The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others

Reads more like a collection of articles than a holistic book. I wish it was more fleshed out with additional real world examples, more chapters and commentary on the replicability crisis. It is still worth reading despite those flaws and significant overlaps with many other social science/psychology books. With nine distinct topics I expect most people will find something new here. The short length makes for a quick read and even familiar content can be useful with additional detail and framing.Explanations for Donald Trump's popularity, the anti-vaxx movement, using yourself for crowd wisdom and other interesting topics are covered. Exploration of the science behind fear as a motivator is another topic I found interesting. If any of that sounds interesting to you I recommend the book.

It's nice to have factual data to support what most intellectuals would deem common sense. The book is a very quick read though and around the 76% mark the actual book ends and the appendix starts.

I like to read and meditate. I cannot abide books that say nothing to stimulate thought. This book is very stimulating. I read it and meditated on what I was learning. There have been a number of very good books on how our minds work. Thinking, Fast and Slow, The Art of Thinking Clearly and others; this is in the top 5.

“So good! This book is so good,” I found myself muttering out loud several times while reading this. A skilled writer and a sharp thinker, neuroscientist Tali Sharot has assembled a strong work of non-fiction that fans of Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Pink, and Robert Cialdini will love. I’ve long believed that influence is a huge key for success and this book instantly deserves a place among the classic literature on the topic.

I don’t watch a lot of news. That doesn’t mean I am not informed, I just get my news from other forms. I don’t watch news of television because most of the time I only see a lot of debating. Now there is nothing specifically wrong with debating, in fact I believe when I debate a topic I learn more about that topic. However, here is one thing you never see at the end of a debate: someone changing their mind or someone telling their opponent they are right.Why?The simple answer: it takes a lot for us to change our mind. Now that doesn’t me we are not gullible or easily fooled or manipulated. That actually happens all the time, but takes a handful of factors to influence our brains.For example, if you have a strong conviction on gun control (or the lack thereof), there is no journal article or set of data I can give you the will convince you otherwise. There is just more to us humans that cold facts. We are controlled by our prior beliefs, emotions, incentives, independence, curiosity, well-being and others.I like to think of myself as a rational, education man, but when time and time again I give way to superstitions, habits, and internet ads; not because I am weak, but because I am human.The Influential Mind covers all these aspects of influence. This is not the best book concerning this concept, but it is still pretty good. I picked this book up after hearing the author speak on a few podcasts. If you have read other books concerning choice or human influential behavior, then you probably have heard of this book already.

I enjoyed the book and the level at which it was written. I am always grateful when highly accomplished professionals can translate arcane concepts in their fields into words to which non-experts can relate.I do wish the author would add more to the summary at the end to bring the concepts in better focus.Otherwise a good read.

Conceptually, provides great insight and the premises are supported by statistically significant science. This book had such an impact that I myself referenced it in one of my own presentations! The first half is very compelling though it does lose a bit of steam in the second half. Does a good job of using specific examples to apply the concepts that are developed ( which may alienate readers already suffering from "confirmation bias"!) but application of using those concepts to apply proactively in one's own life situation and experience is not quite as gratifying.

This was an enjoyable read. Although it was science based it was written for a lay person and the author explained things without talking down to the reader. There are scientific studies to back up her statements which I found to be interesting. I especially liked the highest rated least likely outcome being a good predictor of the correct answers.

A lightly written popular psychology version of the author’s academic studies. Fascinating insight but not exactly the ‘how to influence’ that the book seemed to promise. Enjoyed Though.

Very well written and provides insights. It is a bit light, but I prefer this to dense materials for such a complex subject.

I found the book very interesting in that it has helped in the way we engage with people. This is particularly important when I conduct visitors on an art tour. The section on the effect of actions with babies etc, I did not find quite so intersting.

Very good book

Brilliantly written. Really insightful.