Houseboating: Fun And Safety

 

Robert Fettgather holds a specialist credential in learning handicapped and community college credentials in both psychology and developmental disabilities. The Institute for Personality and Ability Testing has certified Robert Fettgather as a Stress Management Trainer, and Medical Hypnosis Seminars of the Los Gatos Institute has certified him in Clinical Hypnotherapy. At Santa Clara University, Graduate Department of Education and Counseling Psychology, his studies included Health Education and Behavioral Medicine. Robert Fettgather enjoys house boating.

Located just 15 miles from the city of Susanville, Eagle Lake provides the perfect spot for houseboating and trout fishing. Its 24,000-acre water body and 66-mile shoreline have been home to the largest trout fish in the country. Trout in Eagle Lake typically grow to 18 inches long and weigh 2 pounds, although the largest catch on record in Eagle Lake was a 114-pound rainbow trout. Lake Tahoe, one of the largest lakes in California, has a surface area of 112,000 acres. It suits those who want to fish from a boat since the lake has a limited shoreline. Several marinas located around Lake Tahoe serve the needs of houseboaters.

Several other locations in northern California can perfectly accommodate houseboating. Lake Berryessa is one of the largest man-made lakes in California. The Vaca Mountains, the grassy hills that surround the lake, serve as a habitat for diverse species of vegetation, animals, and wildlife like deer, eagles, and hawks. A popular weekend destination for houseboaters, Lake Berryessa lies only 55 miles north of San Francisco.

To make the most out of the experience of being on a houseboat, it is important to be aware of safety measures. Houseboats require water pumps to protect them from sinking. The pumps help in case of leaks or natural calamities. It is advisable to refrain from placing certain water pumps in the lower parts of the houseboat because they would be hard to reach in the case of emergencies. Bilge pumps are an important component of most boats.

Learning To Meditate

Robert Fettgather has a bachelor's degree in psychology from San Jose State University, as well as a master's degree in education and a Ph.D. in psychology. With an interest in psychology, spirituality and religion, Robert Fettgather practices meditation and is co-founder of the Tashi Lhunpo Sangha in Palo Alto, California.

Meditation can help practitioners unwind from the stress of their daily lives. Anyone can use spiritual meditation at home or in a house of worship. Various forms of meditation exist across a wide variety of religious and secular traditions. Certain types of prayer are also recognized as a form of meditation.

Focused attention meditation may be the easiest form for beginners. It entails focusing on a particular thing, sound, or sensation. A common stimulus is breath awareness, in which practitioners gently dismiss all other thoughts and focus on their breathing. Primordial Sound Meditation (PSM) or mantra-based meditation uses a mantra unique to each practitioner. Individuals silently repeat the mantra, which helps them focus. Transcendental meditation is also a mantra-based meditation. It uses mantras to promote inner calmness, creativity, energy, mind clarity, and happiness.

There are many resources available to help learn to meditate including popular Apps and guided meditation presentations on YouTube. Perhaps the best path is to work with an established meditation teacher.

Research On Human Development

Robert Fettgather holds a Ph.D in Psychology and Masters degrees in both Psychology and Special Education and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from West Valley College. Robert Fettgather has served as Special Consultant in psychometrics to the Departments of Education and Developmental Disabilities for the State of California. He holds a specialist credential in learning handicapped and community college credentials in both psychology and developmental disabilities.

The goal of scientists who study human development is to produce observations and explanations that can be applied to a wide an age range of human beings. Additionally, they study cultural expectations; make predictions about development and use the scientific methods to test them.  Ideally, research findings can be used to positively influence development in individuals. Sometimes findings are compromised with various forms of bias. 

Descriptive research methods are used to study the relationship between variables. Case studies are in-depth examinations of single individuals. The naturalistic observation is a research tool in which a subject is observed in its natural habitat without any manipulation by the observer. 

Surveys collect data about attitudes, interests, values, and various kinds of behavior. Simply put, a survey consists of a predetermined set of questions that is given to a sample. With a representative sample (one that is representative of the larger population of interest), researchers can describe the attitudes of the population from which the sample was drawn. But polls and surveys can be quite inaccurate- note the problems with political polls and the 2016 election when pollsters got the whole thing wrong! 

Correlational studies measure the relationship between variables. To test causal hypotheses, experimental designs in which subjects are assigned randomly to experimental or control groups are necessary. A key to experiments is the independent variable- the variable that is manipulated by the researcher. The dependent variable is the response that is measured.

There are three options for studying age-related change: a cross-sectional design to study different groups of people of different ages; a longitudinal design to study the same people over a period of time; and a sequential design to combine cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. 

Cross-cultural psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes under diverse cultural conditions. The two primary goals of cross-cultural research are to identify universal changes that cross cultures and to gain information that will help improve people's lives.

Critical thinking can help uncover potential bias that complicates research. Bias is a predisposition or prejudice toward something. For example, we discussed sampling- a sampling bias occurs when the sample is not representative of the general population. Selection bias occurs when the participants in the sample are not equally and fairly selected for both the experimental and control groups; this renders any results from the experiment almost meaningless. An example of response bias occurs when only highly motivated people return a survey. When this happens, the resulting data is biased toward those with the motivation to answer and submit the survey, and is therefore not representative of the population as a whole. Researcher bias is a misrepresentation, intentional or not, of the data.

 

Tricks Of Brain And Eye

 

Robert Fettgather, Ph.D holds a Ph.D in Psychology and Masters degrees in both Psychology and Special Education and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from West Valley College. Dr. Fettgather has served as Special Consultant in psychometrics to the Departments of Education and Developmental Disabilities for the State of California. He holds a specialist credential in learning handicapped and community college credentials in both psychology and developmental disabilities. The Institute for Personality and Ability Testing has certified Dr. Fettgather as a Stress Management Trainer, and Medical Hypnosis Seminars of the Los Gatos Institute has certified him in Clinical Hypnotherapy.

Optical illusions are fascinating visual deceptions that trick our brains and make us perceive the world differently than we might otherwise. These illusions are brought about by the way our eyes and brain interact with each other, sometimes producing shape, size, color, or motion distortions. Optical illusions may be associated with entertainment (think of the last magic trick that stumped you) and artwork (the renderings of Escher come to mind). Of course, these illusions can be seen and appreciated in architecture, design, psychology, and even safety procedures (more on this later).

Optical illusions happen due to the complex relationship between the eyes and the brain. You see our brain interprets visual information based on previous experience, expectation, and surrounding context. For example, a sense of distance is introduced by the converging lines of the road above- The Ponzo Illusion. This sometimes can also lead to misinterpretation, causing us to see things that do not exist or distort objects. Misinterpretation can be annoying but sometimes quite interesting!

What about other illusions in everyday life?

Optical illusions are used by interior designers and architects to decorate environments. Mirrors, for instance, can generate the impression of a larger space, whereas illumination and designs may modify the eye perception of building size and shape. Trompe-l'œil, or an art form that creates three-dimensional visual depth on a flat surface, is also applied to home decor.

Here is that safety point foreshadowed above: Optical illusions are employed in road making to promote safety. A case in point is speed bumps painted with a 3D effect to create the illusion of rising, which will cause drivers to slow down. Pedestrian crossings also use illusions to create the illusion of floating blocks so that they appear more visible to drivers who then apply the brakes.

Optical illusions are not so much a cunning trick—they're part of how we perceive and make sense of the world. From art to road safety and psychology, these illusions are all around us. Not only do they increase our appreciation of mechanisms in of brain and eye, but they also enable us to make more informed and creative decisions in fields such as design, safety, and marketing. As technology develops, the application of optical illusions in virtual reality and digital media will grow, presenting opportunity and challenges on the path forward.