A simple brain hack can improve memory and mental health.
Being curious and having an exploring mind keeps us sharper than having a goal-oriented and more intense outlook, researchers have discovered.
A group of 420 people played a computer game of an art gallery robbery. Half were told to just curiously explore the paintings for a future heist, while the others were instead told to urgently seek out the paintings that they thought were most valuable to steal that day.
The next day, those in the ‘curious’ group remembered more of the paintings and their values, researchers from Duke University discovered.
But being in the urgent, high-pressure mode has its place. “If you’re on a hike and there’s a bear, you don’t want to be thinking about long term planning. You need to focus on getting out of there right now,” said Alyssa Sinclair, one of the researchers.
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