How We Decide
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The first book to use the unexpected discoveries of neuroscience to help us make the best decisions.
Since Plato, philosophers have described the decision-making process as either rational or emotional: we carefully deliberate, or we "blink" and go with our gut. But as scientists break open the mind's black box with the latest tools of neuroscience, they're discovering that this is not how the mind works. Our best decisions are a finely tuned blend of both feeling and reason—and the precise mix depends on the situation. When buying a house, for example, it's best to let our unconscious mull over the many variables. But when we're picking a stock, intuition often leads us astray. The trick is to determine when to use the different parts of the brain, and to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think.
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Jonah Lehrer arms us with the tools we need, drawing on cutting-edge research as well as the real-world experiences of a wide range of "deciders"—from airplane pilots and hedge fund investors to serial killers and poker players.
Lehrer shows how people are taking advantage of the new science to make better television shows, win more football games, and improve military intelligence. His goal is to answer two questions that are of interest to just about anyone, from CEOs to firefighters: How does the human mind make decisions? And how can we make those decisions better?
Liked How We Decide? Here’s where I’d start.
These suit anyone who liked How We Decide. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.
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On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You're Not Shares psychology, nonfiction, science -
Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior Shares psychology, nonfiction, science -
Why We Make Mistakes: How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average Shares nonfiction, psychology, science -
Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior Shares psychology, nonfiction, science
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Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts
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A Mind of Its Own: How Your Brain Distorts and Deceives
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Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School
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The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, and Gambling Feel So Good
“If you want more of the same (psychology about work), start with these.”
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The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us
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You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself
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The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives
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The Optimism Bias: A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain
