The Intelligence Trap: Revolutionise your Thinking and Make Wiser Decisions

by David Robson, Simon Slater (Narrator)

'Essential reading for anyone who wants to think more clearly' ROLF DOBELLI
'Ceaselessly fascinating and brilliantly written' WILL STORR
'A startling, provocative and potently useful book' SUNDAY TIMES

A toolkit to help smart people overcome their blind spots and maximise their potential, from the author of The Expectation Effect.

We assume that smarter people are less prone to error. But education and expertise can sometimes make our mistakes worse and our blind spots bigger. Why did genius Steve Jobs make errors of judgement? Why do doctors misdiagnose 10-15% of their patients? Why do Nobel Prize winners spread fake news? This is the intelligence trap.

Drawing on the latest behavioural science and great brains from Socrates to Benjamin Franklin, David Robson demonstrates how to apply our intelligence more wisely. He shows us how we can identify bias, read and regulate our emotions, fine-tune our intuition, navigate ambiguity and uncertainty and think more flexibly.

Whether you are a NASA scientist or a school student, The Intelligence Trap offers a new toolkit to realise your full potential.

2019 David Robson (P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Audible Audio

Published March 7, 2019

Reviews

[Salma Aisyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buku ini tuh bilang kalau kemampuan berpikir itu secara umum dibagi 3, yaitu kemampuan berpikir secara analitis, secara kreatif, dan secara praktis. Nah kalau cuma analitis aja itu kebanyakan ended up as scientists (book smart), kalau bisa secara kreatif dan praktis itu malah yang bisa kita survive dan thrive dalam kehidupan (street smart or life smart).

Di sini dijelaskan juga kalau latar belakang budaya dan tempat itu memengaruhi bagaimana kita berpikir dan merasa. Makanya, orang-orang dengan latar WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, and Democratic) itu lebih self centered dibanding sama Asia Timur.

Terus untuk bisa berpikir secara bijak dan menyeluruh, kita jangan men-deny perasaan and gut feelings kita. Justru perasaan kita tu sebuah data yang harus dideferensiasi supaya bisa diregulasi dengan tepat. Kita bisa merespons dengan baik. Ga cuma reaktif atau malah menekan/mematikan perasaan itu.

[Nendra Yelena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woow! What I loved most about this book is how it blends psychology, neuroscience, and real-world examples to show that being “smart” isn’t always the same as being wise. Robson challenges the traditional idea of intelligence as purely IQ or raw brainpower, and instead makes a compelling case for the importance of rational thinking, humility, emotional regulation, and open-mindedness. I found his examples—from scientists who made catastrophic errors to everyday biases we all fall prey to—both surprising and relatable.