Contents
The hidden role of our subliminal selves … what it means when you don’t call your mother
The two-tier system of the brain … how you can see something without knowing it
How the brain builds memories … why we sometimes remember what never happened
The fundamental role of human social character … why Tylenol can mend a broken heart
How we communicate without speaking … how to know who’s the boss by watching her eyes
What we read into looks, voice, and touch … how to win voters, attract a date, or beguile a female cowbird
Why we categorize things and stereotype people … what Lincoln, Gandhi, and Che Guevara had in common
The dynamics of us and them … the science behind Lord of the Flies
The nature of emotions … why the prospect of falling hundreds of feet onto large boulders has the same effect as a flirtatious smile and a black silk nightgown
How our ego defends its honor … why schedules are overly optimistic and failed CEOs feel they deserve golden parachutes