Instinctive Drift: Unveiling the Biased Brain

The Biased Brain Podcast with Owen Hawthorne

Explore the intriguing world of cognitive biases and human cognition in this engaging podcast. Discover how bias in decision making shapes our perceptions and influences our choices. Join us as we delve into the science behind critical thinking and biases, providing practical insights to enhance your understanding and control over your thought processes. Whether you're a psychology student or curious observer, this podcast offers valuable tools to help you unveil the hidden biases in your mind.

Hey there, friends! Welcome back to another episode of The Biased Brain Podcast. Today, we're diving into something a little wild, a little rebellious, and absolutely fascinating: Instinctive Drift. If you're new to this concept, don't worry—I'll break it down for you in the most entertaining way possible.

So, what is instinctive drift, you ask? Picture this: you’re at a circus, and you see a pig doing tricks, like pushing a ball with its snout. It’s all fun and games until one day, the pig decides to stop performing and starts rooting around in the grass instead. What's up with that? Well, that pig is experiencing instinctive drift, a phenomenon where animals revert to their natural behaviors even after being conditioned to do something entirely different.

Instinctive drift challenges the traditional behaviorist theories that suggest we can train animals—or humans, for that matter—out of any behavior. Behaviorists believed that through conditioning, any animal could be taught anything. But instinctive drift throws a wrench in those gears by reminding us that nature often has the final say. It's like our brains have a built-in bias, preferring some actions over others, regardless of our attempts to override them.

Take the famous experiment by the Brelands, for example. These psychologists trained raccoons to deposit coins into a piggy bank. It worked for a while, but soon enough, the raccoons started treating the coins like food, rubbing them together instead of letting them go. Their natural instincts to handle food took precedence over the conditioned task. Fascinating, right?

This brings us to a larger conversation about learning and behavior. Instinctive drift highlights the complexities of our brain—a beautifully biased brain, if you will. It's not just about training or conditioning; it's about understanding the underlying instincts that guide behavior. This is where cognitive biases and human cognition come into play. Our brains have evolved to favor certain actions, thoughts, and decisions, which can sometimes lead to bias in decision making.

Understanding these biases is crucial. It's like having a toolbox for critical thinking and biases, helping us navigate the world with a clearer perspective. Speaking of understanding our minds, I highly recommend checking out the book, "The Biased Brain" by Bo Bennett, PhD. It's a fantastic read that delves deep into how these cognitive biases shape our thinking. Explore the book and unravel the secrets of your mind today!

So, what does all this mean for us humans? Well, just like animals, we have our own sets of instincts and biases that influence our behavior. Recognizing them is the first step toward understanding and, hopefully, overcoming them. It's a fascinating journey of self-discovery and mental acrobatics. And remember, while we might not be able to out-train our instincts completely, we can certainly learn to work with them.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of The Biased Brain Podcast. If you enjoyed our little chat about instinctive drift and the complexities of learning and behavior, make sure to subscribe for more intriguing discussions. Until next time, keep questioning, keep exploring, and keep embracing the beautifully biased brain that makes you, well, you!

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