6. Psychology What is Psychology?: Explaining the Mind: Greatness (Who Makes History & Why) Intelligence: Frames of Mind Improving the Mind: Flow (The Psychology of Happiness) Memory & Vocabulary: Word Power Made Easy ------===ooo===------ What is Psychology? A man is no more than his mental sphere From which he perceives, and reasons, and sees The imperfected world spin about him. If he would be master of green nations, Of corporations, tasselled and taloned Of soaring crystal towers, and the like He would study the mind, and doing so Charter unknown lands. ------===ooo===------ Explaining the Mind What a whirlwind the mind is! Emotions, ideas, worries, and thought All whushed together in a spinning ball. To understand and explain it is the goal right here. Through the mechanics of the mind we shall know, at last our working selves. ------===ooo===------ Greatness (Who Makes History & Why): in this engaging study, Professor DK Simonton surveys the men who have left their stamp upon the world. Drawing upon the tools of psychology, their achievements are examined through the various lights of intelligence, creativity, leadership, and personality. All 14 chapters are crammed with interesting tidbits, curious facts about the great. The writing is direct; a lively voice which impels motion. A wonderful blend of scholarship, explication, and entertainment. Available as a readily destructible vinyl cover (1994). ------===ooo===------ Intelligence I Q ! I Q ! I love u ! I Q ! I Q ! Hav a poo ! Giv me a number to mark my name Giv me a number I can safely blame Call me idiot, moron, or imbecile Just 'cause you don't like my stile. I Q ! I Q ! I love u ! I Q ! I Q ! Hav a poo ! I'm a fuckin' genius ! I'm a fuckin' penus ! I'm a suckin' penus ! I'm a suckin' Venus !! I Q ! I Q ! I love u ! I Q ! I Q ! Hav a poo ! Bleeeaaah. Stick my IQ up yur arse. ------===ooo===------ Frames of Mind: here Howard Gardner outlines his groundbreaking theory of multiple intelligence. Arguing that human endevours, all done through conscious choice, are too various to be described by a single number, Gardner proposes 7 subunits of intelligence. The first 2 correspond most closely to the classical conception of intelligence; linguistic and mathematical; the first a facility in manipulating words, the second numbers & symbols. Musical intelligence follows in the same vein, the ability to manipulate sounds, the other 4 are a little more unusual. Two personal intelligences, inter- and intra-; being able to understand others, and having a true conception of the self; are accorded autonomous status; if intelligence may be defined as a broad faculty used to solve a problem, then tackling the issues of others & the self certainly require special, and quite distinct, skills. The last two are the most novel; spatial and bodily. Spatial intelligence involves the mental manipulation of three-dimensional scenes, something an architect or artist would rely on. Bodily intelligence involves the brain-body link; how well can we translate from thought to deed? Professional athletes and dancers are the geniuses here. Try to find a copy of the original 1983 version (a moderately sized paperback); revisions don't always come off (if it works, don't fix it!). ------===ooo===------ Improving the Mind A computer chip upgrades and improves, Is there a like for our mental wares? First we'll examine the inputs, the stream That if blocked will retard the rest. The eyes, the book, are the connections here And speed reading the facilitating link. Once in the head, the brain is next, The processing here the crucial step. A treasury of words to unlock fine meaning Will ensure the writer's path is traced. And then memory, that whopping warehouse To be ordered, and indexed, and re-arranged So that all can be quickly retrieved. Once in the head, it's out again Making use of our neofied knowledge. Speech and writing need smoothing out A bumpy road quickly flattened by use. All done well, it's a fluent flow. The mind, at the end im-pro-ved. ------===ooo===------ Flow (The Psychology of Happiness): here Mihaly Czikzentmihalyi explores the concept of optimal experience. This state he describes as 'flow'; where the mind is completely absorbed, time becomes distorted, and there is a thrilling sense of growth. The first chapter is on happiness; what is it? and why do we want it? Next, one current model is consciousness is discussed; one based on information theory, and the ordering of thoughts. Chapter 3 describes the hallmarks of flow, and 4 some of the helpful conditions for it. Succeeding four chapters discuss case-studies from various domains; flow through the body (sex, yoga, music, & gastronomy); through the mind (wordplay, memory, science, & philosophy); through work (is it as bad as one thinks?); and through social contact (friends & family). A pair of chapters; one on chaos and its negative effects; the other on the positives of making meaning; round things off. All up, ten stimulating and enthralling chapters. Nice notes keyed to page numbers. A Rider paperback (original 1992, '98 reprint). ------===ooo===------ Memory & Vocabulary Do you remember the time Do you remember the time a) when we first kissed? a) when we first kissed? b) when I first missed? b) when I first missed? c) when you first Liszt? c) when you first Liszt? O, I remember the time O, I remember the time (I remember, I remember) (I remember, I remember) When we first kissed When you first Liszt under the gumnut tree sitting at the piano just you and me hands all wonky and we smiled legs in the air and we laughed face full of fire O, that first, first kiss! O, how did you Liszt! (I remember, I remember) (I remember, I remember) Do you remember the time Do you remember the time a) when we first kissed? a) when we first kissed? b) when I first missed? b) when I first missed? c) when you first Liszt? c) when you first Liszt? O, I remember the time O, I remember the times (I remember, I remember) that made like worth living When I first missed both of us giving it was your dressing gown both of us living. and you did frown O, I remember what a bad day I remember the times. is all I can say O, how did I miss! (I remember, I remember) ------===ooo===------ Word Power Made Easy: a step-by-step approach to acquiring a complete vocabulary. Norman Lewis has realised that true learning is always an active process, and so has adopted a method that demands reader participation. Pronunciation lessons fix the words in mind, matching and true & false sections test understanding, and given meanings test recall. Extensive use is made of etymology, a valuable key in deciphering meaning. Enthusiastic and exciting, a Pocket paperback (1978).