Shortform Books

Truth-Default Theory—Why You Assume Strangers Tell the Truth

What is Truth-Default Theory? Why do we tend to assume the best in people, and is this evolutionarily beneficial? Truth-Default Theory is the theory that when a stranger is lying, human beings default to assuming truth in others. We want to believe that what others tell us is true, and we’ll default to truth unless, or until, our doubts can’t be explained or rationalized. We’ll cover the primary reason that most people cannot immediately identify a lie, and how the Truth-Default Theory may actually be an evolutionary advantage.

Coupling Theory—Surprising Ways Context Alters Your Behavior

What is coupling theory? How do some of our most unconscious behaviors impact others? Coupling theory is the idea that some behaviors are “coupled”–a behavior is linked to a specific context. A person’s behavior is affected by his personal history and environment. We’ll cover the coupling theory as it relates to suicide rates and also discuss how context impacts behavior more generally.

Ana Montes: How Cuba’s Spy Fooled Colleagues for Years

Who is Ana Montes? How did she manage to fool her colleagues in the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for so long? Ana Montes was an agent with America’s Defense Intelligence Agency. She was known as the “Queen of Cuba” for her expertise in Cuban intelligence. She was also a spy for Cuba. Learn how Ana Montes fooled her colleagues, and why we’re all vulnerable to missing the signs right in front of us.

Jerry Sandusky Case: Why He Got Away with Assault for So Long

What happened during the Jerry Sandusky case? Why was Jerry Sandusky able to get away with abusing children for so long? Who’s to blame in the Jerry Sandusky case? We’ll cover the elements of the Jerry Sandusky case and discuss why the people around him trusted him–and why they shouldn’t be penalized for being trusting.

Do Enhanced Interrogation Techniques Lead to False Confessions?

What are enhanced interrogation techniques? On what kinds of subjects are they used? Are they effective? Enhanced interrogation techniques are techniques including walling, sleep deprivation, and waterboarding. They’re often used in the fight against terrorism. Learn why enhanced interrogation techniques may be counterproductive, leading to misleading or false confessions.

How to Build Healthy Friendships: Get a Growth Mindset

What is the secret to developing healthy friendships? What if you’re shy? What if there are problems in your friendship–is it a lost cause? Should you throw in the towel? The secret to healthy friendships is the secret to healthy relationships in general: having a growth mindset. We’ll cover how a growth mindset can help you create and maintain healthy friendships and help you deal with your shyness.

Brock Turner Case: Is It More Nuanced Than You Think?

The Brock Turner case outraged many. Should Brock Turner have received a harsher penalty for sexual assault? More time behind bars? Were there any nuances to the Brock Turner case? While many people have strong opinions about the Brock Turner case, Malcolm Gladwell thinks it’s not so simple. Learn the many ambiguities in the Brock Turner case, according to Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers.

How to Deal with Failure—What CEOs and NASA Do That You Don’t

How to deal with failure is a crucial lesson, but we’re not always taught the most productive or effective ways. Mindset drives how people define and cope with failure. For people with a fixed mindset, failure is an identity that they fear and try to avoid, rather than something that happens. To learn how to deal with failure, you need to change your mindset. We’ll cover Carol Dweck’s advice for dealing with failure.

What Happens When You Black Out? You Become Another Person

What happens when you black out? What are the stages of a blackout? What are its consequences? When a person drinks an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time, the hippocampus in the brain is affected. The hippocampus is responsible for memory, which is why excessive drinking often leads to a state of blackout. Blackout refers to a state in which some or all of your memories are lost. Learn what happens when you black out.

One Cause of Bullying: A Fixed Mindset in Kids

Experiencing rejection is painful for an adult, but imagine how it feels to a child. Children experience rejection daily in schools. Starting in grade school, some kids are victimized, attacked, or ridiculed. Ongoing bullying makes some children’s lives a nightmare and can evolve into years of depression and anger. What are the causes of bullying? Is the cause of bullying a fixed mindset? We’ll cover some causes of bullying, in schools particularly, and why a fixed mindset may be partially to blame.