Don’t trust your brain–at least, not before you watch our new four-part miniseries on why your cognitive machinery is predisposed to be fooled. The show airs Saturdays at 10pm on H2. You can watch the whole first episode here.
Here’s the teaser for episode 2:
I usually love these type documentaries. But I won’t watch it because of the filth insinuated in the title. Why could you not have just called it “Your messed up Brain”? Did the person naming it think that people enjoy this kind of garbage? Every time you air a commercial, anyone watching it has to think of “Your Effed up Brain”. My brain has enough to do without screening this senseless
garbage. Therefore, I can’t even comment on the content of your show. Change the title, re-air it under a cleaner epithet, and I’ll watch it.
Thanks for your commment, John. I hear you. Unfortunately I have no say over the title of the show.
I’m sorry, but this show sucks. It’s more camera tricks via T.V. then any interesting info or enjoyable viewing.
If these people you’ve interviewed on the street cannot tell that the Clinton pics was a second Clinton with another hairdo, then they need glasses.
Well, some of the illusions were stronger than others, no doubt. But come on — you have to admit that you didn’t notice when the guy in the card trick turned into a different person. And that’s pretty amazing, right?
Episode 1 card trick, torn 10 of spades… changed dude, hair down, red to white kerchief..got it before you mentioned it…you didn’t mention that the magician starts trick with red deck and finished with blue deck, apparently your editors and writers suffer from change blindness too.
I really love this show. It’s so interesting how our brains are built to only record minimal amounts of info–because hey, they have more important tasks to perform, like keeping our bodies alive. I really like that the show relates these brain blips to actual historical events. Keep up the awesome work!
Thanks, Chrissy!
The overall lessons are pretty neat. I think it needs more meaty content and less “grade school psychological test via street magic” though.
The real-world examples are my favorite parts. I also had fun with the pictorial outdoor quizzes.
The first two episodes of this show were great but the experiments for Superstition were really lacking.
The card tricks really didn’t relate to superstition, it’s almost like the producers had hired the magician and needed to use her in some way.
I’m surprised that no mention was made of Skinner’s Superstitious Pigeons and as far as experiments I think Derren Brown did it much better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XchqR71vikk
Also more relevant to Nostradamus might have been a recreation of The Amazing Randi’s Horoscope Experiment (although you couldn’t do it in a park)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1nsEtjqPg8
Adelson’s Checker-shadow illusion is a great illustration of the “voting nature” of the the visual center, but Superstition?
Your contributions to the Deception and Memory episodes were very good.
Great comment, John. I particularly liked that Derren Brown experiment. All I can say is — high production values! I think we could have done something like James Randi’s experiment, it would have taken a bit more time than the other illusions to be sure… maybe we can use some of these ideas in a sequel!
Tonight’s episode was OK. Good job on your Dot Curvature Effect Illusion in the park.
I wanted to ask who first came up with that one?
That guy from Cracked.Com needs to be brought under control. His crack about Andrew Jackson being a Flat Earther is an urban legend without any reliable source to support it. I guess you get the scholarship you deserve when you get someone who works at a place called “Cracked”.
And what was with that disclaimer about the Loch Ness Monster? Feeling the need to say that the uncropped photo doesn’t disprove the existence of a plesiosaur living in a Scottish lake? Sure, I guess, but the burden of proof of course is on those who say there is a monster. Who wrote that line anyway, a member of the Loch Ness Tourist Board?
I’m absolutely loving this series! I WAS going to bed about 2 hours ago…you’re keeping me awake!
We just finished watching the “Superstition” episode, it was great! As we were watching it, all we kept saying is this explains why so many people believe in myths like religion. They want to believe, so therefore, it’s true. Great job on the show!
I find vulgarities distasteful but the pun in title is redeeming. The “bleeped” being a censored word and the show being about how our brain censors stimuli. I found all of the “tricks” interesting, although a few of them require a camera, and most of the historical information relevant. Good Work
Ha! Great points. I don’t know for sure but I suspect that a considerable portion of H2’s audience would take umbrage at the suggestion that the Loch Ness monster isn’t real…
I don’t know where the dot curvature effect came from, I’ll have to ask the producer who gave it to me.
This show is amazing. I have the entire family watching it now.
Those of you complaining about the word “bleeped” in the title really should look for another time-wasting, insignificant, super-trivial outlet on which to focus.
The pompous, egotistical tendencies that people convey is stunning. Asking to change a title of a show so they will watch it?
If you are offended, do not watch this entertaining show and let the rest of us with an open mind and a sense of humor enjoy it as is. If you need something to complain about, this next sentence will help out…
Jeff, the experiments have a lot of WTF moments and are a great way to involve the viewing audience. They show us we are not as observant as we think!
Seeing the Loch Ness “Monster” in its natural habitat (uncropped photo) instantly screams “fraud” and nobody would have believe it as it is. I love when stuff like this is exposed.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Rick!
I like the show in spite of its “shortcomings”. If everything was presented/explained in an above-board, scientific way it would be fine; however, much is presented in an egotistical way such as a con-man would. “See I’m so much smarter than you.”.
I love stuff like this. After reading Daniel Kahneman’s book “Think Fast and Slow,” I cannot get enough of how limited our perceptions are.
I wish we learned this stuff in school and I wish they would take this into account in our legal system.
I love this show really! 🙂
amazing show loving it!!!
I love this show…..
Very well represented Jeff, I truly appreciate your efforts towards creating something very new and Unique to a common world!!!
Hats Off man! Eager to see some more such experiments!!!
Nice show, eye opener entertainment which can really be enjoyed by whole family : )
i just did not understand what is unconscious blindness??
Can anyone tell me plzz??
Hi jeff….i shld tell u tht i am from india…..and i really enjoy ur show…i watch it relegiusly…..anyway…i was wondering if u could upload tht illusion pic of urs….u used in tht episode about deception…..tht pic about the big face….which actually was a baby sitting on a mans lap…to be honest….i too took tht baby for a big face…..and i really want tht pic to amaze my friends with it……i searched for it in the whole internet…but couldn’t find it.!!
Hmm, I don’t have that image myself, but I’ll ask my producer. Thanks!
I really enjoy watching this show and i don miss much,its cause i ve experienced my brain tricking me of lot a times so i really l love watching it, yeah anyways good going, cheers.
I’m glad that a mainstream show is revealing this to laypeople who would otherwise never have experienced it. We studied this is philosophy of mind in my undergrad. So the show didn’t really surprise me because I have had all of these tricks pulled on my before; basically I knew what I was looking for. But it is good to learn about this stuff because it teaches us just how fallible our senses and brain actually are.
Dear John Roosa (post 7/31/13)
oh my god. GET OVER IT! this is a fantastic show and it is rated “G” john. tune in and learn something.
The validity of science itself is no more than an illusion created by your brain in order to give order to your experiences. Of course, though I have a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, the academic community refuses to read my work because they consider my conclusions absolutely impossible. If you want to understand why what I say is true, you should read my book. The first chapter (the introduction) can be read on the following site:
http://foundationsofphysics.blogspot.com/
Have fun guys!!
Hi Jeff
I just discovered the show and it is a wonderful way to introduce people to psychology concepts.
I am involved in the San Diego Science and Engineering Festival and our Psych students demonstrate activities related to perception, memory and the brain. I’m wondering if there are ways to access some of your demonstrations for instructional and educational purposes.
Hello Jeff
I really enjoyed all episodes, some more than others. I tried to find a DVD of this but with no luck. Amazon only has it on Instant Play and I do not have or know how to use a MP-3 player. Any suggestions.
Steve