WEBVTT 00:00:00.865 --> 00:00:03.898 Do you think it's possible to control someone's attention? 00:00:05.664 --> 00:00:08.665 Even more than that, what about predicting human behavior? 00:00:10.157 --> 00:00:12.012 I think those are interesting ideas. 00:00:12.036 --> 00:00:14.235 For me, that would be the perfect superpower, 00:00:14.259 --> 00:00:16.592 actually kind of an evil way of approaching it. 00:00:16.616 --> 00:00:19.719 But for myself, in the past, I've spent the last 20 years 00:00:19.743 --> 00:00:23.221 studying human behavior from a rather unorthodox way: 00:00:23.245 --> 00:00:24.541 picking pockets. 00:00:25.201 --> 00:00:26.717 When we think of misdirection, 00:00:26.741 --> 00:00:29.082 we think of something as looking off to the side, 00:00:29.106 --> 00:00:31.331 when actually the things right in front of us 00:00:31.355 --> 00:00:32.954 are often the hardest to see, 00:00:32.978 --> 00:00:35.917 the things that you look at every day that you're blinded to. NOTE Paragraph 00:00:35.941 --> 00:00:39.692 For example, how many of you still have your cell phones on you right now? 00:00:40.671 --> 00:00:41.888 Great. Double-check. 00:00:41.912 --> 00:00:43.465 Make sure you still have them. 00:00:43.489 --> 00:00:45.171 I was doing some shopping before. NOTE Paragraph 00:00:45.195 --> 00:00:46.250 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:00:46.274 --> 00:00:48.192 You've looked at them a few times today, 00:00:48.216 --> 00:00:49.566 but I'll ask you a question. 00:00:49.590 --> 00:00:51.443 Without looking at it directly yet, 00:00:51.467 --> 00:00:54.617 can you remember the icon in the bottom right corner? 00:00:55.950 --> 00:00:58.615 Bring them out, check, and see how accurate you were. 00:01:02.382 --> 00:01:03.421 How'd you do? 00:01:03.445 --> 00:01:04.944 Show of hands. Did we get it? NOTE Paragraph 00:01:06.140 --> 00:01:08.097 Now that you're done, close them down. 00:01:08.121 --> 00:01:09.854 Every phone has something in common. 00:01:09.878 --> 00:01:11.919 No matter how you organize the icons, 00:01:11.943 --> 00:01:13.679 you still have a clock on the front. 00:01:13.703 --> 00:01:16.735 So, without looking at your phone, what time was it? 00:01:17.449 --> 00:01:19.449 You just looked at your clock, right? 00:01:19.473 --> 00:01:20.539 Interesting idea. 00:01:20.563 --> 00:01:23.023 Let's take that a step further with a game of trust. 00:01:23.047 --> 00:01:24.060 Close your eyes. 00:01:24.966 --> 00:01:27.608 I realize I'm asking you to do that while you just heard 00:01:27.632 --> 00:01:30.164 there's a pickpocket in the room, but close your eyes. NOTE Paragraph 00:01:30.655 --> 00:01:33.715 Now, you've been watching me for about 30 seconds. 00:01:34.303 --> 00:01:36.644 With your eyes closed, what am I wearing? 00:01:37.742 --> 00:01:39.139 Make your best guess. 00:01:39.163 --> 00:01:41.919 What color is my shirt? What color is my tie? 00:01:42.671 --> 00:01:44.022 Now open your eyes. 00:01:44.046 --> 00:01:45.628 Show of hands, were you right? 00:01:46.666 --> 00:01:47.815 Interesting, isn't it? NOTE Paragraph 00:01:47.839 --> 00:01:50.943 Some of us are a little bit more perceptive than others, it seems. 00:01:50.967 --> 00:01:54.031 But I have a different theory about that model of attention. 00:01:54.055 --> 00:01:57.590 They have fancy models of attention, Posner's trinity model of attention. 00:01:57.614 --> 00:02:00.948 For me, I like to think of it very simple, like a surveillance system. 00:02:00.972 --> 00:02:03.739 It's kind of like you have all these fancy sensors, 00:02:03.763 --> 00:02:06.097 and inside your brain is a little security guard. 00:02:06.121 --> 00:02:07.895 For me, I like to call him Frank. 00:02:08.532 --> 00:02:10.488 So Frank is sitting at a desk. 00:02:10.512 --> 00:02:12.851 He's got lots of cool information in front of him, 00:02:12.875 --> 00:02:14.725 high-tech equipment, he's got cameras, 00:02:14.749 --> 00:02:17.855 he's got a little phone that he can pick up, listen to the ears, 00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:20.020 all these senses, all these perceptions. 00:02:20.354 --> 00:02:22.899 But attention is what steers your perceptions, 00:02:22.923 --> 00:02:24.693 it's what controls your reality. 00:02:24.717 --> 00:02:26.552 It's the gateway to the mind. 00:02:26.576 --> 00:02:29.387 If you don't attend to something, you can't be aware of it. 00:02:29.411 --> 00:02:32.898 But ironically, you can attend to something without being aware of it. 00:02:32.922 --> 00:02:34.564 For example, the cocktail effect: 00:02:34.588 --> 00:02:37.068 You're in a party, having conversations with someone, 00:02:37.092 --> 00:02:38.775 and yet you can recognize your name 00:02:38.799 --> 00:02:40.952 without realizing you were listening to that. NOTE Paragraph 00:02:40.976 --> 00:02:44.026 Now, for my job, I have to play with techniques to exploit this, 00:02:44.050 --> 00:02:46.895 to play with your attention as a limited resource. 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:50.030 So if I could control how you spend your attention, 00:02:50.054 --> 00:02:53.063 if I could maybe steal your attention through a distraction. 00:02:53.087 --> 00:02:55.847 Now, instead of doing it like misdirection 00:02:55.871 --> 00:02:57.395 and throwing it off to the side, 00:02:57.419 --> 00:02:59.879 instead, what I choose to focus on is Frank, 00:02:59.903 --> 00:03:02.450 to be able to play with the Frank inside your head, 00:03:02.474 --> 00:03:03.507 your security guard, 00:03:03.531 --> 00:03:06.456 and get you, instead of focusing on your external senses, 00:03:06.480 --> 00:03:09.341 just to go internal for a second. 00:03:09.365 --> 00:03:12.551 So if I ask you to access a memory, like, what is that? 00:03:12.575 --> 00:03:14.528 What just happened? Do you have a wallet? 00:03:14.552 --> 00:03:16.791 Do you have an American Express in your wallet? 00:03:16.815 --> 00:03:18.983 And when I do that, your Frank turns around. 00:03:19.850 --> 00:03:22.136 He accesses the file. He has to rewind the tape. 00:03:22.160 --> 00:03:24.359 What's interesting is, he can't rewind the tape 00:03:24.383 --> 00:03:26.913 at the same time that he's trying to process new data. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:27.263 --> 00:03:28.765 This sounds like a good theory, 00:03:28.789 --> 00:03:31.540 but I could talk for a long time, tell you lots of things, 00:03:31.564 --> 00:03:33.270 and a portion of them may be true, 00:03:33.294 --> 00:03:36.354 but I think it's better if I tried to show that to you here live. 00:03:36.378 --> 00:03:38.917 If I come down, I'm going to do a bit of shopping. 00:03:38.941 --> 00:03:40.455 Just hold still where you are. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:43.503 --> 00:03:46.187 Hello, how are you? It's lovely to see you. 00:03:46.211 --> 00:03:47.282 Wonderful job onstage. 00:03:47.306 --> 00:03:49.369 Lovely watch, it doesn't come off very well. 00:03:49.393 --> 00:03:50.694 Do you have a ring as well? 00:03:50.718 --> 00:03:53.060 Good. Just taking inventory. You're like a buffet. 00:03:53.084 --> 00:03:55.741 Hard to tell where to start, so many great things. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:55.765 --> 00:03:57.425 Hi, how are you? Good to see you. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:57.449 --> 00:04:00.362 Hi, sir, could you stand up, please? Just right where you are. 00:04:00.386 --> 00:04:02.406 You're married, you follow directions well. 00:04:02.430 --> 00:04:03.492 Nice to meet you, sir. 00:04:03.516 --> 00:04:06.204 You don't have a lot in your pockets. Anything down here? 00:04:07.288 --> 00:04:10.256 Hopefully so. Have a seat. There you go. You're doing well. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:11.470 Hi, sir, how are you? 00:04:11.494 --> 00:04:13.715 Good to see you, sir. You have a ring, a watch. 00:04:13.739 --> 00:04:15.815 Do you have a wallet on you? Joe: I don't. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:15.839 --> 00:04:17.143 AR: We'll find one for you. 00:04:17.167 --> 00:04:18.384 Come on up this way, Joe. 00:04:18.408 --> 00:04:19.789 Give Joe a round of applause. 00:04:19.813 --> 00:04:21.469 Come on up Joe. Let's play a game. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:21.493 --> 00:04:24.561 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:04:26.437 --> 00:04:27.917 AR: Pardon me. 00:04:28.535 --> 00:04:30.627 I don't think I need this clicker anymore. 00:04:30.651 --> 00:04:32.579 Thank you very much. I appreciate that. 00:04:32.603 --> 00:04:35.413 Come on up to the stage, Joe. Let's play a little game now. 00:04:35.437 --> 00:04:37.226 Anything in your front pockets? NOTE Paragraph 00:04:37.250 --> 00:04:38.251 J: Money. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:38.275 --> 00:04:40.321 AR: Money! All right, let's try that. 00:04:40.345 --> 00:04:42.702 Can you stand right over this way for me? 00:04:43.130 --> 00:04:44.433 Turn around and, let's see, 00:04:44.457 --> 00:04:46.505 if I give you something that belongs to me, 00:04:46.529 --> 00:04:48.927 this is just something I have, 00:04:48.951 --> 00:04:49.952 a poker chip. 00:04:49.976 --> 00:04:51.267 Hold out your hand for me. 00:04:51.926 --> 00:04:53.060 Watch it closely. 00:04:53.084 --> 00:04:54.901 This is a task for you to focus on. 00:04:55.320 --> 00:04:57.574 You have your money in your front pocket? NOTE Paragraph 00:04:57.598 --> 00:04:58.599 J: Yup. AR: Good. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:58.623 --> 00:05:00.320 I won't put my hand in your pocket. 00:05:00.344 --> 00:05:02.355 I'm not ready for that kind of commitment. 00:05:02.379 --> 00:05:04.172 Once a guy had a hole in his pocket, 00:05:04.196 --> 00:05:06.131 and that was rather traumatizing for me. 00:05:06.155 --> 00:05:08.196 I wanted his wallet, he gave me his number. 00:05:08.220 --> 00:05:09.396 Big miscommunication. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:09.420 --> 00:05:10.448 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:05:10.472 --> 00:05:12.654 Let's do this simply. Squeeze your hand tight. 00:05:12.678 --> 00:05:14.642 Do you feel the poker chip in your hand? NOTE Paragraph 00:05:14.666 --> 00:05:15.713 J: I do. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:15.737 --> 00:05:18.054 AR: Would you be surprised if I took it? Say yes. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:18.078 --> 00:05:19.085 J: Very. AR: Good. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:19.109 --> 00:05:21.010 Open your hand. Thank you very much. 00:05:21.034 --> 00:05:22.701 I'll cheat if you give me a chance. 00:05:22.725 --> 00:05:24.822 Make it harder for me. Just use your hand. 00:05:24.846 --> 00:05:26.817 Grab my wrist, but squeeze, squeeze firm. 00:05:26.841 --> 00:05:28.029 Did you see it go? NOTE Paragraph 00:05:28.053 --> 00:05:29.585 Joe: No. AR: No, it's not here. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:29.609 --> 00:05:30.631 Open your hand. 00:05:30.655 --> 00:05:32.204 While we're focused on the hand, 00:05:32.228 --> 00:05:33.687 it's sitting on your shoulder. 00:05:34.933 --> 00:05:36.542 Go ahead and take it off. 00:05:36.566 --> 00:05:38.014 Now, let's try that again. 00:05:38.038 --> 00:05:39.944 Hold your hand out flat. Open it up. 00:05:39.968 --> 00:05:42.785 Put your hand up a little bit higher, but watch it close. 00:05:42.809 --> 00:05:44.934 If I did it slowly, it'd be on your shoulder. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:45.983 --> 00:05:47.399 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:05:47.423 --> 00:05:49.995 Joe, we're going to keep doing this till you catch it. 00:05:50.019 --> 00:05:52.193 You'll get it eventually. I have faith in you. 00:05:52.217 --> 00:05:54.307 Squeeze firm. You're human, you're not slow. 00:05:54.331 --> 00:05:55.629 It's back on your shoulder. 00:05:56.241 --> 00:05:58.439 You were focused on your hand, distracted. 00:05:58.463 --> 00:06:01.329 While you were watching, I couldn't get your watch off. 00:06:01.353 --> 00:06:03.592 Yet you had something inside your pocket. 00:06:03.616 --> 00:06:05.028 Do you remember what it was? NOTE Paragraph 00:06:05.269 --> 00:06:06.293 Joe: Money. NOTE Paragraph 00:06:06.317 --> 00:06:08.637 AR: Check your pocket. Is it still there? NOTE Paragraph 00:06:08.661 --> 00:06:09.662 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:06:09.686 --> 00:06:11.440 Oh, there it was. Put it away. 00:06:11.464 --> 00:06:12.496 We're just shopping. 00:06:12.520 --> 00:06:14.257 This trick's more about the timing. 00:06:14.281 --> 00:06:16.386 I'm going to try to push it inside your hand. 00:06:16.410 --> 00:06:18.362 Put your other hand on top, would you? 00:06:18.774 --> 00:06:20.544 It's amazingly obvious now, isn't it? 00:06:20.568 --> 00:06:23.201 It looks a lot like the watch I was wearing, doesn't it? NOTE Paragraph 00:06:23.225 --> 00:06:24.526 (Laughter) (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:06:24.550 --> 00:06:26.916 J: That's pretty good. AR: Oh, thanks. NOTE Paragraph 00:06:26.940 --> 00:06:29.202 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:06:29.226 --> 00:06:32.106 But it's only a start. Let's try it a little bit differently. 00:06:32.130 --> 00:06:34.480 Hold your hands together. Your other hand on top. 00:06:34.504 --> 00:06:36.276 If you're watching this little token, 00:06:36.300 --> 00:06:39.248 this obviously has become a little target, like a red herring. 00:06:39.272 --> 00:06:42.049 If we watch this kind of close, it looks like it goes away. 00:06:42.073 --> 00:06:43.649 It's not back on your shoulder. 00:06:43.673 --> 00:06:46.245 It falls out of the air, lands right back in the hand. 00:06:46.269 --> 00:06:47.326 Did you see it go? 00:06:48.173 --> 00:06:51.570 Yeah, funny. We've got a little guy. He's union, works up there all day. 00:06:51.594 --> 00:06:55.083 Slowly, if it goes straight away, it lands down by your pocket. 00:06:55.107 --> 00:06:56.122 This pocket, sir? 00:06:56.146 --> 00:06:58.610 Don't reach in your pocket. That's a different show. NOTE Paragraph 00:06:58.634 --> 00:06:59.693 (Squeaking) NOTE Paragraph 00:06:59.717 --> 00:07:02.061 That's rather strange. They have shots for that. 00:07:02.085 --> 00:07:04.576 Can I show them? Rather bizarre. Is this yours, sir? 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:07.366 I have no idea how that works. We'll send that over there. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:07.390 --> 00:07:09.050 I need help with this one. 00:07:09.074 --> 00:07:10.343 Step over this way. 00:07:10.367 --> 00:07:13.215 Don't run away. You had something down by your pants pocket. 00:07:13.239 --> 00:07:15.492 I was checking mine. I couldn't find everything, 00:07:15.516 --> 00:07:16.984 but I you have something here. 00:07:17.008 --> 00:07:19.188 Can I feel the outside for a moment? 00:07:19.212 --> 00:07:21.974 Down here I noticed this. Is this something of yours, sir? 00:07:22.450 --> 00:07:24.010 I have no idea. That's a shrimp. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:24.034 --> 00:07:26.136 J: Yeah. I'm saving it for later. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:29.184 AR: You've entertained all of these people in a wonderful way, 00:07:29.208 --> 00:07:30.349 better than you know. 00:07:30.373 --> 00:07:33.401 So we'd love to give you this lovely watch as a gift. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:33.425 --> 00:07:34.426 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:07:34.450 --> 00:07:35.948 Hopefully it matches his taste. 00:07:35.972 --> 00:07:37.635 We have a couple of other things, 00:07:37.659 --> 00:07:38.775 a little bit of cash. 00:07:39.373 --> 00:07:40.464 A few other things. 00:07:40.488 --> 00:07:41.897 These all belong to you, 00:07:41.921 --> 00:07:44.590 along with a big round of applause from all your friends. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:44.614 --> 00:07:45.615 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:46.944 Joe, thank you very much. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:46.968 --> 00:07:49.968 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:07:51.913 --> 00:07:53.093 (Applause ends) NOTE Paragraph 00:07:53.863 --> 00:07:56.363 So, same question I asked you before, 00:07:56.387 --> 00:07:58.715 but this time you don't have to close your eyes. 00:07:59.866 --> 00:08:01.141 What am I wearing? NOTE Paragraph 00:08:01.611 --> 00:08:02.612 Audience: Oh! NOTE Paragraph 00:08:02.636 --> 00:08:04.715 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:08:04.739 --> 00:08:07.538 (Hesitant applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:08:09.522 --> 00:08:10.950 (Applause ends) NOTE Paragraph 00:08:10.974 --> 00:08:12.875 Attention is a powerful thing. 00:08:12.899 --> 00:08:15.384 Like I said, it shapes your reality. 00:08:15.860 --> 00:08:18.295 So, I guess I'd like to pose that question to you. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:20.319 If you could control somebody's attention, 00:08:20.343 --> 00:08:21.614 what would you do with it? NOTE Paragraph 00:08:22.531 --> 00:08:23.595 Thank you. NOTE Paragraph 00:08:23.619 --> 00:08:26.622 (Applause)