(12/13) EDIT 6: Thanks everyone. I'll be on stream to answer more and keep plugging away at these questions. This has been revelatory to me -- thanks everyone. I'll try to figure out more effective way of dealing with these questions like putting up video links or something. Have a good week.
https://www.twitch.tv/ramotime
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOOIzDxzKEd8EhF5dTy5Ngw/playlists click on "AMAs" Playlist
Hello Reddit,
I'm a physician, biomedical engineer, and cognitive neuroscientist (MD/PhD) here to answer questions about brain performance, neurotechnology, gaming, or whatever else might be of interest.
My focus has been understanding what happens in the brain, how the brain handles complex situations (including games), and how to maximize brain performance in general. I've studied and published on attention, memory, multitasking, learning (and other cognitive processes) while interacting with video games. I've also run independent studies on neuropharmaceuticals and done a fair amount of engineering work on non-invasive neurotechnology.
Cognitive neuroscience -- what is it?
Cognitive neuroscience is a field that studies quantitative psychology using brain-measuring devices on humans (like fMRI or EEG). It really took off in the 1990's with access to fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging).
I've also worked on the non-science side (engineering side) improving brain-measuring devices and on brain-computing interfaces (BCI), programming and doing software development on brain-training applications and brain assessments.
Other possibly interesting stuff:
I've developed games used for laboratory settings (scientifically controlled) to study how the brain works under more complex, immersive and challenging conditions (than typical cognitive tasks).
I've worked with games and mobile apps heading into FDA approval, analyzed game data from small and large video game companies.
I've worked in DARPA-funded labs and for the DoD independently as a contractor.
I've worked on cognitive training programs as well as with companies on mindfulness, creativity, and other less academically-traditional cognitive areas.
I have done a fair amount of machine learning work (in case that interests anyone).
Short bio:
As a kid, I was interested in maxing out the brain. I got into to medical school as a teenager, mostly as a pl
... keep reading on reddit β‘Ariel Pink is a top 5 all time artist for me. I genuinely think he is one of the best songwriters of the past 20 years and his albums like Doldrums, House Arrest, Before Today and Pom Pom are as good as (mostly) lo-fi music gets. I don't like to throw this term around too often, but in my eyes the man is a songwriting genius.
I'm sure many of you have heard by now, Ariel Pink was inexplicably seen at a Trump rally and now dropped by his label. People have been debating both sides of cancel culture and I have seen various arguments pop up about the "dangers" of exiling someone with an opposing political view. I see it as more of a grey area and view each situation differently as I imagine most people do. However, this is the first time in my life that I have been THIS disappointed in an artist that I love so much. I've always been a firm believer of separating the artist from the art and for the first time in my life I really felt like that was being put to the test. For context, I'm a massive fan of the Smiths and while I think Morrissey is a vile racist POS, it still doesn't take away from the brilliant music him and Johnny Marr made some 30 odd years ago. For me anyway.
So while initially being massively let down by an artist, who if I'm being honest has had a history of being a sketchy weirdo with some bat shit opinions, I decided to throw on some of his music for the first time since hearing the news. A funny thing happened. I was completely lost in bliss to the back to back songs I chose here and here. All the disappointment with his Trump allegiance fell by the wayside and I could only hear the songs I have been infatuated with for well over a decade. Of course, once the music stopped and the euphoria wore off I was again reminded of his unfortunate personal choices.
Many people have canceled him and swore to never support his music again. Totally fair. However, I also imagine a fair amount of people don't feel nearly as strongly about his output as I do. Not to say that there aren't massive Ariel Pinks fans out there who are now done with him for good. I reckon the majority of people either haven't heard of him, or thought he was ranging anywhere from crap t
... keep reading on reddit β‘
Here is article:
Also Obamas insane policies in education seriously harming boys, almost by design:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0wCBFNTVhk
As ive posted before, teachers mark girls higher for IDENTICAL work, to the point where just changing to a.girls name gets a boy 1/3 grade higher mark. as well as punishing boys differently. See below for all the studies. What do you expect when feminsim teaches extreme misnadry, male privelge theory etc.... that feminise teachers will be like this.
Previous submission got deleted by mod eventually so reposting here... still check it out as many excellent comments from men and women about their experience of this bias... many pointed out very obvious misandric comments from their teachers, some teachers even commented about their biases:
This is an unpopular fact as it widely held in society that women and girls are discriminated against in education and in work, indeed in everything in life.
Note; below is general statement, countless awesome teachers but....
**Education is an example of institutional sexism. Now this data should to even feminist not be surprising... after all they call male majority and even female majority places as rife with sexism and "male norms" i.e. women have to act like men... is it any surprise then in teaching where 98% of early educators are female, 90% primary school teachers are female and these teachers have often studied gender studies type radical subjects at uni, and all HR and admin is female, that there is "female norms" being applied in education..... that the default child is a girl according to teachers? As the following data shows e.g. female teachers punishing boys for entirely normal behaviour that they dont understand; marking girls higher for IDENTICAL work, and giving higher predicted grades (despite boys objectively getting higher real life assesments) as they prefer girl students as model students and can relate to girl students better...
... keep reading on reddit β‘
27M, 190 lbs, 6', Latino (Brazil). Rarely drinks, never smoked or did illegal drugs.
Many relatives with strokes on my father side of the family (including him), an aunt with lymphoma and CKD (that led to complete kidney failure and death years after) of my maternal grandfather.
Symptoms: For many years I've been suffering with fatigue (I practiced a lot of sports and was very active in my teenage years), lack of motivation to do anything, trouble concentrating (worse than it was before), I feel like I'm not as smart as I was a couple years ago (brain fog), my memory was great, but now is below average, terrible irritability that starts without any particular reason (sometimes it also comes together with itching in the entire body and feeling hot), my personality changed completely from an social person to someone that barely leaves my home, excessive sweating and frequent urination.
I'm currently being treated by a psychiatrist that diagnosed me with anxiety, depression and ADHD, but besides years of many antidepressants and years of therapy with different professionals nothing seems to solve my problems. I'm currently taking ritalin, fluvoxamine (this one and paroxetine helped me the most, but far from solving my problems), changed to a healthy diet and exercise regularly. This lack of improvement that led me to believe that may be a physical (for the lack of better word) cause for my symptoms.
A few months ago I did some blood tests and these are the results (lab ideal values between parentheses):
RBC : 4.970.000/mm3 (4.500.000 - 5.500.000)
Hemoglobin : 14,9 g/dl (13,0 - 17,5)
Hematocrit : 42,1% (40,0 - 50,0)
MCV : 84,6 fl (80,0 - 100,0)
MCH : 30,0 pg (27,6 - 32,6)
MCHC : 35,5 g/dl (32,0 - 35,4)
RDW : 12,4 % (11,0 - 13,8)
WBC - TOTAL: 3.530/mm3 (4.000 - 11.000)
Banded Neutrophil : 0,0% - 0/mm3 (Lower than 840)
Segmented Neutrophil : 46,7% - 1.640/mm3 (2.000 - 7.000)
Lymphocyte : 40,9% - 1.450/mm3 (1.000 - 3.500)
Monocytes : 10,6% - 376/mm3 (200 - 1.000)
Eosinophils : 1,1% - 40/mm3 (20 - 500)
Basophils : 0,7% - 24/mm3 (Lower than 200)
Platelets : 279.000/mm3 (150.000 - 450.000)
Urine test : had everything normal (and 5.5 pH), except for calcium oxalate presence and the density of the first one was 1.027 and the second was 1.014 (lab range: 1.015 - 1.025)
Ferritin : 262.4 ng/mL (adult males: 22.0 - 322.0)
Serum Iron : 116 mcg/dL (adult males: 65 - 175)
TIBC : 349 mcg/dL (250 - 425)
Calculated Transferrin
... keep reading on reddit β‘
Because you liked my previous post, especially the psychology side, I decided to write a little bit about cognitive biases & effect that are useful in marketing.
Let me know what you guy think ;)
Bias: Motivating-Uncertainty Effect
Motivating-Uncertainty Effect says that we are more motivated to reach a goal with an uncertain reward than the one with a fixed reward.
Its variation is also known as "variable rewards" (the concept created by Nir Eyal).
Variable rewards are the foundation for a significant number of addictive products.
When rewards are highly variable, our brains are overtaken by dopamine and relentlessly search for their next reward.
Research:
A task: Drink a large amount of water within 2 minutes
2 groups:
Group A was told to receive $2 if they completed the task
Group B was told to receive either $1 or $2 randomly
Group A: 43% completed
Group B: 70% completed
Possible Application
App design
Variable rewards can have a great impact to keep users on the app.
Identify what things serve as rewards?
The more types of rewards, the more users will want to use the app.
Example:
Facebook has a lot of variable rewards.
Friends requests, likes, newsfeed with a FOMO factor, etc.
Make them work
Make people work for rewards.
Example:
In order to use Airbnb (reward), both you and the host need to register.
This little work results in getting access to variable rewards - a good place to stay/ an additional source of income
Discounts
There's a restaurant that provides an envelope with a discount voucher at the end of every meal. In order to use this voucher there are a few rules to follow:
- you can use it the next time you visit the restaurant
- you can't open the envelope with the voucher - the waiter opens it on your next visit
- you never know what kind of discount you get. The rewards vary from getting nothing, to extra dessert, side dish, 20% off, and a free meal
---------------------------
Effect: Goal Gradient Effect
The closer to the goal the more motivated people are
As people get closer to a reward, they speed up to get to their goal faster.
In other words, people are motivated by how much is left to reach their target, not how far theyβve come.
Possible Application
Uber
By showing the real-time route of your driver, before arrival, Uber is changing customer's percep
... keep reading on reddit β‘Like I posted the lib shit yesterday and I donβt really regret it. I donβt like the US gov, I donβt like police, in theory the storming of the capitol sounds awesome. Yet yesterday felt wrong.
Between the kid gloves handling of the protestors, the lack of end goals, the strange aesthetics and middle class rage. I think Iβve definitely downplayed white privilege even though I still stand by class being the biggest determiner.
I feel a weird almost conservative defense of the capitol building. I know itβs totally lib shit but the fact art, history, and culture could have been destroyed bothers me on such a weird level. I never thought Iβd have this strong of a defense or reaction to the oldest institution. But at the same time when I saw those militarized police and national guard I still felt disgust and anger at our police state. Those 4 people shouldnβt have been killed. But at the same time I know that if it was BLM they would have been gunned down. Look at the photos of the defense they set up during the DC George Floyd protest. I donβt mean protest in general Bc that clearly wasnβt policed super hard, but if they stormed the capitol it would have been a bloodbath.
I think this is going to be used to increase the police state and restriction of rights. Bipartisan too. Iβm just confused as how to feel. It wasnβt a workers rebellion, it wasnβt a lower class anger, it was just tard rage and delusion.
My whole family supports those people and firmly believe the election was stolen. Pence being hailed as some hero of democracy or libs having to cite McConnell as a defense. Itβs like some weird inverse world. It seems so strange. Iβm conflicted and just feeling weird. I donβt think this is good. I feel like a total moron. Probably because I am, but itβs just such a weird feeling.
https://preview.redd.it/h5apjorhtjt51.png?width=1192&format=png&auto=webp&s=e038b05247089488f814d0f767f170ea269b3a62
I had planned to post my study in December, however, university commitments prevented me from doing so.
The full report can be found here: https://docdro.id/gxy5PWi
EDIT 1: Please read the appropriate section in the full report before asking questions - it is very likely your answer is covered there. My bibliography is also printed in the full report.
EDIT 2: It should be noted that I have diagnosed dyslexia, and as such the conclusion I present here may not be relevant for non-dyslexics.
However TL;DR:
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Mood and stress level were tracked as an indicator of change in affect.
- Six measurements of mood, motivation for work and stress were made at random intervals throughout the day.
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I highlight three main reasons why self-studies are so few and far between:
- Discipline and motivation issues of the self-experimenter
- Difficulty in designing self-experiments and controlling confounding variables,
- Difficulty of statistical analysis for n-of-1 studies.
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The experiment took the form of a modified AB design - AB*B. Where A refers to a baseline period and B and B* refer to dosing periods.
- As Ashwagandha has time-dependent/cumulative effects (ie taking Ashwagandha over a longer period of time increases its effects), the total dosing period was split into B* and B. B* was used to explore Ashwagandha's time-dependent effects, while B was used to determine directly the extent to which Ashwagandha alters cognitive performance and affect. B* can be thought of as a stabilisation period, such that by the time B was reached, peak nootropic effect could be assumed for the duration of the B period.
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To keep approximately the same amount of Ashwagandha in my body throughout the daily experiment window, 300mg was taken at 7:10 and 300mg at 14:00 daily during the B and B* period.
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Finally, in order to reduce large initial practice effect errors, before formally beginning my self-experiment, two days (this was later increased to three) were spent taking each cognitive test twice. The success of this action is explored further in Sections 4 and 5.
- Regression analysis was undertaken to determine whether practice effects were small enough for the experiment to be analysable.
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During each block each test was taken at a different time each day, to ascertain, albeit superficially, the extent to which test-taking times effect results and
