Our first impressions are generated by our experiences and our environment, which means that we can change our first impressions—we can alter the way we thin-slice—by changing the experiences that comprise
前两章讲到快速认知的神奇功能,第3章〈哈定谬误:为什么我们偏爱高大、深肤色、英俊的男性〉则提出反面观点,说明单凭直觉做事是不行的。开篇从以貌取人说起。美国选民竟因哈定帅气的长相,而选出这位史上「最烂总统」。汽车业务员由于女性、非白人既定的直觉看法,认为他们就是「冤大头」,肆意坑杀,而错失销售良机。
然而,诚如「内隐联想测验」(Implicit Association Test,IAT)指出的,大部分受试者虽然没有刻意选择,但却不自觉把「企业家」、「商人」等关键词归类到「男性或职业」的类别里,我们来不及思考之前就立刻浮现直觉,即便尽力避免,也难以主动掌控。
作者葛拉威尔建议,既然不能控制直觉,那就引导直觉吧!例如透过观看马丁路德金的演讲,感受黑人身上的美好光辉,来抵挡白人主导媒体下,对黑人的负面描绘。毕竟,直觉是我们过往经历和环境的累积,通过开拓经历与环境就可以降低我们的潜意识倾向的影响。
此外,并用理性思考、抵挡直觉诱惑也是很好的方法。葛拉威尔举出销售好手Bob Golomb的例子。Golomb作为老司机,或许在见到客户的瞬间,就能撷取许多客户的状态和心理信息,但他不会任由自己直觉随意发展,他筛选掉外貌这些次要项目,而能固守自己「服务客户」的核心价值,从而使得他的汽车销售量节节攀升。
Summary
Chapter 3, " The Warren Harding Error: Why We Fall For Tall, Dark, and Handsome Men," begins the second major portion of Blink, a chapter that Gladwell analyzes to the side effect of snap judgement.
Without rational thinking as the guide, quick judgement leads to wrong or irrelevant conclusions, like American people voted for the handsome Warren Harding, or employers tend to give higher salary to taller employees.
Admittedly, we can hard direct our snap feel to align with our rational thoughts, as that tentative sense was subtly cultivated and affected by the environment. So how do we do? We create the environment. Reading Martin Luther Kings’ biography is helpful to redirect our own racial bias against black people. Work with our rational thinking is also important to avoid our bias hinder us to do a good judgement.
Words &Phrases
We are easily led astray by one’s looking, especially if we are sizing up a person who looks lightweight, gullible and unprepossessing.
1 size up
to observe someone or something to get information; to check someone or something out.
In that instant, as Daughtery sized up Harding, an idea came to him that would alter American history: Wouldn't that man make a great President?
2 zero in on
take aim with a gun or missile.
jet fighters zeroed in on the rebels' positions
focus one's attention.
they zeroed in on the clues he dropped about himself
What Ayreswas trying to do waszero in ona very specific question
3 lightweight
someone or something that does not weigh as much as others
Sometimes the man with the silver hair and broad shoulders and lantern jaw is a lightweight
4 gullible
easily fooled or cheated; especially : quick to believe something that is not true you can make
as much in commission off that one gullible customer as you might from half a dozen or so customers who are prepared to drive a hard bargain.
5 unprepossessing
not attractive or appealing to the eye
Sometimes the unprepossessing farmer with his filthy coveralls is actually an enormously rich man with a four-thousand acre spread
6 lead astray
lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions
But we also have to acknowledge and understand those circumstances when rapid cognition leads us astray.
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