Kahneman goes on to discuss the “priming effect” (52). There seems to be a link between cognitive control and intelligence (47). Studies show that 4-year-old children who demonstrated self-control had much higher scores on tests of intelligence. This phenomenon may explain why normally brilliant people occasionally do such foolish things. When we are focused on challenging tasks, we can exhibit less self-control than we normally would (40-41). Interestingly, he writes that both self-control and deliberate thought originate in the same area of the brain. He also mentions that laziness is built into our nature, so we tend to grasp on to the simplest explanation without thinking more robustly (35). He cites the famous “invisible gorilla” experiment in which people failed to see a man in a gorilla suit run out on to a basketball court because they were concentrating on something else (34). When we are concentrating, we often miss things that normally would be obvious. He notes that our eyes dilate when we concentrate (32). Kahneman then discusses “cognitive illusions” (27). He concludes, “in summary, most of what you (your System 2) think or do originates in your system 1, but System 2 takes over when things get difficult, and it normally has the last word” (25).

Kahneman claims that System 1 thinking is our intuition.

He argues, “We can be blind to the obvious, and we can also be blind to our blindness” (24). He notes that multitasking is a myth, and we can only pay attention to one thing at a time (23). Interestingly, Kahneman points out that “When faced with a difficult question, one often answers an easier one instead, usually without noticing the substitution” (12). We merely hear more about wayward politicians through the media (7). For example, many people assume politicians are more susceptible to adultery than are other professionals. Kahneman argues that we often make assumptions that are not based on facts. The instinctive method of thinking is the “hero” of the book” (21). A second way of thinking is slower and more analytical. We use this method when we are under pressure, and it often works well for us. One is what we do quickly and instinctively.

He posits that people have two primary ways of thinking. Yet he devotes much of the book to demonstrating how people typically don’t think about how they think. He starts with the assumption that “Most of us are healthy most of the time, and most of our judgments and actions are appropriate most of the time” (4). Kahneman begins by saying, “Because it is much easier, as well as far more enjoyable, to identify and label the mistakes of others than to recognize our own” (3). While I don’t accept all Kahneman’s conclusions, he certainly made me think! It is filled with scientific and psychological studies. I had heard about this book for a while, and I finally read it.

Think fast act slow