Priming

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

[edit] Psychology

Priming in psychology refers to activating parts of particular representations or associations in memory just before carrying out an action or task. In a neurological view priming can be seen as the activation of clusters of neurons (which can be seen as little stores of particular information). An interconnected cluster is surrounded by other clusters that are more or less connected with each other. When a cluster is activated, for example by the input of sensory neurons, surrounding clusters that are more interconnected (due to similar information, for example: both clusters represent a kind of flower) become more activated and are therefore more likely to come into consciousness. So when the cluster that represent the concept of "flower" is activated, particular clusters will be more activated then others (i.e. kinds of flowers). These associations are often regarded as unconscious, but can be conscious as well. For example, after studying a list of 20 words containing the word "garbage", a subject can be asked to recall the word by priming with a reminder stimulus "gar".

[edit] Media

Priming in media is related to the agenda-setting theory. Priming is the process by which certain portions of media content are 'brought to the forefront' and certain other portions are relegated to the background. This process allows the media to exercise control over public opinion.

Priming is most important when issues are new and information is scarce. Often priming is related to partisan attachment in so much as it determines the importance and the framing of a particular news event.

[edit] Agriculture

Priming in botany and agriculture is a form of seed planting preparation in which the seeds are pre-soaked before planting. Priming is not an extremely widely-used method yet, but as more and more farmers experiment, they will discover the benefits of seed priming. In general, most kinds of seeds experimented with so far have shown an overall advantage over seeds that are not primed. Many have shown a faster emergence time (the time it takes for seeds to rise above the surface of the soil), a higher emergence rate (the number of seeds that make it to the surface), and better growth, suggesting that the head-start helps them get a good root system down early and grow faster. This method can be useful to farmers because it saves them the money and time spent for fertilizers, re-seeding, and weak plants.

[edit] Additional Sources on Seed Priming

Overview of Seed Priming: TNO Quality of Life
Priming Winter Wheat: Crop Science
Priming Papsalum dialatatum The Royal Society of New Zealand (pdf file)
Priming mung beans (Vigna Radiata): Ingenta Connect

[edit] Science

During scientific experiments that require high levels of accuracy and involve liquid chemicals, the equipment that will come into contact with the liquid chemicals are primed. Priming, in this context, is a cleaning and preparation process that involves cleaning the equipment with the liquid chemical it will come into contact with during the experiment. The process is used to minimize contamination and therefore obtain results that are more accurate.

When cleaning equipment it is near impossible to remove all the loose molecules. It is almost certain that traces of the chemical used to clean the equipment will remain on its surfaces, forming a microscopically thin layer.

The advantages to priming are best demonstrated with an example. Say a known quantity of concentrated hydrofluoric acid was needed for an experiment and this quantity was measured out in a measuring cylinder cleaned with water. Concentrated hydrofluoric acid reacts violently with water, the products would then contaminate the experiment. This reaction is very exothermic and would warm the quantity, perhaps creating other problems, for example, if the experiment had be carried out under standard conditions. Priming the equipment, in this case concentrated hydrofluoric acid would be used, would minimize this problem.

This process is also used in engineering and mechanics to avoid contamination, particularly in hydraulic systems, for example, braking systems in cars.