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Table of Contents
About The Book
Like the revolutionary bestsellers Predictably Irrational and Emotional Intelligence, Sensation is an exciting, completely new view of human behavior—a new psychology of physical intelligence (or embodied cognition)—that explains how the body unconsciously affects our everyday decisions and choices, written by one of the world’s leading psychologists.
From colors and temperatures to heavy objects and tall people, a whole symphony of external stimuli exerts a constant influence on the way your mind works. Yet these effects have been hidden from you—until now. Drawing on her own work as well as from research across the globe, Dr. Thalma Lobel reveals how shockingly susceptible we are to sensory input from the world around us.
An aggressive negotiator can be completely disarmed by holding a warm cup of tea or sitting in a soft chair. Clean smells promote moral behavior, but people are more likely to cheat on a test right after having taken a shower. Red-colored type causes us to fail exams, but red dresses make women sexier and teams wearing red jerseys win more games. We take questionnaires attached to heavy clipboards more seriously and believe people who like sweets to be nicer. Ultimately, the book’s message is startling: Though we claim ownership of our decisions, judgments, and values, they derive as much from our outside environment as from inside our minds. Now, Sensation empowers you to evaluate those outside forces in order to make better decisions in every facet of your personal and professional lives.
From colors and temperatures to heavy objects and tall people, a whole symphony of external stimuli exerts a constant influence on the way your mind works. Yet these effects have been hidden from you—until now. Drawing on her own work as well as from research across the globe, Dr. Thalma Lobel reveals how shockingly susceptible we are to sensory input from the world around us.
An aggressive negotiator can be completely disarmed by holding a warm cup of tea or sitting in a soft chair. Clean smells promote moral behavior, but people are more likely to cheat on a test right after having taken a shower. Red-colored type causes us to fail exams, but red dresses make women sexier and teams wearing red jerseys win more games. We take questionnaires attached to heavy clipboards more seriously and believe people who like sweets to be nicer. Ultimately, the book’s message is startling: Though we claim ownership of our decisions, judgments, and values, they derive as much from our outside environment as from inside our minds. Now, Sensation empowers you to evaluate those outside forces in order to make better decisions in every facet of your personal and professional lives.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (April 29, 2014)
- Length: 256 pages
- ISBN13: 9781451699203
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Raves and Reviews
“Thalma’s research is among the most innovative in psychology. Her lively, thoughtful book will reframe our view of how our minds work and how we become who we are.”
– Daniel Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational
“We think we’re so cool and rational, but the hot new study of physical intelligence shows that we are deeply affected by physical stimuli; red type makes us fail tests, for instance, while red jerseys make sports teams win. Internationally renowned psychologist Lobel explains how we can better evaluate the impact of sights, smells, and sounds.”
– Library Journal
"Sensation is a delightful collection of the most interesting ideas, experiments, and anecdotes from the world of psychology today. A terrific read if you’re interested in why some people fall in love, some fall afoul of the law, and others fall prey to clever marketing ploys."
– Adam Alter, author of Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, F
"Professor Lobel draws on rigorous science and makes it accessible, interesting, and actionable. By raising our awareness of the influence the external environment has on us, this wonderful book can help us live more fully, more sensually."
– Tal Ben-Shahar, author of Happier
"Sensation is Sensational! Chock full of jaw-dropping studies, fascinating insights, and practical applications that will make you reexamine everything you do. Every page feels like a peek into the hidden workings of the human mind!"
– Guy Winch Ph.D., author of Emotional First Aid and The Squeaky Whe
“An intriguing look at how our sensory perceptions affect our language and ability to understand abstract concepts but can also sway judgment. Shelve alongside Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Ariely and others in the pop-psych realm.”
– Kirkus Review
'Thalma Lobel ... has written an intriguing, sometimes funny, sometimes rather alarming overview of just how much we are influenced by what our senses tell us."
– Sunday Times (UK)
“An intriguing theory of how our physical experiences affect our mental ones… The book chronicles some of the quirky contributions of embodied cognition research and provides a nice reminder that the relation between mind and body is complex.”
– ScientificAmerican.com
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): Sensation eBook 9781451699203
