science
People are crazy about categories. They make the world clear and manageable: this is this, that is that. Such categorisation is useful for organising thoughts, making decisions, and tackling complex matters. But there is a downside to it. The moment we squeeze reality too tightly into boxes, we sacrifice nuance. The world does not resemble grid paper, it is a multi-layered canvas—and our brains are no different.
You’re scrolling through social media when you realize that your phone is at 3%. You need your charger. Now! So, you get up, march to the kitchen with purpose, and… freeze. You’re standing in the middle of the room, staring at the fridge, wondering why you walked in there in the first place. What was I doing here?
From the design of seatbelts to the symptoms of a heart attack, the average male body has long served as the default model for research and development across society. Fortunately, efforts are now underway to better represent others, including women. But where do we currently stand in neuroscience?
Imagine someone offers to split €10 with you but keeps €8 for themselves and gives you only €2. Most people would see that as unfair. Now imagine two different people making this offer. One person is usually generous. The other person is known for being selfish. Even though they both offer the same split, it feels different, doesn’t it?
Your brain was recording, but it lost the remote.
You see a car – wait… it’s not just a car. It’s red, it has a particular shape, and it’s moving fast. You hear the engine as it races past you. Maybe you even catch the smell of exhaust. Your amazing brain is able to combine all these different signals into a single red car, but how does it do that?
Why does one person feel completely exhausted after being in a busy place, while another barely notices it? Why is one person deeply moved by a sad movie or quick to notice small details, while another hardly reacts? According to researchers, this has to do with how our brain processes sensory input. It can be explained with the ideas of predictive processing.
Being highly sensitive and having a high level of sensation-seeking may feel like living life with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake – but this paradox can be your greatest strength. When you accept and respect both sides, highly sensitive sensation seekers can truly thrive.
Look in a mirror. The face you see feels completely like your own. You rarely question it. But what if your brain could be convinced that another face also belongs to you?
When thinking about the necessities for a safe childhood, we often think of visible and measurable things: low crime, stable housing, sufficient income. A new study shows how something more subtle is just as important: how safe a child feels. This subjective experience is not only psychologically relevant, but also visible in the brain.