false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171906245m/125819.jpg 125819 2 When can we trust what we believe - that "teams and players have winning streaks", that "flattery works", or that "the more people who agree, the more likely they are to be right" - and when are such beliefs suspect? Thomas Gilovich offers a guide to the fallacy of the obvious in everyday life. Illustrating his points with examples, and supporting them with the latest research findings, he documents the cognitive, social and motivational processes that distort our thoughts, beliefs, judgements and decisions. In a rapidly changing world, the biases and stereotypes that help us process an overload of complex information inevitably distort what we would like to believe is reality. Awareness of our propensity to make these systematic errors, Gilovich argues, is the first step to more effective analysis and action. 121184 1991 How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life total:86|5:34|4:34|3:14|2:3|1:1| 86 355 198 17 5 11 false false Tue Sep 22 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 17 14:19:57 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 22 04:01:41 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 2 false false Wed Dec 31 13:04:40 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 31 13:04:40 -0800 2008
This book examines cognitive biases, including The Barnum Effect in which a person believes that statements are ac...more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Mar 06 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Thu Apr 03 22:09:33 -0700 2008 Thu Apr 03 22:10:04 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sun Jul 08 05:30:41 -0700 2007 Sun Jul 08 05:46:52 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Mon Mar 23 14:33:10 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 23 14:37:24 -0700 2009
This book reads like a textbook, with plenty of citations. I know there are a bunch of books covering this same material, but I haven't read any others to see if they're more engaging.

However, what really should engage you ...more...]]> 5 1 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002 Fri Feb 01 09:14:58 -0800 2008 Fri Feb 01 09:24:31 -0800 2008 more...]]> 0 0 false false Fri Jan 23 09:59:41 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 23 10:01:07 -0800 2009
Long flight to LA this wee...more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jun 25 12:47:00 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 25 12:47:00 -0700 2009
i haven't read it all cos it's lent out to a friend.]]> 0 0 false false Thu Apr 30 21:21:26 -0700 2009 Thu Apr 30 21:21:58 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Sun Aug 31 11:06:37 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 17 11:15:21 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 31 11:06:37 -0700 2008
Still, Stumbling on Happiness was similar material and *far* easier to read!
]]> 5 0 false false Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2005 Fri Sep 21 23:42:46 -0700 2007 Fri Sep 21 23:42:46 -0700 2007 5 0 false false Tue Jan 15 14:00:39 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 15 14:01:14 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 12 03:47:08 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 12 03:48:46 -0700 2007 5 0 false false Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 -0800 2001 Mon Oct 22 04:41:00 -0700 2007 Mon Oct 22 04:42:47 -0700 2007 4 0 false false Tue Aug 19 11:18:30 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 19 11:22:19 -0700 2008 5 0 false false Fri Jun 01 16:21:48 -0700 2007 Sat Jul 14 17:08:17 -0700 2007 5 0 false false Sun Jul 12 20:30:48 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 12 20:32:10 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sun Nov 08 14:31:38 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 08 14:31:38 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Thu Nov 05 08:46:39 -0800 2009 Thu Nov 05 08:46:39 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Tue Oct 27 08:02:32 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 27 08:02:32 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=125819