Try these fun experiments to see how your amazing brain works!
1. Stroop Test
TRY IT: First, say aloud the list of words printed above. Next, go through the list again, but this time, instead of reading the words, name the font color.
Most people find it is easier to read the printed words (regardless of their font color) than it is to say the name of the font color. This is called the ‘Stroop Effect.‘ Named after John Ridley Stroop who discovered this occurrence in the 1930s, this brain experiment demonstrates interference in the reaction time of a task.
2. Simon & Chabris’s Attention Test
TRY IT: Watch the video above and follow the prompts. If you’ve already seen this video or know this experiment try THIS VIDEO instead.
Did you notice it? This 1999 study by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris shows that when people focus their attention hard enough, they become blind to the unexpected, even if they are staring right at it.
3. Slow Thinking VS Fast Thinking
TRY IT: Are the lines above the same length or different lengths?
Although the arrow tips are distracting to the eyes, the lines are actually the same length. This experiment demonstrates our brain’s ability for slow and fast thinking. Through his research, psychologist Daniel Kahneman concludes that the brain has two simultaneous operating systems:
- System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control.
- System 2 allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, including complex computations. The operations of System 2 are often associated with the subjective experience of agency, choice, and concentration.
This is explained in more detail in the video below:
4. Left Brain Vs Right Brain
TRY IT: Watch the video above and determine if the dancer is spinning clockwise or counterclockwise.
Were you able to see it both ways? Did the dancer switch? According to the video, you can determine your dominate side depending on the way you see the video. If you are stumped try watching with someone else and ask what they see.
Want to try another right brained left brained test? Watch the video below:
5. Optical Illusions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6YiT5gYQU0
TRY IT: Watch the video above and follow the prompts.
For each picture are you able to see both images? Many people can only see just one. The faster your brain can switch between images the more creative you are.
If you are like me, then you can’t get enough of these brain experiments. Have time to kill? Check out more HERE
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