Shop Stitch
Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

Daniel Gardner
Follow
Dan Gardner
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Science Fear Lib/E: Why We Fear the Things We Should Not- And Put Ourselves in Great Danger Audio CD – Unabridged, July 20, 2009

by Daniel Gardner (Author), Scott Peterson (Reader)
4.3 out of 5 stars 240 ratings
From terror attacks to the War on Terror, bursting real estate bubbles to crystal meth epidemics, sexual predators to poisonous toys from China, our list of fears seems to be exploding. And yet, we are the safest and healthiest humans in history. Irrational fear is running amok, and often with tragic results. In the months after 9/11, when people decided to drive instead of fly--believing they wee avoiding risk--road deaths rose by 1,595. Those lives were lost to fear. The Science of Fear is a disarmingly cheerful roundtrip shuttle to the new brain science, dissecting the fears that misguide and manipulate us every day. As award-winning journalist Daniel Gardner demonstrates, irrational fear springs from how humans miscalculate risks. Our hunter-gatherer brains evolved during the old Stone Age and struggle to make sense of a world utterly unlike the one that made them. Numbers, for instance, confuse us. Our "gut" tells us that even if there aren't "fifty thousand predators...on the Internet prowling for children," as a recent U.S. Attorney General claimed, then there must be an awful lot. And even if our "head" discovers that the number is baseless and no one actually knows the truth--there could be one hundred thousand or five--we are still more fearful simply because we heard the big number. And it is not only politicians and the media that traffic in fearmongering. Corporations fatten their bottom lines with fear. Interest groups expand their influence with fear. Officials boost their budgets with fear. With more information, warnings and scary stories coming at us every day from every direction, we are more prone than ever to needlessly worry. Real-world examples, interviews with experts, and fast-paced, lean storytelling make The Science of Fear an entertaining and enlightening tour. Ultimately, by revealing the psychology behind the many ways our "gut" reactions lead us astray and allow others to manipulate us. The Science of Fear will make you brave.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    Gildan Media Corporation
  3. Publication date
    July 20, 2009
  4. ISBN-13
    979-8200645671
Next slide of product details
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[An] entertaining, often jolting account of why trivial risks terrify us, even as we engage in wildly dangerous activities with hardly a qualm...Using examples from everyday life and elucidating with ingenious psychological studies, the author explains why utterly irrational fears come naturally."

-- "Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"

"An expert guide to how and why we make bad decisions."

-- "Dr. Daniel J. Levitin, New York Times bestselling author of This Is Your Brain on Music "

"An invaluable resource for anyone who aspires to think clearly."

-- "Guardian (London)"

"Both matter-of-fact and entertaining...Gardner's vivid, direct style, backed up by clear examples and solid data from science and psychology, brings a breath of fresh air and common sense to an emotional topic."

-- "Publishers Weekly"

"Excellent...Analyzes everything from the media's predilection for irrational scare stories to the cynical use of fear by politicians pushing a particular agenda...Gardner never falls into the trap of becoming frustrated and embittered by the waste and needless worry that he is documenting. A personal anecdote about an unwise foray into a Nigerian slum in search of a stolen wallet disposes of the idea that the author is immune to the foibles he describes. What could easily have been a catalogue of misgovernance and stupidity instead becomes a cheery corrective to modern paranoia."

-- "Economist"

"Wonderfully provocative, an engagingly written study of the psychology of risk."

-- "Tom Vanderbilt, New York Times bestselling author of Traffic "

About the Author

Coming soon...

Scott Peterson is an actor experienced in theater, modern dance, and voice-over. He is an enrolled member of the Heron Clan of the Cayuga Tribe of the Six Nations of the Iroquois.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08ZBJFFQJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gildan Media Corporation
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 20, 2009
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Unabridged
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8200645671
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 240 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Daniel Gardner

    Daniel Gardner

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Dan Gardner

    Dan Gardner

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Dan Gardner is the New York Times best-selling author of books about psychology and decision-making. His work has been called "an invaluable resource for anyone who aspires to the think clearly" by The Guardian and "required reading for journalists, politicians, academics, and anyone who listens to them" by Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker.

    Gardner’s books have been published in 25 countries and 20 languages.

    In addition to writing, Gardner lectures on forecasting, risk, and decision-making.

    Prior to becoming an author, Gardner was a newspaper columnist and feature writer whose work won or was nominated for every major award in Canadian newspaper journalism.

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
240 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book well-researched and enlightening, providing an eye-opening look at irrational fears. They appreciate its readability, with one customer noting how it makes scientific studies accessible to laypeople.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Information qualityReadabilityLookReadable
23 customers mention "Information quality"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enlightening and well-researched, providing a good expose on irrational fears. One customer notes that it makes scientific studies accessible to laypeople.

"...to bolster his points, yet manages to make these scientific studies accessible to laypeople, summarizing many of the principles with names such as..." Read more

"...The book combines real world examples with the science behind it, providing a thorough explanation for why we fear the things we do, the impact our..." Read more

"...our head and gut follow when assessing risk and rationalizing our behaviors when dealing with risk...." Read more

"I found this book very interesting in concept, however i got so bored with it...." Read more

20 customers mention "Readability"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well worth reading and very interesting, describing it as a fun and valuable read.

"...All in all, a fascinating and valuable book for anyone who wants to know how to better use the reasoning side of their brain to evaluate the risks..." Read more

"Great book. I've been reading on the field of "propaganda" the past two years, as a hobby...." Read more

"...Minor nitpick. All in all, very interesting read that I recommend to anyone who wants to understand how humans think about risk...." Read more

"...Decent book to read but just got really bored with it...." Read more

3 customers mention "Look"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's visual presentation, with one noting it provides a good picture of the subject matter.

"This was a truly eye-opening look into why fear is so powerful--and so dangerous...." Read more

"We thought this book was very interesting and certainly gives a good picture of why we make some of the decisions that we do..." Read more

"This book definitely covers the science of fear, an in depth look at why we are the way we are and why we do the things we do...." Read more

8 customers mention "Readable"5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the readability of the book, with some finding it highly readable and well written, while others note that it contains too much filler text.

"...Highly readable and air tight in its analysis, there were "ahah's" for me on almost every page...." Read more

"...It was well-written, well-researched and well-organized. I do think some of the authors personal opinions/views (politically, etc.)..." Read more

"...The book's main con is that it is a bit dry, and it isn't necessarily an easy read...." Read more

"This book reads like a text book, very slowly. Lots of interesting info but too much of it...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Lance Bledsoe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Makes risk assessment easier to understand
    Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    Gardner's book is both enjoyable and informative, providing a wealth of information about how humans evaluate risk. In particular, the author shows how our instincts (or "Gut") reactions to risk are often incorrect, yet we are reluctant to overrule these reactions with the more calm and reasoning "Head" side of our thinking.

    Gardner uses a vast review of research in the field of risk assessment to bolster his points, yet manages to make these scientific studies accessible to laypeople, summarizing many of the principles with names such as the Example Rule, the Anchoring Rule, and the Rule of Typical Things. He then gives a number of examples of how people are often led astray by different entities (e.g., the news media, advertising agencies, political campaigns) who use these principles to evoke unreasoning fear as a means of manipulation, the implicit message being, "Here's something that you should be afraid of, but if you'll just buy this product or elect this candidate, you'll be safe."

    I especially enjoyed the abundant statistics and discussions about the relative risk or safety of different activities (e.g., car travel vs. airline travel, heart disease vs. cancer, etc.), and how, from a historical and statistical perspective, "there's never been a better time to be alive." I would have liked for Gardner to have covered certain topics in more detail (e.g., vaccinations, climate change), but the ones he did cover in detail (e.g., terrorism, environmental chemicals, the role of the news media) were all well done.

    All in all, a fascinating and valuable book for anyone who wants to know how to better use the reasoning side of their brain to evaluate the risks we all face.
    20 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Money Honey
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Insight into the Human Psyche
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    The Science of Fear is an in-depth look at what drives people to fear things that, in reality, pose little threat to our existence. The book is enlightening, and I found myself looking at the world around me differently after reading it. The book combines real world examples with the science behind it, providing a thorough explanation for why we fear the things we do, the impact our environment has on the development of these fears, and most notably, how to recognize these biases in ourselves and others. While the book won't necessarily change the way you react to media reports, the fears of our families or friends, or the stories we may hear from politicians or action groups, it does help put them in perspective and better reflect the reality of the fear. The book's main con is that it is a bit dry, and it isn't necessarily an easy read. Its a book you would read because you are interested in learning about the subject, but not necessarily one you would become engrossed in.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • E. Mitchell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book - highly recommended for everyone to read
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Great book. I've been reading on the field of "propaganda" the past two years, as a hobby. I am interested in how social media is used to spread propaganda messaging. People often "share" commercially produced propaganda items without first "thinking", and they share items that are misquotes, cherry picked, exaggerated, time adjusted, or just not true - in the hopes of influencing their "friends". Much of it is very cleverly designed to create an emotional response within seconds - the message typically sounds "plausible" (as long you ignore the details) - and has a big "Share if you agree!" statement at top or bottom.

    Unfortunately, most of us are not comfortable pointing out to our friends that what they just shared is not true. As a result, social media has become a friction-less conduit for the spread of propaganda.

    Propaganda messaging relies on several basic concepts and approaches to effectively persuade others. "Fear" is one of the most powerful methods and it is used frequently to "Scare" us into action or agreement. Daniel Gardner explains how this "culture of fear" is created, maintained and used to manipulate us in to actions or at least to agree with those promoting a cause or goal. He shows numerous real world examples of how activists, business leaders and politicians have used fear to push things that range from not actually true, to great exaggeration of reality. This is successful because (1) people often rely on Kahneman's System 1 "intuitive" thinking versus the rational/data-backed detail thinking of System 2 (also see Kahneman's book Thinking Fast and Slow) and they intuitively arrive at the wrong conclusions, and (2) most people misjudge or evaluate risk incorrectly. The result is that very unlikely scenarios are made to appear quite likely and end up scaring us into action.

    I've learned from my readings that our media is filled with useless fluff "stories" (not news) and numerous scare mongering "stories" about fictitious projections into the future made by people wishing to influence and manipulate us. This is concept is reiterated by Gardner in Culture of Fear.

    I highly recommend this book to everyone. Recognizing how everyone has been working overtime to use "fear" to scare us, I've actually seen my own anxiety levels decrease. So much of our media - and "friends" on social media - continue to try to scare us into adopting their own agendas for their own interests. But it is little more than scare mongering. Once you cut through that idea, its easy to begin ignoring it, reduce our anxiety levels and sleep much better at night.

    If your kids suffer from anxiety consider it might be because the whole world is literally trying to scare them to death, even though we really do live in the best of times, historically. Think about it.
    32 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • c wilson
    3.0 out of 5 stars I was too scared to read this book
    Reviewed in Canada on January 17, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    But it looks great on my bookshelf
    Report
  • I P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars well researched and written book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent book, well written, good reasoning, clear logic that allows you to follow his arguments which are well supported by quoted research.
    Report
  • Adrian-a
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
    Reviewed in Germany on June 10, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A great book that gives insight into the human nature and how it is exploited in the media and other situations.
    Highly recommended!
    Report
  • Ragav
    5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and articulated well
    Reviewed in India on May 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Written simply and clearly. An abstract subject that has been presented in a very easily and simple way, I love books and authors who simplify the subjects in that way this is a good book
    Report
  • Suraj Biswas
    3.0 out of 5 stars Writing style is repetitive, not a good read
    Reviewed in India on February 13, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    When I first start reading this book it is really interesting but after sometime the book feels really repeat the writing style is bad and over all the information they provide that is is good but the way the information is described is really bad. This is not a book I want to read again nor do I recommend.
    Report