Psychology, page 3
How minds work: biases, behaviour, motivation, emotions, research on people. 266 links, newest first. Page 3 of 6.
Links 101 to 150
AI voice shows how ADHD scatters attention
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #194
The speaker asked AI to write 30 seconds of ADHD thoughts as dialogue
Summary
An AI-written, voice-synthesized 30 seconds of thoughts shows how ADHD scatters attention, the speaker says, for entertainment.
The speaker asks an AI tool to write about 30 seconds of thoughts in the mind of a person with ADHD, then reads the result aloud with a voice synthesizer. The monologue jumps between the task at hand, a buzzing phone, forgotten plants, an unpaid bill and self-criticism about falling behind. He presents it as entertainment that many people may recognize.
Key points- The speaker asked AI to write 30 seconds of ADHD thoughts as dialogue
- Thoughts jump from the report to an unsent email, plants, coffee and a buzzing phone
- The speaker says reading it feels like his own brain, though the clip is for entertainment
Conscientious people tend to live longest
Short · youtu.be · Issue #193
The study tracked 1,548 children for success, health and longevity
Summary
A Stanford study of 1,548 ten-year-olds found that conscientious people, who show up reliably, live longest.
The speaker cites a Stanford study that followed 1,548 ten-year-old children to look at what goes with success, health and longevity. People who were conscientious and reliably did what they said they would lived longest. The carefree "don't worry, be happy" group died earliest, often from accidents and preventable illnesses.
Key points- The study tracked 1,548 children for success, health and longevity
- The carefree 'don't worry, be happy' people died earliest, from accidents and preventable illness
- The longest-lived shared one theme: they reliably did what they said they would do
Your self-image shapes how others treat you
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #193
The speaker says others detect a self-image of being a loser and treat you that way
Summary
Your sense of who you are shapes how others treat you and which relationships you keep repeating.
The speaker argues that your sense of who you are is the most important factor in your future. He says other people detect how you see yourself and treat you accordingly, which he links to repeating failed relationships until you change. As your identity changes, he says, your future changes too.
Key points- The speaker says others detect a self-image of being a loser and treat you that way
- Failed relationships repeat until you change your identity
- Changing your identity changes your future, he argues
Four relationship killers each have an antidote
Short · youtu.be · Issue #192
Gottman can predict relationship failure with over 90% accuracy if the behavior is not changed
Summary
Criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling predict relationship failure, and each has a specific antidote.
Dr. John Gottman's four negative communication patterns are criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling, which the speaker says can predict relationship failure. Each has an antidote: use I statements and state a positive need for criticism, build respect and appreciation against contempt, take responsibility for part of the conflict against defensiveness, and take a break of at least 20 minutes against stonewalling.
Key points- Gottman can predict relationship failure with over 90% accuracy if the behavior is not changed
- Replace criticism of character with I statements that name feelings and a positive need
- Break for at least 20 minutes to calm down before returning to a stonewalled conflict
Charisma comes from curiosity about others
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #191
Research the speaker cites says dopamine-producing conversation makes people memorable
Summary
Charisma comes from being interested in others, and dopamine-worthy questions make you memorable.
The speaker argues that charisma comes from being interested, not from being extroverted. He cites research suggesting that the dopamine released when people discuss what excites them makes them more memorable. He recommends replacing autopilot questions such as "what do you do?" with questions about what people are passionate about.
Key points- Research the speaker cites says dopamine-producing conversation makes people memorable
- Swap 'what do you do' for questions about what excites someone
- Such questions create mental post-it notes that the listener remembers
A Few Questions to Ask Yourself
Read · collabfund.com · 5 min · Issue #191
Morgan Housel's Collaborative Fund post lists self-reflective questions that test our assumptions.
Summary
Morgan Housel's Collaborative Fund post lists self-reflective questions that test our assumptions. Examples include whether a popular claim is simply good marketing, whether we believe something we badly want to be true, and how to tell patience from stubbornness. The post also asks who we admire who is secretly unhappy.
Your feed reflects what you engage with
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #190
The speaker says the algorithm is you and what you engage with
Summary
Your feed reflects what you engage with, so blaming the algorithm misses your own role in it.
The speaker argues that social media algorithms reflect the user's own behavior rather than causing depression or polarization. He demonstrates by searching for topics such as the New York Jets, wine and trading cards, and says the feed then fills with those interests. Anyone unhappy with their feed, he says, should change what they search for and engage with.
Key points- The speaker says the algorithm is you and what you engage with
- Search topics and like four or five posts to reshape your feed
- He argues social media is not what makes you depressed
Techniques that mislead using true statements
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #190
Pair two related facts so the listener assumes a cause that is not true
Summary
Three techniques can mislead people while every statement stays technically true, and the speaker teaches them to spot them.
The video shows three ways to mislead using true statements. One pairs two unconnected facts, such as a meeting given as the reason for leaving. Another uses facts to build a false impression, such as a ride-share described as a chauffeured car. The third frames a discount so one offer looks better, though the video argues both cost the same.
Key points- Pair two related facts so the listener assumes a cause that is not true
- Use true details that imply a luxury, such as a chauffeur, that is not there
- Frame a price as a discount against a rival's higher price
The Strangeness of Laughter
Read · sapiens.org · 12 min · Issue #190
Anthropologist Kirsten Bell's SAPIENS essay examines why laughter can be awkward or uncontrollable and how cultures have viewed it.
Summary
Anthropologist Kirsten Bell's SAPIENS essay examines why laughter can be awkward or uncontrollable and how cultures have viewed it. She describes laughter as contagious and social, and notes that laughing alone or at the wrong moment can seem strange. The essay traces historical unease about loud laughter, from Erasmus to 19th-century etiquette guides, and describes laughter as a force that can destabilize hierarchies.
The body resists statements the mind rejects
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #189
Arm strength drops when saying a false phrase, the speaker demonstrates
Summary
A simple arm-strength test suggests the body resists statements the mind does not believe.
The speaker demonstrates a simple muscle test. A person holds an arm out while saying a true statement, "I love fresh air", and a false one, "I love to vomit". The arm is easier to push down with the false statement, which he uses to explain how polygraph tests work. He argues that the body is honest, while the verbal mind can believe things that are not true.
Key points- Arm strength drops when saying a false phrase, the speaker demonstrates
- He says the body is honest and only the verbal mind lies
- Polygraph machines work on the same principle, the speaker argues
How the Brain Handles Uncertainty
Read · nesslabs.com · 11 min · Issue #189
Anne-Laure Le Cunff of Ness Labs argues uncertainty cannot be eliminated, so people should combine emotional and rational responses rather than suppress feelings.
Summary
Anne-Laure Le Cunff of Ness Labs argues uncertainty cannot be eliminated, so people should combine emotional and rational responses rather than suppress feelings. She describes the amygdala treating uncertainty as a threat and the prefrontal cortex planning a logical response, linked by the thalamus. She proposes the Plus Minus Next method, naming feelings, and learning in public, treating uncertain situations as experiments.
Happiness is a pursuit, not a constant feeling
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #188
Feelings are evidence of happiness, like the smell of dinner is evidence of dinner
Summary
Happiness is not a constant feeling; it is the pursuit of enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning.
The speaker argues that happiness is not a feeling. Feelings are evidence of happiness, the way the smell of dinner is evidence of dinner. Negative emotions are necessary, since they keep us alive and drive learning. He describes getting happier as the pursuit of three things: enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning.
Key points- Feelings are evidence of happiness, like the smell of dinner is evidence of dinner
- Pure happiness is not the goal, since negative emotions keep you alive
- Getting happier means pursuing enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning
Motivation is unreliable, so feel and act
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #187
Pressure like a blunt 'do it' creates resistance, the speaker argues
Summary
Motivation is unreliable, so the real skill is feeling what you feel and then doing what you need to do.
The speaker argues that motivation is unreliable and that feeling what you feel and then doing what you need to do is a skill, not a matter of will. He points to Nike's "Just do it", saying the word "just" acknowledges hesitation and self-doubt, while "do it" would feel aggressive. He adds that pressure creates resistance because it threatens a person's need for self-control.
Key points- Pressure like a blunt 'do it' creates resistance, the speaker argues
- The word 'just' in Nike's tagline acknowledges hesitation and self-doubt
- Standing on the sideline while holding yourself back is the moment to act
Oversized reactions point to a deeper issue
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #187
A team rule: if the response is above a 5, it is about something else
Summary
When someone's reaction is far bigger than the situation, the real issue is usually something else.
The speaker shares a work rule: if a response is above a 5 on the intensity scale, it is about something else. He applies the same idea at home, where an argument over a toothpaste cap often points to deeper feelings. Instead of defending yourself against the words, listen to the volume and ask whether something more is at play.
Key points- A team rule: if the response is above a 5, it is about something else
- A fight over a toothpaste cap is really about something more
- Name the deeper issue and ask whether you can talk about it
Prioritise the needs of your future self
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #187
A short TikTok on prioritizing the needs of your future self.
Summary
A short TikTok on prioritizing the needs of your future self.
Delays happen when discomfort outweighs satisfaction
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #186
Your brain asks whether to do the task now and weighs pros and cons
Summary
You delay tasks when your mind weighs their discomfort above their satisfaction, and you can shift that bias.
The speaker describes new research on a "valence waiting bias", meaning how people weigh the negatives of a task, such as discomfort or boredom, against its positives, such as relief and satisfaction. If negatives weigh more, people put tasks off. He suggests pausing before you delay and listing more positive reasons to start, which can ease the initial friction.
Key points- Your brain asks whether to do the task now and weighs pros and cons
- A more negative valence bias makes putting things off easier
- Pause and list more positive reasons to start before deciding to delay
Difficult behaviour usually reflects missing skills
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #185
The speaker says about 50 years of neuroscience research supports this
Summary
People do well if they can, and difficult behavior usually reflects missing skills rather than missing will.
The speaker's core philosophy is that people do well if they can. He argues that behavior problems usually reflect missing skills, such as problem solving, flexibility and frustration tolerance, rather than a lack of motivation. He says listening first is the way to change how you respond to others. He describes a girl whose school struggles came from skill, not effort.
Key points- The speaker says about 50 years of neuroscience research supports this
- Struggling people lack skills like problem solving and frustration tolerance
- Telling people what to do fails until you first listen to them
Lucky people notice more opportunities
Short · youtu.be · Issue #185
Participants counted newspaper images, but a page said to stop, there are 42 images
Summary
Richard Wiseman's study suggests people who see themselves as lucky notice more opportunities than unlucky people do.
The speaker cites a study by Dr. Richard Wiseman in which participants rated their own luck and then counted the images in a newspaper. A large message on the second page said to stop counting and that there were 42 images. Almost all self-described lucky participants noticed it, while almost none of the unlucky ones did. The speaker concludes that people who think of themselves as lucky see more opportunities.
Key points- Participants counted newspaper images, but a page said to stop, there are 42 images
- Almost all self-described lucky people saw the ad and stopped counting
- Unlucky participants kept counting, spent more time and made more mistakes
Personal Experiments
Read · nesslabs.com · 11 min · Issue #185
Anne-Laure Le Cunff of Ness Labs argues that life changes work better as personal experiments than as rigid goals.
Summary
Anne-Laure Le Cunff of Ness Labs argues that life changes work better as personal experiments than as rigid goals. Her four steps are to keep short field notes, find patterns and turn them into a research question, test a hypothesis over a set number of trials, and review the result without judgment. She claims this builds adaptability, curiosity and better decisions.
The Michelangelo effect, briefly
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #184
A short TikTok about the Michelangelo effect.
Summary
A short TikTok about the Michelangelo effect.
How human rationality works
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #184
A short TikTok on how human rationality works.
Summary
A short TikTok on how human rationality works.
Agreeing with harsh words defuses fights
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #184
The speaker says agreeing with people defuses them
Summary
Agreeing with someone's harsh words takes the fight out of them, and admitting your own bad days helps.
The speaker says the easiest way to defuse someone is to agree with them. He demonstrates with replies to insults, such as admitting that he has days when he does not like himself. The examples use a playful, self-deprecating tone.
Key points- The speaker says agreeing with people defuses them
- He answers an insult with agreement, and the argument deflates
- Admitting bad days reminds him others may have bad days about him
Standing too close on Zoom feels intrusive
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #183
Proxemics is the study of distances, the speaker explains
Summary
Standing too close to the Zoom camera feels intrusive, so position yourself in social space to look more influential.
The speaker introduces proxemics, the study of distances between people, and applies it to Zoom. Sitting right against the camera puts you in someone's intimate space and feels uncomfortable. Sitting at a social distance, where your hand gestures are visible, makes you appear more natural and influential on screen.
Key points- Proxemics is the study of distances, the speaker explains
- Close framing puts viewers in intimate or personal space
- Social-space framing keeps hand gestures visible and adds warmth
Eight minutes of attention eases loneliness
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #183
The speaker cites an article saying eight minutes of a friend's time helps
Summary
A friend needs only about eight minutes of another friend's attention to feel less alone in a hard moment.
A friend described a hard week and said she had reached out with a text that looked routine. The two then agreed on a code phrase, "do you have eight minutes", to signal real need. The speaker cites the idea that people need about eight minutes of a friend's time to feel less alone in a stressful moment, and argues anyone can step out of a meeting for that long.
Key points- The speaker cites an article saying eight minutes of a friend's time helps
- He and a friend agreed on the code phrase: do you have eight minutes
- Stepping out of a meeting for eight minutes is an easy way to show up
How to Reset Your Dopamine (and Change Your Life)
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #182
Ali Abdaal interviews neuroscientist TJ Power about dopamine, the first of a four-part series on brain chemicals that also covers oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.
Summary
Ali Abdaal interviews neuroscientist TJ Power about dopamine, the first of a four-part series on brain chemicals that also covers oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins. The 18-minute video explains the law of dopamine and four ways to control it, including phone fasting, finding your flow and cold water immersion.
Close friends celebrate your good news
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #182
Good-news friends celebrate with you and do not assume bragging
Summary
Your closest friends are the ones you call with good news, because they feel joy without jealousy.
The speaker suggests that a closer level of friendship than the person you call in trouble is the person you call with good news. Such a friend feels unbridled joy for you without jealousy, while other people may assume you are bragging. He notes that he calls fewer people with good news than with bad news.
Key points- Good-news friends celebrate with you and do not assume bragging
- The speaker calls fewer people with good news than with bad
- Close friendship has a level beyond calling someone in need
How to Become the Best at What You Do
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #181
The Art of Improvement argues that failure happens only when you quit before reaching your goal, and that consistent effort lets you rise to the top.
Summary
The Art of Improvement argues that failure happens only when you quit before reaching your goal, and that consistent effort lets you rise to the top. The video adds that fear-based habits can be replaced with new routines and new default reactions to difficult situations. A free download of a full illustration is also offered.
The honeymoon halo fades, real relationship begins
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #180
Attraction distorts perception, so early on you see what you want to see
Summary
When the honeymoon halo fades, the relationship really begins, because you can finally see the other person clearly.
The speaker argues that qualities which first attract us often become the ones we dislike later in a relationship. When the initial idealization breaks down, the relationship can actually begin, because the other person can finally be seen clearly. Some attraction is needed to take the risk of pursuing someone, but too much distorts perception. He describes relationships as a roll of the dice.
Key points- Attraction distorts perception, so early on you see what you want to see
- Some attraction is needed to take the risk, but too much is distortive
- The speaker says relationships are a roll of the dice, more than ever
Masks hide shame, so ask what they want
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #177
Shame creates cognitive dissonance, which pushes people to build a mask
Summary
Read people by asking what they want you to feel and notice, because masks conceal shame and discomfort.
The speaker suggests a quick way to read someone: ask what they want you to feel about them and what they want you to notice. This reveals the mask people wear, which the speaker says is built to conceal shame. Shame creates discomfort, and the mask follows from wanting to avoid that discomfort in front of others. The speaker also looks at a person's level of self-control.
Key points- Shame creates cognitive dissonance, which pushes people to build a mask
- The speaker also watches how much self-control a person shows
- The better you read people, the more loneliness, shame and suffering you see
Siblings never share the same parents
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #177
Parents show up differently for a female child than for a male child, the speaker says
Summary
Siblings raised in one house never get the same parents, because gender, birth order and sensitivity shape each child's experience.
The speaker says siblings never grow up in the same home, even with the same parents. A child experiences a parent as the parent shows up for that child, and parents respond differently to a daughter and a son because of cultural programming. Being born at different stages of the parents' relationship also matters, as do different sensitivities.
Key points- Parents show up differently for a female child than for a male child, the speaker says
- Siblings arrive at different stages of their parents' relationship and lives
- Different sensitivities mean the same parents are still experienced differently
How perception can be manipulated
Short · instagram.com · Issue #176
A short Instagram post on the manipulation of perception.
Summary
A short Instagram post on the manipulation of perception.
How your name shapes your life
Short · youtube.com · Issue #176
A YouTube video on how your name impacts your life.
Summary
A YouTube video on how your name impacts your life.
How Generational Stereotypes Hold Us Back at Work
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #175
Leah Georges, a social psychologist, argues that assumptions people make about other generations, from the Silent Generation to Gen Z, can hinder work and communication.
Summary
Leah Georges, a social psychologist, argues that assumptions people make about other generations, from the Silent Generation to Gen Z, can hinder work and communication. The 11-minute talk, from May 2019, holds that people across generations are more alike than different. The description says she offers tactics for multigenerational workplaces. The talk is free to watch on YouTube.
Filling gaps with self-knowledge shapes how we see
Short · instagram.com · Issue #175
An actor from The Office is quoted explaining projection as the source of wrong assumptions
Summary
When we don't understand someone, we fill the gap with what we know about ourselves, so we see the world as we are.
An actor who played Andy Bernard on The Office says that when we don't understand someone, we fill the gap with what we know about ourselves. Rob Bell's idea that everything is a projection is cited, with the realization that the whole behind the parts makes divisions partly an illusion. They also quote Anaïs Nin: you do not see the world as it is, you see it as you are.
Key points- An actor from The Office is quoted explaining projection as the source of wrong assumptions
- Rob Bell is cited saying that seeing everything as one reveals divisions as partly illusion
- The speaker quotes a French novelist: you see the world as you are, not as it is
Infectious positive energy comes with follow-through
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #174
They do what they say they will do and avoid constant victim talk
Summary
People with infectious positive energy follow through, focus on what they can do, and give others full attention.
The speaker says researchers have found consistent traits in people others love being around. Such people follow through on what they say, avoid endless complaining, and focus on what they can do. They give full attention, which means putting the phone away, staying open-minded, and listening even to opposing views. They also validate others' perspectives.
Key points- They do what they say they will do and avoid constant victim talk
- They are present, put the phone away, and stay open to opposing views
- They validate others, which the speaker says shapes how people feel around them
The Batman effect, briefly
Short · instagram.com · Issue #172
A short Instagram post about the Batman effect.
Summary
A short Instagram post about the Batman effect.
Techniques Master Manipulators Use
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #170
This video describes the techniques master manipulators use, with the aim of helping viewers recognize and avoid falling for them.
Summary
This video describes the techniques master manipulators use, with the aim of helping viewers recognize and avoid falling for them. Knowing these tricks, it argues, makes people harder to manipulate.
DyslexicU: University of Dyslexic Thinking
Tool · madebydyslexia.org · Issue #170
DyslexicU, the University of Dyslexic Thinking, is a course run with The Open University and Made by Dyslexia.
Summary
DyslexicU, the University of Dyslexic Thinking, is a course run with The Open University and Made by Dyslexia. It argues that dyslexic thinking suits an AI-driven world, citing the Intelligence 5.0 report, which names lateral thinking, complex problem-solving and interpersonal skills as the most sought-after human skills. Dyslexic people are encouraged to promote their thinking style, and others are invited to build the same skills.
How to hold or shake off a dream
Short · youtu.be · Issue #169
Rick Rubin taught the speaker this trick for waking from dreams
Summary
To hold on to a dream, stay still with eyes closed on waking, and for a nightmare move your body to shake it off.
The speaker shares a trick Rick Rubin taught them. After waking, if you want to keep a dream, stay still with your eyes closed. If you have a nightmare or feel bad, move your body, which they say dispels it. They link this to REM sleep, the most dream-rich stage, when the body is paralyzed but the mind is active. It has made dreams easier to remember for them.
Key points- Rick Rubin taught the speaker this trick for waking from dreams
- The speaker says the body is paralysed in REM sleep while the mind is active
- The speaker says this practice has made dream recall very easy
Speed gains shrink at higher speeds
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #168
A paceometer shows the minutes needed to travel 10 miles at each speed
Summary
Speed gains shrink at higher speeds: 20 to 30 mph saves about 10 minutes per 10 miles, while 80 to 90 saves about one.
The speaker explains the paceometer, a dial showing minutes to cover 10 miles at the current speed. Its numbers are uneven: speeding up from 20 to 30 miles per hour saves about 10 minutes, while going from 70 to 80 saves about one. Speeding to recover a few minutes can gain only about one, and beyond a comfortable 65 or 70, the extra risk buys almost no time.
Key points- A paceometer shows the minutes needed to travel 10 miles at each speed
- Once you reach a comfortable 65 or 70, going faster saves little time
- Extra speed adds risk to yourself and others for almost no time saved, the speaker says
Pictures are remembered better than names
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #167
Researchers found people remember pictures much better than their names
Summary
People recall pictures better than names, so simple visuals communicate better than bulleted lists.
The speaker describes the picture superiority effect: people recall pictures of objects better than their names. In a later study at NYU, simple black-and-white line drawings were remembered better than complicated ones. The speaker argues that communication should be simple and visual rather than built from bulleted lists and dense slides.
Key points- Researchers found people remember pictures much better than their names
- NYU researchers found simple black and white line drawings beat complicated ones
- The speaker says the best communication is simple and visual, not bulleted
Calmness is the cradle of authority
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #167
He quotes Josiah Gilbert Holland: calmness is the cradle of authority
Summary
Calmness is the cradle of authority: the most powerful person listens and stays silent because they have nothing to prove.
The speaker says the most powerful person in a room is usually the calmest, most dignified, and most composed. Quoting Josiah Gilbert Holland, "calmness is the cradle of authority," they argue that people who lose their temper lose control. Truly powerful people rarely need to assert themselves, and are often the ones who listen and stay silent, having nothing to prove.
Key points- He quotes Josiah Gilbert Holland: calmness is the cradle of authority
- Anyone who starts yelling has lost control of themselves, he says
- The truly powerful listen rather than speak, and their power speaks for itself
The Expert Myth
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #164
Veritasium's video asks which experts have real expertise.
Summary
Veritasium's video asks which experts have real expertise. Its description cites academic research on chess perception, clinical versus statistical prediction, deliberate practice and decision-making, and includes a clip of chess player Magnus.
Emotional questions expose lies
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #164
Looking up and to the left signals recalling a memory, the speaker says
Summary
Emotional questions expose lies, because a liar cannot fully hide the real feeling the question triggers.
The speaker says asking an emotional question can reveal lying, because a truthful answer triggers a natural emotion. In a demonstration, they ask about a childhood memory and note that the person looks up and to the left while recalling it. When asked to lie about a painful experience, the speaker says tension and a flat face show the person suppressing a real feeling.
Key points- Looking up and to the left signals recalling a memory, the speaker says
- Asking about a first betrayal shows tension as the person hides a real feeling
- A flat face while the person processes a lie reveals the real emotion underneath
Ranking Linda descriptions exposes a shortcut
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #162
The speaker says almost 90% of Stanford students got this social perception test wrong
Summary
Ranking eight descriptions of Linda exposes a cognitive shortcut that the speaker says fools most Stanford students.
The speaker presents the "Linda" test, in which viewers rank eight descriptions of a woman from most to least likely, including a bank teller who is active in the feminist movement. The speaker says almost 90% of Stanford students answered it incorrectly, and attributes the test to Daniel Kahneman as an example of a cognitive bias.
Key points- The speaker says almost 90% of Stanford students got this social perception test wrong
- Viewers rank eight Linda descriptions from most to least likely to apply
- The speaker promises the ideal answer and the bias explanation in a follow-up video
Mind Field: What Isolation Does to the Brain
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #161
Vsauce's Mind Field episode asks what happens to the brain when it is deprived of stimulation and cut off from the outside world.
Summary
Vsauce's Mind Field episode asks what happens to the brain when it is deprived of stimulation and cut off from the outside world. The host spends three days in a windowless, soundproof isolation chamber, examining the experience from both objective and personal perspectives.
People mistake the mask for the reality
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #161
Charm and intelligence lead us to assume character, the speaker says
Summary
People judge by appearance and mistake the mask for the reality underneath, and they pay for it.
Robert Greene argues that people judge others by appearances because the brain takes shortcuts, so charm or apparent intelligence gets taken as character. He says people learn to disguise their flaws early, and that the cost comes from mistaking the mask for reality. Aggressive or deceitful people do not show it openly.
Key points- Charm and intelligence lead us to assume character, the speaker says
- Devilish people do not wear horns, and fools do not wear caps and bells
- People learn to disguise their flaws from very early on
Right eye to left eye makes strongest bond
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #160
Look into the other person's left eye with your right eye to build a bond
Summary
Your right eye meeting the other person's left eye creates the most bonding eye contact, the speaker says.
A speaker says right-eye-to-left-eye contact is the most bonding form of eye contact, because looking into someone's left eye triggers an innate bonding response. Touch, such as hugs and a handshake with the other hand placed on top, and shared laughter also raise oxytocin, making people more likely to lower their guard. Warm baths and massage are named as other sources.
Key points- Look into the other person's left eye with your right eye to build a bond
- Handshakes with your other hand on top, hugs and laughing together raise oxytocin, he says
- Eye contact, touch and laughing are the main behaviours, and a bath beats a shower
Living 22 years younger brings measurable gains
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #160
Over five days, the men were asked to think, act and feel 22 years younger
Summary
Men in their 70s and 80s who lived as if 22 years younger showed measurable physical and mental gains, per the speaker.
The speaker describes a Harvard study in which men in their 70s and 80s spent five days at a monastery acting as if they were 22 years younger, surrounded by period cues. The speaker says they played touch football without canes, and that measures such as cognition (by 60%), range of motion, and finger and toe length improved. The lesson is to ask who you are pretending to be.
Key points- Over five days, the men were asked to think, act and feel 22 years younger
- The speaker reports longer finger and toe lengths and cognition up 60%
- Pictures of the Kennedy brothers and Marilyn Monroe served as reminders of that time
Overplanning makes results worse, so act more
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #159
Tossing a phone is easy, but holding it over a five-story balcony makes you sweat
Summary
Overplanning and trying to control outcomes make results worse, so plan less, act more.
The speaker compares overthinking to holding a phone over a balcony: worrying about the drop makes it more likely to happen. Trying to control outcomes through over-planning creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, such as treating a job interview as a single shot and becoming stiff. Results get worse when you over-attach, so the answer is to ease up, act more, and plan less.
Key points- Tossing a phone is easy, but holding it over a five-story balcony makes you sweat
- Over-preparing and fearing what goes wrong becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy
- The speaker's rule: if you're thinking too much, you're not acting enough
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