The brain seeks patterns even when none exist, according to an October 3rd Scientific American podcast:
When we feel like we don’t have command of our own fate, our brains often invent patterns that offer a sense of self-control. Some folks knock on wood or step over cracks in the sidewalk. Scientists call this illusory pattern perception. Work published in the October 3rd issue of the journal Science offers a look inside our heads as they try to make us feel less helpless.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin devised six experiments to test students’ reactions to different situations of …read more