Multimind: A New Way of Looking at Human Behavior

Robert Ornstein's classic, Multimind, presents a startling new concept of how the human mind works. In a readable and accessible way, he introduces a new science of the mind, explaining why our emotions and attitudes are so easily swayed, and the difficulty of ever really knowing oneself or another person. Ornstein faults the narrowness of IQ tests, stressing the many varied abilities that make up intelligence. Citing studies of hypnosis and multiple personality, he explains how multiple minds coexist in each of us - how each of us has many "small minds" that simultaneously, but independently, process feelings, fantasies, ideas, fixed routines, interpersonal responses and bodily skills. As we go through our daily lives, different parts of our mind - different "minds" - come to the fore to handle different situations. This means that "you" are not the same person from moment to moment, but have different memories and abilities in different situations. Reading this groundbreaking book will help you take a step towards understanding who you really are.