Book description
Why do smart people make irrational decisions every day? The answers
will surprise you. Predictably Irrational is an intriguing, witty and
utterly original look at why we all make illogical decisions.
Why can a 50p aspirin do what a 5p aspirin can't? If an item is
"free" it must be a bargain, right? Why is everything
relative, even when it shouldn't be? How do our expectations influence
our actual opinions and decisions?
In this astounding book, behavioural economist Dan Ariely cuts to the
heart of our strange behaviour, demonstrating how irrationality often
supplants rational thought and that the reason for this is embedded in
the very structure of our minds.
Predicatably Irrational brilliantly blends everyday experiences with a
series of illuminating and often surprising experiments, that will
change your understanding of human behaviour. And, by recognising these
patterns, Ariely shows that we can make better decisions in business, in
matters of collective welfare, and in our everyday lives from drinking
coffee to losing weight, buying a car to choosing a romantic partner.
'A marvelous book that is both thought provoking and highly
entertaining, ranging from the power of placebos to the pleasures of
Pepsi. Ariely unmasks the subtle but powerful tricks that our minds play
on us, and shows us how we can prevent being fooled.' Jerome Groopman,
New York Times bestselling author of How Doctors Think
'PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL is wildly original. It shows why-much more
often than we usually care to admit-humans make foolish, and sometimes
disastrous, mistakes. Ariely not only gives us a great read; he also
makes us much wiser.' George Akerlof, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2001
Koshland Professor of Economics, University of California at Berkeley
'Dan Ariely is one of the most original and consistently interesting
social scientists I know. His research covers an unusually broad range
of topics, and in every one of them he has produced some distinctive
findings and ideas. His methodological inventiveness is remarkable.'
Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize in Economics, 2002 Dan Ariely is the
Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Behavioral Economics at MIT. His work has
been featured in leading scholarly journals as well as a variety of
popular media outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Business 2. 0, Scientific
American, and Science. He has also been featured on CNN and National
Public Radio. Dan publishes widely in the leading scholarly journals in
economics, psychology, and business. His work has been featured in a
variety of media including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal,
Washington Post, Boston Globe, Business 2. 0, Scientific American,
Science and CNN. He splits his time between Princeton, NJ, and
Cambridge, MA.
