Name: Secrets of the mind and free will -- revealed by magic tricks
Uploaded: 2020-09-18T14:54:21Z
Duration: 8 min 38 s
Description: Are you in control of your choices? Magic tricks might reveal otherwise, says scientist and illusionist Alice Pailhès. Watch closely as she performs magic tricks that unveil how your brain works, how you can be subtly influenced and what that means for free will and your day-to-day life. Did she guess your card right?

Are you in control of your choices? Magic tricks might reveal otherwise, says scientist and illusionist Alice Pailhès. Watch closely as she performs magic tricks that unveil how your brain works, how you can be subtly influenced and what that means for free will and your day-to-day life. Did she guess your card right?


Secrets of the mind and free will -- revealed by magic tricks

People often believe they act freely, but psychological experiments using magic show how easily decisions can be swayed. Most participants pick the most accessible options, such as the third card from the left, with as many as 60 percent choosing based on ease. Everyday choices, from buying groceries to voting, are shaped by similar mental shortcuts and the visibility of options. Awareness and conscious decision-making can help resist these hidden influences and make more deliberate choices.