10 interesting psychological facts that help you better understand yourself

Over the years, scientists have discovered many interesting secrets and small defects in the human brain. Join us to find out what is going on inside the brain in the article 10 interesting psychological facts to help you better understand yourself!

1. We often tend to recall past memories

We tend to look back on our memories through some small footage or video clip. Things seem to default in the brain, safe and unchangeable. You can reminisce about past events when they are transient in mind. But then they will gradually fade away when more new events happen.

For example, you don't remember the people who participated in your family party two years ago, if your aunt always participates in every family party, your mind will take that into memory and you will remember even when the person is absent on that special occasion.

2. There are limited friends

Psychologists and sociologists have come up with a concept that is the number of Dunbar's number - the maximum number of people a person can maintain close and close relationships.

So even if you have thousands of 'friends' on Facebook, you can only communicate meaning from 50 to 200 of them.

3. Feel happier when busy

In the top picture is a situation but with two different ways of handling. You are at the airport and need to pick up your luggage. Within ten minutes, you will arrive at the claim area and receive your suitcase.

And now a slightly different way of dealing. You will find suitcases faster, in just two minutes using baggage carousel. But you have to spend eight minutes left to wait for the suitcase to appear.

In both cases, it takes you no more than ten minutes to collect your luggage. However, in the second situation, you may feel impatient and unhappy. This is due to the fact that our brains do not like to be idle and prefer to be busy. For every completed job, it "rewards" us with dopamine - happy hormones.

4. We can only remember 3-4 things at a time

Studies show that the human brain can store no more than 3-4 information at once. In addition, this information can only be preserved for about 20-30 seconds. After this time, we will forget unless that information continues to be refreshed in memory many times later.

For example, you're driving and talking on the phone (don't do that). The other person gives you a sequence of numbers, but you cannot write at that time and try to remember. You often reread this number again and store it in your short-term memory.

Actually, we easily remember 3-4 information each time, like 3-4 digits or lines. This applies to phone numbers and credit card numbers, even with the text you are reading!

5. Visual perception is different from actual appearance

The brain constantly processes information received from sensory organs, and analyzes images and interprets them in a more different form.

For example, the reason for a person to be able to read a text faster than others is that they only need to pay attention to the first and last letters, visually filling the rest, based on experience as well as knowledge. This does not only happen with text. You can look at the clutter of letters but still find them to be meaningful words.

6. Spend 30% of the time every day dreaming

Imagine you are working to study an important document. Suddenly, you realize that you are reading a sentence three times in a row. Instead of analyzing text, your mind is wandering somewhere.

Scientists at the University of California say that every day we spend 30% of our time dreaming. Sometimes during long trips, this will increase to 70%. Studies show that people who like to "think wandering" tend to be more creative. In addition, they solve problems and get rid of stress in a better way.

7. Can't ignore 3 things in life: food, sex and danger

Have you ever asked yourself why people always stop to see the consequences of a road accident? My curiosity is triggered by our "ancient brain" - the part responsible for survival.

The function of the brain often observes the surrounding environment and asks three questions and answers: "Can I eat? Can I do it? Or will I be killed in that way?" ? ". Food, sex and danger are still the basics for us to survive. Therefore, none of us can ignore them.

8. Want to have as many choices as possible

Scientists have set up two tables in the supermarket. On the first board, they placed 6 types of jam and the second set 24 types. As a result, 60% of customers stopped to try on the first table but when buying, the second table increased 4 times.

As we know, our brain can only focus 3-4 times at a time. But I always crave diversity, like browsing through many different products. Therefore, it is likely that people will stop to try on the board containing 24 types of jam.

9. Making subconscious decisions

We often think that all our actions are the result of careful planning. However, in fact, 60-80% of daily decisions are subconsciously done.

Every second, our brain receives millions of units of data. In order to prevent "overload", some jobs are transferred into the subconscious and some actions are habitual.

On the downside, this often leads to uncertainty. For example, when we go to the office and suddenly worry about whether we have locked the car or not.

10. Focus specifically on each

Studies show that we can only perform one cognitive activity at a time. Try talking and reading at the same time or writing while listening to audio books. Our brains cannot focus on two tasks at the same time. You can try to see if the mistake or problem will occur.

One exception is if the second activity is completely natural and automatic (what we usually do every day) like talking on the phone and walking. However, you may stumble if you don't pay attention.