Russell A. Poldrack is the Albert Ray Lang Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. He is the author of The New Mind Readers: What Neuroimaging Can and Cannot Reveal about Our Thoughts (Princeton). He lives in San Francisco. Twitter @russpoldrack
"""As he explores why humans evolved to be so habit-driven, Poldrack considers dopamine, which is crucial in forming habits for its impacts on brain plasticity; questions the efficacy of mindfulness (now a 'billion-dollar industry'); and covers the formation of addictions, which he calls 'habits gone bad.' Poldrack's study is strongest when he describes experiments on interrupting habit formation on a cellular level, which can potentially help one shed such undesirable behaviors as smoking and overeating. . . . This is a worthy intellectual adventure, one that’s well articulated for readers looking for rigorous study."" * Publishers Weekly *"