Given "Expert" Advice, Brains Shut Down

A brain-scanning study of people making financial choices suggests that when given expert advice, the decision-making parts of our brains often shut down.

The problem with this, of course, is that the advice may not be good.
"When the expert's advice made the least sense, that's where we could see the behavioral effect," said study co-author Greg Berns, an Emory University neuroscientist. "It's as if people weren't using their own internal value mechanisms."

Berns' specialty is neuroeconomics, a once-obscure field of research that's received heightened attention since the global economic slowdown left people at a loss to explain how the market's invisible hand picked their pockets.

source: blog.wired.com...

Interesting study that reconfirms all that we have observed around us and the frustration in dealing with sheeple... people handing their brains over to the church, government, media and corporations to gain opinions/perspectives. This weakness in our society/citizenry could easily be fixed through education. The answer to why critical thinking skills are not developed in our schools brings us to the conclusion that the power elite would rather have a docile apathetic herd to manipulate.

[edit on 28-3-2009 by The All Seeing I]

This isn't really surprising. I have seen the glazed look come into someone's eyes when they are listening to a supposed expert. I agree that this could be corrected with proper education.

My brother came to me for help with a paper he had to write his freshman year. The subject of the paper was "Critical Thinking". Not only had he managed to graduate high school without ever hearing the phrase, but he was honestly confused by the critical thinking process. In his opinion, a sound decision could be made by reading a book or listening to an expert speak first. He had never thought that his book/expert may be biased in any way!

I can't agree with you more. This study verifies the fears that we've had all along with people who allow authority over them. They will trust, most, that which makes the least sense. This goes back to my affirmation that there aren't enough critical thinkers in this world. And, we should have a course in Philosophy taught at very early ages in school. My parents took it upon themselves to teach me the skills of logic and analysis, outside of school (along with the value of independence and the evil trap of co-dependency)

I hope this message reaches the ears of all Americans, equally. It's true that a sucker is born every minute. Don't let your kids grow up to be morons.

On a continuing note: This is also how a hypnotist operates, by getting you to trust or fear them as an authority, and so by shutting down your inner self-authority.

O-315
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It goes: me -> trusted scientists -> trusted experts -> others

By "trusted", I mean "critically analyzed and independently confirmed"

In that order, without fail. So, stay on top, and be "alpha", or be doomed to relegate yourself to the dependency of "beta"-ness.

Oh, and girls (and guys) LOVE it when you're "alpha". If you're trying to attract the opposite sex, then learn this secret of self-assuredness and confidence.

[edit on 28-3-2009 by organism315]

Disclaimer: I'm a theist but not of the Abrahamic faiths. I have minor biblical scholar and scriptural skills. Also I am not a scientific/legal or medical expert in any field. Beware of my Contagious Memes! & watch out that you don't get cut on my Occams razor.All of this is my personal conjecture and should not be considered the absolute or most definitive state of things as they really are. Use this information at your own risk! I accept no liability if your ideology comes crashing down around you with accompanying consequences!

Explanation: And sometimes people just poop their pants!

For instance.....This Thread contains this post which has a picture clearly showing the reporter having an uncontrolled fecal movement as the "EXPERT" leads him up the garden path.

Personal Disclosure: Starred and Flagged.

Now, did they provide ideas for ways to counter this biological mechanism? It would be very useful for us to find excercises and ways to increase our critical thinking on a daily basis.

Originally posted by mystiq
Now, did they provide ideas for ways to counter this biological mechanism? It would be very useful for us to find excercises and ways to increase our critical thinking on a daily basis.

The counter to this mechanism, is to remain critical of anyone who claims to be an expert, of anything. And, never believe anyone based solely on their credentials. Get a second opinion, and if something doesn't make sense to you, then it's not sensible.

O-315

reply to post by The All Seeing I




With the cornucopia of choices we are presented with every day , everyday decisions large and small have become increasingly complex.
Feeding a sense of dissatisfaction and regret , adding to the anxiety ......

So in Western societies which have turned from producing goods to providing services, predominately , we now let others make those decisions for us.


The thoughts of Psychologist Barry Schwartz at TED Talks.


Freedom of choice defines us , we have built our societies around this central tenet .
We`ve never had such a wide array of "everything" to choose from , and yet we are still unsatisfied .
After a certain point .... more choices ..... leads to a form of decision making paralysis .

Cue the "experts" !

Here is the full 1 hour lecture The Paradox of Choice - Why More Is Less , worth a watch !

Dude, neuroeconomics explains my reality. My brain scans for information and then money just falls out the screen.

reply to post by The All Seeing I

A brain-scanning study of people making financial choices suggests that when given expert advice, the decision-making parts of our brains often shut down.

The only way out of this is for leadership to nurture independent thought by telling the people, "don't believe us - look into it, check it out for yourselves."

Now, this may not ( ahem ) work in those systems where leadership depends on controlling the masses by using deliberate disinformation and propaganda ...

On the other hand, what would a gov't who was telling everybody the truth have to lose by saying - "Check it out for yourselves - look into it !"

Since we the people never hear this kind of announcement from our leadership, except for extreme fringe dwellers and weirdos like Dr. Ron Paul, for instance, I think the implications are obvious ...

Originally posted by Cameoii
My brother came to me for help with a paper he had to write his freshman year. The subject of the paper was "Critical Thinking". Not only had he managed to graduate high school without ever hearing the phrase, but he was honestly confused by the critical thinking process. In his opinion, a sound decision could be made by reading a book or listening to an expert speak first. He had never thought that his book/expert may be biased in any way!

And that is the way it was planned. People say the schools have failed. I say they have succeeded at the purpose for which they are actually intended.

From a 1906 letter to John D. Rockefeller supposedly from one of his General Education Board appointees:

"In our dreams, people yield themselves with perfect docility to our molding hands. The present education conventions of intellectual and character education fade from their minds, and, unhampered by tradition, we work our own good will upon a grateful and responsive folk. We shall not try to make these people, or any of their children, into philosophers, or men of science. We have not to raise up from them authors, educators, poets or men of letters. We shall not search for great artists, painters, musicians nor lawyers, doctors, preachers, politicians, statesmen – of whom we have an ample supply. The task is simple. We will organize children and teach them in a perfect way the things their fathers and mothers are doing in an imperfect way.”

People are programmed to defer to "Experts" and "Authorities" almost from birth. The results of this study do not surprise me at all.

Case in point...

One day in 1968, Jane Elliott, a teacher in a small, all-white Iowa town, divided her third-grade class into blue-eyed and brown-eyed groups and gave them a daring lesson in discrimination. This is the story of that lesson, its lasting impact on the children, and its enduring power thirty years later.

Google Video Link

Actually this all sinks in when YOU become the expert. The day when a group of people look to you as the expert you look at all other “experts” in a different light. I’m considered an expert by many, but I do not consider myself an expert, and this I think is good for I do not see others anymore as some kind of all knowing “expert”. Many so called experts just know a few tricks of the trade that to the uniformed seems grand.

People are more incline to take the easy path of direction without the need of much thought. The term "sheep" comes to mind, and the person who cane cut their own path is a rare and much valued trait.