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Hi everyone!  My name is Caitlin Jeschke, and I am a sophomore at Bryn Mawr.  I have always been very interested in the sciences, and I plan to declare a Biology major this semester, possibly with a minor in Chemistry.  I don’t have very much background in neurological or behavioral sciences, other than a brief overview of the nervous system from intro Bio, and so I am looking forward to exploring new topics and ideas this semester.

            In addition to the sciences, I also enjoy studying Anthropology and languages, and learning about different cultures.  One of my favorite topics from my cultural anthropology class last spring was the concept of “sense”, and how it is culturally constructed.  Before that class, it hadn’t really occurred to me that the idea of the “five senses” was not a universal concept.  We discussed how the ways in which people perceive the world and describe “sensing”, or “feeling” are very much influenced by culture, history, surroundings, and personal activities, and how the idea of sense can differ between groups of people, and between individuals.

            The topic of sense continues to be very intriguing to me, and it encompasses many subjects that I feel are particularly relevant to neurobiology and behavior.  For example, people can be classified as different types of learners depending on which type of stimuli (audio, visual, kinesthetic) allows them to most easily absorb and recall information.  There is also the question of mind/body duality as it applies to sense; is it possible to “sense” something solely in the body, without having some sort of mental interpretation? Similarly, can one perceive something in the mind without sensing it?   Or is extra-sensory perception an oxymoron?

            These are just some of the questions that I would like to explore this semester.  I am looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say!