How Much Money Do Psychologists Make?. The numbers here are based on Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-05 Edition, published by U.S. Department of Labor. How Much Money Do Psychologists Make?... [About Psychology]0000005:10:51 AMcomment []


Neurons processing sensory data take on specific roles.. A 'division of labor' between neurons processing sensory data may help explain how the brain forms a coherent picture of reality from the uncoordinated data streams it receives. Data about light, sound and odors are sent to the brain in a code based on the timing and frequency of impulses. A group working at UCSD discovered that different neurons in the brain respond only to specific portions of the information. ... [CogNews]0000005:07:22 AMcomment []


ECoG Brain-Computer Interface. Washington University in St. Louis reports research on using motor signals recorded from the brain's surface, Electrocorticography (ECoG), to control a computer game.Patients achieved between 74 and 100 percent accuracy after an hour training, versus the months required in a similar Electroencephalography (EEG) based BCI --- which records from electrodes on the scalp. The researchers note that, "ECoG has higher spatial resolution, broader bandwidth and higher amplitude than the EEG approach, allowing the use of more electrodes and the gain of higher frequencies." ... [CogNews]0000005:07:03 AMcomment []


Insight on how insight works. Psychology professor John Kounios of Drexel University and Mark Jung-Beeman of Northwestern University are currently looking at blood flows and EEG signals to determine what happens during moments of insight. (Ah-Ha! moments) ... [CogNews]0000005:06:00 AMcomment []


That's Not My Hand. A recent experiment performed by Henrik Ehrsson of the University College London demonstrated how people's visual perception could lead them to believe that a rubber hand was actually their own. While the subjects were observed by fMRI both the subject's hand, which was out of view, and a dummy hand were stroked by a paintbrush. According to the study, it took only 11 seconds for subjects to come to believe that the fake hand was actually their own, and when most subjects were asked to point at their hand they pointed at the dummy hand instead. Science Daily has the whole story. ... [CogNews]0000005:05:46 AMcomment []


The Stereotype Threat. "Exposure to a negative sterotype can affect cognitive function," says this recent article. "Social psychologists have recently discovered that women and racial or ethnic minorities often perform more poorly on academic tests when exposed to negative stereotypes about their group, such as women and Latinos aren’t expected to do well on math and science tests." The research, being performed by Toni Schmader have recieved a four year, $400,000 grant to study the phenomenon called the "stereotype threat". ... [CogNews]0000005:05:32 AMcomment []


Left Brain vs Right Brain. Are you right-brained or left-brained? Creative or rational? Does it even make sense to ask? Australia's All in the Mind radio programme asked the experts a few weeks ago. They even conducted their own experiments. All this and much more as the Lab Expert's Forum looks into the brain. ... [CogNews]0000005:05:22 AMcomment []