'Blink': First impressions mean more than you think

Bill and Susan sat in a nondescript room and allowed themselves to be videotaped for 15 minutes as they discussed a point of contention in their marriage: their dog. They were a trendy couple in their 20’s, whose stylishly messy haircuts revealed a playful nature.

As the couple had a seemingly ordinary conversation about their dog, they were under careful observation by John Gottman, a psychologist at the University of Washington. Electrodes and sensors recorded things like their heart rate and how much they were sweating.

In the brief 15-minute clip of the couple, Gottman observed subtle signs of defensiveness and contempt in their interaction by analyzing the tape “according to a coding system that has 20 separate categories corresponding to every conceivable emotion that a married couple might express during a conversation.”

Not only did Gottman measure the amount of positive and negative emotion in their interaction, he also looked for a pattern in Bill and Susan’s marriage that he believes can emerge during any meaningful interaction.

Bill and Susan are only one example of the kinds of cases examined in the book “Blink,” by Malcolm Gladwell. This is Gladwell’s second novel – his first foray into the world of writing resulted in the bestseller “The Tipping Point.”

Published in 2005, “Blink” explores “the power of thinking without thinking.” Gladwell guides the reader’s understanding of the world within by studying the process of decision making.

For instance, he discusses the concept of thin-slicing, which is a critical part of rapid cognition. He writes, “‘thin-slicing’ refers to the ability of our unconscious to find patterns in situations and behavior based on very narrow slices of experience . thin-slicing is part of what makes the unconscious so dazzling.”

However, even though much of the book is based on psychology and neuroscience, Gladwell doesn’t overwhelm or intimidate the reader.

Instead, he presents his well-researched arguments clearly, and delves into such a wide range of topics in his study that his arguments appear versatile and objective.

Gladwell’s theory of thin-slicing is not all positive, either. He admits that although thin-slicing is possible because we can quickly get beneath the surface of a situation, we will err if we make a snap judgment without ever getting below the surface.

He uses the case of Warren Harding to describe this error. “Many people who looked at Warren Harding saw how extraordinarily handsome and distinguished-looking he was and jumped to the immediate – and entirely unwarranted – conclusion that he was a man of courage and intelligence and integrity.”

This “Warren Harding error” reminds us that although we can sometimes know more about a person or situation in the blink of an eye than in months of study, rapid cognition can lead to lapses in judgment under certain circumstances.

As Gladwell continues his discussion of how our brains work, he examines enlightening topics like the value of a first impression, unconscious racial attitudes, and our ability to recognize the face of a stranger we saw briefly.

He ends his book with the story of Abbie Conant, a professional musician. In 1980, she sought several orchestra jobs in Europe. She received one reply, from the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, addressed to “Herr Abbie Conant.” Her round of auditions was blind, and as she played the trombone from behind a screen, she floored the committee. However, when she stepped out from behind the screen, they were shocked to see a woman before them, as the trombone was considered suitable for males only.

“Once Celibidache and the rest of the committee saw her in the flesh, all those long-held prejudices began to compete with the winning first impression they had of her performance.”

Conant’s situation – an unbiased moment filled with objectivity, followed by a “grotesque moment”- is a typical “Blink” scenario. Gladwell’s piece is worth reading because it is both dynamic and innovative. Most importantly, it sheds insight on a concept that we have always hoped possible: in the mere blink of an eye, we can aptly perceive reality.

Laura Kasavan is a journalism junior and Mustang Daily book reviewer.