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This is Your Brain on Sports
The Science of Underdogs, the Value of Rivalry, and What We Can Learn from the T-Shirt Cannon
1 of 1 copy available
In this irresistible narrative romp, Wertheim and Sommers usher us from professional football to the NBA to Grand Slam tennis, from the psychology of athletes self-handicapping their performance in the boxing ring or the World Series, to an explanation of why even the glimpse of a finish line can lift us beyond ordinary physical limits. They explore why Tom Brady and other starting NFL quarterbacks all seem to look like fashion models; why fans of teams like the Cubs, Mets, and any franchise from Cleveland love rooting for a loser; why the best players make the worst coaches; why hockey goons (and fans) would rather fight at home than on the road; and why the arena t-shirt cannon has something to teach us about human nature.
This is Your Brain on Sports is an entertaining and thought-provoking journey into how psychology and behavioral science collide with the universe of wins-and-losses, coaching changes, underdogs, and rivalry games.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
February 2, 2016 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780399566943
- File size: 253802 KB
- Duration: 08:48:45
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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The authors peel back the layers of science underlying so many aspects of sports, using various analyses and data. Narrator Keith Szarabajka describes the action, so to speak, in a comfortable tone. When someone is quoted, he shifts into a generic imitation, which fits the bill here, separating the authors' words from the well-placed quotes from athletes. What's covered is a myriad of topics: how emotional decisions are made, whether quarterbacks really are the best-looking players on a team, sexual mores and sports, and why crowds go crazy over the ever-popular T-shirt cannon. It's a good listen for anyone who wants to delve into the scientific and psychological side of sports beyond the diagrams of Xs and Os. M.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine -
December 14, 2015
This collection of smart and witty essays by Sports Illustrated executive editor Wertheim (Scorecasting) and Tufts University experimental psychologist Sommers (Situations Matter) reveals the roles that human psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive tendencies play in sports—and in life. They ask several seemingly unrelated questions: Why do football players such as Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman spout nonsense in postgame interviews? How is running on a treadmill like running a business? And why do spectators fall over each other trying to grab a free T-shirt they probably will never wear? The authors, whose writing styles and backgrounds nicely complement each other, cite relevant research, specific studies and (absent available data) conduct their own experiments. The authors wonderfully weave in aspects of science, business (Ikea’s business model, expert Lego builders) and sports figures (Serena Williams, Brett Favre) to help readers better understand the games people play both on and off the court, the field, the ice, or—in the case of boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his disrespect complex—the ring.
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