Priming

In a recent episode of the "Provocative Enlightenment" podcast, the hosts talked with Professor John Bargh about the effects of "priming" an dhow it affects our behavior and actions.

In one example, a group of individuals were asked to complete a questionnaire and their answers were evaluated. They were then returned to the test room after bottles of hand sanitizer had been placed on the tables. A similar questionnaire was administered, and the results were considered much more "conservative" the second tiime around. The inference made was that the hand sanitizer shown elevated the respondents' alertness to danger and thus shifted their perspectives.

The podcats highlights the myriad of stimuli that, unbeknown to us, affects our life, what we think, how we think, what we buy, when we buy, how we vote, etc. It encourages us to become more aware of these stimuli and mindful of how they affect us.

For more information on the podcast please visit http://www.provocativeenlightenment.com and look for the episode titled "Before You Know It."