Book Review “Before Thinking” by John Bargh
Through parallel studies on the subject of psychology and sociology, a book was recommended to me by a lecturer. I had bought it instantly and now write here my little summary about it. Interesting for everyone, no matter if it is a mission and rescue worker or a salesman at the cash desk. Knowing about ourselves and others in terms of choices and biases, can only help us become better.
The book “Before Thinking” deals with the question to what extent our decisions and actions are controlled by our subconscious mind. In this book, John Bargh, a renowned social psychologist, examines how our brain works and how it influences our perception and behavior.
Bargh points out that our brains are constantly flooded with information that we are not consciously aware of. However, our subconscious mind processes this information and thus influences our decisions and actions. Bargh describes this as “automated behaviors” that help us make decisions faster and more effectively without us being aware of them.
The book addresses various topics, such as the role of stereotypes and prejudices in our behavior, perceptions of physicality, and the relationship between body and mind. Bargh shows that our posture and body movements can influence our perception, and that our body awareness has an impact on our emotional and cognitive experience.
However, Bargh also emphasizes that our subconscious mind is not always right and that it is important to be aware of how our automated behaviors influence our thoughts and actions. By becoming aware of how our perceptions and behavior are controlled by our subconscious mind, we can reflect on our behavior and make our decisions more consciously.
Overall, the book “Before Thinking” offers a fascinating insight into how our brain works and the role of our subconscious mind in controlling our behavior. It challenges us to become aware of how our perceptions and behaviors are influenced by our subconscious mind and gives us valuable suggestions on how to be more aware of our behaviors.
If you are interested in our books, you can always find them in our library section.
