Behrman House Blog

A creative April Fools joke, captured by a hidden camera, turns out to be more than a well planned practical joke; it reveals an essential characteristic of the human brain and provides an important lesson for Jewish educators.

THE SETUP

The subject in the video—none other than David Behrman—enjoys several Diet Pepsi sodas each day. Walking into the warehouse to buy one is a predictable part of his day. In fact, some Behrman House staffers claim you can set your watch by his routine.

THE PLAN

What would happen if one of the Diet Pepsis in the machine was replaced by a different beverage, something bolder and more potent…something the firm’s president would never expect to find in a soda machine? Furthermore, what would happen if all Behrman House employees were told not to buy a Diet Pepsi on April Fools Day, thereby ensuring that only David would buy the replacement beverage? The answer: a priceless prank captured on video.

THE PLAN UNFOLDS

THE ANALYSIS

Notice that David unconsciously reaches into the machine, takes out the beverage, and walks toward the door. Obviously, his mind remains occupied by something other than this trivial task. After a few seconds, he recognizes that something is wrong, and his attention, which had been functioning on autopilot, shifts back to events at hand.

Many of us have had similar experiences; for example, perhaps—like me—you’ve been driving home from work and suddenly realized that you don’t remember parts of the journey. Neuroscientists explain this phenomenon by describing the efficient way the brain processes the flood of information it encounters. To conserve attention, the brain has developed two distinct circuits: One circuit, called the active learning circuit, handles new experiences. Once we’ve learned the new material (like our route home), the next time we confront it, the brain processes that information in the second circuit, where less energy is expended. Voila, we’re on autopilot. Remarkably, brain researchers estimate that 90% of what we do every day is carried out by our unconscious autopilot.

THE LESSON FOR JEWISH EDUCATORS

The message for classroom teachers is that learning occurs when the unexpected happens. We must avoid predictable routines and use a variety of learning strategies, such as role playing, inquiry, cooperative learning, and values conflicts. For a brief summary of these models, see http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/instruct/instmdls.html

JUDAISM vs. OUR AUTOPILOT

Jewish living invites us to turn off our autopilot. When we say a bracha before and after we eat or when we go to bed and wake up, we sanctify the profane. Shabbat and the festivals also disconnect our autopilot. They awaken us to a deeper, more meaningful realm of life and provide opportunities for us to evaluate our lives and change for the better. S’firat ha-omer, the 49 day period before Shavuot that we’re observing now, can be a good workout for our brain’s active learning circuit. Each day that we count, we can focus on improving a specific aspect of our personality.

RESOURCES

• For a creative omer counter that teaches Jewish values, check out these activities from Babaganewz.com
• For a personal plan that encourages psychological introspection during the omer, see http://www.meaningfullife.com/torah/holidays/8b/Forty_Nine_Days.php