Psychology of Fortune-telling

     “By reading your palm, you must be fed up with the politicians in Taiwan.” “How do you know? Your depiction is so precise!!!!”

 Well, do these fortunetellers really understand us just by reading our palms or birth time? Let’s see the weakness of our brain.

     Please imagine a geometric image with another geometric image in it. (Don’t think too complexly.)

     

     Is your answer a triangle with a circle in it or a circle with a triangle in it?

     In fact, most of our thoughts are the same.

     However, most of us have cognitive bias (認知偏誤). We are inclined to persuade ourselves that we are greater than others to protect our fragile pride. So we deceive ourselves that we are much more unique, humorous or talented than others. Research shows that 94% people feel that their sense of humor is greater than others. 80% of drivers believe that their driving skills are above the average. Therefore, the fortunetellers usually tell us the positive characteristic us have to make us accept their remark happily.

     Apart from cognitive bias, our mind tends to explain the meaningless things. So fortunetellers make their analysis ambiguous and let us explain the meaning by ourselves. 

     Furthermore, humans usually have selective memories (選擇性記憶). We see what we want to see. Fortunetellers catch this weakness of our brain. They give us the totally different analysis of our characters. We often notice the nature we want to listen.

     Therefore, don’t tease those who believe in the politicians fortunetellers firmly. Our defect of cognition causes the consequence.

Words: 273

Sources: Paranormality: Why We See What Isn’t There?

※Sources of Comics: http://forum.gamer.com.tw/Co.php?bsn=60084&sn=2369475&sum=17&min=2348354&this=1&author=f91zero007