Thin-slicing - knowing what to do without working it out

Just read the book ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s about something called thin-slicing, an intuitive technique we use to make snap decisions without overthinking.

This goes hand-in-hand with Gavin de Becker’s outstanding book ‘The Gift of Fear’ looking at how intuitive responses to microscopic cues allow us to make very accurate predictions even under high stress.

From a self-defence perspective this is massively useful as a skill that enables you to read someone’s intentions from very little information. From a training standpoint it is the key to the perfect counter punch. One that is ‘felt’ not ‘spotted’.

So what is thin-slicing

Thin slicing is our ability to judge a situation from a very small amount of information, using key factors to make a spontaneous decision without weighing all the information over a period of time. This works contrary to the common belief that more info is better, instead putting weight on the bare minimum you need to make a decision.

The book shows the power of this method of insight but also explores the drawbacks to it, specifically the introduction of stereotype and prejudice throwing your results off.

It’s an interesting read.

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