Published Dec 23, 2019

Why We Love Surprises

Cognitive scientist Vera Tobin delves into the captivating world of surprise endings in storytelling, uncovering how these twists exploit our cognitive biases and illuminate the predictable blind spots of human perception, making narratives both engaging and enlightening.

Episode Highlights

Topics covered

Episode Highlights

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Dexa/Shankar Vedantam

Why We Love Surprises

Topics covered

Popular Clips

The Art of Surprise

Perception and Reality

The Power of Narrative

Stories and Perception

The Art of Deception

Rug Pullers in Cinema

The Power of Stories

The Power of Anchors

The Curse of Knowledge

The Thrill of Surprise

Episode Highlights

Narrative Mechanics

Psychological Biases

Cognitive Science

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Persuasion: Part 1

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Why We Love Surprises

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Episode Highlights

Narrative MechanicsNext, Vera Tobin explores the allure of surprise endings in films, revealing how they engage our cognitive processes. She discusses the storytelling techniques that make these twists both thrilling and enlightening.

Narrative Mechanics

Psychological BiasesThe discussion explores how cognitive biases like anchoring and hindsight bias shape our understanding of stories. Vera Tobin reveals how these mental shortcuts are exploited by storytellers to craft compelling narratives.

Psychological Biases

Cognitive ScienceVera Tobin, a cognitive scientist, explores how storytellers exploit the limitations of human perception to create surprising plot twists. She reveals how these narrative techniques provide insights into the predictable blind spots of our minds.

Cognitive Science

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