The Associative Machine

Our brain interact with 2 systems : system 1 and system 2, as discussed in the previous article. 

This article outlines the link between brain and words, that not only our mind react, but also our body unconsciously. 

There is a link that is been made between your brain and words. When you hear 2 words, you connect them for a short time, your body reacts, it triggers memories, and then unlinked them. 

For example if i tell you do not think about an elephant, first thing you’ll do is thinking about an elephant.

If I tell you : vomit & banana, you'll link them, have an unpleasant image in your mind, your face will react as well, and in few second, your mind will unlink those 2 words. 

YOU THINK WITH YOUR BODY NOT ONLY WITH YOUR BRAIN

Some words have a connotation because things have always been that way.
Seeing a spider will make you feel uncomfortable, because 99% of the population does, and it has always been that way. 

If I tell you : cold : you'll instantly think about a virus.

A word imply another one as well. You’re always unconsciously previously influenced by another one.

For example : 

S O _ P

It could be soup or soap, depending of if you’ve heard wash or eat before. You're most likely to think about soup because of primary need. Food is always on your mind, you'll choose it first, such as money would be chosen first as well

Studies have also shown that when you feel bad about something in your life, when you have a burden or you did something wrong, you'll be more likely to choose SOAP over SOUP.

We are also influenced by themes , like if i talk about old people you would be inconsciensly slower in your moves right after that

Those techniques are used during electoral campaign for example. You'll be more likely to raise funds with picture when the image who poorness than happiness. 

They try the influence of image on our mind next to a coffee machine : 

Next to the coffee machine there were a jar tips, for everyone to give according to their willingness.

1. They put a poster with flowers

2. They put an image with eyes looking at you, pretty scary

After 2 weeks, they discovered that people gave twice as much tips when they felt threatened by the eyes looking at them.

In a psychological way, if you force yourself to smile at yourself in the mirror every morning, you'll be much more smiling and much happier.

To test this theory, they showed a cartoon to 2 groups of persons. 

One "normal" group, one group where people had a pen in their mouth, forcing them to physically smile to hold the pen. 

The result showed that the people with the pen in their mouth found the cartoon much funnier than the other group. 

To conclude, we are actors of our life and happiness. Our brain act and our body react, we are not aware of it, but can control it.