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Articles on Cognitive science

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Reason is not the only factor that guides vaccine decisions. Understanding human decision-making is the first step in changing behaviour. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Vaccine hesitancy: Why ‘doing your own research’ doesn’t work, but reason alone won’t change minds

Vaccine hesitancy is often met with one of two responses: Ridicule, or factual information. Both assume a failure of reason, but human behaviour is more complex than reason, so both responses fail.
Research shows that people who have flow as a regular part of their lives are happier and less likely to focus on themselves. Yulkapopkova/E+ via Getty Images

Why does experiencing ‘flow’ feel so good? A communication scientist explains

Research shows that people with more flow in their lives had a higher sense of well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists are beginning to explore what happens in the brain during flow.
These psychological tendencies explain why an onslaught of facts won’t necessarily change anyone’s mind. Francesco Carta fotografo/Moment via Getty Images

Your brain’s built-in biases insulate your beliefs from contradictory facts

Cognitive shortcuts help you efficiently move through a complicated world. But they come with an unwelcome side effect: Facts aren’t necessarily enough to change your mind.
Imitation is the sincerest form of being human? Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

Being copycats might be key to being human

A quirk of psychology that affects the way people learn from others may have helped unlock the complicated technologies and rituals that human culture hinges on.
You might just be getting better at the game you’re practicing. Malcolm Lightbody/Unsplash

Are brain games mostly BS?

There are reasons to be skeptical, of both the quality of the evidence presented so far and the questionable assumptions that underlie claims of improved cognitive function after brain training.

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