Down with intuition!
Intuition is often put up on a pedestal. In his bestseller The Tipping Point, the American journalist Malcolm Gladwell writes that following one’s intuition leads to superior decision making; that if only people relied on their intuition more often, the world would be a better place. Contemporary gurus encourage managers, teachers and doctors to trust their gut. And on Twitter and Facebook, we all constantly claim to know who the ‘good guys’ and, especially, the ‘bad guys’ are.
But when it comes to serious matters, following your intuition can be dangerous, says Professor Harald Merckelbach. In court, experts who rely on gut instinct can end up making major blunders. In this lecture, Professor Merckelbach explains why this is, and how experts can protect themselves from their own intuition (lecture in Dutch).
The Student Hotel
About the speaker
Professor Harald Merckelbach has worked at Maastricht University since 1985. He specialises in legal psychology, with research interests ranging from errant eyewitnesses, recovered memories and lie detectors to perpetrators who claim to have amnesia. He is also interested in how lawyers and expert witnesses reach conclusions in the courtroom. Professor Merckelbach is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW). He writes a monthly column for the newspaper NRC Handelsblad. His latest book is 'Intuïtie maakt meer kapot dan je lief is' (Prometheus).
This lecture is part of traditional series of lectures for alumni: the UM Star Lectures. The other 13 lectures are organized in 13 different cities and 5 countries on the same day, at the same time. This event is organised to reach out to and inspire alumni, share academic insights, experiences and memories, and to create an interconnected UM Alumni Community.
Note
A photographer and/or social media reporter will be present during the UM Star Lecture. If you join this event, you agree with the publication of photos and videos via our communication channels (website, social media, newsletters, and so on). If you do not agree with this or if you have any questions, please e-mail us.