Some food for thought from the world of thinking this month:
- You’ve seen it, and now you can’t unsee it. Recent research sheds new light on how optical illusions “rewire” your brain. “You're not only seeing what is actually before you; you're seeing what your brain is telling you is there.” As these images show, what you know influences what you see.
- The critical role of “learning by thinking” in performance improvement. Learning by doing has traditionally been the focus of research on how to improve performance, productivity and progress over time. But researchers at Harvard Business School are making the case that reflection—“the intentional attempt to synthesize, abstract and articulate the key lessons taught by experience”—is a critical component of learning.
- Just one more way advertisers are tricking your brain. From “rethink possible” to “spread the happy,” turning adjectives into nouns is a popular trend in advertising—and with good reason. Similar to the effect metaphors have on your brain, this grammatical trick of “nouning adjectives” is a form of bisociation, which can create striking insights and images. “Bisociation tickles your brain, and that's just what marketers want to do.”
- Come on, get happy. Happiness may not be all in your mind, but the way we view the world and frame our lives is a product of our mindsets. Here are some ways you can retrain your brain for a happier existence.
Find more news in this month’s BrainBytes® Newsletter, including:
- New White Paper: How Will You Adapt?
- Article: Grow Your Strategic Mindset
- The Whole Brain® Blog: Managing Up? Meet Them Where They Think!
- Upcoming Events: SHRM 2014; HRDQ Webinar; Learning & Leadership Development Conference
- THINC™ Webinars for HBDI® Certified Practitioners: "Power User" Best Practices; Adapt to Change: Applying the Latest Research to Upgrade Your Approach
- HBDI® Certification Workshops: June 23-26, Atlanta, GA; August 12-15, Memphis, TN
