The Science of Mental Fitness. It’s a testament to the strength and versatility of the human brain that anyone with at least half of one tends to assume that their senses give them direct access to objective reality. The truth is less straightforward and much more likely to induce existential crises: the senses do not actually provide the brain with a multifaceted description of the outside world. All that the brain has to work with are imperfect incoming electrical impulses announcing that things are happening. It is then the job of neurons to rapidly interpret these signals as well as they can, and suggest how to react.
This neurological system has done a pretty good job of modelling the world such that the ancestors of modern human beings avoided getting eaten by sabre-toothed tigers before procreating, but the human brain remains relatively easy to fool. SnowWorld In fact, mental exercises of all kinds--not just those supported by persuasive video games--can have a considerable effect on brain activity. Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities beyond Normal Limits. There seems to be a simple way to instantly increase a person’s level of general knowledge. Psychologists Ulrich Weger and Stephen Loughnan recently asked two groups of people to answer questions. People in one group were told that before each question, the answer would be briefly flashed on their screens — too quickly to consciously perceive, but slow enough for their unconscious to take it in. The other group was told that the flashes simply signaled the next question.
In fact, for both groups, a random string of letters, not the answers, was flashed. But, remarkably, the people who thought the answers were flashed did better on the test. Expecting to know the answers made people more likely to get the answers right. Our cognitive and physical abilities are in general limited, but our conceptions of the nature and extent of those limits may need revising. Can our thoughts improve our vision?
We also tend to think that our bodies respond to physical exercise in a mechanical way. Need to stay in the zone? Chew gum. CARDIFF U. (UK) — Chewing gum can help you stay focused for longer on tasks that require ongoing attention. Previous research has shown that chewing gum can improve concentration in visual memory tasks. This study focused on the potential benefits of chewing gum during an audio memory task. It’s been well established by previous research that chewing gum can benefit some areas of cognition. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychology, involved 38 participants being split in to two groups. The researchers, including Chris Miles of Cardiff University, scored participants on how accurately and quickly they were able to detect a sequence of odd-even-odd numbers, such as 7-2-1.
The results show that participants who chewed gum had quicker reaction times and more accurate results than the participants who didn’t chew gum. Participants who didn’t chew gum performed slightly better at the beginning of the task but were overtaken by the end. Source: Cardiff University. How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes — And Have a Better Life. I remember I was on some antibiotic or combination of antibiotics and something. It was having weird effects. But one of the effects was that I was emotionless and could look at something and see three steps beyond. This person has been in an abusive relationship. The way he walks indicates he had broken leg and healed wrong. In a fight if you want to run away, he won't be able to chase as effectively. Don't make statements about this persons love life or mother. Lasted about 12 hours. I realize I could be completely wrong. Humorously enough, if you give people enough time they end up saying all these things anyway.
I remember thinking, shut up, don't say anything or else you'll make a fool out of yourself (as I would have), but it was unreal. Hey Reddit, I am a two-time USA Memory Champion was on the History Channel show Superhumans. Ask me anything! : IAmA. Train Your Brain for Monk-Like Focus.