The Suggestible Brain

Neuroscientist Amir Raz shares decades of research and case studies to show how suggestion changes the brain and shapes our behavior—and how we can protect ourselves from and harness suggestibility in our own lives.

Suggestions can make cheap wine taste like Château Margaux, warp our perception of time, and alter our memories—and in an age where disinformation has impacted our personal lives and our politics, the power of suggestion is worth even more attention.

In The Suggestible Brain, world-renowned expert on the science of suggestion Amir Raz, PhD, brings together cognitive aspects of psychology, sociology, and anthropology with issues in our contemporary culture, media, alongside a series of case studies of patients with disorders ranging from Tourette’s Syndrome to false pregnancies, lactose intolerance, and asthma to show exactly how suggestions can cut deep into our brains, shake our fundamental knowledge, and override our core human values. Some questions include: 

• Why do placebos work even when people know they are inactive pills—and why do red pills cause stress whereas blue pills feel calm?
• Can suggestions effectively treat depression and anxiety?  
• How do people weaponize suggestion in the form of gaslighting and mental abuse?
• Why are we more likely to believe fake news that already aligns with our political beliefs?
• How can suggestions help fight racism, hatred, and bigotry? Conversely, how can suggestions backfire and create the opposite effect?