笔记
2016-04-13
2. The prediction of Dopamine
Feelings are an essential part of decision-making process. Once dopamine neurons detect subtle patterns that we would otherwise fail to notice, they assimilate all the data, come up with predictions, and translate them into emotions.
But a trusting emotion requires deliberate practice, the most effective way to get better is to focus on mistakes. In other words, you need to consciously consider the errors.
3. Fooled by a feeling
Emotions aren`t perfect. They help us predict events that are actually predictable （writer here name the issue by its name）---they can lead us to astray, especially when we are confronted with randomness.
two common mistakes:
--fictive error learning: try to find patterns and make predictions in randomness events, such as a slot machine, when there is a big difference between what actually happened and what might have happened, people experienced as regret, and is more likely to do things differently next time.
--loss aversion: there is a disease, and 600 people might be influence. When frame the solution like this: Plan A, 200 will live; Plan B, 1/3 probability 600 will be saved, 2/3 probability no one will be saved. 72%choose A. When frame the solution in other way: Plan A, 400 will die, Plan B, 1/3 probability no one will die, 2/3 probability 600 will die. Only 22% choose plan A, 78% choose plan B.
In loss frame, physicians were suddenly eager to take chances. They were so determined to avoid any option associated with loss that they were willing to risk losing everything.
4. The use of reason
Panic narrows one`s thoughts, it reduces awareness to the most essential facts.
The rational brain cannot silence emotions, but it can help figure out which ones should be followed. Using reason to control impulses.
5. Choking on Thoughts.
What the writer talks about in this chapter sounds more like "choking by too much information" instead of "choke by too much reasoning"
Working memory and rationality share a common cortical source--the prefrontal cortex--a mind trying to remember lots of information is less able to exert control over its impulses.
7. The brain is an argument
Brain cannot stand uncertainty, in order to get to conclusion, the brain often tricks itself into thinking the wrong thing. They think they are reasoning, what they really doing is inventing facts or ignoring facts so that they can rationalize decisions they`ve already made.
The writer said it`s important to know when to trust the emotional brain and when to use the rational brain. But he did not lay out the criterion in the end.
Base on the examples in this book, I think, in low cognitive complexity activities, such as play basketball, piano, we may trust the emotional brain more; in high cognitive complexity activities, such as how to be a top seller, we need to use the rational brain more.
Why do I leave only 2 stars?
The description said, "Our best decisions are a finely tuned blend of both feeling and reason and the precise mix depends on the situation. When buying a house, for example, it s best to let our unconscious mull over the many variables. But when we re picking a stock, intuition often leads us astray. The trick is to determine when to use the different parts of the brain, and to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think."
But the writer barely talks about the latter parts "when to use which" ,which is very important to reader, and most helpful for making better decision. What the writer talks about is "emotion`s role in making decision" "emotion is not perfect", "reason`s role in making decision", "reason is not perfect".
However, "when to use the different parts of the brain", this is still a good question.
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