The New Republic's current issue features a story on the research that has been done on the effects of neglect on child development in the first two years based on the Bucharest Early Intervention Project.
In the field of child development, this study—now known as the Bucharest Early Intervention Project—was nearly unprecedented. Most such research is performed on animals, because it would be unethical to expose human subjects to neglect or abuse. But here the investigators were taking a group of children out of danger. The orphanages, moreover, provided a sufficiently large sample of kids, all from the same place and all raised in the same miserable conditions. The only variable would be the removal from the institutions, allowing researchers to isolate the effects of neglect on the brain.
Prior to the project, investigators had observed that the orphans had a high frequency of serious developmental problems, from diminished IQs to extreme difficulty forming emotional attachments. Meanwhile, imaging and other tests revealed that some of the orphans had reduced activity in their brains. The Bucharest project confirmed that these findings were more than random observations. It also uncovered a striking pattern: Orphans who went to foster homes before their second birthdays often recovered some of their abilities. Those who went to foster homes after that point rarely did.
For further research from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, check out:
Taking this TEDx event to a new level, we not only want to offer inspirational speakers, interesting conversations and new learning, but this is a call to action. What can all those involved ACTUALLY DO to ensure that the old and irrelevant in education is thrown out and that we can build a new model of constant reinvention to ensure that education provides what industry requires and more importantly what young people need to flourish in today’s world.
This event will be streaming live as well on Sat. Sept. 17 starting at 2pm
The original study mentioned, reported in the article "Becoming a vampire without being bitten" by S. Gabriel and A.F. Young can be found here. (note: click on either "article" link to retrieve the full text, if you are off campus it will ask for your login.)
Interested in finding out more about the psychology of fiction? Check out the online magazine OnFiction!
If there is one message that keeps popping up in current theories on presentations and getting your message out, it's "Make it personal." It turns out that research backs that up as well. Psychology Today posted an article by David Ropeik titled "Statistical Numbing: Why Millions Can Die and We Don't Care" that explores some of the research being done.
Here are some links to the studies mentioned in the article:
With fall comes the beginning of a new school year and the boundless energy that is the result of an infusion of young minds ready to take off! So to get us started on our own adventure I thought we could look at the idea of empathy and it's role in our ability to be engaged citizens. Here is a short animated film to Mathew Taylor's speech on 21st Century Enlightenment. How does this relate to our work? Does it influence our personal lives? Comment with your thoughts and any further resources you think we may be interested in.
At IIDC Day 2011 three themes among many emerged:
We want to be better communicators
We want to nurture our strengths and continue to
innovate
We want to build relationships with our colleagues in other centers
I hope that this blog can be a place to begin to do all three.
fanning the fire...
Ideas are elusive, slippery things. Best to keep a pad of paper and a pencil at your bedside, so you can stab them during the night before they get away.
~Earl Nightingale