What are the common cognitive biases and logic fallacies I probably suffer from without realizing?

Answer: There are heaps of these — maybe a hundred or so? Watch these videos to learn about some of them.

A fun song introduction to the common cognitive biases:

This video uses someone’s short speech to illustrate several common biases:

This video explains how we are biased towards seeing patterns and order where none exists:

This video explains how we are biased towards living in the pleasurable present rather than working towards a sensible future:

Can I watch an conversation in action to study good and bad conversational skills?

Answer: Watch this fascinating 2-hour conservation among four very clever minds–as long as you don’t mind having your religious beliefs challenged!

Sam Harris is my favorite conversationalist of the four. He’s so respectful and articulate and gentle that he naturally commands respect–in my opinion. He also asks excellent questions of the group, which adds value to the discussion. Christopher Hitchens has many excellent ideas, but his conversational skills aren’t perfect. Often he talks too long and talks over people and interrupts. Richard Dawkins talks very passionately–I find myself listening to him very easily. Dan Dennett is very interesting, but he’s not a naturally passionate speaker in this discussion.

Generally, the four guys were excellent taking turns and listening respectfully to each other. See what you think. The first hour is quite polite; the discussion gets quite spirited in the second hour, with lots of interesting dynamics happening.

Another good foursome displaying excellent conversational skills:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoCFTddNedk

How can I learn to think better?

Answer: Listen to Edward de Bono teach you his famous Six Thinking Hats strategy in this highly engaging, one-hour lecture:


And for a quick, fun, animated summary of the Six Thinking Hats delivered in thick Irish brogue, watch this video:

Videos showing the amazing power of priming

1. Five-minute excerpt from the BBC Horizons documentary “How to make better decisions”. (Watch from 2 minutes in)

The opening few sentences:

“In 1996 Professor John Bargh shocked and outraged his fellow psychologists by publishing studies that controversially showed that our decisions can be subliminally manipulated. . .

“I’ve ceased being surprised at the results of these studies only because of all the long experience that those things  keep working.” (John Bargh)

The subliminal effect that has rattled so many cages is called priming.

2. Priming, Money and their Effect On Us (6-minute video)

3. Unconscious behavioral guidance systems

In this Aug 2011 video, priming discoverer, Professor John Bargh, sums up several decades of priming research. The video goes for one hour and 20 minutes and can get a bit “academic”, but it’s truly amazing stuff, right down to explaining why we might want to take a long, hot shower when we’re feeling lonely and unloved and why drinking coffee is such a rapport-building thing to do.

What are some of the best Buddha quotes presented as a spoken video?

Answer: Watch this 8-minute video where a lovely young lady beautifully recites some beautiful Buddha quotes.

Wisdom of the Buddha (downloaded more than a half-million times)