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Archive for systems theory – Page 2

Bulleting “The Organized Mind”—Empathy and Fiction Reading

My office mate, Barb, is in the habit of announcing, “I don’t trust anyone who does not read fiction.” I usually take offense because I do not read fiction. I, instead, read non-fiction books like Daniel Levitin’s 2014 book entitled The Organized Mind—Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload. As fate would have it, […]

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QUICK LOOK: Childhood Anxiety Could Physically Change The Brain

Childhood Anxiety Could Physically Change The Brain by Lindsay Holmes Before I post my recap of my blog series on Marshmallows, Brain Plasticity and Attachment, I’d like to draw your attention to the article above, which just came across my desk. It provides evidence that supports one of the ideas I presented in my last blog […]

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Of Marshmallows, Brain Plasticity and Attachment (part IV)

Have you ever had this experience? You’re about to attempt an activity for the first time, say, snowboarding. You’ve taken a few lessons but now you’re on your own. There’s a bit of danger and a bit of risk. You ask yourself, “Will I fall getting onto the lift? Getting off the lift? Going down […]

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Of Marshmallows, Brain Plasticity and Attachment (part II)

Even a cursory glance reveals that the topic of brain plasticity is both scientifically and politically complex. As mentioned in part I, the concept of brain plasticity attempts to capture the brain’s apparent ability to change in response to new experiences such as therapy, cognitive exercises, and even certain religious practices (i.e., meditation and mindfulness). […]

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Follow-up: Grantmaking and Intuition

I trust everyone had a fun and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. Last week I posted a blog entitled A Few Reflections on Grantmaking and Intuition (05/20/14). Pulling from work by cognitive scientist turned political commentator George Lakoff, I suggested that conservatives tend to use direct cause and effect thinking to address and solve social problems […]

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