Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: Let's do the time warp again; Part one: The hidden past. The past is always present; Some assembly required; Primetime; Life lingers -- Part two: The hidden present. Should I stay or should I go?; When can you trust your gut?; What you see is what you do -- Part three: The hidden future. Be careful what you wish for; The unconscious never sleeps; You have mind control -- Conclusion: You are the DJ.

"The world's leading expert on the unconscious mind reveals the hidden mental processes that secretly govern every aspect of our behavior. For more than three decades, Dr. John Bargh has been conducting revolutionary research into the unconscious mind--not Freud's dark, malevolent unconscious but the new unconscious, an important and powerful part of the mind that we can access and understand through experimental science. Now Dr. Bargh presents an engaging and enlightening tour of the influential psychological forces that are at work as we go about our daily lives--checking a dating app, holding a cup of hot coffee, or getting a flu shot. Dr. Bargh takes you into his labs at New York University and Yale where his ingenious experiments have shown how the unconscious guides our actions, goals, and motivations in areas like race relations, parenting, business, consumer behavior, and addiction. He reveals the pervasive influence of the unconscious mind on who we choose to date or vote for, what we buy, where we live, how we perform on tests and in job interviews, and much more. Before You Know It is full of surprising and entertaining revelations as well as tricks to help, you remember to-do items, shop smarter, and sleep better. Before You Know It will profoundly change the way you understand yourself by introducing you to a fascinating world only recently discovered, the world that exists below the surface of your awareness and yet is the key to unlocking new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving."--Jacket.

Bargh takes us on an entertaining and enlightening tour of the forces that affect everyday behavior while transforming our understanding of ourselves. He takes readers into his labs at New York University and Yale and reveals what science now knows about the pervasive influence of the unconscious mind. From who we vote for, what we buy, to how we perform on tests and in job interviews, hidden mental processes secretly govern every aspect of our behavior. Bargh also provides tricks to help you remember to-do items, shop smarter, and sleep better.