MindBluff_DOT_com's Open Salon Blog

Neuro-Art Gallery of Embodied Cognition

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:10:43 -0400

The latest findings in Neuro-science seem destined to rock the halls of art in a fashion not seen since the old "Pop Art" Period of the 1960s. Presented here are the first broad attempts to introduce this potential trend. The Fab Four candidates shown below have been arranged to explore the principles of embodied cognition -- the catalyst of a new art form, I predict.

Charles Manson, Mugshot Needed is a bucket of cold water. Dip your hands in cold water to create a frigid zone of contempt. Cold sensations in the brain's sensory sphere influence our emotions accordingly. Chill out to Manson -- he's creepier when you're feeling cold.

Mother's Darling, by Joseph Clark Needed is an electric heating blanket. Place across your knees to create a comfort zone of artificial warmth. According to studies, physical heat affects social mood, facilitating "warmer" emotions such as trust, acceptance and friendliness. It's a fine fit for this wistful Clark masterpiece. (A cup of hot soup really does nourish the mind.)

Clear Creek, from Appleton's Journal Needed is a loaded backpack, strapped on your back. The burden will cause the terrain to appear steeper. The distance up the hill will also seem longer. The added physical weight deepens the importance, significance, and primacy of the scene. (Similarly, holding a heavy clipboard increases the difficulty and "weight" of its attached contents.)

Mahatma Ghandi Needed is to wash your hands and face before studying the illustration. According to Psychological Science, "cleanliness" really is next to Godliness. Becoming clean influences our social and moral perception. Ghandi was the epitome of pure-heartedness. Personal cleanliness should enhance one's appreciation of this famous man. "Volunteers who washed their hands rated a moral dilemma as being less severe than did volunteers who didn't wash their hands." (Schnall, Benton, & Harvey, 2008). Guilt-ridden people really do feel "dirty."

Your work here...

Be the first to create an original masterpiece of embodied cognition. When you do, please credit Mind Bluff as your Muse.

...From Mind Bluff

Secret Choices, Dentists Named Dennis, Hidden Biases, etc.

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:10:21 -0400

Astounding Facts About Mental Behavior, Part II

Dentists Named Dennis

Dentists are frequently named Dennis. Disproportionately so. Notice the poetic name-resemblance. Most illogical, Captain. A career-choice based on similar sounds ?? It seems ridiculous, but it's a statistical fact. The unconscious brain controls a huge part of decision-making. Perhaps the unconscious is a superstitious puppeteer. Or else a marketing genius -- could small ironies of similar sounds offer "soft sell" charm to future clients? Um, maybe.

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Booze protects the brain from dementia in later life. This could be due to its anti-inflammatory properties, or the fact that social drinkers are more...well, sociable. Keep in mind that this benefit applies to moderate drinkers. Alcoholics are another matter.

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Marketing and suggestion affect our human taste buds. According to studies, higher-priced wine tastes better than identical cheaper wines. Consumers are also susceptible to other mind-altering gimmicks: color, bottle shape, etc. Ice cream packaged in circular tubs is preferred over ice cream in box-shaped containers. (It often costs more, too.) Placebo, anyone?

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As you step further and further away from these two faces, each expression appears to change places. Calm becomes angry, and vice-versa. (Talk about two-faced....)

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What's in a name? Plenty, if it's part of an email address. A German study confirms that personality traits can be inferred from emails like Hula-Hoop-Queen@yahoo.com and Prof_Jones@hotmail.com. Correctly-guessed characteristics include traits like openness, narcissism, agreeableness, etc.

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Finally, in this parting tribute to Darwin, a neuro-scientific truth...

...From Mind Bluff

Fun facts about gestures, doodles, self-suggestion, and more

Sun, 3 Oct 2010 18:10:11 -0400

Astounding Facts About Mental Behavior

Mass Self-Delusion

80 - 90 % of people believe they're above-average drivers. Mathematically, this is impossible. A huge segment of humanity is locked into self-deceit. In so many situations like this, rational objectivity is subverted by irrational bias.

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Handling money makes you stronger. Not just feel stronger -- but stronger. Recent studies support this fact. Dollars were the instigators. Do higher-denominations boost this effect? Next time you challenge an opponent to arm-wrestling, stuff a secret wad of cash in your other fist.

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Red-pen users make more corrections than blue-pen users. Teachers, take note. If you're prone to be critical, use a blue pen to correct papers in order to balance your judgement. If you're an easy-going sort, wield a red pen instead.

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Shaking your head up and down (for example, while watching a bouncing ball) will make you more agreeable. Your unconscious "nodding" motion triggers a "yes" response in your conscious brain. Motor cortex, meet frontal cortex. United Nations, listen up: during your next session, install an oscillating-light screen sequencing up-and-down in front of the assembled, in uniform repetition. The potential result: multiple treaties...followed by World Peace.

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Gesturing and doodling help thinking. Gestures in particular help others to better understand us. During problem-solving and specific communication, gestures often conflict with, and trump, our rational conscious thought, pointing us to the correct (intuitive) solution.

...From Mind Bluff