Oct 23, 2023
In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, host Melina Palmer interviews Tim Ash, author of Unleash Your Primal Brain. Tim brings his unique background in computer engineering and cognitive science to the discussion, shedding light on the evolution of the brain and its impact on human behavior. He explains how our brains developed as a response to fast changes in the environment caused by movement, highlighting the importance of social dynamics over logical reasoning.
Tim also delves into the concept of culture spread and how humans made an evolutionary bet on it, setting us apart from animals. This conversation is essential for business leaders and marketers who want to better understand human behavior and predict consumer choices. By recognizing the underlying evolutionary basis of our brains, they can design experiences that align with human nature, effectively connecting with their target audience. Tim's expertise in neural networks and neuromarketing provides a unique perspective on leveraging the primal brain for ethical reasons and leveling the playing field in marketing. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights that will enhance your business strategies and drive success.
In this episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction,
Melina Palmer introduces Tim Ash and discusses the importance of
understanding the primal brain in behavioral economics and
business.
00:01:44 - Evolution of the Brain,
Tim explains how the brain evolved to respond to fast changes in
the environment caused by movement. He highlights the
energy-intensive nature of the brain and its focus on modeling
complex social relationships.
00:07:11 - Heuristics and Biases,
Tim explores how the brain uses heuristics and biases to navigate
the world, balancing the need for energy consumption and survival.
He emphasizes the brain's primary function of modeling social
dynamics rather than logical reasoning.
00:09:50 - Culture Spread,
Tim discusses how humans evolved to rely on culture spread as an
evolutionary advantage. He explains the role of mirror neurons and
the physical adaptations in humans to facilitate cultural
learning.
00:13:36 - Unique Aspects of Human Brain Development,
Tim highlights the unique aspects of human brain development, such
as prolonged adolescence. He discusses how these adaptations
contribute to the spread of culture and the importance of learning
from others.
00:15:50 - Evolutionary Reasons for Modeling and Survival
Goals,
Tim explains that there are evolutionary reasons for modeling and
mirror neurons. Modeling helps us imagine what someone is doing
when they are out of sight, while survival goals like feeding and
interpreting gestures are important for our physical skill
rehearsal. Mirror neurons play a role in all of these processes and
contribute to our survival.
00:17:14 - Learning from Successful Examples and Tribal
Cohesion,
Tim discusses the importance of learning from successful examples
and the role of tribal cohesion in our learning process. We tend to
learn from older people who have survived and people who are
similar to us in terms of ethnicity, gender, and language. This
preference for learning from similar individuals reinforces
tribalism and group cohesion.
00:18:56 - Overcoming Biases and Expanding Circles of Empathy,
Tim expresses a lack of hope in overcoming biases and expanding
circles of empathy, especially in society and politics. He
highlights our biological predisposition to form tribes and the
difficulty of accepting other views once we are part of a tribe.
However, he suggests that meeting and talking to people who are
different from us can help in creating a larger circle of
empathy.
00:21:32 - Conservative and Progressive Spheres of Concern,
Tim shares an interesting finding from sociological research that
conservative and progressive individuals tend to have different
spheres of concern. He uses perceptions of immigration as an
example of these differences.
00:30:24 - Girls' School Performance and Self Esteem Decline,
Girls tend to outperform boys academically, especially in the early
years. However, when they hit puberty, their self-esteem declines,
and they start caring more about what their friends think of them.
This often leads to a decline in academic performance.
00:31:27 - The Importance of the First Five Years,
The first five years of a child's life are critical for their
development. During this time, they need to feel loved, safe, and
have proper nutrition and sleep. These experiences become hardwired
into their biology and can influence their social attitudes and
behaviors later in life.
00:33:22 - The Power of Empathy,
Developing empathy is crucial for raising good humans. One way to
cultivate empathy is through direct experiences with people from
different backgrounds and cultures. By understanding and modeling
the behaviors and experiences of others, we can foster empathy and
understanding.
00:34:48 - The Role of Storytelling,
Storytelling serves multiple evolutionary purposes. It allows us to
simulate experiences we can't directly have, like living out a
nightmare scenario without the real-life consequences. It also
helps maintain cultural cohesion by spreading knowledge and values
within a tribe. However, the cultural package we bring to a story
can influence how we interpret and experience it.
00:36:56 - Conclusion,
Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you
while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come
share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as
@thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn.
Thanks for listening. Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show.
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