Posts Tagged ‘thinking’
Study: Shift work chronically impairs cognition
— Long-Term Shift Work Linked To Impaired Brain Function (Forbes): “According to results of a new study, long-term shift work may lead to impaired brain power which could involve cognitive skills such as thinking, reasoning and memory…The impact was much greater after a period of 10 or more years of such a work pattern —…
Read MoreWant to train your brain? Work as a physician, air traffic controller, financial analyst (or similar)
Mentally stimulating jobs keep your mind sharp post-retirement (Tech Times): “If you want to stay sharp in your golden years, it’s best to get the hard yards in early — a new study has found that people with mentally demanding jobs fare better in the years after retirement.…Mental acuity and memory retention was found to be…
Read MoreBrain fitness class’ monthly Q&A: Memory, stress, emotions, and more
Registered participants in the new e‑course How to Be Your Own Brain Fitness Coach can take part in a monthly online Q&A session to discuss progress and open questions with the course faculty and with fellow participants. Below is the transcript of the October 30th Q&A session, lightly edited and anonymized. Course Faculty (or F):…
Read MorePromoting Mental Agility through Cognitive Control and Mental Representation
The words, The Agile Mind captured my attention immediately. The title conveyed energy, innovation, change, bouncing on a trampoline in my head. I knew that investigating the book would be an adventure. As soon as the book The Agile Mind by Wilma Koutstaal was in my hands, I explored the 24-page index, looking for my favorite topic,…
Read MoreIs There a Formula for Smart Thinking?
One day, one of my kids was staring at a simple circuit diagram. It showed a battery connected to a resistor and a light bulb. He was doing a homework problem. The particular question that had him stumped asked what would happen to the current in the circuit if the resistor was replaced with another…
Read MoreWhy Agile Minds Deploy Both Rational and Intuitive Problem-Solving
A rare aha moment in 2011 set me chasing new problem-solving research. The study Rational Versus Intuitive Problem-Solving: How Thinking ‘Off the Beaten Path’ Can Stimulate Creativity published in Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts stung me out of a spot of intellectual arrogance. From my perspective, John Dewey’s 19th century step-wise
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