Mindmasters : the data-driven science of predicting and changing human behavior / Sandra Matz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Matz, Sandra C., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Psychology--Research--Methodology.

Psychology.

Psychology--Technological innovations.

Technological innovations--Psychological aspects.

Technological innovations.

Human behavior--Research.

Human behavior.

Data mining--Social aspects.

Data mining.

Physical Description:

viii, 226 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Boston, Massachusetts : Harvard Business Review Press, [2025]

Summary:

"There are more digital pieces of data than stars in the universe. This data helps us monitor our planet, decipher our genetic code, and take a deep dive into our psychology. As algorithms become increasingly adept at accessing our minds, they also become more and more powerful at controlling it-enticing us to buy a certain product or vote for a certain political candidate. Some of us say this technological trend is no big deal. Others consider it one of the greatest threats to humanity. But what if the truth is more nuanced and mind-bending than that? In Mindmasters, Columbia Business School professor Sandra Matz offers a fascinating insider perspective on the art and data-driven science of psychological targeting. By relating her own personal story of growing up in a small village-where few aspects of life remain truly private-to her groundbreaking research in computational psychology, Matz reveals how Big Data offers insights into the most intimate aspects of our psyche and how these insights empower external influence over the choices we make. Filled with Ted-Talk-like explanations and real-life examples from Matz's research and consulting work, Mindmasters paints a nuanced picture of the power of psychological targeting. Like nosy neighbors, it can be creepy, manipulative, and downright harmful-with scandals like Cambridge Analytica being merely the tip of the iceberg. Yet, like any tight-knit, supportive village community, it also holds enormous potential to help us live healthier and happier lives-for example, by improving our mental health, encouraging better financial decisions, or enabling us to break out of our echo chambers. With passion and clear-eyed precision, Matz shows us how to manage psychological targeting and redesign the data game in a way that empowers us to take back control and ask more of our personal data. Mindmasters is a riveting look at what our digital footprints reveal about us, how they're being used-for good and for ill-and how we can gain more control and power over the data that define us"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction: The digital village

Part 1. Data is a window into our psychology. Decoding our psychology

The identities we craft online

The digital breadcrumbs of our existence

You are not yourself when you're hungry

Part 2. The bright and dark sides of psychological targeting. Psychological insights in action

Finding the good

When things go wrong

Part 3. Making our data work for us. We need more than control

Creating a better data ecosystem

Coming together

Epilogue: The moral imperative to shape our future.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Matz, Sandra. Mindmasters

ISBN:

9781647826314

1647826314

OCLC:

1419864767