2014年7月10日 星期四

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - about learning

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality inventory that can also be used to describe learning styles. The inventory identifies and measures psychological type based on the developments in personality theory by Carl Jung.  All types described by the MBTI are normal and healthy.  Each person can use the types to help understand how he or she takes in information and how he or she makes decisions or comes to conclusions about that information.  Each preference has a one-letter abbreviation.  The four letters  then make up a person's type (see the charts below)
There are sixteen different MBTI types:
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VARK Learning Styles Inventory

ARK Learning Styles Inventory

Technically , VARK inventory is not a  learning style because a learning style has 18+ dimensions (such as preferences for temperature, light, food intake, biorhythms, working with others, working alone). VARK is about one preference - your preference for taking in, and putting out information when learning is the objective. Although it is just one aspect of a learning style it is considered one of the most  important parts because people can do something about it. Some other dimensions are fixed and not open to change.  The four modalities that comprise the VARK and the VARK questionnaire were formulated by Neil Fleming.  The four VARK modalities are:
  • Visual -  prefer to learn information through charts, graphs, symbols, and other visual means
  • Aural - prefer to learn information through hearing - auditory learners
  • Read/Write - prefer to learn information that is displayed as words
  • Kinesthetic - prefer to learn through experience, practice, and hands-on activities
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Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

In his work, Frames of Mind, Howard Gardner describes seven intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.  The distinctions among these intelligences are supported by studies in child development, cognitive skills under conditions of brain damage, psycho-metrics, changes in cognition across history and within different cultures, and psychological transfer and generalization. Thus, Gardner's model is backed by a rich research base that combines physiology, anthropology, and personal and cultural history. Check out the graphic below which explains each of the seven intelligences. 
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2014年7月7日 星期一

6 Extremely Effective Ways to Improve Your Memory

6 Extremely Effective Ways to Improve Your Memory
 BY   @JEFF_HADEN

Who would like to remember more of what they see, hear, and read? Everyone!
5.5k SHARES
 
I could overwhelm you with statistics showing how improving your memory will positively impact your professional and personal life... but what's the point? Who doesn't want to remember more?
So let's jump right in.
Here are six ways you can improve your memory from Belle Beth Cooper, content crafter at Buffer, the social media management tool that lets you schedule, automate, and analyze social-media updates. (Belle Beth was also the source for two extremely popular articles, 5 Scientifically Proven Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harderand 5 Incredibly Effective Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder. And yes, my headline creativity levels were clearly on a downswing.)
Here's Belle Beth:
Science continually finds new connections between simple things we can do every day that will improve our general memory capacity.
Memory is a complicated process that's made up of a few different brain activities. Before we look at ways to improve retention, here is a simplified version to show how memory takes place:
Step 1. Create a memory. Our brain sends signals in a particular pattern associated with the event we're experiencing and creates connections between our neurons, called synapses.
Step 2. Consolidate that memory. Do nothing else and that memory could soon fade away. Consolidation is the process of committing something to long-term memory so we can recall it later. Much of this process happens while we're sleeping as our brains recreate that same pattern of brain activity and strengthen the synapses created earlier.
3. Recall that memory. Recall is what most of us think of when we talk about memory or memory loss. Recalling a memory is easier if it has been strengthened over time, and each time we do we cycle through that same pattern of brain activity and make the connection a little stronger.
While memory loss is a normal part of aging that doesn't mean we can't take action to slow it down. Now let's look at some of the ways research has shown we can keep memories around as long as possible:
1. Meditate to improve working memory.
Working memory, which is a little like your brain's notepad, is where new information is temporarily held. When you learn someone's name or hear an address of a place you're going to, you hang on to those details in working memory until you're done with them. If they're no longer useful you let them go entirely. If they are useful, you commit them to long-term memory where they can be strengthened and recalled later.
Working memory is something we use every day, so it makes our lives a lot easier when it's stronger. While for most adults the maximum we can hold in our working memory is about seven items, if you're not quite using your working memory to its maximum capacity meditation can strengthen it.
Research has shown that participants with no experience in mindfulness meditation can improve their memory recall in just eight weeks. Meditation, with its power to help us concentrate, has also been shown to improve improve standardized test scores and working memory after just two weeks.
Why does meditation benefit memory? It's somewhat counterintuitive: during meditation your brain stops processing information as actively as it normally would.
So occasionally take a break to empty your mind. Not only will you feel a little less stressed, you may also remember a little more.
2. Drink coffee to improve memory consolidation.
Whether caffeine can improve memory if taken before learning something new is debatable. Most research has found little to no effect from ingesting caffeine prior to creating new memories.
One recent study, though, found that taking a caffeine pill after a learning task actually improved memory recall up to 24 hours later. Participants memorized a set of images and were later tested by viewing the same images (targets), similar images (lures), and completely different images (foils).
The task was to pick out which were the exact pictures they had memorized without being tricked by the lures (which were very similar.) This is a process called pattern separation, which according to the researchers reflects a "deeper level of memory retention."
The researchers in this study focused on the effects of caffeine on memory consolidation: the process of strengthening the memories we've created. That is why they believe the effects occurred when caffeine was ingested after the learning task rather than before.
So don't just drink a little coffee to get started in the morning--drink a little coffee to hold on to more of what you learn throughout the day.
3. Eat berries for better long-term memory.
Research shows that eating berries can help stave off memory decline. A study from the University of Reading and the Peninsula Medical School found that supplementing a normal diet with blueberries for twelve weeks improved performance on spatial working memory tasks. The effects began after just three weeks and continued for the length of the study.
A long-term berry study that tested the memory of female nurses who were over 70 years old found those who regularly ate at least two servings of strawberries or blueberries each week had a moderate reduction in memory decline. (The effects of strawberries might be debatable, though, since that study was partly funded by the California Strawberry Commission... and another study focusing on strawberries suggested that you'd need to eat roughly 10 pounds of strawberries per day to see any effect).
More research is needed in this area, but scientists are getting closer to understanding how berries might affect our brains. In particular, blueberries are known for being high in flavanoids, which appear to strengthen existing connections in the brain. That could explain their benefit on long-term memory.
And even if it turns out they don't help your memory much, berries are still really good for you.
4. Exercise to improve memory recall.
Studies in both rat and human brains have shown that regular exercise can improve memory recall. Fitness in older adults has even been proven to slow the decline of memory without the aid of continued regular exercise. In particular, studies shown that regular exercise can improve spatial memory, so exercise may not necessarily be a way to improve all types of memory recall.
Of course the benefits of exercise are numerous, but for the brain in particular regular exercise is shown to improve cognitive abilities besides memory. So if you're looking for a way to stay mentally sharp, taking a walk could be the answer.
5. Chew gum to make stronger memories.
Another easy method that could improve your memory is to chew gum while you learn something new. Contradictory research exists so it's not a solid bet, but one study published last year showed that participants who completed a memory recall task were more accurate and had higher reaction times if they chewed gum during the study.
A reason that chewing gum might affect our memory recall is that it increases activity in the hippocampus, an important area of the brain for memory. (It's still unclear why this happens, though.)
Another theory focuses on the increase of oxygen from chewing gum and how that can improve focus and attention, helping us create stronger connections in the brain as we learn new things. One study found that participants who chewed gum during learning and memory tests had higher heart rate levels, a factor that can cause more oxygen to flow to the brain.
6. Sleep more to consolidate memories.
Sleep is proven to be one of the most important elements in having a good memory. Since sleep is when most of our memory consolidation process occurs it makes sense that without enough sleep we will struggle to remember things we've learned.
Even a short nap can improve your memory recall. In one study participants memorized illustrated cards to test their memory strength. After memorizing a set of cards they took a 40-minute break and one group napped while the other group stayed awake. After the break both groups were tested on their memory of the cards.
To the surprise of the researchers the sleep group performed significantly better, retaining on average 85% of the patterns compared to 60% for those who had remained awake.
Research indicates that when memory is first recorded in the brain (specifically in the hippocampus) it's still "fragile" and easily forgotten, especially if the brain is asked to memorize more things. Napping seems to push memories to the neocortex, the brain's "more permanent storage," which prevents them from being "overwritten."
Not only is sleep after learning a critical part of the memory creation process, but sleep before learning something new is important as well. Research has found that sleep deprivation can affect our ability to commit new things to memory and consolidate any new memories we create.
Now you don't need an excuse to nap--or to get a little more sleep.
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES
LAST UPDATED: JUL 1, 2014
JEFF HADEN | Columnist
Jeff Haden learned much of what he knows about business and technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry. Everything else he picks up from ghostwriting books for some of the smartest leaders he knows in business.


Read more: http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/6-extremely-effective-ways-to-improve-your-memory.html#ixzz36qNmbjXN
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2014年6月19日 星期四

愛人如己？！



當你手握一把鎚子，很容易會將其他的事物都變為釘子。
Abraham Maslow（馬思勞—20世紀最具影響的心理學家之一）


「愛人如己」是我們自小被教導的做人道理。但許多時候當我們將自己最好的東西或關懷給予別人，他們卻不一定領情，有些甚至會反感呢！為甚麼我們慷慨付出、關懷備至的去對待朋友，他們卻不領受我們那份真心至誠的關懷呢？為甚麼即使有心關懷朋友，卻常常會吃力不討好 ?


其實，我們很多時候都把「愛人如己」錯解了。首先讓我們看看，甚麼是愛自己？「愛自己」在心理或感性上的意思，是指按自己的意向或感覺來對待自己。如果「愛人如己」是指按自己的方式或感覺去對待別人，就是用對自己認為或感覺最好的方式及方法去對待人。但有趣的是，對我們是最好的，但對其他人卻往往並非如此，那就是把對口單位弄錯了。所以真正的「愛人如己」是按別人所悅納的方式去對待別人。


因為每一個人都有著不同的性格（當然還有習慣和價值觀，但這裡暫且不談）。不同的人需要用不同的形式與方法來溝通並表達關懷。如果我們真的想關懷別人，我們應該先放下自己，謙卑下來，並以對方認爲最好的方式與他溝通。現在就讓我們運用MBTI來探討一下這個問題。


甚麼是MBTI？它的全名爲Myers-Briggs Type Indicator。這是一套性格測驗，理論源自心理動力大師容格(Carl Jung)的性格類型分析，經Myers-Briggs家族半世紀精研改良而成。心理動力大師容格，是繼弗洛依德(Sigmund Freud) 之後，對近代心理學影響極為深遠的另一宗師，他的心理學博大精深，對人類行為觀察入微。


MBTI性格測驗，旨在反映個人性格類型，對個人成長、發掘性格潛能、改善人際關係，並瞭解自己在壓力下之心理反應，都有很大幫助。容格及Briggs認為人類大致可分為四種基本運作與態度類型，不同人有不同取向，由此而形成十六種不同性格：

 

心理能力走向 —「外向型(E)」或 「內向型(I)」


很多人誤以為多說話的人就是外向。但其實內向的人也可以說話不停。外向或內向，其實是當我們思考時，我們的思路是外顯或內斂。「外向型(E)」的表徵，通常是一邊說話一邊思考、反應迅速而不會停留在熟思中；而「內向型(I)」就需要一個安靜的空間來思考，並常停下來反省多於作出反應。


所以當我們關懷一個「外向型」的朋友，需要多與他談話；如果我們不多說話，「外向型」的朋友會認為我們不關心他。反之，當我們關懷一個「內向型」的朋友，我們需要注意靜默，給予空間等待對方思考和回應。如果我們不停地說話，對「內向型」的朋友來說，是一種不尊重或不了解。



認知功能 — 「辨識型(S)」或 「直覺型(N) 」


「辨識型」喜歡透過五官收集資料，強調事實，注重實際和具體觀點。他們會以證物(事實、細節及例子) 作陳述，常常直截了當地提出實質建議；而「直覺型(N)」卻喜歡注重事情的可能性與關連性，留意潛在的遠景。他們喜歡未知的可能性及創新的事物，甚至具顛覆性的建議。


當我們關心「辨識型」的朋友，就必需多用具體的實例和一些可以量度及觸摸得到的東西；但關心「直覺型」的朋友，就應該多用比喻及故事。


決定功能 —「理智型(T)」或 「感性型(F)」


「理智型」的人喜歡根據客觀事實，並且倚重分析來做決定，更重視公平的原則。他們分析事情，會先以客觀事實和邏輯關係作第一層資料，情緒及感受只會是第二層資料；「感性型」的人下決定時，卻會從價值觀出發，重視關係、喜好，他們往往先把情緒及感受放於首位，客觀的事實和邏輯關係只能在次位。


當我們想勸服一個「理智型」的朋友時，就應該從事實和邏輯出發；但要說服一個「感性型」的朋友，從關係及親情出發，會更容易得到認同。


生活態度 —「決斷型(J)」或 「熟思型(P)」


「決斷型」的人喜歡有條理的生活，實踐計劃時，以目標為本；「熟思型」不介意突發事情，喜歡彈性生活，注重過程而非目標。


當我們與「決斷型」的朋友相處，要隨計劃行事，並集中在目的及方向；但與「熟思型」的朋友相處，要具備彈性，甚至願意接受死線在最後時段的突發改變。


 MBTI是用來協助我們了解自己和別人的工具。它是其中一樣最有效的方法，能幫助我們彼此瞭解，從而更能掌握自己和別人性格上的差別。如果我們接納容格理論的信念，認為人的本質和性格的原型是與生俱來的（或是上帝所賦予），因此每個人都有自己獨特的性格。

當我們在我去關懷別人的時候，是否應轉轉角度，按對方的特質去關懷他，而不是按「自己」的想法或感受去「愛」他呢！


張啟賢博士
ICEHK 總監/   APP認可MBTI 執行師
關心#45


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2014年6月5日 星期四

當我們不再執筆寫字，我們錯失了...

在數碼年代裡，大家寫字的機會愈來愈少，都變成了「鍵盤戰士」。可是，外國有心理學家及腦神經學家表示，不要以為執筆寫字遲早被淘汰，因為有新的證據表明，手寫比起鍵盤輸入，學習的效率更高，更有利新知識的消化及應用。
來自巴黎 Collège de France 的心理學家 Stanislas Dehaene 指出親手寫字時，會令學習變得更有效率，更能夠記下資訊，及衍生新意念，他說：「當我們書寫時，一種獨特的神經迴路會自動活躍起來，寫字時的手勢會令人腦更易認字，學習亦更易。」
2012年Indiana University 的心理學家 Karin James 進行了一項研究，研究中的孩童尚在牙牙學語的階段，他們還未開始學寫字及閱讀，實驗給予他們的任務，就是要將預定的字母分別寫到紙上和輸入電腦之中。在整個研究過程中，孩童的大腦會被掃描，看看腦部的反應。研究人員發現在複製字母的過程之中，寫作時大腦的反應和活動，當中有三個部分的反應特別大，該三個部份是成人在閱讀或寫作時特別活躍的部份，相比之下，以打字或電子輸入的話，大腦的活動明顯減弱。
James 指出這個分別主要源於手寫動作的「不規則」，因為手寫時每個人的筆跡都不一樣，當筆跡不斷變更，這變化對於孩子而言，是一種能刺激腦部學習的過程。因為字型的不同，令大腦能反覆記著同一字母的不同形態，這有助建立人腦對文字的印象，因此她認為親手寫字對於學習而言，仍是最有效的形式。
資料來源：
New York Times
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