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The science of regrettable decisions
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Brainshift: how our perceptions alter
Under particular circumstances (involving high anxiety or a major reward) our brains cause us to perceive the world around us in ways that contradict and distort objective reality. It's when we're most likely going to do something regrettable.
This shift in perception is unrelated to our intelligence, morals, or past behaviors. We don’t even know it’s happening, nor can we control it.
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Why we stick to bad decisions
Psychologists call this “the anchoring bias.”
After we’ve made a decision, even an illogical one, we tend to cling to it. That is, we filter out dissenting information while seeking data that confirms our original viewpoints.
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How to avoid brainshift
- Be aware that we are all vulnerable to the consequences of brainshift, regardless of our ethics, social status, or IQ.
- Know the situations that stoke your fears and desires: Those involving money, sex, and fame/recognition are good places to start.
- Answer to these questions: What’s the worst thing that could happen? How would I feel if that outcome occurred?
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Feeling united
Patriotism is an inborn human sentiment and part of a subconscious drive toward group bonding and allegiance. According to some recent studies, patriotism is in our genes.
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Patriotism and identity
The groups we identify with provide a sense of identity and belonging. Once we have identified our place in the group, we are motivated to enhance the status of this group. Patriotism is a form of identity.
Scientists explain that the instincts that drive patriotism can express humanity’s best and worst sides.
In an experiment, subjects consistently discriminated against those in other groups and acted in ways that benefited their own groups.
Group emotions
The feeling that the benefits of the group are beneficial to the individual is innate.
One common characteristic of a group is that emotions appear to be contagious. A shared emotional experience occurs when one person feels a similar emotion to another due to perceiving the other's state. Conversely, xenophobia can be attributed to a dissimilarity in perception that creates an empathy gap.
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Talking about dreams
People are compelled to talk about dreams. It is a natural impulse because dreams are emotional, affect moods, feel profound.
What is unusual is that we live in a cultu...
How to remember your dreams
Keep a dream journal. Get into a habit, set things up the night before to reinforce your goal.
Lucid dreaming
In lucid dreams, you become aware you’re dreaming. You can take control of the plot. They can be anything from a brief moment where you’re in a nightmare and tell yourself: “this is a dream” and wake up.
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To lie is human
- Lying is something that most people are very practiced in. We lie in big and small ways, to strangers, co-workers, friends, and loved ones.
- Researchers found that people lie on ave...
Lying increases with maturity
The increase in lying is driven by the development of the ability to see the world from someone else's perspective. We gain an understanding of the beliefs, intentions, and knowledge of others.
The more we lie, the easier it becomes. Among two-year-olds, only 30 percent are untruthful. Among three-year-olds, 50 percent lie. By eight, kids learn to mask their lying by deliberately giving a wrong answer or making their statement seem like a guess.
Why we limit our lies
We like to see ourselves as honest because we have internalized honesty as a value taught to us. We generally place limits on how much we are willing to lie.