Learn why asking WHO is most powerful as an agent of influence is not necessarily the best question to ask. The question WHEN appears more enlightening.michaelrousell.com

Episode 13, Much of What We Do is Driven By Unconscious Processes, Part 2

Sep 9th, 2018 3m 27s

Learn how our brains are essentially prediction machines and their primary function is to reduce surprises by developing an increasingly nuanced model of the world.michaelrousell.com

Episode 12, Unconscious Processing Makes Evolutionary Sense

Sep 2nd, 2018 2m 30s

Learn why much of what we do is driven by unconscious processes. Part 1. michaelrousell.com

Episode 11, Beliefs About Ourselves are Self-Affirming

Aug 26th, 2018 3m 38s

Learn how beliefs about the external world are easily verified, but beliefs about ourselves are self-affirming.michaelrousell.com

Episode 10, Surprise Creates an Opportunity to Change the Experience of an Emotion

Aug 19th, 2018 2m 57s

Learn how the experience of emotional arousal is adaptable. Heightened emotion is the brain telling us that something important is happening. On occasion, this allows us to label that emotion to create the experience. michaelrousell.com

Episode 9, How Seemingly Simple Comments May Create Self-Perpetuating Mindsets

Aug 12th, 2018 2m 51s

Learn how seemingly simple comments, especially when surprising, may create self-perpetuating mindsets. Once we accept an explanation of our behavior, that explanation continues, and fortifies. It’s one more reason to always focus on positive a

Episode 8, How Advertisers Use Surprise to Create Brands and Beliefs

Aug 5th, 2018 2m 29s

Learn how advertisers use surprise strategically to impress us with their brands and trigger new belief formation. This all takes place instantly, and outside conscious awareness. michaelrousell.com

Episode 7, Surprises About Our Self Concept Can Be Life Changing

Jul 29th, 2018 2m 54s

Our self-concept serves as a basis for screening, categorizing, and interpreting our experiences. Surprises that disrupt our self-concept differ from surprises about the external world. Self-concept surprises may trigger life-changing beliefs.

Episode 6, Traditional Uses of Surprise

Jul 22nd, 2018 2m 46s

Learn how movie directors and television shows use surprise strategically to manipulate our emotions, enhance our excitement, and create spontaneous belief transformation.michaelrousell.com

Episode 5, Strategic Procrastination

Jul 15th, 2018 3m 2s

Learn how a portion of an Adam Grant TED talk surprised me, triggering an instant belief formation. I used to feel lazy and unproductive when I procrastinated. Now I do it strategically.michaelrousell.com

Episode 4, One-Shot Learning

Jul 8th, 2018 3m

Learn how One-Shot learning, triggered by surprise, involves a different brain system than gradual learning. One-Shot learning works like a switch. Our emotions trigger this complex cognitive process during moments of high uncertainty such as s

Episode 3, How Surprises Change Your Behavior

Jul 1st, 2018 3m 15s

Learn how information, received after a surprise, predisposes you to apply that new information instinctively in subsequent situations.michaelrousell.com

Episode 2, The Importance of Surprise

Jun 24th, 2018 2m 32s

A surprise alarms us that our expectations are out of whack and need a spontaneous adjustment. Learn how comedians use surprise in punchlines to create dissonance with our expectations. michaelrousell.com

Episode 1, The Belief Formation Reflex

Jun 17th, 2018 2m 35s

Learn how the element of surprise evolved as a survival mechanism to trigger an instant belief formation.michaelrousell.com

Surprisecast, An Introduction

Jun 15th, 2018 41s

-Surprisecast is a captivating journey into how your brain secretly changes your beliefs during moments of surprise. -Using current neurological and cognitive research, Dr. Michael Rousell identifies and maps the consequences of surprise as a

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