Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want - Softcover

Epley, Nicholas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1846144337 ISBN 13: 9781846144332

Publisher: Allen Lane, 2014

Synopsis

Arguably our brain's greatest sense is the ability to understand the minds of others - our real sixth sense. In Mindwise, renowned psychologist Nicholas Epley takes us on a tour of our incredible capacity for mind reading. This is the kind of mind reading we do every day of our lives, dozens of times a day, when we infer what others are thinking, feeling, wanting, or intending. The kind that enables you to build and maintain the intimate relationships that make life worth living, to maintain a desired reputation in the eyes of others, to work effectively in a team, and to outwit and outlast your competition. The kind that forms the foundation of all social interaction.

Yet, as great as this sense may be, Epley reveals that it is still prone to critical errors. We often misread social or work situations, misjudge others' characters, or guess the wrong motives for their actions. Sometimes, these slip-ups are deadly serious, leading to violence and conflict. Crucially, Epley shows how these errors are not random, but systematic and avoidable. Relying solely on our sixth sense can be a mistake. Drawing on the latest in psychological research, he suggests that only by learning more about our brain's greatest sense will we have the humility to overcome our mistakes, fine-tune our instincts and understand others as they actually are instead of as we imagine them to be.

Nicholas Epley is the John T. Keller Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He has written for The New York Times, and has published over 50 articles in two dozen journals in his field. He was named a "Professor to Watch" by the Financial Times, is the winner of the 2008 Theoretical Innovation Prize from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and was awarded the 2011 Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology from the American Psychological Association. He lives in Chicago.

About this title

Review

Mindwise stands out from the crowd. It is surprising, intelligent and convincing (Daniel Finkelstein The Times)

Psychologist Nicholas Epley's Mindwise provides a guide to understanding the minds of others. His engrossing book outlines the strategies that we use: projecting from our own minds, using stereotypes, and inferring from others' actions ... Epley is a lucid and magnetic host, and his book ... is crammed with evidence-based research. (Independent)

Mindwise is good reading for negotiators, the makers of public policy, heck, for anyone who interacts with other people, and that should be all of us. Mr. Epley is a genial, informative host in this tour of some of the most interesting findings in the social psychology of understanding one another, which he calls "mind-reading." His examples are drawn from the headlines as well as the peer-reviewed literature, and he keeps things going at a quick pace without dumbing-down the science. (Wall Street Journal)

Epley lays out his argument alternately as thesis and antithesis in clear, engaging prose. He cites plenty of research, but illustrates his examples from everyday life and popular culture. This makes for enjoyable reading. (New York Journal of Books)

A comfortingly slim volume about the ability we all have to understand others ... how wonderful to have this insight into the extent of our ignorance (Dominic Lawson Sunday Times)

About the Author

Nicholas Epley is Professor of Behavioral Science and Neubauer Family Fellow at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He has written for The New York Times, as well as numerous journals in his field. He named a "Professor to Watch" by Financial Times, and is the winner of the 2008 Theoretical Innovation Prize from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. He lives in Chicago.

Edition details

• Publisher: Allen Lane
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1846144337
• ISBN 13: 9781846144332
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 272