You Know I'm a Professor and I've Done It a LOT and I Don't Want to Be an Asshole

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

I try to break things up with class demos like my little golf ball finder I'd do some magic tricks or whatever just to give them tasks like the cognitive reflection test. They have to sit there and write down and they're calculating and that really actually breaks things up. Then we did the three the money hall problem you know the three doors right money shows you the one of the door now should you switch or not? And this got them all involved if I didn't do that I know that they'd be checking out.

The world is rapidly transforming into an experience economy as people increasingly crave extraordinary experiences. Experience designers, marketers, entertainment producers, and retailers have long sought to fill this craving. Paul Zak says there’s a scientific formula to consistently create extraordinary experiences, and that the data show that those who use this formula increase the impact of experiences tenfold.

Shermer and Zak discuss: neuroeconomics, neuromanagement, and neuromarketing • Zak’s work with the CIA and DARPA • immersion and how is it quantified (with a formula) • monotony of the mundane • the ordinary and extraordinary • peak-end storytelling • immersion in advertising, entertainment, education, attractions, and retail • what makes a great movie or successful unscripted TV show • novelty • sensitivity training programs in universities and corporations • how to give a TED talk • immersion and political candidates • marriage and immersion • The Bachelor: Ben’s season • happiness, flourishing, meaningfulness, purposefulness and immersion.

Paul Zak is a professor of economics, psychology, and management at Claremont Graduate University. He is ranked in the top 0.3 percent of most-cited scientists with over 170 published papers and more than 18,000 citations. He helped start several interdisciplinary fields, including neuroeconomics, neuromanagement, and neuromarketing. Paul is a regular TED speaker, four-time tech entrepreneur, and corporate consultant. He frequently appears in the media, including Good Morning America, the BBC, NBC’s The Today Show, CNN, and Fox & Friends. His groundbreaking research has been reported in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time, The Economist, Scientific American, Forbes, and many other publications.