...Dominic O’Brien is renowned for his phenomenal feats of memory and for outwitting the casinos of Las Vegas at the blackjack tables, resulting in a ban. In addition to winning the World Memory Championships eight times, he was named the Brain Trust of Great Britain’s Brain of the Year in 1994 and Grandmaster of Memory in 1995. He has made numerous appearances on TV and radio and holds a host of world records, including one for memorizing 2,385 random binary digits in 30 minutes. In 2005 he was given a lifetime achievement award by the World Memory Championships International in recognition of his work to promote the art of memory all over the world; and in 2010 he became the General Manager of the World Memory Sports Council. By the same author (all published by Duncan Baird Publishers) How to Develop a Brilliant Memory: Week by Week How to Pass Exams Learn to Remember Never Forget: A Name or Face Never Forget: A Number or Date This edition published in the UK in 2011 by Watkins Publishing, Sixth Floor, Castle House, 75–76 Wells Street, London W1T 3QH Copyright © Watkins Publishing 2011 Text copyright © Dominic O’Brien 2011 Illustrations copyright © Watkins Publishing 2011 Dominic O’Brien has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. Mind Maps® is a registered trade mark of Tony Buzan in the UK and USA. For further information visit www.thinkbuzan.com. All...
Words: 51768 - Pages: 208
...Automatization and the Stroop Effect Abstract, we intend to investigate the effects of the stroop effect and the validity of these findings. We anticipated that it would take longer for participants to perform the second task more than the first task. This is what occurred in the experiment. There were 20 people picked using opportunity Sampling used in this experiment and we found that it took longer for people to decipher the colour when it was not linked to the word. When a behaviour or skill seems to no longer require direct interaction, cognitive psychologists say it is automatized. Many behaviours can become automatized: typing, reading, writing to name just a few. To explore properties of automatized behaviours cognitive psychologists often put observers in a situation where an automatized response is in conflict with the desired behaviour. This allows researchers to test the behind-the-scenes properties of automatized behaviours by noting their influence on more easily measured behaviours. This demonstration explores a well-known example of this type of influence, the Stroop effect. Stroop (1935) noted that observers were slower to properly identify the colour of ink when the ink was used to produce colour names different from the ink. That is, observers were slower to identify red ink when it spelled the word blue. This is an interesting finding because observers are told to not pay any attention to the word names and simply report the colour of the ink. However, this...
Words: 1169 - Pages: 5
...The original Stroop task in 1935 was far from perfect as its conclusions were later re-evaluated and refined by Hintzman et al. (1972). It was determined that competition amongst stimuli was causing delays in incongruent tasks not interference from one stimulus over the other. Numerosity Stroop tasks demonstrated that numbers can also cause delays in reaction times when the number and number of digits are incongruent with each other (Windes, 1968). Although recently, Stroop tasks have become more of a testing material rather than the focal point of the study. Stroop tasks are beneficial in determining cognitive capabilities, yet there is a gap from previous research that necessitates the numerical Stroop task be highlighted once again. While Windes (1968) began the numerical Stroop task, the research did not determine what causes the interference in naming the quantity stimuli in an incongruent numerosity task. This study’s purpose is to determine if the interference exhibited by the incongruent numerosity task is due to competing stimuli or if it caused by one stimulus taking precedent over another. To best determine which conclusion is more accurate, congruent and incongruent numerosity tasks will be tested to see how quickly each task can be completed. There will be four separate tasks: the first with single digits where the number must be named, the second group will have different quantities of + signs where the number of symbols must be named, the third group are incongruent...
Words: 401 - Pages: 2
...Psychological report on the Stroop effect By Thomas Silk Abstract The aim of this experiment is to study autonomic processes by replicating the previously carried out Stroop effect by using numbers. My hypothesis was that participants will be slower to properly identify the colour of ink when the ink used to produce colour names different from the ink. That is, observers were slower to identify red ink when it spelled the word blue. A number of 20 random participants aged in between 17-18 were recruited to participate in this experiment. Participants were presented with one condition for 10 participants and a second for the other 10.The first condition had the words of colours and were printed in a different colour ink, and the second condition the words were printed in the corresponding colour. Based on the results, participants took a considerably longer time to say the number of number in the incongruent condition than in the congruent condition. This corresponds to the earlier research carried out by Stroop. Therefore, it can be said that the powerfully autonomic nature of reading words is as same as reading numbers, as it is such a well-learned automatic activity it does interfere with the task. Introduction When you first learned to tie shoelaces you needed to carefully think through each step of the process. Now, you probably do not even seem to think about the steps, but simply initiate a series of movements that seem to proceed without any further influence. When a...
Words: 3225 - Pages: 13
...Effect of Color and Word on Response Time Lidia Emelina Brooklyn College of CUNY Abstract Selective attention is the act of focusing on a particular object for a period of time, while simultaneously ignoring irrelevant information. It happens on a daily basis and seen in basically any interactions (at school, at work, at store and etc). Many different researches were done with relevance of Stroop Effect, which allowed scientist to examine differences in gender, age, as well as education on the intervention effect. The METACARD software was used to explore the effect of congruent and incongruent stimuli on the reaction time of participant’s performance. The data is from 46 participants are presented here. Results revealed that when word and color match, participants have faster responses and less errors. When word and color do not match, participants have slower responses and make more errors. The Stroop effect demonstrates the dynamic of selective attention, illustrates the nature of automatic processing, and shows that people can improve their selective attention. Keywords: selective attention, interaction, stroop effect, automatic processing. Introduction The phenomenon of interference takes a large place in experimental psychology and demands our attention. Many psychologist investigate inhibiting effects nowadays. However, the psychologists began to study interference prior to 1890. Many experiments were conducted to investigate...
Words: 2131 - Pages: 9
...hands. Another critical aspect pertaining to reading involves semantic processing, which is related with vocabulary, knowledge, understanding of what a word means, and how to use words and meaning in context. Several studies have posed that hand actions affect what we see which may also contribute to language acquisition, comprehension, and communication. Research also reveals a direct manner in which visual processing is affected in relation to the spacing around the hands. The effect that hands have on our locus of visual attention have also shown that visual stimuli near the hands may be processed fundamentally differently from those farther away. There is also evidence that vision of the space around the hands is unique to certain brain mechanisms and neurophysiological data the conclusion that relationship of space immediately surrounding the body is representative to reading. 2....
Words: 2007 - Pages: 9
...How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated fantasy film by DreamWorks Animation loosely based on the English book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. The film was directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the duo who directed Disney's Lilo & Stitch. It stars the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and David Tennant. The story takes place in a mythical Viking world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe's tradition of becoming a dragon slayer. After finally capturing his first dragon, and with his chance at finally gaining the tribe's acceptance, he finds that he no longer has the desire to kill it and instead befriends it. The film was released March 26, 2010 and was a critical and commercial success, garnering a positive response from film critics and audiences and earning nearly $500 million worldwide. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the 83rd Academy Awards, but lost to Toy Story 3 and The Social Network, respectively. The movie also won ten Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature. Two sequels are currently in development, both to be written and directed by Dean DeBlois; they are scheduled to be released on June 13, 2014, and June 17, 2016.[2][3] The film's success has also inspired other merchandise, including a video game and a TV...
Words: 252 - Pages: 2
...How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated action fantasy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox, loosely based on the book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. It is the sequel to the 2010 computer-animated film How to Train Your Dragon and the second in the trilogy. The film is written and directed by Dean DeBlois, and stars the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller and Kristen Wiig with the addition of Cate Blanchett, Djimon Hounsou and Kit Harington.[4] The film takes place five years after the first film, featuring Hiccup and his friends as young adults as they meet Valka, Hiccup's long-lost mother, and Drago Bludvist, a madman who wants to conquer the world. DeBlois, who co-directed the first film, agreed to return to direct the second film on the condition that he would be allowed to turn it into a trilogy. He cited The Empire Strikes Back and My Neighbor Totoro as his main inspirations, with the expanded scope of the The Empire Strikes Back being particularly influential. The entire voice cast from the first film returned, and Cate Blanchett and Djimon Hounsou signed on to voice Valka and Drago, respectively. DeBlois and his creative team visited Norway and Svalbard to give them ideas for the setting. Composer John Powell returned to score the film. How to Train Your Dragon 2 benefited from advances in animation technology...
Words: 402 - Pages: 2
...• In most cases zombies do not run because of their limbs are inflexible. However, some of them may have the ability to run. • We could not figure out what causes a zombie attack. The only thing we know is that zombies are formed because of a special kind of virus. This kind of virus is injected into human body through zombie’s bite. While the person is bitten to death, the virus is his body control his brain and transfer him into a zombie. • Fortunately, these creatures cannot think as people because they do not actually have the human brain. Instead, their behaviors are more animalized. It is also possible to kill them by hitting their heads since the virus parasites in their brains. This vital difference from human makes us able to survive from their attacks, even beat them. Scenario 1 Hospital • Check your surroundings. Hospital is a place full of surprise. For surprise, I do not mean zombies but sufficient tools to help you kill them when you have to do this. For example, you may find some surgical clamps in the hospital. Go get some weapons which can make you feel at least a little being...
Words: 1150 - Pages: 5
...pathways and connections in our brains. There are a variety of exercises and activities that can successfully work each of the brain’s five major cognitive functions on a daily basis. In addition to the tasks you can perform daily, you can also train your brain with HAPPYneuron online brain games and a personalized brain fitness program. Our minds consist of five main cognitive functions: • memory, • attention, • language, • visual-spatial skills, • and executive function. It’s important to challenge, stimulate and effectively exercise all five areas to stay mentally sharp as our brains age. Here are 5 daily brain exercises that can help you do this. 1- Memory Memory plays a crucial role in all cognitive activities, including reading, reasoning and mental calculation. There are several types of memory at work in the brain. Taken together, these are the cognitive skills we may notice most when they begin to fail. To maintain a good memory, you need to train for it, which can be easier than you think. Listening to music is not only enjoyable, but by choosing a song you don’t know and memorizing the lyrics, you boost the level of acetylcholine, the chemical that helps build your brain, and improve your memory skills. Challenge yourself even more by showering or getting dressed in the dark or using your opposite hand to brush your teeth. These challenges help build new associations between different neural connections of the brain. Improve your memory with this HAPPYneuron...
Words: 970 - Pages: 4
...The coping brain is when we are faced with a new experience or challenge and our brain must come up with ways to deal with what is going on. The three coping brain functions are thinking, feeling, and self-protection. These functions help us get over certain experiences or situations that cause use stress, worry, or anger. As we get older we begin to train our brains to use healthy coping methods instead of unhealthy methods. Some healthy coping methods include listening to music, going out with friends or family, and exercising. Some unhealthy coping methods include drinking alcohol, not sleeping, and over-eating. We train our brain to use healthy coping methods so that we feel better about ourselves or feel confident. There are three parts of the coping brain. The three parts of the coping brain are the Reptilian Coping Brain, the Emotional Coping Brain, and the Thinking Coping Brain. The Reptilian Coping Brain is our instinctive part of the brain that is shared with all humans and reptiles and mammals. It is the oldest and most powerful out of our coping brain functions since we wouldn't be able to survive without it. The Emotional Coping Brain is the part of the brain where our emotions come from. For example, if you talk about your feelings towards someone you are getting those sensations from the...
Words: 800 - Pages: 4
...mainstream culture has caught up with a trend. A way for your fluid intelligence to improve is to become an early adaptor. 2. Think Outside the Box Whenever you want to solve a problem and can’t find an answer, search for a solution outside the box. If you do that, you become an agent of change. DeBono’s technique of Six Hats is particularly useful. 3. Learn new skills When did you last learn a completely new skill? It’s easy to become complacent with skills we have mastered in the past. However, it’s essential for brain growth to learn learn new skills. Because learning allows the brain to create neurons and new pathways. 3. Practice brain gym exercises Fifty years ago, gyms that focused on strength training were unknown. Nowadays we know that it’s important to exercise our muscles and boost fitness at any age. However, it’s less accepted that we need to train our brain regularly as well. Exercises focused on improving fluid intelligence are called Dual N-Back exercises. Get a free training program . You can download a version for Windows version, or for Mac. Don’t forget to download the tutorial! You can check out how an exercise to boost visual memory works. Another highly rated program is MindFit. It has been endorsed by leading neurologists, but I haven’t tried it yet myself. Find more good ideas on how to exercise your brain in this excellent book: The Sharp Brains Guide to Brain Fitness Forget Nintendo: Brain Age – it’s laughable! The...
Words: 662 - Pages: 3
...think so. I didn’t expect anyone to remember 13 numbers after hearing it only once. Preview: I will explain 1) what is memory and the difference between short term and long term 2) And Explain many disease that affect memory in the human brain. 3) Also how you can train you mind to become more efficient with memory storage as well as usage. [Transition: Let me explain the basics.] Body . To help understand the concept I will explain, what is memory? Where in the brain is created and stored? The difference between the short term and long term memory. . Memories are created and stored in the temporal lobe and hippocampus of the brain. Smells, taste, sound, and visual aids can trigger a memory to come up. . There are three types of memories that work together to enhance learning and retention of events. 1. Short term memory deals with a person being able to remember a simple number sequence heard minutes before, even what you ate this morning or where you went last night. Usually stays for couple of days or even a week. 2. Long-term memories require more effort to achieve. Events that shock you usually go straight to long-term. 3. Sensory memories are due to a trigger in your environment causing your brain to associate the trigger with a certain memory. For example when ever I smell pinecones it brings up the time I went hiking with my family in the mountains in North Carolina. [Transition: Now that I explain ways of helping memory sharp, I will...
Words: 758 - Pages: 4
...Brain Mapping Kaitlin Pollock Brain Mapping The brain controls thinking, moving, or any actions that are taken by a single person. Actually figuring out how the brain works is a very interesting topic. One way they do this is by using brain mapping. Brain mapping is the study of the brain using imaging, and they use these imaging machines to make a map of the neurons and synapses in our brain to figure out why people are the way they are. The history of brain mapping is important to understanding how far it has come today. There are many different machines that are used to take a look at the brain. When treating a patient there are different ways doctors can go about using brain mapping. This field just as any other field, is growing every day and never know what tomorrow could bring. Brain mapping has brought us many accomplishments in the medical field, understanding how it got there is the first step to the process. Taking a look at history can be boring at times, but when talking about the brain nothing is boring. In the early 1900’s is when humans first started to realize that our brain did a lot of the work compared to the rest of our bodies. People were shocked because how can that be, something you cannot see is the whole reason why you are the way you are. After this was discovered people wanted to take a look at this and start understanding it more. The first imaging machine ever used was the X-Ray machine in 1895. This machine is what gave the idea of using...
Words: 1324 - Pages: 6
...Because of their dependence on technology, people do not get all the exercise that they need to be healthy in every way. Most people have become dependent on their cell phones to memorize other peoples contact information. Becoming over dependent on your cell phones is not good for your memory. Also depending on your cell do not let you memorize family member’s phone number for emergency. If you depend on your cell phones you are not exercising your brain enough, it also let you lose your ability to think. For example, if you want to type a text message the words will pop up for you. Becoming over dependent on your cell phone is also a source of distraction, because if I found a class boring I will just go to my phone and starting chatting with my friends. A lot of people these days are over dependent on technology they rely on computers for use of the internet. For example, if a student has a book report due, instead of reading the book they can go on the internet and find a brief explanation of the book. If you do not read books you are not exercising your brain as much as you should be. Another example is the internet allows you to communicate with people you know and do not know using e-mail and other tasks which put your privacy at risk. Almost everybody is...
Words: 485 - Pages: 2