Changing Our Mental Maps
Hidden Brain

Changing Our Mental Maps

B1IntermediateJuly 13, 20261 hr 34 min

As we move through the world, it's easy to imagine we're processing everything that happens around us and then deciding how to respond. But psychologist and neuroscientist Norman Farb says our brains actually navigate the world by coming up with mental maps. These maps act like an autopilot system, allowing us to navigate our lives more efficiently. But sometimes, they can lead us astray, leaving us stuck on a path of negativity and unhappiness. This week, in a favorite episode from 2024, we talk with Norman Farb about how we can update our internal maps and see the world more...

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In February 2024, two German tourists visited Australia.

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0:00

This is Hidden Brain. I'm Shankar Vedanta. In February 2024, two German tourists visited Australia. During one section of their trip in Queensland, they turned off the main road on the advice of Google Maps.

0:16

They figured that the road up ahead was closed because of a rising river and the detour would take them to their destination. As one of them put it later, they trusted the map. We decided, OK, let's follow Google Maps

0:30

because Google Maps knows maybe more than we know. The tourists told an Australian TV station and other media that they took a dirt path known as the Langhi track. At first, things looked fine.

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