The Invisible Gorilla

How Our Intuitions Deceive Us

Christopher Chabris

Book Synopsis

"The Invisible Gorilla" by Christopher Chabris is a captivating exploration of the deceiving nature of human perception and memory. Through thought-provoking experiments and real-life examples, the book challenges our belief in the accuracy and reliability of our own senses.

Using the well-known "Gorilla Experiment" as a starting point, Chabris sheds light on our selective attention, showing how we easily miss unexpected and crucial details when preoccupied with a specific task.

The author reveals the limitations of our memory and recounts how our brains often fill in gaps with false information, leading to faulty recollections and distorted understanding of events.

Chabris also examines the impact of our biases and preconceptions on our perception. Drawing on studies in cognitive psychology, he exposes how these biases can influence our decisions, judgments, and even our sense of self.

"The Invisible Gorilla" urges readers to question their assumptions about their own abilities to perceive and remember accurately. It offers practical suggestions for improving our understanding of the world around us, using insights from psychological research.

In a society that increasingly relies on visual information and multitasking, Chabris highlights the importance of being aware of our limitations and developing critical thinking skills. Ultimately, this book presents a compelling argument for the need to question our beliefs and sharpen our attention in order to truly see what is right in front of us.

Explore More Books

See All
Blueprint
The God Proof
The Player of Games
Planetary
The Sum of Us
These Truths
The New Economics
Dictionary of Untranslatables
The Unincorporated Man
Competition Demystified
Markings
Letters of Note
Moby Dick
The Humane Economy
The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
Awareness
Happiness
The Works
High
Drawing Life
The Giving Tree
Powernomics
Secret Sauce
The Moment of Lift
The Jungle
The Virgin Suicides
Night Sky with Exit Wounds
Poor Numbers
How To Buy Stocks
Memoirs
Bobby Kennedy
The Principia
How Innovation Works
The Great Mental Models
In Search of Lost Time
Fall of Constantinople
A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things
The Art of Spirited Away
March
Mortal Republic
The Psychology of Achievement
Trading Bases
Benjamin Franklin
The Obstacle Is the Way
Death Rattle
Daemon
Structures
The Minefield Girl
Million Dollar Weekend
Flowers for Algernon
Vagabonding
Orwell's Revenge
Black Edge
The Inner Lives of Markets
A Story Lately Told
Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman
The Power of Full Engagement
More Money Than God
The Lord of the Rings
Monetizing Innovation
The Light Of Other Days
The Bully Pulpit
The Professor in the Cage
Meditations
High Output Management
The Story of Design
The DevOps Handbook
The Great Rupture
Whole Earth Discipline
When Genius Failed
The Clash of the Cultures
The Master Switch
That's What She Said
The Kelly Capital Growth Investment Criterion
Dreamland
The Promise of a Pencil
Use of Weapons
Makers
In Defense of Food
Principles of Economics
The Amateur
Happy Money
Liftoff
The Macintosh Way
Competing Against Luck
Start-up Nation
Gridiron Genius
No Two Alike
War
A Short Guide to a Happy Life
The Upanishads
Home Game
Astrophysics for People In a Hurry
Out of Mao's Shadow
A Pattern Language
The Oxford History of Britain
The Demon Under The Microscope
Thank God for Bitcoin
There Must Be A Pony In Here Somewhere
Behind the Cloud