So you've read The Undoing Project now. In 100 words or less, identify the part of the book that is most likely to stick with you the longest.
What's your take away?
Don't answer this question until you've finished reading the entire book.
One of the things that will stick with me the most is prominent throughout the entire book and that is people use their emotions to make decisions much more than their logic. It has made me think about the decisions that I make as a person and think about the that I have made in the past and how many of those decisions were illogical but made sense in the moment due to emotion. Often I will still hear my emotions but I have also started to try to use logic to judge situations and guide the decisions I make.
The thing about the book that stuck out to me the most was just how complex and at the same time how simple we can be when it comes to how we think. Hearing how these two men thought about how we worked was very entertaining and had me feeling like a psychology expert too. It's kept me thinking long after I stop reading and I feel like I am more open to exploring my own mind and way of thinking.
One of the things that stuck with me the most was how little everyone knows about decision making. Also, the unlikely relationship between Amos and Danny was very entertaining and insightful. Both the studies they conducted, and their relationship changed my views of our world. For example, many people make decisions without a true understanding of how they do. Amos and Danny's relationship changed how I view interactions and relationships between people. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and all the ideas that it offers. Hopefully, I can make more informed decisions with all the ideas that this book has presented to me.
I especially enjoyed Chapter 5 and how even some of the greatest statisticians in the country failed a seemingly simple statistics question. Seeing how emotions, biases, and memories can strongly influence decision-making is also mind-opening. I knew that there could be some influence, but the sheer magnitude they hold is astonishing to me. The book has made me take a step back and reevaluate some of my decisions and beliefs, and hopefully, I will think twice about my future decisions.
A takeaway for me was that the differences between Amos and Danny didn’t ruin their friendship, but it helped grow and expand their minds and those who read their work. We all grow up differently and the things we experience shape us and our beliefs, but that doesn’t limit the friendships we can have. Amos and Danny were polar opposites and didn’t always agree, but even in their biggest arguments, they always forgave moved on. I think that is an important lesson that the world needs to hold on to right now. Our differences don’t separate us, but they help us grow and learn. -Emily Ford
I think the part that sticks with me the most is the part about guilt and how despiste the feeling of guilt harboring about decisions, some people make insensible decisions anyways. Like the marriage and drunk driver examples written in the book. Also, with the doctor example, despite signs towards a less obvious choice in treatment, they still chose to go with what they’re trained to see. Another example was when the sergeant enforced that his soldiers continue to attack despite the fact that they had no need to. Despite the high statistics and the obvious consequences of an action, people tend to ignore the obvious. While that shouldn’t be too surprising, it still baffles me that even when all the signs are there, people will do everything in their power to ignore it. Here’s one statement that stuck with me “quite likely that the fate of entire societies may be sealed by a series of avoidable mistakes committed by their leaders.” This is true for our society today. Notwithstanding the need for mandatory facemasks, more testing centers, and more supplies for hospitals, our leadership chooses to stay neutral in their decisions. Delanie Seals
My biggest takeaway from the book was how two men’s ideas about the inner workings of the mind had such a profound effect on so many areas of life. Their discoveries not only changed the field of psychology, but numerous other fields, including economics, statistics, education, medicine, and the military. (My favorite example was the undoing of the idea that all people think like statisticians, which affected psychology, economics, and statistics.) The influence of their work gave me a greater appreciation of the importance of every profession in our society and the diversity of intellect and experience each one brings.
The takeaway for me was how illogical the human mind is. Danny and Amos's study of regret and how it affects decision making really resonated with me. I find myself anticipating regret in a lot of decisions I am faced with. Reading about this study made me come face-to-face with how my mind can sometimes hold me back. Regret is a really powerful emotion and it was almost comforting knowing that this is a process that everybody goes through.
The part from the Undoing Project that stuck with me the most was chapter twelve. In this chapter, Danny and Amos are not as close as they used to be and Amos receives many awards and articles praising him for his work, but Danny is not included. Instead of taking all the credit and just accepting his prizes, Amos makes sure to make the point that “This work has been done in collaboration with my long-time friend...so I should not be singled out.” (314) The fact that Amos stood up for Danny shows he truly values their friendship.
I also thoroughly enjoyed this section because I feared that this was going to end their friendship right then and there. I'm glad that you pointed out that Amos cares about their relationship just as much as Danny does. I feel that this was also demonstrated in the Bora- Bora section when Amos tells Danny that "you will just have to trust in the model of me that is in your mind" when Danny says that he does not trust himself to write something under Amos’ name. I think that Amos was trying to convey that he himself has this romanticized version of Danny in his mind and he knew that Danny would also have that type of view of Amos. If you have any other thoughts on their friendship or interactions I would love to hear them.
The part of the book that stood out to me is in chapter 8 where “evidence-based medicine” was brought up. As someone who plans to go into the medical field, the data showing that doctors “rarely check themselves” (222), and this often leads patients not to receive the proper treatment. It seems most doctors make simple mistakes when treating and diagnosing patients, which are rarely brought to attention. It really made me think about the people who are supposed to take care of us can easily make one wrong decision that can lead to death and there is no accountability.
On page 261, when talking about decision theory, Danny says that "It is the anticipation of regret" that affects people's decisions. This really stuck out to me, so much that I folded to corner of the page so I would be able to go back and find it! The author says that when making decisions "People did not seek to maximize utility. They sought to minimize regret." I thought about this for a long time, and wondered how our lives would potentially change if we made more decisions where we focused on the potential gain over the potential regret.
My takeaway from the book is that you can never really trust your own mind. There are so many factors that can affect a person's decision that you never know if or when they'll cloud your judgement and when it does, a lot of the time we aren't prepared to suffer the consequences such as regret and guilt. So I sometimes wonder what would happen if we lived without regret and what the world would be like if we held ourselves accountable.
Ever since the first few chapters, I have noticed that I have now started second guessing myself a lot and why I do some things and why I don't do other things. This is really cool for me because I was raised to not question why we do things. I am glad that I am thinking for myself and able to come up with my own opinions on things, a lot of people don't do that for themselves until they are a lot older.
I think the biggest impact the story had on me was how most Americans are blind to everything outside of the country. When they had moved back to the middle east after being in America, you could see how the wife was amazed at how different everything was and the constant fight they were in, but she accepted and adapted. And that rarely happens, I have been overseas on mission trips and it is a blessing because I get to see the world and experience other cultures, but it is hard to share that desire when there aren't many who care about what happens outside the borders.
Early into the book I noticed a line that stuck out to me significantly. On page 115, Lewis writes “If you want to weaken a stereotype, eliminate the classification.” This line truly set the tone for the message of what the Undoing Project means. Although simple in text, these words hold a very powerful meaning in the sense of how we view things as a society. Eliminating the classifications can guide us to find common ground among anything, including our fellow man. Rachel Wallis
I think the way people’s minds rationalize decisions is amazing. Our minds trick themselves into thinking this is the logical answer when sometimes it’s irrational and emotionally driven. It was really interesting to read the chapter about fear and guilt and come to a self-realization of how true it was. The fear about making the wrong decisions and then the regret and wondering what would’ve happened if you chose a different course. I think this book does an incredible job of making you think about the decisions you’ve made and why you’ve made them. Furthermore, it guides you to think more deeply about future decisions you might make. —Kimber Farris
One thing that really stuck out to me is how quickly Khaneman and Tversky moved on from their theory on regret to the Risk-Value Theory. They “did not so much as pause to mourn the loss of a theory they’d spent more than a year working on” (270). That is just unimaginable for me. I think it is a really good example that sometimes we just need to let go, even if it is something we’ve had for a long time. Similarly to the endowment effect, just because we already have something doesn’t make it more valuable than something else.
While I will most likely forget the specifics of the theories described in this book, I know that the interactions between Danny and Amos will stick with me for many years to come. One instance of this is on page 338 where Amos tells Danny that their relationship could not be ended by mortal means. Whether they were yelling, joking, or reassuring there was always something so vulnerable and sincere about the conversations between them. In all honesty their friendship was the only reason I was able to finish the book.
I understand one of the major takeaways from the book is how people do not always base their decisions on logic. However, one of the main takeaways for me are the words of Dr. Kahneman, on page 82, when he said “When someone says something, don’t ask yourself if it is true. Ask what it might be true of.” His words made me realize that even if someone says something that may not be accurate, there is always something to learn from the conversation or experience.
My biggest takeaway from this book was just how easily manipulated the human mind is. Given even slightly alter information completely changes the way we think about things. I was really intrigued when they were doing the test with the college kids and asking them to pick which major people were going into based off a tiny bit of information given to them and or how you can say certain words and trick the brain into focusing on them and to skip over other important parts. And why we as humans are so prone to prejudice and inferred opinions about others.
The part of the book that will stick with me the most is the portion in chapter 6 that discusses how radiologists unconsciously allow their emotions and feelings to interfere with their diagnosis. They were able to find that with a formula for finding the tumors they were more successful than the radiologists who were sticking to their gut. This is why I believe in following facts, not instinct. -Reese Siegle
Most likely, I’ll remember the portion about confirmation bias for a while. After all, it’s good to recognize where you have confirmation bias, instead of forming the theory around all the different evidence available. It’s especially important to remember it now, as there’s so many people spreading false information without doing the slightest bit of research. Just remembering to check facts often on different things shown on social media could change your view of the world.
The part of the book that I will remember the most is the part talking about how we act out of anticipation of regret. We worry about saying or doing the wrong thing and the consequences of our actions.
Being embarrassed and uncomfortable is a choice. It is a conscious decision that we make every day. I personally struggle with this. When I decide to let my fear of embarrassment overcome what I wanted to do in the first place. I want to meet new people but I fear embarrassing myself. However, when I do leave my comfort zone and choose not to be embarrassed, I find myself being happier with the results. I never really thought about my fear of embarrassment before this, but now that I am aware, I find myself making the decision to be unafraid.
On page 163 Danny said, “… I would have confessed that I am only a recently reformed idiot.” I love this statement, as it speaks to the fallibility of the human mind in drawing conclusions and learning. While the entire book speaks to the same topic, this one quote stuck with me. I can think of many times that I was “a recently reformed idiot”. We are all guilty of drawing conclusions from inadequate or inaccurate information. We can always reform our ignorance or idiocy if we continuously strive to learn.
The Undoing Project’s biggest impact on me was about psychology in general because it’s not something i’ve studied yet, but one thing I plan on taking with me is the way that people make their decisions. Whether based off of emotion as we normally do, or based on logic. It really made me stop and think about how I make my own decisions and how I need to become more logical in my daily life rather than doing everything just based on how I feel. The guilt/fear that comes with making emotional decisions in the moment, rather than taking the time to think them, can really alter one’s mentality and overall happiness. -amelia holtzman
The biggest takeaway for me was just how poorly the human mind makes decisions sometimes. It tends to make very irrational decisions based off of very little evidence and be satisfied with those decisions. It is only when you question those standards and think differently that you can make the best possible decision.
The biggest take away from the book is the relationship between Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. They worked so well although being so different. I loved the thoughts and the way that they made it seem okay to not agree completely with one another. Relationships are just so interesting to me, the way people are drawn together and create life-long connections is beautiful. This book will always have the impact of friendship. I want to have at least one platonic relationship, just like Daniel and Amos.
The part of the book that stuck out to me the most is the "halo effect." From the moment I started reading about how humans tend to overvalue items they own, or supervisors tend to overvalue their own employees over other possible replacements, I could not stop applying it to my own life. In the past I have overvalued items I have own, my favorite athletes, even the advice of people I care for a lot. I'm now going to do better at taking a step back and trying to take my own personal bias out of more outcomes.
Since I would classify myself as a chronic over-thinker, I was excited to read a book that centered around the ideas of the decision-making process. The insights that were provided throughout the duration of this book were very eye-opening for me. I found myself looking at the way I made decisions in a different light after I finished the book. Another thing I found fascinating about the book was the way that Amos and Danny had such a successful relationship even though they were two completely different people.
I think the biggest takeaway for me was how bias can affect statistics even when the person creating the statistics is blatantly trying to be unbiased. It shows how bias can work itself into everyday life without being aware. For me numbers typically signify factual evidence and is concrete. Although the opposite is true when a human is involved in the conjuring of the statistics. Being human gives something so certain and so factual a deeper level of deceiving the actual meaning behind the work and research. Bias is everywhere and is impossible to extinguish.
My biggest takeaway from this book was how different both psychologists were, and still be able to grow together, learn together, and accomplish so much without constantly tearing each other down. Generally, when people are so different like that, a friendship wouldn’t work because they’d always be at each other's throats so reading about them was really, really nice. Overall, I enjoyed the book. - Parker Milligan
From beginning to end, I feel as if this book was a gold mine. I took much from this book, but chapter one was quite possibly one of the most insightful chapters I have ever read. Overall, I believe that it demonstrated that equations and models are only as good as the minds that construct them. As long as we have a say in the process or a hand in the system, no statistical model will ever be able to completely remove the risk of human error from the results.
I believe that the part of the book that will stick with me the longest is chapters nine and ten. In these chapters, Dr.Kahneman and Dr.Tversky talked about how you can manipulate the reader into viewing certain scenarios differently just by changing the wording of the posed question. This idea is interesting because it shows just how easy it is to fool someone into believing two ideas are different when they aren’t or two ideas are identical when they aren’t. I believe that this may be one of the reasons why people are so vulnerable to prejudice and biases against others.
The thing that will stick with me the most actually happened within the first few chapters. It was the fact that professional recruiters would rather listen to their gut than to statistics. The reason this stuck out to me was that people would rather think with emotion than logic. This does not make much sense to me especially that these people are professional recruiter and you would think if there was a better way to recruit players that they would adapt and use this to their advantage. -Riley Knickmeyer
There are two things I found interesting. One was how people think when they wish things had gone differently. It was surprising to me that there were limit in the human mind on paths taken. I also liked Amos' view of how being a pessimist leads you to experiencing bad things twice.
I think the thing I found most interesting in the book is how often we use our emotions to make decisions. Looking back after reading I realized I have made a lot of decisions off of emotions rather than a logical thought process. This is something I never would have realized if I didn't read this book. Our decisions can constantly change about the same thing based on our emotions that day. I also realized how often bias is used in the world around us.
The main point/story that stood out to me in the book really made me consider how we humans judge, perceive and think about things is the story of the jewish boy named Danny. A main point in the book is based off of gut feelings and whether they are reliable. The story of Danny really stood out to me in this context because he was able to attend school (granted he didn't talk or associate much) and nobody knew. This is because they had no gut feeling that he was a jew because they had no factual information that would say otherwise. Therefore, this part of the book really changed how I feel about "gut-feelings" and definitely shaped my feelings toward the rest of the studies in the book.
The portion of the book that is most likely to remain with me in life is the idea that people often distort factual evidence and data to fit into their preconceived biases. Knowing this, I have been able to identify many times in my life that I would ignore clear facts because of my unwillingness to let down my previous beliefs.
The part of The Undoing Project that gave me the biggest takeaway is the fact that we get little tidbits of wisdom from watching the story of Amos and Danny. Such as, Amos not caring what people might think of his actions, he simply did what made him happy with the time he had. Another one that sticks out to me is when Amos says, "[i]t is the anticipation of regret that affects decisions," (261). These may seem like no-brainers, but in reality, I do let them affect me more than I should. -Adeline Daniel
What peaked my interest and still holds thinking in my mind is how easily we make decisions without really knowing why. Digging deeper into the human mind and things like biases have always been of interest to me and this book definitely kept my attention and got myself thinking. When you truly sit down and think of decisions you make easily, you think of what’s been so drilled into our minds that it turns into reflex.
The human mind is intricate and works much harder than we notice. People are compelled by their emotions. For example, a commercial or ad uses your favorite famous person as a sponsor. You are more likely to try the product because it is easy to believe and trust what they say. Personally, this idea stuck with me because I have been guilty of letting my emotions make decisions for me instead of the mind. “The eye was often deceived, systematically. So was the ear” (147).
The main thing that stuck with me is the fact that all of the test they did showed that people used there feelings more than their knowledge. They would usually get the wrong answer even though they should have been able to get the right one. It has made me realize that thinking before acting is way more needed than I originally thought, and that you can't let emotions take control of you.
One of the things that really stuck out to me was a quote by Amos Tversky “When you are a pessimist and the bad thing happens, you live it twice” (155). As someone who is a pessimist and an overthinker this quote made me consider all the extra stress and worrying I’ve caused myself over the years. The “Undoing Project” also taught me that the human thought processes and reasoning is often deficient and irrational. In general we continue to make the same repeated errors and mistakes and our predictions and decisions are often based on flawed decision making, even when statistical or other evidence suggest making a different choice.
What will stick with me by far the longest is how surprisingly complex decision making is. The section that impacted me the most emotionally was page 288 of chapter ten where Danny writes Amos a love letter. The connection between Amos and Danny is not one I would traditionally imagine developing between two collaborating scientists but it was really moving. Before reading this book I assumed that of course, decision making has some complexities, but I’m consciously making the decisions. This book has helped me to realize I need to expand my thinking when it comes to seemingly simple or straightforward subjects.
The part of the book that stuck out the most to me was a doctor’s thinking process and how they came about a diagnosis. I found myself relating back to a question from our reading last year about if people trust medical professionals, or highly educated people, too much. The evidence of the study showed that all the doctors contradicted themselves. This is very interesting to think about. If this is the case, why are we so trusting in what they have to say? Should we strive to get more feedback from other doctors?
On page 216, there is a quote from Redelmeier warning doctors to not instantly think of the first disease that pops into your head as the diagnosis for the patient. My dream is to become a pediatrician, and a good one at that. This entire book, in a way, taught me how to make wiser decisions and to check myself even if I think I have the best answer. Thanks to the research of Kahneman and Tversky, I now know how to question my beliefs and knowledge in order to get the best answer.
The main takeaway I have from reading The Undoing Project is to keep your emotions at arm’s length while making decisions. It happens all too often that each of us allow our emotions to blur our mind and in turn, it makes us illogical. Sometimes it would even be best if we would choose to come back to deciding on a subject after we take time to let our emotions subside. There is nothing wrong with being passionate about a topic of conversation, but we cannot let the way we initially feel effect how we handle the conversation.
I didn’t really like this book, to be honest. I understand it’s appeal to others, it’s just not a book I would ever reach for. I did like thinking of how often I let my emotions intrude on choices that do not seem to be based on emotions. While reading The Undoing Project, I’ve found myself doing everyday tasks and thinking what emotions I let bring me to said task. It’s an interesting thought that will probably continue to play in my mind throughout this semester and/or year.
Personally, the part of the entire book that stuck with me the most was the friendship between Daniel and Amos, two very different men. The pair were so close and worked on so much together, they sometimes could not tell who wrote more in papers, and therefore alternated the order of their names. There was also a part in the book that I loved, where Amos received accolades and awards for his work and Daniel was not included. Instead of being selfish, Amos actually said that the work was actually worked on with Daniel and he should not receive all the credit. To me, that showed just how much Amos cherished their special friendship.
My takeaway is how we as human can never fully shut out emotions during decision making, and how we use formulas without truly knowing them. Our brains are wired for amazing tasks and we tend to ignore that. But this book is all about figuring out the mind, or at least that is what I think. I keep thinking about how the two men loved to learn more and more and never wanted to stop learning. We tend to think we will stop learning at some point. But throughout life we will just change our learning environments. Morgan Anderson
Some of this book elaborated on ideas that I have already been introduced to with deeper context and...well...bigger words. What I will remember most are the times that I knew of a concept, but didn’t bother looking into it. A majority of this book is about projects that Amos and Danny wouldn’t have taken up had they not looked further into what they already knew. Without questioning what was currently stated as the process behind decision making, Danny and Amos might not have continued working together, and Danny might not have been nominated for a Nobel Prize.
I keep reviewing the topic of pairs, which is discussed heavily in Chapter 11 of the book. Our world operates in duos. In fact, when I thought about it more, I realized that society tends to section itself off into partnerships. I found it crazy that often pairs become so close that they lose sight of who did what and who gets credit for what thing. In some ways, I think that is a really positive thing-- that people can become so close that they no longer see differences between them even when they lead separate lives elsewhere.
I absolutely loved the portions of the books that go into the different papers and studies Amos and Kahneman either were a part of or ridiculed. I had never really liked the Idea of psychology, or perhaps my perception of it, But the way these two went about their psychology, trying to understand the errors of the mind was most interesting. I think most of all I have come to appreciate the work put into academic papers. I once thought of them as a bore, but now I find myself Curious to read more of them. Though some of the topics or phenomena may seem silly< I now see the value. Knowledge for the sake of understanding. -Elijah Woodward.
The thing about the Undoing Project that will stick with me is how different Tversky and Kahneman were in their approach to psychological theories, and even life. Danny and Amos were different in almost every way, but they bonded and grew mentally together. They achieved great things together! They had their ups and their downs. They connected and used their differences to their advantage. Working together, compromising, and accepting differences is crucial in an effective partnership.
I think what will stick with me the most is how intricate and delicate the human mind and the relationships we maintain are. Take Danny and Amos’s partnership for example. It worked because of their differences, but many times it’s people's differences that drive them apart. But there was emotion involved because there always is. Emotion draws us together and tears us apart, but it’s vital to the inner workings of our relations and minds. It was the look into Danny and Amos’s partnership that fascinated me the most because it showcases minds that were great separately, but brilliant together.
I feel as though the part that will stick with me the most is the tendency of people to forget that with high-highs and low-lows come the average days. “Man’s inability to see the power of regression to the mean leaves him blind to the nature of the world around him.” I think that quote will stay in my mind for a long while. It helps me feel better about my 'boring' days and appreciate them a little bit more.
The part that I think will stick with me the most was probably in the beginning of the book when it’s talking about Danny’s childhood and all the war he has been around. I think that part of the book talked the least about psychology but maybe that’s why it stuck in my head. It was like seeing lavender in a field of roses.I feel like he was robbed of his youth. My take away is that humans can never really be too certain about their own thoughts and opinions because of our inherent bias and cognitive reflexes.
I believe that with the Undoing Project the biggest takeaway for me is how extremely fascinating and complex we as people are. We do many things on instinct alone. We let our feelings guide us. We let the things around us influence how we thinks. We trust the things we are told to trust the more we are around it. We are biased but that bias stems from what we are around, how we are raised, and our overall emotions on the subject. It's like a look into the human psyche, trying to figure out why we do what we do, and what makes us tick.
The Undoing Project was a better read than I initially thought it was going to be. The overall theme that really stuck out to me throughout the book was that we can never really trust what we think, see, or do not see. Our instincts are biased for every facet of our lives no matter how hard we try to prevent it. My take away from this is to always dig deeper and continue to do so until I am sure about what I believe is right or wrong.
The most prominent thing to me in this entire book in think was truly embodied in pages 166-167. Here it is talking about how different psychological factors can be used in influencing the people’s decisions. On page 196 it discusses how the owner of New York Port Authority wanted to charger higher rent to tenants who lived higher up due to the fact that abuilding didn’t sway or at least seemed like it didn’t. This idea really made me analyze how I look at decisions in my life. Are there things that I purchase or do that are products of me being psychologically influenced by someone else. This was a very positive change in my life because sometimes I don’t think before I purchase or act so I see this being very beneficial in my future.
“The part of this book that will stick with me the longest is undoubtedly seeing how people make decisions. From Tversky to the people who decide the draft pick, everyone is trying to meet some invisible set of criteria that only they can fully understand. This, to everyone else, may look like they’re choosing out of emotion instead of logic. When reading, I really tried to put myself in these people’s places and understand what their thought processes were as they made choices that would affect their lives.”
My takeaway addresses the book as a whole. I know that humans are creatures of habit, but it is remarkable how accurate their findings are even all this time later. The questions this raised caused a lot of self-reflection, and I hope that I can improve my own interpersonal skills as a result. - Darian Shaw
The fact that Danny Kahneman talks about how the mind works in so many different ways really gets my mind thinking. The way he ties the way the human brain naturally groups things instead of seeing them as separate, individual objects. In the book, he mentions that if you look into the sky, you are subconsciously putting them into groups in relation to where they are located. This book has definitely opened my perspective on the subconscious mind, and I will definitely be doing some more research about it!
One of the many things that I took from The Undoing Project was the power of friendship throughout the book. They did not let anything ruin their friendship. They grew through everything they went through. -Anna Herd
The part of the book that will stick with me is the fact that we are unable to make totally unbiased and logical decisions. There will always be some kind of factor that alters our ultimate decision, whether it be regret or some other bias. Emotions can totally overpower logic in certain situations and it was interesting to see the two polar opposites interact and work with each other studying how we all make our decisions. -Mindy Corbin
There were 2 aspects of this book I would recognize mostly. The description of the interestingly rigorous backgrounds of the characters and how they came together to intertwine with one another. The second being the recognition and explanation of the "gut feeling" in statistics. I feel like this will help me in future problems in statistics and programming. An honorable mention would be the beginning of the book because I'm an NBA fan. -Toby Pyle
My biggest take away is to try and think more logically than with my heart. I do that all the time with most things as I'm sure others do too. It has made me want to make a genuine effort to be better at decision making. I have lots of regrets because of decisions I've made and it's so much easier to see how illogically I was thinking after the fact. So, I will be making a constant effort to try and step back from situations and put aside my feelings to see the bigger picture and hopefully make better decisions.
My largest take away from the book was that almost ever human interaction, creation, entertainment piece, opinion, and action is based on some form of perception. It really seemed like there was a heavy concept of personal perception bias laced through out the book, even in the first chapter. For instance, the whole reason Morey's system became so popular is because it was completely contrary to what everyone was thinking at the time. It was quite literally based off of finding the flaws in the perception of the current system and using that to it's advantage. I think this is definitely a great chapter that sets the tone for the rest of the book.
The thing that will stick to me for all my life is the truth to life is not normal for others which Michael Lewis has offered us. In this, he attempts the stunt of clarifying disarray by exhibiting disarray, yet close to the furthest limit of this work we acknowledge again Lewis' particular lucidity and all around created feeling of incongruity as he tends to a weighty coordinated effort throughout the entire existence of thoughts. Lewis accomplished something different he'd not done before. Before the end of the book, I was wondering that what Lewis was attempting to pass on: why people do what we do. Daniel Kahneman is an analyst who won the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economics. What is surprising about that announcement is likewise what is noteworthy about Lewis' endeavor to clarify it. Lewis caused us to feel the mayhem and the improbability of such a triumph, for this situation, of ever finding that one individual who supplements another so consummately that the two truly prod each other to more prominent achievement. From an immense range of potential decisions, openings, and bearings come two therapists, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, who together indicate more than the aggregate of their parts. One thing turned out to be clear about the momentous work done by Kahneman and Tversky: regardless of the interest, drive, and heathen ability each had, their snapshots of most prominent hybrid pertinence came because of the contribution of the other. This could drive the conversation into an assessment of the significance of sets in innovativeness, yet Lewis opposes that string to follow what he calls a "romantic tale" as far as possible, to the separation of the two men. Once the nearest of companions and partners, the purpose behind their separation is at any rate as educational as whatever else Lewis could have decided to concentrate on, and it makes an interesting story, explained with strong mentality.
Although I did not enjoy this book very much, there is a lot to take away from the reading experience. For example, most do not consider the level of emotional bias that influences the world around us. The Undoing Project sheds light on those issues and is a thought-provoking literary piece. In a way, it makes humans seem even more human, to me, in the sense that not many people put too terribly much thought into their decision making, with some even choosing to ignore the obvious outcomes or potential consequences of their decisions. Above all, this book has opened my mind to the power that comes with decision making and how most who have the power to make the decision typically are uninfluenced by fact but instead their internalized bias. Final word to describe this piece: interesting.
So you've read The Undoing Project now. In 100 words or less, identify the part of the book that is most likely to stick with you the longest.
What's your take away?
Don't answer this question until you've finished reading the entire book.
One of the things that will stick with me the most is prominent throughout the entire book and that is people use their emotions to make decisions much more than their logic. It has made me think about the decisions that I make as a person and think about the that I have made in the past and how many of those decisions were illogical but made sense in the moment due to emotion. Often I will still hear my emotions but I have also started to try to use logic to judge situations and guide the decisions I make.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about the book that stuck out to me the most was just how complex and at the same time how simple we can be when it comes to how we think. Hearing how these two men thought about how we worked was very entertaining and had me feeling like a psychology expert too. It's kept me thinking long after I stop reading and I feel like I am more open to exploring my own mind and way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that stuck with me the most was how little everyone knows about decision making. Also, the unlikely relationship between Amos and Danny was very entertaining and insightful. Both the studies they conducted, and their relationship changed my views of our world. For example, many people make decisions without a true understanding of how they do. Amos and Danny's relationship changed how I view interactions and relationships between people. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and all the ideas that it offers. Hopefully, I can make more informed decisions with all the ideas that this book has presented to me.
ReplyDelete- Megan Lewis
DeleteI especially enjoyed Chapter 5 and how even some of the greatest statisticians in the country failed a seemingly simple statistics question. Seeing how emotions, biases, and memories can strongly influence decision-making is also mind-opening. I knew that there could be some influence, but the sheer magnitude they hold is astonishing to me. The book has made me take a step back and reevaluate some of my decisions and beliefs, and hopefully, I will think twice about my future decisions.
ReplyDeleteA takeaway for me was that the differences between Amos and Danny didn’t ruin their friendship, but it helped grow and expand their minds and those who read their work. We all grow up differently and the things we experience shape us and our beliefs, but that doesn’t limit the friendships we can have. Amos and Danny were polar opposites and didn’t always agree, but even in their biggest arguments, they always forgave moved on. I think that is an important lesson that the world needs to hold on to right now. Our differences don’t separate us, but they help us grow and learn.
ReplyDelete-Emily Ford
I think the part that sticks with me the most is the part about guilt and how despiste the feeling of guilt harboring about decisions, some people make insensible decisions anyways. Like the marriage and drunk driver examples written in the book. Also, with the doctor example, despite signs towards a less obvious choice in treatment, they still chose to go with what they’re trained to see. Another example was when the sergeant enforced that his soldiers continue to attack despite the fact that they had no need to. Despite the high statistics and the obvious consequences of an action, people tend to ignore the obvious. While that shouldn’t be too surprising, it still baffles me that even when all the signs are there, people will do everything in their power to ignore it. Here’s one statement that stuck with me “quite likely that the fate of entire societies may be sealed by a series of avoidable mistakes committed by their leaders.” This is true for our society today. Notwithstanding the need for mandatory facemasks, more testing centers, and more supplies for hospitals, our leadership chooses to stay neutral in their decisions.
ReplyDeleteDelanie Seals
My biggest takeaway from the book was how two men’s ideas about the inner workings of the mind had such a profound effect on so many areas of life. Their discoveries not only changed the field of psychology, but numerous other fields, including economics, statistics, education, medicine, and the military. (My favorite example was the undoing of the idea that all people think like statisticians, which affected psychology, economics, and statistics.) The influence of their work gave me a greater appreciation of the importance of every profession in our society and the diversity of intellect and experience each one brings.
ReplyDeleteThe takeaway for me was how illogical the human mind is. Danny and Amos's study of regret and how it affects decision making really resonated with me. I find myself anticipating regret in a lot of decisions I am faced with. Reading about this study made me come face-to-face with how my mind can sometimes hold me back. Regret is a really powerful emotion and it was almost comforting knowing that this is a process that everybody goes through.
ReplyDelete-Libby Revel
The part from the Undoing Project that stuck with me the most was chapter twelve. In this chapter, Danny and Amos are not as close as they used to be and Amos receives many awards and articles praising him for his work, but Danny is not included. Instead of taking all the credit and just accepting his prizes, Amos makes sure to make the point that “This work has been done in collaboration with my long-time friend...so I should not be singled out.” (314) The fact that Amos stood up for Danny shows he truly values their friendship.
ReplyDelete-Grace Watters
I also thoroughly enjoyed this section because I feared that this was going to end their friendship right then and there. I'm glad that you pointed out that Amos cares about their relationship just as much as Danny does. I feel that this was also demonstrated in the Bora- Bora section when Amos tells Danny that "you will just have to trust in the model of me that is in your mind" when Danny says that he does not trust himself to write something under Amos’ name. I think that Amos was trying to convey that he himself has this romanticized version of Danny in his mind and he knew that Danny would also have that type of view of Amos. If you have any other thoughts on their friendship or interactions I would love to hear them.
DeleteThe part of the book that stood out to me is in chapter 8 where “evidence-based medicine” was brought up. As someone who plans to go into the medical field, the data showing that doctors “rarely check themselves” (222), and this often leads patients not to receive the proper treatment. It seems most doctors make simple mistakes when treating and diagnosing patients, which are rarely brought to attention. It really made me think about the people who are supposed to take care of us can easily make one wrong decision that can lead to death and there is no accountability.
ReplyDelete-Olivia Watters
On page 261, when talking about decision theory, Danny says that "It is the anticipation of regret" that affects people's decisions. This really stuck out to me, so much that I folded to corner of the page so I would be able to go back and find it! The author says that when making decisions "People did not seek to maximize utility. They sought to minimize regret." I thought about this for a long time, and wondered how our lives would potentially change if we made more decisions where we focused on the potential gain over the potential regret.
ReplyDelete-Reia Storch
DeleteMy takeaway from the book is that you can never really trust your own mind. There are so many factors that can affect a person's decision that you never know if or when they'll cloud your judgement and when it does, a lot of the time we aren't prepared to suffer the consequences such as regret and guilt. So I sometimes wonder what would happen if we lived without regret and what the world would be like if we held ourselves accountable.
ReplyDeleteEver since the first few chapters, I have noticed that I have now started second guessing myself a lot and why I do some things and why I don't do other things. This is really cool for me because I was raised to not question why we do things. I am glad that I am thinking for myself and able to come up with my own opinions on things, a lot of people don't do that for themselves until they are a lot older.
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest impact the story had on me was how most Americans are blind to everything outside of the country. When they had moved back to the middle east after being in America, you could see how the wife was amazed at how different everything was and the constant fight they were in, but she accepted and adapted. And that rarely happens, I have been overseas on mission trips and it is a blessing because I get to see the world and experience other cultures, but it is hard to share that desire when there aren't many who care about what happens outside the borders.
ReplyDeleteEarly into the book I noticed a line that stuck out to me significantly. On page 115, Lewis writes “If you want to weaken a stereotype, eliminate the classification.” This line truly set the tone for the message of what the Undoing Project means. Although simple in text, these words hold a very powerful meaning in the sense of how we view things as a society. Eliminating the classifications can guide us to find common ground among anything, including our fellow man.
ReplyDeleteRachel Wallis
I think the way people’s minds rationalize decisions is amazing. Our minds trick themselves into thinking this is the logical answer when sometimes it’s irrational and emotionally driven. It was really interesting to read the chapter about fear and guilt and come to a self-realization of how true it was. The fear about making the wrong decisions and then the regret and wondering what would’ve happened if you chose a different course. I think this book does an incredible job of making you think about the decisions you’ve made and why you’ve made them. Furthermore, it guides you to think more deeply about future decisions you might make.
ReplyDelete—Kimber Farris
One thing that really stuck out to me is how quickly Khaneman and Tversky moved on from their theory on regret to the Risk-Value Theory. They “did not so much as pause to mourn the loss of a theory they’d spent more than a year working on” (270). That is just unimaginable for me. I think it is a really good example that sometimes we just need to let go, even if it is something we’ve had for a long time. Similarly to the endowment effect, just because we already have something doesn’t make it more valuable than something else.
ReplyDelete-Michael Draper
While I will most likely forget the specifics of the theories described in this book, I know that the interactions between Danny and Amos will stick with me for many years to come. One instance of this is on page 338 where Amos tells Danny that their relationship could not be ended by mortal means. Whether they were yelling, joking, or reassuring there was always something so vulnerable and sincere about the conversations between them. In all honesty their friendship was the only reason I was able to finish the book.
ReplyDeleteI understand one of the major takeaways from the book is how people do not always base their decisions on logic. However, one of the main takeaways for me are the words of Dr. Kahneman, on page 82, when he said “When someone says something, don’t ask yourself if it is true. Ask what it might be true of.” His words made me realize that even if someone says something that may not be accurate, there is always something to learn from the conversation or experience.
ReplyDelete-Alejandro Arriaga
My biggest takeaway from this book was just how easily manipulated the human mind is. Given even slightly alter information completely changes the way we think about things. I was really intrigued when they were doing the test with the college kids and asking them to pick which major people were going into based off a tiny bit of information given to them and or how you can say certain words and trick the brain into focusing on them and to skip over other important parts. And why we as humans are so prone to prejudice and inferred opinions about others.
ReplyDeleteThe part of the book that will stick with me the most is the portion in chapter 6 that discusses how radiologists unconsciously allow their emotions and feelings to interfere with their diagnosis. They were able to find that with a formula for finding the tumors they were more successful than the radiologists who were sticking to their gut. This is why I believe in following facts, not instinct.
ReplyDelete-Reese Siegle
Most likely, I’ll remember the portion about confirmation bias for a while. After all, it’s good to recognize where you have confirmation bias, instead of forming the theory around all the different evidence available. It’s especially important to remember it now, as there’s so many people spreading false information without doing the slightest bit of research. Just remembering to check facts often on different things shown on social media could change your view of the world.
ReplyDeleteThe part of the book that I will remember the most is the part talking about how we act out of anticipation of regret. We worry about saying or doing the wrong thing and the consequences of our actions.
ReplyDeleteBeing embarrassed and uncomfortable is a choice. It is a conscious decision that we make every day. I personally struggle with this. When I decide to let my fear of embarrassment overcome what I wanted to do in the first place. I want to meet new people but I fear embarrassing myself. However, when I do leave my comfort zone and choose not to be embarrassed, I find myself being happier with the results. I never really thought about my fear of embarrassment before this, but now that I am aware, I find myself making the decision to be unafraid.
ReplyDelete-Zoie Newman
On page 163 Danny said, “… I would have confessed that I am only a recently reformed idiot.” I love this statement, as it speaks to the fallibility of the human mind in drawing conclusions and learning. While the entire book speaks to the same topic, this one quote stuck with me. I can think of many times that I was “a recently reformed idiot”. We are all guilty of drawing conclusions from inadequate or inaccurate information. We can always reform our ignorance or idiocy if we continuously strive to learn.
ReplyDeleteThe Undoing Project’s biggest impact on me was about psychology in general because it’s not something i’ve studied yet, but one thing I plan on taking with me is the way that people make their decisions. Whether based off of emotion as we normally do, or based on logic. It really made me stop and think about how I make my own decisions and how I need to become more logical in my daily life rather than doing everything just based on how I feel. The guilt/fear that comes with making emotional decisions in the moment, rather than taking the time to think them, can really alter one’s mentality and overall happiness.
ReplyDelete-amelia holtzman
The biggest takeaway for me was just how poorly the human mind makes decisions sometimes. It tends to make very irrational decisions based off of very little evidence and be satisfied with those decisions. It is only when you question those standards and think differently that you can make the best possible decision.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest take away from the book is the relationship between Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. They worked so well although being so different. I loved the thoughts and the way that they made it seem okay to not agree completely with one another. Relationships are just so interesting to me, the way people are drawn together and create life-long connections is beautiful. This book will always have the impact of friendship. I want to have at least one platonic relationship, just like Daniel and Amos.
ReplyDeleteThe part of the book that stuck out to me the most is the "halo effect." From the moment I started reading about how humans tend to overvalue items they own, or supervisors tend to overvalue their own employees over other possible replacements, I could not stop applying it to my own life. In the past I have overvalued items I have own, my favorite athletes, even the advice of people I care for a lot. I'm now going to do better at taking a step back and trying to take my own personal bias out of more outcomes.
ReplyDeleteSince I would classify myself as a chronic over-thinker, I was excited to read a book that centered around the ideas of the decision-making process. The insights that were provided throughout the duration of this book were very eye-opening for me. I found myself looking at the way I made decisions in a different light after I finished the book. Another thing I found fascinating about the book was the way that Amos and Danny had such a successful relationship even though they were two completely different people.
ReplyDelete-Maggie Summers
I think the biggest takeaway for me was how bias can affect statistics even when the person creating the statistics is blatantly trying to be unbiased. It shows how bias can work itself into everyday life without being aware. For me numbers typically signify factual evidence and is concrete. Although the opposite is true when a human is involved in the conjuring of the statistics. Being human gives something so certain and so factual a deeper level of deceiving the actual meaning behind the work and research. Bias is everywhere and is impossible to extinguish.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest takeaway from this book was how different both psychologists were, and still be able to grow together, learn together, and accomplish so much without constantly tearing each other down. Generally, when people are so different like that, a friendship wouldn’t work because they’d always be at each other's throats so reading about them was really, really nice. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
ReplyDelete- Parker Milligan
From beginning to end, I feel as if this book was a gold mine. I took much from this book, but chapter one was quite possibly one of the most insightful chapters I have ever read. Overall, I believe that it demonstrated that equations and models are only as good as the minds that construct them. As long as we have a say in the process or a hand in the system, no statistical model will ever be able to completely remove the risk of human error from the results.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the part of the book that will stick with me the longest is chapters nine and ten. In these chapters, Dr.Kahneman and Dr.Tversky talked about how you can manipulate the reader into viewing certain scenarios differently just by changing the wording of the posed question. This idea is interesting because it shows just how easy it is to fool someone into believing two ideas are different when they aren’t or two ideas are identical when they aren’t. I believe that this may be one of the reasons why people are so vulnerable to prejudice and biases against others.
ReplyDelete-Lauren HerrNeckar
The thing that will stick with me the most actually happened within the first few chapters. It was the fact that professional recruiters would rather listen to their gut than to statistics. The reason this stuck out to me was that people would rather think with emotion than logic. This does not make much sense to me especially that these people are professional recruiter and you would think if there was a better way to recruit players that they would adapt and use this to their advantage.
ReplyDelete-Riley Knickmeyer
There are two things I found interesting. One was how people think when they wish things had gone differently. It was surprising to me that there were limit in the human mind on paths taken. I also liked Amos' view of how being a pessimist leads you to experiencing bad things twice.
ReplyDeleteI think the thing I found most interesting in the book is how often we use our emotions to make decisions. Looking back after reading I realized I have made a lot of decisions off of emotions rather than a logical thought process. This is something I never would have realized if I didn't read this book. Our decisions can constantly change about the same thing based on our emotions that day. I also realized how often bias is used in the world around us.
ReplyDeleteThe main point/story that stood out to me in the book really made me consider how we humans judge, perceive and think about things is the story of the jewish boy named Danny. A main point in the book is based off of gut feelings and whether they are reliable. The story of Danny really stood out to me in this context because he was able to attend school (granted he didn't talk or associate much) and nobody knew. This is because they had no gut feeling that he was a jew because they had no factual information that would say otherwise. Therefore, this part of the book really changed how I feel about "gut-feelings" and definitely shaped my feelings toward the rest of the studies in the book.
ReplyDeleteThe portion of the book that is most likely to remain with me in life is the idea that people often distort factual evidence and data to fit into their preconceived biases. Knowing this, I have been able to identify many times in my life that I would ignore clear facts because of my unwillingness to let down my previous beliefs.
ReplyDelete-Macy Phillips
The part of The Undoing Project that gave me the biggest takeaway is the fact that we get little tidbits of wisdom from watching the story of Amos and Danny. Such as, Amos not caring what people might think of his actions, he simply did what made him happy with the time he had. Another one that sticks out to me is when Amos says, "[i]t is the anticipation of regret that affects decisions," (261). These may seem like no-brainers, but in reality, I do let them affect me more than I should.
ReplyDelete-Adeline Daniel
What peaked my interest and still holds thinking in my mind is how easily we make decisions without really knowing why. Digging deeper into the human mind and things like biases have always been of interest to me and this book definitely kept my attention and got myself thinking. When you truly sit down and think of decisions you make easily, you think of what’s been so drilled into our minds that it turns into reflex.
ReplyDeleteThe human mind is intricate and works much harder than we notice. People are compelled by their emotions. For example, a commercial or ad uses your favorite famous person as a sponsor. You are more likely to try the product because it is easy to believe and trust what they say. Personally, this idea stuck with me because I have been guilty of letting my emotions make decisions for me instead of the mind. “The eye was often deceived, systematically. So was the ear” (147).
ReplyDeleteThe main thing that stuck with me is the fact that all of the test they did showed that people used there feelings more than their knowledge. They would usually get the wrong answer even though they should have been able to get the right one. It has made me realize that thinking before acting is way more needed than I originally thought, and that you can't let emotions take control of you.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that really stuck out to me was a quote by Amos Tversky “When you are a pessimist and the bad thing happens, you live it twice” (155). As someone who is a pessimist and an overthinker this quote made me consider all the extra stress and worrying I’ve caused myself over the years. The “Undoing Project” also taught me that the human thought processes and reasoning is often deficient and irrational. In general we continue to make the same repeated errors and mistakes and our predictions and decisions are often based on flawed decision making, even when statistical or other evidence suggest making a different choice.
ReplyDeleteWhat will stick with me by far the longest is how surprisingly complex decision making is. The section that impacted me the most emotionally was page 288 of chapter ten where Danny writes Amos a love letter. The connection between Amos and Danny is not one I would traditionally imagine developing between two collaborating scientists but it was really moving. Before reading this book I assumed that of course, decision making has some complexities, but I’m consciously making the decisions. This book has helped me to realize I need to expand my thinking when it comes to seemingly simple or straightforward subjects.
ReplyDelete-Dixie Redman
The part of the book that stuck out the most to me was a doctor’s thinking process and how they came about a diagnosis. I found myself relating back to a question from our reading last year about if people trust medical professionals, or highly educated people, too much. The evidence of the study showed that all the doctors contradicted themselves. This is very interesting to think about. If this is the case, why are we so trusting in what they have to say? Should we strive to get more feedback from other doctors?
ReplyDeleteOn page 216, there is a quote from Redelmeier warning doctors to not instantly think of the first disease that pops into your head as the diagnosis for the patient. My dream is to become a pediatrician, and a good one at that. This entire book, in a way, taught me how to make wiser decisions and to check myself even if I think I have the best answer. Thanks to the research of Kahneman and Tversky, I now know how to question my beliefs and knowledge in order to get the best answer.
ReplyDeleteThe main takeaway I have from reading The Undoing Project is to keep your emotions at arm’s length while making decisions. It happens all too often that each of us allow our emotions to blur our mind and in turn, it makes us illogical. Sometimes it would even be best if we would choose to come back to deciding on a subject after we take time to let our emotions subside. There is nothing wrong with being passionate about a topic of conversation, but we cannot let the way we initially feel effect how we handle the conversation.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t really like this book, to be honest. I understand it’s appeal to others, it’s just not a book I would ever reach for. I did like thinking of how often I let my emotions intrude on choices that do not seem to be based on emotions. While reading The Undoing Project, I’ve found myself doing everyday tasks and thinking what emotions I let bring me to said task. It’s an interesting thought that will probably continue to play in my mind throughout this semester and/or year.
ReplyDeletePersonally, the part of the entire book that stuck with me the most was the friendship between Daniel and Amos, two very different men. The pair were so close and worked on so much together, they sometimes could not tell who wrote more in papers, and therefore alternated the order of their names. There was also a part in the book that I loved, where Amos received accolades and awards for his work and Daniel was not included. Instead of being selfish, Amos actually said that the work was actually worked on with Daniel and he should not receive all the credit. To me, that showed just how much Amos cherished their special friendship.
ReplyDeleteMy takeaway is how we as human can never fully shut out emotions during decision making, and how we use formulas without truly knowing them. Our brains are wired for amazing tasks and we tend to ignore that. But this book is all about figuring out the mind, or at least that is what I think. I keep thinking about how the two men loved to learn more and more and never wanted to stop learning. We tend to think we will stop learning at some point. But throughout life we will just change our learning environments.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Anderson
Some of this book elaborated on ideas that I have already been introduced to with deeper context and...well...bigger words. What I will remember most are the times that I knew of a concept, but didn’t bother looking into it. A majority of this book is about projects that Amos and Danny wouldn’t have taken up had they not looked further into what they already knew. Without questioning what was currently stated as the process behind decision making, Danny and Amos might not have continued working together, and Danny might not have been nominated for a Nobel Prize.
ReplyDeleteGracie T.
I keep reviewing the topic of pairs, which is discussed heavily in Chapter 11 of the book. Our world operates in duos. In fact, when I thought about it more, I realized that society tends to section itself off into partnerships. I found it crazy that often pairs become so close that they lose sight of who did what and who gets credit for what thing. In some ways, I think that is a really positive thing-- that people can become so close that they no longer see differences between them even when they lead separate lives elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved the portions of the books that go into the different papers and studies Amos and Kahneman either were a part of or ridiculed. I had never really liked the Idea of psychology, or perhaps my perception of it, But the way these two went about their psychology, trying to understand the errors of the mind was most interesting. I think most of all I have come to appreciate the work put into academic papers. I once thought of them as a bore, but now I find myself Curious to read more of them. Though some of the topics or phenomena may seem silly< I now see the value. Knowledge for the sake of understanding.
ReplyDelete-Elijah Woodward.
The thing about the Undoing Project that will stick with me is how different Tversky and Kahneman were in their approach to psychological theories, and even life. Danny and Amos were different in almost every way, but they bonded and grew mentally together. They achieved great things together! They had their ups and their downs. They connected and used their differences to their advantage. Working together, compromising, and accepting differences is crucial in an effective partnership.
ReplyDeleteI think what will stick with me the most is how intricate and delicate the human mind and the relationships we maintain are. Take Danny and Amos’s partnership for example. It worked because of their differences, but many times it’s people's differences that drive them apart. But there was emotion involved because there always is. Emotion draws us together and tears us apart, but it’s vital to the inner workings of our relations and minds. It was the look into Danny and Amos’s partnership that fascinated me the most because it showcases minds that were great separately, but brilliant together.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though the part that will stick with me the most is the tendency of people to forget that with high-highs and low-lows come the average days. “Man’s inability to see the power of regression to the mean leaves him blind to the nature of the world around him.” I think that quote will stay in my mind for a long while. It helps me feel better about my 'boring' days and appreciate them a little bit more.
ReplyDeleteThe part that I think will stick with me the most was probably in the beginning of the book when it’s talking about Danny’s childhood and all the war he has been around. I think that part of the book talked the least about psychology but maybe that’s why it stuck in my head. It was like seeing lavender in a field of roses.I feel like he was robbed of his youth. My take away is that humans can never really be too certain about their own thoughts and opinions because of our inherent bias and cognitive reflexes.
ReplyDeleteI believe that with the Undoing Project the biggest takeaway for me is how extremely fascinating and complex we as people are. We do many things on instinct alone. We let our feelings guide us. We let the things around us influence how we thinks. We trust the things we are told to trust the more we are around it. We are biased but that bias stems from what we are around, how we are raised, and our overall emotions on the subject. It's like a look into the human psyche, trying to figure out why we do what we do, and what makes us tick.
ReplyDeleteThe Undoing Project was a better read than I initially thought it was going to be. The overall theme that really stuck out to me throughout the book was that we can never really trust what we think, see, or do not see. Our instincts are biased for every facet of our lives no matter how hard we try to prevent it. My take away from this is to always dig deeper and continue to do so until I am sure about what I believe is right or wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe most prominent thing to me in this entire book in think was truly embodied in pages 166-167. Here it is talking about how different psychological factors can be used in influencing the people’s decisions. On page 196 it discusses how the owner of New York Port Authority wanted to charger higher rent to tenants who lived higher up due to the fact that abuilding didn’t sway or at least seemed like it didn’t. This idea really made me analyze how I look at decisions in my life. Are there things that I purchase or do that are products of me being psychologically influenced by someone else. This was a very positive change in my life because sometimes I don’t think before I purchase or act so I see this being very beneficial in my future.
ReplyDelete“The part of this book that will stick with me the longest is undoubtedly seeing how people make decisions. From Tversky to the people who decide the draft pick, everyone is trying to meet some invisible set of criteria that only they can fully understand. This, to everyone else, may look like they’re choosing out of emotion instead of logic. When reading, I really tried to put myself in these people’s places and understand what their thought processes were as they made choices that would affect their lives.”
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Acree
My takeaway addresses the book as a whole. I know that humans are creatures of habit, but it is remarkable how accurate their findings are even all this time later. The questions this raised caused a lot of self-reflection, and I hope that I can improve my own interpersonal skills as a result. - Darian Shaw
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Danny Kahneman talks about how the mind works in so many different ways really gets my mind thinking. The way he ties the way the human brain naturally groups things instead of seeing them as separate, individual objects. In the book, he mentions that if you look into the sky, you are subconsciously putting them into groups in relation to where they are located. This book has definitely opened my perspective on the subconscious mind, and I will definitely be doing some more research about it!
ReplyDeleteOne of the many things that I took from The Undoing Project was the power of friendship throughout the book. They did not let anything ruin their friendship. They grew through everything they went through.
ReplyDelete-Anna Herd
The part of the book that will stick with me is the fact that we are unable to make totally unbiased and logical decisions. There will always be some kind of factor that alters our ultimate decision, whether it be regret or some other bias. Emotions can totally overpower logic in certain situations and it was interesting to see the two polar opposites interact and work with each other studying how we all make our decisions.
ReplyDelete-Mindy Corbin
There were 2 aspects of this book I would recognize mostly. The description of the interestingly rigorous backgrounds of the characters and how they came together to intertwine with one another. The second being the recognition and explanation of the "gut feeling" in statistics. I feel like this will help me in future problems in statistics and programming. An honorable mention would be the beginning of the book because I'm an NBA fan.
ReplyDelete-Toby Pyle
My biggest take away is to try and think more logically than with my heart. I do that all the time with most things as I'm sure others do too. It has made me want to make a genuine effort to be better at decision making. I have lots of regrets because of decisions I've made and it's so much easier to see how illogically I was thinking after the fact. So, I will be making a constant effort to try and step back from situations and put aside my feelings to see the bigger picture and hopefully make better decisions.
ReplyDeleteMy largest take away from the book was that almost ever human interaction, creation, entertainment piece, opinion, and action is based on some form of perception. It really seemed like there was a heavy concept of personal perception bias laced through out the book, even in the first chapter. For instance, the whole reason Morey's system became so popular is because it was completely contrary to what everyone was thinking at the time. It was quite literally based off of finding the flaws in the perception of the current system and using that to it's advantage. I think this is definitely a great chapter that sets the tone for the rest of the book.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that will stick to me for all my life is the truth to life is not normal for others which Michael Lewis has offered us. In this, he attempts the stunt of clarifying disarray by exhibiting disarray, yet close to the furthest limit of this work we acknowledge again Lewis' particular lucidity and all around created feeling of incongruity as he tends to a weighty coordinated effort throughout the entire existence of thoughts. Lewis accomplished something different he'd not done before. Before the end of the book, I was wondering that what Lewis was attempting to pass on: why people do what we do.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Kahneman is an analyst who won the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economics. What is surprising about that announcement is likewise what is noteworthy about Lewis' endeavor to clarify it. Lewis caused us to feel the mayhem and the improbability of such a triumph, for this situation, of ever finding that one individual who supplements another so consummately that the two truly prod each other to more prominent achievement. From an immense range of potential decisions, openings, and bearings come two therapists, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, who together indicate more than the aggregate of their parts.
One thing turned out to be clear about the momentous work done by Kahneman and Tversky: regardless of the interest, drive, and heathen ability each had, their snapshots of most prominent hybrid pertinence came because of the contribution of the other. This could drive the conversation into an assessment of the significance of sets in innovativeness, yet Lewis opposes that string to follow what he calls a "romantic tale" as far as possible, to the separation of the two men. Once the nearest of companions and partners, the purpose behind their separation is at any rate as educational as whatever else Lewis could have decided to concentrate on, and it makes an interesting story, explained with strong mentality.
Although I did not enjoy this book very much, there is a lot to take away from the reading experience. For example, most do not consider the level of emotional bias that influences the world around us. The Undoing Project sheds light on those issues and is a thought-provoking literary piece. In a way, it makes humans seem even more human, to me, in the sense that not many people put too terribly much thought into their decision making, with some even choosing to ignore the obvious outcomes or potential consequences of their decisions. Above all, this book has opened my mind to the power that comes with decision making and how most who have the power to make the decision typically are uninfluenced by fact but instead their internalized bias. Final word to describe this piece: interesting.
ReplyDelete-Sam Ray