Optical Illusions, Information Processing, Learning, & Behavior Modification: How They Affect Political Decisions

Optical Illusions, Information Processing, Learning, & Behavior Modification: How They Affect Political Decisions

Purpose: Explain the teach / learning process. Education provides an awareness of choices and alternatives beyond what an individual has previously been exposed. Emphasize the importance of finding and identifying sources of reliable, objective information vs. gossip and hearsay. There are two sides to every situation, so explore all perspectives. Emphasize the possibility of a bias, which is distorted or limited information and view of a situation. Things are not always what they appear to be. Conditions change over time. Understand personal limitations in processing and comprehending information. Values, cultural, and demographic differences of people result in different reactions and conclusions from the same information. There may be no single correct answer. Group decisions and a democracy require fairness, equal participation, and extensive time for the process to evolve.

How is this phrase (and the concept of teaching / learning) related to government? Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. This situation questions the importance and responsibility of society to provide services that will benefit the individual, and then ultimately society as a whole. Government is the mechanism that provides these services that individuals cannot provide themselves. Yet determining exactly what and how much is to be provided is a complicated decision for the group because of the cost to those who must pay. The discipline of PHILOSOPHY examines these bigger issues that consider WHY should we even care about the man. This idea is timely now as our divided country grabbles with deciding the role of government and choices that will determine the extent that the country should continue to incur its massive debt to create jobs that will overcome the Recession. Helping our fellow man has been historic, but there are some Congressmen who do not want to provide federal assistance to Hurricane Sandy storm victims. Clearly then the phrase addresses the importance of the teach / learn process and understanding HOW that interaction is paid for.

MY job is to teach you stuff, but also how to THINK and to become empowered to control your own life!

Is this a Duck or Rabbit?

Things are not always what they appear to be and are often confusing. Everyone see things differently. Is this a Duck or Rabbit? If we cannot quickly and readily identify a simple image, or we see different objects, how can we as society or as a group, make decisions and judgments about complicated political issues? How can we agree on a common path or solution, if we cannot agree on the defining the problem or image itself? Thus, the complexity of people interacting in a workable democracy is very, very complicated; and understandably difficult; although it should not be this way!!

Is this a Duck or Rabbit? If we cannot agree on identifying a simple image, how then can we as a country agree on solutions to complicated problems? Often conditions are not what they appear to be; and they can be multiple conditions at the same time. Thus, everything is always more complicated than we expect. Inevitably solutions take longer and cost more than expected. A democracy is, by definition, a messy process because [theoretically] it allows everyone an equal chance and equal voice to participate in the decision-making process.

In 2009, the Tea Party emerged that divided the operations of law making along Party beliefs by refusing to compromise, which is the fundamental tool needed to pass laws agreeable to all parties. Such has now become divided government and almost a new normal, though dysfunctional and wasteful. Republicans Democrats

Outcome of the 2014 election was a Republican landslide that allows them to hold their control of the US House; and also to win the US Senate. Thus, the concept of divided government is now redefined to mean the split in philosophical beliefs between the Republican Congress and the Democratic beliefs of President Obama in the White House. Obama is a Democrat with differing political views on problem solving. Both chambers controlled by Republicans

Political Parties have different ideology on most majr issues. This is what makes them different interest groups and opposed to each other when making laws.

Here are some examples of simple situations to show how people think differently (or not at all). If we can t agree on simple topics, how can we agree on complicated political choices? How do we educate these people on the important issues? Some people do not pay attention!!

Learning is the process of accumulating individual details of a topic and then drawing a conclusion from them to understand the big picture. In the simplest situations, the learning process and its conclusion can be totally obvious or have internal clues to guess the final answer.

Yet in more complicated applications such as original research, the dots are more difficult to conquer and the outcome is more ambiguous to identify. Solving the problem is 2- fold: connecting the dots and understanding the meaning of the puzzle after the connections are made. This requires critical or high level thinking taught in college.

Counting is a pre-requisite and without adequate other background information, no amount of clues will reveal the answer. Even the simplest dot-to-dot puzzle takes sufficient background knowledge to guess the finished image. Example: So if you have never seen a rabbit, then you cannot recognize one from the image or guess the answer because it is beyond your experience.

Wheel of Fortune: multiple strategies at each step are required to win the game! Spin the Wheel to determine value of the play activity Guess a letter based upon proven probability of letter patterns: N,S,T,R are the most frequent letters appearing in words Continue guessing letters to increase prize money Buy vowels to enhance solving the puzzle Solve the puzzle during your turn Win BONUS round

Choices, Information, and the Decision Age Complexity of society requires constant decision-making just to function on a basic level The simple life of by-gone eras is gone forever! Shows such as Twilight Zone, Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, etc. are 1 dimensional and shallow compared to today s life complexity. No longer does this simple life exist!! Failure to decide or make a correct choice results in complete shutdown of the entire process. Constant bombardment of people with information. Users must screen information for relevance. Decisions must often be quick and impulsive; and there are negative consequences exist for bad decisions.

Value and purpose of Information / Learning is to help make useful choices and productive decisions. Decision making can be regarded as an outcome of mental processes (cognitive process) leading to the selection of a course of action among several alternatives. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion of choice. Biases can creep into our decision making processes. Many different people have made a decision about the same question (e.g. "Should I have a doctor look at this troubling breast cancer symptom I've discovered?" "Why did I ignore the evidence that the project was going over budget? Failed to observe the red flags and warning signs!! Then, craft potential cognitive interventions aimed at improving decision making outcomes. i.e. learn from our mistakes.

Wise decision making requires many skills and qualities accumulated over time.

The Seven Learning Styles Everyone learns differently. Visual (spatial): You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding. Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music. Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing. Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch. Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems. Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people. Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

As we start the new school year, I just want you to know that I am an Abstract Sequential learner and trust that you will conduct yourself accordingly. Each person learns differently and there are different learning styles. Yet there must be a common approach for all.

Many students themselves do not realize that the purpose of education is to learn HOW to think.

Noam Chomsky American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, logician, historian, political critic, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor (Emeritus) in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT

How to think? You have to understand your own head and that of others.

Learning, knowledge, and experience are layered cumulatively over time. Learning builds on previously mastered concepts and knowledge breeds a desire for additional knowledge, especially as self confidence and a better, overall understanding evolve. The process is also strengthened and reinforced by environmental factors and/or peers who assert the importance of learning. 2010 2007 2005 2003 2001 copyright2005@max Beauregard

Process of 2 Way Communication: Effective distribution of information sent by teacher or source (language, volume, visual, gestures, etc.) Receiving skill of by viewer or audience Ability to concentrate and focus (physical conditions of room (hot/cold) & personal issues (illness, hunger, sleepy, bathroom) Processing and interpretation; level of understanding/age/relate to the information being broadcast Bias: values, prejudice, and experience of viewer and sender Quality of Information or Product Accuracy/truth of information/reliable source of info Timeliness; current Relevance; ability to relate or connect

Learning is communication, but Instructors are not mind readers. Without interaction and student participation, Instructors cannot tell what students do or do not know. Responsibility for communication is a two-way process between the Instructor and student. Students must learn from each other by sharing their experiences and connecting with the concepts under study.

All parties must be engaged and exchange ideas freely for effective learning to occur. Each person has a different idea and sharing these ideas challenges the reasons behind your choices and exposes all parties to new ideas. Most importantly, it defends why those beliefs are held.

What We See, is Not Always What We Think It Is Joke ~ Comedy occurs because the punchline is an unexpected twist of facts of the situation Magic ~ a series of steps or procedures that fools the eye, usually by distracting the eye away from the focus, while the trick is set-up. Optical Illusions ~ Images that fools the eye using a conflicting context that is unexpected by the viewer Physical Distortions ~ Simulated environment that alters ability to recognize reality; i.e. a strobe light, sounds, or maybe stressful or torture situation like waterboarding? Mixed signals ~ Words that have 1 meaning, but they are expressed in an inconsistent manner typical of that word. Example: wife beater Subliminal messaging ~ Hidden images, sounds, or messages that stimulate the subconscious mind, which are usually unknown to a viewer Propaganda ~ Deceptive information deliberately intended misinform an audience. Brain washing. Limited exposure to choices and alternatives. Lies & Falsehoods ~ Deliberate misinformation intended to provoke fear, usually to create a submissive populace protected by a dictator.

The brain can be tricked, based upon what the eye sees or what our previous behavior has taught us.

Context: is environmental characteristic where communications and information are displayed and interpreted. Context sets the limits or boundaries of the environment where information is evaluated or judged; and then whether it is retained as important; or rejected as inconsequential / irrelevant to the decision being made at the time.

Context: The initial reaction to situations can quickly change as the context evolves and develops to reveal the big picture. Be careful how you make decisions (esp. political) and avoid any knee jerk reaction to limited information until both sides of the story are told and the whole picture is revealed. Information of all types comes to us in layers, waves, and pieces released over time. The world is a very dynamic place; and change occurs daily and continuously, so be cautious about jumping to conclusions prematurely or exercising faulty logic. Remember: A wise man changes his mind; a fool never does!

The horizontal lines are actually parallel, but they appear angular because of the offset and juxtaposition of the B&W rectangles. Thus, the CONTEXT affects and determines our interpretation of the information, and ultimately our judgment of a situation.

A & B squares are the exactly the same color, but they appear differently because of the shadow cast by the green cylinder!! The context of an object determines your ability to accurately describe it, understand it, OR judge it.

When the context of the squares is the same, they do indeed look exactly the same color!! Thus, we need to be very careful when making decisions and judgments that we fully understand an issue, the reliability of our information, and future consequences of our decisions on others.

Peripheral vision can simulate movement (or flashes), thereby altering the context and perception of the objects. Such movement is simulated by juxtaposing the contrast of the dots and the squares. Again, the context of situation determines our reaction to it.

Concentration: ability to focus and ignore distracting elements not relevant to the task at hand; Reject unimportant information. Yet it restricts our ability to see additional and potentially equally relevant activity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjg698u2mvo Count the number of basketball passes by the team in white shirts (not the dribbles on the floor). Some people who exhibit serious concentration fail to see the 3 rd party enter the play action, which is the object of this exercise.

Concentration and observation are also required for simple mind games. Find the 8 differences between the two images. Many people are NOT observant and do not see details. Observing requires training and practice.

How many F s? FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

There are 6! The brain cannot process positioning of the letters in the word OF because it comes at the end of the word. Three is normal, four is quite rare.

Yet under other circumstances, the brain more than compensates because of the context and sequence that the letters appear. Did you konw you re a guiens? Jsut the fcat taht you can atllacuy raed tihs psot porves taht fcat. The huamn mnid is so pufowerl it can dcodee tihs txet eevn tguohh eervy sglnie wrod is slepled iocenrtclry. The one cavaet is taht the frist and lsat lertets are pervresed in erevy wrod. Cidrgbame Uitesirnvy cetoudncd a sduty and fnuod taht the biarn deos not raed eevry snlige lteetr, but wodrs as a wohle.

There are many factors that allow you to be able to read the above paragraph. 27 of 74 words above have not been scrambled because they are short words; i.e. 1, 2, or 3 letters. This helps to maintain the grammatical structure of the sentence. 20 of the 74 words are four letter which means that only two letters have been transposed. Its very simple for a person to decode a 4 letter words. Therefore, 63% of this sentence is not even scrambled. 15 of the words are 5-6 letters long which are only moderately difficult to decode. Thus only 20% of the words in the above paragraph are difficult to unscramble. Furthermore, when words are in context they re much easier to figure out the correct meaning based upon the letters available.

As long as the first and last letter are correctly positioned, the brain can interpret the meaning independently of the middle letters. Olny srmat poelpe can raed this. I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the first and last ltteer be in the rgh it pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this psas it on!!

Read only the words that you see: The way information is presented determines our ability to understand it. The format (positioning) of the words dictates how and what you see. Thus, formatting is critical to interpretation. It can be helpful or inhibit comprehension.

Negative and positive context also determine the image and the message that we see.

Positive and negative images both create the messaging.

Perspective is the viewpoint of the user to an object, such that different perspective will yield very different assessments of reality. Describing the same object will yield very different assessments when the perspective changes.

Pixels are the individual data elements that create a composite graphic image. The number of pixels determines the quality of the image, so more pixels create a higher quality image because there is more detail available to the eye.

Number of pixels determines the quality of the image, or rather its resolution such as the difference in a low resolution photo/video (right) or that from blu-ray or high definition TV.

high definition images can appear as 3-D

French impressionist art developed in the late 1870s by simulating a complete image using small dabs of color. Later it evolved into abstract impressionism, with only the blobs of paint.

Scale and focus are critical to seeing the individual elements vs. entire image. Impressionism is the artistic style originating from using small dots to create the larger image. The Bush portrait is made of words. This technique now uses computers and graphic software.

Mona Lisa is the subject of many modern art reinterpretations. http://gdaeman.blogspot.com /2007_06_01_archive.html

Mural of W. Bush composed of photos of dead Iraq War soldiers.

Obama collage of misc. campaign signs, images, & T-shirts.

Morphed image of Bush & Obama using graphic software. Madonna collage

THE COCHRANE MURAL

THE COCHRANE MURAL For those not living in Canada, Cochrane is NW of Calgary and east of Banff, in the foothills of the Rockies. This mural was unveiled at the Cochrane Ranch House. Each tile is one-foot square, is its own individual picture and each is by a different artist. All of them together form this huge mural. You can click on each of the tiles to see them in detail. Check out, especially, the horse's eye. Click on any square that makes up the mural to see what the square really is. http://www.muralmosaic.com/cochrane.html

SCALE determines the level of detail seen in an image.

Knee-jerk reaction: 1. an immediate unthinking physical or emotional reaction (usually very extreme) produced by an event or statement to which the reacting person is highly sensitive; knee jerk is usually uncontrollable and results in a decision that is often regrettable. 2. Typically reactions change when more information, thought, and good judgment prevail. Many people their make political decisions based upon limited information or a knee-jerk reaction to a single issue. Political problems are much more complex than those solved by a simple answer or a quick timeline.

Political issues are complicated and intertwined, so reaction to a single issue is always shortsighted and counter productive to a long term solution.

However, in addition to the issues themselves, are the priorities that must be assigned to resolving major political problems.

Mixed Signals are contradictory messages or inconsistent verbal signals with body language and voice patterns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks-_mh1qhmc Body Language analysis after the Debates was an important means to better understand the sincerity of the candidates.

Mixed Signals can be shown with discrepancies between the verbal/speech patterns of a person and their body language. John McCain exhibited strange behavior in a speech where he emphatically promised to pursue bin Laden to the gates of hell and then ended with an unexpected grin.

But in addition to just not getting it, some people genuinely have impaired logic/reasoning capabilities or they are consumed with denial about basic realities. If I can t see you; you can t see me.

Society is extremely specialized and some people accept its division of labor unconditionally. These people are stuck on an escalator when it stops and become totally helpless because they have failed to learn or understand the bigger picture of their own role in life outside of their immediate comfort zone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yquas3syuje

As these people protest their taxes, they fail to realize the benefits that taxes provide, thereby exhibiting faulty logic.

Many people are proud of their ignorance and narrow minds!

Couple at Marriage Counseling: A wife launched into a tirade of her grievances of neglect, lack of intimacy, and being unloved for many years. The Therapist walked over, embraced her, and kissed her passionately. She immediately sat down calmly, as if in a daze. The therapist said, This is what she needs at least 3 times/week. Can you do this? The husband replied, Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays & Wednesday, but on Fridays I go fishing. Some people just don t GET IT, no matter what!

Process Control or Control Theory is a behavior modification practice that manipulates the behavior of people to manage and improve a behavioral outcome. Encouraging people to change their behavior can have positive results with minimal effort.

Typically men urinate in a hap hazard manner that can dribble, spray, or splatter adjacent surfaces.

The floors under the urinals in Amsterdam s Schiphol Airport are so clean they could easily pass a hospital inspection. By creating a focal point within the urinal, men focus and aim on the fly, thereby reducing splatter.

www.thefuntheory.com Behavior modification using fun to promote alternative personal actions.

URLs of Fun Theory videos shown in class: Piano stairs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lxh2n0apyw Fast Lane/Slide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4o0zveixyu Deepest trash bin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbekawcockw Bottle Bank/Recycling game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsihjmu-muo Speed Camera http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iynzhwwjxaa

Houston Chronicle employed Fun Theory when they printed a satire of Monopoly as the Editorial page in response to unpopular budget cuts by the Texas Legislature as a means to arouse citizens outrage.

Subliminal Messaging is embedding hidden images in video with the intent to deceive or misguide, or artificially influence behavior without the recipients knowledge. visionary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hc0buyizxi Arias Awards & rules of subliminal 5:29min http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxcswtb9zz8 Food Network Subliminal Advertising? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmzbwa6pvee Derren Brown - Subliminal Advertising http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyqjr1yl0zg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxmgclmedky

Find the cartoonist s sons' names (Colton and Travis) hidden in this version of the cartoon. This is an example of subliminal communication used by the media to embed and communicate secondary messages.

Thus, by studying and analyzing human behavior, we can begin to improve, manage, or manipulate it in positive ways. However, it could also be used to coerce people into doing things bad things or to deceive them with propaganda in a politically dangerous way.

Thus, if people can t agree on whether an image is a duck or rabbit, how could they possibly agree on complicated decisions like political priorities and solutions? Each of us sees and interprets things differently, so we can only try to educate, communicate, compromise, and maintain mutual respect for each opinion!

Illusionistic Art of M.C. Escher, artist of the 1930s, as psychology and psychiatry were emerging as medical fields to study the mind.

hands

stairs

ants

Sky & water

Some people are deliberately malicious and hateful, such as vandals and those that create a computer virus to destroy property of innocent people they do not know. Someone created this Internet hoax about a woman on Millionaire who was incompetent. But purpose is served by wasteful non productive behavior?

Example of Internet Hoaxes: MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION. We happily announce to you the draw of the Sweepstake Lottery International Programs held this 2011 in LONDON ENGLAND. Your e-mail address was attached to ticket number: EAASL-130876.And subsequently won you the lottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 950,000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds Sterling) This is from a total cash prize of 950,000.00 Shared amongst the first ten (10) lucky winners in this category. Please note that your lucky Winning number falls within our Europe booklet representative in LONDON, ENGLAND as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your 950.000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand pounds sterling) cheque, would be released to you by our fiduciary agent in LONDON, ENGLAND. Our Fiduciary agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your check up as soon as you contact him. To begin your claim please contact our licensed and accredited agent assigned to you Sir. Cleon Wood. Microsoft Promotion Award Team Email: claimdepartmentuk@zoho.com. Phone Num+44-7024024656 Fax +448704796623. To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, you are to contact Sir. Cleon Wood with the followings details below: VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM. (1) Your contact address. (2) Your Tel/Fax numbers. (3) Your Nationality/Country. (4) Your Full Names. (5) Sex {6} Age. {7} Occupation/ (8) Your Preferred Method Of Receiving Your Prize (From Below) Mode of Prize Remittance: (1) Cash Pick-Up (You coming down to United Kingdom personally to pick your prize). (2) Courier Delivery of Your Certified Winning Cheque and other Winning Documents safely to you. Quote your Ticket number in correspondences with us to our designated agent. Winners under 18 years of age will be automatically disqualified. Congratulations, once more from all members and staffs of this program. Thank you for being part of this promotional lottery program. Our special thanks and gratitude to Sultan of Brunei, Bill Gates of Microsoft and all his associates. You are expected to keep your winning details to yourself in strict confidence for security reasons. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL; CONTACT YOUR FIDUCIARY AGENT DIRECTLY. Sincerely, Dr.Paul Browm

This example is a precise illustration of the concept of believing things that are not true without confirmation of the facts!! ALWAYS investigate the validity (especially of email forwards beware passing them on to your friends!! www.snopes.com www.hoax-slayer.com These are sites to confirm the legitimacy of such so called urban myths Such research is known in business as due diligence