The Illusion of Choice

In 1893, Benjamin Libet, a professor at the University of California, conducted a study that required almost nothing from its participants. The scientist simply asked them to freely bend their wrist, as if to check the time on a watch. While they did this, Libet monitored their brain activity. He discovered that the brain prepares the body for movement several hundred milliseconds before a person consciously decides to move. In other words, the conscious desire appeared a bit later than expected.

We’re used to thinking that we first consider our actions (even if this happens extremely quickly and often unconsciously), and only then carry them out. But Libet’s experiments and those of his followers show that, in most cases, we act first and only then consciously give ourselves the command to act.

Another, even more fascinating, study was developed by psychologist Daniel Wegner. Imagine you’re invited to participate in an experiment. You’re introduced to a partner, who is actually an assistant to the researcher (though you have no idea). Both of you sit in front of a computer and are asked to place your hand on specially designed “mice.” A variety of images appear on the screen, and the researcher asks you to pick any image and move the cursor to it. Naturally, you mentally choose an image and then move the mouse. What could be simpler?

But if your partner moves the mouse before you’ve chosen an image and moved your hand, you’ll have the complete sensation that you were the one who started moving the cursor. In other words, you’ll be fully convinced that you made the choice, even though someone else actually did it for you (this illusion only works if the interval between the decision and the movement of the second mouse is less than one second).

Wegner is convinced that our sense of free will is nothing more than a promising illusion, a trick our brain plays on us every day. In his view, a conscious decision is just a story we tell ourselves to make sense of what’s happening to us. Naturally, this point of view is controversial, but many scientists agree with it. Various experiments confirm that our brain unconsciously guides and predetermines a significant number of decisions we believe are conscious. When choosing a brand of toothpaste or turning someone down for a job, you’re likely guided by reasons you’re not even aware of. It could be a simple association with the toothpaste’s name or the applicant’s age. Yet, whatever decision you make, you’ll explain it differently—perhaps thinking the toothpaste protects well against cavities or that the applicant lacks experience.

How Easily We’re Fooled

Swedish scientists Lars Hall and Petter Johansson conducted an experiment based on a card trick. Imagine a woman is invited to participate. The researcher shows her two photos, each depicting an attractive man. She’s asked to pick the one she likes more. Then, the researcher places both photos face down and slides her the one she supposedly chose. But here’s the catch—it’s actually the other photo. Acting like a card shark, the researcher offers her the photo she didn’t pick.

You might think the woman, upon seeing the photo, would laugh and say she liked the other man. And indeed, sometimes that’s exactly what happens. But often, participants don’t notice the switch. That fact alone makes the experiment (which is easier to demonstrate than describe) extremely interesting. But the most fascinating part comes when the women who accepted the “wrong” photo are asked to explain what influenced their “choice.” They confidently explain that it was the man’s eyes, hairstyle, or physique that caught their attention.

This kind of self-deception can even affect our intimate preferences, including sexual attraction. Proving this is quite simple. A classic experiment on this topic was conducted in a busy park in British Columbia. An attractive young assistant walked around the park with a clipboard, pretending to conduct a sociological survey. She mostly approached single men and offered them a creativity test. After asking a few questions and carefully recording the answers, she handed the men a slip of paper with her phone number and suggested meeting in a few days to discuss the test results.

The main thing researchers wanted to know was how many men would call the attractive assistant just to get to know her better. Here’s the twist: the experiment’s key was the location of the conversation.

Some men were interviewed on a shaky pedestrian bridge over a small but fairly deep pond. While answering questions, the men had to hold tightly to the railings, as the bridge would wobble with the slightest breeze. The rest took the test sitting comfortably on a park bench. The organizers wanted to see in which group the assistant would be more popular.

You might wonder why the researchers went to such lengths to change the setting. After all, it’s the same woman, right? But here’s the result: of those who spoke with her on the shaky bridge, sixty-five percent called her the next day. Of those who sat on the bench, only thirty percent did.

Surprised? This result can be explained by our tendency to rationalize everything that happens to us. But we can be mistaken—or more precisely, misinterpret the information coming from our brains. When the men on the bridge took the slip of paper with her number, their pulse was racing, some were sweating, and others were breathing heavily. If you haven’t guessed yet, they mistook their anxiety from being on the unstable bridge for excitement caused by the woman’s attractiveness. In a sense, their brains tricked them, offering a simple explanation for the situation. After all, it’s much easier to admit you liked a girl than to admit you were afraid of falling into the water. That’s why the men, believing the more noble and romantic version, called the attractive young woman.

So here’s a tip, ladies: if you want to catch someone’s attention, just wait until they’re in an awkward situation—and make your move!

Based on the book “Born Liars: We Can’t Live Without Deceit” (Chapter 6) by Ian Leslie