Brain Lenses Newsletter

The “Think of the Children” cliché refers to a common rhetorical tactic (which is especially popular in politics) that centers an issue around the impact it could theoretically have on children. Early recorded uses of this tactic were aimed at child labor laws, including those in the early 20th century United States that allowed young children to enter the workforce. But the phrase has since become farcical, often used manipulatively or satirically, at least in its most direct incarnation.

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -2:12 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. More information about Brain Lenses at brainlenses.com. Paid BL supporters receive an additional episode of the show each week. Read the written version of this episode: Hawks and Doves A recent experiment conducted by YouGov found that using bird-associated labels to distinguish positions on things like war or fiscal policy can influence our stated stance on these subjects.

More information about Brain Lenses at brainlenses.com. Paid BL supporters receive an additional episode of the show each week. Read the written version of this episode: Weather Feels A 2026 study that looked at the possible influence of the weather on college admissions applications found that if students experience poor weather conditions while touring a campus they’re considering applying to, they’ll be less likely to apply compared to those who tour the campus while the weather is pleasant.

A recent study looked at the visual characteristics of human lip movements while we speak, in order to better understand common lip-reading errors. Much of the existing research in this space focuses on phonemes, which are the sounds that make up words in a particular language. Lip readers commonly mix up phonemes, which can then lead to incorrect understandings of what’s being said.

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The term “moral conflict” refers to a situation in which we have trouble making a decision because of competing moral sensibilities, obligations, or worldviews. You might experience moral conflict when thinking about buying a shirt on Amazon because their business model conflicts with your sense of economic rightness, or because the shirt was manufactured in a country where human rights and environmental standards do not align with your preferences and values.

Brain Lenses Brain Lenses is a show about how we see the world, ourselves, and each other. Hosted by Colin Wright. Brain Lenses is a show about how we see the world, ourselves, and each other. Hosted by Colin Wright.

A recent series of studies and controlled experiments found that people seldom notice when women and racial minorities are missing in the workplace, at school, at conferences, or in classrooms. In contrast, people tend to notice even a single woman or racial minority in a group, despite that person being just one of many faces.

A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that there are three core types of ADHD, those groups delineated by both behavior and brain scan markers. The searchers analyzed 1,154 brain scans of children and adolescents, then grouped them according to their neurological profiles.

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