Book Report on Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
In the #1 national bestseller Blink, Malcolm Gladwell analyzes the way we think. Specifically, he explains the workings of the unconscious mind in making snap judgments and decisions. He proves that more information is not always a good thing, and some of the best decisions come from gut instinct.
In the first chapter, Malcolm introduces the idea of thin-slicing, our unconscious ability to determine what is important in a very short period of time. In more basic terms, thin-slicing is our gut instinct. The more you train your brain, the more accurate the thin-slicing will be. We frequently make decisions in the blink of an eye without even noticing.
Gladwell talks about an interesting experiment by John Gottman, who is well known for his work on marital relationships. In the study, Gottman had couples discuss a minor issue in their marriage together for about fifteen minutes. He videotaped both members and reviewed their facial expressions, tone of voice, and overall attitude. Gottman created a different code for each type of expression or feeling, such as contempt, jealousy, or defensiveness. With ninety-five percent accuracy, Gottman can predict which couples will still be married in fifteen years. Even non-experts could predict the divorce rate with eighty percent accuracy if they were given a list of behaviors for which to look. It is quite remarkable that we have this unknown talent and, with a little practice, can improve our judgment in certain situations.
Our ability to thin-slice can be corrupted by prejudices and stereotypes, though. In a study done by Harvard University, researchers led participants through a series of Implicit Association Tests. These tests are meant to prove that we make associations between things much more quickly if they are previously connected in our minds. The most common IAT involves the connection between males and career and females and family. Participants are given a word from one of the categories and must
In the first chapter, Malcolm introduces the idea of thin-slicing, our unconscious ability to determine what is important in a very short period of time. In more basic terms, thin-slicing is our gut instinct. The more you train your brain, the more accurate the thin-slicing will be. We frequently make decisions in the blink of an eye without even noticing.
Gladwell talks about an interesting experiment by John Gottman, who is well known for his work on marital relationships. In the study, Gottman had couples discuss a minor issue in their marriage together for about fifteen minutes. He videotaped both members and reviewed their facial expressions, tone of voice, and overall attitude. Gottman created a different code for each type of expression or feeling, such as contempt, jealousy, or defensiveness. With ninety-five percent accuracy, Gottman can predict which couples will still be married in fifteen years. Even non-experts could predict the divorce rate with eighty percent accuracy if they were given a list of behaviors for which to look. It is quite remarkable that we have this unknown talent and, with a little practice, can improve our judgment in certain situations.
Our ability to thin-slice can be corrupted by prejudices and stereotypes, though. In a study done by Harvard University, researchers led participants through a series of Implicit Association Tests. These tests are meant to prove that we make associations between things much more quickly if they are previously connected in our minds. The most common IAT involves the connection between males and career and females and family. Participants are given a word from one of the categories and must