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Personal Identity In Our Morals, Not Our Memory
The Wall Street Journal: This summer my 93-year-old mother-in-law died, a few months after her 94–year-old husband. For the last five years, she had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. By the end, she had forgotten almost everything, even her children’s names, and had lost much of what defined her—her lively intelligence, her passion for literature and history. Still, what remained was her goodness, a characteristic warmth and sweetness that seemed to shine even more brightly as she grew older. Alzheimer’s can make you feel that you’ve lost the person you loved, even though they’re still alive.
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The Narcissist in Chief
The New York Times: WITH the presidential campaign in full swing, a perennial question has resurfaced: How much weight should voters give to candidates’ personalities? The political rise of Donald J. Trump has drawn attention to one personality trait in particular: narcissism. Although narcissism does not lend itself to a precise definition, most psychologists agree that it comprises self-centeredness, boastfulness, feelings of entitlement and a need for admiration. We have never met Mr. Trump, let alone examined him, so it would be inappropriate of us to offer a formal assessment of his level of narcissism.
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Daniel Levitin: “The Organized Mind”
The Diane Rehm Show: Texts, emails, cellphone messages, tweets, news alerts, apps and fit bits. We are expected to process much more information than ever before. It is no surprise that the average American reports feeling worn out by the effort to keep up with everything. In a new book, the best-selling neuroscientist Daniel Levitin says new research on memory and attention can help us learn how to navigate this tremendous amount of data each day. He argues that with a little effort, we can regain a sense of mastery in how we organize our lives in the age of information overload. Read the whole story: The Diane Rehm Show
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Be generous: It’s a simple way to stay healthier
Chicago Tribune: If there's a magic pill for happiness and longevity, we may have found it. Countless studies have found that generosity, both volunteering and charitable donations, benefits young and old physically and psychologically. The benefits of giving are significant, according to those studies: lower blood pressure, lower risk of dementia, less anxiety and depression, reduced cardiovascular risk, and overall greater happiness. ... Studies show that when people think about helping others, they activate a part of the brain called the mesolimbic pathway, which is responsible for feelings of gratification.
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New Research From Clinical Psychological Science
Read about the latest research published in Clinical Psychological Science: Coping Styles in Twins Discordant for Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Depression Rebecca G. Fortgang, Christina M. Hultman, and Tyrone D. Cannon Although schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression are distinct disorders, they share some clinical features. One feature in need of additional study is the similarity -- or dissimilarity -- in coping style among people with these disorders. Monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs were given a clinical evaluation and were assessed for different types of coping behavior.
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Background Music Influences Buying Behavior
Background music has a surprisingly strong influence on what products consumers buy and how much they’re willing to pay for them, according to a new study from psychological scientists Adrian North and Lorraine Sheridan of Curtin University and Charles Areni of Macquarie University. North and colleagues hypothesized that specific songs or musical genres could prime congruent concepts in a person’s memory, ultimately shifting people’s preferences and buying behavior. Hearing Edith Piaf in the grocery store may then be just the thing to nudge a buyer to choose a French wine over an Italian or South African one.
