I’ve been staring at the menu for over 10 minutes. I can feel the server’s eyes boring holes into the back of my head, urging me to hurry up and pick something. Still I sit and ponder; should I get my old favorite, the California burrito? Or maybe I should try something new like a […]
Tag Archives: decision making
April
06
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC: A SOBERING VULNERABILITY OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
posted by landonmklein
Opioids are a class of powerful psychoactive drugs that are often prescribed for pain relief, but can produce an intense euphoria that has proven remarkably addictive. Opioid use disorder, a diagnosis characterized by compulsive opioid use and withdrawal, affects or has affected approximately 3 million Americans and 16 million people worldwide. According to the Centers […]
February
08
Did you do that?
posted by Timothy Sheehan
Limited only perhaps by my emotional fortitude and physical abilities, I am unquestionably in control of myself. This sense is perhaps drawn most into question first thing in the morning when I play both sides of an internal civil war: on one side, my bed, on the other, the cold cruel world. Both sides battle […]
July
13
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
posted by Melissa Troyer
What’s one part beach, four parts science, and too much fun? If you answered “Brain Camp,” you nailed it.
September
22
Left Brain, Right Brain, Red Brain, Blue Brain
posted by Barbara Spencer
[En español] With the first presidential debate of 2016 quickly approaching, it’s a good time to consider whether your brain has already cast its vote. There is no shortage of articles that imply your political leanings are reflected in your brain’s structure and function (e.g. Is your brain liberal or conservative?—Fox News, Experts say liberal […]
July
24
Lucy’s Brain: Use it or lose it
posted by Ethan McBride
With the Lucy movie coming out, we’ve been really curious here at NeuWrite about what marvelous new life skills Scarlett Johansson will accrue, now that she can use more than 10% of her brain. As forward-thinking neuroscientists, we’ve been speculating: what would Lucy be able to do with such incredible and unprecedented brain power? The […]
March
13
The value of values affirmation in education and beyond
posted by Melissa Troyer
The fields of social and cognitive psychology constantly provide examples of how small changes in the environment can impact cognition which may seem shocking in their simplicity. Cleaning one’s hands may lead to an increased feeling of moral cleanliness [1], a patch of gray may appear as much darker or lighter in brightness depending on […]
November
27
Why We Buy: An Infographic
posted by Rachel Tsunemoto
Before waiting in line, tackling the crowds, and opening up your wallet this holiday weekend, mentally prepare yourself for the shopping frenzy of Black Friday by exploring the neuroscience behind why we buy.
Decision making and degree of confidence – How confident are you about your choices?
posted by UCSDNeuro
We are making decisions based on our sensation in our daily life. When playing football you may want to throw a ball to the place where fewer opposing players are running. However, sometimes you have to make decisions without full confidence, for example when you can only glance at a group of players running around […]
How mice decide: Stimulation of striatal D1 and D2 neurons bias choice in opposite ways
posted by Matt Boisvert
“It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” –Dumbledore “We are our choices.” –Jean-Paul Sartre The question of how animals make decisions based upon prior experiences has plagued neuroscience since the field’s inception. An animal wants to make a decision in such a manner that it […]
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