Thinking Is Not What We Think It Is

Why everyone must know about the salience effect

By C.A. Huntley

 

What makes our minds tick? Why do people often respond differently to the same thing in different contexts? For instance, people tend to find an advertisement in an easy-to-read font more believable than the same advertisement in a hard-to-read font, and are inclined to judge a man differently if shown a clear versus a blur picture of him.

According to the author of this illuminating book, that is not because people do not have a mind of their own but because their minds have a world of their own. In particular, our minds seem wired to respond to whatever stands out (or stands out more) at a particular moment. As this book shows, oftentimes perception overrides reality, emotion overrides rationality, subjectivity overrides objectivity.

Anyone who wishes to know how to capture the minds of others, whether in sales or marketing, leadership or politics, or persuasion or presentation, will find this insightful and witty book helpful. It's a must-read for all who want to achieve more in their personal and professional lives.

Snippets from the Book

  • Words smartly chosen and stylishly choreographed can be stunningly captivating. They beget the beauty of rhymes and rhythms, poetry and melody, eloquence and elegance.

    C.A. Huntley, Thinking is Not What We Think it is

  • It's not a tragedy that we are not totally rational. It's tragedy that we don't think we are. It's not a tragedy that we allow subjective feelings to override objective reasoning. It's a tragedy that we don't think we do. It's not a tragedy that we have an impulsive mind that is easily influenced. It's tragedy that we don't think we have.

    C.A. Huntley, Thinking is Not What We Think it is

  • Believing is our brains' instinctive and automatic response. While everyone needs to be taught language, mathematics, science, and so forth. none needs to be taught how to believe. Believing comes naturally.

    C.A. Huntley, Thinking is Not What We Think it is

  • We have overestimated how objective we are. More to the point: we have underestimated how unobjective we are. Our brains mostly don't see or respond to something as it really is, but as it appears to be.

    C.A. Huntley, Thinking is Not What We Think it is

  • The human brain seems to have a split personality. It is as suggestible as it is unsuggestible. On the one hand, it's easily persuaded by the smallest of suggestions. On the other hand, it can be more close-minded than an extremist and more stubborn than an idiot.

    C.A. Huntley, Thinking is Not What We Think it is

What People Are Saying

“A provocative, gripping, and highly readable book.”

— Ellen Langer, Harvard University

 

“A very fascinating and convincing book.”

— Edgar Schein, MIT Sloan

“A wonderful book that brings psychological findings to life.”

— John Bargh, Yale University

 

“A great read and well-written book.”

— Emily Balcetis, NYU