The Intelligence Trap: Revolutionise your Thinking and Make Wiser Decisions by David Robson

The Intelligence Trap: Revolutionise your Thinking and Make Wiser Decisions is a non-fiction book by David Robson. It explores the idea of the “intelligence trap” and how it can affect judgement, even among highly educated and expert people.

Key details

• Author: David Robson
• Title: The Intelligence Trap: Revolutionise your Thinking and Make Wiser Decisions
• Discusses the concept of the “intelligence trap”
• Draws on behavioural science and historical examples
• Considers bias, rationality, emotions, intuition, and decision-making under uncertainty

Synopsis

The book challenges the assumption that higher intelligence automatically reduces the likelihood of error, arguing instead that education and expertise can sometimes intensify mistakes and obscure personal biases. Robson refers to this pattern as the “intelligence trap”.

Using behavioural science alongside historical examples ranging from Socrates to Benjamin Franklin, it sets out ways to apply intelligence more effectively. Topics include recognising bias, developing a “rationality quotient”, reading and regulating emotions, refining intuition, navigating ambiguity and uncertainty, and approaching difficult problems with greater flexibility.