by Dan Ariely
First published 2020
Dan Ariely examines the hidden forces that drive human decision making. The MIT behavioral economist presents experiments showing how people consistently make irrational choices. We pay more for expensive aspirin that works no better than cheap alternatives. We recall moral principles and suddenly lie less. We spend freely on restaurant meals while clipping grocery coupons. We overeat at buffets despite feeling full. Coffee prices jumped from under a dollar to over four dollars and we accepted it. Ariely demonstrates that these behaviors follow predictable patterns. Expectations, emotions, and social pressures override logical thinking. We overpay, underestimate risks, and procrastinate in systematic ways. We overvalue possessions we already own and misunderstand how emotions shape our desires. The book explains how to recognize these mental traps and make better choices in everything from weight loss to romance to major purchases.
Genres: science, psychology, business, economics, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: informative, insightful, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic-subject, empirical-research, experimental-findings
Hardcover · HarperCollins Canada