Il Metodo Antierrore. Perché Guardiamo Senza Vedere, Osserviamo Senza Ricordare E Ci Facciamo Convincere Da Discorsi Privi Di Fondamento (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
This book is a real eye-opener on the sorts of mistakes I have made and some ideas on how mistakes can be prevented. Highly recommend!!"Why We Make Mistakes," while enlightening and informative, is a compelling book that remains consistently engaging. Yes, there is an abundance of statistical and scientific data, but isn't supporting evidence a necessary component of a sound argument? Hallinan establishes credibility, rather than insulting the reader's intelligence, while cleverly offsetting the factual information with his conversational tone and fascinating stories.The reader is sent through a whirl-wind of unexpected feelings, ranging from disdain(perhaps, "I'm smarter than that!" in response to study findings that the facial appearance of political candidates impacted decisions of voters) to panic (upon reading about the alarming errors that occur during the shift of a sleep-deprived pilot or hospital resident?). "Why We Make Mistakes" is rich with contextual examples of seemingly unfathomable human error, which clarify theories that are shockingly validated as Hallinan seeks to navigate through various deficiencies in the fabric of our behavior, perceptions, surroundings, environments and possessions.Hallinan's perspective is beneficial and empowering. We don't need to agonize over our mindless actions or reactions that result in unfavorable consequences. We can use our awareness of the common misconceptions we have, as outlined in this book, and remain mindful of these tendancies as they apply to our daily lives. There is plenty of useful information that can be used to improve performance at work, home, in social situations, etc.We can also use our understanding of human limitations to examine the environment and external elements of dysfunctional scenarios and develop strategies and materials that eliminate the potential for human errors to occur. Resolutions are effective when we accept our limitations because we are then equipped to anticipate realistic conflicts and implement proper safeguards. It was an interesting read. Here are the cliff notes: We don't see. When we actually do read, we only skim. Our memories are biased. "Hindsight is 20/20," it is actually a bad thing. We'd rather fail by inaction than action. Drs make a zillion mistakes (always get a 2nd opinion!). Feedback is a powerful way to shape human behavior...and not all for good. Warren Buffet learns from his mistakes (ie: buying Dexter Shoe Co.) - but most people don't. We don't become more informed over time - just over confident. And, overconfidence is really, really bad. Men aren't really lost OR afraid to ask for directions, they are more exploratory than women. They will, however, get more speeding tickets than women and are 3x as likely to be killed in a car crash. Navy pilots (97%) would accept questions/challenges from junior staff but only 55% of surgeons would. "Positive thinking" can be misleading. Oh yeah, people retain more reading a 20 pg summary than the 200 pg book (so you are welcome for this review).Favorite quote: almost everyone is overconfident - except people who are depressed and they tend to be realists.So how to combat all these biases, tendencies, and traits? Think small, be humble, troubleshoot honestly, slow down, and be happy.
What do You think about Il Metodo Antierrore. Perché Guardiamo Senza Vedere, Osserviamo Senza Ricordare E Ci Facciamo Convincere Da Discorsi Privi Di Fondamento (2009)?
Interesting examination of some of the psychological principles behind human error. My two reservations are that the author sometimes seems to stop abruptly in explaining a concept and switch to a different topic. Perhaps he doesn't want to let the explanation get too involved? My other issue is that while many of the illustrating examples are entertaining, not all of them seem well-chosen to illustrate the principles he is trying to define. Often he attributes a certain action or situation to one principle that could have been influenced by many other variables. This seems like rather sloppy work to me.
—prerna
An enjoyable and informative book. This book is a discourse on the research on why we make mistakes, but it doesn't sound like a textbook. Easy to read and understand, with lots of insight into why we do many of the things we do. The chapters are filled with true stories of studies that often left me shaking my head in disbelief that people could do what they do. The insights are also useful for checking on things that affect us daily, to ensure that "the other guy" doesn't make mistakes that will affect us. I shall look for other books by this author.
—Schmuddle
Interesting, but mostly a regurgitation of other books. No real depth on Why we make mistakes.
—Benigno
