Blink Characters

Psychologist and researcher who developed such sophisticated techniques for interpreting couples’ interactions that he could predict, with 95 percent accuracy, whether a couple would still be married in 15 years.

One of the subjects interviewed by John Gottman, husband of Susan.

One of the subjects interviewed by John Gottman, wife of Bill.

An important American movie producer, who claims to have decided that Tom Hanks would be a box-office star within a few seconds of meeting him.

Academy Award-winning American actor and movie star.

Influential Viennese psychologist who developed the idea of psychoanalysis.

World-class tennis player, and later coach.

Researcher who studied the psychology of speed-dating.

Researcher who studied the psychology of speed-dating.

Early 20th-century lobbyist and political “king maker,” often credited with the election of President Warren Harding.

29th President of the United States, often considered to be one of the worst American presidents.

Highly talented car salesman who Gladwell uses as an example of the importance of social cues and facial expressions.

Decorated military veteran whose improvisational leadership style during the Vietnam War led to his inclusion in a 2000 Pentagon war game.

Chairman of the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, whose controversial organizational techniques have been crediting with significantly reducing the number of improper heart disease diagnoses.

Controversial doctor and medical researcher who developed a “decision tree” for diagnosing heart disease.

War veteran whose mental health records were used in a psychological experiment.

Ethiopian-American musician whose career never quite took off, in spite of the glowing reviews he won from producers, writers, and other music insiders.

The former president of Columbia Records.

Influential political pollster, and a key campaign adviser to Bill Clinton.

42nd President of the United States, sometimes criticized for being too reliant on polling data.

Influential business researcher whose findings about the importance of packaging have been used to market thousands of goods and products.

Professional food taster for the company Sensory Spectrum.

Professional food taster for the company Sensory Spectrum.

Guinean immigrant who was killed by four plainclothes police officers on the night of February 3, 1999, triggering a national debate about racism and stereotyping in the police force.

Pioneering psychologist of “affect theory,” the idea that humans externalize even their subtlest emotions through facial expressions.

Psychologist and student of Silvan Tomkins, and another pioneer of affect theory.

Soviet spy whose trial is a good example of how the human face externalizes secret emotions.

Autistic adult whose reaction to the human face inspires Gladwell’s theory of “temporary autism.”

Would-be assassin who tried and failed to shoot President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

40th President of the United States.

Professional trombone player, and an early beneficiary of symphony orchestras’ blind audition process.

Director of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.

French horn player for the New York Metropolitan Opera.

World-class tennis player.