A final though on the pre front cortex:
Throughout history and still today, people differentiate between
The rational person who bases decisions and actions on thoughts, logics, cost-
benefit analysis, max utility
The emotion person who is passionate, unstable, turbulent, impulsive, irrational
Becoming mature is to become more like a Vulcan?
Human vs Animal?
However the dualism is also breaking down
Thoughts and emotion cannot be separated and the PFC has a lot to do with why
this is, marrying within our brains the ration and emotional
Keep in mind as you go through psych watch for other examples of the
intertwined nature of cognition and emotion.
This is one of the leading edges of
Important for understanding sensation:
Who is in control?
PFC research is inspiring, suggesting that we have immense control over who we
But on the other hand, much of our experience is crafted for us by the
environment, without us even realizing it!
And much of our behavior is caused without our consent
E.g.: if you see a bird, you are primed to think of and recognize nests, wings, trees, eggs,
Judgments of other people work similarly… remember the “Donald story”?
(The one that pushed the other one)
Our judgments of other people can be pushed around by what we see around us
are susceptible to unconscious influence!
e.g.: Prime “rudeness” or “politeness” through sentence-unscrambling task
condition: aggressively, bold rude, bother disturb, intrude, annoyingly,
condition: respect honour considerate, appreciate cordially polite
condition: exercising, flawlessly, occasionally, gleefully, normally,
Prime “elderly” or “neutral” through sentence- unscrambling task
ELDERLY condition: old grey wise bingo Florida Wrinkle