'Absorbing, mind-enlarging, studded with insights ... This could have significant real-world results' Sunday Times Humanity's greatest feat is our incredible ability to learn. Even in their first year, infants acquire language, visual and social knowledge at a rate that surpasses the best supercomputers. But how, exactly, do our brains learn? In How We Learn, leading neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene delves into the psychological, neuronal, synaptic and molecular mechanisms of learning. Drawing on case studies of children who learned despite huge difficulty and trauma, he explains why youth is such a sensitive period, during which brain plasticity is maximal, but also assures us that our abilities continue into adulthood. We can all enhance our learning and memory at any age and 'learn to learn' by taking maximal advantage of the four pillars of the brain's learning algorithm: attention, active engagement, error feedback and consolidation. The human brain is an extraordinary machine. Its ability to process information and adapt to circumstances by reprogramming itself is unparalleled, and it remains the best source of inspiration for recent developments in artificial intelligence. How We Learn finds the boundary of computer science, neurobiology, cognitive psychology and education to explain how learning really works and how to make the best use of the brain's learning algorithms - and even improve them - in our schools and universities as well as in everyday life.

Details the role our body plays in how we learn and how we can tap into our body's knowledge to excel in all facets of life. Ask someone to point to the part of their body responsible for their intelligence and it is highly likely that they will point at their head. This assumption is understandable, given that, for centuries, from Descartes' "cogito ergo sum" to the computer age, this is what we have been told to think. And yet we all share common experiences that have revealed the incomparable power of "not thinking". Have you ever struggled to remember your pin number only to hold your fingers out and type it correctly with your hands, played the piano without focusing on remembering the correct notes or listened to your gut feeling when under the pressure of a big decision? All these instances prove that it is time to stop neglecting the role the body plays in our acquisition of knowledge and to explore how it is that brain and body combine to deliver what we view as uniquely human intelligence. You never forgot how to ride a bike did you? In this unique new book, social and business anthropologist Simon Roberts looks at the pivotal role that our body plays in how we learn and reminds us of why we should learn to listen to it more often. Drawing upon an incredible range of cutting-edge science, real-life examples and personal experience, Roberts explores the complexity of even the simplest of tasks that humans perform every day and goes on to explain how, with a greater awareness of the processes at work, we can tap into our full potential and excel in any area of our lives. His proposition isn't the antidote to big data, cold rationalism, and reductionism. But, as embodied knowledge emerges from our engagement and interaction with the world, the author underlines why intelligence does not solely reside in our brains. If there's a single, practical message to be taken from it, it is that we should give more credit to the role of the body as a resource for learning about and understanding the world. That means a more 'sleeves rolled up', engaged and practical way of 'learning by doing' not by rational detachment.

A patient's personal view of long term care.

Seen through the eyes of a patient totally paralyzed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, this moving book takes you through the psychological and physical pain of an eleven month hospital stay. BED NUMBER TEN reads like a compelling novel, but is entirely factual.

You will meet:

The ICU staff who learned to communicate with the paralyzed woman - and those who did not bother.

The physicians whose visits left her baffled about her own case.

The staff and physicians who spoke to her and others who did not recognize her presence.

The nurse who tucked Sue tightly under the covers, unaware that she was soaking with perspiration.

The nurse who took the time to feed her drop by drop, as she slowly learned how to swallow again.

The physical therapist who could read her eyes and spurred her on to move again as if the battle were his own.

In these pages, which reveal the caring, the heroism, and the insensitivity sometimes found in the health care fields, you may even meet people you know.

When Truddi Chase began therapy she was already building a successful career, a marriage, and a family. But what she was seeking most were explanations for her extreme anxiety, mood swings, and periodic blackouts. What finally emerged from the four-year sessions was terrifying: Truddi Chase’s mind and body were inhabited by the Troops—ninety-two individual voices that had rescued her from a shattering childhood of violent, ritualized sexual abuse by her stepfather that began when she was only two. For years the Troops created a world where she could hide from the pain, and be shielded from the truth. It was a world Truddi Chase didn’t even know existed, until she and her therapist took a journey to where the nightmare began.

Challenging every preconceived notion of the human mind, When Rabbit Howls is made all the more remarkable in that it was written by the Troops themselves—Truddi Chase’s story is told by the very alter-egos who stayed with her, watched over her, and protected her. What they reveal is a spellbinding descent into a personal hell—and an ultimate, triumphant deliverance for the woman they became.

Circadian and Visual Neuroscience, Volume 273 in the Methods in Enzymology series, highlights new advances in the field with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on topics including Optical set-ups, Psychophysics of Luminance and Color Vision, Psychophysics of non-visual photoreception PRC/IRC/DRC/Spectral Sensitivity, Circadian and visual photometry, Modelling (retina), Modelling (circadian), Techniques for examining vision at the cellular level, Advanced techniques for characterizing the world hyperspectrally, Circadian physiology in mice: Melanopsin, Circadian physiology in mice: Color and cones, Translational aspects of animal studies, Retinal clocks, Primate non-visual physiology, Light and mood in animal models, and much more.

Research on touch and blindness has undergone rapid transformation in recent years, with dramatic developments in technology designed to provide assistance to those who are blind, and advancements in robotics that demand haptic interfaces. Touch and Blindness approaches the study of the topic from the perspectives of psychological methodology and the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art techniques in neuroscience. This book, edited by well-known leaders in the field, is derived from the discussions presented by speakers at a conference held in 2002, and presents current research in the field. The book is arranged in a logical, disciplinary fashion, first discussing touch and blindness from a psychological perspective, followed by an examination from the perspective of neuroscience. Some specific topics include: *processing spatial information from touch and movement; *form, projection, and pictures for the blind; *neural substrate and visual and tactile object representations; and *the role of visual cortex in tactile processing. Touch and Blindness is ideal for researchers in psychology and neuroscience, medicine, and special education.

Even the simplest social interactions require us to gather, integrate, and act upon, multiple streams of information about others and our surroundings. In this Element, we discuss how perceptual processes provide us with an accurate account of action-relevant information in social contexts. We overview contemporary theories and research that explores how: (1) individuals perceive others' mental states and actions, (2) individuals perceive affordances for themselves, others, and the dyad, and (3) how social contexts guide our attention to modulate what we perceive. Finally, we review work on the cognitive mechanisms that make joint action possible and discuss their links to perception.

Trust is essential for establishing and maintaining cooperative behaviors between individuals and institutions in a wide variety of social, economic, and political contexts. This book explores trust through the lens of neurobiology, focusing on empirical, methodological, and theoretical aspects. Written by a distinguished group of researchers from economics, psychology, human factors, neuroscience, and psychiatry, the chapters shed light on the neurobiological underpinnings of trust as applied in a variety of domains. Researchers and students will discover a refined understanding of trust by delving into the essential topics in this area of study outlined by leading experts.

Mental illness and the variety of conditions, disorders, and phobias associated with it impact not only the individual but also the family unit, the community, and society at large. Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Disorder: Case Studies and Application for Adults will better readers' understanding of a variety of these conditions in adults specifically and the applicability of CBT therapy as a treatment. Featuring chapters on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dysmorphia, depression, and anxiety, the book discusses in detail the use of cognitive behavioral therapies in the treatment of these issues in adults. With expert authors from the clinical field, the book has applicability for behavioral scientists, psychologists, cognitive and behavioral neuroscientists, and anyone working to better understand and treat using cognitive behavioral therapies.

What is 'attention' and what is the best way to understand it? Taking its cue from this key question, Attention: A Cognitive Neuropsychological Approach presents a detailed overview of cognitive, neuropsychological and connectionist methodologies in attention research. Sub-domains of the topic, such as focused vs divided attention, executive functioning and vigilance are discussed both from a cognitive perspective and subsequently in terms of neuropsychological work relating to disorders in that area. Alert to the current research trends, the author offers a critical assessment of the use and integration of connectionist modelling for an understanding of attention. In addition a concluding chapter offers a speculative overview of emerging research and its implications for future attention research. Clear and engaging throughout, this book will be ideal for undergraduates looking to understand this topic for the first time.

A Handbook of Geriatric Neuropsychology: Practice Essentials (Second Edition) brings together experts in the field to integrate the knowledge and skills needed to understand and treat older adults who are experiencing problems with memory and other thinking skills. With three new sections, including coverage of other conditions beyond neuropsychological disorders, special assessment contexts, and more on interventions and ethics, as well as multiple new chapters, and significant updates from the first edition, this book provides a strong foundation for clinicians, educators, and researchers invested in the wellbeing of older adults. The impact and experience of aging, like the practice of neuropsychology, evolves over time. Similarly, through advances in science and professional techniques, neuropsychological practice has continued to evolve. Neuropsychological evaluation remains the most effective method of diagnosing age-related cognitive decline, cognitive difficulties that result from psychological factors, and other related disorders, as well as determining how the various disorders impact functioning and quality of life. This book explores these areas and offers state-of-the-art assessment techniques to assess changes in cognition and behavior and to distinguish normal changes from neuropathology. This book is a go-to resource and key reference for psychologists who serve older adults with known or suspected cognitive problems, as well as those who are invested in promoting brain wellness. It provides much of the information needed to establish and improve foundational and functional competencies in geriatric neuropsychology and establish practices that are personally and professionally rewarding, all aimed at promoting the understanding and wellbeing of older adults.

Visual cognitive processes have traditionally been examined with simplified stimuli, but generalization of these processes to the real-world is not always straightforward. Using images, computer-generated images, and virtual environments, researchers have examined processing of visual information in the real-world. Although referred to as scene perception, this research field encompasses many aspects of scene processing. Beyond the perception of visual features, scene processing is fundamentally influenced and constrained by semantic information as well as spatial layout and spatial associations with objects. In this review, we will present recent advances in how scene processing occurs within a few seconds of exposure, how scene information is retained in the long-term, and how different tasks affect attention in scene processing. By considering the characteristics of real-world scenes, as well as different time windows of processing, we can develop a fuller appreciation for the research that falls under the wider umbrella of scene processing.

Instant Notes titles focus on core information and are designed to help undergraduate students come to grips with a subject quickly and easily. Instant Notes in Physiological Psychology provides a succinct yet comprehensive overview of the key topics in physiological psychology, allowing easy access to the core information in the field. Although physiological psychology is a required component of most degrees, the authors recognize that many students come from non-scientific backgrounds and may find the subject daunting. This book covers all of the essential topics in a format which is ideal for learning and rapid revision for students from all backgrounds. It can serve as a core text, supplemented by readings in the original literature, as a reference guide for students and lecturers alike, or as an ideal revision guide prior to exams. Instant Notes in Physiological Psychology is intended primarily for students taking a first course in the subject, but can also be used as an introduction to the field for undergraduates and graduate students from other subject areas.

Guilt is an original, closely argued examination of the opposition between guilty man and tragic man. Starting from the scientific and speculative writings of Freud and the major pioneers of psychoanalysis to whom we owe the first studies of this complex question, Roberto Speziale-Bagliacca goes on to focus on the debate between Klein and Winnicott in an enlightened attempt to remove blame and the sense of guilt from religion, morality and law. Drawing on an impressive range of sources - literary, historical and philosophical - and illustrated by studies of composers, thinkers and writers as diverse as Mozart and Chuang Tzu, Shakespeare and Woody Allen, Guilt covers a range of topics including the concept of guilt used within the law, and the analyst's contribution to the client's sense of guilt. Previously unavailable in English, this book deserves to be read not only by psychoanalysts, philosophers. scholars and forensic psychiatrists interested in the theory of justice, but also be the ordinary educated reader.

Human Performance in Complex Systems introduces readers to the theory of complex systems, examining the role of humans within larger systems and the factors that affect human performance. Sections review the history of one particularly fruitful approach to complexity, providing an overview of complexity science that also discusses our current understanding of complex systems in a variety of domains, including physical, biological, mechanical and organizational. The author also introduces the idea that there are similarities between the successful architecture and control of both biological and organizational systems. Case studies concerning failures and successes within complex systems are also included. The book concludes by using the preceding material to develop principles that can be applied for successful design and control of complex systems.

Neurosurgical Management of Psychiatric Disorders, Part B, Volume 267 in the Progress in Brain Research serial highlights new advances in the field with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on topics such as the Neurosurgical Management of Tourette Syndrome, Stereotactic Surgeries for Opioid Addiction: Patient Selection and Results, Psychiatric Disorders as Indication for Surgical Management of Drug-Resistant Temporal Epilepsy, Surgery of Autism: Is it Possible?, Psychogenic Pain: Diagnosis and Management, Stereotactic Cingulotomy and Capsulotomy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: Indications and Comparative Results, and much more.

Foundations of Behavior Genetics provides a forward-looking introduction to this fascinating field. Written by an experienced teacher and researcher, this text focuses on concepts, methods, and findings that inform our understanding of heredity-behavior relations. The book's neuroscience perspective asks students to think about potential neural mechanisms involved in pathways from genes to behavior. While the text is primarily focused on human behavior genetics, it also emphasizes the importance of non-human animal models in experimental studies, as well as their evolutionary connections to humans. Part I covers the history of behavior genetics and the basics of non-molecular genetics; Part II discusses molecular genetics and neurogenetics; Part III addresses various behavioral disorders; and Part IV explores health, social behavior, and ethical implications. The text includes detailed chapter summaries, several "Check-up" questions after major sections that test student understanding, and recommended readings. Instructors are provided with a test bank of multiple-choice items and hi-res JPEGs of the many illustrations created for the book.

This book is based on a two-day symposium at the Paris Institute of Advanced Study titled "space-time geometries and movement in the brain and the arts". It includes over 20 chapters written by the leading scientists and artists who presented their related research studies at the symposium and includes six sections; the first three focus on space-time geometries in perception, action and memory while the last three focus on specific artistic domains: drawing and painting, dance, music, digital arts and robotics. The book is accompanied by a dedicated webpage including related images and videos. There is an ever-growing interest in the topics covered by this book. Space and time are of fundamental importance for our understanding of human perception, action, memory and cognition, and are entities which are equally important in physics, biology, neuroscience and psychology. Highly prominent scientists and mathematicians have expressed their belief that our bodies and minds shape the ways we perceive space and time and the physical laws we formulate. Understanding how the brain perceives motion and generates -bodily movements is of great significance. There is also growing interest in studying how space, time and movement subserve artistic creations in different artistic modalities (e.g., fine arts, digital and performing arts and music). This interest is inspired by the idea that artists make intuitive use of the principles and simplifying strategies used by the brain in movement generation and perception. Building upon new understanding of the spatio-temporal geometries subserving movement generation and perception by the brain we can start exploring how artists make use of such neuro --geometrical and neuro-dynamic representations in order to express artistic concepts and emotionally affect the human observers and listeners. Scientists have also started formulating new ideas of how aesthetic judgements emerge from the principles and brain mechanisms subserving motor control and motion perception. Covering novel and multidisciplinary topics, this advanced book will be of interest to neuroscientists, behavioral scientists, artificial intelligence and robotics experts, students and artists.

Do you find it difficult to 'click' with colleagues, neighbours, in-laws, or romantic partners? Loneliness has become an international epidemic, but according to Dr. Amy Banks, every one of us is quite literally hardwired for close relationships. The key to achieving more satisfying relationships is to strengthen the neural pathways in our brains that encourage closeness and connection. In Four Ways to Click, Dr. Banks reveals that there are four distinct neural pathways in the brain that correspond to the four most important ingredients for healthy and satisfying relationships: CALMNESS is a result of a well-toned vagus nerve, which in turn helps temper the sympathetic nervous system. ACCEPTEDNESS, or accepting others and feeling accepted back, comes from a well-tuned dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. EMOTIONAL RESONANCE, our ability to reflect back to others that we 'get them', occurs when the mirror neuron system is properly functioning. ENERGY, the drive to be happy and close to the people we care about despite life's hardships, comes from a dopamine reward system that is connected to healthy relationships. When we are supported by good relationships, these neural pathways - and our brains as a whole - flourish. But when we are isolated or in bad relationships, other neural pathways associated with stress are activated, creating symptoms of anxiety, anger, withdrawal, and dissatisfaction. The great news? By tuning up these four neural pathways, we can feel better - and we can enhance your ability to connect with others. This groundbreaking book gives readers the tools they need to strengthen the parts of their brains that encourage connection and to heal the neural damage that disconnection can cause.

Psychology deals with the most complex subject matter of any science. As such, it is subject to misunderstandings, artifacts, and just simple errors of data, logic, and interpretation. This book teases out the details of some of the sources of these errors. It considers errors in psychological data and theories that arise from confusing endogenous and exogenous causal forces in perceptual research, misinterpreting the effects of inevitable natural laws as psychological phenomena, improper application of statistics and measurement, and flawed assumptions. Examples of each of these sources of error are presented and discussed. Finally, the book concludes that a return to a revitalized kind of behaviorism is preferred, rather than continuing on the current cognitive path.

The focus of "Sports Medicine and Neuropsychology" is the question of what role the neuropsychologist should have in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of sports-related concussions. The goal of this special issue is to examine the most current issues facing this growing and dynamic field of neuropsychology. The first article is dedicated to reviewing current issues in the neuropsychological assessment of concussions in sports-related events. The next paper examines data on over six million practice-and-game-exposures among athletes participating in the NCAA's Injury Surveillance System. Two contributions examine the empirical role that neuropsychologists can have in the area of concussion research. The final two papers review the advantages and limitations on computer-based assessment of sports-related concussions and discuss neuropsychology's role in return-to-play decisions following them.

This book brings together theoretical and clinical aspects of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. Following an introductory chapter and a brief history of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, there are chapters on specific cognitive deficits (attention, executive deficits, memory, and language). The next section addresses rehabilitation of emotional, social and behavioural disorders. Then comes a section on specific groups of people (children, people with dementia and people in reduced states of awareness. Although the main focus of the book is on adults with non-progressive brain injury, these other groups are included as NR is being increasingly employed with them. The book concludes with a chapter on systems of service delivery and another on the future of NR. Thus this book covers a number of aspects of NR and is broader in outlook than most existing books in this area. It presents current practice techniques in cognitive rehabilitation from a conceptual and theoretical perspective. It offers both clinicians and researchers a sense of the research and theory underlying current clinical applications.
The main audience will be clinical neuropsychologists especially those working in rehabilitation. Other audiences include clinical psychologists working with people who have mental health problems, schizophrenia or are elderly; occupational therapists; speech and language therapists and rehabilitation doctors. It is likely that some social workers, nurses psychiatrists and neurologists will also want to read the book.

How are the experiences of childhood incorporated into the structures of the developing brain, and how do these changes in the brain influence behaviour? This is one of the many questions motivating research in the relatively new field of developmental cognitive neuroscience. This book provides an extensive overview of the methods used to study such questions, and a thorough investigation into the emerging interface between neurobiological and psychological perspectives in the study of typical and atypical cognitive behaviour.
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Development is a collection of essays written by international experts in the field. It covers not only traditional topics such as language, attention and memory development, but also includes individual chapters covering the theories of neurocognitive development and methods of studying brain activity in young infants and children. There are additional chapters on hormonal influences on brain and behavioural development, gender differences in the brain, and genetic disorders.
This exceptional series of contributions surveys the study of both cognitive and neural development. The book takes into account brain architecture as well as the behavioural context of development, thus it succeeds in integrating the multiple methods and domains of research that have previously been studied in a more fragmented way. It will be invaluable to upper level students as well as researchers and teachers in Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Paediatrics and related fields.

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Advances in the Study of Behavior, Volume 54 highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on Mobbing in animals: a thorough review and proposed future directions, Learned components of courtship: a focus on gestures, choreographies and construction abilities, Sexual selection in the true bugs, and Brain-behavior relationships of cognition in vertebrates: lessons from amphibians, Pre-Copulatory and Copulatory Courtship in Male-Dimorphic Arthropods.