Impulse
Why We Do What We Do Without Knowing Why We Do It
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- £9.49
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- £9.49
Publisher Description
When you make a decision or form an opinion, you think you know why. But you’re wrong. The truth is that most of our mental activity actually happens below the level of conscious thought. In this groundbreaking book, Dr David Lewis, director of the cutting-edge research agency Mindlab International, explores this incredible phenomenon. Delving into the mysteries of the ‘zombie brain’ that each of us possesses, he demonstrates how unconscious neurological processes underpin every aspect of our lives, from whether or not we find someone sexually attractive to how we resist (or give in to) temptation. In the process he shows how finger length is a reliable predictor of risk-taking behaviour, how seeing the logos of fast food chains can make you more impatient, and how holding a warm drink makes you find strangers more likeable. Above all, he reveals the practical applications of this emerging field of research, giving us insights into such diverse areas as child development, anti-social activities like rioting, successful dieting, and even the ways that supermarkets make us spend more. We may not be conscious of our impulses but it is clear that we can no longer afford to be ignorant of them.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Mindlab International founder Lewis's study is an illuminating guide through the infamously disordered, oft-unwelcomed realm of impulse. In a society that values free will, we rarely think our actions are inherently uncontrollable. So Lewis begins with examples of how impulse guides our lives some of which are fortunate, but most are not, with several drawn from his own experience. But any instance of "impulsivity," however rapid, has substantial psychological and even evolutionary significance. Neurological studies suggest that our brains produce two frequently interchangeable types of thought processes: deliberate and slow-moving logical processes, and quick, unconscious, impulsive reactions. From this scientific ground, Lewis moves into more general manifestations of impulse, from love to addictive tendencies like overeating and shopping. Lewis's account, while timely, appears to lack a tangible definition of impulse and how it might differ from its compulsion-oriented counterparts. Other chapters themselves seem impulsively placed: a section on teenage behavior, for example, is not so easily connected to the broader discussion. There are also few solutions to the problems posed by impulsive thinking, aside from Lewis's brief mentions of exercise and pre-impulse breaks. Nevertheless, this book's readable balance of information and anecdote is sure to provide especially impulsive readers with a necessary moment of reflection.
