BrainCraft

So... Could you run Facebook better than Zuckerberg?

This week we explore the relationship between AI, voice assistants and neuroscience through the lens of philosophy. Many thanks to Jaron Lanier, Guillaume Chaslot and Zeynep Tufekci for their expert contributions to this episode.

We’re in the middle of an Attention War – where big tech battle it out to win over our eyeballs. Our attention spans are considered a precious—and scarce—commodity. So what is the price of your attention? In this mini-series, we'll explore the psychology, design and impact of tech and social media on both ourselves and society.

In this episode we explore Facebook's impact on society – how it's changed mass grief and other social norms.

We take a look at persuasive design – and how good design persuades you every single day. When it comes to technology this can have some pretty big impacts of keeping us hooked to our devices. Should navigating this be your responsibility? Or should we call for more ethical design?

We’re in the middle of an Attention War – where big tech battle it out to win over our eyeballs. Our attention spans are considered a precious—and scarce—commodity. So what is the price of your attention? In this mini-series, we'll explore the psychology, design and impact of tech and social media on both ourselves and society. A new episode will be released every Friday for the next six weeks.

This week we take a look at the Scully Effect, to see what kind of impact it's had on encouraging more people to enter STEM fields. It's had the largest impact on women in STEM, but strong role models in film and tv have an impact on *everyone's* career choices and changing the public perception of scientists. I hope you enjoy!

This week we discuss the truth about the Marshmallow Test, delayed gratification, will power and success. Did anyone else's parents talk to them constantly about instant vs delayed gratification? That was just me? Explains a lot.

Siegfried Tieber, a sleight-of-hand magician, or cognitive artist if you will, takes us through some illusions (formerly known as magic tricks). Magicians use a number of psychological tricks to bring their performances to life, such as guiding attention and forcing decisions. Can you decipher what's going on here?

Let's take a look at some of the genetic and environmental factors that can lead to increased anxiety. Beyond that, it's SO complex and a variety of other factors lead to us experiencing different levels of anxiety. Do you feel more anxious? Why? Still, there are ways we can practice self care (meditating, exercising, limiting caffeine intake) to help be more of a warrior and less of a worrier.

Why do we sleep? We know that sleep plays a role in learning and memory, but that doesn't really explain why sleep evolved. A lesser known theory, that sleep serves a purpose of flushing out free radicals (aka "Reactive Oxygen Species") is gaining traction after some research by Vanessa Hill and colleagues at Columbia University found that sleep has antioxidant benefits.

You're not a static personality type like tests such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator suggest. Rather, you're a dynamic interaction of personality traits that can be shaped over time.

Like an octopus at a buffet, the branches of microglia are constantly surveying your brain looking for bits of synapses to nibble on.

Getting jealous can warp your mind – here's what to do about it.

We find ghosting in romantic relationships, friendships and even the workplace. It can be hurtful – and you can be better.

The real magic of Harry Potter is that it can reduce prejudice and boost empathy. This week we break down the psychological benefits of literature 💫

In Psychology there’s this bias called the IKEA Effect – where people place a higher value on items they build themselves compared to items they did not construct. Since I’d recently ordered new furniture, I thought I’d put this IKEA Effect into practice.

At first, I was curious about crocodiles in brain scanners. Than I learned that the way you process music emerged more than 300 million years ago.

After using a study mentioning Schwarzenegger a few episodes ago, I wondered, "How many scientific studies mention Arnold Schwarzenegger?" And when I looked into it, the answer REALLY got out of hand. This was a real pain in the neck.

Humans are complicated: a tangled web of amazing biology and bad behaviors. This illustrated field guide will equip you with the necessary tools to navigate the lying, jealous and judgmental tendencies of your fellow humans. This week we explore passive-aggressive behavior, the act of expressing aggression indirectly.