numbers or numbers divisible by 5. Is there any research which proves or disproves my theory?
Is it all about symmetry?
I expect that people prefer the ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
Any studies on lack of imagination and creativity?
Is there a formal scientific term for this type of personality?:
Main priorities are: family, phsyical and financial protection of the family and self. (Little to no creativity. Strong desire to ...
3
votes
1answer
44 views
When can anchoring backfire?
Anchoring is a well-known phenomenon [1]. However, I just ran an experiment where the effect seemingly backfired. Basically, I asked people to estimate the number of jelly beans in a jar. In my anchor ...
1
vote
0answers
14 views
What happens to a person's frontal lobes when they have a breakdown from stress?
When a person gets really stressed out and has a mental breakdown what happens to their frontal lobes?
I'm reminded of the clip from "What about Bob?" when Richard Dreyfuss has a breakdown when he ...
5
votes
2answers
83 views
How is intelligence correlated to beauty?
Recently, I read up several interesting questions on the web about the relationship between IQ and general intelligence and physiological symmetry. But more importantly, what explains the correlation? ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
Getting started with EEG data
I want to get started with getting signals from EEG and learning on how I can read data. I have some programming skills, so designing a database and manipulating data with ruby (python seems also ...
1
vote
2answers
118 views
Training for the Corpus Callosum?
Since reading is done in the left hemisphere of the brain, does reading text in the left visual field train the corpus callosum? For instance, I am interested in knowing whether training may lead to ...
2
votes
3answers
69 views
Lexical Decision (Web-)App
I want to make a lexical decision experiment, is there any freely available software for this? A Javascript-based webapp would suit me best, as it would run in the browser without the need to install ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
How to interpret HLM analyses looking at work group and individual worker effects?
Liden et al (2004, PDF) is an example of a study examining employees in work groups in an organisation. Thus, measures are obtained of both individual workers and of the work groups that they belong ...
9
votes
2answers
308 views
Why is Asperger Syndrome poorly recognised in France?
Asperger Syndrome is quite well-known in psychiatric circles, as well as (to a lesser degree) the general public, in many countries the western world. However, in France, Asperger Syndrome is ...
12
votes
2answers
884 views
Is it called something when I can't remember the word I want to say, but I can remember its first letter?
This happens to me frequently. I'll say, "Oh you know that guy... uhh... I can't remember his name. But he starts with a 'Z'." You can remember part of the word but not the whole word.
Is there a ...
17
votes
2answers
651 views
Is there evidence that listening to music can aid/hinder concentration or performance?
I, like many computer programmers, love to listen to music while I work. I have always believed that music helps me stay focused and motivated, and improves my performance on many types of tasks, ...
3
votes
0answers
28 views
Are there any free databases of audio-visual emotional stimuli (English)?
I am particularly interested in naturalistic and induced emotional content. I have found the SAVEE, the HUMAINE and the SEMAINE databases. I have read through the Terms for LDC (UPenn) and it seems ...
2
votes
0answers
68 views
How to conduct surveys using facebook
More and more often I read in papers, that an online survey has been conducted through Facebook. What I have yet to understand is how this can best be done.
I understand that Facebook allows the ...
9
votes
3answers
63 views
Do safety features cause drivers to engage in more risky behavior than they otherwise would?
It seems to be generally assumed that making cars safer for the occupants will reduce death, injury, and damage from traffic accidents.
What are some examples of significant empirical research on ...
8
votes
3answers
178 views
Math or Physics: Which is the more relevant background to enter Cognitive Sciences and Psychology? [closed]
What would be a more suitable background to enter cognitive sciences, mathematical psychology, and study of emotions? I have the option of taking a Integrated Masters Degree in Mathematical Sciences, ...
5
votes
0answers
34 views
Self-fulfilling stereotypes: Have researchers tried inventing new group stereotypes?
Studies on the stereotype threat have typically used stereotypes that that are common in contemporary culture, i.e. the canonical example being the study that showed African American SAT scores ...
6
votes
1answer
49 views
Effect of paper type on evaluation of resumes
I heard about an experiment that have shown an effect of the type of paper a resume was printed on, on the evaluation of the resume. If I remember correctly, resumes printed on heaver paper, or ...
3
votes
1answer
80 views
How to use Mechanical Turk for longer studies (i.e., 30 minutes+)?
I'm interested in using Mechanical Turk as a means of recruiting participants for online psychology studies. I have never used it for any research. However, many of my studies take around 30 minutes ...
5
votes
0answers
57 views
How long should I work before taking a break?
I'd like to work as effectively as possible for 8-9 hours a day, whether at work or studying.
At some point in completing my major in psych I remember hearing about the importance of taking breaks ...
-2
votes
1answer
57 views
Are there “6 degrees of separation” for ideas?
Sites like linkedin.com are built on the idea that you can be related to any person in the world though around 6 people. One person knows another one, that one another one, and in the end you are ...
6
votes
1answer
71 views
Picture of eye promotes good behaviour
I remember a study about how a picture of an eye made people more well behaved. The experiment was in an unsupervised coffee room where there was a box where participants were expected to deposit ...
5
votes
2answers
74 views
Devices that detect when someone is falling asleep
I'm wondering what types of devices exist that can detect how close someone is to falling asleep. I have heard of several devices that may be able to do this, but I haven't been able to find very ...
9
votes
2answers
516 views
What is the standard way to analyze EEG data in a mismatch negativity paradigm?
I'm running an EEG experiment using a modified auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) design, and I'm wondering if anyone can tell me the best method for data analysis (and recommend any stats ...
11
votes
3answers
222 views
Is there a better way to describe brain activity than EEG “brain waves”
I've been reading about EEG brain waves, which are specific waveforms that are observed on the EEG output, and are usually scored by humans. This concept has been around for quite some time.
Is there ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Is there a place where I can find inconsistent images?
I would like to find some images in which there are logical inconsistencies. I want to use them for practicing my attention towards those kinds of logical errors (so that I could more easily spot them ...
4
votes
1answer
95 views
Can we increase our higher order thinking (HOT) skills by practicing inductive reasoning?
I previously asked about the conceptual links between higher order thinking and inductive reasoning. This question focuses on the potential for improving higher order thinking through practicing ...
5
votes
3answers
120 views
Analyzing control questions data for a survey
I have an experimental study with a list of demographic and related questions and in order to identify data from participants that were potentially just answering the questions at random (to get ...
6
votes
3answers
798 views
Difference between Instinct and Intuition
Sometimes I've heard people using the term gut feeling rather than their 'intuition or instinct' and I'm not sure which one do they mean. So, can both the terms be used interchangeably and simply ...
1
vote
0answers
22 views
How to identify participants answering online questionnaires who have not paid attention? [duplicate]
I often analyse data that involves participants completing a selection of psychological tests online. A concern with online testing is that some participants may not complete the task conscientiously. ...
11
votes
1answer
231 views
What is a validated single-item measure of mood?
Has anyone validated, proposed or tested a single-item state-based positive affect or happiness measure? I am particularly interested in something for tracking mood every day.
9
votes
0answers
164 views
Longitudinal mobile mood tracking app with random reminders
The goal is to take simple measurements of mood using Likert scale over an extended period of time (e.g. two months).
I know there is a large number of mobile apps for tracking mood on every ...
2
votes
0answers
27 views
What Quantified Self reserach tools are there for measuring performance while playing videogames?
I've recently became aware that there's a whole field of quantified self - using various methodology to collect data about human performance in an attempt to "quantify" how the human body/brain works. ...
9
votes
2answers
106 views
Do people estimate combined probabilities differently to uncombined ones?
Suppose, somebody has to estimate the likelihood of one of the following events (or has to estimate which event is more likely):
A coin is tossed six times and each time the result is heads. ...
5
votes
1answer
58 views
Neurotransmitters appearance in the evolutionary process
Recently I disagreed with the assumption, that lots of neurotransmitters came within recent 10,000 years of Homo Sapiens evolution.
Judging from the available information sources, there is possibility ...
13
votes
2answers
306 views
What is the threshold where actions are perceived as “instant”?
In Human Computer Interaction and User Experience there's some oft repeated rules of performance:
0.1 second is about the limit for having the user feel that the system is reacting ...
6
votes
2answers
337 views
What articles use structural equation modelling in a meta-analytic context to model mediation?
I'm interested in structural equation modelling (SEM) meta-analysis and its application to modelling mediation relationships.
Mike W.-L. Cheung has written a few articles on the topic of SEM ...
4
votes
1answer
94 views
What is the maximum number of objects an average human being can recognize at once?
I'm wondering, how many objects can the average human being can recognize?
For example, most of us can't look at this and say how many boxes there are without counting them:
But I think we can ...
6
votes
1answer
37 views
In a central pattern generator based on reciprocal inhibition, how does one “side” get picked over the other to start out?
Consider two neurons, A and B, which reciprocally inhibit each other. If both of the neurons receive input at the same time, it seems to me that no oscillation will occur between the two. Such would ...
5
votes
1answer
282 views
Does breastfeeding lead to increased intelligence?
Several studies suggest that breast-fed babies become more intelligent children than formula-fed babies (e.g., Lucas et al 1992).
Questions
To what extent overall does research support the ...
8
votes
1answer
125 views
Are there additional animal studies about superstitions?
In one particular case, Skinner decided to go random on his hungry
pigeons. He dropped food into the box at completely random times,
independent of any behavior on the part of the pigeons. But ...
7
votes
0answers
75 views
What defines maximum alertness / easiest time to get out of bed in the morning for humans?
I'm interested in sleep research, and sometimes in conversations with people the following idea gets discussed: "A person becomes aware at a certain time in the morning and feel great(while still in ...
0
votes
0answers
9 views
ANCOVA output help [migrated]
I have initially run a 2x2x2 Anova and found some significant interaction between the independent variables. I then ran a ANCOVA where I added a covariant. I am confused with how to interpret the ...
5
votes
1answer
96 views
What computerized EEG analysis algorithms are there?
I got a commercial-grade EEG headband and am trying to look at the data it outputs. The headband quantifies raw EEG signal from a single forehead dry sensor into a range of EEG bands (alpha, beta, ...
7
votes
0answers
38 views
Have there been any mechanisms proposed for normalization in probabilistic population codes?
I heard a talk yesterday by Dora Angelaki about multi-sensory integration. Part of the talk was about bayesian inference with multiple noisy sources of information. I know that there has been a lot ...
2
votes
1answer
93 views
How much time is required to relearn a subject after x years?
I'm searching for research answering or giving any form of insight to this question:
How long does it take a person to relearn something (any type of learning) when relearning happens x, x+1, ...
