Ellen J. Langer, Harvard professor of psychology, determines that the mindless following of routine and other automatic behaviors lead to much error, pain and a predetermined course of life.

In this thought provoking audiobook, her research has been "translated" for the lay listener. With anecdotes and metaphors, Langer explains how the mindless--as opposed to the mindful--develop mindsets of categories, associations, habits of thought born of repetition in childhood and throughout schooling. To be mindful, she notes, stressing process over outcome, allows free rein to intuition and creativity, and opens us to new information and perspectives.

Langer discusses the negative impact of mindsets on business and social relations, showing special concern for the elderly, who often suffer from learned helplessness and lack of options.

Encouraging the application of mindfulness to health, the author affirms that placebos and alternative, mind-based therapies can help patients and addicts move from unhealthy to healthy contexts.

[作者介紹]

 積極心理學奠基人之一，幸福課導師本•沙哈爾最推崇的哈佛著名心理學傢，第一位獲得哈佛終身教職的女性。

 獲得最具含金量的古根海姆研究學者奬、美國心理協會頒發的大眾心理學傑齣貢獻奬、高爾頓•奧爾波特群際關係奬等。

 在各大學術媒體上發錶瞭70多篇學術論文及相關作品。她的著作還包括廣受好評的《學學藝術傢的減法創意》、《個人政治學》以及《控製心理學》等。