Welcome to our latest newsletter.

In this email, we look at how images warp your perception.

At why people who don't know each other so well spread messages faster.

How confusion might be the key to making lasting memories.

And how you speak about causal links reveals your personal values.

Don't forget we're here to help:

🧠 Improve your marketing with psychology and data

❤️ Make your communications more persuasive.

👉 Shift your audiences' behaviour

Tell us what you're trying to do and we'll show you how we can help.

Every so often we use our Monkey Business newsletter to share useful nuggets, opinions, and findings as food for thought. Sign up here.

Time Travel Through Your Eyes: How Images Warp Your Perception

Forget the time machine, just look at a picture! This new study reveals that the way we see images can actually distort our sense of time.

Researchers found that certain visual features, like scene size and memorability, can trick our brains into thinking an image lasted longer or shorter than it actually did.

Large, clear scenes and memorable images seem to stretch time, while cluttered ones make it feel like it's flying by.

But it's not just a one-way street. The longer we perceive an image, the more likely we are to remember it. This suggests a fascinating link between visual processing, time perception, and memory.

By understanding how image features influence our perception, we can design marketing materials that are not only visually appealing but also leave a lasting impression. Think about using larger, uncluttered visuals and focusing on creating memorable scenes to capture attention and enhance brand recall.

Photo by Almada Studio

Beyond the Echo Chamber: How to Leverage the Power of 'Long-Tie' Connections

Here’s a surprising secret about social influence. Forget the power of the influencer, the real drivers of change are the unlikely connections we make with people outside our immediate circle.

Researchers have discovered that complex behaviors spread faster through "long-tie" connections, those random bridges between social groups. Think of it like a game of telephone – the message travels much further when it jumps from network to network, rather than staying within the same clique.

Want to promote a new habit or idea? Target those seemingly insignificant connections – the ones forged through chance encounters or online interactions. They might just hold the key to unlocking widespread change.

Photo by George Pak 

Embrace Confusion: The Unexpected Key to Memory

Ever wondered why you remember that weird purple car you saw last week, but not the perfectly normal one you passed yesterday? This new study sheds light on the brain's quirky filing system, revealing that confusion is the key to creating lasting memories.

Researchers discovered that the harder our brains have to work to make sense of something, the more likely we are to remember it. Unexpected or incongruous experiences, like a fire hydrant in the middle of a forest, trigger a deeper level of processing, leading to stronger memory encoding.

So, focus on creating experiences that surprise and challenge your audience. Use unexpected visuals, ask thought-provoking questions. By making your message a little less obvious (and making your audiences' brains work a little harder) you'll make it a lot more memorable.

Photo by Pouria Teymouri

Decoding the Details: How Your Causal Claims Reveal Your Values

Imagine you hear two people discussing the factors affecting student success. One says, "Attending a school with a strong academic focus and a supportive learning environment improves student outcomes." The other says, "Attending a school with a supportive learning environment improves student outcomes."

This seemingly subtle difference in detail reveals a lot about the speaker's values, according to a new study.

The research explores the link between the level of detail in our causal claims (e.g., mentioning specific school features vs. not) and the information we consider valuable.

Here's the key takeaway:

• Granularity and Values: The more detail someone includes in their causal claims, the more they value that specific information.

• Data, Detail, and Decisions: Knowing any two of these elements (data, detail, or values) allows you to infer the other.

This has fascinating implications for businesses:

• Understanding Your Audience: Analyze the level of detail your audience uses in their causal claims to gain insights into their values and priorities.

• Tailoring Communication: Use language that aligns with your audience's values and the level of detail they find relevant.

• Building Trust: Transparency and specificity in your own causal claims can build trust and credibility.

By understanding how detail and values are intertwined, businesses can better connect with their audience and make more informed decisions.

Photo by Elevate

As ever, if there's anything we can help with, do get in touch.

James, Patrick and Dan

capuchin.cc

We practically apply the science of the human mind for hard, commercial results 

Please feel free to share.
Sign up for your own MONKEY BUSINESS by clicking here