Preface 1. Freud's Genius, Freud's Myopia 2. The Adaptive Unconscious 3. Who's in Charge? 4. Knowing Who We Are 5. Knowing Why 6. Knowing How We Feel 7. Knowing How We Will Feel 8. Introspection and Self-Narratives 9. Looking Outward to Know Ourselves 10. Observing and Changing Our Behavior Notes Bibliography Index
Strangers to Ourselves is a rare combination of lucid prose, penetrating insight, and cutting-edge research. Wilson uses modern science to examine a problem that has troubled philosophers for millennia--how and how well can we know ourselves?--and concludes that people rarely know the causes of their own behavior. Anyone who still believes that they know what they want, feel, or think, should read this fascinating book, which is sure to stimulate research in laboratories and debate around water-coolers for decades to come. -- Daniel Gilbert, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University Timothy Wilson tackles one of the central questions in psychology: can we truly know ourselves? Drawing on a career of thoughtful research, Wilson takes the reader on a fascinating journey through a wonderland of studies and ideas in contemporary psychology, with side trips into anthropology, medicine, and philosophy. STRANGERS TO OURSELVES is a book of great breadth and depth that will captivate anyone with an interest in consciousness, self-knowledge, and the very essence of being human. -- James W. Pennebaker, author of Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions Tim Wilson's book covers many diverse areas of psychology in a very accessible style, with compelling examples from life and literature, to make a radical argument: that for the most part we have very little real understanding of how we work, or why we do even the most ordinary things. This is a very original and provocative work--and lots of fun to read, too! -- John Bargh, Jules Silver Professor of Psychology, New York University
Timothy D. Wilson is Sherrell J. Aston Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia.
Strangers to Ourselves is a rare combination of lucid prose,
penetrating insight, and cutting-edge research. Wilson uses modern
science to examine a problem that has troubled philosophers for
millennia—how and how well can we know ourselves?—and concludes
that people rarely know the causes of their own behavior. Anyone
who still believes that they know what they want, feel, or think,
should read this fascinating book, which is sure to stimulate
research in laboratories and debate around water-coolers for
decades to come.
*Daniel Gilbert, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University*
Timothy Wilson tackles one of the central questions in psychology:
can we truly know ourselves? Drawing on a career of thoughtful
research, Wilson takes the reader on a fascinating journey through
a wonderland of studies and ideas in contemporary psychology, with
side trips into anthropology, medicine, and philosophy. STRANGERS
TO OURSELVES is a book of great breadth and depth that will
captivate anyone with an interest in consciousness, self-knowledge,
and the very essence of being human.
*James W. Pennebaker, author of Opening Up: The Healing Power of
Expressing Emotions*
Tim Wilson's book covers many diverse areas of psychology in a very
accessible style, with compelling examples from life and
literature, to make a radical argument: that for the most part we
have very little real understanding of how we work, or why we do
even the most ordinary things. This is a very original and
provocative work--and lots of fun to read, too!
*John Bargh, Jules Silver Professor of Psychology, New York
University*
Wilson convincingly argues that our conscious minds are but the tip
of the iceberg in deciding how we behave, what is important to us,
and how we feel. Surveying a variety of contemporary psychological
research, this book describes an unconscious that is capable of a
much higher degree of "thinking" than previously supposed by
adherents of either Freudian or Behaviorist branches of psychology.
Capable of everything from problem solving and narrative
construction to emotional reaction and prediction, the adaptive
unconscious is a powerful and pervasive element of our whole
personalities. Indeed, it may be the primary element of our
personalities, controlling our real motivations, judgments, and
actions...A fascinating read.
*Library Journal*
Timothy Wilson...offers a charming, talkative and yet authoritative
review of how it became clear that most of what happens inside us
is not perceptible by us. In fact, other people often know more
about events inside [us]...because they can monitor [our] actions
and body language better than [we] can...Strangers to Ourselves is
certainly worth reading and reflecting upon.
*New Scientist*
This book offers an intricate combination of page-turning reading,
cutting-edge research, and philosophical debate. At some level,
Wilson points out, individuals know that processing and
decision-making go on below the threshold of awareness; if every
decision had to reach consciousness before action could be
initiated, people would not be able to respond as promptly as some
situations dictate. How does this processing occur? What standards
are employed in reaching "less than" conscious decisions? Wilson
explores these questions with penetrating clarity, impressively
integrating literature from a variety of professions and
disciplines including psychology and business...Wilson does an
excellent job of covering research that addresses factors (internal
and external) influencing decision-making processes that may appear
to be unconscious...Highly recommended.
*Choice*
[Wilson's] book is what popular psychology ought to be (and rarely
is): thoughtful, beautifully written, and full of unexpected
insights.
*New Yorker*
There is much here to arouse interest and provoke thought in any
reader, and the book does not outstay its welcome...The writing is
clear and engaging, and the subject matter is illuminating and
entertaining. Though Wilson insists that introspection is limited
in its ability to reveal our true selves, it would be a very dull
reader who was not roused by this book into a close
self-examination.
*Times Literary Supplement*
Strangers to Ourselves is a rare combination of lucid prose,
penetrating insight, and cutting-edge research. Wilson uses modern
science to examine a problem that has troubled philosophers for
millennia-how and how well can we know ourselves?-and concludes
that people rarely know the causes of their own behavior. Anyone
who still believes that they know what they want, feel, or think,
should read this fascinating book, which is sure to stimulate
research in laboratories and debate around water-coolers for
decades to come. -- Daniel Gilbert, Professor of Psychology,
Harvard University
Timothy Wilson tackles one of the central questions in psychology:
can we truly know ourselves? Drawing on a career of thoughtful
research, Wilson takes the reader on a fascinating journey through
a wonderland of studies and ideas in contemporary psychology, with
side trips into anthropology, medicine, and philosophy.
STRANGERS TO OURSELVES is a book of great breadth and depth
that will captivate anyone with an interest in consciousness,
self-knowledge, and the very essence of being human. -- James W.
Pennebaker, author of Opening Up: The Healing Power of
Expressing Emotions
Tim Wilson's book covers many diverse areas of psychology in a very
accessible style, with compelling examples from life and
literature, to make a radical argument: that for the most part we
have very little real understanding of how we work, or why we do
even the most ordinary things. This is a very original and
provocative work--and lots of fun to read, too! -- John Bargh,
Jules Silver Professor of Psychology, New York University
Wilson convincingly argues that our conscious minds are but the tip
of the iceberg in deciding how we behave, what is important to us,
and how we feel. Surveying a variety of contemporary psychological
research, this book describes an unconscious that is capable of a
much higher degree of "thinking" than previously supposed by
adherents of either Freudian or Behaviorist branches of psychology.
Capable of everything from problem solving and narrative
construction to emotional reaction and prediction, the adaptive
unconscious is a powerful and pervasive element of our whole
personalities. Indeed, it may be the primary element of our
personalities, controlling our real motivations, judgments, and
actions...A fascinating read. -- David Valencia * Library Journal
*
Timothy Wilson...offers a charming, talkative and yet authoritative
review of how it became clear that most of what happens inside us
is not perceptible by us. In fact, other people often know more
about events inside [us]...because they can monitor [our] actions
and body language better than [we] can...Strangers to
Ourselves is certainly worth reading and reflecting upon. --
Tor Norrentronders * New Scientist *
This book offers an intricate combination of page-turning reading,
cutting-edge research, and philosophical debate. At some level,
Wilson points out, individuals know that processing and
decision-making go on below the threshold of awareness; if every
decision had to reach consciousness before action could be
initiated, people would not be able to respond as promptly as some
situations dictate. How does this processing occur? What standards
are employed in reaching "less than" conscious decisions? Wilson
explores these questions with penetrating clarity, impressively
integrating literature from a variety of professions and
disciplines including psychology and business...Wilson does an
excellent job of covering research that addresses factors (internal
and external) influencing decision-making processes that may appear
to be unconscious...Highly recommended. -- R. E. Osborne * Choice
*
[Wilson's] book is what popular psychology ought to be (and rarely
is): thoughtful, beautifully written, and full of unexpected
insights. -- Malcolm Gladwell * New Yorker *
There is much here to arouse interest and provoke thought in any
reader, and the book does not outstay its welcome...The writing is
clear and engaging, and the subject matter is illuminating and
entertaining. Though Wilson insists that introspection is limited
in its ability to reveal our true selves, it would be a very dull
reader who was not roused by this book into a close
self-examination. -- Jo Lawson * Times Literary Supplement *
How well do we really know ourselves? How well can we know ourselves? Wilson (psychology, Univ. of Virginia) convincingly argues that our conscious minds are but the tip of the iceberg in deciding how we behave, what is important to us, and how we feel. Surveying a variety of contemporary psychological research, this book describes an unconscious that is capable of a much higher degree of "thinking" than previously supposed by adherents of either Freudian or Behaviorist branches of psychology. Capable of everything from problem solving and narrative construction to emotional reaction and prediction, the adaptive unconscious is a powerful and pervasive element of our whole personalities. Indeed, it may be the primary element of our personalities, controlling our real motivations, judgments, and actions. Wilson examines the evolution of the idea of the unconscious, the various ways in which it operates within us, and how we can look at our actions-rather than our thoughts-to truly know ourselves. A fascinating read; for large public libraries.-David Valencia, King Cty. Lib. Syst., Seattle
Ask a Question About this Product More... |