The Influential Mind

May 8, 2017
Sharot (The Optimism Bias), a professor of cognitive neuroscience with a background in psychology and economics, has written a fascinating, accessible primer on what current research teaches us about the art of persuasion. Her book strives to “reveal the systematic mistakes we make when we attempt to change minds,” a topic that resonates in today’s divisive political climate. Sharot breaks the book into chapters focused on the different components that impact influence: “Priors (as in prior beliefs), emotion, incentives, agency, curiosity, state of mind, and other people.” Each chapter draws on a variety of scholarly writings from the hard and social sciences (including Sharot’s own research). She has a gift for providing engaging vignettes that are apt and illustrative for nonacademics. The writing exhibits model clarity and brisk pacing. Readers will find themselves jotting notes to apply Sharot’s findings to a wide range of areas, including workplace politics, parenting, and Facebook arguments. The book closes with an overview of where the research on influence is heading (brain-to-brain influencing—no words necessary). A recap synthesizing all the separate ideas would have been welcome, but the additional research will be intriguing to many readers after such an enjoyable read. Agent: Heather Schroder, Compass Talent.

July 15, 2017
A pop-science tour of the brain and the "systematic mistakes we make when we attempt to change minds, as well as [an illumination of] what occurs during those instances in which we succeed."The mind works in strange ways, as Sharot (The Optimism Bias: A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain, 2011), founder and director of the Affective Brain Lab at University College London, observes. Take a crowdfunding request to support two sick people, one pictured tube-draped in a hospital bed, the other by "a photo of a happy young woman glittering in sunlight"? Who gets the money? Yep: sex and the hint of happiness sell, even in bad times. This is a book full of tricks and stratagems to extend the reach of what good minds should do--namely lead other minds toward doing good--and sometimes the author works against received wisdom in offering them. For instance, reading between the lines, she questions the prevailing "wisdom of the crowd," strength-in-numbers folderol of recent business and pop-psych books: "even in our world of ratings and reviews, tallying and averaging many views can lead to suboptimal solutions"--suboptimal because, to put it less nicely than she does, the human herd mentality can make us jump on any number of misguided bandwagons. Feel free to think politics there, and Sharot has some useful tips on how to prevail in political arguments by working the priors--i.e., "building on common ground instead of trying to prove others wrong." The author works with a bit of a grab-bag approach--do we really need to be reminded of the fact that our fears of gruesome ways to die seldom match the gruesome ways to die that are statistically meaningful?--but careful readers will discern plenty of ways to sharpen their abilities to carry an argument. Good, readable pop psychology that doesn't get too arcane but explores hidden mental corners all the same.

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2017

Sharot (cognitive neuroscience, Univ. Coll. London; The Optimism Bias) examines the power of influence. She argues that to influence people successfully, their behaviors must be compatible with how their thoughts. Sharing stories from both her own life as well as her lab experiments, Sharot explores the roles that emotions, agency, incentives, and curiosity play when it comes to influence. She asks thought-provoking questions to get her points across. The author also cites scholarly and popular sources while applying practical examples from her experience and the news. For example, she recalls when she lived in Manhattan and saw a terrified man run down the street, which made others follow. She joined the crowd since 9/11 was three days prior and people were still on high alert. Eventually, people stopped when they realized there was no reason to run, but because this incident happened so close to the attack on the World Trade Center, people's minds were programmed to react. Sharot's writing is clear and accessible, with figures that help to illustrate her argument. VERDICT This educational and enlightening book is highly recommended for anyone interested in neuroscience, psychology, and biology.--Tina Chan, MIT Libs., Cambridge

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.