Psychology

Highly creative individuals tend to habituate more slowly. This slower habituation means that information stays in their minds longer, which can be distracting but also beneficial. The extended presence of information allows different bits of knowledge to collide and interact, leading to new ideas.

Neuroscientist known for research on optimism bias and decision-making

There are things in our lives that aren't ideal, but because we've habituated to them, we're not as motivated to change them. This also applies to societal issues like racism or sexism—because they've been present for so long, we might not notice them as much and therefore feel less motivated to address them.

Neuroscientist known for research on optimism bias and decision-making

Research has shown that learning brings more joy than material rewards. In a study where participants were given money for doing well on a task, they felt happiest not when they received the money, but when they learned something new about the task.

Neuroscientist known for research on optimism bias and decision-making

Habituation is a very basic mechanism. It's something we find in every neuron and every system of our brain, including our fundamental abilities like perception. Essentially, we stop responding to and perceiving things that are not changing or are changing very gradually.

Neuroscientist known for research on optimism bias and decision-making

Research shows that individuals who are slower to habituate to negative events tend to be more prone to depression. This ability to habituate is crucial for moving forward.

Neuroscientist known for research on optimism bias and decision-making

There was a significant psychological barrier; people were afraid of making mistakes and ruining their work. But when they saw this engaging, simple game on the screen, they understood what to do and felt successful. It broke down that fear and made people more comfortable with computers.

Creator of Tetris, the iconic video game

Tetris also has an incredibly long learning curve, which is unique. Most games, even very successful ones, have a steep learning curve that you can master relatively quickly. But in Tetris, the learning curve is gradual and seemingly endless. You continually feel like you're improving—getting faster, more skilled, and more savvy. It's just the magic of the game.

Creator of Tetris, the iconic video game

I looked at it and thought, 'How can something this simple be so compelling?' It was compelling enough for me to take time out of the Consumer Electronics Show to go back and play over and over. I mean, I was hooked from the first time I played it. I couldn't explain what was going on.

Tetris video game rights holder & Blue Planet Project founder

Everyone has important skills and likely unique skills, but they may not always be as confident in those skills as they should be. We need to challenge the notion that if you don't feel like a superhero, then you must not be the right person for the job. Being underestimated in that way often brings out the best in me. For me, it's not just about overcoming insecurity but leveraging it as a catalyst to ensure that I bring everything I have to the mission.

NASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist

Mental resilience is supported by practice and preparation, but it also comes from knowing, deep down, that you're supposed to be where you are. Confidence in your purpose is crucial. By focusing on the next step, and then the one after that, while keeping the big picture in mind, you can effectively accomplish the mission.

NASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist

One of the best analogies I've heard in this scenario is that, just as you wouldn't want a surgeon to go from one operating theater to the next without having washed their hands, you don't want a manager to go from one context to the next without being in a position where they can actually do some good—or at least do no harm.

The idea that you will sit down with someone who's had 30 or 40 years of lived experience in a particular situation, and has been conditioned to analyze the world that way, and then somehow get them to change their mind in one sitting is implausible.

One is: Do I trust you with my feelings? Do I think that you're going to be a listener who is non-judgmental, or do I think you're going to judge me—'Marc is weak because he's anxious,' or 'Marc is a man and he's feeling sad; dudes don't feel sad.' So if I think you're going to judge me for my feelings, I'm going to be much more guarded about whether or not I express them.

Psychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

We tend to go deeper with that in terms of specific facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone. And I think what's important to know there is that we often make a lot of mistakes when we're reading other people's emotions because we bring in our own cultural values, our own belief systems, and we oftentimes project emotions onto people as opposed to really knowing how they're feeling.

Psychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

Depression is depression. Despair is despair. Disappointment is disappointment, and I think it's important for us to have that emotional granularity. Because if I just walk around like the world is right now, 'I'm anxious, I'm anxious,' but I have a hard time believing that everyone is that anxious. I think it's because we don't have granularity in our understanding of emotions, and so we're not communicating our true experiences accurately.

Psychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

Because it's giving us information about how we're feeling and what we need to do about those feelings. When I'm looking at your facial expressions, I get signals—like either you're interested or you're bored. Either you want me to keep going or not. And that's data for me. Because if I notice a shift in the way you're engaging with me while I'm speaking, I could either use that information, or I could keep going and going and going, and then lose my audience.

Psychologist & Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence