# The pattern behind self-deception

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED2010
- Speaker: Michael Shermer
- Year: 2010
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Biology, Psychology and the brain, Religion
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shermer_the_pattern_behind_self_deception)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into trouble.

## Lectures

1. [The pattern behind self-deception](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/michael_shermer_the_pattern_behind_self_deception/640aa0ba2354), 19 min (TED's player)