Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

Declinism Bias: Why People Think the Sky Is Falling

Is the world getting better or worse? Why do so many people believe it’s getting worse? Steven Pinker aims to counter the widespread belief that the world is getting worse by showing data that indicates it’s actually improving. But, why do people think things are so bad if they’re not? Pinker explains that this happens for a few intersecting reasons: media slant, cognitive biases, and ingratitude. Keep reading for Pinker’s take on declinism bias.

Who Is Daniel Kahneman? His Life & Career Before Tversky

Who is Daniel Kahneman? What shaped his views and interests that would later lead to breakthroughs in psychology? Daniel Kahneman, in collaboration with Amos Tversky, overturned several prevailing psychological theories. Their insights reached into economics, politics, and other domains of human knowledge. While their partnership is well-known, Kahneman’s pre-Tversky years help us understand what shaped his career. Continue reading to learn about the early life and career of Daniel Kahneman.

Heuristics Theory: A Revolutionary View of Decision-Making

What’s heuristics theory? How was it developed? What are the three original heuristics? Between 1969 and 1979, psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky overturned our understanding of how we make decisions. The lessons from that decade of research call into question much of what we think about how we think. Read more to learn how Tversky and Kahneman revealed through heuristics theory that the mind relies on impressions over logic.

Enlightenment Now: Steven Pinker’s Appeal for Optimism

Is the world getting better or worse? What does the data actually say? Is there cause for hope? In Enlightenment Now, Steven Pinker argues that Enlightenment values and modernization have contributed to gradually improving the world on “every single measure of human well-being.” He says people tend to think the world is getting worse because of psychological biases and errors in perception, but the data supports the conclusion that life for humans everywhere is getting better. Keep reading for an overview of Pinker’s New York Times best seller.

The Great Mental Models Vol. 2: Physics, Chemistry, & Biology

Do you struggle to make changes in your life? Should you be a generalist or a specialist? What’s the benefit of understanding other people? The Great Mental Models Volume 2: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology shows how certain scientific principles can be applied personally, professionally, and socially. The authors Rhiannon Beaubien and Shane Parrish use models from these disciplines to understand things such as progress, competition, and relationships. Keep reading for an overview of this fascinating book.

What Is Prospect Theory? How a War Led to a Breakthrough

What is prospect theory? How was it developed? What does it explain in regard to how people make decisions and take risks? In 1973, the Yom Kippur War led Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky to shift their focus of study. Their ensuing examination of the decision-making process birthed a theory that transformed the way we understand not only decision-making but behavior in general. Keep reading to learn the background and development of prospect theory as well as what the theory explains.

Enlightenment Values: The Driving Forces of Progress?

What are Enlightenment values? How are they relevant today? In his book Enlightenment Now, Steven Pinker provides statistics to show that life has improved over time, all around the world. And he says the driving forces of this progress are reason, science, and humanism—values that are derived from the European Enlightenment. Continue reading to learn more about these Enlightenment values from Pinker’s perspective.

Find Your Place in the World—With Help From Biology & Physics

Where are you headed in life, and how fast are you going? What’s your niche? Should you be a generalist or a specialist? If these questions resonate with you, you’re probably figuring out how you fit in the larger scheme of things. You have a unique combination of personality, strengths, and interests, which means that you have a unique place to thrive. Now you just need to get there. Continue reading for tips on how to find your place in the world.

The Ultimate Guide to Effective Feedback in the Workplace

Does your workplace have a culture of feedback? Are you skilled at giving and receiving feedback? Effective feedback in the workplace is important. Whether it’s delivered in a formal evaluation or a frustrated outburst, feedback is vital information that can lead to positive changes in you and your organization. We’ve assembled some best practices for giving, receiving, soliciting, and incorporating feedback, as well as some tips regarding feedback in other cultures. Keep reading for insights on effective feedback in the workplace.

The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis: Overview & Takeaways

Do you understand why you make the choices you do? How prone to error is the human mind? Thanks to the groundbreaking research by two Israeli psychologists, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, we can get at the answers to these questions. Their collaboration produced ideas that reshaped the way psychology understands the mind. Keep reading for an overview of The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis.