6 Mind-Blowing TED Talks About Psychology & Human Behavior

The human brain is complex and confusing, which explains why human behavior is so complex and confusing. People have a tendency to act one way when they feel something completely different.

How many times have you been asked “What’s wrong?” only to answer “Nothing,” even though something truly was wrong? Personally, I’ve lost count. Humans are strange creatures, indeed.

And yet, the craziness of human behavior doesn’t end there. There are hundreds–even thousands–of different aspects to our behavior that have a strange science behind them. Some of what you believe may actually be false.

Here are a few interesting TED Talks that delve into human psychology and try to explain why we are the way we are.

The Paradox of Choice

The secret to happiness is low expectations.

With a quotable snippet like that, I think it’s easy to see that the giver of this TED Talk is very entertaining in his delivery and insightful in his material.

In this 20-minute clip, Barry Schwartz talks about the gradual increase in choices that we have as consumers and how making the right decision in a sea of choices can have a negative impact on our lives. He calls it the paradox of choice, and it all stems from a simple assumption: more freedom leads to more happiness.

Watch this video and learn why the availability of choices can actually be a detriment to your happiness as an individual.

A Kinder, Gentler Philosophy of Success

Alain de Botton, a Swiss philosopher, presents a philosophical discussion on the modern world’s idea of success and how the structure of society influences our notions of success and failure. With a number of insightful illustrations and analogies, I think Botton successfully challenges the popular understanding of individual success.

He’s articulate, eloquent, and quite witty with his comments and remarks. Plus, he’s just plain funny. Even if the subject matter bores you (which I guarantee it won’t), you’ll still be entertained by his delivery style and his intelligent jokes.

Watching this clip was a pleasure and you won’t be disappointed.

The Surprising Science of Motivation

In this talk, Daniel Pink discusses the outdated notion of extrinsic motivators in the modern world. Outside factors, like increased pay and other incentives, can actually be damaging to creativity, inspiration, and motivation.

While the idea of extrinsic motivation was useful and effective in the 20th Century, Pink argues that this outdated idea must be replaced by a new one: intrinsic motivation. Because 21st Century tasks differ so fundamentally from 20th Century tasks, new motivational forces are required.

This is a mind-blowing talk that confirms what we, as humans, already know: productivity is heightened when we want to do something rather than when we are only encouraged to do something. A must-see clip, indeed.

How We Read Each Other’s Minds

In this TED Talk, scientist Rebecca Saxe discusses a region of the brain–called the Right Temporo-Parietal Junction–that is used when you make judgments about other people and what they’re thinking.

Through a series of experiments, Saxe shows how the development of this area of the brain contributes to how you view other people, their thoughts, and their motives behind their actions. In other words, underdevelopment of the RTPJ results in a lessened ability for representing and understanding another’s beliefs.

If you love science jargon and scientific analysis, this one’s for you.

What You Don’t Know About Marriage

Nowadays, it’s a well-known fact that marriages–at least in America–are more likely to end in divorce than a happily-ever-after scenario. However, writer Jenna McCarthy presents her researched findings about the factors that are common in all successful marriages.

As a writer, McCarthy has injected jokes and humor into her presentation. Some may find her cute and pleasant to listen to. Others may be put off by her attempts to make the subject matter funny.

Nonetheless, if you are interested in making your current marriage work or if you want to know how to bulletproof your future marriage, this is the TED Talk for you.

The 8 Secrets to Success

Secrets? Perhaps if you’re young or if you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last decade. The topic of success–and how you can achieve it–has been examined and studied to death. Everyone wants to be successful, but not everyone is successful.

How can you increase the chance for your own personal success? In this TED Talk, Richard St. John tells you in eight simple words.

But beware: even if these are the secrets to success, they are not shortcuts to success. There are no shortcuts to success. So buckle yourself down, watch this video, and prepare yourself for the mental fortitude that you’ll need in order to cross the line from failure to success.

Do you follow TED Talks? Tell us about your picks in the subject of your choice.