Learn from cutting edge researchers in neuroscience and psychology with PhD students Beth Fisher and Ava Ma de Sousa. On Minds Matter, we explore a range of subjects, from conspiracy theories to falling in love, to nostalgia. We discuss the neuroscientific and psychological research behind these issues while talking through our own personal experiences.
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a ground-breaking technique that uses electrical impulses to treat conditions like epilepsy and depression through electrodes implanted in the brain. In this episode we are joined by Dr. Saurabh Sonkusare to learn about how DBS works and how it can be used in psychiatry and research. Ava and Beth discuss how DBS research findings may have implications for philosophical ideas of the self.
What comes to mind when you hear the term “objectively reasonable”? In this episode, Dr. Mikaela Spruill joins us to discuss how legal standards in criminal justice aren't as neutral as they may seem. We discuss how social stratification and lived experience influence jurors' priors, the idea of legal objectivity, and why diverse juries matter.
Have you ever wondered how the built environment effects your mood? Is it true that red rooms make you angry? This week we sit down with Dr. Isabella Bower to discuss her on research on how the built environment can impact our mental health. Dr. Bower shares how the colour and size of rooms may influence us and how we should think about designing the built environment for mental health. Beth and Ava share how they feel that space effects them.
How do our beliefs about ourselves and the world influence the way we learn and make decisions? Dr. Hayley Dorfman joins us to discuss how internal representations like sense of control shape our learning processes. We discuss the interplay between reinforcement learning and Bayesian inference, how agency beliefs impact learning from positive and negative feedback, and how these processes change across different developmental stages/
This week on Minds Matter both Ava and Beth chat with Dr. Nina Rajcic about her work using LLMs in her art practice giving us a new perspectives for thinking about AI. Dr. Rajcic talks about her work and how its meaning has changed as LLMs continue to develop. We share our thoughts about the future of AI in both tech and art.