wendel's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Accessible, informative and entertaining for anyone who is interested in (popular) psychology.
nymfan86's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
nferraro90's review against another edition
5.0
I had high expectations going into this, having been a longtime fan of McRaneys work from his podcast You Are Not So Smart. I can say with confidence this book was everything I expected it to be (that is to say, excellent). McRaney is able to synthesize findings from dozens of experts to take the reader on a journey through the science of persuasion, belief change, and how these domains plays out in real life. Engaging and informative, this is a must read for anybody interested in psychology, conspiratorial thinking, or how to deal with your crazy uncle at holiday dinners
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Personal and personable, McRaney's examination on the nature of persuasion is both revealing and at first glance counter-intuitive. We so easily move ourselves into combative stances online and even socially that we forget that the person across from us (sometimes exacerbated by fear and doubt, by tribal allegiances or simply too casual a self-examination) are humans aligning themselves to spaces of most comfort. When this comfort is disrupted, anger and entrenchment are the result. So goes the story of nearly all polarized "debate" these days.
Bu McRaney offers us several techniques and strategies (and as important, questions for ourselves as potential persuaders) that seem far more likely to achieve lasting results--even, dare we say it, improve relationships. These approaches are backed both by his own experiences (which he relates along the way), but also numerous psychological and cognitive studies which support him, along with interviews from practitioners who are now putting such methods to work. Some reviews have said that McRaney's work is not sufficiently scientific; and while the studies are not extensive in places, this is often because the field is fairly new and that science/facts alone are seldom sufficient to change minds in any event.
What is his recommended method? Well, since the final 1/3 of the book details this, I could never summarize it here. But, little surprise, it has little to do with directly undermining someone's beliefs. And I will ask you these questions. On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you that confronting a different opinion with aggression will change minds? And, if I could show you evidence that it absolutely would not, would this change your opinion?
Why not 5 stars? Part of it might be my already-familiarity with the approach he advocates. But also, I think, because McRaney understands that this book is only an opening, not a summary work, that still lies ahead.
I will also add that I truly admire McRaney's podcast, too, "You Are Not So Smart," where many of these ideas are tested and examined at length episode to episode.
Bu McRaney offers us several techniques and strategies (and as important, questions for ourselves as potential persuaders) that seem far more likely to achieve lasting results--even, dare we say it, improve relationships. These approaches are backed both by his own experiences (which he relates along the way), but also numerous psychological and cognitive studies which support him, along with interviews from practitioners who are now putting such methods to work. Some reviews have said that McRaney's work is not sufficiently scientific; and while the studies are not extensive in places, this is often because the field is fairly new and that science/facts alone are seldom sufficient to change minds in any event.
What is his recommended method? Well, since the final 1/3 of the book details this, I could never summarize it here. But, little surprise, it has little to do with directly undermining someone's beliefs. And I will ask you these questions. On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you that confronting a different opinion with aggression will change minds? And, if I could show you evidence that it absolutely would not, would this change your opinion?
Why not 5 stars? Part of it might be my already-familiarity with the approach he advocates. But also, I think, because McRaney understands that this book is only an opening, not a summary work, that still lies ahead.
I will also add that I truly admire McRaney's podcast, too, "You Are Not So Smart," where many of these ideas are tested and examined at length episode to episode.