ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Emily Balcetis - Psychologist
Social psychologist Emily Balcetis explores perception, motivation, goal-setting and decision-making from conscious and nonconscious levels.

Why you should listen

The world around us often seems insurmountable, with all the cards stacked against us -- but as social psychologist Emily Balcetis seeks to show, it doesn't have to be that way. Through her research at New York University she explores how small differences in perception, whether conscious or nonconscious, can have potentially major consequences. For example, in a series of studies conducted in 2009 Balcetis helped show that people who saw Barack Obama as lighter skinned tended to report voting for him in the 2008 presidential election -- and vice versa.

Her current work focuses on how video evidence can bias jury members differently and how our vision can work against us when it comes to effective exercise. Balcetis' goal is to show that through our awareness of these biases, we can also overcome them, for an ever so slightly less daunting world.

More profile about the speaker
Emily Balcetis | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxNewYork

Emily Balcetis: Why some people find exercise harder than others

Emily Balcetis: Por que facer exercicio lles resulta máis difícil a uns ca a outros

Filmed:
3,770,270 views

Por que algunhas persoas teñen que facer un esforzo moito maior ca outros para evitar os quilos de máis? A psicologa social Emily Balcetis preséntanos resultados de investigacións nas que se aborda un dos múltiples factores implicados: a visión. Nunha charla moi instrutiva demóstranos como, no que fai á nosa condición física, uns ven o mundo de forma moi distinta a outros, e proponnos unha solución sorprendentemente simple para superar esas diferencias.
- Psychologist
Social psychologist Emily Balcetis explores perception, motivation, goal-setting and decision-making from conscious and nonconscious levels. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
Vision is the most important
0
673
2382
A vista é o sentido máis importante
00:15
and prioritized sense that we have.
1
3055
2588
e fundamental que temos.
00:17
We are constantly looking
2
5643
1684
Estamos constantemente mirando
00:19
at the world around us,
3
7327
1774
ao mundo que nos rodea,
00:21
and quickly we identify and make sense
4
9101
2197
e rapidamente identificamos e
00:23
of what it is that we see.
5
11298
2335
comprendemos o que estamos vendo.
00:25
Let's just start with an example
6
13633
1919
Comecemos cun exemplo
00:27
of that very fact.
7
15552
1273
disto que comento.
00:28
I'm going to show you
a photograph of a person,
8
16825
2010
Vouvos ensinar
a fotografía dunha persoa,
00:30
just for a second or two,
9
18835
1803
tan só durante un ou
dous segundos,
00:32
and I'd like for you to identify
10
20638
1895
gustaríame que identificarades
00:34
what emotion is on his face.
11
22533
2139
cal é a emoción
da súa cara.
00:36
Ready?
12
24672
1228
Estades listos?
00:37
Here you go. Go with your gut reaction.
13
25900
2712
Veña! Dicide o primeiro
que pensedes.
00:40
Okay. What did you see?
14
28612
2331
Vale. Que vistes?
00:42
Well, we actually surveyed
15
30943
2264
Nós preguntámoslles
00:45
over 120 individuals,
16
33207
2307
a máis de 120 persoas,
00:47
and the results were mixed.
17
35514
1950
e os resultados foron variados.
00:49
People did not agree
18
37464
2267
A xente non se poñía de acordo
00:51
on what emotion they saw on his face.
19
39731
2890
en cal era a emoción
que vían.
00:54
Maybe you saw discomfort.
20
42621
1805
Quizais, vistes malestar.
00:56
That was the most frequent response
21
44426
1989
Esa é a resposta máis común
00:58
that we received.
22
46415
1255
que recibimos.
00:59
But if you asked the person on your left,
23
47670
2089
Pero, a persoa
da vosa esquerda
01:01
they might have said regret or skepticism,
24
49759
2741
puido dicir arrepentimento
ou escepticismo,
01:04
and if you asked somebody on your right,
25
52500
1929
e a da vosa dereita
01:06
they might have said
something entirely different,
26
54429
2894
se cadra dixo algo
completamente distinto,
como esperanza ou empatía.
01:09
like hope or empathy.
27
57323
2820
01:12
So we are all looking
28
60143
1559
Todos estamos vendo
01:13
at the very same face again.
29
61702
3102
a mesma cara.
01:16
We might see something
30
64804
1428
E podemos ver algo
01:18
entirely different,
31
66232
2383
totalmente diferente,
01:20
because perception is subjective.
32
68615
3064
porque a percepción é subxectiva.
01:23
What we think we see
33
71679
2168
O que pensamos que vemos
01:25
is actually filtered
34
73847
1442
en realidade pasa polo filtro
01:27
through our own mind's eye.
35
75289
2404
da nosa propia mente.
01:29
Of course, there are many other examples
36
77693
2253
Por suposto, hai moitos máis exemplos
01:31
of how we see the world
through own mind's eye.
37
79946
2415
de como vemos o mundo
desde a nosa perspectiva.
01:34
I'm going to give you just a few.
38
82361
1782
Imos ver algúns.
01:36
So dieters, for instance,
39
84143
2660
As persoas que están a dieta,
por exemplo,
01:38
see apples as larger
40
86803
2018
ven as mazás máis grandes
01:40
than people who are not counting calories.
41
88821
3020
que os que non están contando calorías.
Os xogadores de sóftbol ven
a pelota máis pequena
01:43
Softball players see the ball as smaller
42
91841
3633
01:47
if they've just come out of a slump,
43
95474
2155
se pasan unha mala racha
01:49
compared to people who
had a hot night at the plate.
44
97629
3544
en comparación
cos que tiveron éxito.
01:53
And actually, our political beliefs also
45
101173
2950
De feito, as nosas
conviccións políticas tamén
01:56
can affect the way we see other people,
46
104123
2242
afectan á forma na que vemos á xente,
01:58
including politicians.
47
106365
2173
incluídos aos políticos.
02:00
So my research team and I
decided to test this question.
48
108538
3693
O meu equipo de investigación e mais eu
decidimos probar esta hipótese.
02:04
In 2008, Barack Obama
was running for president
49
112231
3631
En 2008, Barack Obama
era candidato á presidencia
02:07
for the very first time,
50
115862
1399
por primeira vez,
02:09
and we surveyed hundreds of Americans
51
117261
2982
e levamos a cabo un estudo
con centos de estadounidenses
02:12
one month before the election.
52
120243
2223
un mes antes das eleccións.
02:14
What we found in this survey
53
122466
1699
A enquisa mostrou
02:16
was that some people, some Americans,
54
124165
2286
que algúns estadounidenses pensan
02:18
think photographs like these
55
126451
1696
que fotos coma estas
reflicten o aspecto real de Obama.
02:20
best reflect how Obama really looks.
56
128147
2992
02:23
Of these people, 75 percent
57
131139
2622
Desas persoas, o 75%
02:25
voted for Obama in the actual election.
58
133761
2867
votaron por el nas eleccións.
02:28
Other people, though,
thought photographs like these
59
136628
3168
Outros, porén,
pensaban que fotos coma estas
reflectían mellor
o verdadeiro aspecto de Obama.
02:31
best reflect how Obama really looks.
60
139796
2289
02:34
89 percent of these people
61
142085
1976
O 89% destas persoas
votaron por McCain.
02:36
voted for McCain.
62
144061
1821
02:37
We presented many photographs of Obama
63
145882
3506
Mostramos moitas fotos de Obama
unha de cada vez,
02:41
one at a time,
64
149388
1597
de modo que a xente non se daba conta
de que o que cambiábamos
02:42
so people did not realize
that what we were changing
65
150985
2899
dunha foto a outra
02:45
from one photograph to the next
66
153884
1853
era que aclaráramos ou
escurecéramos
02:47
was whether we had artificially lightened
67
155737
2056
artificialmente o ton da pel.
02:49
or darkened his skin tone.
68
157793
2548
02:52
So how is that possible?
69
160341
1560
Como é isto posible?
02:53
How could it be that
when I look at a person,
70
161901
2835
Como pode ser que cando
miramos a unha persoa,
02:56
an object, or an event,
71
164736
1721
un obxecto ou un acontecemento
02:58
I see something very different
72
166457
1975
vexamos algo completamente diferente
03:00
than somebody else does?
73
168432
1829
de como o ven os demais?
03:02
Well, the reasons are many,
74
170261
2290
Hai moitas razóns,
03:04
but one reason requires that we understand
75
172551
2251
pero unha require que entendamos
03:06
a little bit more about how our eyes work.
76
174802
2553
un pouco mellor o funcionamento
dos nosos ollos.
03:09
So vision scientists know
77
177355
2009
Os especialistas en visión saben
03:11
that the amount of information
78
179364
1483
que a cantidade de información
03:12
that we can see
79
180847
1871
que podemos percibir nun momento dado,
03:14
at any given point in time,
80
182718
1839
que podemos enfocar,
03:16
what we can focus on,
is actually relatively small.
81
184557
2697
en realidade é moi pequena.
O que podemos ver con gran nitidez,
03:19
What we can see with great sharpness
82
187254
2729
03:21
and clarity and accuracy
83
189983
2177
claridade e precisión
é equivalente
03:24
is the equivalent
84
192160
1987
á superficie do noso polgar
03:26
of the surface area of our thumb
85
194147
2176
03:28
on our outstretched arm.
86
196323
2295
tendo o brazo estendido.
Todo o demais é borroso,
03:30
Everything else around that is blurry,
87
198618
2139
03:32
rendering much of what is presented
88
200757
2441
o que fai que o resto
da información
se presente como ambigua
03:35
to our eyes as ambiguous.
89
203198
2644
para os nosos ollos.
Pero hai que aclarar
03:37
But we have to clarify
90
205842
2274
e dar sentido ao que vemos,
03:40
and make sense of what it is that we see,
91
208116
2248
03:42
and it's our mind that
helps us fill in that gap.
92
210364
3385
e é a nosa mente a que nos axuda
a completar os espazos baleiros
03:45
As a result, perception
is a subjective experience,
93
213749
3569
Como consecuencia, a percepción
é unha experiencia subxectiva
e é así como acabamos vendo
desde o noso punto de vista.
03:49
and that's how we end up seeing
94
217318
1459
03:50
through our own mind's eye.
95
218777
2228
03:53
So, I'm a social psychologist,
96
221005
1813
Son psicóloga social,
son estes temas os que espertan
en min verdadeiro interese.
03:54
and it's questions like these
97
222818
1517
03:56
that really intrigue me.
98
224335
1713
Fascínanme estes casos nos que
as persoas non ven o mesmo.
03:58
I am fascinated by those times
99
226048
1651
03:59
when people do not see eye to eye.
100
227699
2497
Por que alguén pode ver
04:02
Why is it that somebody might
101
230196
1697
o vaso medio cheo
04:03
literally see the glass as half full,
102
231893
2612
mentres que outros, literalmente,
04:06
and somebody literally sees it
103
234505
1480
o ven medio baleiro?
04:07
as half empty?
104
235985
1471
Que pensamentos e sentimentos
04:09
What is it about what one person
is thinking and feeling
105
237456
3121
os leven a ver o mundo
04:12
that leads them to see the world
106
240577
1547
dunha maneira completamente diferente?
04:14
in an entirely different way?
107
242124
2360
04:16
And does that even matter?
108
244484
2463
E acaso importa?
04:18
So to begin to tackle these questions,
109
246947
3051
Para responder a estas preguntas
o meu equipo de investigación e máis eu
decidimos investigar a fondo
04:21
my research team and I
decided to delve deeply
110
249998
2639
04:24
into an issue that has received
111
252637
1850
un tema que recibiu
moita atención internacional:
04:26
international attention:
112
254487
1918
a saúde e a condición física.
04:28
our health and fitness.
113
256405
1723
04:30
Across the world,
114
258128
1358
En todo o mundo
04:31
people are struggling
to manage their weight,
115
259486
2402
a xente loita por controlar o seu peso,
e hai unha serie de estratexias
04:33
and there is a variety of strategies
116
261888
2214
que nos axudan a evitar
eses quilos de máis.
04:36
that we have to help us
keep the pounds off.
117
264102
3357
04:39
For instance, we set
the best of intentions
118
267459
3106
Por exemplo, poñemos moito empeño
04:42
to exercise after the holidays,
119
270565
2697
en facer exercicio despois das vacacións,
pero a maioría de estadounidenses
04:45
but actually, the majority of Americans
120
273262
2598
descobren que
04:47
find that their New Year's resolutions
121
275860
2042
os seus propósitos
de aninovo
04:49
are broken by Valentine's Day.
122
277902
3056
quedan en nada o día de San Valentín.
04:52
We talk to ourselves
123
280958
1502
Falámonos
e dámonos ánimo,
04:54
in very encouraging ways,
124
282460
1694
04:56
telling ourselves this is our year
125
284154
1833
prometéndonos que este é o ano
04:57
to get back into shape,
126
285987
1701
para poñerse en forma,
04:59
but that is not enough to bring us back
127
287688
1842
pero non é suficiente para que volvamos
05:01
to our ideal weight.
128
289530
1735
ao noso peso ideal.
Por que?
05:03
So why?
129
291265
1836
Claro que non hai unha resposta simple,
05:05
Of course, there is no simple answer,
130
293101
2083
05:07
but one reason, I argue,
131
295184
2763
pero unha das razóns
que sosteño,
é que o noso punto de vista
05:09
is that our mind's eye
132
297947
1926
traballa contra nós.
05:11
might work against us.
133
299873
1601
05:13
Some people may literally see exercise
134
301474
3019
Algunhas persoas ven
o exercicio físico
05:16
as more difficult,
135
304493
1666
como algo difícil,
mentres que outras o ven
05:18
and some people might literally
136
306159
1814
05:19
see exercise as easier.
137
307973
2307
como algo moi fácil.
05:22
So, as a first step
to testing these questions,
138
310280
3748
Como primeiro paso
para comprobar estas cuestións
reunimos datos obxectivos
05:26
we gathered objective measurements
139
314028
2263
sobre a condición física dos candidatos.
05:28
of individuals' physical fitness.
140
316291
2846
Medimos a súa cintura,
05:31
We measured the
circumference of their waist,
141
319137
2342
comparámola coa circunferencia
das súas cadeiras.
05:33
compared to the
circumference of their hips.
142
321479
3256
Un índice cintura-cadeira alto
05:36
A higher waist-to-hip ratio
143
324735
1469
indica unha peor forma física
05:38
is an indicator of being
less physically fit
144
326204
2183
05:40
than a lower waist-to-hip ratio.
145
328387
2072
que un índice cintura-cadeira baixo.
05:42
After gathering these measurements,
146
330459
2227
Despois de tomar estas medidas,
pedímoslles aos participantes
05:44
we told our participants that
147
332686
1813
que camiñaran ata unha liña de meta
05:46
they would walk to a finish line
148
334499
1584
05:48
while carrying extra weight
149
336083
1883
levando peso,
como nunha carreira.
05:49
in a sort of race.
150
337966
1157
05:51
But before they did that,
151
339123
1787
Pero antes de facelo,
05:52
we asked them to estimate the distance
152
340910
2440
pedímoslles que estimaran a distancia
ata a liña de meta.
05:55
to the finish line.
153
343350
1687
Pensamos que a súa condición física
05:57
We thought that the physical
states of their body
154
345037
2296
05:59
might change how
they perceived the distance.
155
347333
3485
podería cambiar a forma
na que percibían esa distancia.
06:02
So what did we find?
156
350818
1760
Que encontramos?
Ben, a proporción entre cintura e cadeira
06:04
Well, waist-to-hip ratio
157
352578
2708
predixo a percepción da distancia.
06:07
predicted perceptions of distance.
158
355286
3016
06:10
People who were out of shape and unfit
159
358302
2630
A xente que non estaba en forma
06:12
actually saw the distance
to the finish line
160
360932
2098
veu a distancia á liña de meta
considerablemente maior
06:15
as significantly greater
161
363030
1163
que os que estaban en mellor forma.
06:16
than people who were in better shape.
162
364193
1891
06:18
People's states of their own body
163
366084
2041
A súa condición física
06:20
changed how they
perceived the environment.
164
368125
3236
afectaba á maneira na que
percibían o seu contorno.
06:23
But so too can our mind.
165
371361
2116
O cerebro tamén é capaz de facelo.
06:25
In fact, our bodies and our minds
166
373477
1909
De feito, os nosos corpos e mentes
06:27
work in tandem
167
375386
1977
actúan conxuntamente
para cambiar a forma na que vemos
o mundo que nos rodea.
06:29
to change how we see the world around us.
168
377363
2608
06:31
That led us to think that maybe people
169
379971
2095
Isto levounos a pensar que tal vez
a xente moi motivada
06:34
with strong motivations
170
382066
1278
06:35
and strong goals to exercise
171
383344
1820
e coa seria intención de facer exercicio,
06:37
might actually see
the finish line as closer
172
385164
3172
podería ver a liña de meta máis achegada
que as persoas menos motivadas.
06:40
than people who have weaker motivations.
173
388336
3700
06:44
So to test whether motivations
174
392036
2342
Para comprobar se a motivación
06:46
affect our perceptual
experiences in this way,
175
394378
3352
afecta á nosa percepción desta maneira,
realizamos un segundo estudo.
06:49
we conducted a second study.
176
397730
1923
06:51
Again, we gathered objective measurements
177
399653
2681
Unha vez máis, recollimos datos obxectivos
acerca da condición física das persoas,
06:54
of people's physical fitness,
178
402334
2004
medindo a circunferencia da cintura
06:56
measuring the circumference of their waist
179
404338
2058
06:58
and the circumference of their hips,
180
406396
1768
e da cadeira,
e realizámoslles outras probas físicas.
07:00
and we had them do a
few other tests of fitness.
181
408164
3365
07:03
Based on feedback that we gave them,
182
411529
2543
Baseándose na información que lles demos
algúns participantes dixéronnos
07:06
some of our participants told us
183
414072
1565
07:07
they're not motivated
to exercise any more.
184
415637
2308
que non estaban motivados
para facer máis exercicio.
07:09
They felt like they already
met their fitness goals
185
417945
2394
Sentían que xa alcanzaran
os seus obxectivos
e non tiñan intención de facer máis.
07:12
and they weren't going
to do anything else.
186
420339
2133
Non estaban motivados.
07:14
These people were not motivated.
187
422472
1619
07:16
Other people, though,
based on our feedback,
188
424091
2142
Porén, outros, polos nosos comentarios,
07:18
told us they were highly
motivated to exercise.
189
426233
2285
dixeron que estaban máis motivados
para exercitarse.
07:20
They had a strong goal
to make it to the finish line.
190
428518
2712
Tiñan un grande interese en chegar á meta.
07:23
But again, before we had them
walk to the finish line,
191
431230
2997
Pero, unha vez máis,
antes de poñerse a camiñar
07:26
we had them estimate the distance.
192
434227
1970
pedímoslles que estimaran a distancia.
07:28
How far away was the finish line?
193
436197
1748
A canto estaba a liña de meta?
07:29
And again, like the previous study,
194
437945
2362
E, de novo, coma no estudo previo,
encontramos que a relación
cintura-cadeira
07:32
we found that waist-to-hip ratio
195
440307
1834
predixo a percepción da distancia.
07:34
predicted perceptions of distance.
196
442141
1960
07:36
Unfit individuals saw
the distance as farther,
197
444101
4632
A xente en baixa forma
observou unha distancia maior
e sentiu que a meta estaba máis lonxe
07:40
saw the finish line as farther away,
198
448733
1970
que as persoas en mellor forma.
07:42
than people who were in better shape.
199
450703
1947
O importante e que isto só lles ocorría
07:44
Importantly, though, this only happened
200
452650
2009
07:46
for people who were not motivated
201
454659
1934
a persoas que non estaban motivadas
07:48
to exercise.
202
456593
1619
para facer exercicio.
07:50
On the other hand,
203
458212
1590
Fronte a estes,
os que estaban
moi motivados para adestrar
07:51
people who were highly
motivated to exercise
204
459802
3044
vían a distancia máis curta.
07:54
saw the distance as short.
205
462846
2197
07:57
Even the most out of shape individuals
206
465043
2327
Incluso os participantes en peor forma
07:59
saw the finish line
207
467370
1558
viron a liña de meta
tan cerca ou incluso
máis cerca
08:00
as just as close,
208
468928
1504
08:02
if not slightly closer,
209
470432
1835
que os que estaban en mellor forma.
08:04
than people who were in better shape.
210
472267
2656
08:06
So our bodies can change
211
474923
1959
Así que o noso corpo
pode cambiar
a distancia aparente ata a liña de meta,
08:08
how far away that finish line looks,
212
476882
2238
08:11
but people who had committed
to a manageable goal
213
479120
3919
pero a xente comprometida
cunha meta alcanzable,
á que se pode ater nun futuro próximo,
08:15
that they could accomplish
in the near future
214
483039
2109
08:17
and who believed that they were capable
215
485148
2194
e que cre que é capaz
08:19
of meeting that goal
216
487342
1596
de logralo,
en realidade ve a proba máis fácil.
08:20
actually saw the exercise as easier.
217
488938
3416
08:24
That led us to wonder,
218
492354
1910
Isto fixo que nos preguntáramos se
haberá algunha estratexia que
08:26
is there a strategy that we could use
219
494264
2417
poidamos utilizar,
08:28
and teach people that would help
220
496681
2390
e que lle ensine á xente,
que axudara a cambiar
as súas percepcións da distancia,
08:31
change their perceptions of the distance,
221
499071
2269
e que lles fixera ver
que facer exercicio pode ser máis fácil?
08:33
help them make exercise look easier?
222
501340
2481
08:35
So we turned to
the vision science literature
223
503821
2634
Así que buscamos
na literatura especializada
para determinar o que debíamos facer,
08:38
to figure out what should we do,
224
506455
1746
08:40
and based on what we read,
we came up with a strategy
225
508201
2482
e a partir do que limos,
desenvolvemos unha estratexia
08:42
that we called, "Keep
your eyes on the prize."
226
510683
3378
que chamamos "Mantén os ollos
na meta".
Este non é un slogan
08:46
So this is not the slogan
227
514061
1811
08:47
from an inspirational poster.
228
515872
1885
dalgún cartel motivacional.
08:49
It's an actual directive
229
517757
2248
É realmente unha directriz
08:52
for how to look around your environment.
230
520005
2922
para saber como ver o contorno.
08:54
People that we trained in this strategy,
231
522927
2292
Ás persoas que adestraban
con esta estratexia
08:57
we told them to focus
their attention on the finish line,
232
525219
3874
dixémoslles que puxeran a súa atención
na liña de meta,
que evitaran mirar ao redor,
09:01
to avoid looking around,
233
529093
1836
que se imaxinaran un punto
09:02
to imagine a spotlight
234
530929
1341
brillando na meta
09:04
was shining on that goal,
235
532270
1613
e que deixaran todo ao seu redor
borroso
09:05
and that everything around it was blurry
236
533893
2479
e difícil de ver.
09:08
and perhaps difficult to see.
237
536372
1806
09:10
We thought that this strategy
238
538178
2171
Criamos que esta estratexia
axudaría a que o exercicio
parecese máis fácil.
09:12
would help make the exercise look easier.
239
540349
2493
09:14
We compared this group
240
542842
1619
Comparouse este grupo
09:16
to a baseline group.
241
544461
1658
cun grupo de control.
Dixémoslle a este último grupo
09:18
To this group we said,
242
546119
1205
09:19
just look around the environment
243
547324
1587
que seguise observando o seu contorno
09:20
as you naturally would.
244
548911
1249
como xa facía.
09:22
You will notice the finish line,
245
550160
1560
Que viran a liña de meta,
09:23
but you might also notice
246
551720
1703
pero que tamén observaran
o caldeiro do lixo da dereita
09:25
the garbage can off to the right,
247
553423
1869
09:27
or the people and the
lamp post off to the left.
248
555292
2286
ou a xente e o farol da esquerda.
09:29
We thought that people
who used this strategy
249
557578
2685
Pensabamos que a xente
que ía utilizar esta estratexia
09:32
would see the distance as farther.
250
560263
2102
percibiría a súa meta
a unha maior distancia.
09:34
So what did we find?
251
562365
2447
Que encontramos?
Cando lles pedimos
que estimaran a distancia,
09:36
When we had them estimate the distance,
252
564812
1973
tivo éxito a estratexia
09:38
was this strategy successful
253
566785
1748
que lles axudaba a cambiar
a percepción do contorno?
09:40
for changing their perceptual experience?
254
568533
2500
09:43
Yes.
255
571033
1198
Si.
As persoas que mantiveron
os ollos fixos na meta
09:44
People who kept their eyes on the prize
256
572231
2205
09:46
saw the finish line as 30 percent closer
257
574436
3049
viron a liña de meta
un 30% máis cerca que a xente
09:49
than people who looked around
258
577485
1611
que á vez observaba o seu contorno
como de costume.
09:51
as they naturally would.
259
579096
1280
09:52
We thought this was great.
260
580376
1308
Pensamos que era fantástico.
09:53
We were really excited because it meant
261
581684
1882
Estábamos moi contentos
porque iso significaba
09:55
that this strategy helped make
262
583566
1480
que esta estratexia
axudaba a que facer exercicio
09:57
the exercise look easier,
263
585046
1892
parecese máis fácil.
09:58
but the big question was,
264
586938
1934
Pero a gran pregunta era:
podería isto axudar
a mellorar o adestramento?
10:00
could this help make exercise
265
588872
1837
10:02
actually better?
266
590709
1391
10:04
Could it improve the quality
267
592100
1665
Podería tamén
mellorar a calidade
10:05
of exercise as well?
268
593765
1881
do adestramento?
A continuación, dixémoslles
aos nosos participantes
10:07
So next, we told our participants,
269
595646
2263
10:09
you are going to walk to the finish line
270
597909
1895
que ían ir á liña de meta
10:11
while wearing extra weight.
271
599804
2227
levando unha carga adicional.
Puxémoslles pesos nos nocellos
10:14
We added weights to their ankles
272
602031
2020
10:16
that amounted to 15 percent
of their body weight.
273
604051
2697
equivalentes
ao 15% do seu peso corporal.
Dixémoslles que levantaran os xeonllos
10:18
We told them to lift their knees up high
274
606748
1948
e que camiñaran máis
rápido á liña de meta.
10:20
and walk to the finish line quickly.
275
608696
2219
Deseñamos este exercicio en particular
10:22
We designed this exercise in particular
276
610915
2160
10:25
to be moderately challenging
277
613075
1722
para que fora moderadamente difícil
pero non imposible,
10:26
but not impossible,
278
614797
1777
como a maioría de exercicios
10:28
like most exercises
279
616574
1260
10:29
that actually improve our fitness.
280
617834
2842
que realmente melloran a condición física.
10:32
So the big question, then:
281
620676
2660
A gran pregunta era:
manter os ollos na meta,
10:35
Did keeping your eyes on the prize
282
623336
2112
ben enfocados na liña de meta,
10:37
and narrowly focusing on the finish line
283
625448
2332
cambiou a súa experiencia
ao facer exercicio?
10:39
change their experience of the exercise?
284
627780
2765
10:42
It did.
285
630545
1595
Así foi.
10:44
People who kept their eyes on the prize
286
632140
2235
Os que centraron os seus ollos na meta
indicaron máis tarde que tiveron
10:46
told us afterward that it required
287
634375
1814
que facer un 17% menos de esforzo
10:48
17 percent less exertion
288
636189
2095
10:50
for them to do this exercise
289
638284
1670
para realizar os mesmos exercicios
10:51
than people who looked around naturally.
290
639954
3439
que a xente que observaba
o seu contorno con naturalidade.
Isto modificou a súa
experiencia subxectiva
10:55
It changed their subjective experience
291
643393
2064
10:57
of the exercise.
292
645457
1623
do exercicio.
10:59
It also changed the objective nature
293
647080
3012
Tamén cambiou o carácter obxectivo
do exercicio.
11:02
of their exercise.
294
650092
1299
Os que mantiveron os seus
ollos na meta
11:03
People who kept their eyes on the prize
295
651391
2248
movéronse un 23% máis rápido
11:05
actually moved 23 percent faster
296
653639
2648
11:08
than people who looked around naturally.
297
656287
3448
que os demais.
Para que se fagan unha idea,
11:11
To put that in perspective,
298
659735
1682
un aumento do 23%
11:13
a 23 percent increase
299
661417
1673
11:15
is like trading in your
1980 Chevy Citation
300
663090
3885
e como intercambiar
o seu Chevy Citation de 1980
11:18
for a 1980 Chevrolet Corvette.
301
666975
4644
por un Chevrolet Corvette de 1980.
11:23
We were so excited by this,
302
671619
2512
Estabamos moi contentos
porque significaba que unha estratexia
11:26
because this meant that a strategy
303
674131
2167
que non custa nada
11:28
that costs nothing,
304
676298
1682
e que é fácil de utilizar,
11:29
that is easy for people to use,
305
677980
1767
11:31
regardless of whether they're in shape
306
679747
1971
tanto para os que están en forma
11:33
or struggling to get there,
307
681718
1858
como para os que lles costa chegar,
11:35
had a big effect.
308
683576
1440
tiña un grande impacto.
Manter os ollos na meta
11:37
Keeping your eyes on the prize
309
685016
1557
11:38
made the exercise look and feel easier
310
686573
2944
facía que o exercicio parecera
e fora máis fácil,
11:41
even when people were working harder
311
689517
2558
incluso aínda cando
a xente se esforzaba máis,
ao ir máis rápido.
11:44
because they were moving faster.
312
692075
2219
11:46
Now, I know there's more to good health
313
694294
2970
Xa sei que a boa saúde é algo máis
que simplemente ir un pouco
máis de présa,
11:49
than walking a little bit faster,
314
697264
2022
pero manter os ollos na meta
11:51
but keeping your eyes on the prize
315
699286
2185
pode ser unha estratexia adicional,
11:53
might be one additional strategy
316
701471
1630
11:55
that you can use to help promote
317
703101
1609
útil para promover
un estilo de vida saudable.
11:56
a healthy lifestyle.
318
704710
2315
Se aínda non están convencidos
11:59
If you're not convinced yet
319
707025
2081
de que todos vemos o mundo
desde o noso punto de vista,
12:01
that we all see the world
through our own mind's eye,
320
709106
2520
12:03
let me leave you with one final example.
321
711626
2027
déixenme darlles un último exemplo.
Esta é unha foto dunha fermosa rúa
de Estocolmo
12:05
Here's a photograph of a beautiful
street in Stockholm, with two cars.
322
713653
3423
na que se ven dous coches.
12:09
The car in the back looks much larger
323
717076
2191
O coche de atrás parece máis grande
que o coche de diante.
12:11
than the car in the front.
324
719267
1426
12:12
However, in reality,
325
720693
1606
Porén, en realidade,
estes coches son do mesmo tamaño,
12:14
these cars are the same size,
326
722299
2379
12:16
but that's not how we see it.
327
724678
2895
pero esa non é a forma na que os vemos.
12:19
So does this mean that
328
727573
2124
Significa iso
que o noso ollo non funciona ben
12:21
our eyes have gone haywire
329
729697
1714
12:23
and that our brains are a mess?
330
731411
2570
e que o noso cerebro é un desastre?
12:25
No, it doesn't mean that at all.
331
733981
2572
Non, en absoluto.
É só como funcionan
os nosos ollos.
12:28
It's just how our eyes work.
332
736553
2021
Podemos ver o mundo de maneira diferente,
12:30
We might see the world in a different way,
333
738574
2689
12:33
and sometimes that might not
334
741263
1772
e ás veces non coincide
12:35
line up with reality,
335
743035
2066
coa realidade,
pero iso non quere dicir
que un de nós teña a razón
12:37
but it doesn't mean
that one of us is right
336
745101
2125
e o outro non.
12:39
and one of us is wrong.
337
747226
2095
Todos vemos o mundo
desde o noso punto de vista
12:41
We all see the world
through our mind's eye,
338
749321
2136
pero podemos aprender
a velo dunha maneira diferente.
12:43
but we can teach ourselves
to see it differently.
339
751457
2851
12:46
So I can think of days
340
754308
1824
Podo pensar en días
12:48
that have gone horribly wrong for me.
341
756132
2034
nos que todo me saíu mal.
12:50
I'm fed up, I'm grumpy, I'm tired,
342
758166
2396
Estou farta, irritable, cansada,
12:52
and I'm so behind,
343
760562
1540
vou atrasada no traballo,
12:54
and there's a big black cloud
344
762102
2406
e hai unha gran nube negra
12:56
hanging over my head,
345
764508
1483
por riba da miña cabeza;
e neses días,
12:57
and on days like these,
346
765991
1434
paréceme que todos
ao meu redor
12:59
it looks like everyone around me
347
767425
1875
tamén están deprimidos.
13:01
is down in the dumps too.
348
769300
2134
13:03
My colleague at work looks annoyed
349
771434
1733
O meu compañeiro de traballo
parece irritado
13:05
when I ask for an extension on a deadline,
350
773167
2710
cando lle pido unha prórroga
da data límite,
13:07
and my friend looks frustrated
351
775877
1978
e o meu amigo parece frustrado
13:09
when I show up late for lunch
because a meeting ran long,
352
777855
2699
cando chego tarde ao xantar
porque unha reunión se prolongou,
13:12
and at the end of the day,
353
780554
1593
e cara ao final do día
13:14
my husband looks disappointed
354
782147
2026
o meu home está decepcionado,
porque eu prefiro ir
durmir que ao cine.
13:16
because I'd rather go to
bed than go to the movies.
355
784173
2533
13:18
And on days like these,
when everybody looks
356
786706
3017
E en días coma estes,
cando todo o mundo parece
molesto e enfadado comigo,
13:21
upset and angry to me,
357
789723
2008
trato de recordar
que hai outra maneira de velo.
13:23
I try to remind myself that there
are other ways of seeing them.
358
791731
3218
13:26
Perhaps my colleague was confused,
359
794949
3310
Quizais o meu compañeiro
estaba confundido,
talvez, o meu amigo estaba preocupado,
13:30
perhaps my friend was concerned,
360
798259
2436
e talvez o meu home
estaba sendo comprensivo.
13:32
and perhaps my husband was
feeling empathy instead.
361
800695
3267
13:35
So we all see the world
362
803962
1894
Todos vemos o mundo
13:37
through our own mind's eye,
363
805856
1826
desde o noso punto de vista,
e algúns días, o mundo
13:39
and on some days, it might look
364
807682
2003
pode parecer un lugar perigoso,
13:41
like the world is a dangerous
365
809685
1408
13:43
and challenging and insurmountable place,
366
811093
2537
difícil e insuperable,
13:45
but it doesn't have to look
that way all the time.
367
813630
2970
pero non ten por que parecer
así todo o tempo.
Podemos aprender a velo
dunha maneira diferente,
13:48
We can teach ourselves
to see it differently,
368
816600
2196
13:50
and when we find a way to make the world
369
818796
2666
e cando encontremos unha maneira
de facer que o mundo
13:53
look nicer and easier,
370
821462
1937
se vexa máis agradable
e todo pareza máis fácil,
13:55
it might actually become so.
371
823399
2340
tal vez, entón, se converta niso.
13:57
Thank you.
372
825739
1555
Grazas.
(Aplausos)
13:59
(Applause)
373
827294
3609

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Emily Balcetis - Psychologist
Social psychologist Emily Balcetis explores perception, motivation, goal-setting and decision-making from conscious and nonconscious levels.

Why you should listen

The world around us often seems insurmountable, with all the cards stacked against us -- but as social psychologist Emily Balcetis seeks to show, it doesn't have to be that way. Through her research at New York University she explores how small differences in perception, whether conscious or nonconscious, can have potentially major consequences. For example, in a series of studies conducted in 2009 Balcetis helped show that people who saw Barack Obama as lighter skinned tended to report voting for him in the 2008 presidential election -- and vice versa.

Her current work focuses on how video evidence can bias jury members differently and how our vision can work against us when it comes to effective exercise. Balcetis' goal is to show that through our awareness of these biases, we can also overcome them, for an ever so slightly less daunting world.

More profile about the speaker
Emily Balcetis | Speaker | TED.com