The Secrets Within a Blink
blink, Chapter Six, Section 2. The Theory of Mind Reading.
I enjoyed reading "blink" by Malcolm Gladwell.
The book is about the processes that we all follow to make snap decisions. Whether it is deciding that a particular piece of art is one we like, or a particular person someone we just will not get along with, there are certain decision making processes that we can't control. Or can we?
The book talks about the difference between the snap decisions of experts in a field vs. those of laypeople. It talks about how we can be primed to answer a question in a specific way by being shown certain images or words prior to filling out a questionnaire. It talks about how when confronted with certain emotions we tunnel (or narrow) the field of interpretation to the very basic ones required for survival. It shows that while some of what happens in the blink of an eye is not controllable, we can, if we are aware of the fact that we have automatic reactions, have some impact in limiting their effects by training ourselves.
It was the section noted above that did it for me. It discusses the amazing ability of a psychology professor named Silvan Tomkins. By simply looking at a face in a picture or watching the video of someone talking he was able to determine with amazing accuracy whether the person was being truthful. He could determine some of the dominant character traits of the person. He could determine some of their likes. To net it out he had the ability to slice up a face and determine which muscles were being used. He could timeslice the video and see facial reactions that you and I likely would not notice.
With his underling, Paul Ekman (another psychologist), they have identified the forty-three Action Units or unique muscle movements that human faces can make. The key is that some of them are not under our control and that they are the ones that, if you notice them, can reveal the truth behind the words being spoken.
Amazing what our brain can synthesize in the blink of an eye. I recommend the book.
Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!
I enjoyed reading "blink" by Malcolm Gladwell.
The book is about the processes that we all follow to make snap decisions. Whether it is deciding that a particular piece of art is one we like, or a particular person someone we just will not get along with, there are certain decision making processes that we can't control. Or can we?
The book talks about the difference between the snap decisions of experts in a field vs. those of laypeople. It talks about how we can be primed to answer a question in a specific way by being shown certain images or words prior to filling out a questionnaire. It talks about how when confronted with certain emotions we tunnel (or narrow) the field of interpretation to the very basic ones required for survival. It shows that while some of what happens in the blink of an eye is not controllable, we can, if we are aware of the fact that we have automatic reactions, have some impact in limiting their effects by training ourselves.
It was the section noted above that did it for me. It discusses the amazing ability of a psychology professor named Silvan Tomkins. By simply looking at a face in a picture or watching the video of someone talking he was able to determine with amazing accuracy whether the person was being truthful. He could determine some of the dominant character traits of the person. He could determine some of their likes. To net it out he had the ability to slice up a face and determine which muscles were being used. He could timeslice the video and see facial reactions that you and I likely would not notice.
With his underling, Paul Ekman (another psychologist), they have identified the forty-three Action Units or unique muscle movements that human faces can make. The key is that some of them are not under our control and that they are the ones that, if you notice them, can reveal the truth behind the words being spoken.
Amazing what our brain can synthesize in the blink of an eye. I recommend the book.
Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!
Comments
Have you read his book the Outliers?