While we like to believe that our decisions are made in a thoughtful way, we know that our emotions and unconscious processes have a profound impact on our choices and attitudes. In The Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantum, an NPR social science correspondent, presents anecdotes and research to suggest that our “hidden brain” is largely responsible for who we love, who we hate and the clothes we buy. We can have sympathy for one injured animal, yet lose interest in frequent stories of mass human deprivation and death. Read the Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2 for the first session.

This study group, led by instructor Gerry Lapidus, will meet for two hours on Mondays from February 13 through March 13.