Interdisciplinary Book Reviews

  The Coddling of the American Mind :  How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas  Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure     by Greg Lukianoff and       Jonathan Haidt Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton The Coddling of the American Mind : How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, published in 2019, explores the cultural and psychological shifts that have led to increased fragility among young people, particularly on college campuses. The authors argue that well-meaning but misguided practices in parenting, education, and societal norms have contributed to a generation less equipped to handle adversity and engage in open dialogue.   The Three Great Untruths   Central to the book are the "Three Great Untruths" that Lukianoff and Haidt identify as pervasive and harmful beliefs:   1. The Untruth of Fragility : "What doesn’t kill you makes you weaker." ...

  High Conflict by Amanda Ripley Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley delves into the toxic landscape of   high conflict   – disputes that escalate into an intractable state of binary opposition. Unlike healthy conflict, which can lead humanity to a better future, high conflict distills into a good-versus-evil feud, where the normal rules of engagement no longer apply. In this state, our brains behave differently, and we become increasingly certain of our own superiority. High Conflict explores real-life stories of individuals drawn into high conflict, including a world-renowned conflict expert in California, a Chicago gang leader seeking vengeance, and liberal Manhattan Jews and conservative Michigan corrections officers attempting to understand each other better. Despite the forces that drive people into high conflict, the book reveals that individuals and communities can break free from its ...

Cialdini's 7 Points developed by Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD Book Author: Robert B. Cialdini Reviewed by      Geoffrey W. Sutton Robert Cialdini’s Influence and the Psychology of Persuasion: A Book Review Robert Cialdini is a psychologist who has spent decades studying what actually persuades people to act. When I worked with parents and teachers on child behavior, I often asked them to recall commercials they remembered. It was a fun exercise—and revealing. Most people admit that those ads pop back into mind later, especially when they’re standing in a store or making an impulse purchase. Businesses know exactly what they’re doing: a 30‑ or 60‑second commercial can shape human behavior. If you’re trying to sell a product, advocate for change, or gain supporters for a cause, Cialdini’s research-backed principles are worth knowing. Below are the major principles from his book Influence. 1. The Contrast Principle Our judgments are shaped by what comes first. If you meet a rude ...