Name: The pattern behind self-deception
Uploaded: 2010-06-14T09:23:00Z
Duration: 18 min 44 s
Description: Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into trouble.

Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into trouble.

The pattern behind self-deception

Human beings are natural pattern-seekers, instinctively connecting dots to make sense of the world. This survival trait, honed over millions of years, can lead to both lifesaving vigilance and dangerous superstitions. Sometimes our brains invent meaning where none exists, such as seeing faces in rocks or believing in pseudoscientific devices that have caused real harm. The line between healthy skepticism and overactive imagination is blurred by the chemistry of dopamine and our deep need for control.

Our Brains Are Wired To See Patterns, Even When They’re False

*The Believing Brain*

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