Stephen M. Kosslyn

Top Brain, Bottom Brain's greatest strength is undoubtedly its ability to clearly, if rather stiltedly, explain the scientific basis for its Theory of Cognitive Modes. I found the neuroscience and psychological experiments fascinating, and I especially enjoyed Kosslyn and Miller's invitation to the scientific community to, essentially, critique and challenge their conclusions. That's an unusual statement to find in a personality book, to say the least.

Where the book is weaker is in the theory, itself. The science seems to indicate that these four modes exist, but there haven't been enough studies conducted on how the modes present in the personalities of the people who operate in them. So the descriptions of Mover, Perceiver, Stimulator, and Adaptor may be accurate...but also may not be.

Even the test the authors present as a tool to assist the reader in determining his or her primary mode has not, as yet, been tested for validity. That is, it has not been tested for whether it measures what it's supposed to measure. It has supposedly passed its reliability tests, so it ought to provide consistently similar results...but I got vastly different results each of the three times I took the test.

All in all, I found Top Brain, Bottom Brain an engaging introduction to a new perspective on the brain, but I'll continue to greet the descriptions and assessments of the four cognitive modes with a hefty dose of salt. ...And I admit, I'm a little tempted to write the authors about why, exactly, I find their modes unconvincing.… (altro)

I put this book on my pile due to the praise from my favorite thinker Steven Pinker, but it didn't live up to my unrealistic expectations. The basic idea, drawn from author Kosslyn's deep neurological expertise, is that human brains, complex as they are, can be usefully summarized as carrying two main functions: planning and perceiving.

The book goes into plenty of detail, much backed by neurology, and with multiple anecdotal examples of how this plays out in real life. Unfortunately, the examples seem contrived and un-researched (Sarah Palin is an example of a “Stimulator”, Michael Bloomberg is a “Mover”).

My full review is http://blog.richardsprague.com/2013/12/i-stimulator-or-mover.html… (altro)