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The moral climate
National Post: The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that begins this week in Durban isn't expected to see much progress in replacing Kyoto. For those who believe that the Kyoto process is politically dangerous, economically destructive and based on dubious science, this is a good thing. Nevertheless, there is bound to be plenty of hand-wringing over the failure of rich countries to hand over more cash to poor ones as "compensation" for the climate catastrophe to come.
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Beating Dyslexia Through Music
Musical skills may translate into reading skills — particularly for children with dyslexia. Research published by Martina Huss, Usha Goswami, and colleagues in Cortex indicates that musical games may be useful in treating dyslexia in young children because an inability to distinguish between strong and weak “beats” is closely related to dyslexia. Huss and Goswami asked 10-year-old children to listen to pairs of simple songs in which certain notes were accented. To make the songs different, the scientists changed the length of the accented notes.
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Stefana Broadbent: How the Internet enables intimacy
Much ado is made over the role technology plays in interpersonal relationships, and psychologists spend quite a bit of time on understanding how the latest trends have impacted the human mind. This quick talk by a respected ethnographer, Stegana Broadbent, challenges many of the preconceived notions regarding communication breakdown at the hands of the internet. She argues that it actually results in the opposite effect, as people frequently use it to grow even closer, even faster than ever. Mastersdegree.net Watch the Ted Talk here
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Philip Zimbardo prescribes a healthy take on time
One's perception of time, the infamous Philip Zimbardo argues, directly impacts broad concepts such as success and contentment. A sharpened ability to deeply consider the past, present and future when making decisions could very well lead to heightened productivity and an increased sense of satisfaction. One must also understand the role temptation plays before committing to anything in the long term, and the lecturer uses the failed "virginity pledge" as an effective example. Watch the Ted Talk here
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Martin Seligman on positive psychology
Because psychology and psychiatry plunge into the ugliest depths of human behavior, most people tend to associate the disciplines with mental illness and unrest. While this is certainly a major component of both fields, by no means should it be considered the only one. As Martin Seligman asserts, today's psychological climate possesses the knowledge to build people up in a manner far more effective and permanent than those ultimately empty self-help "guides." Watch the Ted Talk here
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Jim Fallon: Exploring the mind of a killer
For psychology students interested in the criminal justice sector, this particular TED Talk provides plenty to pique their intrigue. Jim Fallon uses both science and personal history to deeply dissect the complex genetic and neurological factors that contribute to homicidal impulses. However, some of the biological components do frequently require traumatic events to trigger. Watch the Ted Talk here
