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
The Revolt of the Public
Letters to a Young Poet
Just Kids
Trump
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
Certain To Win
Oscar
Coyote America
Artemis
God's Debris
Beyond The Blue
The Precipice
The AI Revolution in Medicine
The Great Mental Models
The Kite Runner
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The Pursuit of Wow!
Letters to a Young Scientist
Very Classy
The French Revolution and What Went Wrong
Uncaring
The War of Art
The Attention Merchants
Security Analysis
Physics of the Future
I, Robot
Elon Musk
The White Album
Change.edu
Structures
All Out War
The World Crisis
The Dovekeepers
The Wizard of Menlo Park
Limitless
The Fever
Fall of Constantinople
Value Investing
Les Miserables
A Matter of Degrees
Ladies and Gentlemen - Lenny Bruce!!
Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open
The Sympathizer
Dopamine Detox
Second Foundation
Bitcoin Billionaires
How Will You Measure Your Life?
American Kingpin
Use of Weapons
Drive
The Prize
The Information
Fermat's Enigma
The Happiness Hypothesis
Ender's Shadow
The Great Gatsby
Don't Feed the Monkey Mind
The Godfather
Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Triumphs of Experience
99% True
Alchemy
Look to Windward
How To Get Rich
Frames of Mind
Distant Force
Rock On
Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha
Complexity and the Economy
The Man Who Knew Infinity
The Evolution of Everything
Buddha's Brain
The Art of Manipulation
The Virgin Suicides
The Psychology of Money
The Myth of the Strong Leader
Arctica
World War 3.0
It's Not How Good You Are - It's How Good You Want To Be
The Untethered Soul
Thinking with Type
The Therapeutic Turn
The Perfect Bet
A New History of Greek Mathematics
Prepared
Letters of Note
Frenemies
A Bite-Sized History of France
The Bed of Procrustes
Einstein's Mistakes
The Giving Tree
The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali
The Rosie Project
Competing Against Time
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Reason Begins
The Worlds I See
Money Changes Everything
Active Inference
Hidden Repression