eYe CoLoR

Date: 20 March 2008
Start: 2:48 PM
I have been enjoying my psychology class lately. Actually, that was an understatement. I really love psychology. Before I discovered biology and the related sciences, I wanted to be a psychology when I grow up. Knowing about human behavior is such a fascination. Well, thanks to this class, I have rekindled my love for it. It is really amazing to be inspired by psychology topics. I have thought of lots of research topics I can pursue. I really thought psychology was more of the humanities, but it has lately been inspiring my scientific mind. Anyway, let me proceed to the lecture last class. I would discuss some of the lesson, but there is more to that.

19 March 2008

We started with the topic on sensation and perception. Of course we started with some introduction, then some definitions, a few processes, some physics, then finally the eye structure. Interestingly, someone brought up the question regarding the purpose of eye colors after the teacher asked us about the color of the pupils, and lectured us on red eyes on photographs.

According to our teacher, the colored iris helps in absorbing some of the light coming through our eyes. Basically, it acts as a shield for our eyes. Now, the darker the eye color, the more light absorbed. Well, a little review of physics here. Anyway, as he was talking about people in the equatorial countries (or the tropics) having dark eye colors, someone asked about the eye color of people in China. Well, they have dark colored eyes, but they have the four seasons. Why don't they have any people with other eye colors?

Surprisingly, the teacher was staring at me. I responded quickly by saying no. Well, I am not Chinese. Besides, there is really a Chinese woman in class whom I have been talking to sometimes. How frustrating it really is to be thought of as someone from another country. I do admit I look like I am from another culture, but can't they just ask first? I do not mind people asking me where I am from. I am proud of where I am from. So much for the never-ending rant on this kind of topic. Well, I guess I just have to get used to it more often.
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Before I sign off, let me share another research proposal. In the chapter, a condition called synesthesia is mentioned. The condition literally means 'mixing of the senses'. This is where people would 'see' colors that may fell warm or cold, 'hear' colors and 'taste' shapes. This condition reminded of a topic back in health class in 3rd year high school. There was this kind of drug where people see sounds and hear colors. I was wondering what is the chemical mechanism of synesthesia and its relation to the effect of this drug. I do not have sufficient information to make a proposal, but I thought it was interesting. May more wonderful research ideas be inspired from my psychology class. : )

End: 3:16 PM