Best Selling Books by David DiSalvo

This book reveals a remarkable paradox: what your brain wants is frequently not what your brain needs. In fact, much of what makes our brains "happy" leads to errors, biases, and distortions, which make getting out of our own way extremely difficult. Author David DiSalvo presents evidence from evolutionary and social psychology, cognitive science, neurology, and even marketing and economics. And he interviews many of the top thinkers in psychology and neuroscience today. From this research-based platform, DiSalvo draws out insights that we can use to identify our brains’ foibles and turn our awareness into edifying action. Ultimately, he argues, the research does not serve up ready-made answers, but provides us with actionable clues for overcoming the plight of our advanced brains and, consequently, living more fulfilled lives.

Let's be honest. You've tried the sticky-note inspirations, the motivational calendar, and the cute (but ineffective) “carpe diem" mug—yet your attitude hasn't changed. It's time to apply cutting-edge science to the challenges of daily life. While everyone desires self-improvement, we are quickly frustrated when trying to implement the contradictory philosophies of self-appointed self-help gurus. Too often, their advice is based on anecdote and personal opinion, not real research. Bestselling author of What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite David DiSalvo returns with Brain Changer: How Harnessing Your Brain's Power to Adapt Can Change Your Life. Drawing on the latest research in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, behavioral economics, communications, and even marketing, DiSalvo replaces self-help with “science help." He demonstrates how the brain's enormous capacity to adapt is the most crucial factor influencing how we feel and act—a factor that we can control to change our lives. Findings show our brains are fluid and function much like a feedback loop: stimulants from both our environment and from within ourselves catalyze changes in the brain's response. That response then elicits additional inputs that the brain identifies and analyzes to further tailor its response. DiSalvo shows that the greatest internal tool we have to affect the feedback loop is metacognition (“thinking about thinking"). Littered with relatable examples and tackling major aspects of our lives including relationships, careers, physical health, and personal development, Brain Changer shows you how to harness metacognition to enrich your life.

Every day, we're faced with choices about what to eat, wear, and purchase. Blinded by a tsunami of information—some good, some bad, some intentionally misleading—often our brains are too overwhelmed to examine all the details. So how do we know we're making the best decisions for us? Author and science journalist David DiSalvo asks what's best for our brains instead. The Brain in Your Kitchen sifts through the good and bad information on the things we buy, the foods we eat, and the medicines we take. Using findings from cutting-edge science, DiSalvo divulges terrifically useful and little-known facts—each grounded in credible research—about everything from how gluten to cats affect your brain. Learn how we can trick our minds into helping us lose weight, what placebos are costing us big bucks with no results, and what caffeine is actually doing inside your head to give you that extra pep. Disalvo cuts through frantic media sensation and consumer marketplace babble and gives you the knowledge to distinguish hyperbole from truth so you're ready next time you sit down for dinner.

From a fresh, independent voice comes a collection of nine stories built on powerful emotional ground. What does it take to forge self-identity, confront the past, shatter personal myths and live an authentic life? In Dreaming in Fields of Killer Sheep, these questions are weaved throughout narratives in which individuals willing to face conflict--both external and internal--gain glimpses of truth in the shadows. An everyman confronts a sexual predator in a department store and faces a dark reality lying just beneath the surface of his psyche. A political staffer returns to her childhood home for a funeral and discovers disturbing news that challenges her to act. An opportunist seeking an easy way out of trouble unexpectedly faces a choice of being an accomplice to unknown evil or an improbable hero. And in the title story, a young advertising executive crashes from his ascent into a sea of questions about what being authentic really means. These and other tales in this collection challenge us to look beyond the obvious into dimly lit margins where truth and perception aren't so easily divided, and where the battle for self is joined.

Warum wir uns so oft selbst im Weg stehen Warum treffen wir immer wieder Entscheidungen, die unseren Bedürfnissen eigentlich zuwiderlaufen und unsere langfristigen Ziele gefährden? Warum setzen wir uns bewusst Versuchungen aus, die wir besser meiden sollten? Warum neigen wir dazu, statistisch völlig normalen Ereignissen eine höhere Bedeutung zuzuschreiben? Und warum beharren wir darauf, recht zu haben, wenn doch alles für das Gegenteil spricht? David DiSalvo enthüllt ein bemerkenswertes Paradox: Was unser Gehirn will, ist oft nicht das, was unser Gehirn braucht. Tatsächlich beruht vieles, was unser Gehirn „glücklich“ macht, auf Voreingenommenheiten und Verzerrungen, die in eine regelrechte Selbst-Sabotage münden können. Aber warum ist das so? Und können wir daran etwas ändern? Antworten auf diese Fragen findet der Autor in der Evolutions- und Sozialpsychologie, der Kognitionswissenschaft und Hirnforschung wie auch in Marketing und Wirtschaftswissenschaft. Und er setzt uns in die Lage, die Schwächen unseres Gehirns zu erkennen. Die Forschung, sagt DiSalvo, liefert zwar keine Patentlösungen, aber wertvolle Hinweise, wie wir unser Denkorgan überlisten und so ein erfüllteres Leben führen können. David DiSalvo nimmt seine Leser mit auf eine Rundreise zu all den Täuschungen, denen unser Geist unterliegt. Kein Aspekt des täglichen Lebens bleibt unberücksichtigt, vom Vorstellungsgespräch über das erste Date bis zu den Gefahren von eBay ... ein kurzweiliger Leitfaden über die Psyche, der Ihr Leben verändern könnte. New Scientist Dieses Buch ist das Schweizer Messer der Psychologie und Neurowissenschaft – handlich, praktisch und sehr, sehr nützlich. Joseph T. Hallinan, Pulitzer-Preisträger und Autor von Lechts oder rinks: Warum wir Fehler machen Der Autor David DiSalvo ist Wissenschaftsjournalist (u. a. für Scientific American Mind, Psychology Today und Wall Street Journal), Blogger und Buchautor.

Neu über das Denken nachdenken – das Geheimnis der Metakognition Der erfolgreiche Wissenschaftsautor David DiSalvo legt mit diesem ungewöhnlichen Buch einen nützlichen Leitfaden für ein verändertes, besseres Denken vor. In gewohnt zugänglicher und nachvollziehbarer Weise erklärt DiSalvo, wie das menschliche Denken funktioniert und welche Bedeutung die verschiedenen Feedback-Schleifen im Gehirn dafür haben. Er zeigt, wie wir unserem Denken durch Metakognition – also durch Nachdenken über das Denken – eine neue Richtung geben und somit die Reaktionen unseres Gehirns unmittelbar beeinflussen können. Anhand von anschaulichen Beispielen und mit Blick auf die großen Lebensthemen wie Beziehungen, Beruf, Gesundheit und persönliche Entwicklung demonstriert DiSalvo, dass die ungeheure Anpassungsfähigkeit unseres Gehirns der wichtigste Faktor ist, wenn es darum geht, unser Empfinden und Handeln zu beeinflussen – ein machtvolles Werkzeug, mit dem wir unser Leben verändern können. David DiSalvo fasst Jahrzehnte der psychologischen Forschung zusammen und gibt uns bewährte, wissenschaftlich bestätigte Tipps, wie wir die ganze Kraft unseres Gehirns nutzen können – vom Kaugummikauen über das Schreiben des eigenen Nachrufs bis zum Gurgeln mit Limonade. Sie werden staunen, auf wie viele Arten Sie den tuckernden Motor in Ihrem Kopf auf Touren bringen können Jesse Bering, Autor von Die Erfindung Gottes: wie die Evolution den Glauben schuf Der Autor David DiSalvo ist Wissenschaftsjournalist und schreibt unter anderem für Scientific American Mind, Forbes, Psychology Today und Wall Street Journal über naturwissenschaftliche, technische und kulturelle Themen. Er führt zudem die beliebten Blogs Neuronarrative, Neuropsyched und The Daily Brain und hat mehrere Bücher verfasst, darunter das ebenfalls bei Springer Spektrum erschienene Was Ihr Gehirn glücklich macht ... und warum sie genau das Gegenteil tun sollten.

Negli ultimi anni gli studi cognitivi, le ricerche di psicologia sperimentale e le neuroscienze hanno accumulato una grande quantità di dati sul cervello umano, svelando meccanismi che ci erano completamente oscuri e ridisegnando le nostre conoscenze in questo campo. Così, a mano a mano che ci si addentra nei meandri del nostro cervello e dei suoi comportamenti, avviene che le bizzarre ricette dei guru del benessere psichico o dei sedicenti maestri del successo personale ci appaiano sempre meno plausibili e mostrino tutta la loro debolezza. Per tutto questo, e altro ancora, siamo ora in grado di capire perché spesso ci comportiamo in modo avventato, per non dire apertamente autolesionista, senza un motivo apparente. Fondato su ricerche d’avanguardia, esposto con esemplare chiarezza e in modo contagioso e irresistibile, Cosa rende felice il tuo cervello (e perché devi fare il contrario) si propone come un antidoto intelligente e innovativo alla manualistica di autoaiuto. Diamo il benvenuto allo science-help.

Non è più tempo di ricette di self-help prive di fondamento né di guru dal curriculum equivoco: al giorno d’oggi le neuroscienze sono in grado di spiegare davvero come funziona il cervello, e sulla base di quelle conoscenze possiamo agire per migliorarci e, in definitiva, per vivere meglio. Usando esempi tratti dalla vita di ogni giorno, dalle relazioni sociali alla carriera, dalla salute fisica allo sviluppo personale, David DiSalvo dimostra come l’enorme capacità adattativa del cervello sia il fattore cruciale sul quale si può fare leva; un potente strumento che possiamo tenere sotto controllo per dare una svolta alle nostre vite. Allo stesso tempo teorico e pratico, questo libro cambierà il vostro modo di pensare e, forse, la vostra vita.

DiSalvo nos ofrece un libro de "ciencia ayuda" (en contraste con las clásicas obras de autoayuda) y nos detalla los atajos mentales que le agrada tomar a nuestra mente, pero que no siempre nos son útiles, en la creencia de que comprender la función de nuestro cerebro nos ayudará a enfrentarnos a nuestro obstinado carácter

Ogni giorno siamo posti di fronte a delle scelte: cosa mangiare, comprare, indossare e molte altre ancora. E spesso il cervello si trova a «saltare» da una decisione all’altra senza che noi comprendiamo tutte le sfaccettature delle nostre reazioni. David DiSalvo e il suo science help ci vengono ora in soccorso: affidandoci alle ricerche più avanzate nei campi della psicologia e delle neuroscienze possiamo imparare tutto ciò che serve sul bizzarro comportamento del cervello. Con queste semplici «ricette» impareremo finalmente a conoscerne il comportamento, le debolezze e i punti di forza e a districarci con facilità tra gli ingredienti dei cibi, in farmacia o tra gli scaffali di un supermercato.

Years of neuroscience research have led to the current understanding of the brain as a prediction machine. The problem is that our brains' evolved capacity for avoiding and defending against threats has a slew of by-products, all tightly woven into our day-to-day thinking and behavior, that ensnare us while making our threat-anticipating brains "happy."