"Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahnemann: Smart, and very human. This furless chap was thinking about thinking…

Like many of us, the author of this book wondered why humans tend to make irrational decisions - whilst notoriously overestimating their capability of correct judgment. He comes up with an explanation, and provides examples of what he calls cognitive biases and heuristics. As canine leader, this book will make you chuckle (or sigh), as you recognize many of your furless clients’ thinking errors.

About The Author

Daniel Kahneman was a two-legged Nobel Prize-winning psychologist who has spent decades studying how humans make decisions. In spite of extensive research, I couldn't find any evidence of him having a dog – but hey, even Nobel Prize-winners aren’t perfect.

The Bone-Deep Summary

Like us, our two-legged friends use their brains to make decisions. Depending on the complexity of the decision at paw, their brains take the fast lane (quick, rather automatic decisions that involve less areas of the brain) or the long route (slower decisions that involve more thought, and also more complex neuronal pathways). Kahnemann calls this “System 1” and “System 2 Thinking”.

Let me give you some examples…

• System 1 Thinking: When your human automatically throws your ball once you drop it at their feet – quick, instinctive, and requiring little thought.

• System 2 Thinking: When your human tries to figure out why you're barking at the closed door – slow, analytical, and energy-consuming.

Now, here’s the problem: Just like how we dogs know to save our energy for important things (like chasing squirrels or protecting our humans from dangerous delivery people), the human brain tries to operate on "energy-saving mode" whenever possible. This leads humans to rely on mental shortcuts (what Kahneman calls "heuristics") and makes them fall into predictable thinking traps ("biases").

The following is a choice of the most frequent ones, including paws-on advice on how to handle…

• Availability Bias: Humans overestimate the likelihood of events they can easily remember. Let them read one silly news story about a dog stuck in a foxhole, and they suddenly think every off-leash dachshund is at risk.The good news is, this can work in your favor. Let them see you lie on your pillow whenever they watch. They’ll never assume you lounge on their couch when they don’t.

• Anchoring: Humans get fixated on the first piece of information they receive.
  If the vet once said "two treats maximum a day", they'll stubbornly stick to this number despite our compelling arguments for inflation adjustment. A more positive example is setting expectations for when they call you off. If you let them wait for fifteen minutes at the start of a walk, they’ll happily acknowledge anything quicker than that afterwards.

• Confirmation Bias: Humans seek information that confirms their existing beliefs.
  So when they've decided we're "being naughty," they interpret every tail wag and playful bark as further evidence of mischief. Use your puppy eyes to convince them you did not dig holes in the garden, and they’ll happily (mis)interpret data to confirm this belief, too.

• Optimism Bias: Leads humans to overestimate benefits and underestimate costs of pretty much anything they do, creating an illusion of control over their lives. Their trust in dog trainers, groomers, and many of the things they try to “educate” us make perfect examples. (My assistant insists, buying a dachshund is proof of optimism bias, too.)

• Framing Effect: The context in which choices are presented can significantly influence how bipeds make decisions. Catching a yellow ball at home is rewarded with treats. The same trick performed at that place they call tennis court won’t. Crazy, if you ask me.

So What?

As enlightened canine leaders, we should help our humans recognize when their fast thinking is leading them astray. Let me demonstrate by use of a case study…

Case Study: The Squirrel

Imagine a sunny afternoon. A beautiful dachshund - let’s call him Eddi - is enjoying a walk with his client, when all of a sudden one of these impertinent squirrels provocatively crosses his path. Eddi does what a dachshund must do and bolts after the troublemaker, while his human companion defaults to System 1's panic response: yelling Eddi’s name repeatedly and creating a public spectacle.

Here's what we should coach her do instead:

1. Take a deep breath to avoid system 1 response: Reflexive shouting, leash-yanking, dramatic displays of authority

2. Instead, pause and activate system 2 to calmly assess the situation, considering

   • Probability of recall command success (approximately 0.001%)

   • Energy invest (high!) vs. benefit (low)

   • Social implications of public meltdown

   • The objective facts: we always come back – once our mission is completed.

Careful analysis and rational decision-making doesn’t come easy to our human companions. So, follow my example, and give them plenty of opportunities to practice. And - where appropriate - use Kahnemann’s findings to optimize your negotiation tactics.

Last not least, let me cite the author himself: "Nothing in life is as important as you think it is while you are thinking about it." An advice we dogs know innately, but should pass on to our furless friends.