Infant Brains and Teenage Brains--Two New Articles

This weekend has been a boon for neuroscience articles.  Below are a couple of articles that we could use in our classes related to development and the human brain.

1)  National Geographic--The Teenage Brain

Printable version of the article
The article begins by asking rhetorical questions about our teens and their decision making process.  The article also deals with a cross-cultural/historical mention of adolescence and its tempering effect on behavior.  The article includes an excellent overview of brain development, including myelination.  Very nice article--but what else would one expect from National Geographic.


2)  The second article comes from NPR--the article describes a book and interview with the authors of Welcome to Your Child's Brain with an article entitled "How to Help Your Child's Brain Grow Up Strong."


The NPR article also discusses brain development, but highlights what infants are capable of which is considerably more than previously thought.  Help a child develop self-control is a highlight of both the book and article. It's another good read.  Also, in the left column of the article are links to other brain books and authors.


posted by Chuck Schallhorn

On Happiness and Long Life: Dan Buettner-Another NPR Find

On this morning's NPR Weekend Edition show, I caught a piece of an interview with Dan Buettner, a researcher examining why people are happy (or unhappy) in an interview titled, "How To 'Thrive': Dan Buettner's Secrets Of Happiness."

He's recently published some fascinating results that had me sitting there in the car with the engine running rather than taking my groceries inside-you know, typical NPR.  His results are cross-cultural, examining people from Denmark, Singapore and the US.  The happiest people are just over an hour away from me in San Luis Obispo, California where they had taken steps back in the 70s to focus on quality of life rather than commerce.  It seems to have paid some 'happy' dividends.  Buettner also examines the myriad factors that go into happiness including health, financial security, sunshine, location, vacation time, jobs we love (or not), and more.  Check out the story at the link above.  

Below is a YouTube link for a speech to a TED conference.

posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Einstein's Brain

This last June (2010), National Public Radio did a report on the whereabouts of Einstein's Brain. The story details, believe it or not, the travels of the brain since Einstein's death over fifty years ago. On many levels, the history of the brain is both interesting and a bit sad that the brain of whom many believe to be the most intelligent person of the twentieth century, was not studied for its secrets but sat in a jar on a shelf.

To hear the broadcast from June or read a transcript of the report, go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126229305

A special thanks to Corey Kirsch, Waukesha South High School, Waukesha, WI for sending this link to the Teaching High School Psychology Blog. If you have ideas for a posting, please send them to kkorek@germantown.k12.wi.us