The power of shared mental labor and "the extended mind"

Issue 11: An interview with Annie Murphy Paul; an invitation for other book authors; behavioral science in the pandemic; and how online harassment enforces social norms

¹We are excited to host an interview with Annie Murphy Paul this week. Annie has just published a new book, ‘The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain’. Her book examines the provocative and powerful idea that a great deal of human thinking takes place outside the individual mind. People are adept at exploiting external resources to think, “including the feelings and movements of our bodies; the physical spaces in which we learn and work; and the other minds with which we interact—our classmates, colleagues, teachers, supervisors, friends”. 

We were especially interested in the section of her book on, ‘Thinking with our Relationships,’ and the final chapter focused on thinking in groups. Annie generously agreed to answer a few questions about how group dynamics can be harnessed for better decision making…

What does your book teach us about group dynamics?

The Extended Mind explores the notion that we don't think just with our own brains—we “think with” the minds of other…