Summary of Todd Rose's Collective Illusions

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

Sample Book Insights:

#1 When a donated kidney becomes available in the United States, it is evaluated for matches and then offered on a first-come, first-served basis to the matched individuals on the wait-list. This means that, when a person at the top of the queue rejects a kidney, others in line have to decide whether to accept that same, previously rejected kidney.

#2 We are all susceptible to the copycat trap, which is when we defer to others because we don’t believe that we have enough solid information of our own. We are also susceptible to this trap because we have a built-in need to be accurate about our world, and a profound fear of social embarrassment that makes us reluctant to speak up.

#3 We often conform to the crowd because we’re afraid of being embarrassed. Our stress levels rise at the thought of being mocked or viewed as incompetent, and when that happens, the fear-based part of the brain takes over.

#4 The copycat trap is when we fall for the social information we receive, and it is easy to misjudge the behavior of the group.