Richard j davidson biography of michael jackson

American psychologist

For other people named Richard Davidson, see Richard Davidson (disambiguation).

Richard J. Davidson (born December 12, ) is an American psychologist and professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as well as founder and chair of the Center for Healthy Minds and the affiliated non-profit Healthy Minds Innovations.

Early life and education

Born to a Jewish family^[1] in Brooklyn,^[2] Richard "Richie" Davidson attended Midwood High School. While there, between –, he worked as a summer research assistant in the sleep laboratory at nearby Maimonides Medical Center^[2] cleaning electrodes that had been affixed to subjects' bodies for sleep studies.^[3]

Davidson went on to receive his B.A.

in Psychology from NYU (Heights) in ^[2][4][5][6] and studied at Harvard University to operate with Daniel Goleman and Gary Schwartz^[3] and gained his Ph.D.

in Personality, Psychopathology, and Psychophysiology there in ^[2][6] At Harvard, Davidson was mentored by David C. McClelland and was also influenced by Norman Geschwind and Walle J. H. Nauta.^[3]

Career

In Davidson took a teaching post at the State University of Fresh York at Purchase where he subsequently held several posts including research consultancies at the Department of Pediatrics, Infant Laboratory, Roosevelt Hospital, New York and the Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, NIH.^[2]

In he unified the faculty of the University of Wisconsin at Madison^[3] where he has since remained.

He previously served as the director of the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience and of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior. He is the founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds.^[6]

Research

Davidson's research is broadly focused on the neural bases of emotion and sentimental style as well as methods to promote human flourishing, including meditation and related contemplative practices.

His studies have centered on people across their lifespans, from birth through old age. In addition, he has conducted studies with individuals with emotional disorders such as mood and anxiety disorders and autism, as skillfully as expert meditation practitioners with tens of thousands of hours of experience.

His research uses a wide range of methods including different varieties of MRI, positron emission tomography, electroencephalography, and modern genetic and epigenetic methods.

Richard Davidson is popularizing the idea that based on what is known about the plasticity of the brain, neuroplasticity, one can learn happiness and sympathy as skills just as one learns to play a musical instrument or train in golf or tennis.^[7] Happiness, like any skill, requires practice and hour but because one knows that the brain is built to change in response to mental training, it is possible to train a mind to be happy.^[7]

Davidson argues for a diagnosis of clinical depression with the help of emotional style.

He describes emotional style as a set of continuums where some people fall at one utmost of the continuum while others fall somewhere in the middle. Clinical depression manifests as extremes on the outlook and resilience dimensions, where those afflicted own a more negative outlook and are slower to recover from adversity.^[8]

Richard Davidson and his collaborators have used rhesus monkeys as models of human neurophysiology and emotional response since when he and fellow UW–Madison researchers Ned H.

Kalin and Steven E. Shelton published “Lateralized effects of diazepam on frontal brain electrical asymmetries in rhesus monkeys.”^[9] In the same group published further results on the role of the central nucleus of the amygdala in mediating fear and anxiety in the primate.^[10] In , Drs Kalin, Shelton & Davidson reported that experimental lesions of adolescent rhesus monkeys' orbitofrontal cortex resulted in "significantly decreased threat-induced freezing and marginally decreased fearful responses to a snake."^[11]

Davidson's work with human subjects has attracted the attention of both scientific and popular press, and has been covered by Scientific American^[12] and The New York Times.^[13]

Use of Primates

Davidson's has been involved in research that utilize rhesus macaques to study anxiety,^[14][15] which has led to some controversy and criticism.^[16] Davidson has stated that he supports animal research and that it has "undeniably made major contributions to the reduction of suffering" in humans.^[16]

Research with the Dalai Lama

Davidson has been a longtime companion of the 14th Dalai Lama, and some of his function involves research on the thinker as it relates to meditation.^[7] Davidson has long maintained his own daily meditation practice, and continues to communicate regularly with the Dalai Lama.

This connection has caused controversy, with some scientists criticizing Davidson for creature too close to someone with an interest in the outcome of his research and others claiming that it represents an inappropriate mix of faith and science.

When he invited the Dalai Lama to participate in the "Neuroscience and Society" program of the Society for Neuroscience meeting in , over researchers signed a petition in protest.^[17][18] Some of the petitioners were Chinese researchers, who may oppose politically with the Dalai Lama's stance on Tibet.^[17] The controversy subsided quickly after most scientists attending the talk found it appropriate.^[19]

Awards and honors

In , Davidson received the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, for lifetime achievement from the American Psychological Association.^[3]

Time magazine named Dr.

Davidson one of the world's top most formative people in a issue.^[20]

Personal meditation practice

Davidson's practice has changed considerably over the years. In recent years he practices in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, including prostration to the teachings, and meditating "not primarily for my advantage, but for the benefit of others."^[21]

Publications

Davidson has published many papers, chapter articles and edited 13 books.^[5] In he was the founding co-editor, with Klaus Scherer, of the American Psychological Association journal Emotion.^[22]

Davidson is currently on the Editorial Board of Greater Good Magazine, published by the Greater Good Science Center of the University of California, Berkeley.^[23] Dr.

Davidson's contributions include the interpretation of scientific research into the roots of compassion, generosity, and peaceful human relationships.^[7]

His most recent book, Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body, was co-authored with friend and colleague Daniel Goleman and released in September

He has written a New York Times bestseller (with Sharon Begley) titled The Heartfelt Life of Your Brain, published by Penguin in March

A documentary film about the function of Davidson called "Free The Mind", directed by Phie Ambo, was released in

Selected publications

Papers

• Davidson, R.; Lutz, A.

  (). "Buddha's Brain: Neuroplasticity and Meditation [In the Spotlight]". IEEE Signal Processing Magazine. 25 (1): – BibcodeISPMD. doi/MSP PMC&#; PMID&#;

• Kern, S.; Oakes, T. R.; Stone, C. K.; McAuliff, E.

  M.; Kirschbaum, C.; Davidson, R. J. (). "Glucose metabolic changes in the prefrontal cortex are associated with HPA axis response to a psychosocial stressor". Psychoneuroendocrinology. 33 (4): – doi/en PMC&#; PMID&#;

• Lutz, A.; Brefczynski-Lewis, J.; Johnstone, T.; Davidson, R.

  J. (). Baune, Bernhard (ed.). "Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise". PLOS ONE. 3 (3): e BibcodePLoSOL. doi/ PMC&#; PMID&#;

• Lutz, A.; Slagter, H. A.; Dunne, J.

  D.; Davidson, R. J. (). "Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation". Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 12 (4): – doi/ PMC&#; PMID&#;

• Slagter, H. A.; Lutz, A.; Greischar, L. L.; Francis, A. D.; Nieuwenhuis, S.; Davis, J.

  M.; Davidson, R. J. (). "Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources". PLOS Biology. 5 (6): e doi/ PMC&#; PMID&#;

• Davidson, R. J. (). "Well-being and affective style: Neural substrates and biobehavioural correlates".
  Aperformer since the age of five, Michael Jackson is one of the most popular singers in history. His album, Thriller, sold forty million copies, making it the biggest seller of all time. Through his record albums and harmony videos he created an image imitated by his millions of fans. The house was always filled with music.

  Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. (): – doi/rstb PMC&#; PMID&#;

• Davidson, R. J.; Kabat-Zinn, J.; Schumacher, J.; Rosenkranz, M.; Muller, D.; Santorelli, S.; Urbanowski, F.; Harrington, A.; Bonus, K.; Sheridan, J.

  F. (). "Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation". Psychosomatic Medicine. 65 (4): – doi/PSYE3. PMID&#; S2CID&#;

Books

• Goleman, Daniel; Davidson, Richard J., eds.

  (1 Jan ). Consciousness, the Brain, States of Awareness, and Alternate Realities. Ardent Media. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

• Fox, Nathan A.; Davidson, Richard J., eds. (April 1, ). Psychobiology of Affective Development. Psychology Press.

  p.&#; ISBN&#;.

• Ekman, Paul; Davidson, Richard J., eds. (December 22, ). The Nature of Emotion: Fundamental Questions.
  Michael Jackson: Biography, Musician, Dancer: Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, – June 25, ) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures ever.

  Unused York: Oxford University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

• Davidson, Richard J., ed. (July 15, ). Anxiety, Depression, and Emotion. New York: Oxford University Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
• Davidson, Richard J.; Harrington, Anne, eds.

  (December 6, ). Visions of Compassion: Western Scientists and Tibetan Buddhists Inspect Human Nature.

  His influence extended beyond his Michael Jackson-level boogie moves and vocals, touching the hearts and souls of millions worldwide. The Jacksons were a large, working-class family, with Michael growing up alongside his brothers and sisters, including notable siblings like Jermaine Jackson and Janet Jackson. From a young ageMichael showed an extraordinary amount of charisma and energy, often charming every room he entered with his smile and lively ego. He would spend hours singing with his siblings and exploring different dance moves that hinted at his future in entertainment.

  New York: Oxford University Squeeze. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

• Hugdahi, Kenneth; Davidson, Richard J., eds. (December 13, ). The Asymmetrical Brain. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. pp.&#; ISBN&#;.
• Davidson, Richard J.; Begley, Sharon (December 24, ).

  The Emotional Animation of Your Brain&#;: How its Unique Patterns Affect the Way You Think, Feel, and Survive — and How You Can Change Them. London: Penguin Books. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

• Goleman, Daniel; Davidson, Richard J.

  (September 5, ). Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body. Avery Publishing. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

References

External links