Category Archives: Human Behavior

Human Behavior

Gygi: Shining light on actions of legislative, executive branches – Daily Herald

During the 1920s and 30s, many Americans were engaged in what became known as the Roaring 20s, followed by a serious depression and then by a horrific second World War in a decade. This war would dictate much of our societys behavior for the next century.

However, a researcher named Henry Landsberger was conducting less well-known psychological behavior studies at Western Electrics Hawthorne Electric company site just outside of Hawthorne, Illinois. These studies came to be called the Hawthorne Effect. I read about these studies recently in the newsletter Datatrek, and found them fascinating and a parallel to what I am trying to accomplish with my regular column. The Hawthorne Effect occurs when people behave differently when they know they are being watched or their work/life environment changes in a way they recognize.

One of the Hawthorne Effect experiments involved the amount of exposure to light in certain parts of the factory. Some of Landsbergers researchers cranked up the lights and employee productivity increased. The employees produced more products per hour and Western Electric was pleased. When the experiment was coming to a close, the lights were turned back to normal and productivity increased again.

Since this Western Electric light experiment, other work-life experiments were tried, for instance shorter workdays, snack break times and cleaning regimes. The result was the same, employees productivity increased, and when the change reverted to a prior norm, productivity increased once again.

Academics love to study the Hawthorne Effect, and it has become now known as the observer effect. It is hard to determine even for academics the human behavior associated with the Hawthorne Effect or stimulus-response experiment. Maybe it is as simple as plant or factory workers knowing theyre being watched and the work ethic changes; it could also be that workers are trying to guess the nature of the experiment, and their behavior reflects this.

I am not smart enough to add to the discussion of my academic friends, but I do see my columns attempt to be similar as I shed light on areas of public policy that concern me. I think we can agree that as a country we endlessly complain about our politicians on the local level and up to the White House occupier. My thesis is that we are not vetting nor holding accountable our elected officials in a way that changes their behavior. I am trying to change the trajectory of how we as a society vet our elected officials and hold them accountable once elected for how they act. A simple goal, right?

I am writing today about some frequent behavior from primarily the legislative branch in response to actions taken by the executive branch. Recently, the Utah State Legislature has taken action to limit the policies able to be made by the governor during the COVID-19 pandemic and any emergency writ large. I understand why legislators are doing it: They feel some of the early actions during the pandemic taken by the governor may have been unconstitutional. If the actions taken by the governor were unconstitutional, make the case, hold a press conference and with full throat oppose it.

A similar action was taken by then-Speaker of the House Greg Hughes when former Congressman Jason Chaffetz resigned and a power struggle ensued regarding who and how a congressional seat can be filled when vacated. The result was that the governor called a special election to fill the seat, the state legislators felt it was their right to call for a special election. When it was over, the House enacted a statute to allow members to call themselves into session whenever they want.

To be clear, the Legislature is a law-making body with some oversight responsibilities and the executive branch is to execute the laws enacted by the legislative branch, but also has administrative duties. The Utah Legislature effectively created a statute to allow it to fulfill administrative duties that the executive is supposed to do.

This doesnt make sense. If the legislative body doesnt like what the executive is doing, speak out about it, make a public case against it and the citizenry will be with you or not. If the voters are not with you, then you didnt make a case they want to follow.

Washington D.C. has had similar examples with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi trying to create a law that would have limited the presidents ability to act during an emergency, like COVID-19. If a legislature feels that it has to act to curtail the actions of the executive, it is forgetting us the voters. If legislators dont like what the executive does or says, speak out against it, make a case against it or run against the current executive next time and do the opposite of what outrages you, but dont forget we the voters put that executive in office and have a say also.

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Gygi: Shining light on actions of legislative, executive branches - Daily Herald

Human Behavior

COD Student Awarded Honors Council of the Illinois Sleep Study – Patch.com

A Life Consumed by Sleep, Savannah Santos Seeks to Uncover Treatment Options

College of DuPage Psychology student Savannah Santos was recently awarded a $600 Margaret Messer Student Research Grant from the Honors Council of the Illinois Region to support her work researching idiopathic hypersomnia, a disorder Santos has been battling since childhood.

After several misdiagnoses and doctors failing to find the right treatment to minimize her symptoms, Santos spent her teenage years on a quest for answers.

"It's been a struggle most of my life," Santos said. "For as long as I can remember, I spend most of my days exhausted even after sleeping 11 to 12 hours a night. It's debilitating. When I was younger, it got in the way of school and activities because I couldn't focus. Doctors were stumped and, at nine years old, I was put on antidepressants and Adderall after being wrongly diagnosed with ADHD and depression."

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While researching her symptoms, questioning her doctors' previous diagnoses, Santos found her way to a sleep specialist at the University of Chicago. She was finally diagnosed with the chronic neurological disorder marked by excessive sleepiness, trouble waking and difficulty doing mental and physical tasks during the day.

Santos has always been interested in the biology behind her disorder and, when she came to COD, she pursued psychology classes to learn more about the intricacies of the brain. With the help of COD Associate Professor of Psychology Sarah Butler, Santos started an Honors program independent study to research the physiology of the disorder.

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"I have appreciated the opportunity to mentor her," Butler said. "This interdisciplinary project combines her interests in biology, human behavior and neuroscience, and connects these fields with an area that is very personally relevant to her. Savannah is a wonderful student and very passionate about her education."

Santos recently presented her research project "Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy Type 2: Subjective Experiences of Stimulant Use" at COD's Library Student Research Symposium and placed first, winning $1,000 to support her project. Through the award money from COD and the grant money from the Honors Council of the Illinois Region, she plans to delve into the experiences of individuals with diagnoses of Narcolepsy Type 2 and Idiopathic Hypersomnia with a focus on medication effectiveness.

At this time, there is no Federal Drug Administration-approved treatment for the disorder; however, it is common practice to use stimulant medications. According to the Hypersomnia Foundation, some people, like Santos, do not achieve adequate control of symptoms and doctors continue to test medications approved for other disorders, as well as novel treatments.

"I hope with the gathered data I can find similarities and find out if others have had success with out-of-the-box treatments," she said. "Doctors have been treating me with various medications but none of them have ever been effective for me. If I've learned anything with all of this, it's that treatment protocol needs to be individualized. Doctors don't know much about my disorder and try to lump it in with more well-known sleep disorders, like narcolepsy. They are two completely different disorders and medication needs to target different parts of the brain."

After earning a transfer scholarship through COD, Santos will attend North Central College this fall to pursue neuroscience and biology.

"North Central has a sleep lab that they just built so I'm hoping that I can continue my research and also look at other sleep disorders to see if they are interconnected," she said. "I'd love to work with neuroscience faculty there to look at possible biological underpinnings."

Santos credits COD for allowing her to pursue her passion.

"Coming to COD was the best decision because when you get to North Central, they want you to start neuroscience classes right away, so taking my general education classes at COD was the smartest path for me," she said. "Through COD's scholarship, I'm able to further my education and I could not be more grateful."

After earning her bachelor's degree, Santos plans to pursue her graduate degree at the University of Chicago Medical Sciences Training Program to become a scientific researcher or doctor at the hospital that finally gave her the correct diagnosis.

"University of Chicago is a special place for me because it's where I was finally given answers," she said. "I'm so grateful COD has prepared me for future endeavors, and I hope to enact real change for fellow sufferers."

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COD Student Awarded Honors Council of the Illinois Sleep Study - Patch.com

Human Behavior

Here’s How Science Says You Can Give The Perfect Hug (Once Social Distancing Is Over) – Forbes

Hugs have proven emotional and health benefits.

At a time in history when we could all use a good hug, researchers have just advanced the science of the ideal snuggle. Hugging is known to have myriad emotional and health benefits, but will any old hug do? The highest performing hugs have three components.

Hugs are a universal human behavior. Even in cultures where hugging is not common among adults, we all hug our children. It feels like common sense to hug our kids, but that wasnt always true.

As recently as the 1970s and 80s, parents in the U.S. were still being instructed by doctors to avoid holding babies too much. Letting babies cry by themselves for up to an hour during the afternoon fussy period was thought by many to help them develop self-regulation skills.

Fortunately, no-one thinks that anymore. Science has proven repeatedly that mothers and babies benefit from skin to skin hugging for months after birth. And its not just babies who feel better when they have a hug, we all do.

How do we give the perfect hug? Try a H.U.G.: Hold on tight, Until you relax, and Grow your bond.

A hug is more than a simple snuggle, because hugging involves a squeeze. When we squeeze each other, we provide deep pressure. Deep pressure is detected by receptors and sends a signal of safety to the autonomic nervous system. This turns down the anxiety we feel from activation of the sympathetic nerve, otherwise known as the fight or flight response.

The study of deep pressure as a calming mechanism was first inspired by Temple Grandins hug machine. Grandin, who had high functioning autism, observed that cattle calmed down in squeeze shoots on the ranch where she worked. She decided to try it herself, and built a hug machine in 1965 when she was 18 years old. This sparked a great deal of research on the use of deep pressure for those with autism, anxiety or ADHD. But it didnt take long to recognize that even neurotypical adults felt more relaxed after a session in the hug machine.

Thats because deep pressure also turns up the calm and connected response from the vague nerve. Its something we can measure, by looking at levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In one study children had lower salivary cortisol levels (the stress hormone) after receiving deep pressure therapy.

Does how hard we squeeze matter? According to an exciting new paper from Toho University in Japan, it definitely does. These scientists actually quantified the level of squeeze by subjecting babies to different hugs levels and measuring the calming effect.

Babies prefer hugs with a medium amount of squeeze.

Holding the babies loosely did calm them, but only a little. However, when hugged with a medium squeeze, the babies calmed way down. As soon as the hug got too tight, that calming effect started to go away. The study concluded that the best hugs provide medium pressure.

Hugs are not only about deep pressure. When two humans embrace they release a hormone called oxytocin. Often referred to as the bonding hormone, it makes us feel wonderful. When oxytocin is released, it stimulates the exact opposite of stress, calming us down and turning up our social processes.

The benefits of hugging and oxytocin are so powerful, that its been shown to help prevent postpartum depression in mothers,lower salivary cortisol levels in infants and lead to less crying, increase positive communication during conflict for adult couples, and help adults feel less anxious before public speaking.

So how long does a hug have to last to release oxytocin? According to the internet, the answer is 20 seconds. When I attempted to trace that claim to a scientific study, I was unable to find one. But I did stumble upon one study that I can only imagine led its researchers to a lot of giggles and high-fives.

This was the study where researchers recruited 404 healthy adults and monitored them for how often they were hugged. Then they quarantined the participants and intentionally infected them with a cold virus. Those who received more frequent hugs had less severe illnesses.(Please understand that this does not mean we can rely on hugging to protect us from COVID-19.)

In the end, the exact timing of a hug may not matter so much as whether we feel the effects of oxytoxin. A hug should continue until each person feels the relaxation effect.

By releasing oxytocin, hugging deepens our bond with other people. But do we really want to bond with everyone? Some people dont like hugging at all, and even those who are huggers are selective about who they embrace.

The researchers from Japan were curious about whether babies care who gives them their hugs. They measured how calming the hugs were by watching the babies heart rates. In the first few months of life, babies calmed equally well with hugs from their parents or from strangers. But once they were between the ages of 4 and 12 months, babies heart rates decreased more when they were hugged by their own parents.

Therefore, in your search for the ideal embrace, try a H.U.G.: hold on tight (but not too tight), until you feel relaxed and grow the bond with someone you trust.

Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus

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Here's How Science Says You Can Give The Perfect Hug (Once Social Distancing Is Over) - Forbes

Human Behavior

Yes, America needs to brace itself for a second wave of coronavirus – MarketWatch

Americans should brace themselves for another round of coronavirus in the fall, health professionals and economists say. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released its twice-a-year economic outlook on Wednesday, and presented two scenarios one where the coronavirus continues to recede, and another where a second wave of rapid contagion erupts later in 2020. It said a second wave of SARS-CoV-2 is as likely as not. OECD Chief Economist Laurence Boone said both forecasts are equally probable.

We can only look at what other seasonal coronaviruses and seasonal influenzas do. Based on that, most of us feel comfortable there will be a second wave.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for three decades and one of the leading experts on the pandemic in the U.S., said on Tuesday, In a period of four months, it has devastated the whole world. And it isnt over yet. He added, Where is it going to end? Were still at the beginning of it. Yet last week, he said, We dont inevitably have to have a second wave. Fauci has previously said that a vaccine could take 12 to 18 months and that would be a game changer. Some observers say even that timeline is wildly optimistic.

Many epidemiologists, however, advise more caution when talking about the reduced prospect of a second wave. Gregory Poland, who studies the immunogenetics of vaccine response in adults and children at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and who is an expert with the Infectious Diseases Society of America, told MarketWatch, Nobody has a crystal ball. Wed all like to know definitively. We can only look at what other seasonal coronaviruses and seasonal influenzas do. Based on that, most of us feel comfortable that there will be a second wave.

While COVID-19s progress has slowed in major cities such as New York, where most cases in the U.S. are centered, confirmed coronavirus cases have risen by double-digit percentages in 16 U.S. states that have gradually loosened restrictions since Memorial Day, an analysis by the Washington Post shows. Cases rose by 10% in Alaska, California, Delaware, Georgia, South Carolina; 11% in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Virginia; 12% in Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee; 13% in Arkansas; 14% in Alabama and Minnesota; and 15% in North Dakota over that period.

During the great influenza pandemic of 1918, the second wave was worse than the first, partly due to a more virulent strain of the virus. Another complication: Flu and SARS-CoV-2 have almost identical symptoms: fever, coughing, night sweats, aching, tiredness, and nausea and diarrhea in severe cases. Like all viruses, neither are treatable with antibiotics. They can both be spread through respiratory droplets via coughing and sneezing, yet hail from different virus families. There is still no universal flu vaccine, even though scientists have been researching the flu since the 1940s.

Poland likens our desire to get back to normal life to the fable of the tortoise and the hare, and advocates clear, consistent messaging. The race doesnt always belong to the swiftest. The public and political pressure is for a vaccine as soon as possible. Public pressure is not data. Moderna hasnt produced data from their Phase 1 vaccine trial. Were going to have to be very careful here. We have individual countries, individual mayors, governors, senators, the House and the president all inferring their own recommendations. What the public hears is just static.

In a period of four months, it has devastated the whole world. And it isnt over yet ... Where is it going to end? Were still at the beginning of it.

Approximately 10% to 20% at the very most of the U.S. population will be immune to the new coronavirus next time around, Poland said. That means 70% to 80% of us are immunologically naive. People think because we hit Memorial Day and we have nice weather that its over. It aint over. When coroanvirus hit earlier this year, 99% of the seasonal influenza was over. This wont happen next time, and they have similar symptoms. We still dont have testing solved. Health-care providers are exhausted. They still dont have enough personal protective equipment.

Similar to Poland, Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organizations Health Emergencies Program and former epidemiologist specializing in infectious disease and public health, in May warned of complacency surrounding relaxation of social distancing measures. Countries should continue to put in place the public-health and social measures, the surveillance measures, the testing measures and a comprehensive strategy to ensure that we continue on a downwards trajectory, and we dont have an immediate second peak, he said.

Flattening the curve of new cases through social distancing, testing and contact tracing will help to avoid overwhelming the health-care system during any possible second wave, health professionals say. The U.S. has about 2.8 hospital beds per 1,000 people, according to industry website STAT News, which reports on public health and science issues. With a population of 330 million, this is about 1 million hospital beds. At any given time, about 68% of them are occupied. That leaves about 300,000 beds available nationwide, the publication said.

Letter from New York:When I hear an ambulance, I wonder if theres a coronavirus patient inside. Are there more 911 calls, or do I notice every distant siren?

Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently told the Financial Times that he cant guarantee that there wont be more stay-at-home requirements in the winter or the fall. We are committed to using the time that we have now to get this nation as over-prepared as possible. Weve seen evidence that the concerns it would move to the southern hemisphere like flu [are coming true], Redfield told the U.K. paper, adding, When the southern hemisphere is over I suspect it will re-ground itself in the north.

Can you travel from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere this summer? Of course you can. That will spark a second wave.

How are we going to prepare for a possible second wave? Human behavior is controlling the pandemics parameters, Poland added. In a lot of the southern hemisphere, there is not the same public-health infrastructure, medical infrastructure and not the same access to PPE. There are also a host of other cultural factors that are different. Can you travel from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere this summer? Of course you can. That will spark a second wave. That, he adds, doesnt account for further transmission during the recent riots across the U.S.

Mutation is another unknown. This is an RNA virus and inherently a virus that will mutate and undergo recombination. When people are co-infected with two or more strains, the virus has the opportunity to trade genetic material. Patients in neighboring hospital beds might have subtly different coronaviruses. Now you provide the petri dish for them to combine. We hear things like operation warp speed. Never before have I seen politics, public opinion/public pressure and economics weigh so heavily on the science to subvert and pervert it.

If were not expecting a second wave or a mutation of this virus, then we have learned nothing, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. That is why it is such an important period for government. Poland paints a grim worst-case scenario for this: Imagine this scenario: Its October. The influenza epidemic occurs, COVID-19 comes back. Were fussing with China. Theres been a glitch with Moderna trials. Theres another police killing, and now the riots are inflamed because nothing appears to be fixed, and were in the middle of a political campaign. This does not have good optics to me.

If I were king for a day, brother, this would be run differently, Poland said. I would take a Consumer Reports/Good Housekeeping approach. Id get the best experts assembled, something like the National Academies of Science, and this would be the kitchen cabinet who would recommend what kind of studies we need to do now to get the best kind of data to inform best practices. I would not waste any of my time sniping politically at anybody else. I would be a wartime king. I would fund all of the nudges to encourage good behavior, and have radical transparent honesty with the public.

After worrying exponential growth in the early days of the pandemic, other countries moved quickly to flatten the curve of new cases.

The Dow Jones Industrial Index DJIA, -1.03% and the S&P 500 SPX, -0.53% were higher Friday, as investors weighed the impact of the political unrest over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, as well as possible progress in COVID-19 vaccine research, and fears of further deterioration of trade and political relations with China. The markets are digesting the escalating social unrest, and COVID-19, and the effects that may have on corporate earnings.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the number of deaths continues to rise. As of Wednesday evening, there are 1,999,552 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., and 112,895 deaths, and 30,542 deaths in New York, the largest of any state in the country. Worldwide, there were 7,357,011 confirmed cases and 416,084 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

For his part, Fauci credited an improvement in testing and contact tracing as a way to help avoid a second wave of coronavirus. Its the way we and the efficiency and effectiveness in which we put the manpower, the systems, the tests, to identify isolate and contact trace that will determine how successful we are in preventing that wave, Fauci told CNBCs Halftime Report. The U.S. health-care system will also have an opportunity to stock up on ventilators and PPE and, in an ideal world, people will understand the benefits of social distancing.

That same strategy of testing and tracing people who have tested positive so they can be quarantined appears to have worked in other countries, most notably Iceland. After worrying exponential growth in the early days of the pandemic, Icelands government has flattened the curve of new cases. Only six new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, were detected in May. There have been only three new cases so far this month, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,807 and the total number of deaths from COVID-19 to 10.

In a few short months, scientists around the world have learned a lot about SARS-CoV-2, including the viruss genetic structure; how it infects human cells; what kind of disease manifestation it causes; and how it impacts the liver, kidney and brain, and how secondary symptoms affect children. That progress has been reflected in the Dow Jones Industrial Index DJIA, -1.03% and S&P 500 SPX, -0.53%, which recovered the ground lost earlier in the pandemic. Equity indexes have ricocheted in recent months as markets remained hopeful of progress on research into a vaccine.

Poland cautions against read into public debate or the markets as an indicator of what the virus will do next. The coronavirus only knows one thing, he says, and that is to infect another host.

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Yes, America needs to brace itself for a second wave of coronavirus - MarketWatch

Human Behavior

Dan’s Daily Links: NHL Hits the Ice, UPMC Says Virus Weakening – Pittsburgh Hockey Now

Make sure to sing Happy Birthday twice when washing your hands. The NHL sent a 21-page memo to all NHL players participating in the NHL Return to Play Phase 2, including the Pittsburgh Penguins. The note includes very specific measures. In addition to temperature checks within two hours of entering the building and social distancing in the locker room, the players are supposed to sing Happy Birthday twice while washing their hands.

Oh, please let someone sneak cell phone video of Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin doing this. Also, the rules confine the players to their group of six throughout Phase 2. So, whoever takes the together today will be grouped until Phase 3.

You can watch the full TSN report on the 21-page memo (TSN)

Dr. Donald Yealy, chair of Emergency Medicine at UPMC, held a press conference on Thursday.

The virus may be changing. Some patterns suggest the potency is diminished, Yealy said.

Read more about it here (Daily Mail)

Thats really, really good news. PHN was able to find other reputable reports, including from Reuters, which echoed UPMCs findings.

The Washington Post, which disputed the COVID-19 good news also quoted a University of Pittsburgh expert who attributed the COVID-19 improvements to human behavior (Washington Post)

Back to hockey

Which Pittsburgh Penguins will hit the ice first on Tuesday? Last chance to enter the PHN contest (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Here is a full rundown of the teams which hit the ice yesterday and how they handled it (Sportsnet)

NHL Players of color, including former Pittsburgh Penguins d-man Trevor Daley and Evander Kane, formed the Hockey Diversity Alliance. Despite PHN being the first outlet in the city to publish a report, this was our least read story on Monday. I think its important to take a look (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

The NHL silly season and lets trade for that player, has begun. Jack Eichel trade rumors are the course du jour (Spectors Hockey)

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Dan's Daily Links: NHL Hits the Ice, UPMC Says Virus Weakening - Pittsburgh Hockey Now

Human Behavior

Pioneer graduates 40 in ceremony at Northfield Drive-In – The Recorder

NORTHFIELD The 40 members of Pioneer Valley Regional Schools Class of 2020 were the stars of the show at the Northfield Drive-In Monday night, during a unique yet fairly traditional graduation ceremony where speakers encouraged graduates to stay true to their values, and use their knowledge to create change in the world.

Escorted by the Northfield Police Department, a student caravan began at Pioneer and traveled along Route 63, where the Northfield Fire Department flew a large American flag from its ladder truck. Scattered all the way to the New Hampshire state line, proud neighbors and family members held signs of congratulations as they cheered for the graduates who passed by on their way to the drive-in.

You guys have reached this incredible threshold in your life, Pioneer social studies teacher and alumnus Matthew Killeen told the graduates. Before this, you were high school students, and in a few minutes youre going to be whatever you want.

While graduation is a celebration, Killeen said it is OK to mourn the lack of traditional closure that comes with a senior spring. He said students have had to grow up quickly as they live through changes in the school district, a public health crisis and active protests against racial inequality and police brutality.

Our times demand much from you, but you are ready, Killeen said.

Pioneer Principal Kevin Burke encouraged students to be a part of the hope in the world. He referenced the song What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, saying it sends a message that even though there may be hatred and violence throughout, our world is still beautiful. He said Armstrongs words, It aint the world thats so bad, but what were doing to it, ring true today as we face a world-wide pandemic and fight against racial inequality and police brutality.

Each diploma given out on Monday, Burke said, is a symbol of the priceless knowledge and values the students gained at Pioneer.

Stay true to those values, and stay true to yourself, he said. Use your knowledge to create change and enhance the wonders of our world.

Valedictorian, National Honor Society member and Student Council representative Ella Potee said the Class of 2020 is a part of history. The class represents the generation born into turmoil after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Then, in the face of crises, students marched against gun violence, led climate strikes and stood in solidarity against social injustice.

We started high school during a time of major political shift and division, she said. Now we graduate in the middle of a global pandemic.

Potee said she never thought the year would end with her gazing out onto a field of headlights instead of speaking to smiling faces. Despite the impact it had on their senior year, Potee said she and her fellow graduates would not be defined as the Class of COVID-19.

We are the class of rowdy sports games, loud pep-rallies, sweaty marching band parades and karaoke in AP calculus, Potee said. We are a class of musicians, of athletes, dancers, gym rats, activists, video gamers, scholars, artists and friends.

Senior Jordin Hubbard created a video that was shared on the big screen at the Northfield Drive-In. Seniors cheered for, and laughed at, the school photos, baby photos, and videos that highlighted their time together at Pioneer. The evening concluded with a fireworks display set to the senior class song, Rise Up by Andra Day.

The graduation ceremony was livestreamed and filmed by Bernardston Northfield Community Television, and can be viewed at bnctv.netor on the BNCTV Facebook page.

Graduates

Rachael Mae Abbey, Delaney Rosalie Archer, Celina Rose Balzer, Brian David Bodenstein, Colyn Michael Brechenser, Ashley Lillian Brennan, Abigail Marie Briggs, Cierra Morgan Buzzell, Dylan Alexander Carmody, Aaron Michael Davis, Jasmin Destini Delgado, Athena Rose Fowler-Shaw, Jennifer Anne Fuller, McKayla Amber Glazier, Zara Ann Hervieux, Noah Richard Horton, Jordin Nicole Hubbard, Sierra Lynn Jobst, Gavin William Mielke Johnson, Anneka Rae Johnson, Richard William Kane, Valerie Anna Kasper, Noah Patrick Keith, Aliyah Lynn Kimball, Shelby Grace Kosterman, Morgan Sarah Hartford Lounder, Alyssa Catherine Martin, Samantha Grace Martinez, Stephanie Madison Mercorelli, Sarah Lynne Podlesney, Ella Hopkins Potee, Logan Maitland Pratt, Jacob David Quinn, Stephanie Francis Scoville, Warren Charles Shedd, Jasmine Nicole Terounzo, Julian James Trenholm, Sydney Anne Unaitis, Lily Alyse Walker and Katie Robbin Wheeler.

Rachael Abbey: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Outstanding Achievement for Teaching Assistant in Anatomy & Physiology, Owen Clarke Foundation Scholarship, Foundation for Educational Excellence & The Greenfield Cooperative Bank Scholarship, Foundation for Educational Excellence Richard Martin Theatre Award, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Delaney Archer: Excellence in Chorus, Cathy Hawkins-Harrison Music Service Award in Chorus.

Celina Balzer: Excellence in Advanced Placement Calculus, Owen Clarke Foundation Scholarship, Kevin J. Courtney Scholarship, Ethel F. Jackson Memorial Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Brian Bodenstein: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Abigail Stratton Award.

Ashley Brennan: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Silver P Award for National Honor Society.

Abigail Briggs: Excellence in High School Band.

Cierra Buzzell: Excellence in Introduction to Medicine, Ethel F. Jackson Memorial Scholarship, Evelyn G. Lawley Award.

Dylan Carmody: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Outstanding Achievement in Physics, Excellence in Statistics.

Aaron Davis: Excellence in Vocational Training.

Jasmin Delgado: Owen Clarke Foundation Scholarship.

Athena Fowler-Shaw: Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Placement Literature, John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Senior TAB Leader Award in Training Active Bystanders, Most Improved in Advanced Placement Calculus, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Outstanding Achievement in Human Behavior, Kathryn Bassett Memorial Award, Leonard Bruno Memorial Scholarship, Gov. Phil Hoff Vermont Honor Scholarship, Grover/Barnes Award, PVRS National Honor Society Scholarship.

Jennifer Fuller: Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Excellence in Anatomy & Physiology, Fortnightly Scholarship, Grover/Barnes Award, Northfield Fire Department Floyd M. Dunnell Jr. Memorial Scholarship, Northfield Kiwanis Club Walter F. Asseng Memorial Scholarship, Abigail Stratton Award, Abigail Stratton Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship, Women of the Moose Scholarship.

Zara Hervieux: Bernardston Kiwanis Club Scholarship, George A. Warner Award.

Noah Horton: Excellence in Intercultural Foods.

Jordin Hubbard: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Placement Calculus, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Excellence in Human Behavior, Bernardston Kiwanis Club Scholarship, Bernardston Veterans Organization Scholarship, Leonard Eastman Award, French Club Scholarship, Ned Green Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Sierra Jobst: Senior TAB Leader Award in Training Active Bystanders, Most Improved in Introduction to Medicine, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Owen Clarke Foundation Scholarship, Gerald & Edward McGowan Memorial Award.

Anneka Johnson: Excellence in Nutrition & Foods, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Ethel F. Jackson Memorial Scholarship, Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation Scholarship.

Gavin Johnson: Excellence in Advanced Art, Foundation for Educational Excellence Robert S. Coy Art Award, Pioneer Valley Regional School Instrumental Music Award.

Richard Kane: Owen Clarke Foundation Scholarship, Ethel F. Jackson Memorial Scholarship, Principals Award.

Valerie Kasper: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Senior TAB Leader Award in Training Active Bystanders, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Ethel F. Jackson Memorial Scholarship, Pioneer Valley Regional School Scholarship, A.K. Warner Fund Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Shelby Kosterman: Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Morgan Lounder: Alice, Eric & Oscar Anderson Scholarship, Anita L. Pike Memorial Scholarship.

Alyssa Martin: Salutatorian, Outstanding Achievement in English 12, John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Outstanding Achievement in Physics, Excellence in Nutrition & Foods, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Fortnightly Scholarship, Northfield Kiwanis Club Jonathan (Jake) Mayberry Scholarship, Tyler Family Memorial Award, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Stephanie Mercorelli: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Outstanding Achievement in Emergency Care, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Cathy Hawkins-Harrison Music Service Award in Band.

Sarah Podlesney: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Dean Beaudoin Memorial Scholarship, Alfred Orlens Citizenship Award, Pioneer Valley Regional School Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Ella Potee: Valedictorian, John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Senior TAB Leader Award in Training Active Bystanders, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Most Improved in High School Band, Better Business Bureau Barbara J. Sinnott Student of Integrity Scholarship, Kathy Bonnett Memorial Award, Northfield Kiwanis Club F. Sumner Turner Scholarship, Principals Award, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship, Lucy Wilder Memorial Humanitarian Award.

Logan Pratt: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery.

Jacob Quinn: Northfield Fire Department Floyd M. Dunnell Jr. Memorial Scholarship, Pioneer Valley Regional School Scholarship, Fred R. Whitcomb Scholarship.

Stephanie Scoville: Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Fortnightly Scholarship, Northfield Kiwanis Club, Thaddeus M. Ostrowski Memorial Award, Jason Peters Memorial Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Warren Shedd: Owen Clarke Foundation Award, PVRS Student Council Scholarship.

Jasmine Terounzo: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Senior TAB Leader Award in Training Active Bystanders, Outstanding Achievement in Spanish, Silver P Award for National Honor Society, Excellence in Human Behavior, Stephen F. Balk Award, Fortnightly Scholarship, Thomas J. Hurley Nurses Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship, Women of the Moose Scholarship.

Julian Trenholm: Bernardston Kiwanis Club Scholarship, Theodore Cronyn Award, George A. Warner Fund Scholarship, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Sydney Unaitis: John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for MCAS Mastery, Makenzie Goode Memorial Athletic Scholarship, Sarah Kemble Scholarship Award, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

Katie Wheeler: Fortnightly Scholarship, John A. Hogan Memorial Scholarship, Northfield Kiwanis Club, Fred W. Wells Fund Scholarship.

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Pioneer graduates 40 in ceremony at Northfield Drive-In - The Recorder

Human Behavior

Battle for Influence Over the Spread of COVID-19: Heat and Humidity vs. Sunshine – SciTechDaily

An international team of researchers led by McMaster University has found that while higher heat and humidity can slow the spread of COVID-19, longer hours of sunlight are associated with a higher incidence of the disease, in a sign that sunny days can tempt more people out even if this means a higher risk of infection.

The findings, published online the journal Geographical Analysis, inform the widespread scientific debate over how seasonal changes, specifically warmer weather, might shape the spread of COVID-19.

While research has shown that pathogens such as influenza and SARS thrive in lower temperatures and humidity, little is known about SARS-CoV2, the agent that causes COVID-19.

There is a lot of pressure to reopen the economy, and many people want to know if it will be safer to do so in the summer months, says Antonio Pez, a professor and researcher in McMasters School of Geography & Earth Sciences who is lead author of the study.

Restrictions in movement, which have begun to ease around the world, hinge in part on how SARS-CoV2 will be affected by a change in season, he says.

Pez and colleagues from Spains Universidad Politecnica de Cartegena and Brazils Universidade Federal de Pernambuco investigated climate factors in the spread of COVID-19 in several provinces in Spain, one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic, with more than 270,000 cases.

They combined and analyzed data on reported cases of the disease and meteorological information over a period of 30 days that began immediately before a state-of-emergency was declared.

At higher levels of heat and humidity, researchers found that for every percentage increase, there was a 3 percent decline in the incidence of COVID-19, possibly because warmer temperatures curtail the viability of the virus.

The opposite was true for hours of sunshine: more sun meant greater spread. The researchers speculate the increase may be related to human behavior since compliance with lockdown measures breaks down in sunnier days.

They were also surprised to find rates of transmission dropped among more dense populations and in areas with more older adults, suggesting those populations regard themselves as being at greater risk, and so are more likely to adhere to lockdown guidance.

While older adults are more vulnerable to the disease, researchers believe they are less likely overall to contribute to the spread of the disease because they are more apt to be isolated from others because of health or mobility issues.

Pez stresses that models such as the one he helped develop show that contagion of COVID-19 declines as a lockdown progresses, possibly to the vanishing point an argument for maintaining discipline despite the approach of pleasant weather.

We will likely see a decrease in the incidence of COVID-19 as the weather warms up, which is an argument for relaxing social distancing to take advantage of the lower incidence associated with higher temperatures he says. But a more conservative approach would be to use the months of summer to continue to follow strict orders to remain in place and to crush this pandemic.

Reference: A SpatioTemporal Analysis of the Environmental Correlates of COVID19 Incidence in Spain by Antonio Paez, Fernando A. Lopez, Tatiane Menezes, Renata Cavalcanti and Maira Galdino da Rocha Pitta, 8 June 2020, Geographical Analysis.DOI: 10.1111/gean.12241

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Battle for Influence Over the Spread of COVID-19: Heat and Humidity vs. Sunshine - SciTechDaily

Human Behavior

5 Psychology Books To Understand Human Behavior

Our mind is our greatest asset, but we dont always know how to use it or fully understand it. In the vast majority of cases, a lot of our minds potential remains untapped. In order to learn all about the intricate psychology that underlies human behavior, you simply need to find the right books that contain the right knowledge and absorb it.

This is precisely why we created Blinkist: a mobile app that gives you actionable tips from the worlds best nonfiction books in 15 minutes or fewer.

All tips are available in the app in bite-sized flashcard formats that you can quickly read or, thanks to the audio versions, listen to on-the-go. What you learn with Blinkist is totally up to youthere are more than 2,000 titles in virtually every category, including psychology, to choose from.

Read on to discover 5 illuminating books that divulge the mysteries of the human brain, teaching us how to take full advantage of our most amazing organ.

by Sally Hogshead

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How do you appear to others? What makes you uniquely fascinating? This eye-opening book unveils the psychology of fascination and how people and businesses can harness it to develop bulletproof brands and sell-out products.

One of the 7 triggers of fascination is alarm; we are fascinated by things that threaten or alarm us. This trigger is used often in advertising. Keep an eye out for announcements or ads that say something like Our vacuum cleaners are incredible popular, but hurry, there are only 50 left! The inclusion of an impending deadline triggers alarm that in turn activates your fascination.

Key Takeaway: If you want to persuade someone to do something, skirt around the subject, reveal what you need, then forbid them to do it. At the very least, theyll be tempted help.

by Joseph A. Annibali, M.D.

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Imbalances in our brains can give rise to such conditions as anxiety, depression and addiction, all of which can stand in the way of success and act as significant sources of unhappiness in our lives. In Reclaim Your Brain, M.D. Joseph A. Annibali investigates the biological causes for such problems and comes up with effective strategies to prevent and combat them.

Take, for example, negative thoughts in order to combat negative thinking, Annibali suggests that you should pay attention to the thoughts and stories that you tell yourself and then write them down. This will act of transcribing your thoughts will slow down your thinking and, once you have the thoughts on paper, you can critically think about your assumptions, draw clearer conclusions, and rewrite these negative thoughts into positives.

Key Takeaway: Writing your thoughts down, examining them critically, and rewriting the stories you tell yourself are all important steps toward improving your mental health.

by Michelle Tillis Lederman

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The fact that people do business with people they like may seem self-evident, and yet, many of us too often fail to treat business relationships as actual relationships. This book shows you how to form meaningful interpersonal connections with others in a professional context in order to draw the greatest win-win advantages.

Take, for example, an awkward business social outing or networking event: if you find yourself in a situation where it feels difficult to be authentic, try and change your perspective on the person youre interacting with. Make an effort to look at them with unbiased eyes and perhaps you will find something to appreciate; e.g. they may have a set of skills that you dont have. Your ability to find the good in a person or situation will lead to a more genuine and productive interaction.

Key Takeaway: Be your authentic self & look at others with unbiased eyes.

by Maria Konnikova

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How do con artists succeed? Everyone knows pyramid schemes are frauds, and yet so many people fall for them. This is because con artists know and exploit specific flaws in human psychology.

One of the ideas explained in this eye-opening book is cognitive dissonance. This means that when a tightly-held belief does not match reality, we are more willing to bend our perception of reality rather than deal with the stress of changing our beliefs.

One of the best ways to become less vulnerable to con artists is to better know and understand yourself. Get ahead of the game by observing yourself to find out what triggers your emotions and makes you act impulsively. This way, when you meet someone who tries to push your buttons, youll recognize whats happening and avoid falling into the trap of the con artist.

Key takeaway: Get to know your sensitive points and be wary of people who go after them.

by Eric Berne, M.D.

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People are constantly playing mind games with one another its a natural, even if often undesirable, trait of human psychology. The negative impact of these games can be mitigated by learning to recognize, sidestep and counteract psychological games.

When a friend who often rejects your advice asks for help, your game alarm should start ringing. You know that he is maybe not looking for hard and fast advice, but wants something else from you. Instead of offering a list of solutions, flip things around. Ask your friend what he thinks he should do. That will get him thinking and overturn the usual rules of the game.

Key takeaway: A life without games offers an opportunity for closer relationships.

To get thousands of actionable tips from 2000+ of the worlds most important books on psychology and more, download the Blinkist app today.

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5 Psychology Books To Understand Human Behavior

Human Behavior

Psychology and Human Behavior Essay – 1142 Words | Bartleby

771 Words |4 Pages

Behavioral neuroscience or biological psychology employs the principles of brain pathology to the study of human behavior through genetic, physiological, and developmental operations, as well as, the brains capacity to change with experience. Since the second world war, crime was largely attributed to mostly economic, political, and social factors, along with what psychologists termed at the time, the weak character of mental disturbance, and brain biology was rarely considered. However, new advances

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Psychology and Human Behavior Essay - 1142 Words | Bartleby

Human Behavior

Sheriff: The Path forward starts with leadership and culture – Sarasota Herald-Tribune

The recent death in Minneapolis of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Department officer has sparked outrage in communities throughout the country, including Sarasota County.

This time, however, the national reaction feels different than when Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, or Freddie Gray was killed while in police custody in Baltimore, or Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times in Chicago.

The relationship between citizens and police has reached a tipping point. We have never seen the shared sentiment and shows of unity between police and protestors that we are seeing now. Police leaders, including all 67 Florida sheriffs, are publicly decrying the Minneapolis Police Department and use of tactics like the knee on Floyds airway that obviously resulted in his death. They are not fearful of backlash from their brothers and sisters in uniform. It would seem that the thin blue line is slowly being erased.

This begs the question, What now?

It is foolish to believe that everything will change from this point forward, and there will never be another tragedy like Floyds. Police officers are imperfect human beings, and some will still make bad decisions in heated moments decisions that can determine whether they, their fellow officers, and the citizens they were sworn to serve will live or die. The most we can expect is a continued evolution toward trust between communities and police agencies, reducing the number of volatile situations with bad outcomes like the one we have just seen.

There are nearly 18,000 police agencies in the U.S., employing more than 680,000 people. Reform will not happen overnight. How can we accelerate it?

Recently, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts stated that she wants to legislate police policy.

"I know when you're talking about systemic injustice, sometimes people will chalk it up to culture, but culture is human behavior. And it can be changed," Pressley said. "And I think that begins by holding all accountable, from this White House to our State House to our City Hall, to root out the scourge of police brutality and the many other intersectional injustices that also play a part."

Pressley is right on culture: it has tremendous power to shape human behavior, bad or good. She believes legislation will change behavior and improve police culture. I believe she has the process backwards.

A positive police culture must come first. It is the foundation of reform and without it, nothing changes. No amount of policy, legislation and diversity in the ranks will change the behavior of cops in a negative culture with an us versus them mentality.

How else do you explain the continued racial bias in law enforcement against African American people, despite two decades of increasingly diverse hiring practices and legislated reform measures nationwide?

When I watched the video of officer Derick Chavin leaning on George Floyds neck, I saw what America saw unspeakable police brutality. After more nearly 34 years in law enforcement, I also saw things that many others did not. I saw black gloves that were likely not COVID-19 protection, but a statement of power and intimidation. I saw four officers, including an African American and Asian, with an attitude that said it was just another day at the office. In my mind, the situation was clear: the Minneapolis Police Department had allowed a culture to fester in which officers feel empowered and separate from their communities. De-escalation is something to which they pay lip service, but dont practice.

Could a policy against putting your knee on someones airway have saved Floyd? Possibly. But a police culture like the one in Minneapolis is a perpetual breeding ground for problems. If not Floyd, it would eventually be someone elses life lost at the hands of the police in any of a hundred ways.

Most people dont want to hear this. Changing police culture and mindset is big and messy. It takes a lot of time. You cant wrap it up in a bow like a policy or a law: There, the bill is signed now so weve solved this problem. You cant measure it easily, like the number of minority officers in your ranks.

The good news is that it is possible. It begins at the top. Law enforcement leaders are the CEOs of their organizations, and as they go, so go their people. We know this from the private sector, where CEOs and their management styles define everything about their companies. We also know from the military that good leaders can achieve remarkable things.

If America wants to accelerate change in police reform, it needs to focus seriously on its police leaders which is not the same as handcuffing them into submission. In hiring or appointing police chiefs, municipalities should look beyond credentials on paper and talk to people who have worked under the job candidates. Likewise, voters should elect sheriffs not based on their personal ideologies, but on their proven leadership qualities.

Most importantly, the people who put police leaders into position should ask themselves, Is this the person who can build a culture that creates trust? Then, hold them accountable.

Tom Knight is the sheriff of Sarasota County and the secretary of the Florida Sheriffs Association.

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Sheriff: The Path forward starts with leadership and culture - Sarasota Herald-Tribune