Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Why You Can’t Keep Your Foot Out of Your Mouth

The harder we try not to say or do or think something, the more likely we are to slip — and often at the worst possible time.
Using ingenious experiments to reveal the brain’s hidden machinations, Wegner and others have found that our brains expend steady, conscious effort to avoid talking about ex-girlfriends on first dates, sending putts off the green, or letting slip the real reason you were late for work.

But when our conscious minds are stressed and preoccupied — by, for example, a desire not to screw up — a subconscious process devoted to guarding against the mistake slips through. Unwanted thoughts pop into the forefront of your mind.

LINK

Via: Wired

No comments: