Nudge: Post #4

Two Thinking Systems: We have both an Automatic and a Reflective System to help us get through life. The Automatic System—run by the amygdala, the primal, reptilian part of our brain that resides at the base of our brain—responds to threats and pleasures quickly, like a fifth of a second. The Reflective System is controlled, deductive, slow and self-aware, residing in the prefrontal cortex (often called the executive control center of the brain). It thinks about best options. Unfortunately, often under pressure to “choose’ an option while at the computer, we hit “recommended” when the Automatic brain overrides the Reflective brain.