Phi Kappa Phi Forum

When most of my students hear how many languages my friend Maria speaks, they are amazed. Born of Greek parents and raised in Germany, she speaks both Greek and German fluently, as well as Spanish and English. Maria's language abilities are matched...

The French philosopher Louis Althusser (1918-1990) theorized about the way in which individuals are shaped by cultural forces. He originated the notion of "hailing" to describe the way that each of us is called into our culture. Althusser used an example...

Scientists have long recognized that stress can have long-term effects on the brain and on physiology. Often the scientists themselves did not think about the possible implications for the effects of stress on humans. However, recent research has shown...

America has a love/hate relationship with Wal-Mart. Its customers love the low prices, and its competitors hate them. Investors admire Wal-Mart's efficient distribution system and low-cost operation, while labor groups protest it's low wages and promotion...

INTRODUCTION The key level of analysis of the brain is the neuron--a cell specialized to respond to complex patterns of activity from receptors (the body's sensors) or other neurons both to change its state (this provides the key to memory) and...

As the oldest all-discipline honor society in the United States, Phi Kappa Phi has embraced opportunities for positive change while maintaining its heritage and remaining true to its mission. Today Phi Kappa Phi continues to evolve, welcoming innovation,...

In my previous column (Summer 2004) I discussed how all modern domestic dogs can trace their origins from ancestral Eurasian wolves fifteen-thousand years ago. I also discussed the farm-fox experiment, which was a reenactment of how domestication may...

Most of us are extremely interested in human behaviors and abilities. Because these behaviors and abilities are mediated by our brains, it is natural to wonder how the human brain is organized and functions. Understanding the human brain is challenging,...