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How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things In Seconds, And Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average
Broadway
February 2009
On Sale: February 17, 2009
304 pages
ISBN: 0767928059
EAN: 9780767928052
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction
We forget our passwords. We pay too much to go to the
gym. We think we’d be happier if we lived in California (we
wouldn’t), and we think we should stick with our first
answer on tests (we shouldn’t). Why do we make
mistakes? And could we do a little better? We
human beings have design flaws. Our eyes play tricks on us,
our stories change in the retelling, and most of us are
fairly sure we’re way above average. In Why We Make
Mistakes, journalist Joseph T. Hallinan sets out to
explore the captivating science of human error—how we think,
see, remember, and forget, and how this sets us up for
wholly irresistible mistakes.
In his quest to
understand our imperfections, Hallinan delves into
psychology, neuroscience, and economics, with forays into
aviation, consumer behavior, geography, football, stock
picking, and more. He discovers that some of the same
qualities that make us efficient also make us error prone.
We learn to move rapidly through the world, quickly
recognizing patterns—but overlooking details. Which is why
thirteen-year-old boys discover errors that NASA scientists
miss—and why you can’t find the beer in your refrigerator.
Why We Make Mistakes is enlivened by
real-life stories—of weathermen whose predictions are
uncannily accurate and a witness who sent an innocent man to
jail—and offers valuable advice, such as how to remember
where you’ve hidden something important. You’ll learn why
multitasking is a bad idea, why men make errors women don’t,
and why most people think San Diego is west of Reno (it’s
not).
Why We Make Mistakes will open your eyes
to the reasons behind your mistakes—and have you vowing to
do better the next time.
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