Your Unconscious Mind is More Powerful than You Think

Freud’s believed that conscious mind is like the part of an iceberg that we can see floating above the water. The bulk of the mind, Freud argued, is what lies beaneth the surface. It’s the unconscious. Freud may have been wrong about many of the details of the unconscous mind, But he was correct that the unconscious is powerful. There is no better example of this than research showing how unconscious forces shape our daily decisions.

So if your name is Carla and you married Carlos, it’d be hard to blame you. Likewise, if your favorite lottery numbers are your bithday numbers, join the club. Research in social psychology suggests that many of our daily decisions are driven by unconscious forces that operate invisibly. This includes major life decisions, such as choosing a career and a life partner. So, did you marry Pat because Pat is sexy, smart, and sympathetic? Or is it because you were both born in September?

If your name is Carla and you married Carlos, it’d be hard to blame you. Research in social psychology suggests that many of our daily decisions are driven by forces we cannot usually put our fingers on. This includes big decisions, like putting a ring on it. So, did you marry Pat because Pat is sexy, smart, and sympathetic? Or is it because you were both born in September?