Latest news with #TrendsinCognitiveSciences
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Researchers review past studies, say 'mind blanking' is distinct with unique brain activity
New Delhi: Mind blanking is a distinct state of mind, with unique neural and cognitive properties , according to a research article. Often experienced after performing tasks requiring sustained focus, mind blanking can include lapses in attention and memory and sometimes, a temporary absence of inner speech. Writing in the article, published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences , the authors explained that when we are awake, our thoughts shift through varied contents. "However, there are moments that are seemingly devoid of reportable content, referred to as mind blanking," they wrote. Author Athena Demertzi, a neuroscientist at the University of Liege , Belgium, said, "We sought to better understand mind blanking by parsing through 80 relevant research articles -- including some of our own in which we recorded participants' brain activity when they were reporting that they were 'thinking of nothing'." The team found that how commonly one experiences mind blanking ranges between 5-20 per cent of the time on average. Children with attention disorders (such as ADHD ) were found to report "thinking about nothing" more often, compared to neurotypical people. Further, the authors noted a lowered heart rate and pupil size among people experiencing a mind blank after having engaged in tasks needing sustained attention. The participants also showed brain activity that was relatively less complex -- a state of mind which the researchers said is usually observed in unconscious people. The authors also suggested that mind blanking could be " local sleep episodes ", as a person's ability to process sensory information -- such as touch and temperature -- is disrupted, with slow, sleep-waves seen in their brain. The researchers said that mind blanking has been previously studied as part of research and experiments designed to study mind wandering -- a state of mind where thoughts "occur seamlessly", and "resemble a stream continuously flowing". However, the team argued that mind blanking is a distinct experience -- it involves feeling sleepier, more sluggish, and making more errors -- and should be looked at independently.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Perfect Isn't Profitable: Why The Smartest Brands Are Embracing Real Smiles (and Real People)
I've been receiving feedback about my smile for more than two decades—unsolicited, often unkind, sometimes truly vile, and always irrelevant to the work I do. I'm not alone. Even in 2025, it seems a woman's appearance is still up for public review, no matter her platform or purpose. And it really does wear you down. But let's park the personal, because this story goes beyond my inbox. There is a significant commercial shift underway—one that rewards authenticity over airbrushing, reality over perfection. And the world's smartest brands are already leaning in. Teeth are more than biology—they're big business. From cosmetic dentistry and whitening products to toothpaste and aligner brands, the global oral care market was valued at over $47 billion in 2023, with projected growth through 2030. But the metrics of what's considered 'desirable' are shifting. Recent research published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences (2024) explored how subtle facial irregularities, including asymmetrical or imperfect smiles, are increasingly being perceived as more trustworthy and emotionally expressive than those associated with cosmetic perfection. While beauty standards remain complex and culturally loaded, there is growing scientific support for the idea that consumers don't just accept imperfection—they respond positively to it. Yet marketing is still catching up. The push for 'real' representation—people of different shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and yes, smiles—has too often been reduced to a temporary campaign strategy rather than a brand foundation. According to a 2023 Creativebrief analysis, many brands are still treating the concept of 'real people' as a gimmick. The piece argues that audiences can sniff out tokenism—and they're turned off by it. When brands use imperfect or 'relatable' casting without depth or narrative substance, it risks appearing inauthentic, especially when the rest of the brand's ecosystem doesn't support those same values. It's a sentiment echoed in a Creative Review case study on Colgate's 'Smile Is Your Superpower' campaign by VML. The brand's commitment to showcasing unretouched smiles—from diverse age groups and ethnicities—wasn't framed as edgy or provocative. It was positioned as human. And that landed. The campaign was praised not just for representation but for consistency—smile diversity was also visible across packaging, influencer strategy, and corporate messaging. In short: it wasn't a campaign, it was a commitment. In a fragmented advertising ecosystem, trust is a currency. And nothing erodes trust faster than inconsistency. The Vox retrospective on Dove's 'Real Beauty' campaign—once groundbreaking—illustrates this well. While it initially challenged industry standards, years later, the same parent company was criticised for selling skin-whitening creams under different brands. Consumers noticed. And they remembered. Today, brands that treat authenticity as an add-on, not a value, will struggle to build long-term loyalty. This is especially true among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, for whom digital literacy and cultural nuance are second nature. Even entertainment is under review. A recent parody sketch on Saturday Night Live (The White Potus) took aim at Aimee Lou Wood, one of the breakout stars of White Lotus 3. Among the cast of characters, hers was the only appearance mocked with exaggerated dental features. The backlash was swift—not just because it was unfunny, but because it felt out of sync with the current cultural mood. Wood's calm rebuttal on social media —'I have big gap teeth, not bad teeth'—was more effective than any punchline. And it underscored a growing reality for content creators and brands alike: appearances are no longer fair game. Satire that relies on visual mockery isn't just tired—it's commercially risky. In fashion and beauty, the stakes are even higher. A consumer base attuned to inclusivity expects more than surface-level casting. They want inclusive sizing and store layouts. They want diverse faces and brand storytelling that reflects lived experience. That includes teeth. Retailers who over-invest in 'aspirational sameness' are already losing market share to challenger brands who celebrate individuality—brands like Glossier, Parade, and even Colgate, which has found a way to make a 200-year-old commodity feel progressive. Authenticity is not about abandoning polish or professionalism. It's about removing the pressure to homogenise. That means featuring smiles with gaps, age lines, and natural variance not as statements, but as standard. And it means investing in campaigns that go beyond token moments to tell real, consistent stories. And of course, this conversation goes far beyond smiles. The push for authenticity must include the full spectrum of human diversity—race, gender identity, disability, age, neurodiversity, and body type. Representation cannot be reduced to a single visible trait. Brands that want to be future-fit must commit to portraying the reality of modern life—not the filtered version. That means inclusive casting, accessible design, and messaging that recognises the complexities of identity. Anything less risks alienating the very consumers they claim to champion. From my own perspective—as a consumer, a broadcaster, and someone who has spent years researching and reporting on the public voice—I can tell you that representation matters. Not for vanity. But for validation. If consumers don't see themselves in your brand, they won't feel seen by your brand. And no matter how glossy the finish, invisibility doesn't sell.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Friends without benefits: people warned against getting close to AI
As artificial intelligence (AI) is made more sophisticated, some people could be vulnerable to engaging in relationship-like interactions or perceiving "romance" with the increasingly garrulous chatbots. 'The ability for AI to now act like a human and enter into long-term communications really opens up a new can of worms,' said Daniel Shank of Missouri University. In a paper published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Shank and colleagues argued that there is a "real worry" that "artificial intimacy" with AI bots could see some "disrupting" of human relationships. "Through weeks and months of intense conversations, these AIs can become trusted companions who seem to know and care about their human partners," the team said. That chatbots are prone to "hallucination" - insider-speak for their tendency to churn out seemingly inaccurate or incoherent responses - is a further cause for concern, as it means "even short-term conversations with AIs can be misleading." "If we start thinking of an AI that way, we're going to start believing that they have our best interests in mind, when in fact, they could be fabricating things or advising us in really bad ways,' the researchers warn, adding that the bots "can harm people by encouraging deviant, unethical, and illegal behaviors." Earlier this week, OpenAI announced the roll-out of an enhanced "memory" function for its ChatGPT, meaning the bot will tailor its responses to users based on recalling previous interactions, likely adding to the perception of intimacy in human-machine interactions. Google DeepMind last week published research suggesting artificial general intelligence (AGI), or machines with human-esque capabilities, could be developed by 2020. While AGI, if comes about, would be "a transformative technology," it would likely pose "significant risks" to people, including those of "severe harm," the Google team warned.
