Ch. 6 Part I -Mind Reading

Mind Reading

This chapter explores the difference between mind reading and thin slicing. The first example that the author introduces highlights the dangers of mind reading in conjunction with prior experience. The story unfolds of a night in the bronx when police officers in an unmarked car and jeans identify a "suspicious looking" man. The man, Mr. Diallo, with limited English skills, gets scared when police approach him and runs for his apartment. Police pursue him and one officer mistakes the suspects black wallet for a gun, firing shots and setting off gunfire from several officers. The total of 41shots resulted in the death of Mr. Diallo. When the lead officer discovered that what he thought to be a gun was in fact a wallet, he broke into tears. " My prior experience  and training, my prior arrests, dictated to me that this person was pulling a gun" said officer Carroll. This example illustrates the dangers of what Galdwell calls, "mind reading failures."  Officer Carroll misinterpreted Diallo's behaviors based upon his previous experience in the field; his thin slicing led him into a dangerous situation.

*Click here for the  Ny Times article  that describes the shooting

So, this brings me to the question...how do I get a balance between teaching students to thin slice and keeping them aware of the exceptions to the rule?