Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova

The challenge in this phase is to _________ a novel __________ - one that hasn't been __________ or _________ before, and one that you've never seen. What goes in the blank?

1. Imagine 2. Solution 3. Imagined, considered

Distancing can be achieved by engaging in activities _________ to the problem; employing __________ distancing techniques; or creating actual _________ distance.

- Unrelated - Mental - Physical

examples of heuristics

1. Trial and error 2. A rule of thumb 3. An educated guess

An example of the heuristic effect: before Watson even knows that someone is soon to arrive, ...

He is already set to like the visitor, after all he is already in a relaxed, happy mood

The many cognitive traps on the way to becoming a better thinker

Heuristics, biases and environment

we tend to erase whole parts of our environment - a phenomenon researchers call :

Inattentional blindness

What is the heuristic effect?

When current emotions influence decisions

Contents are

are those things that we've taken in from the world and that we've experienced in our lives.

Hence, to observe accurately, we must cultivate an ______ ______. What goes in the blanks?

attentive mind

Start with the basics: Your brain is like an _______" What goes in the blank?

attic

Heuristic is

basing the estimated probability of an event on the ease with which relevant instances come to mind

Furthermore, this attic consists of two components:

contents and structure

But how exactly can you kickstart your creative imagination? One technique is called

distancing

Just because you can only recall certain information...

doesn't mean that other information isn't equally important

Yet cultivating an attentive mind means nothing if you don't _________________ your initial observations.

double-check

In daily life, motivation to remember entails making:

mental shortcuts that help simplify decision making, and ease the cognitive load of making a decision

What are heuristics?

mental shortcuts that help simplify decision making, and ease the cognitive load of making a decision

Biases

opinions or beliefs that affect a person's ability to make fair, unclouded judgments or decisions

You're attic is a

room in which you can store objects

Of course, the "main attic" is where you should:

store important information

2. AND ask yourself:

what does this goal mean for all the steps that follow?

What is the availability heuristic?

The common tendency to use what is available to the mind at any given point in time

*Research shows that

**people feel generally happier and more satisfied with their lives when the sun is out

Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova (Blinkist) https://quizlet.com/253517885/

*About the book:* Mastermind explores Sherlock Holmes's unique approach of observation, imagination and deduction, and illustrates how anyone can harness his method to improve their thinking and decision-making skills. To this end, the book presents a variety of simple strategies, drawing on scientific research in psychology and neuroscience, and numerous examples from the original Sherlock Holmes stories. *About the author:* Maria Konnikova is a Russian-American writer and journalist with a background in psychology, creative writing and government. Her contributions have appeared in numerous publications, such as the New Yorker, Scientific American, the New York Times and others.

Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova (Blinkist) https://quizlet.com/253517885/

*Creative imagination: Generating alternative options by distancing.* Distancing can be achieved in a variety of ways - for example, by engaging in activities unrelated to the problem; employing mental distancing techniques; or creating actual physical distance.Indeed, research has shown that distancing helps to improve the thinking process and leads to increased creativity. For example, people who find themselves stuck with a particular problem have been shown to find solutions after taking a walk in nature. And, in case you're wondering about Holmes' favorite distancing techniques, they are: smoking a pipe, playing the violin and attending musical concerts.The key to distancing is to find an activity which stimulates you but doesn't demand much effort, such as meditation or walking.

Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova (Blinkist) https://quizlet.com/253517885/

*Final Summary* Speed up your learning.A good method is keeping a decision diary. In doing so, you'll probably discover some common patterns in your decision-making process. Adopt the "hunter mindset".Be ever-alert, vigilant, ready to align your strategy to your environment and learn from previous mistakes

Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova (Blinkist) https://quizlet.com/253517885/

*Logical deduction: Distinguish the important from the incidental.* After pausing, observation and creativity, it's time to enter the next phase in the problem-solving process: deduction. The aim with deduction is to consider the array of alternatives that emerged during the creative phase, then to determine which works best as a solution to the problem. The challenge here is to decide on the best solution without totally excluding the highly improbable ones. Using System Watson, we have a tendency to select the most plausible scenario as the solution, based on our past experience. In the process, we subconsciously neglect all evidence that runs counter to our favored solution, or that complicates the issue.Psychologists call these subjective narratives natural stories. you can diminish the power of natural stories by adopting a simple strategy: reflect, resist the impulse to simplify, and edit your intuitional answer. Ask yourself: Am I using all evidence? Am I giving it all the same weight?mm

Our _______ are tough to change and are remarkably _________. What goes in the blanks?

1. Bias 2. Sticky

in other words, ________ _____________ but remaining __________ toward all other activities. What goes on the blanks?

1. Actively observing 2. Passive

We can attain an ____________ ________ by becoming what scientists call ____________ ________. What goes in the blanks?

1. Attentive Mind 2. Passive observers

What would be the sub goals in support of the overarching goal (Ex:) to conquer the world?

1. Find a small deserted island. 2. Construct a hidden lair. 3. Build a laser. 4. Make unreasonable demands.

In this mode (actively observing), ________ on what you set out to observe (determined by the overarching goals you established in the previous step) as ___________ as possible. What goes in the blanks?

1. Focus 2. Objectively

You will need to have decided on this _______ in order to align the rest of _________ with your _____________________. What goes in the blanks?

1. Goal 2. The process 3. Overarching objective

You will need to have decided on this goal in order to align the rest of the process with your overarching objectives

1. Goal 2. The process 3. Overarching objective

After accurate ___________, the next step in solving a problem is the __________ phase. What goes in the blank?

1. Observation 2. Creative

While you pause to _______, you should not only _________ of yourself and the environment, but also______________________. What goes in the blanks?

1. Reflect 2. Become aware 3. decide on the goal that you want to accomplish

Another _________ is to pay attention to what is _____________. In one case, Holmes observes that a house owner's dog ____________ bark the night that an intruder entered the house, deducing from this that the intruder must've been someone that the dog was already familiar with. What goes in the blank?

1. Strategy 2. Not there 3. did not

Structure determines

1. Where the packages of information will be placed 2. How they'll be labeled 3. and how they can be found when you need them

Once you've _______ your reflective mind and framed your _________, the next step is _________ ___________. What goes in the blanks?

1. activated 2. goals 3. accurate observation

One way to be focused and objective while in actively observing mode is to be as __________ as you can, using all of your ________, just as Holmes _________________ and ________ his magnifying glass. What goes in the blanks?

1. inclusive 2. senses 3. smells, touches, listens 4. Uses

What is an Overarching Goal?

A bigger goal with underlying sub goals in support

Contents are basically

Anything that can be stored in you're brain

_______ is a clear problem. What goes in the blank?

Availability heuristic

Passive observation:

Cultivate an attentive mind with inclusivity and engagement

in which one main impression colors the rest of our perception of a person

Halo Effect

It is important to use your senses, be inclusive and use you're magnifying glass to ....

Get a complete picture

Structure is

Is how our minds work, how it takes in information

distancing

It involves stepping away from the challenge at hand and giving your mind the space it needs

What does the motivation to remember mean?

It means that you have to be motivated and interested when engaging with this content, or else you'll forget

How do you focus as objectively as possible, on your goals while in actively objective mode?

One way is to be as inclusive as you can, using all of your senses, just as Holmes smells, touches, listens and uses his magnifying glass.

Before you begin...

Pause, take stock of the whole situation, and frame your goals.

What can you do with your attic?

Sort and rearrange

What attic, is the only attic, that will store long-term?

The main attic

What is a good, general example of an overarching goal?

To conquer the world

1. ask yourself:

What is it that I want to achieve?

Motivation to Remember (MTR)

What you need to store important information in you're main attic