Levels of Consciousness

In this video I describe different levels of consciousness that we have based on our level of access to different types of information. These include conscious, preconscious, subconscious/unconscious, and nonconscious levels of awareness. Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel … Read More

Types of Consciousness

In this video I describe a spectrum of consciousness, ranging from minimal consciousness up to full human consciousness. Along the way, recognition of the self may be an important marker for differentiating some animals. The ability to be self-conscious and … Read More

Problems of Consciousness

In this video I begin the unit on consciousness by considering a number of problems associated with understanding consciousness. These include the mind-body problem, the problem of other minds, and the hard problem of consciousness. While we don’t have solutions … Read More

The Framing Effect

In this video I introduce Tversky and Kahneman’s work on the framing effect and how consideration of benefits or losses can influence the choices that people make and their willingness to take risks. I consider a few everyday examples of … Read More

Mnemonic Strategies

In this video I discuss the use of mnemonic strategies to improve memory. These techniques can serve as “artificial” retrieval cues and are particularly useful for knowledge that doesn’t need to be deeply connected to other ideas, such as random … Read More

Memory Improvement Techniques Part 2

In this video I discuss a few more memory concepts which can be applied to improve recall and enhance the effectiveness of your studying. Levels of processing theory suggests that deeper processing improves recall and this can be especially effective … Read More

Chaining, Shaping, & Instinctive Drift

In this video I describe the how conditioning to be used to train more complex behaviors. This can be accomplished with chaining, which involves linking together previously conditioned behaviors, and shaping, which involves reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior. … Read More

Parts of the Brain: Forebrain – Cerebral Cortex

In this video I continue explaining parts of the brain and focus on the cerebral cortex. The cortex is the thin, wrinkled, outer covering of the brain and the wrinkles and folds create gyri, sulci, and fissures. The cortex is … Read More