Scientific american mind march 2011 rapidshare

Michael Kane, a cognitive psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, says that daydreaming can be beneficial or harmful, depending on the context and the daydreamer's own goals at the time.

The "default network" is an area of the brain thought to be involved in autobiographical mental imagery and sense of self; it may also be associated with daydreaming. Malfunctions in the default network have been linked to schizophrenia and depression and may impair the ability to daydream. Cordellia Amethyste Rose, who started Wild Minds, an online forum for people who cannot stop daydreaming, describes her compulsive daydreaming as an addiction.

Writing in Scientific American Mind , Samantha Murphy demonstrates the potential of avatars beyond gaming, and as vehicles for self-improvement.

Avatars have long been known to influence behavior and thought. Murphy notes that "avatar therapy" is poised to be on the rise in the next few years. Avatar applications may soon become commercial. One avatar-based exercise program is already in early-stage development.

While many uses of avatars are positive, some have sinister undertones. Research suggests that avatars could be used to make us feel more favorable towards a particular politician or influence us into owning or using certain products. Murphy warns that implications of avatars may be far-reaching and unpredictable. Where Are the Talking Robots? As Joshua K. A new computer-imaging technique shows researchers how brain cells communicate—one molecule at a time. Recent global health campaigns have focused on HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

Tackling the growing threat from cancer, says medical anthropologist Paul Farmer, could improve health care more broadly Mercury has never been orbited by a spacecraft before. That will change this month. An increasingly accepted view holds that the great stone circle may have been just part of a much larger ceremonial landscape. Already a subscriber? Sign in.

Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Back to Archive. The Neuroscience of True Grit When tragedy strikes, most of us ultimately rebound surprisingly well.

You can change your behavior in lasting ways by changing how you frame your situation, explains behavioral scientist Ayelet Fishbach in her new book.

Training to deepen your immersion in the moment works by improving attention. In search of answers, a neurobiologist looks to rodents. Research suggests virtual sessions can be as effective as in-person meetings. A close brush can leave a lasting mental legacy—and may tell us about how the mind functions under extreme conditions.

A look at methods and technologies that are transforming the work of psychiatrists and psychologists. A new system called PiVR creates working artificial environments for small animals such as zebra fish larvae and fruit flies. Already a subscriber? Sign in.