March 31, 2010

April Science Cafe examines 'Brain Research at NDSU'

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We see, hear and feel effortlessly, but it is not clear how our brain orchestrates all these inputs and combines them into objects. Wolfgang Teder, North Dakota State University associate professor of psychology, will discuss this topic during the April Science Café: "Brain Research at NDSU: Where is the Dog and Where are My Hands?" The event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Stokers Basement, Hotel Donaldson. It is free and open to the public.

"It seems to matter what we expect, what we attend to and what we decide to ignore. It also seems to matter where our hands are in space. Attention to the outside world is a mysterious and tricky phenomenon," Teder says. "Even if we want to attend to something, we can (and will) be distracted by something unforeseen. We all turn down the volume of the radio as we drive around in a new city looking for a specific street address. In this case, the radio disturbs our visual search. On the other hand, aircraft controllers benefit from hearing a tone from the correct side shortly before a new aircraft enters the radar display. The nature of these so-called 'links' between the senses is still a largely uncharted area."

Attendees must be 21 or older or accompanied a parent or guardian. For more information, contact Keri Drinka at keri.drinka@ndsu.edu or (701) 231-6131.

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