How Your Brain’s Executive Function Works | Sabine Doebel @TED #tedtalks #ted

63,613 views ・ 2024-03-08

TED


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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I only recently learned how to drive.
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And it was really hard.
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Now, as a cognitive scientist
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I know that this is because I was using a lot
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of something called executive function.
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Executive function is our amazing ability
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to consciously control our thoughts,
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emotions and actions
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in order to achieve goals ...
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like learning how to drive.
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It's what we use when we need  to break away from habit,
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inhibit our impulses
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and plan ahead.
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If you really want to improve  your executive function
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in a way that matters for your life,
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you have to understand
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how it's influenced by context.
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Let's say that you want to learn Spanish.
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You could try changing your context
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and surrounding yourself with other people
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who also want to learn,
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and even better if these are  people that you really like.
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That way you'll be more motivated
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to use executive function.
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Don't look for quick fixes.
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Think about the context
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and how you can make your  goals matter more to you,
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and how you can use strategies
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to help yourself in that particular situation.
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