Reflection and reason are overrated, according to renowned psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer. Much better qualified to help us make decisions is the cognitive, emotional, and social repertoire we call intuition, a suite of gut feelings that have evolved over the millennia specifically for making decisions. Gladwell drew heavily on Gigerenzer’s research. But Gigerenzer goes a step further by explaining just why our gut instincts are so often right. Intuition, it seems, is not some sort of mystical chemical reaction but a neurologically based behavior that evolved to ensure that we humans respond quickly when faced with a dilemma (BusinessWeek).

“Logic be damned! See how doctors really make tough diagnoses, how police spot drug couriers, and more. Gigerenzer delivers a convincing argument for going with your gut.”
“MEN’S HEALTH”
“Gladwell drew heavily on Gigerenzer’s research. But Gigerenzer goes a step further by explaining just why our gut instincts are so often right. Intuition, it seems, is not some sort of mystical chemical reaction but a neurologically based behavior that evolved to ensure that we humans respond quickly when faced with a dilemma.”
“BUSINESS WEEK”
“Memorable. Clever. Gerd Gigerenzer, director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, locates specific strategies that the unconscious mind uses to solve problems. These are not impulsive or capricious responses, but evolved methods that lead to superior choices. In short chapters, using vivid examples and ordinary language, Gigerenzer explains how an outfielder catches a fly ball not by complex calculations but by unconsciously adjusting his running speed so that the angle of his gaze at the ball remains constant. In problem-solving, having too much information is often as harmful as having too little; having just enough information works best.”
“THE BOSTON GLOBE”
“There are lots of good, solid reasons to trust your instincts, says Gerd Gigerenzer, who was among the researchers behind BLINK. The decisions they give rise to are usually sound. Without intuition, he says, we would drown in a sea of data points.”

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