Link Feast
Our pick of the best psychology and neuroscience links from the past week or so.
10 January 2015
Dos and don’ts of a January detox
As we start a new year, David Robson at BBC Future takes a scientific look at how to get healthier
‘Detoxing’ has been debunked. Maybe it’s time to debunk that
Oliver Burkeman argues that scepticism about the benefits of detoxing has gone too far
Are Understandings of Mental Illness Mired in the Past?
In the latest issue of The Psychologist magazine, Vaughan Bell and John Cromby disagree about the place of biology in our understanding of psychiatric illness.
Flicker: Your Brain on Movies by Jeffrey Zacks – how Hollywood has changed your mind
A glowing review from the Guardian of a new book about the neuroscience and psychology of film.
Why We Love the Pain of Spicy Food
The fascinating psychology of why humans enjoy painfully spicy food. “For some reason apparently unrelated to survival, humans condition themselves to make an aversion gratifying,” writes John McQuaid.
Can Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Really Change Our Brains?
Claudia Hammond takes readers on an interactive tour of CBT, including research that found brain changes associated with the therapy.
What Will Be The Big Neuroscience Developments to Look Out For in 2015?
In this video, consciousness expert Anil Seth highlights “high-field” brain scanners and virtual reality as potentially game-changing technologies.
All You Need to Know About the ‘Learning Styles’ Myth, in Two Minutes
Over at my Brain Watch blog I examined the mistaken idea that people learn better when they are taught via their preferred style.
Give Parents Respect, Not Bad Interpretations of Neuroscience
Laura Shaw resents the way some commentators misappropriate neuroscience findings to push their own views on parenting practices.
12 Things You Should Do Right Before A Big Presentation
Practical advice from Jacqueline Smith at Business Insider.