Final Paper
Christine M. Reinheimer
Arizona State University
Memory and Cognition 75542
December 3, 2014
Agnosia and Attention
Interference with cognition based on visual perception seems to be very important in the “Internet Age,” when information is transmitted through increasingly visual methods. The various types of agnosia would seem to present significant interference with many kinds of information on the Internet. Videoconferencing, for instance, is growing in popularity. I FaceTime with my family in California on almost a daily basis, and my husband has had several Skype job interviews. If an individual suffered from prosopagnosia, a disorder in which an individual can see the features of a face, but not recognize who the face belongs to (Werner, 2010), such experiences would be next to impossible to manage. Infographics, a method of presenting nuggets of data in a visual manner, would also lead to problems for agnosics. These graphic representations of data often use layers of shapes, colors, numbers, and words to present data that would present difficulties to those who suffer from apperceptive or object-specific agnosia. In addition, the dependence on visual information complicates the discussion of attention and cell-phone use. Navigation systems, whether on a smart phone or on the dashboard, present perceptive distractions to a driver just like talking or texting on a cell phone. Strayer and Johnston (2001) hypothesize that distraction while using cell phones is attentional because the driver must pay attention to the conversation rather than driving. Navigation systems would seem to create similar distractions, as the driver pays attention to either looking at a map or listening to the voice giving directions. It seems important to conduct research on the increasing presence of visual information in our lives to determine how individuals, whether they suffer from agnosia or not, are affected by having to process this information, as well as to determine if the innovative use of technology to generate new kinds of visual information uncovers new kinds of agnosia.
The Memory Pill
Propranolol, the “memory pill,” would seem to have many applications that present opportunities for research. The memory pill is currently being used to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in soldiers and rape victims, although the drug’s use is still in the early stages of testing (Finkelstein, 2007). If the trials continue to go well, there seem to be a number of situations that would benefit from the use of propranalol, such as abused children, who can also develop PTSD as a result of abuse. Studies would first have to determine whether propranalol would help these children, and further if children might suffer from a unique set of side effects, similar to the situation of Prozac that has particular side effects on teens. In addition, research could examine how propranalol helps those with PTSD to see if other medications could be used to treat other disorders. Propranalol, although it is called the “memory pill,” does not change a person’s memory; rather, it suppresses the release of adrenaline in reaction to the memory of a traumatic event (Finkelstein, 2007). Research could investigate if the suppression of chemical response would be an effective treatment for other disorders as well.
Intelligence Tests and Education
There seem to be some problems with standard intelligence tests. First, it is unclear exactly what “intelligence” means: there are competing theories ranging from Spearman’s two factor theory to Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (Smilek, Sinnett, & Kingstone, 2013).
Second, there can be biases and issues that affect an individual’s test scores that are not part of the test, such as the Flynn effect (Smilek, Sinnett, & Kingstone, 2013). Nonetheless, intelligence tests are viewed as reliable because they can accurately predict an individual’s academic grades (Smilek, Sinnett, & Kingstone, 2013). If this issue is examined from the opposite perspective, questions regarding grading and assessment in school could be raised. First, it would seem that grades, at least in part, measure intelligence. Intelligence is seen as a practical trait (Smilek, Sinnett, & Kingstone, 2013), and academics is one place that intelligence is practiced. If traditional understandings of intelligence are unable to reach a consensus, it would seem reasonable to suggest that traditional grades do not effectively measure the practice of intelligence. Second, if the multiple intelligences theory is sound, then it could be asked if all intelligences are graded in school. Students receive grades in math and English, but rarely, if ever, do they receive grades for social, creative, and emotional intelligence. Academic grades, then, would seem not to measure a student’s entire intelligence. Finally, movements such as the Common Core, which attempt to standardize education at a national level, must be sure to take into account external factors such as the Flynn effect when establishing performance levels. If academic grades are a measure of a student’s intelligence, it seems imperative that educators take the research into intelligence into account when determining how to assess and grade a student’s application of intelligence.
References
Finkelstein, S. (Producer). (2007). The Memory Pill [Video file]. United States: CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-memory-pill/
Smilek, D., Sinnett, S., & Kingstone, A. (2013). Cognition (5th. ed.). Don Mills, Ontario, Canada: Oxford University Press.
Strayer, D.L., & Johnston, W.A. (2001). Driven to distraction: Dual-task studies of driving and conversing on a cellular telephone. Psychological Science, 12(6), 462-466. Retrieved from https://myasucourses.asu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-9757241-dt-content-rid-37706384_1/ xid-37706384_1
Werner, S. (director). (2010). Prosopagnosia . Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/ 8697643