Dr. Ellen Langer

Perception is Reality

A study of hotel maids showed that they did not think they got much exercise — even with all the heavy lifting they do. But when they were told that their jobs qualified as workouts, the pounds simply started dropping.

Psychologist Dr. Ellen Langer talks about the famous Hotel Maids Study and how perception and belief can reinforce or transform the world we think we inhabit.

Dr. Ellen Langer is a professor in the Psychology Department at Harvard University. Her books written for general and academic readers include Mindfulness, The Power of Mindful Learning, On Becoming An Artist, and Counterclockwise.

Christopher Springmann

1 / 6 / 2012