Academic Research

If you demonstrate an insatiable thirst for academic nonsense, a sample of my essays and projects should have you wildly out-salivating any of Pavlov’s mischievous canines. As well as offering some sound scientific perspectives, they do illustrate perfectly why university environments aren’t quite as exciting, fun, innovative or carefree as people would have you believe. The diagrams alone would send even Jack Bauer into a peaceful sleep.

I should also add that my commitment to keep your well respected mind free of jargon will be waived whilst you browse these links…

Click on the titles to see the reports.

Conscious and Unconscious Emotional Learning in the Amygdala

This brief review suggests through hard evidence that the brain is able to perceive emotion at a subconscious level. We already know this though the efficiency of non-verbal body language. These processes are exercised to high levels during hypnotherapy and hypnotic receptiveness.

Artificial Neural Networks

An essay discussing how similar neural network models are to the actual brain. Real neural networks are fascinating systems where associations are created all the time, both through the formation and destruction of neural connections. Computers, as irritatingly incomprehensible as they are, will never be a match on the human brain.

Subconscious Learning

This experiemnt suggests supports the brains capability of learning patterns without conscious awareness, in a short time. This finding underpins a lot of learned limitations, as well as hypnotherapy work. Patterns, concepts and mental structures can be suggested in indirect ways such as metaphor or anchoring, that are learned subconsciously.

Incidental Learning and Levels of Processing

Similar to implicit learning, this study focuses on whether we learn more by processing things through seeing, hearing or understanding. From an NLP perspective, it is interesting to read when considering the visual, audio or kinaesthetic predicates model (this will make sense to NLPers).

Goal Setting and Success

This essay discusses research into the area of Goal Setting, a favourite of the self-help literature cannon. Goal setting is a cornerstone of personal success and achievement. When someone next asks 'but wheres the proof?' tell them its here.

Depth Perception

How do those dastardly Magic Eye pictures work? When you have even a vague awareness of what your brain is up to, you'll be truly delighted.