The Self Illusion: How the Social Brain Creates Identity [Hardcover]

Bruce Hood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 23, 2012 | ISBN-10: 9780199897599 | ISBN-13: 978-0199897599 | Edition: 1

Most of us believe that we are an independent, coherent self--an individual inside our head who thinks, watches, wonders, dreams, and makes plans for the future. This sense of our self may seem incredibly real but a wealth of recent scientific evidence reveals that it is not what it seems--it is all an illusion.

In The Self Illusion, Bruce Hood reveals how the self emerges during childhood and how the architecture of the developing brain enables us to become social animals dependent on each other. Humans spend proportionally the greatest amount of time in childhood compared to any other animal. It's not only to learn from others, Hood notes, but also to learn to become like others. We learn to become our self. Even as adults we are continually developing and elaborating this story, learning to become different selves in different situations--the work self, the home self, the parent self. Moreover, Hood shows that this already fluid process--the construction of self--has dramatically changed in recent years. Social networking activities--such as blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter--are fast becoming socialization on steroids. The speed and ease at which we can form alliances and relationships are outstripping the same selection processes that shaped our self prior to the internet era. Things will never be the same again in the online social world. Hood offers our first glimpse into this unchartered territory.

Who we are is, in short, a story of our self--a narrative that our brain creates. Like the science fiction movie, we are living in a matrix that is our mind. But Hood concludes that though the self is an illusion, it is an illusion we must continue to embrace to live happily in human society.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Bruce Hood's The Self Illusion is an eye-opener of vivid proportion. I've been dreaming of the day when some brilliant scientist will explore the brain in the manner that Hood has. He takes on the illusion concept, coupled with visual effects, and incorporates an inside look at such amazing constructs as free will and "Why You Can't See Yourself in Reflection." His is a divine province where the self illusion is brought to life, dramatically detailed so that we can get a glimpse, through the author's eye, at how perception really works... Read the book and get a reward greater than what you can imagine. 5 Stars." -- San Francisco Book Review

About the Author

Bruce Hood is currently the Director of the Bristol Cognitive Development Centre at the University of Bristol. He has been a research fellow at Cambridge University and University College London, a visiting scientist at MIT, and a faculty professor at Harvard. He has been awarded an Alfred Sloan Fellowship in neuroscience, the Young Investigator Award from the International Society of Infancy Researchers, the Robert Fantz Memorial Award and voted a Fellow by the Association for Psychological Science. He is the author of several books, including SuperSense: Why We Believe the Unbelievable. This year he was selected as the 2011 Royal Institution Christmas Lecturer--to give three lectures broadcast by the BBC--the most prestigious appointment for the public engagement of science in the UK.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (May 23, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780199897599
• ISBN-13: 978-0199897599
• ASIN: 019989759X
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #229,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bruce the Director of the Bristol Cognitive Development Centre in the Experimental Psychology Department at the University of Bristol. He undertook his Ph.D. at Cambridge University followed by appointments at University College London, MIT and a faculty professor at Harvard. He has been awarded an Alfred Sloan Fellowship in neuroscience, the Young Investigator Award from the International Society of Infancy Researchers, the Robert Fantz memorial award and recently voted to Fellowship status by the society of American Psychological Science. "SuperSense: From Superstition to Religion- the Brain Science of Belief" is his first book written for a general audience.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 73 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Are we all mistaken when it comes to knowing who we are?" June 1, 2012

By TChris TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Bruce Hood argues that the self is an illusion, "a powerful deception generated by our brains for our own benefit." He contends that a correct understanding of self contradicts the popular view that we are individuals within our bodies, "tracing out a pathway through life, and responsible for our thoughts and actions." His argument that the self is merely an illusion will probably not be well received by the portion of the mental health and self help industry that makes a living teaching people to understand themselves, control themselves, or change themselves. Hood argues that none of those objectives can be accomplished, although we might maintain the illusion that we have accomplished them, because we cannot change or control what does not exist.

Is the argument convincing? Yes and no. According to Hood, who we think we are is a product of external influences: "it is the experience of others that defines who we are." Our brains manufacture models to make sense of the external world, and we experience those models as "a cohesive, integrated character," but the model is just a construct, not a reality. I buy that, but I'm not sure the word "illusion" is synonymous with "mental construct." I suppose one could argue that any product of the brain -- a thought, an emotion, a sensation -- is in some sense an illusion as opposed to a tangible reality, but I find it difficult to accept that any creation of the brain is an illusion.

Hood's thesis, as summarized in the last chapter, is that the self is the product of the mind, built over time from observing externalities. I'm not sure why this means that the self is an illusion. A house is built over time from materials derived from external sources, but a completed house is no illusion. Yes, the self may be based on imperfect memories and misperceived experiences. Yes, the self is "continually shifting and reshaping" as external influences change. That tells me that the self is fluid, not that it isn't real. Of course, Hood contends that the brain fights hard to protect the self illusion, and that may be exactly what my brain is doing as I write this. Even if "self" is an illusion, however -- and Hood acknowledges this -- it is a useful illusion, and one with which we are stuck. As Hood notes, we "need a pretty strong sense of self to survive," so even if self is an illusion, it is one most of us need to embrace.

On the other hand, perhaps my quibble is only a semantic disagreement with Hood's use of the word "illusion." Much of Hood's argument is indisputable. Hood presents the heart of his argument in the preface. The remainder of the book is packed with information. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the brain: how it functions and how it develops during infancy. Chapter 2 focuses on the social interaction of babies, who (Hood says) are hardwired with a Machiavellian ability to manipulate adults. He also discusses the development of self-consciousness during infancy. Chapter 3 explores the notion of the "looking-glass self" (the theory that we conceptualize ourselves based on how others see us), examines the role memory plays in the development of the sense of self, and discusses the phenomenon of false or induced memories. Hood's premise is largely dependent upon this research. If our sense of identity is based on a composite of our memories, and if our memories are inherently unreliable, are we really who we think we are? Hood also discusses the role that gender and stereotypes play in shaping the sense of self, as well as autism and psycopathy, ADHD and impulse control. Chapter 7 discusses the fallibility of memory and the relationship between memory and identity.

Some aspects of the book are likely to be controversial, particularly the assertion that "the freedom to make choices is another aspect of the self illusion." Chapter 4 suggests that people are not truly responsible for their actions -- a point of view that is shunned by a criminal justice system. That brain injuries rather than conscious choice may lead to aggression or pedophilia is a reality that the law would prefer to ignore. More doubtful, however, is Hood's assertion that our actions are never a product of free will. Toward the end of chapter 4, Hood acknowledges what seems obvious: even if free will doesn't exist, we might as well accept the illusion that it does because the illusion makes us happy.

The most valuable concept that follows from Hood's argument is his rejection of the notion that "winners," extraordinary achievers who manage to overcome formidable obstacles, are inherently better than "losers," the large majority of people who are limited by their circumstances. Hood asks why we blame people for failing to achieve "rather than the circumstances that prevent them from achievement." I suspect that society isn't ready to accept the ramifications of that simple question.

Much of the rest of The Self Illusion could come from Psychology Today. It's all very interesting and Hood credibly connects the wide-ranging topics to his central premise. Do we lose our sense of individual identity in a crowd? Do we join groups to define our identity? Why do we fear ostracism? If the self can be easily molded (even made to do evil) by group membership, can a core self really exist? What do identity disorders say about our actual identity?

After absorbing as much of this information as I could, I think Hood's evidence for the nonexistence of self can be summarized this way: 1. We do not always behave as we expect to behave. 2. We often behave as we think others expect us to behave. 3. When we are in a group, we engage in group behavior rather than behaving as individuals. 4. Behavior is sometimes caused by a mental disorder. This summary is too simplistic to be fair, but I don't think the broader arguments in The Self Illusion convinced me that self is an illusion so much as it reinforced my understanding that the self is complex. Clearly we construct a sense of ourselves that is influenced by a variety of factors (from dopamine to Twitter), but I'm not sure that construct is illusory so much as it is malleable. In any event, Hood assembles a large amount of information that is useful and interesting, whether or not you ultimately agree that it proves his point.

66 of 71 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars No Kidding April 20, 2012

By Hande Z

Format:Hardcover

This book examines the basic nature of our personal identity from the point of view of neuropsychology. Julian Baggini gave us a fascinating account of it from the point of view of philosophy last year in his book "The Ego Trick". Hood writes an equally fascinating account to address the question, "What (or who) is the `I' that Descartes refers to when he wrote `I think. Therefore I am'"? The inroads into neuroscience is paving the way we look at things, the way we see others, and most importantly, the way we see ourselves. A decade ago the phrase "My brain made me do it" would have brought howls of laughter from people thinking it might be a spoof on criminal conduct. Read Hood and you may see the serious studies in this field.

The competing theories of Galen Strawson (the "pearl view") and Hume's (the "bundle theory") are examined and Hood tells us that modern science is inclining towards the "bundle theory", namely that our "self" emerges not from an accretion of our past experiences - "a bundling together of these experiences". The "pearl theory" holds that our self is a single immovable entity at the core of our existence.

Arising from this, it will become apparent that if the self is a bundling of one's past experiences, then one's memory is an important factor to be studied. Hood tells us that neuroscience shows that possession of memory and identity is what makes us unique individuals. Hood lucidly explains how experiments show this connection that starts with children from about five years of age. He also tells us how the self of the "moment" differs from the self of the "memory". Citing Daniel Kahnemann (whose book `Thinking Fast & Slow' is an essential reading material for all professionals who make judgments for a living - lawyers, doctors, economists etc), he explains that we have about 600,000 experiencing moments a month, each of which lasts about 2 or 3 seconds, but most are lost. That is why memory always appears fragmented, and why we often believe so strongly that our recollection is correct when it is not.

Next, the nature of human learning is also a critical factor in the development of the self. Hood draws on the studies as to how babies learn things, how adults learn things, and using examples of groupthink - shows how and why we think like the group we are in when, if left alone, we actually think differently. If the self - our self - is an accretion of experiences, built up layer by layer, then the question must arise - are we really in control of our thoughts? Hood spends a couple of chapters on his belief that neuroscience indicates that we do not really have free-will. This is, of course, a controversial topic, but if we are to see both sides of the question, we ought to see Hood's view. Right or wrong, it has the merits of clarity.

50 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book on the Illusion of Self May 7, 2012

By Book Fanatic TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

First of all I recommend you click on the "Search Inside" feature of this book on Amazon to get a preview of what's inside as well as the layout of the book from its table of contents.

I ended up really liking this book. It grew on me more and more as I progressed through it. It's one long argument and it is very persuasive. This particular book is not written as much in a popular manner as some others. For example I also just finished Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior and I also recommend that book. That one as well as many others are lighter reading and appeal more to a popular audience. To get the most out of this book you really have to think. The author Bruce Hood doesn't do all the work for you.

If you are after light breezy reading, then this book isn't for you. On the other hand it is not written in technical jargon and is completely accessible to intelligent readers. As I said however, you have to really put some rigorous thought into his arguments. The self is an illusion according to the author. It is very counterintuitive and difficult to get your mind around the idea. This book will help you progress towards that end. Highly recommended.

Even if you totally disagree with Hood's conclusion, you owe it to yourself to consider what he has to say about the matter.