Cognition trick: the Google Effect
We’ve developed a habit of forgetting, or declining to remember, the information that is readily available online.
Reality testing, Dylan Marron and Every Single Word
If you ask white folks about the over-representation of white folks on screen, they will often misunderstand and/or underestimate the degree and seriousness of over-representation. Luckily we have some tools to help us with our reality testing…
More nuanced theories of journalism needed
A good theory of journalism helps us understand what media are not journalistic. And, equally important, a theory helps us understand what unconventional kinds of media are journalistic…
Reality testing and learning to change our opinions
Being able to accept and integrate new information is an emotional intelligence skill. Many of us think of reality testing as cognitive intelligence. To really grapple deeply with this, consider this funny thing about humans…
Cognitive bias and the backwards bicycle test
The backwards bicycle is a hilarious and damning insight into the challenges of understanding and resisting deeply ingrained ways of thinking and doing…
The backwards bicycle and neuroplasticity
The backwards bicycle was designed by some welders that work with Destin, an internet-famous science communicator. He’s funny and engaging and his videos are really great. Destin’s experience with the backwards bicycle is a fascinating window into a real life learning scenario. The backwards bicycle is just a regular bike, but the handle bar has…
The GI Joe Fallacy: knowing is not half the battle
When it comes to the cognitive biases that shape human and nonhuman animal behaviour, knowing about the fallacy is not always enough …