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Science explains how our brain ‘predicts the future’ and it’s not magic
The brain is a complex organ. Not only does it remember your past and process the present, but it can also predict the future – to some degree.
Recent studies have shown that our brain automatically corrects spelling errors, explaining the unnoticeable typos in text messages. New research sheds light on the more complex functions it can perform.
How the brain ‘predicts the future’
How do we know to catch a ball that’s thrown our way? You may think it’s your eye that causes a reaction in the brain. Apparently, vision doesn’t play a major role in your actions.
Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience argue that our brain can “predict the future” based on our life experiences. So, if a ball is thrown at you four times, you automatically catch it on the fifth attempt.
Explaining the science behind the brain’s ability to prepare for future actions, the researchers said: “Your brain doesn’t react to what entered the eye – but it predicts what will happen, based on expectations and previous experiences.”
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Although the brain takes hundreds of milliseconds to process the image that enters the eye, it “plans ahead” to execute action.
The visual input is used by the brain to check if your expectations match reality. Only when there’s a difference between what you already know and what you’re seeing, the brain uses the image from the eye to “nudge its expectations in a more accurate direction.”
Predictive system in people with autism is different
The researchers believe the “predictive system”, the brain’s ability to think ahead, is less well-tuned in people with autism.
As the brains of people with autism cannot make predictions as accurately as the average brain, they tend to feel more overwhelmed by external stimuli.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects a person’s ability to behave, communicate, and interact.
Some of the symptoms of the mental health condition, according to the American Psychiatric Association, include difficulty with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors.
