The mind still holds many mysteries, but a lot has already been uncovered.
44. Forest For The Trees
When focusing very hard, people will often miss large changes right before their eyes. This affect is called inattention blindness. Check out this video:
43. Speed Read
People read faster when looking at long lines of text.
Our eyes, however, prefer shorter lines.
42. What’s Your Angle?
People tend to imagine things from a high, tilted angle, like they’re looking at it on a table that’s about waist high.
41. ‘Member?
Memories are reconstructed as they are recalled instead of playing back like a film. That’s why memories change over time, and why people forget certain details. Unforgettable fact right here.
40. Memory Lanes
You can only remember 3 or 4 things at time. Remember that, too.
39. Multifaking
Multiple studies (not all at once) have shown that you cannot actually multitask. Either all the things you’re doing are related to your main goal, or your performance dips in one of the tasks. One step at a time people!
38. Dope-amine
Dopamine can make you addicted to seeking out information. That’s why going down information rabbit-holes on the internet can be so consuming.
37. Red Vs Blue
Red and blue together creates a depth effect optical illusion, making the viewer believe something is closer or farther away than it actually is. Exploiting this illusion is how early 3D effects were created.
Remember these?
36. Back To Basics
Your “old” or “lizard” brain won’t let food, sex, and danger go unnoticed. Since those were the only driving forces when life on Earth started to develop, people are hardwired to take note of these things, as they were essential to our survival many thousands of years ago.
35. Face Time
Pictures that include human faces will always be more captivating than other subjects, including human bodies.
34. Branded
You’re most affected by advertising and brands when you’re sad, scared, and feeling vulnerable.
33. Culture Clash
Cultures have been shown to shape our minds. Where western cultures will imagine a large winged lizard when told of a dragon, eastern cultures will imagine a serpentine creature instead.
32. Tied Down
Studies have shown that people can only have strong ties to 150 people at the most. Take note Facebook, no one has 5,000 friends.
31. N’SYNC
Synchronous activities create strong bonds among people. Keep this in mind on your next date, or it’s bye bye bye!
30. Bits And Bites
Small bits of information are much easier to digest, and retained at a higher rate.
29. Under Pressure
Too much stress will result in poor performance, which will lead to more stress, continuing the cycle until the job is done. So next time somethings seems to be too much, take a break and then power through it!
28. Lazy By Nature
Humans are inherently lazy, with some studies suggesting humans evolved to only “work” for 4 hours a day. Don’t feel so bad next time you sleep in, it’s natural.
27. Mirage
We all know progress is motivating, but did you know that even the illusion of progress is motivating? Look how far you’ve read! You’re almost done reading this list!
26. I Wander
The human mind is wandering 30% of the time. Some scientists argue that it wanders up to 70% of the time. Yours is probably wandering right now. Focus!
25. Money Train Of Thought
People will spend more money, if no one is mentioning money. The more money is mentioned, the more likely people are to be aware of their current funds.
24. Voting Public
Studies found that people often vote for whomever or whatever is listed first on the ballot. Seeing something listed at the top tricks our mind into thinking it’s in first place, or the best of the list.
23. Seeking Guidance
When uncertain, people will often look to others for guidance. That’s why teachers and mentors are so important.
22. Defensive
The more uncertain you are on a topic or subject, the more likely you are to defend it to the death.
21. Monkey See
People tend to value a product more if it’s right in front of them. Hologram technology must have advertisers salivating.
20. Sexual Beings
Most of our behaviors are the result of the sexual choices our ancestors made. Having a comfortable shelter, eating good food, looking the most attractive, these are all things that would have gotten you a good mating partner as humans were evolving. The appearance of these things have changed, but the desires are the same.
19. Move to the music
Your favorite song is probably your favorite because you associate it with an emotional event in your life.
18. Quickie
A university professor was able to make a man and woman fall in love in his lab in just 4 minutes, with 36 questions. 0 to 100, real quick.
17. Use Your Words
What words people use when describing something can manipulate how you receive that information. If people are described a crash with “contact,” they’ll perceive less damage to be done when they see it for themselves, despite the extent of the damage. Inversely, if the crash is described with “smash,” people are more likely to think the crash to be a bad one, even if it’s not when they finally see it.
16. Untimely
People with suicidal thoughts experience time at a slower rate than those who aren’t suicidal. Suicidal people will often write several suicide notes, as doing tasks helps “speed up” time, similar to how your workday goes by faster if you’re busy.
15. Mr & Ms Clean
Studies have shown that people are more likely to clean more if they smell cleaning agents in the air. Bleach scented candles, anyone?
14. Forget It
The mind will forget things to prevent overloading, as well as allowing you to learn more quickly. Forgetting is kind of like wiping your browser cache, and is often done for the same reasons.
13. REMember
You can practice a new task or skill during REM sleep. Lucid dreamers take note, this can significantly reduce the time you need to reach those highly sought after 10,000 hours.
12. Mind Over Matter
The mind is very powerful. So much so, that people can be given sugar pills and told that it is powerful medicine. The belief that it’s powerful medicine is so strong that these people often show some intended effects of the medicine, despite the absence of any medicine. This is called the placebo effect.
11. Trolls
Psychologists examined Internet trolls and found that they are “narcissistic, psychopathic, and sadistic”.
10. Strong Scents
Memories triggered by scents are stronger than memories triggered by any other sense.
9. Out Of Sight
Distorting body image affects how you experience pain. In a study, subjects viewing a cut hand through binoculars so that it appears gigantic, more pain is felt by the owner of the hand. Inversely, if someone were to view their hand through the wrong end of binoculars so that it appears smaller, less pain is felt and the swelling wasn’t as intense.
8. Stay Motivated
Announcing your goals to others before you accomplish them will lower your motivation, and make you less likely to succeed.
7. Sharing Is Caring
The more money you spend on people, the happier you are. Turns out Scrooge was wrong.
6. Good evening, good afternoon, and good night
The Truman Syndrome is a psychological disorder in which patients believe they’re living in a reality TV show.
5. Smarties And Dummies
Smart people underestimate their intelligence, while less intelligent people will think they’re brilliant. Knowledge is knowing you know nothing.
4. Less Stress
Stress levels reduce significantly after the age of 33. Life’s all about the silver lining.
3. Sing Along
Singing (along with songs) reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. Thank you, human psychology, for this trick: when you’re feeling anxious, sing!
2. Heart On Your Sleeve
You can die from having your heart broken, it’s called Stress Cardiomyopathy.
1. I am obsessed
Romantic love is biochemically indistinguishable from having severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
