Graeme Newell

August 2022

Halo Effect

The HALO EFFECT is our brain’s little shortcut for efficiently remembering the zillions of people who parade through our lives. Unfortunately, all our brains are inherently lazy.
So when our overtaxed cranium evaluates new people, it isn’t really looking for a nuanced profile of that person. Our brain prefers a mere top-line analysis so that it can get back to binge watching cat videos.

Reflexive Reaction

Most of us believe our conscious brain carefully guides our path. We reassure ourselves that subconscious desires are subservient to our all powerful reason. But brain research shows it’s the exact OPPOSITE. At least 85% of our choices are completely subconscious and therefore hidden from us.

Anthropocentrism – Duck & Fish

We just can’t help it. When we see a video like this our brain instantly tends to concoct a very human story: the duck and the fish are friends, and look out for each other. We effortlessly project elaborate human motivations onto an animal that has no neocortex, and a brain that’s the size of a walnut.