Changing Minds

The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds

Howard Gardner

Recommended By

Book Reviews

Book Synopsis

"Changing Minds" by Howard Gardner explores various factors and strategies that influence persuasion and the process of changing someone's mind.

In this thought-provoking book, Gardner delves into the complex dynamics of human cognition and highlights the power of various forms of intelligence in shaping individuals' beliefs and attitudes. Drawing on years of research and real-life examples, the author sheds light on the multifaceted nature of persuasion, emphasizing that it is not solely dependent on logical arguments or emotional appeals.

Gardner discusses the seven "levers" of persuasion, including reason, research, resonance, representational redescriptions, resources and rewards, real-world events, and resistance. Through each lever, he illustrates how different approaches can be employed to effectively change someone's viewpoint, even in the face of strong resistance.

The book also explores the concept of "multiple intelligences" and how understanding different cognitive strengths can enhance one's ability to influence others. Gardner emphasizes that these intelligences, such as linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal, play a significant role in both the persuasion process and the ability to resist persuasion.

As Gardner presents compelling insights, he emphasizes the importance of ethics and the need to be aware of the ethical boundaries when attempting to change minds. He encourages readers to consider the long-term consequences and potential ethical dilemmas associated with persuasive tactics.

"Changing Minds" provides a comprehensive understanding of persuasion and how it can be employed ethically and effectively. By incorporating psychological principles, real-life examples, and Gardner's expertise in multiple intelligences, this book offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand the intricacies of human persuasion and influence.

Explore More Books

See All
Behave
Body by Science
The Fatal Conceit
More Than Enough
The Woman I Wanted to Be
This Is Your Brain on Music
What Technology Wants
Tao of Philosophy
Probability Theory
Deep Learning
Birth of a Theorem
An Unquiet Mind
Product Design for the Web
Brave New Medicine
The Silk Roads
Consciousness Medicine
In Patagonia
Play Bigger
The Upright Thinkers
Filters Against Folly
No Future Without Forgiveness
The New One Minute Manager
Learned Optimism
Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy
Radical Uncertainty
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
State of the Art
Portraits of Interiors
The Constitutional Convention
American Lion
The Politics Industry
SuperFreakonomics
Born Standing Up
Frames of Mind
The Sleep Revolution
The Healing Journey
The Great Convergence
Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart
The Second Mountain
The Watchman's Rattle
One Billion Hungry
The Eden Project
The Book of Awakening
High Fidelity
My Brother Ron
Reality Is Not What It Seems
Into Thin Air
Calculus Made Easy
Tree Crops
René Girard's Mimetic Theory
She Has Her Mother's Laugh
The Status Syndrome
On the Genealogy of Morals
Shortcut
Why Information Grows
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
Jack
Economics in One Lesson
Way of the Warrior Kid 3
Breath
Everything Happens For a Reason
The Soul of the World
Water in Plain Sight
Anna Karenina
Call of the Reed Warbler
Metaphors We Live By
The Copernican Revolution
Blankie
Getting Past No
The Undercover Economist
Rick and Morty Book Three
Fooled By Randomness
Build The Life You Want
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
The Jungle Book
The Great Crash of 1929
Data-Driven Marketing
Matter
Sapiens
The Jordan Rules
Black Flags
Modern Man in Search of a Soul
We Wish To Inform You
The Reasonableness of Christianity
Beyond The Blue
Feeding the Dragon
Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
A Woman Makes a Plan
Trauma
Essentialism
Humans Need Not Apply
On Grief and Grieving
The Graveyard Book
Down to Earth
Food and Nutrition
Mindware
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Rick and Morty Book One
Unravelling the Double Helix