Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Book Reading #46 - Why We Make Mistakes

Reference:
Why We Make Mistakes
Joseph T. Hallinan
2009 Broadway Books

Summary:
Ch. 6 - One of the reasons that we make mistakes is that we are in the wrong frame of mind.  Subtle environmental details can affect our decision making, such as french music leading to an uptick in french wine sales.  Even changing the way something is said can dtermine our opinion. 

Ch. 7 - As we gain more experience in life, we notice patterns and no longer pay attention to every detail of a situation.  While this enables us to do things quicker and more efficiently, it comes at the cost of accuracy.  In addition, when we gain information in any given environment, we are much less likely to recall that information in another environment.

Discussion:
Ch. 6 - Interesting chapter.  It is clear that the person who first frames an an issue has the upper hand, as others will have to respond to that standard.  I'll have to keep a more wary eye out in the future.

Ch. 7 - Mostly common knowledge, but not any less important for being so.  I've experienced frustration a number of times when searching for a quote or passage in a book, yet finding that I had misread a word or misinterpreted the passage.  Such mistakes can be costly when made in the wrong situation.

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