Not everything we do seems rational. Life also has emotional and magical moments. When we cannot understand what happens to us, we are intrigued and hypnotized, letting our brain scan our memory about what happened. My main interest is how our behavior has evolved from our ancestors past and how is it shaped during our lives by our behavior's consequences. How we do control our life is conditioned by our past. Understanding the rules of conditioning help us improve it. If we do not use evolutionary theory and behavior analysis (the science of conditioning), our behavior will be shaped naturally, but seemingly coincidently. When we understand the science, we will use it to predict and control our environment for our benefit. By genetic and behavior modification. The ethical aspect takes care that we should do only the best for others. It prescribes that we offer only the best methods available to our clients.
We are never free from conditioning. It follows natural laws. We should therefore apply the laws of conditioning the best we can. Fortunately the best way to condition is to reinforce desired behavior. Collaboration, trust, entrepreneurship, passion, ownership, commitment, involvement and all other goods appear if we live that way. This leaves us with the ethical task of stopping with (implicit) threats and punishment, to the favor of appreciating other people and ourselves.
My main scientific task is spreading the news of OBM. This rational approach, based on operant conditioning, positive reinforcement in particular, makes the workplace happy and productive. Sometimes however, we have been punished in the past. Then hypnosis and meditation help us relax and enjoy life to the full. New associations in our brain and verbal repertoire are built via a proces we now call classical conditioning (discovered by Ivan Pavlov).
Magic is a field that makes us being fascinated by the unexplainable. Magicians have been discovering thousands of routines that marvel and excite us. Understanding the principles of the tricks demystifies them, but allows us also to entertain an audience ourselves, from one person to millions. If we do not understand we are thrilled, if we do we are one up, one step ahead. Challenging is a major way of making change possible. Magic helps relate and connect with other great people. It breaks the ice in business meetings. It adds to my lectures and workshops. The combination of ratio and emotion is magical.
Effect is a major goal of magic. OBM teaches us that four consequences determine future behavior. They are connected with the four basic emotions: sadness accompanies loss, anger punishment, fear threat and happiness positive reinforcement. The faster the reinforcing effect, the higher the happy impact. Magic contributes to my happy live. I hope it will contributes to yours too.
Some of films you are about to see are easy to see through, with hints and flashes. other are more challenging for critics. Anyway, enjoy!