JITOTM08: One Track Mind

Here's a question everyone could stand having answered: when faced with a decision, is it best to think about it, or go with your gut?

Recent experiments by a Dutch researcher by the name of Ap Dijksterhuis have shed a little light on the dilemma, although finding the answer in scientifically quantifiable terms was more complicated - and more creative - than you might think.

Dijksterhuis designed a pair of experiments suited to the modern age: choosing the right brand of car, and purchasing furniture from Ikea! The long and short of it is that conscious thinking is a very good way to make decisions where there are few variables to consider, and a very bad way to make decisions where there are lots of variables to consider... but how can that be?

Follow Jay along the one track that runs through every mind in this week's podcast, One Track Mind.

Behind the curtain

• Track the Tracker: teacher, author and visionary Tom Brown came up in conversation.
  
  
• Sleep on it: There's a nice summary of Dijksterhuis' experiments at the BBC.
  
  
• The Quote of the Week was from the late Nobel prize winner Barbara McClintock
  
  
• The Song of the Week was "One" by Toronto songstress Treasa Levasseur.
  

Anything you'd care to share? Drop a note in the comments box, or just email us here. Thanks for listening - we're listening too.

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