Story Overview

In this MAGICademy podcast episode, neuroscientist Dr. Paul discusses his research on "immersion" - a measurable data stream from the brain that indicates how we value social-emotional experiences. He explains how immersion happens when we're both present and emotionally engaged, revealing that our brains process immersive moments through neurochemicals like dopamine and oxytocin. The conversation explores how peak immersive experiences influence behavior, from consumer decisions to learning retention, and how they contribute to psychological well-being. Dr. Paul shares research findings from real-world applications, including restaurant experiences, training programs, and sales interactions, demonstrating how immersion is fundamentally a shared human experience. The discussion extends to the physiological aspects of persuasion, the importance of psychological safety, and how measuring immersion through wearable technology might help improve mental health in an increasingly disconnected world.

Read more: https://www.magicademy.club/culturetech/the-story-of-immersion-tracing-the-brains-social-emotional-pathways

00:00 Intro

03:00 How to Measure Immersion

07:55 Dopamine + Oxytocin + Human Experience during Immersion

11:53 The Impact of Immersion on Mental Health

14:21 Peak Immersion in a business environment

17:03 Neuro-responses During Persuasion

19:58 Optimizing Information Delivery

22:36 Measuring Immersion for Emotional Well-being

24:44 Creating Psychological Safety and Trust

26:15 The Immersive Experience and Losing Track of Time

28:09 The Importance of Psychological Safety for Immersion

29:59 Setting Hard but Achievable Goals for Immersion at Work

32:24 Improving Emotional Health for a Better Future

35:06 Conversation Recap

36:03 The Magic of Curiosity and Making Mistakes

40:41 Building Strong Teams to Overcome Challenges