Veteran psychology writer Tom Jacobs of Miller-McCune magazine has a nice take-out on the deep psychological sources of conservative and liberal politics, citing On Second Thought’s chapter on the Design Heuristic and the urge for simplicity and order.
I’ve been a huge fan of David DiSalvo’s psychology writing, including his blog Neuronarrative, for some time. How flattering to receive this generous review from such a highly regarded science writer. Here is his review, along with a short Q&A with me. Check it out.
This excellent essay in today’s NYT Week in Review expands on my discussion of how disgust shapes our higher judgments–in this case our political persuasions. Two psychologists argue that political conservatives are even less tolerant of foul odors, and that mere exposure to offensive smells can push people to the right politically.
Imagine this scenario: You lost your job at the lumber yard early in 2009. Nobody is building new homes these days, and this slowdown has trickled down to suppliers all over the country. What’s worse, you’re dipping into savings just to make your own mortgage payments—on a house that has lost a big chunk of… Read more
What overwhelming turnout for my talk and book signing at Politics & Prose bookstore here in Washington, DC! Lots of familiar faces, but also many book lovers who just came by on a Sunday afternoon for the ideas. My half-hour talk was followed by a lively Q&A.
One of the most challenging things about writing a book is knowing when to stop. This is especially true with a work of scientific non-fiction, like On Second Thought, because the intellectual field never stops changing and growing. Scientists keep running experiments and writing papers, adding new insights and nuances to our understanding, so that… Read more
A wonderful book that should be read by the public and experts alike…the most complete statement currently available on the foibles manifest in everyday decision making and surely one of the most interesting books that I have had the pleasure of reading. — Ellen Langer, author of Mindfulness
Our lives are composed of millions of choices, ranging from trivial to life-changing and momentous. Luckily, our brains have evolved a number of mental shortcuts, biases, and tricks that allow us to quickly negotiate this endless array of decisions… Take a sneak peek. Read more