Naked Science Forum
On the Lighter Side => New Theories => Topic started by: Allanon on 21/08/2008 08:41:41
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Hello All,
I am currently reading a book by Gerd Gigerenzer called "Gut Feelings, The Intelligence of the Unconscious". Author touches on those odd feelings we have that we run with and turn out to be the best decisions we could have made.
How many of you have had a gut feeling that you ran with that turned in your favor even after having logical conclusions that you may have dismissed?
Personally I always use my "gut instinct" when coming across something I have not encountered. Why you ask? The answer is that I feel my unconscious thought has a better understanding of the world than my conscious thought.
When dealing with other people... are you picking up clues that your conscious thought misses, when dealing with a situation you have never confronted are you unconsciously relating to things that are similar that results in your decision?
Ideas, thoughts, opinions. Please share them all!
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Because of the 0.5s(?) delay in our conscious awareness, it could be said that we make all of our decisions subconsciously. By the time we acknowledge having actually made a decision, it's all post hoc and we are merely justifying it in some way.
I, personally, have made as many poor decisions as good ones using 'gut instinct'. If one is lucky enough to have made a lot of good gut feeling choices then it's a great boost for confidence.
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I think we have "gut feelings" and then try to justify them with conscious reasoning. This latter part is important and it is right to be prepared to change your views on the basis of such subsequent reasoning, which may include taking inputs from other people. Very many situations do not allow a thorough analysis however, either because there is not time, because there is not the information available or because the information is too complex. These situations mean that, if a decision is necessary, there is no choice but to rely on unconcious thought. The human mind has developed to allow this as it would be an essential requirement for survival. However, it is also a source of some human failings such as prejudice, close mindedness, blind belief, fear of spiders etc.
A curious thing about the subconcious is that it can also call upon reasoning it seems. I can think of many occasions where I have solved difficult problems whilst asleep. It seemed a matter of loading the brain and then letting it work unconsciously. I have woken up with a clear idea of a solution when the night before it was all a complex muddle.
We all use the subconscious, but we should also be prepared to not trust it but to test it with reasoning where possible. We have a well developed frontal lobe too!
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I saw an interesting prog on tv, not long ago. It was about how we make choices, I seem to remember.
They gave subjects a choice between two options (photographs of women etc). After the choice was made, they were given the picture of 'other one' by sleight of hand and asked to justify the choice.
Subjects were often not aware of the swap and were able to fully justify their 'choice' although they had, in fact, chosen the other one. They came up with all sorts of reasons to explain the very opposite to the choice they had made. I seem to remember that men were more susceptible to this. . . ..