"'Magical thinking' can be broadly defined as the belief that one's internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world: Think of the conviction that one can manifest their way out of poverty, stave off cancer with positive vibes, thwart the apocalypse by learning to can their own peaches, or transform an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one with loyalty alone. In all its forms, magical thinking works in service of restoring agency amid chaos, but in The Age of Magical Overthinking, Montell argues that in the modern information age, our brain's coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to an eleven. Montell delves into a cornucopia of the cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, from how the 'Halo effect' cultivates worship (and hatred) of larger than life celebrities, to how the 'Sunk cost fallacy' can keep us in detrimental relationships long after we've realized they're not serving us. As she illuminates these concepts with her signature brilliance and wit, Montell's prevailing message is one of hope, empathy, and ultimately forgiveness for our anxiety-addled human selves. If you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason, Montell aims to make some sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds, and let a warm breeze in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, or even hear a melody in it"--

The book comprehensively reviews some of the most exciting, state-of-the-art developments in educational psychology and applied cognitive science. Drawing on research methods and perspectives ranging from education and psychology to artificial intelligence and economics, these forward-looking work encompasses a breadth of knowledge that links teaching, learning, and human development. Chapters authors, culled from the best educational researchers across the globe, present cutting-edge findings from cognitive science research that center in critical thinking, the relationship between schooling and human mental development, cultural considerations in education, and much more. Both psychologists and researchers in the fields of cognitive, developmental, educational, and cultural psychology will want this groundbreaking resource on their bookshelves. - Back cover