Why do subtle cues in our environment quietly shape our thoughts, feelings, and decisions—often without us noticing? In this episode of Circuit Breaker: Rewiring Your Decisions, we dive into priming — the psychological phenomenon where exposure to certain words, images, or ideas can influence how we interpret the world and how we behave next. From tiny triggers that nudge our mood to hidden cues that shift our judgement or performance, we uncover how effortlessly our minds can be steered in a particular direction.

Discover what priming reveals about the automatic mind, how everyday environments quietly “set the tone” for your choices, and how becoming aware of these subtle influences can help you take back control of your decisions before they’re made for you.

Studies and links:

Automaticity of Social Behavior: Direct Effects of Trait Construct and Stereotype Activation on Action | Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1996. Vol. 71, No. 2. 230-244 Bargh_et_al_1996_Automaticity_of_social_behavior.pdf

Priming a New Identity: Self-Monitoring Moderates the Effects of Nonself Primes on Self-Judgments and Behavior | Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2005, Vol. 89, No. 5, 657– 671 2005-jpsp-demarree-wheeler-petty.pdf

Washing Away Your Sins: Threatened Morality and Physical Cleansing | Science 313, 1451 (2006); - Zhong & Liljenquist 2006.pdf