The brain is a prediction engine: surprise is the error that gets encoded
PrincipleBrand & Creativity
The brain is a prediction engine: surprise is the error that gets encoded
The brain is a prediction engine: it constantly forecasts what happens next, and attention and memory go to whatever breaks the forecast. Surprise is a prediction error, and the error is what gets noticed and encoded - the mechanism behind surprising advertising outperforming on recall.
Source
The Startling Power of Surprise - eatbigfish x Uncensored CMO webinar (Cannes 2026 session) (2026)
Adam Morgan (eatbigfish), Jon Evans (Uncensored CMO)
00:09:16 Adam Morgan; Wolfram Schultz's reward prediction research
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