Under stress at work? Don’t believe what you think, says Dr Penney

Following years of her own research in how our brains perceive and operate under stress, Dr. Lisa Penney unveils several puzzling questions which push viewers to challenge their own thoughts.

Thinking critically upon how our own perceptions of the outside world play into the concept of quick reactions and critical thought, she encourages a critical mentality of ourselves. It is only then that viewers begin to understand why we can’t even trust ourselves, as our minds are made to survive and not to thrive.

In the course of her research, she has realised that when we’re distracted or distressed, our thoughts can get distorted. “Some of the more fundamental assumptions you make on a daily basis about the world you experience and the people in it, including yourself, can’t always be trusted,” Penney says. In numerous lab experiments, it’s been shown, as she puts it, “sometimes we see things that aren’t there, and sometimes we fail to see things that are in plain sight … This happens because we are hardwired to make fast decisions not accurate ones.”

Currently a Professor of Management in the College of Business at the University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee, Dr. Penney has pushed her undergraduate students to better understand what makes up the stress of their daily lives both personally and professionally.

With nearly 20 years of researching what is behind the causes and consequences of stress in our lives, she has been published in top academic journals, presented at scholarly conferences, and featured by news outlets like Forbes, Newsweek, and Fox News.

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