Science, not tricks.
Every claim backed by a real study
The famous myths, checked and busted
Moves you make yourself. Nothing done to anyone
4 of the book's 25 figures. Swipe for the next one.
Figure 1.4
The reward circuit behind wanting, love and rejection
aWhere the signals run
- 1VTA dopamine source
- 2Nucleus accumbens reward, craving
- 3Caudate reward, motivation
- 4Orbitofrontal cortex value, gains, losses
- 5Anterior cingulate distress (contested)
- 6Amygdala threat
Dopamine routes from the VTA
Front of the brain on the left. Deep and lateral structures are projected onto this midline view; positions are approximate.
bDopamine neurons code uncertainty
Shape of the uncertainty term p(1 − p). Fiorillo, Tobler & Schultz (2003), Science, single-neuron recordings in monkeys.
cThe same circuit in people
In love, N = 17VTA and caudate up
Rejected, N = 15Accumbens and OFC up
fMRI design used in both studies; portraits are illustrations. Aron et al. (2005); Fisher et al. (2010), J. Neurophysiol. Small samples: read as a pattern.
Figure 1.1
Selective interest is returned. Unselective interest is punished
aSpeed-dating design
156 students, 7 events. Four-minute dates with 9 to 13 partners each, rated straight after every date.
bWho got wanted back
Red bars are negative correlations. ** p = .001, *** p < .001, ** p = .006, * p = .050. Eastwick, Finkel, Mochon & Ariely (2007), Psychological Science.
cUncertainty, in a first impression
Women (N = 47) viewed profiles of men said to like them most, an average amount, or unknown. Heights show order only. ** p = .001, * p = .04; F(2,44) = 15.06. Whitchurch, Wilson & Gilbert (2011).
Figure 2.2
An open posture raised the odds of a yes
aExpansive versus contracted
Dating-app field experiment: 6 people, 2 profile photos each, 2,983 swipe decisions.
bOdds of a yes
Square: odds ratio. Line: 95% CI (1.08 to 1.49), reported for the app study only.
cRated dominance
Ratings by 853 online raters. No error bars: the spread is not given here.
Figure 7.1
The pull of a wrong majority
aThe room
Which line matches X? The answer is B. The others at the table were working for the experimenter and answered A first, on 12 critical trials.
bWrong answers
Share of critical-trial answers that were wrong.
cHow many people gave in
76% went along at least once; 24% never did.