Random Questions curiosity thread ('-' )

[CezeN]

This is pretty much the thread for asking questions you're wondering, in hope that someone on Pweb knows and can answer.
I mean, Pweb is made up of teachers, psychologists, lawyers, and even martial arts practitioners. Pretty much, specialized professional human beings. Oh yeah, and Jebus.(loljk)
So someone probably knows something.

And though people can always research their questions, this promotes community involvment. Not to mention, the internet might tell you the answer without explaining it well enough for you to comprehend.

But yeah, I'll start =D
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Question: I recently read that information read/processed in the hour before you go to sleep, is easier retained. I also vaguely remember reading/hearing that our brain revisits and organizes everything we learned and experienced while we sleep, while sometimes entertaining us with dreams.

Now, whenever I read or study, I get tired. Sleepy. And usually go do something else so as to reawaken my mind (I'm not the type that takes naps) Like videogames or tv.
Am I becoming sleepy because my brain processes and memorizes and thus learns information better when I'm a sleep? And if so, does that mean by not allowing myself to go to sleep, I am not learning and remembering what I would/could have?
Meaning, in my eyes, making myself stupider.

[Crazy Tom: C Toon]

Well, I have found that whenever I am stuck on memorizing a poem or something, and I just can't seem to remember it, I just read it once more before I go to sleep, then in the morning it's memorized. like magic. I think studying makes us sleepy because it's so boring, but taking breaks every hour or so, I have found, is essential. So yes, try to stay awake, but if you are almost finished with work, read something you need memorized right before you sleep.

[Jayelle]

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Question: I recently read that information read/processed in the hour before you go to sleep, is easier retained. I also vaguely remember reading/hearing that our brain revisits and organizes everything we learned and experienced while we sleep, while sometimes entertaining us with dreams.

Now, whenever I read or study, I get tired. Sleepy. And usually go do something else so as to reawaken my mind (I'm not the type that takes naps) Like videogames or tv.
Am I becoming sleepy because my brain processes and memorizes and thus learns information better when I'm a sleep? And if so, does that mean by not allowing myself to go to sleep, I am not learning and remembering what I would/could have?
Meaning, in my eyes, making myself stupider.

I think that the brain is a seriously complicated thing and there is a great deal that we don't know about it.
The "reorganizing everything we've learned" doesn't really make sense because our brains are not a computer.

[daPyr0x]

What you wrote was not very specific, but based on how I interpreted it, it sounds like you've created a frame for yourself.

If you're telling me that since having read that study about memory retention and sleep you've started becoming tired when doing those things, then I'm going to tell you - as you sort-of already know - it's all in your mind. You've convinced yourself that the study you read is correct, and as such upon studying your mind puts itself into that state. Thus, you feel encouraged to sleep after studying.

Besides that, I'm sure I'm not the only person who can't remember anything that happened shortly before going to sleep upon waking. I have a hard time seeing that link being very strong...

[starlooker]

Seriously, folks, from what I remember, it is actually the case that your brain continues to process information while you sleep, and you do retain stuff better when you study before you sleep. That's pretty much well-accepted. How much of a practical effect it has, I'm not sure -- not really my particular area of study.

(Also explains the time I woke up out of a sound sleep after a statistics exam with the sudden and inescapable knowledge that I'd f****** up a formula in a very particular way. Which turned out to be correct.)

I doubt that it's a signal to go to sleep so you can process it. I'd look more closely at what time you were studying and see if it's aligning with times in your circadium rhythm in which you would be tired anyways (for most people, early afternoon and/or right before bed.) There's a big leap from "I retain information better if I study before I sleep" and "My brain wants me to sleep when I study so that I will retain the information." Sleep is more complicated than that. Also, remember confirmation bias -- upon reading that study, you remembered all the times you studied and became sleepy, and likely did not remember times that you studied and did not become sleepy.

Also good strategies -- chunk your studying, take brief breaks frequently (at least every 45 minutes). This will likely prevent some of the fatigue. You might just be studying way too long at a stretch, which promotes fatigue/decreases learning.

[jotabe]

The "reorganizing everything we've learned" doesn't really make sense because our brains are not a computer.

I disagree ^_^. Our brains are precisely a computer. They are not, of course, a binary computer, and their processing method is quite different, but still, they fit with the definition of a Turing machine.

[Jayelle]

The "reorganizing everything we've learned" doesn't really make sense because our brains are not a computer.

I disagree ^_^. Our brains are precisely a computer. They are not, of course, a binary computer, and their processing method is quite different, but still, they fit with the definition of a Turing machine.

Computers don't do fuzzy logic.

[jotabe]

You mean they don't do it well. Yet
The biggest problem for fuzzy logic is we don't understand it well yet, so that complicates implementing it. And we know that a binary processing system would only be able to emulate fuzzy logic (that is you would have to write a program written in binary operations), not working it at a hardware level.

If we could just make quantum computing get started...

[CezeN]

What you wrote was not very specific, but based on how I interpreted it, it sounds like you've created a frame for yourself.

If you're telling me that since having read that study about memory retention and sleep you've started becoming tired when doing those things, then I'm going to tell you - as you sort-of already know - it's all in your mind. You've convinced yourself that the study you read is correct, and as such upon studying your mind puts itself into that state. Thus, you feel encouraged to sleep after studying.

Besides that, I'm sure I'm not the only person who can't remember anything that happened shortly before going to sleep upon waking. I have a hard time seeing that link being very strong...

No, that's not what I mean. This hasn't been something I've experienced or just started noticing after I read that, but basically happening all of my highschool experience. Whenever I actually study.

Also, the book specifically says that stuff you process shortly (like right before) isn't really retained. It's not very specific. But it says what you process in like the hour before falling asleep is easierly retained. I don't know if that means you're studying and hour up till you fall asleep, and those stuff is learned (excluding what's right before you sleep). Or the information studied that length of time away from sleeping.
I'd probably say the first, though.

[CezeN]

Seriously, folks, from what I remember, it is actually the case that your brain continues to process information while you sleep, and you do retain stuff better when you study before you sleep. That's pretty much well-accepted. How much of a practical effect it has, I'm not sure -- not really my particular area of study.

(Also explains the time I woke up out of a sound sleep after a statistics exam with the sudden and inescapable knowledge that I'd f****** up a formula in a very particular way. Which turned out to be correct.)

I doubt that it's a signal to go to sleep so you can process it. I'd look more closely at what time you were studying and see if it's aligning with times in your circadium rhythm in which you would be tired anyways (for most people, early afternoon and/or right before bed.) There's a big leap from "I retain information better if I study before I sleep" and "My brain wants me to sleep when I study so that I will retain the information." Sleep is more complicated than that. Also, remember confirmation bias -- upon reading that study, you remembered all the times you studied and became sleepy, and likely did not remember times that you studied and did not become sleepy.

Also good strategies -- chunk your studying, take brief breaks frequently (at least every 45 minutes). This will likely prevent some of the fatigue. You might just be studying way too long at a stretch, which promotes fatigue/decreases learning.

Well, I wouldn't say that it has anything to do with my sleep patterns. Though, it's definitely connected with how boring I think the material is.

But yeah, lol that is a big leap. I was thinking like, your brain wants to go to sleep not only so it could retain the information, but also because it's exhausted itself from processing the information I'd been studying - and needs for me to go to sleep in order to stop processing more information and focus on the current. Kinda like how your body is exhausted after working out, which makes you tired, since it also needs sleep in order to rebuild the tears in your muscle. Sounds slightly plausible to me. (I'm not gonna assume I'm correct though)

Also, I'm sure the hindsight bias applies to a certain degree, but I don't really think that accounts for it. I remember both some of the times I studied and became sleepy and the times I studied and didn't.
The only times I didn't was when I was actually interested in the material - like my Psychology book. I kinda attribute it to the fact that I'm usually thirsty to learn more and more if the information is interesting, thus I'm not really focusing too much on the information(slightly skimming) - as I would be if I was studying something repetitively.

Most likely though is that I'm studying too long at a time. That's kinda how I've done it
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No one else has any questions?

[Crazy Tom: C Toon]

Women. Explain, please.

[Gravity Defier]

Women. Explain, please.

They're like boys/men, but with vaginas and better breasts.

Please see locke's thread about how they all come equipped with different personalities.

[Jayelle]

Like men, but with no y Chromosone. Also, no penis.

ETA: damn, you beat me Alea.

[Gravity Defier]

ETA: damn, you beat me Alea.

Maybe so, but if he really doesn't know what women are, I may have used terms that have no meaning to him. The whole "no penis" thing should connect.

[ender1]

Women. Explain, please.

and better breasts.

Indeed.

[jotabe]

different personalities.

No! man, so you have to learn to treat each one of them... differently!
That's... unfair! needlessly complicated!
Where's mah manual!

[Satya]

Worlds are conquered, galaxies destroyed...but a woman is always a woman.
-- Captain Kirk in 'Conscience of the King'

[starlooker]

"The strength of women comes from the fact that psychology cannot explain us. Men can be analysed, women ... merely adored."

Oscar Wilde, The Ideal Husband

(That quote never fails to amuse me.)

[human.]

This just reminds me of this. =]

My economics teacher enjoyed enlightening us with very interesting youtube videos.

[Syphon the Sun]

Also, no penis.

If you're lucky.

[Caspian]

Hey starlooker and anyone else who might know:

There was a thread about psychology that got me thinking. In Literary Theory psychoanalytic readings usually rely on Lacan. What is his reputation in psychology? Are we Literature people getting a warped idea of psychology if Lacan is what we know, or is it a fair portrait of a basic idea still generally respected within the discipline?

[Locke_]

One of the absolute best songs on women:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yaP_kc3y9w

[locke]

Hey starlooker and anyone else who might know:

There was a thread about psychology that got me thinking. In Literary Theory psychoanalytic readings usually rely on Lacan. What is his reputation in psychology? Are we Literature people getting a warped idea of psychology if Lacan is what we know, or is it a fair portrait of a basic idea still generally respected within the discipline?

Oh Lacan, I truly loved reading him more than any other of the theorists I read in Art Theory. I'd ask the same question about Freud, because it always sort of stunned me how relied upon he is by anxious literate theorists whilst he is rather discredited in actual psychology nowadays. I suppose decades of novelists taking freud really seriously mean we have lots of characters and plots that are deliberately freudian and (and now very non-realist rather than realist, hah!) and so one needs a freudian background to properly decode the text.

[starlooker]

is it a fair portrait of a basic idea still generally respected within the discipline?

Well --

Considering that I've never heard of him, I'm going to go with no. But, then, I have never had a major interest in psychoanalysis. How respected he is within that field, I have no idea.

But, again, this goes back to psychology being a very broad field. I had one basic seminar on psychodynamic theories, and I don't do psychoanalysis or do much work from that perspective. However, East Coasters tend to give psychoanalysis more credence (why? My guess is that there are more rich, self-paying clients who are willing to go to a therapist for years on end there. It still has social cachet. Whereas, the culture around going to therapy in the midwest is rather different.), so I know there are practicing psychoanalysts. I just don't know any, personally. I know people who have more than a passing interest in object-relations theory, and I've always rather liked "Needs-Press" theory, but that's about it.

However, YES. English/Literature majors that I've encountered DO have a terribly warped view of psychology. In that, for starters, they still care about Freud. (Who I've read, and admire for the complexity of his thought, and disagree with about an awful lot of things.) This is because English/Literature people like symbolism, and therefore tend to like psychologists who are friendly towards that -- who provide a structure for it. Those are the psychodynamic ones. And, I'll give you, it does provide an interesting way to interpret a work of literature. But does it have anything to do with mainstream modern psychology? No.

The main problem psychologists as a whole tend to have with psychoanalysts' theories is that they are not provable in any scientifically meaningful sense. When psychology was busy differentiating itself from philosophy as a field, this became a huge sticking point. Are the theories true? Maybe, maybe not. You can't know, because they are inherently unprovable. This really annoys the crap out of people who want to know for certain that they are doing something that works, and know why. (Also, it annoys insurance companies, but in my mind that is an argument for it, rather than against it.) But, since in looking at literature, you aren't actually trying to change the characters' problems, but understand them and figure out the meaning of the work, having a provable, testable theory matters less than having a coherent one. And psychodynamic theorists do have a lot of depth and elegance.

The most Freudian professor I ever worked with was my English Lit professor in undergrad.

Have you ever read The Chosen? The battle that Danny goes through with his psychology professor about Freud vs. Behaviorism is about twelve times funnier when you know from experience how behaviorists look at Freudians. Particularly around that time period.

***Note -- I've been "brought up" with a more than healthy amount of skepticism for psychoanalysis. You couldn't leave my undergraduate program without just a tinge of disdain for all things Freudian. (Where did I actually read Freud? In my "Philosophy of the Mind" class. NOT in any of my psychology classes.) So, I am not really the best person to ask to give a fair portrait of psychoanalysis or its research.

[Locke_]

What about Carl Jung? What effect has his being Freud's primo pupil had on his modern reputation? (Along with his own ideas.)

Is it the psychologists and academics who more often shun or disregard Freud? It seems that he is still generally well-regarded or at least intimidating among public masses.

[Jayelle]

I don't know if anyone's said yet, but DUDE! Welcome back!! Good to see you , Locke_.

[Satya]

I got one... I've been getting back into dream recollection; after utilizing the techniques I learned last year in dream recall, lucid dreaming and dream induction, for awhile there I was recalling at least once a night and becoming lucid (aware and in semi, quasi or full control) at least once a week. That kind of success comes and goes (with stress, sleep quality, season, etc) and as I've learned is kind of like the tide - it comes in and rolls back. Well it's coming back in, and I'm getting some very interesting dreams again and recalling most of them. Lucidity hasn't fully returned but obviously with increased dream quality will come increased intent to become lucid (a huge factor in obtaining it). The thing is, now I want to know what they mean (especially if lucidity doesn't come and I can't explore it of my own volition.) Dream interpretation isn't exactly a science though, and I'd prefer to avoid any new-age mumbo-jumbo.

[locke]

man I could use some dream recall. I've dreamed three full length movies (totally different) in the last two weeks and they were damned good too (not dream weird). do you know how frustrating it is to have the entire structure, names, outline and climax in your mind when you wake up only to see it all dissapate within seconds of becoming fully awake with a dire need to find a pencil and start scribbling? I tried just laying there and holding it all in my mind repeating the stuff consciously, but it was all vanishing too fast, and I even lost the name of the main character, and then trying to make that 'come back' I lost everything else. aggravating. I don't usually dream, and I almost never remember my dreams, so this is an interesting experience for me.

[Jayelle]

The How Stuff Works article on Lucid Dreaming is quite interesting.

As for interpretation, I think it's hard to avoid new age mumbo-jumbo.

Personally, I really think that dreams can and do have some meaning (though definitely not 100% of the time), but it's hard to figure out which ones are just nonsense and which are meaningful.

[Satya]

Yeah, that's the trick.. Unless the dream makes it fairly obvious that it's trying to tell you something (I think I put the dream on here where I saw the world ending, for example) it's hard to decipher if it's just your brain going through random access memory or putting together an actual message through dream-imagery.

BTW locke, this book is where I got my start; it wasn't too long after that I was really getting it; of course, you get what you put into it in terms of effort. If you make it a conscious part of your day to question reality, build consistent awareness, look for dream signs, commit to quality/quantity of sleep requirements and so on, success will follow.

[CezeN]

Satya, what are your specific reality check methods that you use?

Or, like the best ones that the book suggests?

[Locke_]

I don't know if anyone's said yet, but DUDE! Welcome back!! Good to see you , Locke_.

Well thank you kindly

I agree that dreams can have meaning, but not always. I've wondered if there's any relationship between the significance of the dream and our memory of it. If it's remembered, perhaps it's worth remembering. Especially if there's no pattern, if remembrance is hit or miss.

Three strange dreams come to mind. The first has inspired a screenplay I intend to one day write. It was kind of an indie-romantic comedy, but I had no idea I had such decent ideas! The strange part was that all the characters spoke Spanish. I don't speak Spanish, not fluently and not without heavy duty translating in my head before I say a sentence out loud.

The next two dreams somehow must be linked, though I had them over a month apart and on two separate continents. The first I had in India. It was a water world and I jumped in. I the dreamer didn't know what I was looking for, but I the dreamt did. I was shirtless and swimming fast and was unconcerned about breathing. I also held a harpoon with a rope on it. Suddenly I found a killer whale and knew the dreamt-self had been looking for. I took the harpoon and rope like a thread and needle and sewed the whale's mouth shut. Then, later, back above water I was with my family and when I relayed my exploit they were not surprised at the action itself, but that I was able to accomplish it. Like the action itself of sewing a whale's mouth shut wasn't unheard of, but they didn't think I'd have the physical prowess to do it. Then I woke up.

Dream the second. (I had this one back in the states just a week or so ago). I was in a world of water, but this time with two friends and it was more like a resort neighborhood thing. It had stores and restaurants, but you had to swim to them (swimming was easy) and they all just floated there. From atop our "hotel" I looked out and all of the sudden saw a large dark shape nearby--but not breaking--the water's surface. I knew it was a whale. Later I was speaking with someone who said that I was crazy for thinking we were in an ocean and it was in fact a desert; then everything was sand and people thought I was crazy for believing that everything was water. Then I woke.

[Satya]

What I did was I keep a small card/slip of paper on me. I chose a Joker from a playing card deck with a cool design on the back. In the blank space on the front I wrote on the top:

1. Are you dreaming?
2. How can you tell?
3. If you were dreaming:
- What would it be like?
- What would you do?

And then on the bottom I wrote 4 things - a specific word, a specific number sequence, an abstract symbol and a specific symbol.

Logos - 9712
▲▲▲ - >->O - (a stick figure human)

The reason for the top part is to get you to question your reality and to try and develop conscious awareness of the differences between the waking and dreaming states and also to get your concentration to a level where you can decipher dream signs and gain control of a dreamscape. The bottom is there because in a dream, image comprehension is very different from in a waking state - I chose a favorite word (Logos) and a random number sequence that I keep in memory. (I look at the card several times a day.) It becomes a part of your reality, a part of your routine. If the word and number isn't what I put down, I can be pretty sure I'm dreaming! I also look at the card and try to make the word/numbers change (this is really easy in a dream because the brain doesn't keep such specific information held in memory.) I do the same with the symbols.

That's just one technique; one you can do throughout the day, that I changed a bit and made my own.

[BonitoDeMadrid]

Sorry to derail from Cezen's question for a while, but I have a question of my own that's been pondering me.

I've studied Computer Sciences in high school (didn't go to college yet) and I've yet to understand: what exactly are pointers, and why the heck do we need them?

[jotabe]

Pointers are variables that, instead of storing a value, they store a memory address, that is, they store the number that identifies a certain physical place of the computer memory.
The simplest way they are necessary is when you have to store an indeterminate amount of memory, for example, if you have a list of values whose quantity might be different in different runs of the program. When you use pointers, you don't need to save space in the variable declaration for the maximum amount of values you think you will ever need. Instead you just write them in memory as you need, only occupying just that much space.