• Question: how long do you think it will be until you can change human behavior

    Asked by 866nepk28 to Ed, Kerrianne, Nina, Oli, yoyehudi on 13 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Yo Yehudi

      Yo Yehudi answered on 13 Nov 2017:

      I think we can do it right now, sometimes. Speech and persuasion is a powerful thing….

    • Photo: Kerrianne Harrington

      Kerrianne Harrington answered on 14 Nov 2017:

      I think to some extent human behavior is always changing, especially in response to new technologies that become available.

    • Photo: Oli Wilson

      Oli Wilson answered on 14 Nov 2017:

      We can definitely do it already, and sometimes in very clever ways – someone won a Nobel Prize for something called ‘nudge theory’ earlier this year. It’s been used for all sorts, from getting more people to pay their taxes to persuading men to wee straight at urinals! Have a look at some examples here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41549533
      If you fancy having a go at changing people’s behaviour, google some things around the psychology of persuasion and try them on people at school! In some ways it really is worryingly easy…

    • Photo: Ed Bracey

      Ed Bracey answered on 14 Nov 2017:

      And if you mean changing it by directly interfering with the brain, the technology exists now. We can apply electrodes or a large magnet to the brain to induce a current, activating some brain cells.
      It’s called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or transcranial direct current stimulation.
      You can stop someone from speaking, or make them think they’re seeing spots depending on where you put the magnet!
      Check this out:

      Some people are trying to use it to treat brain disorders too, like depression:

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