Our brain loves shortcuts, and they can be used to manipulate us.

ourtroom research indicates that juries are also influenced by “censored” information. It has long been known that when juries know that an insurance company will pay the bill, they tend to award larger damages to plaintiffs. Interestingly though, they award even higher damages if they are expressly told by the judge to ignore the fact that the def

This pining for the banished is known as the Romeo and Juliet effect , so named because parents who erect barriers to hinder the romantic relationships of their children often only manage to deepen the lovers’ attraction. One study of Colorado couples found that when the parents tried to interfere with their relationship, feelings of love and desir

So when does scarcity become a powerful influence on our decision-making?

Two conditions need to be fulfilled:

First, we tend to want something more if its availability has decreased recently than if it has remained steady over time. This is why revolutions tend to happen when living conditions deteriorate sharply rather than when they are consistent

When uncertain, we look for social proof.

We want to stay true to our word.

Another factor influencing whether we like someone or not is whether we find them physically attractive. Attractiveness produces a so-called halo effect , meaning that we tend to see attractive people as smart, kind and honest. Worryingly, we even tend to vote for more attractive candidates in elections!

Clothes and props are also powerful authority symbols. In Milgram’s experiment, it was the authority figure’s white lab coat and clipboard that convinced participants they should obey them and “torture” their fellow test subjects. And con artists exploit the power of these symbols to their full extent by donning uniforms, suits and even priest’s ro

Banning something makes it very desirable.

Have you ever wondered why sitcoms often have laugh tracks?

In fact, research indicates laugh tracks will make us laugh longer and more often, especially at bad jokes.

This is due to the principle of social proof , which states that we often decide what the correct course of action is by looking to others’ behavior. In the case of the laugh track, ev