Paul Scheer

So before we even are saying something in particular and before we even know that we're gonna say something in particular, our hands are actually beginning to express that for us. And if we pay more attention to our own gestures and if we allow ourselves to gesture freely instead of inhibiting our gestures as many of us do,

then that can feed into our thinking process such that our gestures are actually helping us to think more fluently and more coherently.

then that can feed into our thinking process such that our gestures are actually helping us to think more fluently and more coherently.

then that can feed into our thinking process such that our gestures are actually helping us to think more fluently and more coherently.

Yeah, well, the funny thing is that we associate mental activity with our conscious minds. But in fact, there's a huge amount of activity that's going on non-consciously, and a lot of that gets expressed through our bodies. So if you've ever had the experience of not quite knowing the right word, it's on the

Yeah, well, the funny thing is that we associate mental activity with our conscious minds. But in fact, there's a huge amount of activity that's going on non-consciously, and a lot of that gets expressed through our bodies. So if you've ever had the experience of not quite knowing the right word, it's on the

Yeah, well, the funny thing is that we associate mental activity with our conscious minds. But in fact, there's a huge amount of activity that's going on non-consciously, and a lot of that gets expressed through our bodies. So if you've ever had the experience of not quite knowing the right word, it's on the

remember exactly what that word is, your hands will often be giving you hints and trying to sort of, in their own way, express and capture what that word is. And that can help you locate that word that is just outside of your conscious awareness.

remember exactly what that word is, your hands will often be giving you hints and trying to sort of, in their own way, express and capture what that word is. And that can help you locate that word that is just outside of your conscious awareness.

remember exactly what that word is, your hands will often be giving you hints and trying to sort of, in their own way, express and capture what that word is. And that can help you locate that word that is just outside of your conscious awareness.

Well, let me tell you about a line of research that gave rise to this understanding of the function of gestures. So children, when they are trying to understand how the material world works, their psychologists give them a set of tools. challenges that involve, say, for example, pouring some water from a tall, skinny glass into a wide, shallow glass.

Well, let me tell you about a line of research that gave rise to this understanding of the function of gestures. So children, when they are trying to understand how the material world works, their psychologists give them a set of tools. challenges that involve, say, for example, pouring some water from a tall, skinny glass into a wide, shallow glass.

Well, let me tell you about a line of research that gave rise to this understanding of the function of gestures. So children, when they are trying to understand how the material world works, their psychologists give them a set of tools. challenges that involve, say, for example, pouring some water from a tall, skinny glass into a wide, shallow glass.

And then the researcher asked the child, is the amount of water still the same? And of course, older children will say, yes, that's still the same amount of water. It's just sort of changed its form. But younger children are still grasping that concept. And a lot of them will say, no, there's less water now in the wide glass because the level of the water is lower.

And then the researcher asked the child, is the amount of water still the same? And of course, older children will say, yes, that's still the same amount of water. It's just sort of changed its form. But younger children are still grasping that concept. And a lot of them will say, no, there's less water now in the wide glass because the level of the water is lower.

And then the researcher asked the child, is the amount of water still the same? And of course, older children will say, yes, that's still the same amount of water. It's just sort of changed its form. But younger children are still grasping that concept. And a lot of them will say, no, there's less water now in the wide glass because the level of the water is lower.

But in children who are just about to grasp that very important conservation principle, their hands will be forming the you'll watch the videos of these children explaining their reasoning, and you'll see that they're starting to form with their hands, the shape of the glass and and sort of working out with their hands what their minds are just beginning to grasp.

But in children who are just about to grasp that very important conservation principle, their hands will be forming the you'll watch the videos of these children explaining their reasoning, and you'll see that they're starting to form with their hands, the shape of the glass and and sort of working out with their hands what their minds are just beginning to grasp.

But in children who are just about to grasp that very important conservation principle, their hands will be forming the you'll watch the videos of these children explaining their reasoning, and you'll see that they're starting to form with their hands, the shape of the glass and and sort of working out with their hands what their minds are just beginning to grasp.

And scientists have figured out that children and adults also who are in that kind of transitional period where their hands are expressing something different from what they're saying verbally, that they're just about to get a big insight. And that's a moment when they're particularly receptive to instruction and a teacher or a parent can step in and say, oh, I think what you might mean is this.