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How Minds Change

The New Science of Belief, Opinion and Persuasion

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How Minds Change

By: David McRaney
Narrated by: David McRaney
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About this listen

‘In a time when too many minds seem closed, this is a masterful analysis of what it takes to open them' Adam Grant, author of the bestselling Think Again

‘Optimistic, illuminating and even inspiring' Guardian

As the world is increasingly polarised, it feels impossible to change the mind of someone with a conflicting view. But this book shows that you could be one conversation away from changing someone's mind about something, maybe a lot of things.

Self-delusion expert and psychology nerd David McRaney sets out to discover not just what it takes to influence others, but why we believe in the first place. Along the way he meets a former Westboro Baptist Church member who was deradicalised on Twitter, goes deep canvassing to see how quickly people will surrender their character-defining views, finds a 9/11 Truther who turns his back on it all, and reveals how, within a few years, half a country can go from opposing the ‘gay agenda' to happily attending same-sex weddings.

Distilling the latest research in psychology and neuroscience, How Minds Change reveals how beliefs take hold, not over hundreds of years, but in less than a generation, in less than a decade, and sometimes in an instant.

©2022 David McRaney (P)2022 Penguin Audio Neuroscience & Neuropsychology Psychology Psychology & Mental Health

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All stars
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Longtime fans like me, of David’s “you are not so smart” podcast will recognize a fair bit but you won’t be disappointed

Thought provoking

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David is an amazing story teller, and the insights in this book are wonderful. Both interesting to listen to and very practical!

Amazing!

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A nicely structured presentation of different perspectives, and insights, on how the mind expresses and processes belief.

The order and way the sometimes familiar, sometimes novel, information is told made it easy for me to understand the way different models overlap and get and an idea of how and why they work.

I very much enjoyed the way this helped me slot in, and restructure new and old beliefs in such a way that to me, it felt like puzzle pieces slotting into place.

Overal a dense feeling read/listen (I can't count how many times I paused and rewound to fully absord the information) but also satisfying.

Thoroughly Enjoyed The New Perspectives

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After following David for many years this is way up there a must read

that's a seriously good mind changing book

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Brilliant book, excellently narrated by the author. David takes us through some real complex ideas and Social Science concepts but grounds it well with a mix of great storytelling and excellent and engaging subjects.

David lays out, in clear detail, how to change minds using clearly articulated techniques but also fully engages the reader on a key point. Why do you want to?

The concern about why really comes through when listening to stories elicited from his subjects, which are always presented with great empathy and compassion which strongly reinforces much of the messages in the book

Amazing, engaging and mind changing

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I think this book is very interesting, and it also gives you the tool to explore all this on my own if I would like to. Read by the author in his calm voice makes especially nice listening too.

Great read of a good book

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If you want to change people’s minds, read this, and change your mind about what you think and why you think it. Revelatory.

Thoughtful, important, revelatory.

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Should have been a magazine article instead of a book. Basically, to persuade someone, don’t get angry and use facts, but create rapport. Also, listen, and ask leading questions to try and to gradually get the other person to see possible errors in their thinking.
The book also seemed to be overly focused on using examples of persuading people to left-wing values, particularly gay rights. Personally, I agree with the politics, it just seemed strange that they received so much focus in the book. And McRaney’s powerful point that we have seen an entire nation change its mind on LGBTQ+ issues was kind of lost in the verbiage.

Could be a lot shorter

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The science is explained well and clearly. But I lost the will to live in the 30 minute chapter about the people leaving the Westboro Church. We go through the whole story in such detail that the momentum of the book is lost. McRaney reads his own material well. There is also a slant in the book towards liberal values always being "right". I'm a liberal but it would have been good to hear how minds changed the other way.... How socialists came to see capitalism as a better outcome or something like that.

Interesting insights mixed with plodding case stud

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I had to push myself through this book, and the main parts were two chapters, about 2h worth. It's interesting enough but I won't quote this book to anyone, nor will I remember much that was said. YouTube videos could have summed it up better, and that's why I bought a book, to not have to YouTube it.

It wasn't horrendous, but I wouldnt listen to it unless I was stuck in a 127 hours situation.

It was a lot of words describing not a lot

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