RERUN | A Mastermind on Human Behavior: Dr. Richard E. Nisbett on Social Psychology and Thinking

This concept is rooted in the theories of Kurt Lewin, who emphasized that behavior is a function of the person and their perceived environment (B = f(P, E)). Lewin's work highlights the dynamic interaction between personal and situational factors, influencing an individual's subjective experiences and behaviors. His theories have been applied broadly in social psychology, including areas such as social cognition, person perception, and the psychological field theory.

In *The Geography of Thought*, Richard E. Nisbett argues that human cognition is shaped by cultural factors, leading to significant differences in how Asians and Westerners perceive and understand the world. The book delves into the historical, philosophical, and social structures that underpin these cognitive differences, highlighting the holistic approach of East Asian thought versus the analytical focus of Western thought.

In this book, Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of the mind, explaining how the two systems of thought shape our judgments and decisions. System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, effortful, and logical. Kahneman discusses the impact of cognitive biases, the difficulties of predicting future happiness, and the effects of overconfidence on corporate strategies. He offers practical insights into how to guard against mental glitches and how to benefit from slow thinking in both personal and business life. The book also explores the distinction between the 'experiencing self' and the 'remembering self' and their roles in our perception of happiness.

While not a full book, "The Creative Process" is a significant essay by James Baldwin that delves into the artist's role in society. Baldwin argues that artists have a crucial responsibility to challenge societal norms and expose uncomfortable truths. He emphasizes the artist's ability to illuminate the human condition and inspire change. The essay's enduring relevance lies in its exploration of the artist's power to disrupt and transform. Baldwin's insights continue to resonate with artists and activists striving for social justice.

One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of seven generations of the Buendía family, founders of the fictional town of Macondo. The novel spans a hundred years of turbulent Latin American history, from the postcolonial 1820s to the 1920s. It is a tale of love, loss, and the cyclical nature of history, filled with magical realism that blends the supernatural with the ordinary. The story follows the family's experiences, including civil war, marriages, births, and deaths, and explores themes such as solitude, fate, and the inevitability of repetition in history. The novel is renowned for its narrative style and its influence on the literary movement known as the Latin American Boom.