 |
| |
Article Archive
Use the search facilities provided to find articles on a particular subject or browse through the most recently added items.
10 Reasons why Neuroscience Adds Value to Coaching
Neuroscience is a subject that is getting mentioned more and more in the context of coaching, training and organisational development. But while it may be a subject of great interest, the question people should be asking is; what are the benefits?
read article |
How stories engage our brains
Effective communication is all about getting one person to understand another - understanding the words they use, the context, nuance etc. We achieve this when our brains are aligned, and the more aligned they become, the more effective the communication. read article |
DNA: The Influence of Genetics in Learning & Development
Recent research reveals that a persons DNA has a far larger impact on their psychological make-up than ever previously thought, with it's impact ranging from reading ability to academic performance. But if performance is pre-programmed, are educationalists wasting their time? read article |
Neuroscience: Big News or Fake News?
Today the brain sells, and it seems that everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, from neuro drinks to neuro hair straighteners! So does neuroscience really have a place in the world of coaching, training and organisational development, or is this yet more fake news? read article |
We are one people
We humans have a tendency to argue, squabble and fight over even the most minor of issues. But when it comes to the major issues, it would serve us well to remember that there is vastly more that unites us than that which divides us. read article |
Stress, cortisol and your brain
Our body's fight or flight response is designed to save us in an emergency, but the same processes and chemicals that are designed to help us can, in other circumstances, do more harm than good. In this article we look at the damage that stress can cause and the steps we can take to limit the damage. read article |
Take a break, even if you only have two minutes
When time is short and we have a lot to do, human nature is such that we often feel it best to knuckle-down and stick at the task in hand until it is finished. Recent research however, suggests that taking regular breaks may actually help us get the task done faster and better. read article |
Be grateful for everything
There is a saying that suggests we should all be grateful for small mercies. Now neuroscientists have discovered evidence of biological reasons why the saying is true read article |
How stories engage our brains
Human thoughts and emotions work through the connection of multiple cells and regions in the brain. When our thoughts are similar to those of another person, it is therefore because similar regions 'light up' in both people's brains. Achieving alignment in this way can be very valuable, and recent research suggests story-telling can be of help. read article |
Carl Gustav Jung v Jungian Psychometrics
Ever since the development of the famous MBTI, numerous psychometric tools have been developed that claim to be 'Jungian'. But if Carl Jung were alive today, would he rejoice in the recognition that these instruments afford him or take them to court for defaming his good name? read article |
Sarcasm Increases Creativity
It is always wise to be a little bit sceptical of headlines that claim things such as "Chocolate is good for your brain", but recent headlines claiming that sarcasm aids creativity do appear to offer some scientific substance.
read article |
Empathy and the Myth of Mirror Neurons
Empathy is the ability to understand and know what another person is feeling - but how is that possible? In this article we look at the science behind empathy and in particular at the concept of a special class of brain cell that some scientists believe exists to create empathy read article |
Groupthink and the fear of standing alone
In the eyes of the law adults are individuals, capable of making their own decisions and responsible for their own actions. But evidence suggests that people in groups have the potential for becoming embroiled in a form of Group psychosis, where their actions and behaviour is directed more by the group than by themselves. read article |
Yawning cools your brain
Yawning is a strange thing - we do it when we are tired or when we are bored; we even tend to do it simply because someone else has yawned. The biological explanation was that the purpose of yawning is to re-oxygenate our blood, but new research suggests that it may also serve to cool our brains. read article |
Neurological Dominance and Recruitment
Is there a role for the subject of Neurological Dominance in recruitment? And if so, how should it be used? In this article Alistair Schofield explains how he has used the subject for this purpose in several organisations. read article |
Selective Hearing
And finally, the news you've all been waiting for - it turns out that there is a medical reason why we sometimes don't hear the important things that our husbands or wives tell us. But be very careful how you use this information, as we only 'tune out' sounds that we regard as irrelevant! read article |
Brain Fitness and "Cognitive Reserve"
It is well known that exercise is an important element in keeping our bodies fit and healthy, but strangely, research suggests that although physical exercise will improve our emotional state, it does nothing to make our brains any healthier, for this we need a different sort of fitness regime. read article |
The Political Brain
Research prompted by an off-hand remark by actor Colin Firth has found that the brains of Conservatives are physically different to those of people who support the Labour Party. read article |
Sleeping your way to the top
Did you know that on average we are sleeping 2 hours a night less than we were in the 1960s and that this reduction in sleep could be damaging to the economy? read article |
Eyes in the back of your head
A number of cases have recently come to light of people who are blind and yet can recognise the emotions in an expression, judge the size of objects without touching them and navigate their way around an obstacle course without touching the obstacles. read article |
Anxiety, fear and safety
Scientists have recently discovered that just as humans have neural circuits that alert us to danger, we also have circuits that respond to safety and that it is these circuits that create a sense of wellbeing and happiness. read article |
Over-loaded brains and shorter attention-spans
In our media-rich, 7x24 society our brains are bombarded with more information than at any time in history. The question is whether all this data is beneficial, in stimulating our brains, or detrimental, by causing constant distractions and shortening our attention-span. It would appear that currently the jury is out. read article |
What is thinking?
People generally see thinking as a process; something that should be done in a certain way – their way. In reality, we all process information in different ways, which is why people can draw different conclusions from the same information. So what is thinking and why is it that we think differently? read article |
Curvy women are more intelligent
Some interesting research has emerged that implies that curvy women may have a higher IQ than leaner, less curvaceous women, that their children will be smarter too and that men are attracted to them due to the process of natural selection. read article |
Use it or lose it
It is now generally accepted that regular mental stimulation can reduce the risk of people developing neurological degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's in later life, but does it also follow therefore that cleverer people are less likely to suffer from dementia? read article |
Are love and hate the same?
Even though the emotions of hate and love both seem to be all-consuming passions, hatred is more calculating and deliberate in its actions and responses. New research shows that the brain's "love" and "hate" circuits share identical structures and demonstrates that intensity of hatred can be measured. read article |
Learning from mistakes
An "early warning signal" from the lower region of the brain is now known to help us avoid repeating previous mistakes - not just consciously analysing what went wrong. read article |
God in the Brain
Since we know which parts of the brain are used when we speak, listen or even learn, it must be possible to determine which parts of the brain are used in religious belief. If we can determine that, it may be possible to answer the question how we believe? And perhaps even why we believe? read article |
Is "Baby Brain" all in the Mind?
Many mothers, including Kate Winslet and Myleene Klass, claim to have suffered from 'baby brain' or 'preg head', a condition characterised by lapses in memory and befuddled thinking. In this article we look at three studies, all of which appear to contradict one another. read article |
Misspeak
Following the recent cases of Carol Thatcher and Jeremy Clarkson, we consider why it is that people who should be on their guard and should know better often slip up and say inappropriate things. read article |
Found - the gene that controls brain size
Scientists in Edinburgh have identified a gene that controls the size of the human brain and body. The team studied families who have members with Seckel syndrome, a condition which retards growth in the womb leading to short stature and markedly reduced brain size, known as microcephaly. read article |
How do actors memorise their lines?
Michael Boyd of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the famous neuroscientist Dr Oliver Sacs compare notes to find out how actors are able to perform the complex feat of remembering not only their lines, but also where to go on the stage and what emotions to portray. read article |
|
|
|
|
