The cost of conviction : how our deepest values lead us astray / Steven A. Sloman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sloman, Steven A., author.

Series:

The MIT Press

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Decision making--Psychological aspects.

Decision making.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (249 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : The MIT Press, [2025]

Summary:

A timely and important perspective on how people frame decisions and how relying on sacred values unwittingly leads to social polarization. When you are faced with a decision, do you consider the best outcome, or do you consider your deepest values about which actions are appropriate The Cost of Conviction contrasts these two primary strategies for making decisions: consequentialism, the former, or prioritizing one's sacred values, the latter. Steven Sloman argues that, while both modes of decision making are necessary tools for a good decision maker, people err by deploying sacred values more often than they should, especially when it comes to sociopolitical issues. As a result, we oversimplify, grow disgusted and angry, and act in ways that contribute to social polarization. In this book, Sloman provides a new understanding of today's societal ills and grounds that understanding in science. The book begins by covering the philosophical and conceptual background of the two decision-making strategies, then takes a deep dive into the psychology of decision making. Drawing on historical and current examples of the use of the two strategies, the author provides a thorough overview of the psychology of decision making, including work on judgment, conscious and unconscious decision-making processes, the roles of emotion, and even an analysis of habit and addiction. With its unique emphasis on sacred values, The Cost of Conviction is an eye-opening must-read for all decision makers, especially those who wish to understand judgment, social decision making, and leadership.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.

ISBN:

0-262-38382-9

0-262-38383-7

OCLC:

1468668854