Reasoning, Planning, and Problem-Solving

Checking the weather forecast then planning what to wear to work doesn’t seem like a serious challenge as you age. That’s because your brain has prepared you to solve everything from the problems of your daily routine to deep conundrums.

Your brain incorporates all available information from your senses, memories, and emotions to help you reason and understand your environment. All these things support your judgement, guiding you to respond effectively to events, make decisions, and predict future outcomes — like seeing there’s a 70% chance of showers and taking an umbrella as you head out the door.

Click on the targets in the image to explore how your brain reasons, plans, and solves problems.

About the Author

Hannah Zuckerman

Hannah is the former Production and Editorial Associate for BrainFacts.org. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 2014 with a degree in history. She previously worked at Princeton University Press and the art magazine Sculpture.