Lisa Feldman Barrett: Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett is among the top one percent most cited scientists in the world for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience. She is a University Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, with appointments at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also Chief Science Officer for the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior at Harvard University.

In addition to her bestselling book How Emotions Are Made*, she has published over 240 peer-reviewed, scientific papers appearing in Science, Nature Neuroscience, and other top journals in psychology and cognitive neuroscience. She has also given a popular TED talk with nearly 6 million views and received a Guggenheim Fellowship in neuroscience and an NIH Director's Pioneer Award.

In this conversation, Lisa and I discuss the lessons from her newest book, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain*. We explore some of the common misperceptions about brain biology and examine how much energy use and conservation affects us. Then, we uncover how we can help ourselves — and others — learn better.

Key Points

The primary purpose of your brain is to keep you alive. As a result, your brain predicts almost everything you do.

Unlike how we perceive, sensing actually comes second for the brain. It’s wired to prepare for action first.

Learning is an expensive use of energy. Leaders can cultivate environments for learning by providing stable environments that don’t burn unnecessary energy.

Changing behavior in the heat of the moment isn’t likely, but we can change how our brain will predict outside of the moment.

You are always cultivating your past, since today’s present becomes the past. That’s how you change the way your brain predicts in the future.

Resources Mentioned

Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain* by Lisa Feldman Barrett

Lisa Feldman Barrret’s website

Interview Notes

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