#123 The Power of Subconscious Decision-Making
September 03, 2023
In Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Blink," he delves into an intriguing experiment involving a gambling game that provides profound insights into the workings of our subconscious minds. In this experiment, participants are presented with four decks of cards: two red decks and two blue decks. The catch is that the decks are rigged, and there's a stark contrast in the outcomes they offer.
The red decks, while occasionally yielding significant winnings, come with a higher risk of losses. On the other hand, the blue decks offer a consistent stream of modest rewards with only occasional losses. The key question is how long it takes for players to figure out the advantage of sticking with the blue decks.
Gladwell reveals that when questioned consciously, participants typically catch on to the pattern after they've gone through approximately 70 cards. At that point, they can logically deduce that the red decks are riskier and that the blue decks are the safer bet. This logical realization comes after a substantial amount of card-turning and analysis.
However, what truly captivates Gladwell and forms the crux of his book is the revelation that our subconscious mind kicks in far earlier in the decision-making process. Researchers measured the participants' palm sweat levels, an indicator of stress. Remarkably, after examining just 10 cards, participants' palms started to sweat whenever they reached for cards from the red decks. This physiological response was evident long before individuals consciously comprehended the need to avoid the red decks.
This phenomenon leads to a compelling insight: beneath our conscious awareness, there exists a second, highly perceptive mode of thinking. This "blink" thinking operates rapidly and efficiently, enabling us to make complex judgments and decisions with remarkable speed. It's a kind of intuition that guides our choices before we even realize it.
In essence, Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" explores the intricate interplay between our conscious and subconscious minds, shedding light on the incredible power of quick, instinctual decision-making. It challenges us to recognize and harness the wisdom that lies beneath the surface of our thoughts, ultimately redefining how we understand human intuition and judgment.
Gladwell argues through numerous real world stories about how spontaneous decisions often come from a deeply rooted understanding of the situation and can be as good, or even better, than decisions made methodically and deliberately. A fantastic read on the ability to find patterns and make decisions based on narrow window of experiences.
See you next weekend, have a wonderful week ahead :)
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