Hi dude, welcome aboard  :  )
Sorry this is so long, I find it hard to explain things short...

I'm not quite sure where you got these scores as some of them are labeled F O N and some of them are labeled F W N. ...so I'm confused too, which is fine because it's more fun being confused together  :  )

Info that might help:
If you haven't done tutorial 4 yet, that will fill in a lot of info about your assessment. This initial FA is about basics and is based on a 5-network model; N1&2 are assessed together because they perform many basic tasks together.

The original 'FO&N' scores (in the first column of your FA) are NOT percentages; they are the figures from your original question responses. Your total scores for N1&2 could be as high as 120. The 'totals for networks' (column 2) represent 100% of what's going on in that network. This is why it doesn't matter if you can't answer many of the questions; the percentage is taken only from the selection you did answer.

Someone could have an original F100 score as you suggest and yes, they would end up with 50% each for N1&2. What's weirder is they could have an original F120 score for N1&2, (giving them a 1% of 0.833), and end up with only 99.96 between 2 networks.

This merging of N1&2 occurred because the FA was originally designed this way for clinical assessment after brain trauma, and we stayed with the same method to save time because it works; halving the N1&2 score gives an accurate reflection of functional ability at this stage that can be correlated with MRI results.

The interesting thing is, I don't know why! I have discussed this with clinical users and the reply is generally that we are only assessing basic concrete functions because most people don't know enough neuroscience to interpret some of the questions needed to assess abstract skills (so we're only looking at about half of what N1&2 actually do in real life and around 50% of each remains unassessed at this stage). Without these basic skills, abstract functions can't develop, so it does give us a good clue as to what else may be affected by basic skill problems.

Also, there is no precedent for what to do if these scores turned up. It is extremely unusual (yet) to find anyone with a fully functional rear end (so far it has never happened) so pretty much all of us have to begin with working on N1&2.

I would like to have time to investigate more deeply the reasons WHY sharing those assessment scores between networks 1&2 correlates with MRI results, but unfortunately I don't have that time! I do know that the method works well, but I do like things to make sense and avoid confusion on all levels.
Also curious is the fact that they are still treated as merged in the whole brain scores, where N1&2  should be taking up around 33.33% of the brain's resources, all as an F score. Each other network should show around 16%.

When you do intermediate & other FAs later on, there will be a lot more detail to work with and these networks are treated separately, but this is a low-resolution initial assessment that gives us a rough guide to what's going on with basic functions between front and back, left and right, which areas are in wrong use and which areas are lagging behind.

From your scores above, it looks like you have some, but not loads, of work to do in N1&2 (and most of this will be accomplished with your relaxation response (anxiety reduction) & input control).

If 'W' = 'O', N6 = 'X' network.
'Y' = your earliest blank (uncolored) network on your template (in this case N1&2). This would be the case even if it had a high F score.
'Z' = N4.
So, begin exercises for N1, N2 and practise hacks for N6. Once you're comfortable with that, include exercises for N4.

Hope this helps!
AR

Hi dude,
Funky username, btw  :  )  I loved that movie.

...Okay there's definitely some confusion here because scores should all read FON and there is no 'W'.

So first, where is the phantom W coming from? Have we done a whoopsy and put it in the tutorials somewhere?

Second, if you've read all the tutorials you are probably going way too fast. They are not designed to be read so much as done (ie you read it, them you go and do the stuff to get the experience).
Consequently each tutorial takes an average student at least a month to go through, and by the end of the first 6 you should know stuff like, “What's the difference between attention, concentration, alertness, and focus?”; “What's the difference between emotion and sentiment?”; “What animal behaviors are associated with what transmitters?” and “How does anxiety shut down frontal lobes?”
And you should have new abilities; how to initiate the relaxation response, how to spot sentiment, how to recognize anxiety, what not to do with benzodiazepine, etc etc.

If you came in as an adept and you DO know all this already, we apologize that most of the stuff here so far is for beginners or intermediates. There are a lot more newbies than adepts, so necessity determines content.

Re: N6: You are probably already doing hacks for N6. The most beneficial hacks for N6 are anxiety reduction and input control, and of course eating, sleeping and behaving in ways that provide all the building blocks the brain needs to start increasing density. The tutorials should tell you that some hacks work for all networks.

There are not many specific hacks for front nets in the basics tutorials at all, because we work from the bottom up and by the time you've gotten N1,2 & 3 nicely balanced you'll notice that much of the front end has improved a lot all by itself! Often, problems just disappear. So by the time you get to working full time on frontal lobes you'll find there is a lot less to do, which is great news for all of us  :  )

All the heavy duty stuff happens right here, because in order to improve front nets, we have to improve rear ones, as that's what they depend on. Balancing N1&2 frees up resources for N6, so when you are working on the rear end you are improving the whole brain. It's much quicker to improve this way than going in top down. Think of it as working to strengthen the foundations of a great building that you can them build better walls and ceilings for and finally the roof. Then you can augment it with bullet-proof glass etc  :  )

Usually, anxiety reduction by itself will stop most frontal wronguse in its tracks. If snapback keeps happening, you need to look more closely at input control. By the time you've done the first 6 tutorials, you should know enough to understand what sort of things N6 is doing that constitute the 'wronguse'. As soon as you know that, you can hack N6 by input control. Type of wronguse is always individual and cannot be predicted by others from a distance; you have to get to 'know yourself' and your life context well enough to see what any network is doing that it shouldn't be.

A big clue for most of us: The dominant network will often cause wronguse in other nets by hijacking them for its own purposes. So input control is indeed very powerful and the more you do it, the more opportunities to do it will occur to you. Unless you have a specific problem or condition, that should be adequate for keeping any rogue network behavior under control while you improve.

Sorry; another long mail! Hope it helps.
Best,
AR

Hi dude,

Ah! (enlightenment)  :  )  Now I understand. The reason they're not labeled like that is that functional and wronguse nets are of course BOTH in use, but not all of the use is useful use!

It's a bit like saying you're still 'using the computer' if you're using it as a door wedge.* So we had to clearly separate function from dysfunction, and the terms mean 'Functional, Occupied and Neutral'.

The trick with snapback is to NOTICE IT as soon as possible. As soon as you know that you are 'not yourself', you can take deliberate steps to rebalance your own neurochemistry and get back into the green zone. Noticing anxiety when in the middle of it is the hard thing, much like trying to get a clear perspective through drunkenness or hypothermia.

The idea of the FA, and all the other little tests along the way, is so you can build up a picture of what your brain's doing over time and how it is changing & improving.

Looking at your FA, if you're working steadily on N1&2, everything else may well fall into place for you with relative ease!
It sounds like you're in a period of fast brain growth, and you'll know by now that connection-density development comes in waves, so to make the most of it, step outside the tutorials and look at the supporting material in the library. Most of the 'basics' section relates directly to tutorials -not just the ones you've seen so far but the ones that are under construction, so if you go through this now you'll be able to grasp upcoming intermediate tutorials right away.

If you've read all the library stuff already, we can send the latest discoveries in your field of interest by private email for your own research. Just let us know what you need, and it's yours.

Brain growth spurts are the best time for implementing input control. Fill your space with sights & sounds of beauty & nature, music and stories that inspire you and movies with good role models. You have a chance here to progress very fast, if you beware of any 'pushing' and keep play and laughter high on the agenda.

We are all with you -Heave Ho me Hearties, there's a neuropirate on the way up!  :  )  It's great to see people diving into these choppy waters and swimming with vigor and success. I often wish sites like this had been around when I was just starting**

I regret that tutorials cannot be finished faster; at the current pace of discovery I am only just able to keep up with the frontiers of research by reading for about a third of each day. I am currently working on T8 though and hope to have it online soon.

Have you discovered this yet:
http://www.neurohackers.com/index.php/e … -left-btpt

It's a totally different perspective on NH but it made me laugh so much, it was like a light being turned on.
Best,
AR

* The ZX81 did a superb job as a door wedge
**Hell, I wish computers had been around when I was just starting!  LOL  :  )

darkstar Wrote:
“As I understand I just need to continue this new habit every time I find myself in snapback”.

Yep, developing sensible habits is what it's all about. We make it automatic -an automatic sensible interactive response is a great advantage.

Re: language: Some stuff has been translated, and we also have members from all over the world; what language do you find easiest?

As long as we know where to find everything, we can take all the time we need and gauge our own pace.

darkstar wrote: (it's hard to believe in anything while you are depressed, especially if it's a new thing)

I believe some time soon you are going to turn around and rethink that  :  )   When we are depressed it's difficult NOT to believe that everything is shit. All we can access are shitty  memories, and we come to believe that's all there is. The way out of depression is to stop believing in all the shit and start believing in reality  :  )

Reality is that stuff which, even if people don't believe in it, won't go away. Never underestimate the 'placebo' effect; it is the basis of all input control. It's a very powerful process that we can trigger on purpose with either concrete or abstract input. That's a great tool.

Interestingly, reading  "Beyond The Porcelain Throne" will answer your question, “Why are a  lot of people not practising NH?”  :  )

Re: Homeworld: Homeworld is the networking organization we use to meet in real life and collaborate on projects. Click here:
http://www.neurohackers.com/index.php/e … troduction

OR: go to the site's home page, scroll down and click on the 'Introduction' button on the left, underneath 'Homeworld'.
Best,
AR

darkstar Wrote:
I want to be sure that I'm reading the originals!

...The originals of ICMM are (partly) handwritten on everything from beer mats to paper napkins, and (partly) on ancient floppy discs chewed by small children. I am happy to post them, if you are sure you want to do this (don't worry, I'm joking)  :  )

re: placebo effect The more I practice neurohacking the more I understand how powerful is the placebo effect. Isn't this effect direct outcome of golden rule #2 in the action?

Yes, although in a way you'll find you can see most of the rules at work in most NH somewhere, “Behave as though” is a good summary of the P effect. Another way of saying that is 'all you have to do is play, and the work goes on underneath'.
Best,
AR