Mind Questions

Describe a few key elements of a modern scientific worldview with respect to our “inner world” of thoughts, feelings, and unconscious mental processes, and to how observable individual and group behaviors and environmental interactions arise from and influence these. (~300 words)

• 1. Based upon observable behavior what three “values” (wants) appear to be common to nearly all living organisms?
• 2. Based on your response to question 1, what are three values widely shared by humans?
• 3. What are six levels in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
• 4. What evidence have we for including Maslow’s Hierarchy in a modern scientific world-view?
• 5. What does Daniel Gilbert mean by “surrogation” and by “simulation”?
• 6. Which of these does Gilbert say is superior for predicting affective states?
• 7. What two reasons for its superiority and our refusal to use it does Gilbert offer?
• 8. What do we mean and understand by “illusion of control” as we use this term in valuescience?
• 9. What is one example of how an “illusion of control” can be an impediment to valuescience practice?
• 10. What evidence for preconscious choice have researchers discovered?
• 11. What do we mean and understand by priming, and what is an example of it?
• 12. According to Gilbert humans are primed to ignore global warming because it lacks what four qualities?
• 13. What are three benefits we may reap by applying evolutionary understanding of human touch and engaging in more touch?
• 14. What are three postural cues Fisher identifies in human courting behavior?
• 15. What are three mating strategies among our primate relatives?
• 16. In which of these do humans engage?
• 17. What evidence of universal patterns in body language have researchers found?
• 18. What evidence of universal patterns in facial expression have researchers found?
• 19. What are three ways people can use knowledge of evolutionary biology to see self and others more accurately?
• 20. What do people commonly mean and understand by “addiction”?
• 21. How do we define addiction in this course?
• 22. What are three consequences of defining “addiction” as we do in this course?
• 23. What two general strategies do humans and individuals of many other species universally employ to address challenges in the environment?
• 24. In contemporary Western society, on which of these strategies (from response to question 23) do we rely more heavily than did/do people in other times/places?
• 25. What general trend is evidence that we may be maladaptively over-reliant on this strategy (from response to question 24)?
• 26. What is a “keystone habit” according to Charles Duhigg?
• 27. How can people use knowledge of keystone habits to live better?
• 28. What do we mean by “classical conditioning” as we use the term in valuescience?
• 29. What is one example of how you’ve been classically conditioned?
• 30. What do we mean by “operant conditioning” as we use the term in valuescience?
• 31. What is one example of how you’ve been conditioned in this way?
• 32. What do we mean by "psychological defense mechanisms" as we use the term in valuescience?
• 33. With reference to Vaillant’s categorization of defense mechanisms, what are one “immature,” one “neurotic,” and one “mature” defense mechanism on which you sometimes rely?
• 34. How might people valuescience to evolve towards reliance upon more mature defense mechanisms?
• 35. Briefly state Totman’s thesis about justification.
• 36. How can people benefit by being aware of Totman’s thesis?
• 37. How are practicing Buddhism and sciencing similar?
• 38. Give three examples of practices through which we might alter consciousness and awareness.
• 39. In what three (or more) ways we can lessen risks of groupthink?
• 40. What are two examples of qualities (one natural, one artificial) of a physical environment that may be impediments to valuesciencing?
• 41. How may people mitigate or overcome, and assist others in overcoming external impediments to valuesciencing?
• 42. What is one way you can practice cognitive activism to assist others in valuesciencing?
• 43. What are two cognitive bias impediments to valuesciencing?
• 44. Name and briefly describe three cognitive biases of which you are aware in your own behavior.
• 45. How can you mitigate one of these and reduce its adverse effects?
• 46. What do we mean and understand by “self-observation”?
• 47. What are three examples of situations in which we may practice self-observation to evolve a more consilient science-based world-view?
• 48. To what two sources may we attribute all internal impediments to valuesciencing?
• 49. How may people mitigate or overcome internal impediments to valuesciencing?