As I'm nearing two important milestones in my blog life (100th post and 3,000th visitor), I was trying desperately to come up with something to blog about. I hope you're not disappointed with this one. (By the way--this is number 96. And oddly, I have over 100 visits from somewhere in New York. I hope that nor'easter didn't get you down!)
I don't want to get into the whole nature/nurture thing. I have ideas, but I just plain don't know enough. But I thought this article on Newsweek.com was really interesting. I know most of you are too lazy to follow the link, so here's the basics: There's a part of our brain that helps us recognize mistakes and learn from them. Apparently, in certain people (those tending toward impulsivity and antisocial behavior, particularly), that part of the brain doesn't work quite as well. So basically, it's not that they're stupid or mean or spontaneous, it's that they (literally) can't learn from their own mistakes. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, my brain malfunctioned.
The physiology of the mind blows my mind. I know at least one of my loyal readers knows a thing or two about psych, so I'm interested in her comments, if any.
3 comments:
So very offended here. I was a psych major too, you know. Okay, I didn't get the dean's award... or write a thesis... or stay awake in class. But still!
I actually have no real opinions on this. Just wanted to make you feel guilty.
And it's not that unusual of an idea that brain malfunctions are the root of most psychological problems. Even problems caused by environmental factors (someone died and I'm depressed, that sort of thing) have repurcussions in the brain's physiology. Yeah. Okay. LAPP time.
Actually, Yee, I didn't know I could call you a loyal reader. Now, tho--you're doomed. I'm going to link you every time I put anything about psychology.
Hee. I just came over the comments section to make you feel bad about Sarah, but she beat me to it. ;)
Post a Comment