Why getting distracted isn't a bad thing

Alexander Graham Bell was never a fan of multitasking. He felt that true creativity comes from a single-minded concentration on the issue under consideration and that any other thoughts would only take you further away from your goal.

Psychological research, until recently, seemed to agree with him, showing that we’re more efficient and accurate when we keep our minds firmly on track. However, a couple of eye-catching new studies have called this assumption into question, at least when it comes to the kind of creative tasks that were so close to Bell’s heart. When you’re trying to come up with new ideas, a sharp focus might actually backfire and a distraction of some sort could actually increase your chances of finding a novel solution to your problem.

This is because our minds often become stuck in a rut, meaning that we spend far too much time concentrating on the first ideas we thought of, rather than coming up with some truly novel solutions. This phenomenon is known as cognitive fixation, and many psychologists now consider it to be the principle barrier to true creativity.

To find out whether multitasking can actually help people break out of a rut, Jackson Lu and his team from Colombia Business School used a common laboratory test of creativity. The participants in this study had to think of as many uses as possible for a common object, such as a kitchen bowl, within a fixed amount of time. 

 

The participants then had to find alternative uses for a brick and a toothpick. The only difference was that some were asked to do so in blocks, listing all the uses for a brick first before listing all the uses of a toothpick, while others were asked to alternate between the two. 

 

According to Bell’s opinion that immersed concentration is better for creativity, you’d expect that the first group would have performed better, but this wasn’t the case. While they might have believed that they were on a roll, the reality was that without the breaks afforded by the continual task switching, their progress was limited. 

 

From the sheer number of ideas that they produced to the perceived novelty of their ideas, the multitaskers performed much better. 

 

For more evidence, the team next looked at a test of convergent thinking, in which you’re given three words and you have to think of a common linking word. This test is meant to measure your ability to find the associations between apparently unconnected concepts, and unlike the previous task, you’re looking for a single answer that comes in a single flash of insight. 

 

 Once again, some of the participants were asked to consider two problems simultaneously, by switching their attention between the two, while others were asked to look at them in sequence. The end results were even more striking than the team’s first experiment, with 51% of the multitaskers solving both problems compared to just 14% who looked at them sequentially.

Perhaps the biggest benefits can be found in group brainstorms – something that we’ve all been involved in at one time or another – which often involve a lot of talking and not much innovation. 

 

The problem is that besides facing the cognitive fixation of each individual member, the group as a whole becomes distracted by one person’s idea rather than considering the ideas of others. This means that teams working together often produce fewer ideas that individuals who are working independently. “There are a lot of findings showing that working as a group is not very efficient, and even a tiny improvement would have a big impact,” says Ut Na Sio from the Education University of Hong Kong.

By working with colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University, Sio has shown that forcing groups of students to multitask (by switching between two problems) can break those dynamics, leading to more creative solutions to questions about the ways to improve the campus, including potential ideas to increase the students’ physical activity or measures to increase access for disabled people. Importantly, the benefits seemed to grow over time, so the longer the brainstorming was, the more advantageous it was to switch between tasks. 

 

It doesn’t need too much thinking to see how you might put these findings to immediate use. If you’re struggling to think of a title for your project or the name of a new product, you might have been tempted to devoting a fixed amount of time to thinking about it. However, this research would suggest that you’d be better off keeping a notepad next to your computer and jotting down new solutions while working on other tasks. 

 

At its simplest, this research might just be another excuse to take a much-needed break. When you’re working on tasks that would benefit from creative thinking, take regular breaks to refresh your approach.

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Kids become better problem solvers when reminded of their multiple roles

Parents wanting their kids to become good problem solvers and develop flexible thinking, should remind their little ones of the many roles they play - brother, sister, neighbour, daughter!

A new study brings out the fact that children become better problem-solvers if they are reminded of their roles as a son, friend, brother, to name a few.

"This is some of the first research on reminding kids about their multi-faceted selves. Such reminders boost their problem-solving skills and how flexibly they see their social worlds, all from a simple mindset switch," said the lead author.

Once kids are told about their identities, they also show flexible thinking about matters pertaining to race, or even other social groupings.

In a series of experiments, researchers looked at 196 children, ages 6 and 7 who were all native English speakers. In one experiment, the first group of children was reminded they have various identities, such as son, daughter, reader or helper. The second group of children was reminded of their multiple physical attributes (such as a mouth, arms and legs).

In another experiment, one group of children was again reminded they have various identities. A second set of children received similar prompts but about other children's many roles, not their own.

All the children then tackled a series of tasks. Children who were reminded of their various identities demonstrated stronger problem-solving and creative thinking skills.

For instance, when they were shown pictures of a bear gazing at a honey-filled beehive high up in a tree, these children had more creative ideas for how the bear might get the honey, such as flipping over a bowl so that it becomes a stool. In other words, they saw a new use for the bowl.

Children who were reminded of their multiple roles also showed more flexible thinking about social groupings. When asked to categorize different photos of faces, they suggested many ways to do so.

For instance, they identified smiling faces vs. unsmiling ones, and old vs. young faces. The other children, however, primarily grouped people's faces by race and gender.

Because these findings suggest simple ways to promote flexible, inclusive thinking for the young, they could be especially valuable for teachers.

The author said, "When we remind kids that they have various identities, they think beyond our society's default categories, and remember that there are many other groups in addition to race and gender."

"It opens their horizons to be a little more inclusive," the author opined.

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Frozen embryos as good as fresh ones in IVF pregnancies

The success rate of frozen embryo transfers for in vitro fertilization (IVF) is almost the same as, or even better than, those using fresh ones, researchers said on Wednesday.
"Frozen embryo techniques are growing in popularity in fertility clinics worldwide," lead author said in a statement.
"This is one of the reasons why our research is important for fertility clinicians and researchers, and of course couples who are hoping to have a child," said one of the doctors.

The study investigated almost 800 women who had infertility not related to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a common health problem caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones that can lead to infertility.
Women in the study were given one cycle of IVF, where either a transfer of fresh embryos occurred, or all embryos were frozen and one cycle of thawed embryos occurred subsequently without the use of IVF drugs.
After the first completed cycle of IVF, ongoing pregnancy occurred in 36 per cent of women in the frozen embryo group, and in 35 per cent of the fresh embryo group.
Rates of live birth after the first embryo transfer were 34 per cent in the frozen embryo group, and 32 per cent in the fresh embryo group.
"Previous research has shown that women who experience infertility because of PCOS benefit from significantly higher live birth rates from frozen embryos in IVF procedures," said the Dr.
"This new study shows that infertile women not suffering from PCOS have equivalent live IVF birth rates from frozen embryos, which is important news for infertile women worldwide," he said.

"Our key finding is that freezing embryos for IVF is not harming a couple's chances of having a baby. After the first fresh embryo transfer, it will be possible to freeze the remaining embryos and transfer them one by one, which is safe and effective."

The researchers noted that their results are specific to a common freezing method known as Cryotech vitrification, so it may not apply to all embryo freezing techniques currently being used.

Additionally, couples concerned about unnecessary costs of freezing all embryos do not need to go down that path since fresh embryo transfer will still have the same live birth success rate, they added.

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CRYING IS GOOD FOR YOU !

While people who cry are looked down upon as being weak or too emotional, experts insist that there actually some unexpected health benefits for people who cry often. These include lower stress levels, a decrease of toxins in body and greater emotional awareness.

Firstly, crying activates the the parasympathetic nervous system in the body to signal to the glands in the eyes to release tears. Once the emotional purgation is over the body is able to slow down its breathing and heart rate to a more controlled pace. This entire experience sends a positive release throughout the body and gives off the feeling of relief for the person. According to a study, almost everyone in the study felt better after a crying session. The researchers also found that personality also played a role into who was more likely to enjoy their crying session.

Secondly, human tears contain stress hormone ACTH. who have higher levels of ACTH in their body are at risk of developing Addison's disease. This disease can cause extreme fatigue, low blood sugar levels and depression. Crying flushes ACTH from the body, which can then make the person feel calmer.

Furthermore, tears also contain the hormone prolactin which is found in both genders during moments of sexual gratification and interpersonal connections.

When someone cries, this hormone is released in the body to help give off the soothing and calming feeling that people feel afterwards. 

Thirdly, animals cry in order to clear their tear ducts from any debris. However, humans have a different reason to shed tears. Research says that they are the only living organism on the planet who cries because of how they are feeling.

By allowing the body to tap into emotions of sadness, it can also become more aware of other feelings such as happiness, relief and gratitude.

Fourthly, Allowing oneself to cry can release tension that has built up in the body.

Experimental psychologist, who founded a leading health risk management company, said: 'Emotional tears, shed in moments of intense feeling, carry stress hormones and are a way of getting rid of them.

Experts have found that the majority of people who cry immediately feel more relaxed after they are done. 

Finally, being open with emotions towards others can help improve relationships and allow for them to also show how they are feeling.

Certain businesses in some countries have capitalized on having areas where people can openly express their sadness.

'Crying clubs' are spaces where people can go and connect with their emotions without feeling shame.

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Musical Training Increases Blood Flow to the Left Side of the Brain

New research suggests that musical training can increase blood flow in the left hemisphere of the human brain.

The study by researchers at University of Liverpool shows that brain areas associated with learning and music share common neural pathways.

The small study included 14 musicians and nine non-musicians. Researchers looked at their brain while the participants completed tasks related to music or word generation.

Brain activity for both tasks was similar in musicians, but not in non-musicians, researchers found.

In another experiment, researchers looked at the brain activity pattern of a different set of non-musicians participants who completed the word reference and musical perception task.

The test was repeated after half an hour of musical training. Researchers found that even a brief period of musical training affects blood flow pathway in the brain.

"It was fascinating to see that the similarities in blood flow signatures could be brought about after just half an hour of simple musical training," said Amy Spray.

"This suggests that the correlated brain patterns were the result of using areas thought to be involved in language processing. Therefore we can assume that musical training results in a rapid change in the cognitive mechansims utilised for music perception and these shared mechanisms are usually employed for language," Dr Georg Mayer, Liverpool Psychologist, explained.

Previous research has shown that the brains of Jazz musicians have common brain circuitry for music and language. Related studies have shown that musicians are good at integrating sensory information such as touch, sight and hearing.

The latest study paper is called 'The effects of musical training on cerebral lateralization patterns- a functional transcranial Doppler ultrasonography study.'

 

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11 Things You Didn't Know About Pomegranates

1. Heart of the matter: The edible parts of the pomegranates are technically arils, not seeds. The tart, semi-translucent red aril coats the seed within, protecting it and enticing animals to eat up and share the love. Arils are also found in mangosteens and make up the soft, squishy flesh of lychees.
2. Make it rain: As anyone who has ever shelled out $7.99 for a quarter-pound container of arils at Whole Foods will attest, removing the edible fruit from its shell can be a drag. Different techniques abound, but our favorite is violent yet effective: Cut a pomegranate in half horizontally. Hold one half, cut side down, into a relatively deep bowl. Smack the uncut side of the fruit with a spatula, meat pounder or other blunt object. Watch the seeds fall out. Repeat with second half. Enjoy.
3. The pom, the myth, the legend: In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Pluto uses pomegranate seeds to trick Prosepina into shacking up with him for four months every year. Her semi-annual jaunts to and from the underworld were a way to explain the changing of the seasons. Obvs.
4. To your health: Rich with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory fibers and paraoxonase enzymes, pomegranates can limit UV damage, help prevent arthritis and keep LDL, or bad cholesterol, from accumulating in arteries.
5. Feel the chill: The average pomegranate can contain anywhere from 200 to 1,400 arils — which can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, arils can be frozen for up to three months. Here’s how: spread arils in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and leave them, uncovered, in the freezer for about two hours. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or Ziploc baggie of your choice.
6. Parlez-vous artillery? The French word for pomegranate is grenade, and, surprisingly, nothing is lost in translation. Etymologists speculate the connection stems from 15^th Century cast-iron grenades, which were filled with tiny, round pockets of gunpowder. To the gentlemen soldier-botanists throwing them in France, these resembled aril-filled pomegranates.
7. Heaven is a place on earth: Judeo-Christian historians believe pomegranates to be among the fruits given to Moses to demonstrate the fertility of ancient Israel. Some argue that, given its widespread cultivation in the region, pomegranate was probably the original forbidden fruit. A couple of centuries later, Botticelli and da Vinci both painted poms into Renaissance-era, Madonna-and-child motifs. And the Quran cites pomegranates, grapes and olives as earthly evidence of Allah’s greatness. 
8. Alternative appeal: A prominent tool in Hindu Ayurveda, alternative healers boil and grind the peels into a powder, and use it to treat tonsillitis, inflamed or bleeding gums and even just bad breath. Roasted pomegranate skin is mixed with rose water for an all-natural astringent, and juiced arils are said to prevent memory loss, osteoarthritis and heart disease.
9. Been around the world: A Persian native, pomegranates grow throughout the Middle East and central Asia. They were brought to China’s Han dynasty around 100 B.C., had a starring role on the Roman plate, made their way to Spain by 800 A.D. and were brought to the Americas by 15^th Century Spanish conquistadors. Europhile Thomas Jefferson planted pomegranates at Monticello the 1700s, and growers in drier regions of the United States cultivate them today.
10. Rinse and repeat: No toothbrush? No problem. Pomegranate juice is filled with polyphenolic flavonoids, which make it as antibacterial as prescription mouthwash.
11. Never too late for now: Pomegranates do not continue to develop sugars after they’re harvested, so, once picked, they remain ripe. Keep them in your refrigerator and they are good to go for up to two months.

ps- this is only for information, always consult you physician before having any particular food/ medication/exercise/other remedies.

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