Draft:Subtract: the untapped science of less

Submission declined on 11 April 2025 by S0091 (talk).

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Declined by S0091 24 hours ago. Last edited by S0091 24 hours ago. Reviewer: Inform author.

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Comment: Might be notable but the first few sources are not about the book or they are brief mentions or written by Klotz or based on his comments. None of which are helpful. S0091 (talk) 20:50, 11 April 2025 (UTC)

"Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less" is a non-fiction book by Leidy Klotz, published April 13, 2021. The book is a firsthand account of the scientific discovery.^[1] of humans' systematic tendency to solve problems by adding elements rather than removing them: even when removing elements would be more efficient or effective than adding them. "Subtract" discusses biological, cultural, and socio-economic explanations for this previously unrecognized "additive bias," as well as implications for our personal and professional lives. The book offers ways to overcome harmful subtraction neglect, drawing from science and from subtracting examples such as: the Vietnam Veterans memorial, The Embarcadero Freeway, Balance Bikes, and Darkness on the Edge of Town.

The book has led to discussion of implications of the new science for issues such as overwhelm^[2], time management^[3], investing^[4], parenting^[5], climate change^[6], military workload^[7], and policy-making^[8], among others^[9]^[10]^[11]

The book has made theoretical contributions across the sciences, arts, and professions including to: the psychology of motivation^[12] and happiness^[13]; law^[14]^[15]; education^[16]^[17]^[18]; architecture^[19]; innovation^[20]^[21] and organizational change^[22]. Subsequent popular science books^[23]^[24]^[25] build upon ideas in "Subtract."

References

^ Adams, Gabrielle S.; Converse, Benjamin A.; Hales, Andrew H.; Klotz, Leidy E. (2021). "People systematically overlook subtractive changes". Nature. 592 (7853): 258–261. Bibcode:2021Natur.592..258A. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03380-y. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 33828317.
^ Kettunen, Niko (2021-05-03). "Paineen alla ihminen ajattelee liian vaikeasti – Tämän osoittaa muun muassa Lego-palikoilla tehty tutkimus". Aamulehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ Ingraham, Christopher; Kessler, Glenn; Adeoye, Rotimi; Rampell, Catherine; Dwoskin, Elizabeth; Siddiqui, Faiz; Verma, Pranshu; Thadani, Trisha; Craw, Victoria (2021-04-16). "Analysis | Humans solve problems by adding complexity, even when it's against our best interests". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ Zweig, Jason (2021-04-23). "How to Keep Your Cool When Markets Are Sizzling". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ Chang, Elizabeth (2022-06-13). "Parents, want to stop overdoing it? Research offers a clue how". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ Yoder, Kate (2021-04-16). "Goodbye, old freeways? How subtraction could address climate change". Grist. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ "Doing Less to Do Better: Why the Military Can't Solve Its Overwork Problem". War on the Rocks. 2021-12-27. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ Show’, ‘The Ezra Klein (2024-12-18). "Opinion | 62 Books 'The Ezra Klein Show' Guests Recommended This Year". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ PhD, Tracy Brower. "For Happiness, Less Really Is More: 6 Creative Ways To Actually Subtract". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ "Why Simple Solutions Can Be Overlooked | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ Carlson, Bob. "Improve Your Retirement Finances By Doing Less". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
^ Elliot, Andrew J.; Higgins, E. Tory; Nakkawita, Emily (2025). "The (absence of the) presence–absence distinction in motivation science". Psychological Review. 132 (1): 154–172. doi:10.1037/rev0000508. ISSN 1939-1471. PMID 39264680.
^ Folk, Dunigan; Dunn, Elizabeth (2024). "How Can People Become Happier? A Systematic Review of Preregistered Experiments". Annual Review of Psychology. 75: 467–493. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-022423-030818. ISSN 0066-4308. PMID 37566759.
^ Murphy, Romig, Jennifer (2022). "Book review of Leidy Klotz, Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less". Emory Legal Studies Research Paper. SSRN 4192037.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Faroldi, Federico L. G. (2024-01-01). "Subtracting Reasons in Normative Domains". International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique. 37 (1): 139–163. doi:10.1007/s11196-023-10048-5. ISSN 1572-8722.
^ Trujillo, Jennifer M.; Wettergreen, Sara A.; Bain, David L. (2024-08-01). "A doctor of pharmacy curriculum revision process focused on curricular overload". American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 88 (8): 100758. doi:10.1016/j.ajpe.2024.100758. ISSN 0002-9459. PMID 39025464.
^ Watson, Joni L. (2024-07-19). "Ruthlessly Subtract to Build Oncology Programs and Add Value". Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 28 (4): 340–341. doi:10.1188/24.CJON.340-341. ISSN 1538-067X. PMID 39041695.
^ Levis, John M. (2024-12-05). "Subtraction: Another way to look at priorities in pronunciation teaching and learning". Journal of Second Language Pronunciation. 10 (2): 143–153. doi:10.1075/jslp.24040.lev. ISSN 2215-1931.
^ Croce, Gianluca (2022-10-28). "De-Sign: Architectural Subtraction in Times of Crisis". Settore ICAR/14 - Composizione Architettonica e Urbana.
^ Beckman, Christine M.; Rosen, Jovanna; Estrada-Miller, Jeimee; Painter, Gary (2023). "The Social Innovation Trap". Academy of Management Annals. 17 (2): 684–709. doi:10.5465/annals.2021.0089. ISSN 1941-6520.
^ Bils, Sandra; Töpfer, Gudrun L. (2024). "Exnovation und Innovation". SpringerLink. doi:10.34156/978-3-7910-6150-4. ISBN 978-3-7910-6150-4.
^ Rousseau, Denise M. (2021-12-01). "What if Marie Kondo Wrote an Organizational Change Book? Making Space for Subtractive Change". The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 57 (4): 428–435. doi:10.1177/00218863211032747. ISSN 0021-8863.
^ Sutton, Robert I.; Rao, Hayagreeva (2024). The friction project: how smart leaders make the right things easier and the wrong things harder (1st ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-28441-9.
^ Easter, Michael (2023). Scarcity brain: fix your craving mindset and rewire your habits to thrive with enough. New York: Rodale. ISBN 978-0-593-23662-8. OCLC 1389273938.
^ Rogers, Todd; Lasky-Fink, Jessica (2023). Writing for busy readers: communicate more effectively in the real world. New York, NY: Dutton. ISBN 978-0-593-18748-7.

[1] Adams, Gabrielle S.; Converse, Benjamin A.; Hales, Andrew H.; Klotz, Leidy E. (2021). "People systematically overlook subtractive changes". Nature. 592 (7853): 258–261. Bibcode:2021Natur.592..258A. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03380-y. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 33828317.

[2] Kettunen, Niko (2021-05-03). "Paineen alla ihminen ajattelee liian vaikeasti – Tämän osoittaa muun muassa Lego-palikoilla tehty tutkimus". Aamulehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[3] Ingraham, Christopher; Kessler, Glenn; Adeoye, Rotimi; Rampell, Catherine; Dwoskin, Elizabeth; Siddiqui, Faiz; Verma, Pranshu; Thadani, Trisha; Craw, Victoria (2021-04-16). "Analysis | Humans solve problems by adding complexity, even when it's against our best interests". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[4] Zweig, Jason (2021-04-23). "How to Keep Your Cool When Markets Are Sizzling". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[5] Chang, Elizabeth (2022-06-13). "Parents, want to stop overdoing it? Research offers a clue how". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[6] Yoder, Kate (2021-04-16). "Goodbye, old freeways? How subtraction could address climate change". Grist. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[7] "Doing Less to Do Better: Why the Military Can't Solve Its Overwork Problem". War on the Rocks. 2021-12-27. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[8] Show’, ‘The Ezra Klein (2024-12-18). "Opinion | 62 Books 'The Ezra Klein Show' Guests Recommended This Year". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[9] PhD, Tracy Brower. "For Happiness, Less Really Is More: 6 Creative Ways To Actually Subtract". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[10] "Why Simple Solutions Can Be Overlooked | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[11] Carlson, Bob. "Improve Your Retirement Finances By Doing Less". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

[12] Elliot, Andrew J.; Higgins, E. Tory; Nakkawita, Emily (2025). "The (absence of the) presence–absence distinction in motivation science". Psychological Review. 132 (1): 154–172. doi:10.1037/rev0000508. ISSN 1939-1471. PMID 39264680.

[13] Folk, Dunigan; Dunn, Elizabeth (2024). "How Can People Become Happier? A Systematic Review of Preregistered Experiments". Annual Review of Psychology. 75: 467–493. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-022423-030818. ISSN 0066-4308. PMID 37566759.

[14] Murphy, Romig, Jennifer (2022). "Book review of Leidy Klotz, Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less". Emory Legal Studies Research Paper. SSRN 4192037.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[15] Faroldi, Federico L. G. (2024-01-01). "Subtracting Reasons in Normative Domains". International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique. 37 (1): 139–163. doi:10.1007/s11196-023-10048-5. ISSN 1572-8722.

[16] Trujillo, Jennifer M.; Wettergreen, Sara A.; Bain, David L. (2024-08-01). "A doctor of pharmacy curriculum revision process focused on curricular overload". American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 88 (8): 100758. doi:10.1016/j.ajpe.2024.100758. ISSN 0002-9459. PMID 39025464.

[17] Watson, Joni L. (2024-07-19). "Ruthlessly Subtract to Build Oncology Programs and Add Value". Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. 28 (4): 340–341. doi:10.1188/24.CJON.340-341. ISSN 1538-067X. PMID 39041695.

[18] Levis, John M. (2024-12-05). "Subtraction: Another way to look at priorities in pronunciation teaching and learning". Journal of Second Language Pronunciation. 10 (2): 143–153. doi:10.1075/jslp.24040.lev. ISSN 2215-1931.

[19] Croce, Gianluca (2022-10-28). "De-Sign: Architectural Subtraction in Times of Crisis". Settore ICAR/14 - Composizione Architettonica e Urbana.

[20] Beckman, Christine M.; Rosen, Jovanna; Estrada-Miller, Jeimee; Painter, Gary (2023). "The Social Innovation Trap". Academy of Management Annals. 17 (2): 684–709. doi:10.5465/annals.2021.0089. ISSN 1941-6520.

[21] Bils, Sandra; Töpfer, Gudrun L. (2024). "Exnovation und Innovation". SpringerLink. doi:10.34156/978-3-7910-6150-4. ISBN 978-3-7910-6150-4.

[22] Rousseau, Denise M. (2021-12-01). "What if Marie Kondo Wrote an Organizational Change Book? Making Space for Subtractive Change". The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 57 (4): 428–435. doi:10.1177/00218863211032747. ISSN 0021-8863.

[23] Sutton, Robert I.; Rao, Hayagreeva (2024). The friction project: how smart leaders make the right things easier and the wrong things harder (1st ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-28441-9.

[24] Easter, Michael (2023). Scarcity brain: fix your craving mindset and rewire your habits to thrive with enough. New York: Rodale. ISBN 978-0-593-23662-8. OCLC 1389273938.

[25] Rogers, Todd; Lasky-Fink, Jessica (2023). Writing for busy readers: communicate more effectively in the real world. New York, NY: Dutton. ISBN 978-0-593-18748-7.

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