The Hidden Brain

Are you controlling your brain, or is it controlling you? Discover how your unconscious mind shapes your life in ways you might not even realize.

1. The Unseen Influence of the Unconscious Mind

Our unconscious mind constantly shapes our perceptions and decisions without us being aware. While we like to think our decisions stem from logical reasoning, research shows that unseen mental processes often take the reins.

Studies have demonstrated that subtle visual cues, even those barely registering in our conscious awareness, can impact behavior. For example, Melissa Bateson’s experiment on an office beverage station illustrated this. When a small image of eyes was placed on a notice, contributions to the honor box tripled compared to when pictures of flowers were displayed.

Similarly, social interactions fall under the spell of these unconscious currents. Psychologist Rick van Baaran’s study at a Dutch Applebee’s revealed that customers tipped waitresses 140 percent more if their orders were repeated verbatim instead of paraphrased.

Examples

• Eye images above a beverage station boosted honesty.
• Exact repetition of orders in a restaurant significantly increased tips.
• Small, unnoticed cues consistently modify human behavior.

2. Building Blocks of Social Behavior

The unconscious mind doesn’t just assist with decisions; it regulates social interactions. Without it, social boundaries would crumble, leaving us unable to navigate human relationships effectively.

Two neurological conditions – frontotemporal dementia and schizophrenia – reveal the hidden brain’s profound role. Patients with frontotemporal dementia break social norms, as their brains no longer enforce the unconscious codes of behavior that most of us take for granted. In addition, schizophrenia impacts the ability to read facial expressions, causing paranoia and mistrust.

Both conditions expose what happens when the hidden brain's guidance disappears. These impairments highlight how heavily we depend on unconscious processes in everyday relationships.

Examples

• Frontotemporal dementia patients shoplift without remorse, ignoring social shame.
• A schizophrenia patient misreads a waiter’s facial expressions as aggression.
• Normal behavior relies on the brain areas unconscious processes regulate.

3. How Bias Creeps into Young Minds

Children's unconscious brains start forming racial prejudices much earlier than many parents believe. Even before they develop complex ideas about race, kids associate familiar faces with positive traits and unfamiliar ones with negativity.

Frances Aboud’s study on preschoolers revealed that 70 percent of white children linked positive adjectives to white faces, while negative words were associated with Black faces. These judgments weren’t taught consciously by parents but arose from exposure to predominantly white surroundings in media and real life.

This pattern underscores the unconscious bias embedded in society. To combat it, parents should not shy away from discussing race but actively engage in diverse storytelling that celebrates inclusion and tolerance.

Examples

• White children in Canada showed bias in associating positive traits with their own race.
• Racial prejudices emerged in children even with diverse friendships.
• Discussing race openly helped dismantle unconscious bias in young minds.

4. Racial Bias and Voting Patterns

Racial bias sways adults just as much as children. Even people who consider themselves nonracist carry subconscious prejudices that can influence political choices.

The Implicit Association Test reveals that areas with higher racial bias lean more toward conservative voting records. Politics itself often exploits these biases. In the 1988 U.S. presidential campaign, an ad featuring Willie Horton, a Black convict, played on racial fears to drive voter behavior.

Even leaders like Barack Obama navigated racial bias. He avoided extensively discussing race during his campaign, knowing implicit biases among voters might sabotage his chances of becoming president.

Examples

• Implicit racial biases influenced regional political tendencies across the U.S.
• Campaigns like George H. W. Bush's Willie Horton ad preyed on racial prejudice.
• Obama’s success relied on tailored messaging that minimized race discussions.

5. Bias in the Justice System

The concept of "Blackness as a crime" becomes painfully clear when examining the American criminal justice system. Unconscious racial bias influences everything from arrests to sentencing.

Jennifer Eberhardt’s study found that Black defendants with stereotypically African features were over twice as likely to receive the death sentence than those with less pronounced features. One striking case involved Ernest Porter, whose sentencing seemed influenced more by appearance than evidence.

Injustice often festers through countless small biases. The system reflects society’s deeper prejudices, often unconsciously perpetuated by its members.

Examples

• Eberhardt’s research highlighted bias in capital punishment cases.
• Ernest Porter was sentenced amid questionable evidence and systemic bias.
• Black defendants face harsher outcomes based on physical appearance alone.

6. How Gender Bias Holds Women Back

Unconscious gender bias works against women in professional environments, undermining their efforts and contributions. The unequal treatment often feels invisible but runs deep.

Lilly Ledbetter’s discovery of her lower wages revealed systemic workplace discrimination. After nearly two decades, her wage gap compared to male colleagues became public knowledge through an anonymous note, but addressing it required legislative action.

Even people unaware of their prejudices show patterns of bias. Studies have shown most individuals prefer male bosses unconsciously, highlighting how professional success remains skewed against women.

Examples

• Lilly Ledbetter exposed gender pay discrimination at Goodyear Tire.
• Legislation like the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act acknowledges systemic gaps.
• Research consistently shows unconscious favoritism toward male leadership.

7. Conformity in Crises

Group norms save lives – but in disasters, they can also lead to devastating consequences. Conforming to the group feels safer in uncertain situations, even when action is needed.

During 9/11, employees on the 88th floor of the South Tower evacuated due to one colleague, J.J. Aguiar, urging action. Meanwhile, the group on the 89th floor chose to stay after an announcement advised remaining in the building. Almost all who stayed perished.

This example highlights how disaster preparation must account for our unconscious instinct to follow the majority, urging leaders to provide clear guidance in emergencies.

Examples

• Evacuations on the 88th floor of the South Tower during 9/11 showcased leadership under pressure.
• Staying put led the 89th-floor contingent to tragedy.
• Training specific people in leadership could counteract group hesitation.

8. Suicide Terrorists and Group Dynamics

Suicide terrorism is less a product of fanatical religion than of group allegiance. Strong social bonds within terrorist circles often pull individuals toward acts of violence.

Scott Atran found that in Morocco, potential recruits shared narratives that strengthened their camaraderie and disdain for outsiders. Groups like al-Qaeda exploit these connections, turning ordinary people into attackers.

For members, the desire to belong outweighs self-preservation. Their community’s survival becomes a moral mission, enhanced by rituals solidifying commitment to the cause.

Examples

• Atran observed Moroccan communities where social bonding led to terrorism.
• Al-Qaeda amplified loyalty through pre-mission videos.
• Social dynamics rather than ideology often drive terrorist recruitment.

9. Changing Our Institutions to Counter Bias

Understanding our hidden brain allows us to redesign systems that account for unconscious bias instead of ignoring it. Transparent discussions help confront flaws in our interactions and infrastructure.

From racial disparities in justice to unequal pay, society proves surprisingly malleable with the right structures in place. Active interventions can counter biases at both individual and societal levels.

The challenge lies not in eradicating our unconscious tendencies but in designing around them to promote fairness and humanity.

Examples

• Educational reforms addressing racial bias in children change societal views.
• Workplace policies ensure equal pay via transparent mechanisms.
• Legal system overhauls help mitigate racial disparities in prosecution.

Takeaways

1. Start conversations about race and bias within your family or workplace to acknowledge and challenge unconscious patterns.
2. Implement training programs in schools and workplaces that show people how unconscious biases work to create awareness.
3. Advocate for institutional transparency, whether in pay scales, hiring processes, or legal proceedings, to counteract the subtle effects of bias.