Gladwell is an excellent writer, but he does overstate his case in that book to serve the interest of a very good, gut-level story. I didn't read the above to ding him - just to set the record straight.
I feel very negative in this direction about Psychology Today - interesting stories, but even less, much less, below the surface. Gladwell at least gives footnotes and references actual researchers. He serves a critical function and serves it very well. PT reads more like a tabloid of science journalism.
Regarding this article, people have won the Nobel Prize in Economics after showing, at least twenty-five years ago, how bad we are at judging real-life risks. The scientists doing that work? Psychologists.
I feel very negative in this direction about Psychology Today - interesting stories, but even less, much less, below the surface. Gladwell at least gives footnotes and references actual researchers. He serves a critical function and serves it very well. PT reads more like a tabloid of science journalism.
Regarding this article, people have won the Nobel Prize in Economics after showing, at least twenty-five years ago, how bad we are at judging real-life risks. The scientists doing that work? Psychologists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospect_theory