When you think of a concept such as bird, what example from this category immediately comes to mind? Is it a finch, a parrot, or perhaps a chicken? Even though all the three share several features that make them belong to the category called birds, people tend to think of one of them as the …
In her TED Talk titled “How Russia Hacked the US Election”, Laura Galante, a cyber-analyst, stipulates that the rise in digital technology has made the human brain the most exploitable data processing unit in the universe. She argues that digital media exposes people to an unfiltered flow of data that becomes more familiar with time, …
In the words of Phineas T. Barnum, “There is a sucker born every minute”. Barnum was a well-known nineteenth-century American showman hailed for his one-of-a-kind exhibits. People paid a lot of money to witness Barnum’s intriguing spectacles, such as the Cardiff Giant and George Washington’s 161-year-old nanny. While Barnum’s showcases were hoaxes, people would buy …
Gestalt psychology is founded on the assertion that man envisions patterns in a manner that informs their perceptions of reality. This school of thought holds that people perceive pieces of visual information, such as symbols and shapes, in accordance with their configuration, pattern, or organization. Essentially, the whole pattern is more descriptive than the sum …
Man is generally a believing animal. So, beliefs are integral to the existence of humans either as individuals or in the communities or societies to which they belong. Beliefs are often construed to be religious because religion is essentially based on some particular set of beliefs in its entirety. However, it is good to remember …
In basic mathematics and many science branches, we use postulates to advance our arguments or logic positions. Also known as axioms or premises, postulates are statements or positions that are taken to be true. Usually, postulates are things that are generally accepted and do not need proof. In other words, they are self-evident. If we …
Have you ever completed your homework or studied hard because your parent promised you a gift? They were trying to make you study hard. The best way to teach a person or animal a new habit is to reward them for doing what you want. As they strive to get the reward, they end up …
How do we learn or make sense of the complex world around us? Jean Piaget suggested that this happens through a process in psychology called accommodation. From his studies of child cognitive development, Piaget concluded that in accommodation, we make use of mental shortcuts called schemas. Schemas are cognitive frameworks, concepts, or organized patterns …
Have you ever composed a sentence using the first letters of names in a list? Such sentences are called mnemonics. They help us to memorize new concepts and keep them in our long-term memory. The process of creating a way that helps you memorize information and retain it in your long-term memory is called elaborative …
How do we perceive depth in a 3D world that is sensed through 2D visual senses? For any visual perception to take place, our brains need input information. This is obtained when light enters our eyes carrying information about the world around us. The light is focused on the retina (back of the eye) which …
