New Study Shows Humans Are on Autopilot Nearly Half the Time


How to have more insights


Misunderstanding the brain is bad for business

New technologies have emerged throughout history that have mocked our closely held intuitions about the world. Telescopes for example taught us that the universe doesn't revolve around the earth. In a hundred years, as new technologies unfold that we can't yet imagine, I wonder if we will look back in amazement at how we misunderstood the human brain in this era. I propose

Pilots and doctors are tested for competence. Why not leader

Want to work as a pilot, lawyer or doctor? You'll need to study hard for years and then pass a tough exam. Want to be political leader? A ‘bachelors of whatever' will do, and there's no exam to pass. Instead, the requirements for entry into politics are good looks, political connections and a whole lot of money.

Is Free Will Real? Better Believe It (Even if it's not)

Why believing in free will is good for you


A combination of cheap, empty calories and poor self-control are creating a global weight problem literally of epidemic proportions. The trouble is, this same phenomenon may be happening with our minds. If current trend continues, we could see millions of people's minds becoming as unhealthy and dysfunctional as their stomachs. The reason? Social media.

Fair Play

Fairness is another primary threat or reward: the experience activates the same network that monitors real pain and pleasure.

A Hunger for Certainty

A sense of uncertainty generates a threat response, reducing your ability to focus on other issues. Certainty on the other hand feels rewarding, and we tend to steer toward it, even when it might be better for us to remain uncertain.

Status: A More Accurate Way of Understanding Self-Esteem.


Easily distracted: why it's hard to focus, and what to do about it

Distractions are everywhere, and they take a real toll. Find out why managing distractions can be so tough, and discover two brain-based strategies for getting on top of them.