#cognition

[tumbler-polls]

When you picture yourself in your mind, do you imagine yourself precisely how you look in real life, or do you see something else (an alter ego, a person who looks differently, another being, etc.)? When you're visualizing from the first person's pov, whose hands are you seeing? If you have aphantasia, consider "seeing" as a metaphor for the way you think of the concept of yourself.

The main options (we put them here due to the character limit):

🪞: I only imagine myself the way I look like irl.

🪆: I imagine someone/something that represents me.

✨️: I imagine myself in multiple ways: the way I am, as another being, as an abstract concept, you name it.

Please reblog for a bigger sample size and feel free to expand on your answer in the comments / tags!

Credit to @anon (we added a few options).

[geometrymatters]

Can you see the spinning dodecahedron? pause the video and it disappears

via Matt Henderson

[mindblowingscience]

A small pilot study hints that personalized interventions have a powerful potential for boosting cognitive health in older people at risk of Alzheimer's. Dementias, including Alzheimer's, are among the most feared illnesses affecting older adults, and it's clear why. Globally, tens of millions of people are living with dementia, and there are limited effective treatments. So University of California, San Francisco neurologist Kristine Yaffe and colleagues have taken a new approach. "This is the first personalized intervention, focusing on multiple areas of cognition, in which risk factor targets are based on a participant's risk profile, preferences and priorities," explains Yaffe. The researchers provided personal, customized coaching for 82 experimental group participants. This involved each volunteer working with a coach to identify goals based on risk factors and tailor activities to suit each individual's abilities, interests, and preferences across diet, medication, exercise, social, psychological, sleep, and education programs.

Continue Reading.

[courtingwonder]

Chart of 20 Cognitive Biases That Affect Decision-Making

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Reviews for Week 4, 2024

Cognition from the Body-Brain Partnership: Exaptation of Memory. Buzsáki, G., & Tingley, D. (2023). Annual Review of Neuroscience, 46(1), 191–210.

Prefrontal Cortical Control of Anxiety: Recent Advances. Mack, N. R., Deng, S., Yang, S.-S., Shu, Y., & Gao, W.-J. (2023). The Neuroscientist, 29(4), 488–505.

Neural Circuits for Emotion. Malezieux, M., Klein, A. S., & Gogolla, N. (2023). Annual Review of Neuroscience, 46(1), 211–231.

Recent Insights on Glutamatergic Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease and Therapeutic Implications. Pinky, P. D., Pfitzer, J. C., Senfeld, J., Hong, H., Bhattacharya, S., Suppiramaniam, V., … Reed, M. N. (2023). The Neuroscientist, 29(4), 461–471.

[fumblebeefae]

I Got To Meet THE Irene Pepperbreg.

Over the last month I was accepted into the Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute, bringing a range of cognitive scientists and artists together. This year in St.Andrew's Scotland.

One of the faculty we had the privilege to hear from was Irene Pepperberg, a legend in the animal cognition world. She is known for her work in animal cognition with African Grey parrots, but most notably with a single parrot named Alex.

Reading Irene's books were a big reason I wanted to pursue animal cognition. It was amazing being able to meet her and thank her personally. She is an amazing scientist, with her research being the perfect example of how important a well designed experiment is.

[hexagr]

Your ability to describe the world affects how you think about it. If the language and idioms you know are constrained to a particular window, that window will act as a constraint in shaping not only how you see the world, but also how you experience the world.

[apesoformythoughts]

[linguisticdiscovery]

The Linguistics Starter Pack

Curious about linguistics but not sure where you can learn more? The Linguistics Starter Pack is for you! This is a curated list of my top recommendations for getting started in linguistics. Most of the items on this list are popular science books, aimed at a general audience, and written in a non-technical way. I’ve also included a few highly accessible introductory textbooks if you’re looking for something more structured instead.

Note: The links on this page are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a small commission from any book you buy through these links (at no additional cost to you).

Language myths (Bauer & Trudgill, 1998)

If there’s one book on this list you should read to introduce yourself to linguistics, it’s this one. Consisting of short, bite-sized chapters each focused on a different myth, this book dispels some of the most common misconceptions about language and linguistics. The book is almost a quarter-century old, but remains one of the best places to start learning about linguistics.

The 5-minute linguist: Bite-sized essays on language and languages (3e) (Myrick & Wolfram, 2019)

A collection of tiny essays answering some of the most common questions about language and linguistics. This book is a more up-to-date take on Language myths (see above), except the style is more FAQ than myth-busting. This third edition is sponsored by the Linguistic Society of America because of the great impact that the first two editions had on educating the broader public about linguistics.

How languages work: An introduction to language and linguistics (2e) (Genetti, 2018)

Hands down the best introductory linguistics textbook on the market. Extremely easy to read, and covers a variety of topics not typically included in other introductory linguistics textbooks. It also includes a number of language profiles, illustrating the rich diversity of languages in the world. The chapters are written mostly by the linguistics faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara, one of the top linguistics departments in the world. Proceeds from the book help fund fieldwork with endangered languages.

Through the language glass: Why the world looks different in other languages (Deutscher, 2010)

How does language influence the way we think and see the world? This book is a brilliant journey into the relationship between language and thought, covering everything from how color terms shape our perception of those colors to how grammatical gender shapes the way we categorize people and things in a surprisingly captivating writing style.

The language myth: Why language is not an instinct (Evans, 2014)

A long-overdue introduction to language and the mind for a general audience, this book explains how humans bring to bear a huge array of cognitive skills to make language possible, debunking the idea that language is an instinct and that we all possess a Universal Grammar. Written by the foremost scholar on cognitive linguistics, this book is perhaps one of the most important popular science books published this century. Think of this book like a non-technical introduction to cognitive linguistics.

When languages die: The extinction of the world’s languages and the erosion of human knowledge (Harrison, 2007)

This book showcases the incredible diversity of ways that Indigenous languages work, and highlights just how much of this diversity and indigenous knowledge is being lost as more and more languages stop being spoken. The book covers topics like Indigenous ways of telling time, spatial orientation, and number systems, while serving as a poignant introduction to linguistic diversity and language endangerment.

The unfolding of language: An evolutionary tour of mankind’s greatest invention (Deutscher, 2006)

An enthralling introduction to how languages change over time, and how languages develop their incredible grammatical complexity, evolving from rudimentary utterances like “man throw spear” to the beautifully intricate Turkish sehirlilestiremediklerimizdensiniz ‘you are one of those whom we couldn’t turn into a town dweller’. This is the second book on this list by author Guy Deutscher (see Through the language glass, above), and for good reason, because his writing style makes his books impossible to put down. Think of this book like a non-technical introduction to historical linguistics.

Empires of the word: A language history of the world (Ostler, 2011)

A history of the world told not by tracing the development of civilizations and empires, but by following the growth of the world’s major languages. Ostler weaves together a fascinating narrative that gives a fresh perspective on history. This book is a must-read for any history buff.

The dawn of language: Axes, lies, midwifery and how we came to talk (Johansson, 2021)

Weaves together the latest research in archaeology, anthropology, neurology, and linguistics to tell the story of how language evolved.

Language files: Materials for an introduction to language and linguistics (13e) (Ohio State University Department of Linguistics)

Want to get your hands dirty with some actual problem sets in linguistics? This is the book for you. Half textbook, half workbook, Language files is one of the most widely-adopted textbooks for introductory linguistics courses, packed with problem sets illustrating each concept in the book.

An introduction to the languages of the world (2e) (Lyovin, Kessler, & Leben, 2017)

If you’re interested in learning about specific languages and language families, this is the book for you. It introduces the field of linguistics by taking you on a tour of the world’s languages. This is one of the most unique textbooks in linguistics, and a lot of fun to read.

An introduction to linguistic typology (Velupillai, 2012)

A survey of the incredibly diverse ways that languages work. This is the most technical / advanced book on the list, but is the ultimate guide to the grammars of the world’s languages. This is a great reference to keep on hand when reading other books and articles about linguistics.

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Walter Kintsch - Memory and Cognition - John Wiley & Sons - 1977

[omegaphilosophia]

The Dance of Perspectives and Beliefs: Shaping Our Worldview

Our lives are a delicate interplay of perspectives and beliefs, two elements that quietly sculpt the contours of our worldview. As we navigate the complex tapestry of existence, our perspectives serve as the lens through which we view the world, while our beliefs lay the foundation upon which our decisions and actions are built.

Perspectives Shape Beliefs: Our perspectives, which are influenced by our upbringing, culture, experiences, and personal values, play a significant role in shaping our beliefs. When we encounter new information or ideas, our existing perspectives filter and interpret that information, leading to the formation or reinforcement of our beliefs.

Beliefs Influence Perspectives: Conversely, our beliefs also influence our perspectives. When we strongly hold a particular belief, it can color the way we perceive and interpret the world around us. This can lead to confirmation bias, where we tend to seek out information that supports our existing beliefs and filter out information that contradicts them.

Openness to New Perspectives: Philosophically and intellectually, being open to new perspectives is a key aspect of critical thinking and personal growth. It involves being willing to challenge and reconsider our beliefs when presented with new evidence or alternative viewpoints. Without this openness, perspectives can become rigid and closed.

Diversity of Perspectives: A diverse range of perspectives in society is essential for a well-rounded and vibrant exchange of ideas. When people with different perspectives come together, it can lead to constructive dialogue, innovation, and a deeper understanding of complex issues.

Cognitive Dissonance: When our perspectives and beliefs come into conflict, it can create cognitive dissonance — a state of mental discomfort. This discomfort often motivates individuals to either adjust their beliefs or seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs, depending on various factors such as the strength of the belief and the individual's willingness to confront contradictions.

Worldview: Our perspectives and beliefs collectively form our worldview, which is the overarching framework through which we interpret and make sense of the world. A worldview encompasses our views on ethics, reality, purpose, and the nature of existence, among other things.

In summary, perspectives and beliefs are deeply intertwined, with each influencing and being influenced by the other. They shape our understanding of the world, our values, and our interactions with others, making them essential components of human cognition and experience.

[copperbadge]

Double-sided tape and sticky no-skid tape that doesn’t prevent skids: gone! It took more time than I anticipated and there’s still a bit of residue, but it’s under the carpet so that’s for Moving Out Sam to worry about someday (or my heirs, depending). 

[ID: Three photos; the first two show vinyl wood-grain flooring with gross grey tape stuck to it, and the edge of a pulled-back carpet. In the third photo, the full hallway is shown clean and shining, still damp at one end.] 

I’ve spoken a little about how I can feel Adderall hit my system half an hour after taking one, but every so often -- not regularly, just once in a while, generally when I’m in the middle of a multi-step process -- I can also feel it wearing off. 

I took a dose at 8 and it usually lasts five hours, but it’s more effective for the first three and usually begins fading after four and a half. So I started on this project at noon and I knew exactly what I needed to do and how to do it, but by the time the floor was drying after a final rinse around 1pm I was at a loss. It wasn’t that I had lost motivation, there just wasn’t much left to do, but I’d stopped being able to closely track what I needed to do -- unplug and drain pressure the steamer, gather the chemicals and put them away, rinse out the bucket and sponge, throw out the pulled-up tape and gloves, put the rug back...I got through it, but I was trying to figure out why finishing was SO much harder given the physically difficult part was done, and then I looked at the clock. 

It pings something specific for me because I don’t know what the word for this is, but there’s a form of Body Horror for the mind, which involves cognitive decline, that affects me very strongly. I don’t know how to give examples without getting super gross, but if you’ve read Hannibal by Thomas Harris, Krendler at the end is a good example. Loss of mental faculty without being aware of it terrifies me. I’m okay with feeling myself lose edge with the Adderall because a) it’s not THAT significant and b) I’m not losing something vital, I’m still me and still quite intelligent, I’m just fucking scattered. But it’s still very unease-making to be conscious of it.  

In any case, I got through it, just in time to open the fridge and discover that it needs a new bulb, so I think tomorrow’s work might entirely consist of going to the hardware store for a bunch of stuff I need, new fridge bulb included. And I got to listen to the recent Colin Hanks episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, which was entertaining as usual.

[spoczkotszcz]

Writing resource - how I envision different emotional states

Cognitive processes are often regarded as separate from emotional processes, marking a sharp distinction between "thinking" and "feeling". Do keep in mind that not all theories of emotion regard this separation as valid. In effect a lack or dampening of a physiological response to a stimulus does not mean the person in question is incapable of understanding what the response should be in cognitive or even creative aesthetic terms, begging the question of whether this distinction is a fair or useful one to make.

Shame - Dripping. Viscous. Downward movements. Suffocating. Overwhelming. Paralysing thought and action like heavy mud.

Anger- a fiery storm of electrical impulses. As fire does, it requires fuel to propagate. It can be immediate and violent, or slow and building.

Envy- an emptiness. A lack of something the self has, the individuals ego stretching out as if to pluck that very thing out of the world. Has a tendency to be social focused. A wall of mirrors reflecting the self as others. The self expressing anger at these mirrors.

Glee- electrifying pleasure. It energises from within with an optimistic lens colouring the persons subsequent thoughts. Childlike whimsy as the person relaxes and loses inhibition

Confusion- electrical impulses misfiring as the mind searches for answers to external stimuli it cannot find. Lost in a deep forest, where every tree and thought looks the same.

Curiosity - a hunger of the mind. Sensory organs seeking out input so as to satisfy an ache deep inside. Eyes roaming, nostrils twitching, hands searching for touch.

Shock- similar to confusion, but more immediate. A paralysing instinctive reaction with an undercurrent of fear.

Fear- a cold dread, the swift acceleration of breathing, heart rate and muscle contractions. The body readying itself to confront a threat.

Anxiety- similar to fear in terms of physiological response, but more forward thinking and longer lasting. Less acute than fear, but causes more inner turmoil and mental anguish as the effects of diluted fear permeating the mind over long periods of time take their toll.

Worry- repeated rumination on a problem stemming from irrational inner turmoil, such as due to fear or envy. It is anxiety's more practical cousin, effectively. A ruminating feeling, pulling the mind inwards onto itself.

[and-knowing-is-half-the-battle]

Pls reblog for sample size, folks!

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 30, 2023

Adult-born neurons inhibit developmentally-born neurons during spatial learning. Ash, A. M., Regele-Blasco, E., Seib, D. R., Chahley, E., Skelton, P. D., Luikart, B. W., & Snyder, J. S. (2023). Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 198, 107710.

Behavioral origin of sound-evoked activity in mouse visual cortex. Bimbard, C., Sit, T. P. H., Lebedeva, A., Reddy, C. B., Harris, K. D., & Carandini, M. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(2), 251–258.

Exploration patterns shape cognitive map learning. Brunec, I. K., Nantais, M. M., Sutton, J. E., Epstein, R. A., & Newcombe, N. S. (2023). Cognition, 233, 105360.

Distinct contributions of ventral CA1/amygdala co-activation to the induction and maintenance of synaptic plasticity. Chong, Y. S., Wong, L.-W., Gaunt, J., Lee, Y. J., Goh, C. S., Morris, R. G. M., … Sajikumar, S. (2023). Cerebral Cortex, 33(3), 676–690.

 An intrinsic oscillator underlies visual navigation in ants. Clement, L., Schwarz, S., & Wystrach, A. (2023). Current Biology, 33(3), 411-422.e5.

Not so optimal: The evolution of mutual information in potassium voltage-gated channels. Duran-Urriago, A., & Marzen, S. (2023). PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0264424.

Successor-like representation guides the prediction of future events in human visual cortex and hippocampus. Ekman, M., Kusch, S., & de Lange, F. P. (2023). eLife, 12, e78904.

Residual dynamics resolves recurrent contributions to neural computation. Galgali, A. R., Sahani, M., & Mante, V. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(2), 326–338.

Dorsal attention network activity during perceptual organization is distinct in schizophrenia and predictive of cognitive disorganization. Keane, B. P., Krekelberg, B., Mill, R. D., Silverstein, S. M., Thompson, J. L., Serody, M. R., … Cole, M. W. (2023). European Journal of Neuroscience, 57(3), 458–478.

A striatal circuit balances learned fear in the presence and absence of sensory cues. Kintscher, M., Kochubey, O., & Schneggenburger, R. (2023). eLife, 12, e75703.

Hippocampal engram networks for fear memory recruit new synapses and modify pre-existing synapses in vivo. Lee, C., Lee, B. H., Jung, H., Lee, C., Sung, Y., Kim, H., … Kaang, B.-K. (2023). Current Biology, 33(3), 507-516.e3.

Neocortical synaptic engrams for remote contextual memories. Lee, J.-H., Kim, W. Bin, Park, E. H., & Cho, J.-H. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(2), 259–273.

The effect of temporal expectation on the correlations of frontal neural activity with alpha oscillation and sensory-motor latency. Lee, J. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 2012.

Describing movement learning using metric learning. Loriette, A., Liu, W., Bevilacqua, F., & Caramiaux, B. (2023). PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0272509.

The geometry of cortical representations of touch in rodents. Nogueira, R., Rodgers, C. C., Bruno, R. M., & Fusi, S. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(2), 239–250.

Contextual and pure time coding for self and other in the hippocampus. Omer, D. B., Las, L., & Ulanovsky, N. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(2), 285–294.

Reshaping the full body illusion through visuo-electro-tactile sensations. Preatoni, G., Dell’Eva, F., Valle, G., Pedrocchi, A., & Raspopovic, S. (2023). PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0280628.

Experiencing sweet taste is associated with an increase in prosocial behavior. Schaefer, M., Kühnel, A., Schweitzer, F., Rumpel, F., & Gärtner, M. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 1954.

Cortical encoding of rhythmic kinematic structures in biological motion. Shen, L., Lu, X., Yuan, X., Hu, R., Wang, Y., & Jiang, Y. (2023). NeuroImage, 268, 119893.

Mindful self-focus–an interaction affecting Theory of Mind? Wundrack, R., & Specht, J. (2023). PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0279544.

[babyspacebatclone]

I had one of those realizations about ABA today.

This is very much a “needle onto a mountain with a camel underneath” thing, but I’m vaguely surprised I never personally made the connection before.

I dissociate. Very mildly; when I’m stressed, the part of me that’s “me” is up over there while the rest of my brain and body and pain is down there.

One of the things I have learned to do with this is to - physically do stuff, step by step, maintain the outside, keep the body moving while over here I’m trying to cycle through the trauma/rage/exhaustion/whatever and here there’s a little ambassador in the middle in case the body needs higher brain functions for a second.

And I can run this state for - well, with no additional trauma input, as long as it takes to complete that task. Whatever I have decided that task to “be,” I can complete it.

Then, hopefully, smile and politely remove myself from a public situation.

And then go have a meltdown.

Now, I ask anyone else* who has studied behavioral principles, specifically ABA…

How would you record that behavior???

(I took 3 undergraduate courses in ABA for my Community Psychology Bachelors. I do bot profess to be an expert, but I am at least competent in the subject)

TL;DR: Fuck anyone who tells you “only external behavior matters.”

Edit: I was aware of the implications of this for the victims of ABA “therapy.” This is more me internalizing my own experiences in contrast with the bullshit core philosophy of ABA.