Does a Full Moon Influence Human Behavior?

The Moon is known to have a huge effect on the ocean's tides. The mechanism, in simple terms, goes like this: While the moon's gravitational force causes the water to rise up, the earth is also pulling downwards, causing tides. Water levels are dependent upon the force of the moon. So with a full moon comes the high tide. And from this observation, the concept of the moon affecting human behavior evolved. This is because the human body is 80 percent water. It is believed that just like the ocean, when the moon is full, there will also be an upset of water balance in the human body, causing a person to behave irrationally.

The fullness of the moon has always been blamed for catastrophes in both nature and human beings. It got worse over the years that even insanity, which is believed to be fluctuating with the phases of the moon, is given another name "lunacy"(comes from the Latin word 'luna' which means moon). In some cases, the moon was used as an excuse of a committed crime. England lawyers in the 19th-century used the "guilty by reason of the full moon" defense for their cases - pointing out that their clients could not be held responsible for acting under the control of the moon.

Psychologist Arnold Lieber, from the University of Miami, dug deeper into this theory. The year was 1974 when he began conducting studies centered on the crime rates of Miami-Dade County in Florida. From the data gathered, he concluded that full moon has direct effect over the increase in homicide rates. He is so sure with his findings that he contacted the media, Miami police, and a hospital administrator to warn them about the danger that comes with a full moon. In 1978 he wrote a best-selling book called, "Lunar Effects: Biological Tides and Human Emotions", which made his studies more known to the general public. Lieber didn't stop there; he published another book in 1996 and continued to expand his theory about the moon's influence on human behavior.

As years go by, there are more claims about the moon's force causing human madness. From anxiety and aggression to psychotic crimes committed, all are believed to be due to the fullness of the moon. Despite all these declarations, many scientists and experts in human behavior are skeptical. The said observations are thought to be inconsistent and that the data gathered is affected by people's superstitious belief about the moon.

A huge possibility of "selective memory" might also be involved; when something strange happens and the moon is full, people might notice the moon and assign blame. But when the same event happen to them at other times, they tend to forget about it. It's like the moon is put to blame just because it was present at that very time. There is a clear failure of distinction between correlation and causation here. A relation existing between two events, does not really mean that one event causes the other. So just because a study discovered a relationship between the full moon and a particular behavior, doesn't necessarily mean the moon is the reason why it happened.

Ivan Kelly, a psychologist at the University of Saskatchewan, is among of the many skeptics of Lieber's study. She conducted her own investigation of lunar cycles and behavior to prove her doubts. And sure enough her findings show that the moon has no affectations on human behavior. She stated that there has been a bias in the confirmation and added, "Some beliefs are just exciting to hold, whatever the evidence." Kelly is right this myth remained despite of several findings proving no connection between the moon's gravity over mans insanity. People have embraced it over the years, whatever proof there is.

More of the full moon here ...

Deja Vu - Experiencing the Past in the Present

Have you ever felt an overwhelming sense that you are in close acquaintance with something that's totally new? Say, you travel to Spain for the first time and when you go visit the park, you feel that you've been to that same place before. Or maybe when you are talking to your friends about aliens on a Saturday night and all of a sudden you get the feeling that you have already experienced this very thing - same topic, same place, same set of friends- even though you know u haven't. If you have ever encountered any of these situations, it means you've experienced deja vu.

Deja vu is a french term that means "already seen" and some of it's variations are deja rencontre, already met; deja eprouve, already experienced; deja senti, already thought; deja visite, already visited. There are a lot of theories as to why this complex phenomenon happens. Some say its reincarnation, others thought of it as a memory glitch and some others believe it is caused by stress. Among all of these claims, researchers are able to put déjà vu into two general categories: associative déjà vu and biological déjà vu.

The most common one is the associative type where nature and senses play a vital role. It's like you see, smell, hear, or simply experience something that stirs a feeling and then you tend to associate it with what you've seen, smell, hear or experience before. Several researchers say that this is a memory-based type of déjà vu and assumed to be controlled by the memory centers of the brain. Biological déjà vu on the other hand, is closely linked to temporal-lobe epilepsy. People suffering from this illness, experience déjà vu just before the seizure take place. This is considered different from the typical déjà vu since the person experiencing it truly believe that he's been through that exact state before, rather than getting a feeling of familiarity that quickly passes.

The cause of deja vu may still be unclear. But one thing is for sure, it is among the paranormal events that only happen to certain people. It is a lot more rare than everyone seem to think it is and should not be confused with other paranormal phenomenon, especially with precognition (It is when a person feels that he know exactly what's going to happen next, and it does take place). An important difference is that, unlike precognition, a person who experiences deja vu does not have any idea that something is going to happen, but merely has the sensation of having already experienced the scene. Despite the difference, one theory is trying to prove the connection between precognitive dreams that gives a "deja vu feeling" afterwards. This however, is under further analysis.

Researchers admit that studying deja vu is extremely puzzling to the fact that it only occurs in a fraction of a second with no physical manifestations or witnesses, other than the person experiencing it. They are skeptical at inducing certainty on any reported incidents of déjà vu since there are no visual, audible, or maybe sensible evidence to prove it. Their studies are solely dependent on personal memories and descriptions in order to gather data. So many theories but still no definite explanations. Maybe déjà vu is just simply a part of human fantasy or perhaps a brain's slight misregister of mixing up the present from the past ... who knows? Apparently, there is a serious need for more systematic examinations to be done.

More about Deja Vu here...

How to Spot a Genuine Smile from a Fake Smile

Smiling is so easy to do ... just stretch the corners of your mouth to your ears and your done. Or if not, saying the word "cheese" will do the trick. Every one of us has our signature smile and we do it for different reasons. To appear pleasant, bestow approval, to show happiness or amusement; even when we feel embarrassed about something, we give out cute smiles to cover it up. Generally, smiles are given for positive reasons. Or is it?

There is really more to that happy smile than what you think. Sometimes smile is given to avoid hurting other's feelings. Like in a situation where you receive a gift from someone. An old fashioned flowery top that u can never imagine wearing. You really want to scream in horror and pass out. But being the good person you are, you just simply smile to let her think that you liked it. A clear false impression was given yet it's not noticeable since it is all patched up by a smile.

Seriously, how do we spot a real smile from a fake one? There is really not much of a difference between the two. But if we dig deeper to the mechanisms of how both are done, it may be easier for us to tell which is which. Experts say that real and fake smiles are not controlled by the same parts of the brain. Dr.Guy Curtis, a psychologist specializing in emotions and social behavior, stated that genuine smiles are produced spontaneously by the unconscious part of the brain; and the cerebral cortex (conscious brain) is the one responsible in creating fake smiles.

Since different portions of the brain generate both these smiles, the muscle groups that create them also vary. In a real smile (otherwise known as "Duchenne smile"), many muscle groups move involuntarily; mouth muscles contract, along with jaw and cheek movements which creases up the eyes (also known as crows feet). Although there's a small percent of people who have the ability of contracting these eye muscles to fake a real smile, 'crows feet' is said to be the most distinguishable feature of a genuine smile. However, In a fake smile (also called "polite smile" or "professional smile"), only the muscles that move the corners of the mouth are involved.

There are times when you see smiling eyes but when you get to the mouth it implies something else. Dr. Curtis stressed out that the symmetry of the mouth should also be considered to differentiate a real smile from a fake smile. Real smiles are symmetrical while fake smiles appear to be asymmetrical and is either a bit more left sided or right sided. From this observation he stated that the owner of the world's most enigmatic smile-Mona Lisa, has the left corner of her mouth turned a little bit higher than the right side, making it look asymmetrical. So when asked about his conclusion behind her smile, he replied " I think she is faking it". And added " that's my guess, but the only person who really knows is her."

More about smiles here ...

Body Language - Understanding the Code of the Unsaid

Here's a situation, you are talking with co-workers on a lunch break. One of them said he is planning to apply for a promotion because he thinks he deserve it. You did a half-smile, pulled your eyeglasses down to your nose bridge and peered over him, as a reaction. He then looked at you angrily and walked away. Pretending to be confused, you're like, "what did I do?" He was obviously insulted. Your gesture delivered the notion of him being unworthy to get a promotion. You said nothing, but he got your message anyway.

Action speaks louder than words. So true when we literally talk of body language. The human body speaks volumes. By just observing a person's posture, eye and finger movements, verbal contexts and tone, breathing, skin color, etc.; you can gain access to ones thoughts and feelings. In this discussion, we will focus more on body movements and postures.

In an event where u are the speaker of a conference, you know that you have the person's full attention when he keeps his palms down with the left hand over the right and his head tilted sideways which is a sign of interest. However, if you see the right hand covering the left and there is a quick flick of his head upwards, it means otherwise. This person is sending u a signal that he has doubts, probably not agreeing with what is being said, and is just waiting for his chance to interrupt. He may also pull his earlobe at the time when he is about to butt in.

Meanwhile, if you observe someone looking straight at you, not blinking, body tense but upright, don't be fooled. His gesture shows inattentiveness and that person is just giving you a false impression that he is listening. Some other unwilling listeners show postures like, sitting with both arms and legs crossed displaying mental withdrawal and opposition to what is being discussed. When you see one with head resting on his hand and eyes looking down, or head raised to look at the ceiling with fingers slightly tapping the armchair, or maybe legs crossed with foot slightly kicking, these are all signs of extreme boredom. Well, aside from yawning, of course.

To stir up discussions, try to ask questions or make your listeners ask something to get their full attention and for them to be alert. Observe when you try to ask questions that involve weighing of answers: A person tells you that he is not sure of what to say when he rubs around the surface of his ear (usually followed with "well, I don't know"). Rubbing the eye or touching the nose gently with the index finger, indicates doubt or inability to answer the question. Stroking of the chin may indicate thinking but if his index finger stretches a bit to touch his puckered lips, it signifies uncertainty of his answer.

In situations where you are the one answering questions, a person nods his head when he implies that he agree with you or realizes what you mean and is encouraging you to go on. But if he is rapidly nodding his head, it may mean that he wants you to stop talking and that he can't handle listening to you anymore. The same with a person rubbing his hands together, a sign of anticipation- not for more lectures but for you to finish and call it a day.

Nonverbal communication, in its deeper sense, gives out signs that are clear enough for you to realize. People unknowingly make others see more of them by how their body speaks. Amazing how physical movements convey a clear idea of what's in ones mind huh? There's no need of words; just that simple drumming of your boss' fingers on the table tells you what you need to know.

More about Body Language here ...

Do Animals Laugh?

Whether it's the youthful giggling of girls in the park or boisterous shouts of the crowd in a comedy show, we hear laughter every day. It's really nothing new to us humans. But what about animals? Are they capable of laughing? And if they do laugh, does it affect their overall behavior?

Some scientists believe that laughter is indeed present in animals. Studies on monkeys, rats and dogs, show that these creatures produce certain sounds that is indicative of laughter. Monkeys for example, make laughing-like noises when they play with each other and during interaction. Robert Provine, a psychology professor at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, stated that laughter is literally the sound of play with the primal 'pant-pant'- the labored breathing of physical play - becoming the human 'ha-ha'. He agrees that laughter has its evolutionary continuity and that its origin is in rough-and-tumble play and tickling.

Speaking of tickling, laughing in rats was discovered using this method. Jaak Panksepp and his co-researchers from Bowling Green State University in Ohio observed that rats, when tickled, produce a high-pitched chirping sound. The said sound was recorded using a "bat detector," an instrument that register sounds inaudible to human ears. " Lo and behold ... it sounded like a playground," Panksepp said, adding that keeping rats laughing isn't difficult. He also stated that not only did the rats respond to the tickling, they also became bonded to them and soon after, reacted like that of a small child when tickled.

In the case of dogs, a long loud panting is said to be the version of their laughter. Animal Behaviorist, Patricia Simonet stated that this breathy exhalation sound is only observed during play but not on aggressive clashes and is also believed to have a calming or soothing effect on the behavior of other dogs. Simonet and her students started researching this dog sound by recording dogs at play. They isolated this distinctive exhalation believed to be laughter. She then contacted the researchers at the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS) and asked if she could use the shelter dogs to examine the impact of dog laughter. Her proposal was granted and the said experiment was done. Findings show that when they played the regular panting of a dog over the loud speaker, the flock of dogs from the shelter kept on barking. But when they played the dog version of laughing, all 15 barking dogs went quiet within about a minute. Nancy Hill, director of (SCRAPS), said " It was a night-and-day difference " and added, " It was absolutely phenomenal."

Amid all these amazing observations, researchers from these three studies believe that some scientists are still skeptical of their work and disagree about their claims for human emotions on lower species. They all knew that people may find their "animal laughter" research hysterical, but they don't care since their only goal is to provide a detectable evidence of the biological origins of joy through laughter.

More about animal laughter here ...

Studies Show Romantic Love Declines Over Time

We do almost everything for love. From the simple buying of roses to putting oneself in great debt just to have the money for her diamond ring. All sorts of sacrifices done to show how strongly we feel for someone. Wonderful words are expressed, gifts are given, and vows are made to seal each other's commitment. The whole package is there. But the question is, will all of these remain the same over time? Psychologists form an answer to this question, and are trying to find out the real deal about love's consistency by conducting a study.

Some people define love as eternal. While others say, it fades, as the relationship grows older. There are really a lot of things to consider about how long the spark of love can endure in a relationship. Italian scientists from the University of Pavia stated that a brain chemical causing the romantic feeling disappears over a year; which is why the emotions that we experience at the start of the relationship do not last. Dr. E. Emanuel and his co-researchers discovered that an increase in the level of a chemical called Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is present among people who are in love.

They conducted an experiment focusing NGF levels to 58 subjects who are in love, together with two other groups consisting of singles, and those that are already in a long-term relationship. Findings show that NGF levels are significantly higher on those individuals in love as compared to the other two control groups. However, the result of 58 in love subjects also varies. 39 of them who have been together with their partners for 12-24 months have lower levels of NGF, as compared to the remaining 19 who just engaged themselves in a brand new relationship. Taking it all together, the experiment suggested that NGF level in the bloodstream is at its peak when the individual is newly in love but decreases after a year.

This study is clear with one thing - that romantic love declines as the relationship grows. It may have been proven from body chemicals or whatsoever but that doesn't mean that it's the gauge to measuring the consistency of love over time. If romantic love only last for a year, perhaps another type of love blossoms after that. Maybe something more intense. There is no way of telling really. But we all know that the concept of " keeping the love alive" does not instantly go with the relationship. Conscious efforts must be made so that the spark of love will endure all through out the span of time. Bring your precious girl to the place where you both dated for the first time or maybe give your man a surprise lap dance. Do anything just to keep the fire burning. In the long run, its companionship and trust that helps u both in the process of keeping the love going, making it last a lifetime.

More about relationships here...

Can Your Sense of Smell Affect Your Mood?

We live in a world where stimulation is mostly delivered through sight and sound. The sense of smell, which is a very important chemical sense, is often neglected. Not quite fair for a sense that's primarily responsible for our quality of life. Aside from controlling our cravings, triggering our memories and improving our sexual health, olfaction is believed to have a powerful effect on our moods.

When we smell something, we don't only perceive the sensation of the odor itself but we mainly associate it with experiences and emotions. Our olfactory receptors are directly connected to the limbic system, a group of sub cortical parts (the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala) of the brain that controls emotions. The usual reaction of our brain when detecting a stimuli is, it first processes information delivered to our other senses by cortical identification, which in turn triggers an emotional response.

But our sense of smell has a unique way of doing it - since it follows an opposite path. Smell sensations are relayed to the cerebral cortex only after the deepest parts of our brain have been stimulated. In other words, incoming aromas first trigger an emotional response, which is then followed by cognitive recognition. This is the reason why, for example, we first respond to the calming effect of chamomile long before we can identify the specific scent.

Several laboratory researches had been conducted to prove if, whether or not, scents do affect people's moods. Some common aromas that are said to have dramatic mood effects are the following:

*Romantic scents: jasmine, rose, sandalwood, gardenia.
*Energizers: citrus scents - lemon, lime, grapefruit, verbena, orange.
*Calming/Relaxing: lavender, bergamot, sandalwood, chamomile.
*Refreshing/Uplifting: eucalyptus, mint, pine, citrus scents

Discovering the impact of various scents to how people feel have led to the rapid development of aromatherapy industry. Aromatherapists all agree that aromatic stuff brings about positive effect since it help buyers manage their emotional lives.

Now that scents recently emerged as a mood influencing factor, we could then be able to use a variety of aromas to obtain the maximum benefits we need. Thus, ameliorating our sense of well being and improving the way we feel every day. A whiff of eucalyptus, lavender, or anything you desire, so long as it enhances your mood, it's all good. But although choosing the right scent can be a bit tough at times, just remember what Toucan Sam said " follow your nose ... it always knows."

More about sense of smell here ...