The Nerve, Spring 2014, Vol 5, Issue 2

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https://hdl.handle.net/2144/50663

Full Issue: The Nerve, Spring 2014, Vol 5, Issue 2

Editors-In-Chief: Shelbi Ferber, Kameron Clayton
Editors:Tom Meeus
Associate Editors:Carolyn Michener, Dan Bireley, Elizabeth Tingley
Writers:Elizabeth Tingley, Jamie Nagy, Kameron Clayton, Maria Dekhtyar, Melissa Heller, Rachael Murphy, Joanna Kimszal, Nishitha Shekhar, Margaret Lehar, Emily Horton, Shelbi Ferber
Design & Layout:Benjamin Lawson
Artists: Rachael Murphy, Jordana Churchill, Benjamin Lawson

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    Priming and its effects
    (2014) Ferber, Shelbi
    The subconscious mind has been a topic of intrigue and investigation for more than a century. Through his psychoanalytic work, Sigmund Freud first brought the unconscious mind into the scientific community’s awareness. His theories regarding the “id,” the unconscious part of the mind, were among the first to suggest that the unconscious mind could affect behavior. For instance, Freud argued that memories in the subconscious mind that are not consciously remembered can still affect behavior. While this idea of suppressed memory remains controversial, Freud was correct in thinking the subconscious mind can affect behavior and thought processes. Since then, researchers have developed several theories about the subconscious, especially concerning its role in attention. How do we choose what we consciously attend to and what remains beneath the cognizant mind? One theory suggests that as stimuli enter the brain, they are held briefly in sensory memory until the person chooses to attend to it. This theory can be demonstrated through our ability to repeat the last few words someone has said, even if we were not paying attention at the time. While this sensory memory can be useful, it only lasts for a few seconds. However, some studies suggest that we do not have to attend to sensory information for it to have an effect on behavior. Priming is the process of presenting implicit information that is not consciously attended to, yet influences thoughts and behavior. Research from the past three decades has led to a broader understanding of priming and how it affects everyday life. However, this particular research field has been under scrutiny since its beginning, and the controversy about its effects, both good and bad, remain.
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    The effects of video games on the brain
    (2014) Lehar, Margaret
    Over the past 30 years, video games have become an integral part of our culture, with estimates that close to 60% of Americans currently play some type of video game.1 Unsurprisingly, there has also been a surge in both popular and scientific interest in the potential consequences of playing video games. Video gamers, parents, politicians and the press often make contradictory claims about the effects that video games have on the brain, resulting in a flurry of sensationalist headlines. While one study will praise video games as a way to ‘boost brain power,’ another will warn that playing video games ‘damage the brain.’ However, viewing the influence that video games have on our brains as an either-or proposition does not do justice to the complexities and limitations of the studies involved, often creating an oversimplified picture of the effects which gaming has on the brain.
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    Microscopic poison
    (2014) Kimszal, Joanna
    Over the past few decades, pesticides have become increasingly popular in the United States because they help improve farm productivity and safeguard crops. But, as with many presumptive remedies, there is a catch: pesticides also have become feared due to the dangerous effects they could have on the nervous system. Recent studies have shown that these chemicals are correlated with Parkinson’s disease, and can affect embryonic development in the womb. But where does the story begin?
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    The intricacies behind ienxttrroo & version as personality traits
    (2014) Shekhar, Nishitha
    "He’s an introvert” is a phrase that is commonly heard in social settings. The words “introvert” and “extrovert” are often used to describe someone’s personality, how outgoing they are, and ultimately, a character trait that can determine many of the social choices that a person makes. To be an introvert is to be someone who is socially reserved with a general preference for thinking and exploring one’s own mind and thoughts. In contrast, to be an extrovert is to be someone who is more socially open. However, there is far more to these persona descriptors than just their implications. There is a biological basis, and to be more specific, a neurological basis that determines whether a person will be an extrovert or an introvert. This basis is essential to the foundation of personality and contributes to the myriad life choices that one makes.
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    Cross-sensory consciousness
    (2014) Murphy, Rachael
    In his ‘Critique of Pure Reason’, philosopher Immanuel Kant endeavored to revise previously held notions in metaphysics and skeptical empiricism by synthesizing a fundamental framework about the transcendental principles of nature. Emphasizing the limitations of the human mind, Kant proposed there is greater reality past what can be gathered through sensory information; however, we may only understand it as it appears to us.1 If one were born without the ability to perceive using any of the senses, would it negate the existence of an external world? Except for a few radical thinkers, most of us answer ‘yes’ to the hackneyed ‘When a tree falls in the forest...’ question. Using the same logic, how can we be sure that our brains are discerning actual, objective events and not just a speculative idea of them? Is there more to be known that we are normally unaware of? Perception cannot determine reality, only our mental model of it.
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    The Nerve, Spring 2014, Vol 5, Issue 2
    (2014) Murphy, Rachael; Shekhar, Nishitha; Kimszal, Joanna; Lehar, Margaret; Ferber, Shelbi