Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

Understanding Emotions: Everything You Need to Know

What exactly are emotions? How can understanding emotions—how they arise and unfold—help you regulate your mood and psychological states? There is no scientific consensus about what emotions are. However, experts generally agree on three things: 1) emotions originate in the “midbrain,” 2) emotions are accompanied by physical changes, and 3) physical changes in the body prompt urges to act on the emotion. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of emotions, where they originate, and how they unfold.

Understanding the Genetics of Pain

Why are athletes less sensitive to pain? Does playing sports decrease pain sensitivity? Or is it a matter of genetics? Pain is inevitable in most sports, and managing pain is an important part of being an elite athlete. While some athletes may have a genetic advantage when processing pain, intense athletic competition can make anyone less sensitive to pain. Keep reading to learn about the genetics of pain and why athletes tend to be tougher than an average person when it comes to handling pain.

Why the ACTN3 Gene Is Called the “Speed Gene”

What is the function of the ACTN3 gene? Is it true that your ACTN3 genotype determines your running ability? ACTN3 hosts the code for making the protein called Alpha-actinin-3. The “R variant” of the gene results in normal production of the protein, but the “X” variant prevents the protein from being synthesized. While scientists do not know how this happens, there’s a strong correlation between the R genotype and sprinting speed. Tests on athletes from around the world have revealed that the XX genotype is almost nowhere to be found in elite sprinters. Keep reading to learn why the ACTN3

Productive Conflict: How to Agree to Disagree

What is productive conflict? How can you resolve conflict without resorting to an argument? According to Ray Dalio, productive conflict is the key to successful cooperation. The only trick is to engage in productive conflict without triggering emotional explosions. Your goal is not to prove that you’re right, but rather to find out which view is true and decide what to do about it. Dalio offers the following tactics for productively disagreeing with others.

Are Emotions Good or Bad? Here’s Why They’re Neither

Are emotions good or bad? What is the problem with defining emotions as “good” or “bad”? When an emotion arises, physical changes occur in the body. The mind then interprets these sensations and urges in the body and applies judgments to the emotions, separating them into “good” or “bad.” Thus, it treats an emotion like love as a “good” emotion, but emotion like anger as a “bad” emotion. Here is why labeling emotions as “good” or “bad” may not be such a good idea.

The Role of APOE 4 in Head Trauma Recovery

The 2 Primary Biological Causes of Depression

What is the function of the gene Apolipoprotein E (APOE)? How many APOE variants are there? The Apolipoprotein E gene influences inflammation in the brain following head trauma. The Apolipoprotein E gene has three variants: APOE 2, APOE 3, and APOE 4. A person’s variant of the gene can influence how they recover from a brain injury. Keep reading to learn about the function of Apolipoprotein E and how it relates to sports.

Why Kenyan Runners Excel: It’s More Than Genetics

Why are Kenyans so good at distance running? Is Kenyan running dominance a matter of superior genetics? The statistics on Kenyan running dominance are impressive, and they certainly suggest a naturally superior running ability in Kenyan marathoners. However, Kenyans are not the only runners with body types ideally suited for distance running. According to David Epstein, the author of The Sports Gene, motivation—not just genetics—is a key component of Kenyan runners’ excellence. Here is what makes Kenyans exceptional in the sport.

4 Cognitive Defusion Techniques to Help You “Unfuse”

What does “fusion” mean in therapy? What’s the problem with “fusing” with your thoughts and what can you do to un-fuse? When you mistake your thinking self—the part of you that thinks, judges, and acts—as a direct reflection of reality, you are in a state of “fusion” with your thoughts. The goal of cognitive defusion then is to acknowledge that your thoughts are simply stories the brain tells you in order to help you survive. There are a number of psychological techniques to do so. Below, we’ll explore four cognitive defusion techniques that can help you disentangle from unhelpful thoughts.

The Benefits of Automated Decision-Making

The 3 Core Principles of Objective Decision Making

What is automated decision-making? What are the benefits of automated decision-making in business? Automated decision-making is the practice of making decisions based on predetermined criteria derived from past data. When you recognize a situation as “another one of those,” you can just refer to your rules as a shortcut to good decision-making. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of automated decision-making in a business context and consider some real examples of how it is executed in practice.

Jamaican Runners: Nature or Nurture?

Why are Jamaicans so good at sprinting? Is their sprinting ability a matter of training or genetics? Just as Kenya is known for producing talented distance runners, Jamaica is known for producing talented sprinters. Since Jamaicans have largely West African ancestry, a high ratio of fast-twitch muscle fibers may provide an initial advantage, but this doesn’t explain how Jamaica continues to produce so many elite sprinters. According to David Epstein, Jamaican culture can help explain why there are so many elite Jamaican runners. Here are three reasons why Jamaica produces a disproportionately large number of elite sprinters.