Neuroscience of Focus with Heather Berlin & Neil deGrasse Tyson

What makes some people better at focusing? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly learn about the neuroscience behind concentration and performance with neuroscientist Heather Berlin, PhD.
WARNING: This episode contains strong language.
Can you train to get better at concentration? We dive into cognitive control and the role of the frontal lobe. What causes people to “snap”? Unravel differences in people’s tolerance of stress with us and how music helps us access different parts of our brains. Why can some people tune out outside noise and why others are so distracted? Learn about ADHD and the role of the prefrontal cortex in impulse control.
What part of the brain is the ego in? We discuss if the ego is good or bad and what a vulnerable narcissist is. How do you stop the brain from getting in its own way? Is trash talking actually motivating? Neil talks about his father running track and what motivated him to run faster.
Is there such a thing as a sports IQ? Find out about pattern recognitions and neuropsych tests in athletes. How can you sharpen intuition and game intelligence? How do you become “a natural” at something? When does the subconscious take over certain tasks? All that, plus, discover what motivates cockroaches.
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[@StarTalk]

What's Your Attention Hack?

[@davetom8517]

As someone with ADD, this video is a very welcome installment to the StarTalk lineup!

[@mrpearson1230]

FINALLY! Heather is back yet again! By far one of the most fascinating Startalk minds! Heather Berlin & Janna Levin are my favorite guests!

[@LocalFiveGuy]

I just wish I could tell miss Berlin, that everyone should be playing video games, and NOT just watching TV. It's so much better for the brain.

[@vme8611]

Please give Dr Berlin her props. She explained how scientists and the like are just as much if not more so super stars than professional athletes. Give science it’s props! 😊

[@ScoobyYTP]

As we are all here to learn about different aspects of science and other mysteries of the universe. I am so glad that chuck is a part of StarTalk, he just brings so much life and excitement about any topic. Chuck is the icing on the cake.

[@tylerneve-harris3336]

As a musician, I was also taught to be confident but not cocky when performing. Concentration and mood definitely effects playing.

[@thegreenhornetkato6211]

Being a product of A Family of Musicians Three generations deep....

[@conradgittins4476]

It's an interesting point about the subconscious and music improvisation. Something that I noticed early on with playing jazz was that if I let the conscious mind sit back and just observe then things started to flow while improvising. It's quite a delicate balancing act too because the pressure of performing in front of others can have the conscious mind interfere and be a distraction.

[@jmanj3917]

37:30

[@samantha-jane4424]

I absolutely adore your genuinely warm humour, Chuck. Keep being you, because you is awesome.

[@frmrchristian8488]

Wow, this is my first time seeing Heather on the show. She's very articulate in terms of relaying all of those data to the masses.

[@samantha-jane4424]

A very interesting conversation. Thankyou. I personally find it difficult at times to let go of those intrusive, distracting thoughts. However, I feel I tend to compartmentalize them. I don't let go perse, it's sort of there, like dull white noise in the background. However, I can still do things I need to do pretty efficiently. Like, I can walk and chew gum.

[@Joseph_habesha]

Always a pleasure to hear you speak Heather! Wish StarTalk would do these questionnaires more with you.

[@johneverett3947]

An old accurate phrase when it comes to performance used to be “being in the zone, were you can do nothing wrong “. Anyone who has been there knows what that feels like . 😊😊

[@xucaen]

Sleestack!! Land of the Lost!!

[@seanpreston3653]

I focus on everything when finding an electrical problem. Electrician since 87' . This can be learned, this focus

[@alwaysU916]

I feel that a skill-set can put you on a mental podium. Patterns can come into play with boredom. To push the bounds of a strategy, or narrative in a conversation, we mold our skills to present how we perceive a situation. We mold to cope with our own stress.

[@909s]

The dive into sports and how athletes can improve their game or be crushed is insanely insightful, and the lessons can be applied to non-athletes as well. Knowing why I get demotivated or motivated at either trash talk or an unpleasant experience has allowed me to completely change my mindset and allow me to change the way I feel to always benefit me.

[@topspacesource]

Great informative therapy learning Session..😎. This was the best Star Talk show of all time!