The Michael Shermer Show The Suggestible Brain
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Dec 14, 2024 Amir Raz, a cognitive psychologist and author of "The Suggestible Brain," explores how suggestions shape behavior, beliefs, and memory. He discusses the evolutionary benefits of suggestibility and its potential downsides, using examples from hypnosis and authority experiments, like Milgram's. Raz highlights the power of expectation on perception and how understanding suggestion can enhance mental resilience. He also connects magic with psychology, revealing how both fields share insights into human cognition and belief systems.
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Spoon Bending Bewilderment
- Amir Raz bent a scientist's spoon without touching it, highlighting the scientist's struggle to grasp the illusion.
- Even when told it was an illusion, the scientist couldn't comprehend how it occurred, demonstrating the power of bewilderment.
Suggestibility Defined
- Suggestibility is a person's responsiveness to suggestions, influenced by various factors.
- It's quantifiable and domain-specific, with some highly suggestible in certain areas but not others.
Domain-Specific Gullibility
- People are generally rational in most life domains, managing jobs, families, and daily routines effectively.
- Gullibility arises in specific areas due to factors like social proof and trust in experts, not inherent irrationality.
