Relaxing music and the self: Insights from the perception of spontaneous sensations

Spontaneous sensations (SPS) are bodily sensations that can be perceived even in the absence of any external trigger and are related to self-referential and self-awareness processes. In this study, we investigated whether music, and in particular its emotional arousal dimension, could act as an external stimulus with the ability to modulate SPS. Thirty-two volunteers engaged in an SPS task (focusing on their hands) after having been exposed to high-arousing and low-arousing music. Results showed that after listening to low-arousing, relaxing music (compared to high-arousing, exciting music), participants perceived SPS more intensely, reported more numerous deep interoceptive sensations, and were more confident in specifying the location of these SPS, while their spatial characteristics decreased. These results suggest that relaxing music promoted increased perception by focusing attention on small areas of the hand. By showing for the first time that music can be used as an effective stimulus for modulating SPS, these findings suggest that, by promoting self-awareness processes, the relaxing nature of music can significantly increase the representation of the self.

Prospects for the Russian economy in 2020

Subject Prospects for the Russian economy in 2020. Significance The economic development ministry said on November 13 that third-quarter growth of 1.7% and probable similar growth in the fourth quarter confirms its previous view that Russia is on track for an annual GDP increase of 1.3%, down from 2.3% in 2018. Policymakers face two important questions: how to refocus public spending to provide effective stimulus for economic growth and what to do with the current high levels of foreign reserves.

PROBLEM DALAM ASUMSI PSIKOLOGI BEHAVIORIS (SEBUAH TELAAH FILSAFAT ILMU)

Behaviorism as a mainstream in psychology occupies a very significant position in decades. Behaviorism developed a method that is able to overcome the shortcomings of introspection in psychology studies. There are three basic assumptions in behaviorist psychology : (1) The method of behaviorist is out-inside (from outside to inside) so that the focus of the study on psychology is behavior and not on the internal mental state. The method of behaviorist psychology is the opposition of the Cartesian model of thinking that is inside-out. (2) The purpose of psychology was the prediction of behavior. (3) The human body is mechanically qualitatively not much different with animals, just to be more complex, so that there is no qualitative difference between the behavior of humans and non-humans. Based on the above assumptions, the fundamental problem that then arises are follows: (1) Ignored or even rejection of consciousness as a part that should be considered in human behavior. (2) Explanation of a very mechanical style behaviorist only able to explain human behavior in terms of a materialist causa, formalist, and efficient, regardless of cause of finalists who put more emphasis on the intentions of the action. (3) Behaviorism too dogmatic in its aim to predict behavior. Regardless of the problems that exist in the assumptions behaviorist psychology, the flow is still able to contribute in explaining people's behavior, given the influence of the environment (both physical and social environment, cultural and economic) as a source of effective stimulus for the behavior of individuals.

Sensory experience during locomotion promotes recovery of function in adult visual cortex

Recovery from sensory deprivation is slow and incomplete in adult visual cortex. In this study, we show that visual stimulation during locomotion, which increases the gain of visual responses in primary visual cortex, dramatically enhances recovery in the mouse. Excitatory neurons regained normal levels of response, while narrow-spiking (inhibitory) neurons remained less active. Visual stimulation or locomotion alone did not enhance recovery. Responses to the particular visual stimuli viewed by the animal during locomotion recovered, while those to another normally effective stimulus did not, suggesting that locomotion promotes the recovery only of the neural circuits that are activated concurrent with the locomotion. These findings may provide an avenue for improving recovery from amblyopia in humans.