Benefits of Heuristics

In this video I end the unit on cognition with the reminder that heuristics are not just about making errors in decision-making. Most of the time heuristics work well and they serve as useful tools for making sense of the world and being able to make decisions with limited information. In some cases they can even make less information more … Read More

Problem Solving

In this video I introduce several concepts related to problem-solving. I begin with mental set, which refers to our tendency to rely on approaches that have worked in the past. Similarly, functional fixedness refers to our tendency to think of tools as having single fixed uses and this may cause us to overlook novel uses for them. Convergent thinking refers … Read More

Color Vision: Trichromatic and Opponent Process Theories

In this video I discuss how color vision occurs and explain two important theories for understanding color vision; Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory and Opponent Process Theory. Along the way I describe how some people are able to see ultraviolet (UV) light, a trick you can use to see infrared light, and two demonstrations of color afterimages.   Don’t forget to subscribe … Read More

Brain Scanning and Imaging Techniques

In this video I briefly explain how information can be collected about the structure and function of a living brain using scanning and imaging techniques including EEG, CAT scan, PET scan, MRI, fMRI, and DTI. Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel to see future videos! Have questions or topics you’d like to see covered in a future video? Let … Read More