"The stories of the past are so good, they create an illusion that life is understandable.”
— Psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who died March 27, 2024.
BRAIN WAVES
Keep calm and game on. Games aren't just fun, they can help us learn new skills, be more creative, and, according to a recent study, even cope with traumatic events. Researchers worked with a hospital emergency room to recruit patients who had recently been involved in motor vehicle accidents. They asked half of the volunteers to complete a basic writing task and the other half to play a game of Tetris. The volunteers performed the tasks within a few hours of the accidents in which they were involved. The researchers hypothesized that after a potentially traumatic experience, people would have fewer intrusive memories if they got to play Tetris while waiting in the emergency room. “Since the game is visually demanding, we wanted to see if it could prevent the intrusive aspects of the traumatic memories from becoming established,” said Emily Holmes, one of the study's authors, “i.e. by disrupting a process known as memory consolidation.” And their predictions were correct. The week following the event, the people who had played Tetris had fewer intrusive memories than the control group. And when the Tetris players did have intrusive memories, those memories faded more quickly. The verdict is still out on whether “I'm blocking out intrusive memories” is a valid excuse when your boss catches you playing Tetris at work.
Take me away! Some of the best travel memories happen spontaneously during a trip, but planning is also important when it comes to travel. Planning can help you avoid tourist traps, find local favorites, and optimize your limited vacation time. And these two approaches - spontaneity and planning - don't have to be at odds. Micol Mieli, a researcher and lecturer at Lund University, discusses a concept called “planned serendipity.” It involves using technology not only to help plan your itinerary but also to encourage spontaneous encounters. One suggestion for doing so is to be wary of targeted ads, which might limit your exploration. Also, travelers often focus on efficiency — getting from point A to Point B quickly — but leaving yourself some time to dawdle between those points can create more opportunities for serendipitous moments. For more on planned serendipity, read Mieli’s full interview before your next vacation.
Listen up. Have you ever sat across from your spouse, colleague or friend and realized that while they may be hearing what you’re saying, they aren’t actually listening? Poor listening can lead to arguments, hurt feelings, and fractured relationships. But the good news is that active, thoughtful listening can profoundly benefit both people in the conversation. Listen (heh heh) to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
The Transformative Ideas of Daniel Kahneman: If you’ve ever taken an economics class, you were probably taught that people are rational. But about 50 years ago, the psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky began to chip away at this basic assumption. In doing so, they transformed our understanding of human behavior. This week, we remember Kahneman, who recently died at the age of 90, by revisiting our 2018 and 2021 conversations with him.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
John Woeste’s Story: John honors the man who saved his life and inspired his vocation of nearly 40 years.
Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.
MIND GAMES
A tree doubled in height each year until it reached its maximum height over the course of ten years. How many years did it take for the tree to reach half its maximum height?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
I am your mother's brother's only brother-in-law. Who am I?
Answer: I am your father.
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A correction: Last week’s puzzle contained the wrong riddle. The corrected version is below.
Alice came across a lion and a unicorn in a forest of forgetfulness. The lion lies every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and the other days he speaks the truth. The unicorn lies on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The other days of the week he speaks the truth. “Yesterday I was lying,” the lion told Alice. “So was I,” said the unicorn. What day is it?
Answer: Thursday. The only day they both tell the truth is Sunday. But today can’t be Sunday because the lion also tells the truth on Saturday (yesterday). Going day by day, the only day one of them is lying and one of them is telling the truth with those two statements is Thursday. (source)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Hidden Brain is now a game! Do you struggle to recognize people after you've met them? Do you like games and puzzles? If so, you should try Hidden Brain Daily Challenge, our new app available on Apple iOS! It features our very first game, designed to help improve your facial recognition skills. Check it out here.
A MOMENT OF JOY
Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.