Ep 4. Money

In episode 4 of season 5 of Brain Games, titled "Money," viewers are taken on an exploration of the ways in which our brains perceive and deal with the idea of money. Host Jason Silva introduces the topic by discussing the concept of "mind over money," and how it is possible to retrain our brains to think about money in a more positive and productive way.

The episode then dives into various experiments and demonstrations that highlight the ways in which our brains are wired to think about money. For example, viewers are shown a study in which participants are given a physical task to complete, but are paid different amounts of money for doing the task. As it turns out, those who were paid more for their work tended to perform worse overall, as they were more anxious about potentially losing their higher pay.

Other experiments illustrate how our brains can be tricked by the way money is presented to us. For example, viewers are shown a series of photos of products, some of which have a price tag attached and some of which do not. When asked to estimate the "value" of each product, participants consistently rated the items with price tags as being more valuable, even when there was no actual price difference between the products.

Throughout the episode, Silva challenges viewers to think more deeply about the ways in which our societal attitudes towards money impact our individual brains. He notes that many people have negative emotions associated with money, such as guilt or shame, which can prevent them from making smart financial decisions. He also discusses how the idea of "keeping up with the Joneses" can influence our spending habits and lead to financial stress.

One of the most interesting segments of the episode comes when Silva discusses the concept of delayed gratification. He notes that research has consistently shown that individuals who are able to delay gratification and save their money for the future tend to be more financially successful overall. To demonstrate this, viewers are shown a game in which they must choose between receiving a small reward immediately or waiting to receive a larger reward later on. Those who are able to delay gratification and wait for the larger reward tend to accumulate more "money" (in the game), demonstrating the importance of long-term thinking when it comes to financial success.

Overall, "Money" is a fascinating episode of Brain Games that explores the complex ways in which our brains perceive and deal with finances. Viewers are sure to come away with a renewed appreciation for the importance of financial literacy and mindful spending habits.