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Automatic Brain

Duration: 2 x 52'

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A fascinating documentary that explores the work of the world’s leading scientists and how the unconscious brain shapes our attention, perception and memory.

Over 90 percent of our daily actions are done unconsciously – an “auto-pilot“ in our head. Automatic Brain takes a look at how unconscious processes steer the lives of two ordinary people, from everyday routines to life choices such as finding a partner.

Automatic Brain explores the work of the world’s leading scientists in the way that the unconscious brain shapes our attention, perception and memory.

With brain guru Allan Snyder of the University of Sydney, John Bargh in Yale, Henrik Ehrsson in Stockholm, Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik in Phoenix / Arizona, Walter Mischel at the Stanford kindergarden and with many others, we look at the intriguing, often entertaining research of neuro scientists. We learn about futuristic devices that let us see the world as it really is, we feel being outside our body, we look what subconscious strategies sweet preschool-kids invent to resist the temptation of a marshmallow. And with Professor Allan Snyder we start to wonder if there really is a free will: “Who is really in charge?”, Snyder asks, “is our consciousness no more than the PR-department, in order to make us believe that we are really in control?”

With Las Vegas magician Apollo Robbins we are plunged in the million attractions of the Strip to witness how magicians manipulate attention to literally steal whatever he wants. We follow jet fighters in their training routines, and surfers when gliding through the ever-shifting waters, along with the dolphins. AUTOMATIC BRAIN – The Power Of The Unconscious is educational, but most of all it is big fun and entertainment, and it constantly challenges the audience to check their very own Automatic Brain: With a series of tests and interactive sequences AUTOMATIC BRAIN makes us realise how easily our own brain can trick us.

Episode 1 - The Magic Of The Unconscious

Episode 2 - The Power Of The Unconscious

3 x 30′ can be made available

For WDR

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