Daniel Kahneman, noted psychologist and Nobel laureate, presents on the confusion between experience and memory using examples across multiple areas. The memory has a strong effect on our happiness, more so than our experience. From the website: “This new insight has profound implications for economics, public policy – and our own self-awareness.” The presentation is 20 minutes in length.
Type of Material:
Presentation (TedTalk)
Recommended Uses:
• This video would be beneficial to a class studying memory but also to classes in multiple areas of psychology (as well as political science). When we rely on memory – we need an understanding of that vs. the actual experience.
• The video could be used in concert with a lecture (to demonstrate the topic) or as part of an out-of-class assignment (where students might be asked to reflect on the topic).
Technical Requirements:
Two reviewers used Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox to successfully access the presentation.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The presentation points out the relationship among perceived happiness, memories, and experience.
• Students will understand that what we keep from our experiences is our memory – it is a story, rather than the actual experience.
• Students will understand that the experiencing self is very different from the remembering self.
• Students will understand how memory impacts our emotions.
Target Student Population:
The presentation is beneficial for high school through college age students in the study of any subject that includes the importance of self-awareness and/or understanding what we actually experienced vs. what we remember. Students and non-students alike beyond college age would benefit from the self-awareness that can emerge from focusing on these issues and on the perception of happiness.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
None.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
• The video provides multiple examples that clearly help the viewer understand the differences between experience and memory.
• This presentation is informed by an expert in the field at a well-known scholarly event. The presentation is concise and engaging and provides an introspective look at the topic. There are many ways the presentation could be used: played in a class and then discussed or as a homework assignment with reflection or analysis of the topic.
Concerns:
None.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
• The explanations are clear. The questions at the end support viewers in understanding the lack of a relationship between high income and happiness.
• This presentation is very easy to use and easy to integrate into a behavioral psychology course. It offers a compelling view of the topic.
Concerns:
• Since the video is not part of a traditional classroom exercise, instructors will need to design an introduction (e.g., a review of definitions or key concepts in behavioral psychology). Additional resources and references also would need to be provided.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
• This presentation is easy to use. TedTalks include a very accessible player, with availability of transcripts, closed captioning in multiple languages, and a blog for discussion.
Concerns:
• There is limited interaction available; however, an instructor may choose to utilize the comments/blog section to build in interactivity.
Creative Commons:
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