Mind Field

Last updated
Mind Field
Mind Field title card.png
Genre
Created by Michael Stevens
Presented byMichael Stevens
Theme music composerJake Chudnow
Opening theme"Atlas" [1]
Composers
  • Jake Chudnow
  • Russell Spurlock
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Phillip Barbb
  • Travis Dowell
  • Jen Friesen
  • Andy Wood
CinematographyMatthew Novello
Editors
  • Gerry Becerril
  • John French
  • Anita Hadulla
  • Petey Hentrich
  • Tom Munden
  • Jesse Soff
Camera setupAndrew Burks
Running time21–34 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original network YouTube Premium
Original releaseJanuary 18, 2017 (2017-01-18) 
October 24, 2019 (2019-10-24)

Mind Field is an American streaming television series produced exclusively for YouTube Premium, created and presented by Michael Stevens, the creator of the YouTube channel Vsauce. The format of the series is based heavily on that of Vsauce, with Stevens presenting documentary-style episodes which focus on aspects of human behavior, particularly the brain and the influences of consciousness. [2] [3] Every episode contains one or more experiments, in which either volunteers or Stevens himself participates, that relates to the topic of the episode. [4] [5] For example, in episode one, Stevens locks himself in an empty room for three days in order to investigate the effects of social isolation on the brain. [6]

Contents

Three seasons of Mind Field have been released on Vsauce, each one with eight episodes. The first season ran in early 2017, the second season from late 2017 to early 2018, and the third from late 2018 to early 2019. [7] [8] On October 1, 2019, all episodes became watchable with ads for free for those without YouTube Premium. On October 24, 2019, a special episode entitled "What Is the Scariest Thing?" was released. [9]

Episodes

Season 1 (2017)

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Isolation"January 18, 2017 (2017-01-18)
Stevens explores the effects of isolation and boredom on the brain including staying three days in a room with no external stimuli.
2"Conformity"January 18, 2017 (2017-01-18)
Stevens explores the human instinct to conform and fall in with the crowd including conducting an experiment on individuals when actors give the wrong answer to questions.
3"Destruction"January 25, 2017 (2017-01-25)
Can destroying things really make someone calm down? Stevens investigates including making people agitated and then giving them objects to destroy, and comparing them with a control.
4"Artificial Intelligence"February 1, 2017 (2017-02-01)
Stevens attempts to find out where the line between real and artificial minds really lies.
5"Freedom of Choice"February 8, 2017 (2017-02-08)
Stevens is joined by Moran Cerf, Dianna Cowern and Derek Muller to investigate whether we really have control over our own thoughts and actions, or is someone or something else calling the shots?
6"Touch"February 15, 2017 (2017-02-15)
Stevens investigates whether it is really our bodies or our minds that determine the way we interpret and feel sensations.
7"In Your Face"February 22, 2017 (2017-02-22)
Stevens explores the effects of facial expressions on interactions with others and with yourself, and whether moods determine facial expressions or the other way around.
8"Do You Know Yourself?"March 1, 2017 (2017-03-01)
Stevens investigates how well memories can be easily manipulated, and how this impacts people's lives.

Season 2 (2017–18)

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"The Greater Good"December 6, 2017 (2017-12-06)
Stevens conducts a trolley problem experiment.
2"The Psychedelic Experience"December 6, 2017 (2017-12-06)
Stevens travels to the Amazonian jungle of Peru to experience the mind-expanding effects of the psychedelic brew Ayahuasca.
3"Interrogation"December 6, 2017 (2017-12-06)
Stevens consults experts on the topic of interrogation and manipulation. Stevens tries his best not to spill out two important details (his sister's name and about his job) while the officer interrogates him by giving him slight doses of drugs. The amount of drugs is increased until Michael finally tells the truth.
4"Your Brain on Tech"December 6, 2017 (2017-12-06)
Stevens takes part in a study at the University of California, Irvine, where scientists test how playing 3D video games affects spatial memory.
5"How to Make a Hero"December 13, 2017 (2017-12-13)
Stevens studies how people respond to unethical orders or jobs, and later tests Heroic Imagination Project students on heroism and the bystander effect.
6"The Power of Suggestion"December 17, 2017 (2017-12-17)
Stevens participates in McGill University's groundbreaking study of an accessory-assisted placebo.
7"Divergent Minds"December 27, 2017 (2017-12-27)
Stevens speaks with Derek Paravicini, a savant pianist, and explores how damage to the brain can lead to discoveries about its function.
8"The Electric Brain"January 3, 2018 (2018-01-03)
Stevens studies the effect of electricity on the brain, and how it can help paralyzed patients recover mobility and communication.

Season 3 (2018–19)

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"The Cognitive Tradeoff Hypothesis"December 5, 2018 (2018-12-05)
Stevens examines how chimpanzees' short-term memory is far more detailed than that of humans.
2"Moral Licensing"December 5, 2018 (2018-12-05)
Stevens examines self-licensing.
3"The Stilwell Brain"December 12, 2018 (2018-12-12)
Stevens visits his hometown (Stilwell, Kansas) and demonstrates how a brain processes visual information with the residents sending information to each other.
4"The Stanford Prison Experiment"December 19, 2018 (2018-12-19)
Stevens talks about and studies the infamous experiment conducted by Philip Zimbardo and conducts his own experiment with similar variables but a less intimidating context.
5"Should I Die?"December 26, 2018 (2018-12-26)
Stevens talks with Caitlin Doughty about death and visits a facility that preserves bodies.
6"How to Talk to Aliens"January 2, 2019 (2019-01-02)
Stevens examined the ways to communicate with the extraterrestrial beings.
7"Behavior and Belief"January 9, 2019 (2019-01-09)
Stevens conducts a game show demonstrating Our Beliefs that connects a happening in the World and discusses about human Superstition.
8"Mind Reading"January 16, 2019 (2019-01-16)
Stevens participates in an experiment that involves figuring out what people are thinking, and also talks with researchers who are conducting experiments to read people's dreams.

Special episodes (2018-2019)

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"The Origins of Disgust"December 5, 2018 (2018-12-05)
In a clip that ultimately did not make it to the season 3 episode "the Cognitive Tradeoff Hypothesis", Stevens explores whether disgust is an evolutionary product as he, alongside Dr. Andrew Macintosh and Cecile Sarabian, experiment with Japanese macaques to see if they are repulsed by feces.
2"I Watch 3 Episodes of Mind Field With Our Experts & Researchers"October 14, 2019 (2019-10-14)
Stevens watches S2-E6 ("The Power of Suggestion"), S3-E5 ("Should I Die?"), and S2-E4 ("Your Brain on Tech") with various experts on the subjects.
3"What Is the Scariest Thing?"October 24, 2019 (2019-10-24)
Stevens talks about fear and if there exists an innate fear of which all people are afraid.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Savage</span> American television host and special effects artist

Adam Whitney Savage is an American special effects designer and fabricator, actor, educator, and television personality and producer, best known as the former co-host of the Discovery Channel television series MythBusters and Unchained Reaction. His model work has appeared in major films, including Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and The Matrix Reloaded. He hosts the TV program Savage Builds, which premiered on the Science Channel on June 14, 2019. He is most active on the platform Adam Savage's Tested, which includes a website and a YouTube channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Mouser</span> American actress (born 1996)

Mary Mouser is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Samantha LaRusso in the Netflix series Cobra Kai, and Lacey Fleming on the ABC series Body of Proof. She also took over the role of Karen Grant, Fitz & Mellie's daughter on Scandal in Season 4.

The All-New Dennis the Menace is an animated series based on the comic strip by Hank Ketcham that aired from September 18 to December 11, 1993 on CBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Key of Awesome</span> Former comedy YouTube channel

The Key of Awesome was a YouTube channel that produced comedy videos starring writer/performer Mark Douglas. "The Key of Awesome" was created by Mark Douglas and Ben Relles and is the channel's most popular series, mainly producing viral music videos and parodies. Barely Political was created in June 2007 by Ben Relles and subsequently debuted its first music video, "Crush on Obama", starring Amber Lee "Obama Girl" Ettinger, created by Ben Relles and Jake Chudnow. Videos on the channel have been seen over 3.37 billion times online. "The Key of Awesome" became the central identity of the channel.

<i>Pinky and the Brain</i> American animated television series

Pinky and the Brain is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger for the Kids' WB programming block of The WB. It was the first animated television series to be presented in Dolby Surround and a collaboration of Steven Spielberg with his production company Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation. The characters first appeared in 1993 as a recurring segment on the animated television series Animaniacs. It was later spun off as a series due to its popularity, with 65 episodes produced. The characters later appeared in the series Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain, and have since returned to their roots as an Animaniacs segment in the 2020 revival of that series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia University in popular culture</span>

Columbia University in New York City, New York, as one of the oldest universities in the United States, has been the subject of numerous aspects of popular culture. Film historian Rob King explains that the university's popularity with filmmakers has to do with its being one of the few colleges with a physical campus located in New York City, and its neoclassical architecture, which "aestheticizes America’s intellectual history," making Columbia an ideal shooting location and setting for productions that involve urban universities. Additionally, campus monuments such as Alma Mater and the university's copy of The Thinker have come to symbolize academic reflection and university prestige in popular culture. Room 309 in Havemeyer Hall has been described as the most filmed college classroom in the United States.

<i>Archangel</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2011 studio album by Two Steps from Hell

Archangel is the second public album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released in September 2011. It consists of 26 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. All the tracks are from prior demonstration albums previously only available to the industry; 14 are from the album, Nero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vsauce</span> YouTube brand created by Michael Stevens

Vsauce is a YouTube brand created by educator Michael Stevens. The channels feature videos on scientific, psychological, mathematical, and philosophical topics, as well as gaming, technology, popular culture, and other general interest subjects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Screen Junkies</span> Online movie magazine and YouTube channel

Screen Junkies is an online movie magazine and YouTube channel, owned and operated by Fandom, that focuses primarily on movies and television. Screen Junkies produce numerous shows now spread across two YouTube channels, including The Screen Junkies Show, Movie Fights!, Honest Trailers, Honest Trailer Commentary, Screen Junkies Universe (SJU), Movie Reviews, CRAM IT, and others.

<i>Game Grumps</i> Lets Play web series hosted by Arin Hanson and Dan Avidan

Game Grumps is an American Let's Play web series hosted by Arin Hanson (2012–present) and Dan Avidan (2013–present). Created in 2012 by co-hosts Hanson and Jon Jafari, the series centers around its hosts playing video games. After Jafari left the show in 2013 to focus on his own YouTube webseries, JonTron, he was succeeded by Avidan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Roper</span> American Internet celebrity (born 1987)

Jacob Alexander Roper is an American Internet celebrity primarily known for hosting the Vsauce3 YouTube channel, which is part of the YouTube channel brand Vsauce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Stevens (educator)</span> American YouTuber (born 1986)

Michael David Stevens is an American educator, public speaker, entertainer, and editor best known for creating and hosting the education YouTube channel Vsauce. His channel initially released video game-related content until the popularity of his educational series DOT saw discussions of general interest become the focus of Vsauce, encompassing explanations of science, philosophy, culture, and illusion.

<i>Escape the Night</i> American murder-mystery reality web series

Escape the Night is an American reality television series created, hosted, produced, and owned by Joey Graceffa that was first broadcast on June 22, 2016, on YouTube Premium. The series follows fantasy plots based on horror and murder mystery aesthetics. The fourth season was released on July 11, 2019. The series was produced by Brian Graden Media. As of September 4, 2019, 40 episodes of Escape the Night have aired, including seven specials, concluding the fourth season. It was the longest-running series on YouTube Premium until 2020, when Graceffa announced that he would be selling the series to a different network for a fifth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coyote Peterson</span> American YouTuber

Nathaniel "Coyote" Peterson is an American YouTuber, wildlife educator, and host of Animal Planet's series Coyote Peterson: Brave the Wild. He is best known for his YouTube channel Brave Wilderness, which focuses on documenting and educating about animals. Peterson has also become known for videos in which he allows himself to be stung by bugs and animals, such as the bullet ant and the executioner wasp.

<i>Step Up</i> (TV series) American drama web television series

Step Up is an American drama television series, based on the Step Up film series. It premiered on January 31, 2018, on YouTube Red. The series was created by Holly Sorensen, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan. After being canceled by YouTube Red after two seasons, Starz picked up the series for a third season, which premiered on October 16, 2022. In December 2022, the series was canceled after three seasons.

<i>Amphibia</i> (TV series) American animated television series

Amphibia is an American animated television series created by Matt Braly that aired on Disney Channel from June 17, 2019 to May 14, 2022. The series features the voice talents of Brenda Song, Justin Felbinger, Bill Farmer, Amanda Leighton, Anna Akana, Troy Baker, Haley Tju, and Keith David.

<i>The Mind of Jake Paul</i> Documentary web series by Shane Dawson

The Mind of Jake Paul is an American documentary web series created by YouTuber Shane Dawson. The series is presented by Dawson, who investigates the world and mind of controversial fellow YouTuber Jake Paul as well as the general psychology of YouTubers. Dawson does this with Kati Morton, another popular YouTuber who is a licensed marriage and family therapist. The series was promoted through Dawson's Twitter and is stylistically similar to Dawson's previous web series, The Secret World of Jeffree Star. It premiered on September 25, 2018, and concluded after eight episodes on October 18, 2018.

<i>The Sidemen Show</i> British web television series

The Sidemen Show is a British reality stunt web television series starring British YouTube group Sidemen, composed of JJ Olatunji, Harry Lewis, Ethan Payne, Vik Barn, Simon Minter, Josh Bradley, and Tobi Brown. The series is produced by Blue Ant Digital Studios in association with Antenna Pictures, and executive produced by Jago Lee, Dan Lubetkin, Austin Long, and James Tooley, with Craig Pickles serving as the series director and Iain Glen narrating.

The video sharing platform YouTube has become widely used in educational settings.

<i>Half-Life: Full Life Consequences</i> 4-episode Machinima series

Half-Life: Full Life Consequences is a 4-episode Machinima series animated within the video game Garry's Mod and published on the video sharing website YouTube. Based on a fan fiction work of the same name, the series follows the exploits of the character "John Freeman", the unknown brother of Gordon Freeman from the Half-Life video game series. The first episode in the series was uploaded on January 23, 2008 by user Djy1991. The fourth and last episode was uploaded May 23, 2009. The series was praised for its humor and ability to elevate its poorly written source material.

References

  1. Jake Chudnow's YouTube channel (2017-02-22), Jake Chudnow - "Atlas" (Theme from Mind Field), archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2017-06-23
  2. Stark, Cortlynn (July 20, 2018). "Ever wanted to be a part of a brain? Here's your chance". The Kansas City Star.
  3. "Vsauce's Michael Stevens Asks If You'd Kill Five People Or Just One". Innovation & Tech Today. 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  4. "MIND FIELD Revisits The Stanford Prison Experiment in New Episode". BroadwayWorld.
  5. "Vsauce went to Peru to experience ayahuasca". Boing Boing. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  6. "Vsauce Drops Trailer For YouTube Red Series 'Mind Field', Premiering Jan. 18". Tubefilter. 2017-01-12. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  7. "Mind Field Season 3". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-02-17.
  8. Mind Field - Official Trailer (YouTube video). Vsauce. 2017-01-11. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2017-06-04.
  9. What Is The Scariest Thing? (YouTube video). Vsauce. 2019-10-24. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2020-02-01.