Mindframe

Soundbites, those tiny verbal morsels, are ubiquitous. From billboards to tweets to political slogans, we are awash in them.  Soundbites are the rhetorical currency of the 21 st century. These quick, appealing messages are crack cocaine for the amygdala, the emotional processing center of the brain.  While we might assume that the prefrontal cortex, home of executive control and rational thinking, might overpower or at least subdue this powerful emotional drug. Frequently, it does not. In fact, research shows if a soundbite is repeated often enough, the prefrontal cortex lets go of the steering wheel altogether, allowing the amygdala to slide into the driver’s seat. The message plays directly to your feelings, free of logical scrutiny. This is part of why politicians obsessively repeat their talking points—and why it works. It is a fundamental human brain flaw. Statistically, immigrants commit fewer crimes than the rest of the population. Statistically, you are more...

The person in the cubicle next to you is driving you crazy with their constant chatter. Naturally, you reach for your headphones. Whether piped through a big bulky over-the-ear model or those diminutive ear buds, music is your salvation. But it gets even better: the next track up on your playlist is Mozart.  You’re counting on the ‘Mozart effect,’ the theory that listening to classical music’s greatest hits actually lets you operate at a higher cognitive level, or in layman’s terms, makes you smarter. So it would appear to be a win-win-win: you’re drowning out your irritating neighbor, giving your brain a boost, and laying the groundwork for your next raise. You smile to yourself, unaware that your nearby boss witnessed the headphones move and is now wondering whether you’re truly a team player. But wait a minute, doesn’t the science support you? Aren’t you completely in the clear on this one? Well­­­­, sort of. It is true that listening to music you like te...