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Humans love surprises. This is the reason why you will see people with their mouths open when they get birthday parties they didn't plan, watch movies that are filled with suspense, and spin a wheel that could stop on a massive reward.
There's just something that makes our hearts beat faster and rack our brains harder when we don't know what comes next. Scientists have taken out time to study about humans’ love affair with uncertainty and they found something cool. Ride along as we take a look at 7 reasons why humans can't get enough of the unknown.
Reason 1: Our Brains Love Puzzles
The human brain isn't scared of uncertainty. It sees it as a puzzle that it needs to solve right away. You see, when you don't know about something, your brain automatically senses what's known as a knowledge gap and will do all it can to fill it as soon as possible.
You can see this as being hungry. You'll want food when your stomach is empty. So, when your brain finds something that it can't get a hold of at that particular moment, it wants answers.
And you know what? The brain actually loves these puzzles. In fact, it derives pleasure from being able to solve them. That's why you start to connect the dots when you watch mystery shows on TV. And your brain gets its dose of excitement when it figures everything out.
FUN FACT: Information in the brain can travel up to a mind-blowing 350 miles per hour. This is why you can think about something and spot patterns within seconds or minutes.
Reason 2: Uncertainty Makes Us Smarter
This might sound weird on the surface. But it's true. Yale University researchers discovered that we can only learn when uncertainty is in the mix.
Professor Daeyoel Lee and other Yale colleaguesgave their verdict on this situation after comparing what happened in the brain when outcomes were predictable against what took place in situations it didn't expect.
They learned that when things were the same, the brain’s activity reduced and didn't bother to learn about new things. But it all changed when a bit of uncertainty came in. This scenario made the brain alert and eager to learn new things.
This study exposed the fact that the brain gets all lazy when things get predictable. However, it brings out its superhero vibe when things become fascinating.
Reason 3: The Dopamine Rush
If you've ever received a surprise birthday present from a friend or a family member, you'd probably remember how excited you were at that moment. This happiness didn't just come around by chance. A large chunk of it comes from a chemical in the brain that's called dopamine.
Your brain will release dopamine when something that you never expected takes place. It doesn't just make you happy. This brain chemical lets you take note of the important things. You can see it as the brain’s way of saying: “Hey man. This is an important moment in your life. We've got to remember this for the future.”
This is why playing games feels fun from the start to the finish. It doesn't matter if you're playing a game of poker with your friends or spinning the reels of slots available at brands featured on cryptocasinos.com, that feeling of “what's gonna happen as I keep playing” keeps the thrill of gaming going.
Reason 4: Uncertainty Stops Life From Getting Boring
You wake up by 7 AM, you head out to work 2 hours later, you come back by 6 PM, and you go to bed by 9 PM. The next day, you follow the same routine. If you stick to this way of doing things, life will seem pointless and boring to you.
But when you inject a small dose of uncertainty into your life, you notice that the “life is worth living” switch comes up suddenly. When you eat new foods, visit different tourist attractions, and make new friends regardless of how weird the environment might seem, you'll realize there's more to life than just doing the same thing on a daily basis.
Reason 5: Humans Are Built to Explore
The unknown appeals to us because our ancestors always moved around with their families to survive things like war and famine. They weren't skeptical about these sudden movements. When the need arose, they explored other places. They weren't worried if it was a high mountain, a terrain filled with wild animals, or a nation filled with people they hadn't met. Those who lived like this didn't have issues with finding food, shelter, and friendships.
You see, that excitement to explore remains in us to date.
That's why you see kids ask their parents millions of questions (we're just kidding) each day. It's why adults always refresh their social media feeds to see if they'll find something new. And it's also why some people travel to places they've never been to before. It's hardwired into our DNA. We want to explore!
Reason 6: Uncertainty Makes Us Feel Alive
We want you to think about the last time that you felt excited without a worry in the world. There's a chance that there was a great load of uncertainty.
Maybe it was the time the names of players that'll make the football team were being announced by the coach. Maybe it was the moment when you were deciding whether or not to hop on that rollercoaster at the amusement park. Maybe it was when you sent that heartfelt message to your crush and wondered if they felt the same way about you.
When everything that you do has some certainty to it, your life will feel flat. But when we can't tell what happens next, our hearts pound faster and we get sweaty. And these are indications you're living life just the way it should be lived.
Reason 7: The Stories We Say to Ourselves
Humans love telling stories to each other. This is why our minds try to make up stories when we aren't sure about what will happen next.
We ask ourselves questions like these in our daily lives:
- Will I make the school's baseball team?
- Will I get an A in this project paper?
- Will I find true love in this world?
We construct stories to fit our realities at the point when we ask these questions internally. Mysteries keep our minds active for a longer period. Little wonder film directors leave cliffhangers at the climax of TV shows.
When we can't tell what will happen next, our brain steps in to create hundreds of “what if” scenarios. Amazing!