Huberman Lab

How to Make Better Decisions | Dr. Michael Platt

1290 snips
Feb 17, 2025
Dr. Michael Platt, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, dives deep into the fascinating influences of hormones and social dynamics on decision-making. He reveals how our values can shift based on power structures and hormonal levels, affecting everything from attraction to political beliefs. Platt compares human behaviors to those of primates, exploring evolutionary roots. Insightfully, he discusses tools to enhance focus and creativity, emphasizing the significant role of attention in our daily lives and relationships.
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INSIGHT

Primate Parallels

  • Human decision-making, social interaction, and exploration closely resemble those of old-world primates like macaque monkeys.
  • Language is a primary differentiator, but underlying neural circuits and expressions are remarkably similar.
INSIGHT

Directing Attention

  • Attention prioritizes based on inherent biases (like faces) and learned experiences.
  • Control over attention is possible but requires deliberate effort due to our brains' foraging tendencies.
ADVICE

Phone and Focus

  • To improve working memory and focus, remove your phone from the room entirely.
  • Simply having it nearby, even if turned off, can unconsciously divide your attention.
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