Gardner's Changing Minds Released in Paperback

Harvard Business School Press released Hobbs Professor Howard Gardner's legendary book, Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds, in paperback this month.

Changing Minds examines trying to change someone's mind about important beliefs such as voting preferences, brand loyalties, or decorating tastes. Gardner draws on decades of cognitive research and explains what happens during the course of changing a mind and offers ways to influence that process. He identifies seven levers that help or stop the process of mind change and provides an original framework that shows how individuals can align these levers to bring about significant changes in perspective and behavior.

"Though it's been only two years since Changing Minds appeared in hardback, I'm surprised by how much material I could have added to the paperback edition," Gardner said.

The book has received significant critical and popular praise since its initial release in 2004.

"One of the leading psychologists of our times has taken on the single deepest question in the field: How and when do we change our minds," said Martin Seligman, author of Authentic Happiness and Learned Optimist. "In this groundbreaking and courageous book Gardner breaks through to the first serious answers."

In the latest edition, Gardner continues to tackle tough issues and questions.

"In 2004, I wrote about President Bush's changes of his own mind after September 11, 2001, and [former] Harvard President Summers' efforts to change the minds of faculty; in the preface to the paperback, I've incorporated more recent thoughts on these and other examples of mind changing," Gardner said. "I also described exotic invitations that I've received from individuals and groups who are engaged in ambitious efforts to change mind--from Ralph Nader to Weight Watchers. My chief regret is that I did not devote more attention to the role of trust and trustworthiness in mind changing."

However, a new grant will allow Gardner and colleagues through the GoodWork Project to investigate issues of trust over the next three years.

Gardner is the author of over 20 books translated into 23 languages, and several hundred articles. He is best known in educational circles for his theory of multiple intelligences, a critique of the notion that there exists but a single human intelligence that can be assessed by standard psychometric instruments.

On September 25, Gardner will sign copies of the latest edition of Changing Minds at the Harvard COOP from 7 pm – 8 pm.