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Tag: Neuropsychology

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The Impact of Climate Change on the Brain and Psychology

Climate change stands out as one of the most serious challenges of the 21st century. With the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases, noticeable changes are occurring in temperature averages and constituent densities of the atmosphere. These rapid changes reflect a worsening trend that living beings will have difficulty adapting to.

Today, climate change manifests itself globally as an extreme warming of the earth’s surface. Global warming negatively affects human life in various ways. Today, scientists emphasize that global warming will cause climate events such as hurricanes, storms, tornadoes, floods that will disrupt human life, rising sea levels around the world, and a significant increase in temperatures.

These changes will cause food shortages for agricultural countries that cannot adapt to climate change, a decrease in clean water resources worldwide, damage to animal, plant and other living species, flooding of coastal countries and various negative effects on human health.

The psychological effects of climate change may not be obvious, but they can lead to depression, antisocial behavior and suicide. We should also consider that climate change can have serious consequences for mental health, as well as physical health. Climate change can bring different degrees of stress, depression and anxiety into people’s lives. Even uncertainty can be a source of stress and can be considered as a risk factor for psychological stress.

Climate-induced disasters not only threaten physical health but can also cause mental health problems. This can also negatively impact physical health in ways such as changing sleeping, eating or exercise habits and reducing immune system function. Natural disasters that can be associated with climate change, such as extreme weather events, floods, hurricanes or fires, can cause psychological problems in people, such as trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. Awareness about climate change can create a desire to take action for the environment, but also a sense of hopelessness in the face of the magnitude of environmental problems.

Reference:

Psychologist Merve Altındağ

ARAS, B. B., & DEMİRCİ, K. (2020). İklim değişikliğinin insan sağliği üzerindeki psikolojik etkileri. Nazilli İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 1(2), 77-94.

GEZER, M., & İLHAN, M. (2021). İklim değişikliği endişesi ölçeği: Türkçeye uyarlama çalışması. Ege Coğrafya Dergisi, 30(1), 195-204.

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The Role of Excitement in Neuromarketing

Emotions play a huge role in our lives, don’t they? Sometimes it can feel as if we treat our emotions and emotional experiences as if they are distant from our brains and our lives. But in fact, from the water we drink to what we look at, there is an emotional experience. The analysis process in the brain is a combination of observation, emotion, thought and behavior. In this week’s blog post, we will discuss the emotion of excitement. The emotion of excitement is associated with multiple areas of the brain.

The hippocampus is particularly involved in creating and storing memories of emotional experiences. Therefore, moments of excitement can be remembered later. The somatosensory cortex, the cortex, is a region that processes physical sensations and provides awareness of physiological changes in the body during feelings of excitement. The reward pathway in the brain involves the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Excitement is processed through this pathway, especially when it is associated with anticipated rewards or pleasures. Regions such as the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens are linked to the reward pathway.

The prefrontal cortex is important in the regulation of higher cognitive functions such as thought processes, planning and decision-making. Excitement can interact with cognitive processes under the influence of this region.

When we are excited, when we focus on an issue or an object, our pupils dilate. Other conditions that cause dilated pupils are also mainly due to excitement and focus.

For example, our pupils dilate when we look at someone we love or are in love with. On the other hand, our pupils react in the same way when we look at someone we hate. Studies on the subject have shown that pupils dilate when subjects are shown interesting pictures. An interesting result of these experiments is that women’s pupils dilate more than men’s. This may be an indication that women experience emotions more intensely and spend more energy to focus their attention.

Neuromarketing is a field of research used to analyze and understand the emotion of excitement. Neuromarketing uses neurological insights and methods to understand how consumers perceive products and brands, how they react and what factors influence their purchasing decisions. Since excitement is an important emotion that influences consumer decisions, neuromarketing is used to analyze this emotion.

Reference:

Psychologist Merve Altındağ

Tosun, P., Sezgin, S., & Nimet, U. R. A. Y. (2019). Pazarlama biliminde duygu ve duygu durumu kavramlari için baz alinmiş teoriler. Elektronik Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 18(72), 1832-1851.

Yazar Yok. Tübitak. (28 Ekim 2019). Alındığı Tarih: 28 Ekim 2019.

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Happy World Coffee Day!

Coffee is a drink that has always been in our lives. Most of us have various excuses to drink coffee during the day. We like to drink coffee because besides the pleasure and physical need we get from it, the emotional impact of coffee is much stronger…

When we think of coffee, we think of various types of coffee, and we drink various types of coffee for various excuses at every moment of our lives. But probably the most meaningful and emotionally charged of these is ‘Turkish Coffee’, which carries the heritage of the past to the present.

If you would like, while drinking your coffee today, we would like to take a look at the meanings of coffee for us and the emotions it evokes in us;

 Coffee is a daily ritual and represents a ‘special moment’ in the busyness of the day. Coffee is a ‘magic elixir’ that creates an atmosphere of ‘joy’ and enriches the shared moment, adding intimacy.

 A small ‘getaway or break’ that frees the person from their routine, relaxes and soothes them.

While providing comfort and happiness, it also makes you feel ‘free’. For this reason, coffee is always associated with moments of pleasure.

 Its distinctive ‘special’ smell is an important stimulant that differentiates coffee from other beverages and strengthens the relationship with coffee.

 Especially Turkish coffee is an ‘excuse’ to make oneself happy and free. It is a ‘reward’ given to oneself under various pretexts, a way of pampering oneself in life, even for a short period of time, and being able to say “oh, good for me” after a job well done.

 Coffee excuse, ‘chatting’ is great. Turkish coffee is often associated with ‘conversation’ and the company of friends. Conversation and Turkish coffee are inseparable. When you want to have a chat with your spouse, friends, neighbors and friends, the phrases ‘let’s have a coffee’ or ‘let’s go for a coffee’ have become common phrases.

 Turkish coffee provides unity and sincerity. It is the representation of ‘sharing’. Along with this, it is not to be drunk with everyone, as it is a special drink, but to be drunk with intimate people, friends and neighbors. Turkish coffee has ‘selectivity’ at its core. Although coffee drunk alone relaxes the person, the pleasure of coffee is stronger when drunk together. In other words, coffee is a complement to pleasant moments.

 ‘Coffee fortune telling’ is one of the most important rituals of Turkish coffee.

 Turkish coffee is more than just an ordinary beverage, it represents a ‘culture’. With its profound influence on the Turkish way of life, Turkish coffee plays a central role as a sign of hospitality and friendship.

As you drink your coffee today, feel how peace and joy envelop you and make you both free and caring…

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The Impact of Seasonal Transition on the Brain

Some people may experience seasonal affective disorders, called SAD, especially as winter approaches and daylight hours diminish. This can include symptoms such as lack of energy, depression, fatigue and weight gain. Depressed mood can have many causes, especially in the fall and winter. However, the decrease in sunlight is known to be the most important factor triggering seasonal depression. This leads to an imbalance in the hormones melatonin and serotonin.

The pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin in the dark. This hormone slows down physical energy, induces drowsiness and makes the person feel tired. No matter how well the person gets a good night’s sleep, he/she cannot feel rested and not getting enough sunlight causes intense secretion of melatonin hormone. As melatonin levels increase, serotonin levels decrease, triggering depression.

Fall can mark a time of change in daily routines, with the end of summer vacation and the start of school or work. For some people, these changes can cause stress and anxiety.

Emotional states such as sadness and depression can be associated with an imbalance of neurotransmitters that affect chemical communication in the brain. In particular, dysregulation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine can affect feelings of sadness. Emotional experiences such as sadness are regulated by a group of structures in the brain called the limbic system. The limbic system includes a number of brain structures involved in emotional processing and storage. Examples of these structures include the amygdala (a region involved in emotional processing), the hypothalamus (regulates stress responses) and the hippocampus (involved in memory and storage of emotional experiences).

The brain is a complex network, and emotional experiences are created by communication between different regions. For example, an emotional stimulus can spread from cortical regions that process visual or auditory information to the limbic system and prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex controls high-level cognitive functions such as thinking, evaluation and emotional regulation. This region plays a major role in coping with sadness and interpreting emotional experiences.

The emotional effects of autumn may differ from person to person. Autumn’s changes in nature can be a source of aesthetic pleasure for some people. Colorful leaves, the fruit harvest and cooler weather can help them feel a closer connection with nature.

While some people welcome this period in a positive way, it can be difficult for others. The important thing is to take care of your emotional health during this period and seek support when needed.

Reference:

Psychologist Merve Altındağ

Ekinci, M., OKANLI, A., &Gözüağca, D. (2010). MEVSİMSEL DEPRESYONLAR VE BAŞETME YOLLARI. Anadolu Hemşirelik ve Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 8(1), 109-112.

Kiremitçi, E., & Coşkun, H. (2017). Mevsimsellik ve öznel iyi oluş arasindaki ilişkinin incelenmesi. Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 17(2), 239-248.

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Neuropsychology of Happiness and Its Role in Neuromarketing

Happiness is a combination of many factors, including brain chemistry, neurotransmitters, communication between neurons, genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Happiness is a complex experience. The most important neurotransmitters associated with happiness are serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Serotonin regulates mood, while dopamine is associated with reward and pleasure.

The proper functioning of these neurotransmitters plays a critical role in the formation of feelings of happiness. A person’s way of thinking, beliefs and life perspective can influence their sense of happiness. Positive psychology focuses on developing positive thought patterns and finding meaning in life. Endorphins are chemicals produced naturally in the body that increase feelings of happiness. Activities such as exercise, laughter and pleasurable activities can increase endorphin production.

The feeling of happiness is particularly associated with brain regions such as the hypothalamus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens, which are part of the limbic system. These regions are important centers that regulate your mood and control reward processes. Communication between neurons in the brain is important in the formation of emotional experiences. Synaptic communication and electrical signals between neurons form the neuropsychological basis of happiness. Genetic factors can influence a person’s level of happiness. Some people may have a more positive genetic predisposition from birth, which can affect their level of happiness.

Happiness has become an important component of neuromarketing because the times when people feel happy and the positive emotions they associate with products which can influence their purchasing decisions. Feeling happy can help consumers form an emotional connection with a product or brand. Neuromarketing aims to strengthen the emotional connection by creating advertising campaigns and product designs in ways that match people’s feelings of happiness.

Biological cues associated with happiness can include physiological parameters such as heart rate, skin conductance and facial expressions. With these cues, it is possible to measure consumers’ levels of happiness during their interactions with advertisements, products or brands.

Reference:

Psychologist Merve Altındağ

Atılım, O. N. A. Y. (2018). TÜKETİMİN VE REKLAMLARIN GELECEĞİ. Kurgu, 26(3), 25-36.

Talay, S. (2021). Pozitif Psikoloji Bağlamında Duygu Düzenleme Süreçlerinin Kişilerarası Iletişime Etkisi (Doctoral dissertation, Marmara Universitesi (Turkey)).