A closer look
Malcolm Gladwell popularized it, but psychologist John Gottman perfected the terrifying art of thin-slicing. By observing just a three-minute snippet of a married couple arguing about a mundane topic, Gottman can accurately forecast if their relationship will self-destruct. Our unconscious minds are remarkably adept at parsing micro-expressions—specifically disgust and contempt—allowing social perception to instantly analyze complex dynamics that conscious thought takes years to figure out.
