Stress is not an uncommon emotion. In fact at uni it’s rare if a day goes by without someone (or let’s be honest, myself) complaining how stressed they are about a deadline/job application/exams. But what is stress? Why does it affect some people more than others, and is there anything we can do about it? … Read more
Would you help a stranger if it looked like they were in trouble? What if there were lots of other people around, and you thought they would be better suited to help, or they just didn’t look that worried? Most people would be certain that regardless of the circumstances, they’d help someone in need. But … Read more
This blog post will look at what hallucinations are, what causes them, and what can be do to help people who suffer from them. Normally, we are pretty good at identifying what’s real in the environment, but occasionally this processing is distorted, and people see things which aren’t there. This is a hallucination, and the … Read more
Can you imagine constantly feeling as though people are plotting against you, or that they are watching you and spreading rumors? These are common symptoms of people who suffer from delusions, which is turn is a symptom of schizophrenia. Delusions are defined as implausible, unfounded and strongly held beliefs which are personal to the individual … Read more
Another for the Brainteaser series now – The Rubber Hand Illusion. This involves tricking your brain into believing that a rubber hand is actually your own – sounds a bit weird I know! Botvinick & Cohen (1998) found that participants experience ownership of a rubber hand after they have viewed it receiving the same tactile … Read more
Post – traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder which is characterised by: reexperiencing the trauma (intrusive thoughts) avoidance and numbing increased arousal It has a lifetime prevalence of about 8%, and is more likely to occur in women than men. It differs from other anxiety disorders as it is anxiety … Read more
Can you imagine only being able to see one thing at a time? This is the struggle faced by patients with Simultanagnosia – an extremely rare visual disorder. The reason this is so rare is that it is caused by damage to the posterior parietal cortex (shown in light blue below) but on BOTH sides … Read more