How We Decide

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How We Decide is a book by Jonah Lehrer based on “the historic dichotomy between ‘emotional’ decision-making and ‘rational’ decision-making and what modern neuroscience can tell us about these two modes of thinking” (Doctorow). In an article on the website, boingboing, Cory Doctorow discusses some of the aspects of the book. Things discussed vary between how someone with damage to the emotional part of their brain is unable to make a decision “because their rational mind dithers endlessly over the possible rational reasons for each course of action,” (Doctorow) and the difficulty of making decisions in certain situations. One example given was based on two groups of 10-year-olds that were given an easy test. One group, the control group, was praised for their work, while the other group, the experimental group, was given the trying hard speech. Next the two groups were given another test, only difference being that it was harder this time. The kids that were originally considered the smart group did worse, while the other ones improved. The choices they made on the second test were affected by the praise they received after the first test.

This article was great insight into the book. In all books, you get the background information on what’s going on inside. However, sometimes these summaries can be misleading, or even lacking in information that could make you want to buy it. A review like this helps in this decision. It gives examples but it doesn’t give you too much to the point that you feel like you already read the book. The author makes me want to buy not only this book but also others that pertain to the subject of decision making.
Doctorow, Cory. "How We Decide: mind-blowing neuroscience of decision-making." boingboing 8 Sep. 2009: n. pag. Web. 16 Apr 2010.