Intuition: its powers and perils

337 Pages·2004·1.715 MB·English

by  Myers, David G

‘‘Entertaining, intelligent, and easy to read, Myers’s book offers
an abundance of research findings dealing with what is more
aptly called the ‘nonconscious’ mind.’’—Choice
‘‘Myers not only succeeds in engaging laypersons and experts
alike, but also communicates complex subjects with great
facility and effectiveness. . . . This is a highly entertaining,
exceedingly well-written book, which, to the novice, represents
a powerful introduction into the scientific study of intuition,
and to the scientist serves as inspiration to see connections
between seemingly disparate phenomena that are kept neatly
apart in the daily business of cognitive science.’’—Markus
Kemmelmeier, Human Nature Review
‘‘This is a superb book—informative, absorbing, insightful—and
I highly recommend it. While full of results based on scientific
research, it is nevertheless faith friendly. Its information will
enable the reader to better grasp reality and move in the
direction of much needed empirical intuition.’’—Richard Ruble,
Perspectives on Science & Christian Faith
‘‘This is a great book. It made me more aware of both the
awesome capacities of the human mind and the caveats for
analytical thinking.’’—Don Clifton, chairman, Gallup
International Research and Education Center, past chairman,
The Gallup Organization, and coauthor, Now Discover Your
Strengths
‘‘Intuition is hot. But often it is perilously wrong. David Myers
marshals classic and contemporary cognitive science and
masterfully shows us why.’’—Elizabeth Loftus, past president,
American Psychological Society

Intuition
Intu
ition
Its Powers and Perils
David G. Myers
Yale Nota Bene
yale university press
New Haven & London
First Published as a Yale Nota Bene book in Proffitt, ‘‘The Price of Expertise:
2004. Effects of Experience on the Water-
First published by Yale University Press in Level Task,’’ Psychological Science 6
2002. (1995): 90–95. Used with
permission.
Copyright ∫ 2002 by the David and Carol p. 136: Checkboard illustration
Myers Foundation. courtesy Ruma Falk, Hebrew
University, Jerusalem.
All rights reserved.
p. 221: Table courtesy Chance
This book may not be reproduced, in whole
Team, Dartmouth College, from
or in part, including illustrations, in any form
‘‘Using Lotteries in Teaching a
(beyond that copying permitted by Sections
Chance Course,’’ August 1, 1998.
107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and
except by reviewers for the public press),
Printed in the United States of
without written permission from the
America.
publishers.
Library of Congress Control
For information about this and other Yale
Number: 2004102363
University Press publications, please contact:
isbn 0-300-10303-4 (pbk.)
U.S. office [email protected]
Europe office [email protected]
A catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library.
pp. 6, 24, 139: Illustrations from David G.
Myers, Psychology, 6th ed. (New York: Worth,
2001). Used with permission. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
p. 7: Illustration courtesy Al Seckel
(IllusionWorks.com), from The Art of Optical
Illusions (London: Carlton, 2000).
p. 53: Illustration courtesy Pawel Lewicki.
pp. 104–108: BB and airplane exercises from
Michael McCloskey, ‘‘Naive Theories of
Motion,’’ in D. Gentner and A. L. Stevens
(eds.), Mental Model (Hillsdale, N.J.:
Erlbaum, 1983). Used with permission.
Water-level exercise from H. Hecht and D. R.
The heart has its reasons which reason does not know.
—Pascal, Pensées, 1670
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.
—Proverbs 28:26

Contents
Acknowledgments, ix
Introduction, 1
part i. the powers of intuition
1 Thinking Without Awareness, 15
2 Social Intuition, 31
3 Intuitive Expertise and Creativity, 51
part ii. the perils of intuition
4 Intuitions About Our Past and Future, 67
5 Intuitions About Our Competence and Virtue, 87
6 Intuitions About Reality, 104
part iii. practical intuition
7 Sports Intuition, 133
8 Investment Intuition, 152
9 Clinical Intuition, 172
10 Interviewer Intuition, 187
11 Risk Intuition, 198
12 Gamblers’ Intuition, 213
13 Psychic Intuition, 226
Epilogue, 247
Notes, 251
Index, 309