0:00:00.586,0:00:05.356
Do you think it's possible to control someone's attention?

0:00:05.356,0:00:06.500
Even more than that,

0:00:06.500,0:00:09.816
what about predicting human behavior?

0:00:09.816,0:00:12.035
I think those are interesting ideas, if you could.

0:00:12.035,0:00:14.162
I mean, for me, that would be the perfect superpower,

0:00:14.162,0:00:16.579
actually kind of an evil way of approaching it.

0:00:16.579,0:00:19.743
But for myself, in the past, I've spent the last 20 years

0:00:19.743,0:00:23.245
studying human behavior from a rather unorthodox way:

0:00:23.245,0:00:25.201
picking pockets.

0:00:25.201,0:00:26.741
When we think of misdirection,

0:00:26.741,0:00:29.045
we think of something as looking off to the side,

0:00:29.045,0:00:31.773
when actually it's often the things that are right in front of us

0:00:31.773,0:00:32.978
that are the hardest things to see,

0:00:32.978,0:00:35.941
the things that you look at every day that you're blinded to.

0:00:35.941,0:00:38.107
For example, how many of you still have your cell phones

0:00:38.107,0:00:40.671
on you right now?

0:00:40.671,0:00:41.912
Great. Double-check.

0:00:41.912,0:00:43.238
Make sure you still have them on you.

0:00:43.238,0:00:46.173
I was doing some shopping beforehand.

0:00:46.173,0:00:47.974
Now you've looked at them probably a few times today,

0:00:47.974,0:00:49.426
but I'm going to ask you a question about them.

0:00:49.426,0:00:51.343
Without looking at your cell phone directly yet,

0:00:51.343,0:00:55.784
can you remember the icon in the bottom right corner?

0:00:55.784,0:00:58.540
Bring them out, check, and see how accurate you were.

0:01:01.969,0:01:05.966
How'd you do? Show of hands. Did we get it?

0:01:05.966,0:01:08.121
Now that you're done looking at those, close them down,

0:01:08.121,0:01:09.878
because every phone has something in common.

0:01:09.878,0:01:11.943
No matter how you organize the icons,

0:01:11.943,0:01:13.703
you still have a clock on the front.

0:01:13.703,0:01:17.390
So, without looking at your phone, what time was it?

0:01:17.390,0:01:19.473
You just looked at your clock, right?

0:01:19.473,0:01:22.909
It's an interesting idea. Now, I'll ask you to take that a step further with a game of trust.

0:01:22.909,0:01:24.717
Close your eyes.

0:01:24.717,0:01:27.365
I realize I'm asking you to do that while you just heard

0:01:27.365,0:01:30.655
there's a pickpocket in the room, but close your eyes.

0:01:30.655,0:01:33.929
Now, you've been watching me for about 30 seconds.

0:01:33.929,0:01:37.742
With your eyes closed, what am I wearing?

0:01:37.742,0:01:39.163
Make your best guess.

0:01:39.163,0:01:42.528
What color is my shirt? What color is my tie?

0:01:42.528,0:01:44.046
Now open your eyes.

0:01:44.046,0:01:46.666
By a show of hands, were you right?

0:01:46.666,0:01:48.885
It's interesting, isn't it? Some of us are a little bit

0:01:48.885,0:01:50.888
more perceptive than others. It seems that way.

0:01:50.888,0:01:53.902
But I have a different theory about that, that model of attention.

0:01:53.902,0:01:57.614
They have fancy models of attention, Posner's trinity model of attention.

0:01:57.614,0:02:00.801
For me, I like to think of it very simple, like a surveillance system.

0:02:00.801,0:02:03.763
It's kind of like you have all these fancy sensors,

0:02:03.763,0:02:06.016
and inside your brain is a little security guard.

0:02:06.016,0:02:08.282
For me, I like to call him Frank.

0:02:08.282,0:02:10.512
So Frank is sitting at a desk.

0:02:10.512,0:02:12.730
He's got all sorts of cool information in front of him,

0:02:12.730,0:02:14.749
high-tech equipment, he's got cameras,

0:02:14.749,0:02:17.879
he's got a little phone that he can pick up, listen to the ears,

0:02:17.879,0:02:20.354
all these senses, all these perceptions.

0:02:20.354,0:02:22.923
But attention is what steers your perceptions,

0:02:22.923,0:02:26.576
is what controls your reality. It's the gateway to the mind.

0:02:26.576,0:02:29.411
If you don't attend to something, you can't be aware of it.

0:02:29.411,0:02:32.922
But ironically, you can attend to something without being aware of it.

0:02:32.922,0:02:34.409
That's why there's the cocktail effect:

0:02:34.409,0:02:36.903
When you're in a party, you're having conversations with someone,

0:02:36.903,0:02:38.334
and yet you can recognize your name

0:02:38.334,0:02:40.915
and you didn't even realize you were listening to that.

0:02:40.915,0:02:43.858
Now, for my job, I have to play with techniques to exploit this,

0:02:43.858,0:02:46.919
to play with your attention as a limited resource.

0:02:46.919,0:02:50.054
So if I could control how you spend your attention,

0:02:50.054,0:02:53.087
if I could maybe steal your attention through a distraction.

0:02:53.087,0:02:55.871
Now, instead of doing it like misdirection

0:02:55.871,0:02:57.323
and throwing it off to the side,

0:02:57.323,0:02:59.903
instead, what I choose to focus on is Frank,

0:02:59.903,0:03:02.503
to be able to play with the Frank inside your head,

0:03:02.503,0:03:03.443
your little security guard,

0:03:03.443,0:03:06.480
and get you, instead of focusing on your external senses,

0:03:06.480,0:03:09.365
just to go internal for a second.

0:03:09.365,0:03:12.575
So if I ask you to access a memory, like, what is that?

0:03:12.575,0:03:14.187
What just happened? Do you have a wallet?

0:03:14.187,0:03:16.078
Do you have an American Express in your wallet?

0:03:16.078,0:03:19.850
And when I do that, your Frank turns around.

0:03:19.850,0:03:22.105
He accesses the file. He has to rewind the tape.

0:03:22.105,0:03:24.268
And what's interesting is, he can't rewind the tape

0:03:24.268,0:03:27.198
at the same time that he's trying to process new data.

0:03:27.198,0:03:28.553
Now, I mean, this sounds like a good theory,

0:03:28.553,0:03:31.271
but I could talk for a long time and tell you lots of things,

0:03:31.271,0:03:33.257
and they may be true, a portion of them,

0:03:33.257,0:03:35.987
but I think it's better if I tried to show that to you here live.

0:03:35.987,0:03:38.414
So if I come down, I'm going to do a little bit of shopping.

0:03:38.414,0:03:41.923
Just hold still where you are.

0:03:43.345,0:03:46.211
Hello, how are you? It's lovely to see you.

0:03:46.211,0:03:47.629
You did a wonderful job onstage.

0:03:47.629,0:03:49.339
You have a lovely watch that doesn't come off very well.

0:03:49.339,0:03:50.666
Do you have your ring as well?

0:03:50.666,0:03:52.910
Good. Just taking inventory. You're like a buffet.

0:03:52.910,0:03:55.492
It's hard to tell where to start, there's so many great things.

0:03:55.492,0:03:57.625
Hi, how are you? Good to see you.

0:03:57.625,0:04:00.474
Hi, sir, could you stand up for me, please? Just right where you are.

0:04:00.474,0:04:02.143
Oh, you're married. You follow directions well.

0:04:02.143,0:04:03.326
That's nice to meet you, sir.

0:04:03.326,0:04:07.176
You don't have a whole lot inside your pockets. Anything down by the pocket over here?

0:04:07.176,0:04:09.720
Hopefully so. Have a seat. There you go. You're doing well.

0:04:09.720,0:04:11.628
Hi, sir, how are you?

0:04:11.628,0:04:13.658
Good to see you, sir. You have a ring, a watch.

0:04:13.658,0:04:15.839
Do you have a wallet on you?[br]Joe: I don't.

0:04:15.839,0:04:17.167
Apollo Robbins: Well, we'll find one for you.

0:04:17.167,0:04:18.408
Come on up this way, Joe.

0:04:18.408,0:04:19.720
Give Joe a round of applause.

0:04:19.720,0:04:21.400
Come on up Joe. Let's play a game.

0:04:21.400,0:04:26.437
(Applause)

0:04:26.437,0:04:28.535
Pardon me.

0:04:28.535,0:04:30.651
I don't think I need this clicker anymore. You can have that.

0:04:30.651,0:04:32.603
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

0:04:32.603,0:04:34.562
Come on up to the stage, Joe. Let's play a little game now.

0:04:34.562,0:04:38.275
Do you have anything in your front pockets?[br]Joe: Money.

0:04:38.275,0:04:40.345
AR: Money. All right, let's try that.

0:04:40.345,0:04:43.059
Can you stand right over this way for me?

0:04:43.059,0:04:44.457
Turn around and, let's see,

0:04:44.457,0:04:46.102
if I give you something that belongs to me,

0:04:46.102,0:04:50.027
this is just something I have, a poker chip.

0:04:50.027,0:04:52.786
Hold out your hand for me. Watch it kind of closely.

0:04:52.786,0:04:55.320
Now this is a task for you to focus on.

0:04:55.320,0:04:58.152
Now you have your money in your front pocket here?[br]Joe: Yup.

0:04:58.152,0:05:00.303
AR: Good. I'm not going to actually put my hand in your pocket.

0:05:00.303,0:05:02.173
I'm not ready for that kind of commitment.

0:05:02.173,0:05:03.578
One time a guy had a hole in his pocket,

0:05:03.578,0:05:05.655
and that was rather traumatizing for me.

0:05:05.655,0:05:07.219
I was looking for his wallet and he gave me his phone number.

0:05:07.219,0:05:08.819
It was a big miscommunication.

0:05:08.819,0:05:12.158
So let's do this simply. Squeeze your hand.

0:05:12.158,0:05:15.144
Squeeze it tight. Do you feel the poker chip in your hand?[br]Joe: I do.

0:05:15.144,0:05:17.626
AR: Would you be surprised if I could take it out of your hand? Say yes.

0:05:17.641,0:05:18.829
Joe: Very. [br]AR: Good.

0:05:18.829,0:05:21.034
Open your hand. Thank you very much.

0:05:21.034,0:05:22.679
I'll cheat if you give me a chance.

0:05:22.679,0:05:24.846
Make it harder for me. Just use your hand.

0:05:24.846,0:05:26.815
Grab my wrist, but squeeze, squeeze firm.

0:05:26.815,0:05:28.337
Did you see it go?

0:05:28.337,0:05:30.321
Joe: No.[br]AR: No, it's not here. Open your hand.

0:05:30.321,0:05:31.737
See, while we're focused on the hand,

0:05:31.737,0:05:34.933
it's sitting on your shoulder right now.

0:05:34.933,0:05:36.566
Go ahead and take it off.

0:05:36.566,0:05:38.038
Now, let's try that again.

0:05:38.038,0:05:39.914
Hold your hand out flat. Open it up all the way.

0:05:39.914,0:05:42.426
Put your hand up a little bit higher, but watch it close there, Joe.

0:05:42.426,0:05:45.983
See, if I did it slowly, it'd be back on your shoulder.

0:05:45.983,0:05:47.423
(Laughter)

0:05:47.423,0:05:49.750
Joe, we're going to keep doing this till you catch it.

0:05:49.750,0:05:51.288
You're going to get it eventually. I have faith in you.

0:05:51.288,0:05:54.030
Squeeze firm. You're human, you're not slow.

0:05:54.030,0:05:56.400
It's back on your shoulder.

0:05:56.400,0:05:58.279
You were focused on your hand. That's why you were distracted.

0:05:58.279,0:06:01.353
While you were watching this, I couldn't quite get your watch off. It was difficult.

0:06:01.353,0:06:03.131
Yet you had something inside your front pocket.

0:06:03.131,0:06:05.269
Do you remember what it was?

0:06:05.269,0:06:06.246
Joe: Money.

0:06:06.246,0:06:09.686
AR: Check your pocket. See if it's still there. Is it still there? (Laughter)

0:06:09.686,0:06:11.655
Oh, that's where it was. Go ahead and put it away.

0:06:11.655,0:06:14.243
We're just shopping. This trick's more about the timing, really.

0:06:14.243,0:06:15.715
I'm going to try to push it inside your hand.

0:06:15.715,0:06:18.748
Put your other hand on top for me, would you?

0:06:18.748,0:06:20.368
It's amazingly obvious now, isn't it?

0:06:20.368,0:06:22.490
It looks a lot like the watch I was wearing, doesn't it?

0:06:22.490,0:06:24.550
(Laughter) (Applause)

0:06:24.550,0:06:29.274
Joe: That's pretty good. That's pretty good.[br]AR: Oh, thanks.

0:06:29.274,0:06:32.130
But it's only a start. Let's try it again, a little bit differently.

0:06:32.130,0:06:34.426
Hold your hands together. Put your other hand on top.

0:06:34.426,0:06:36.337
Now if you're watching this little token,

0:06:36.337,0:06:39.220
this obviously has become a little target. It's like a red herring.

0:06:39.220,0:06:41.573
If we watch this kind of close, it looks like it goes away.

0:06:41.573,0:06:43.673
It's not back on your shoulder.

0:06:43.673,0:06:46.000
It falls out of the air, lands right back in the hand.

0:06:46.000,0:06:48.213
Did you see it go?

0:06:48.213,0:06:51.566
Yeah, it's funny. We've got a little guy. He's union. He works up there all day.

0:06:51.566,0:06:53.402
If I did it slowly, if it goes straightaway,

0:06:53.402,0:06:56.146
it lands down by your pocket. I believe is it in this pocket, sir?

0:06:56.146,0:06:58.371
No, don't reach in your pocket. That's a different show.

0:06:58.371,0:07:01.476
So -- (Squeaking noise) -- that's rather strange. They have shots for that.

0:07:01.476,0:07:04.600
Can I show them what that is? That's rather bizarre. Is this yours, sir?

0:07:04.600,0:07:06.878
I have no idea how that works. We'll just send that over there.

0:07:06.878,0:07:08.810
That's great. I need help with this one.

0:07:08.810,0:07:10.392
Step over this way for me.

0:07:10.392,0:07:13.238
Now don't run away. You had something down by your pants pocket.

0:07:13.238,0:07:15.454
I was checking mine. I couldn't find everything,

0:07:15.454,0:07:16.759
but I noticed you had something here.

0:07:16.759,0:07:19.131
Can I feel the outside of your pocket for a moment?

0:07:19.131,0:07:21.389
Down here I noticed this. Is this something of yours, sir?

0:07:21.389,0:07:24.034
Is this? I have no idea. That's a shrimp.

0:07:24.034,0:07:26.160
Joe: Yeah. I'm saving it for later.

0:07:26.160,0:07:29.208
AR: You've entertained all of these people in a wonderful way,

0:07:29.208,0:07:30.373
better than you know.

0:07:30.373,0:07:34.134
So we'd love to give you this lovely watch as a gift. (Laughter)

0:07:34.134,0:07:35.522
Hopefully it matches his taste.

0:07:35.522,0:07:37.245
But also, we have a couple of other things,

0:07:37.245,0:07:40.488
a little bit of cash, and then we have a few other things.

0:07:40.488,0:07:41.921
These all belong to you,

0:07:41.921,0:07:44.880
along with a big round of applause from all your friends. (Applause)

0:07:44.880,0:07:46.467
Joe, thank you very much.

0:07:46.467,0:07:53.863
(Applause)

0:07:53.863,0:07:56.387
So, same question I asked you before,

0:07:56.387,0:07:59.403
but this time you don't have to close your eyes.

0:07:59.403,0:08:01.848
What am I wearing?

0:08:01.848,0:08:04.739
(Laughter)

0:08:04.739,0:08:10.550
(Applause)

0:08:10.550,0:08:12.899
Attention is a powerful thing.

0:08:12.899,0:08:15.698
Like I said, it shapes your reality.

0:08:15.698,0:08:18.319
So, I guess I'd like to pose that question to you.

0:08:18.319,0:08:20.190
If you could control somebody's attention,

0:08:20.190,0:08:22.409
what would you do with it?

0:08:22.409,0:08:23.711
Thank you.

0:08:23.711,0:08:30.188
(Applause)