1
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Do you think it's possible to control someone's attention?

2
00:00:04,298 --> 00:00:06,901
Even more than that,

3
00:00:06,901 --> 00:00:09,417
what about predicting human behavior?

4
00:00:09,417 --> 00:00:11,882
I think those are interesting ideas, if you could.

5
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I mean, for me, that would be the perfect superpower,

6
00:00:14,162 --> 00:00:16,579
actually kind of an evil way of approaching it.

7
00:00:16,579 --> 00:00:19,605
But for myself, in the past, I've spent the last 20 years

8
00:00:19,605 --> 00:00:23,338
studying human behavior from a rather unorthodox way:

9
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picking pockets.

10
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When we think of misdirection,

11
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we think of something as looking off to the side,

12
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when actually it's often the things that are right in front of us

13
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that are the hardest things to see,

14
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the things that you look at every day that you're blinded to.

15
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For example, how many of you still have your cell phones

16
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on you right now?

17
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Great. Double-check.

18
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Make sure you still have them on you.

19
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I was doing some shopping beforehand.

20
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Now you've looked at them probably a few times today,

21
00:00:48,436 --> 00:00:50,242
but I'm going to ask you a question about them.

22
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Without looking at your cell phone directly yet,

23
00:00:52,059 --> 00:00:55,569
can you remember the icon in the bottom right corner?

24
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Bring them out, check, and see how accurate you were.

25
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How'd you do? Show of hands. Did we get it?

26
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Now that you're done looking at those, close them down,

27
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because every phone has something in common.

28
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No matter how you organize the icons,

29
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you still have a clock on the front.

30
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So, without looking on your phone, what time was it?

31
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You just looked at your clock, right?

32
00:01:19,473 --> 00:01:22,725
It's an interesting idea. Now, I'll ask you take that a step further with a game of trust.

33
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Close your eyes.

34
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I realize I'm asking you to do that while you just heard

35
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there's a pickpocket in the room, but close your eyes.

36
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Now, you've been watching me for about 30 seconds.

37
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With your eyes closed, what am I wearing?

38
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Make your best guess.

39
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What color is my shirt? What color is my tie?

40
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Now open your eyes.

41
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By a show of hands, were you right?

42
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It's interesting, is it. Some of us are a little bit

43
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more perceptive than others. It seems that way.

44
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But I have a different theory about that, that model of attention.

45
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They have fancy models of attention, Posner's trinity model of attention.

46
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For me, I like to think of it very simple, like a surveillance system.

47
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It's kind of like you have all these fancy sensors,

48
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and inside your brain is a little security guard.

49
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For me, I like to call him Frank.

50
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So Frank is sitting at a desk.

51
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He's got all sort of cool information in front of him,

52
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high-tech equipment, he's got cameras,

53
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he's got a little phone that he can pick up, listen to the ears,

54
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all these senses, all these perceptions.

55
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But attention is what steers your perceptions.

56
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It's what controls your reality. It's the gateway to the mind.

57
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If you don't attend to something, you can't be aware of it.

58
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But ironically, you can attend to something without being aware of it.

59
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That's why there's the cocktail effect:

60
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when you're in a party, you're having conversations with someone,

61
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and yet you can recognize your name

62
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and you didn't even realize you were listening to that.

63
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Now, for my job, I have to play with techniques to exploit this,

64
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to play with your attention as a limited resource.

65
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So if I could control how you spend your attention,

66
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if I could maybe steal your attention through a distraction.

67
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Now instead of doing it like misdirection

68
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and throwing off to the side,

69
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instead, what I choose to focus on is Frank,

70
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to be able to play with the Frank inside your head,

71
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your little security guard,

72
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and get you, instead of focusing on your external senses,

73
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just to go internal for a second.

74
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So if I ask you to access a memory, like, what is that,

75
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what just happened, do you have a wallet,

76
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do you have an American Express in your wallet?

77
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And when I do that, your Frank turns around.

78
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He accesses the file. He has to rewind the tape.

79
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And what's interesting is, he can't rewind the tape

80
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as the same time that he's trying to process new data.

81
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Now, I mean, this sounds like a good theory,

82
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but I could talk for a long time and tell you lots of things,

83
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and they may be true, a portion of them,

84
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but I think it's better if I tried to show that to you hear live.

85
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So if I come down, I'm going to do a little bit of shopping.

86
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Just hold still where you are.

87
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Hello, how are you. It's lovely to see you.

88
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You did a wonderful job onstage.

89
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You have a lovely watch. That doesn't come off very well.

90
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Do you have your ring as well?

91
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Good. Just taking inventory. You're like a buffeet.

92
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It's hard to tell where to start, there's so many great things.

93
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Hi, how are you. Good to see you.

94
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Hi, sir, could you stand up for me, please? Just right where you are.

95
00:04:00,029 --> 00:04:02,651
Oh, you're married, you follow directions well.

96
00:04:02,651 --> 00:04:04,620
That's nice to meet you, sir.

97
00:04:04,620 --> 00:04:07,376
You don't have a lot inside your pockets. Anything down by the pocket over here?

98
00:04:07,376 --> 00:04:09,720
Hopefully so. Have a seat. There you go. You're doing well.

99
00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:11,628
Hi, sir, how are you?

100
00:04:11,628 --> 00:04:13,935
Good to see you, sir. You have a ring, a watch.

101
00:04:13,935 --> 00:04:16,163
Do you have a wallet on you?

102
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Well, we'll find one for you.

103
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Come on up this way, Joe.

104
00:04:20,179 --> 00:04:22,137
Give Joe a round of applause.

105
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Come on up Joe. Let's play a game.

106
00:04:24,186 --> 00:04:26,637
(Applause)

107
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Pardon me.

108
00:04:28,535 --> 00:04:30,928
I don't think I need this clicker anymore. You can have that.

109
00:04:30,928 --> 00:04:32,803
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

110
00:04:32,803 --> 00:04:34,963
Come on up to the stage, Joe. Let's play a little game.

111
00:04:34,963 --> 00:04:37,337
Now do you have anything in your front pockets?

112
00:04:37,337 --> 00:04:39,531
Money. All right, let's try that.

113
00:04:39,531 --> 00:04:42,767
Can you stand right over this way for me?

114
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Turn around and, let's see,

115
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if I give you something that belongs to me,

116
00:04:46,949 --> 00:04:50,212
this is just something, I have a poker chip.

117
00:04:50,212 --> 00:04:52,834
Hold out your hand for me. Watch it kind of closely.

118
00:04:52,834 --> 00:04:55,320
Now this is a task for you to focus on.

119
00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,553
Now you have your money in your front pocket here?

120
00:04:57,553 --> 00:05:00,197
Good. I'm not going to actually put my hand your pocket.

121
00:05:00,197 --> 00:05:02,312
I'm not ready for that kind of commitment.

122
00:05:02,312 --> 00:05:04,084
One time a guy had a hole in his pocket,

123
00:05:04,084 --> 00:05:05,948
and that was rather traumatizing for me.

124
00:05:05,948 --> 00:05:07,927
I was looking for his wallet and he gave me his phone number.

125
00:05:07,927 --> 00:05:10,143
It was a big miscommunication.

126
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So let's do this simply. Squeeze your hand.

127
00:05:12,158 --> 00:05:15,206
Squeeze it tight. Do you feel the poker chip in your hand?

128
00:05:15,206 --> 00:05:17,288
Would you be surprised if I could take it out of your hand.

129
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Say yes. Good.

130
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Open your hand. Thank you very much.

131
00:05:21,327 --> 00:05:23,264
I'll cheat if you give me a chance.

132
00:05:23,264 --> 00:05:25,246
Make it harder for me. Just use your hand.

133
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Grab my wrist, but squeeze, squeeze firm.

134
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Did you see it go?

135
00:05:29,431 --> 00:05:31,399
Joe: No.
Apollo Robbins: No, it's not here. Open your hand.

136
00:05:31,399 --> 00:05:33,169
See, while we're focused on the hand,

137
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it's sitting on your shoulder right now.

138
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Go ahead and take it off.

139
00:05:37,032 --> 00:05:38,885
Now, let's try that again.

140
00:05:38,885 --> 00:05:40,730
Hold your hand out flat. Open it up all the way.

141
00:05:40,730 --> 00:05:42,965
Put your hand up a little bit higher, but watch it closer, Joe.

142
00:05:42,965 --> 00:05:45,983
See, if I did it slowly, it'd be back on your shoulder.

143
00:05:45,983 --> 00:05:48,010
(Laughter)

144
00:05:48,010 --> 00:05:50,032
Joe, we're going to keep doing this til you catch it.

145
00:05:50,032 --> 00:05:52,012
You're going to get it eventually. I have faith in you.

146
00:05:52,012 --> 00:05:54,138
Squeeze firm. You're human, you're not slow.

147
00:05:54,138 --> 00:05:56,400
It's back on your shoulder.

148
00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:58,495
You were focused on your hand. That's why you were distracted.

149
00:05:58,495 --> 00:06:01,083
While you were watching this, I couldn't quite get your watch off. It was difficult.

150
00:06:01,083 --> 00:06:03,131
Yet you had something inside your front pocket.

151
00:06:03,131 --> 00:06:05,009
Do you remember what it was?

152
00:06:05,009 --> 00:06:06,862
Joe: Money.

153
00:06:06,862 --> 00:06:09,686
AR: Check your pocket. See if it's still there. Is it still there?

154
00:06:09,686 --> 00:06:11,809
Oh, that's where it was. Go ahead and put it away.

155
00:06:11,809 --> 00:06:14,243
We're just shopping. This trick's more about the timing, really.

156
00:06:14,243 --> 00:06:15,931
I'm going to push it inside your hand.

157
00:06:15,931 --> 00:06:18,272
Put your other hand on top for me, would you?

158
00:06:18,272 --> 00:06:20,476
It's amazingly obvious now, isn't it.

159
00:06:20,476 --> 00:06:22,860
It looks a lot like the watch I was wearing, doesn't it?

160
00:06:22,860 --> 00:06:24,920
(Laughter)

161
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(Applause)

162
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Joe: That's pretty good. That's pretty good.
AR: Oh, thanks.

163
00:06:29,274 --> 00:06:32,090
But it's only a start. Let's try it again, a little bit differently.

164
00:06:32,090 --> 00:06:34,426
Hold your hands together. Put your other hand on top.

165
00:06:34,426 --> 00:06:36,568
Now if you're watching this little token,

166
00:06:36,568 --> 00:06:39,022
this obviously has become a little target. It's like a red herring.

167
00:06:39,022 --> 00:06:41,450
If we watch this kind of close, it looks like it goes away.

168
00:06:41,450 --> 00:06:43,935
It's not back on your shoulder.

169
00:06:43,935 --> 00:06:46,154
It falls out of the air, lands right back in the hand.

170
00:06:46,154 --> 00:06:48,506
Did you see it go?

171
00:06:48,506 --> 00:06:52,049
Yeah, it's funny. We've got a little guy. He's union. He works up there all day.

172
00:06:52,049 --> 00:06:54,011
If I did it slowly, if it goes straightaway,

173
00:06:54,011 --> 00:06:56,146
it lands down in your pocket. I believe is it in this pocket, sir?

174
00:06:56,146 --> 00:06:58,171
No, don't reach in your pocket. That's a different show.

175
00:06:58,171 --> 00:07:01,476
So... that's range strange. They have shots for that.

176
00:07:01,476 --> 00:07:04,600
Can I show them what that is? It's rather bizarre. Is this yours, sir?

177
00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:06,878
I have no idea how that works. We'll just send that over there.

178
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That's great. I need help with this one.

179
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Step over this way for me.

180
00:07:11,592 --> 00:07:13,685
Now don't run away. You had something down by your pants pocket.

181
00:07:13,685 --> 00:07:15,654
I was checking mine. I couldn't find everything,

182
00:07:15,654 --> 00:07:17,499
but I noticed you had something here.

183
00:07:17,499 --> 00:07:19,516
Can I feel the outside of your pocket for a moment?

184
00:07:19,516 --> 00:07:22,559
Down here I noticed this. Is this something of yours, sir?

185
00:07:22,559 --> 00:07:24,866
Is this? I have no idea. That's shrimp.

186
00:07:24,866 --> 00:07:26,837
Joe: Yeah. I'm saving it for later.

187
00:07:26,837 --> 00:07:29,208
AR: You've entertained all of these people in a wonderful way,

188
00:07:29,208 --> 00:07:30,881
better than you know.

189
00:07:30,881 --> 00:07:33,150
So we'd love to give you this lovely watch as a gift.

190
00:07:33,150 --> 00:07:35,522
Hopefully it matches his taste.

191
00:07:35,522 --> 00:07:37,569
But also, we have a couple of other things,

192
00:07:37,569 --> 00:07:40,258
a little bit of a cash, and then we have a few other things.

193
00:07:40,258 --> 00:07:42,183
These all belong to you,

194
00:07:42,183 --> 00:07:44,127
along with a big round of applause from all your friends.

195
00:07:44,127 --> 00:07:46,467
Joe, thank you very much.

196
00:07:46,467 --> 00:07:52,802
(Applause)

197
00:07:52,802 --> 00:07:55,618
So, same question I asked you before,

198
00:07:55,618 --> 00:07:58,022
but this time you don't have to close your eyes.

199
00:07:58,022 --> 00:08:01,848
What am I wearing?

200
00:08:01,848 --> 00:08:04,739
(Laughter)

201
00:08:04,739 --> 00:08:10,104
(Applause)

202
00:08:10,104 --> 00:08:12,899
Attention is a powerful thing.

203
00:08:12,899 --> 00:08:15,698
Like I said, it shapes your reality.

204
00:08:15,698 --> 00:08:18,319
So, I guess I'd like to pose that question to you.

205
00:08:18,319 --> 00:08:20,514
If you could control somebody's attention,

206
00:08:20,514 --> 00:08:22,640
what would you do with it?

207
00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,219
Thank you.

208
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(Applause)