Dan Ariely Books
Dan Ariely is a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. He has written for numerous prestigious publications, such as The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and Scientific American. His other books include The Upside of Irrationality and The Honest Truth about Dishonesty, which were both bestsellers.
What's Predictably Irrational about?
Predictably Irrational (2010) explains the fundamentally irrational ways we behave every day. Why do we decide to diet and then give it up as soon as we see a tasty dessert? Why would your mother be offended if you tried to pay her for a Sunday meal she lovingly prepared? Why is pain medication more effective when the patient thinks it is more expensive? The reasons and remedies for these and other irrationalities are explored and explained with studies and anecdotes.
Who should read Predictably Irrational?
- Anyone who wants to understand why we indulge in irrational behaviors like procrastination, overeating and overpaying, and how we can avoid this
- Anyone who wants to learn how to counter their innate irrationality and make better decisions
- Anyone interested in social psychology and people’s decision-making behavior in general
The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty
What's The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty about?
Using various experiments to uncover the hidden factors that drive us to cheat in everyday situations, author Dan Ariely finds that certain anticipated motivators – for example, money – actually don’t play a crucial role in our dishonesty. At the same time, other, quite unexpected forces influence us very strongly – for instance, the social acceptability of cheating, and even our altruistic tendencies.
Who should read The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty?
- Anyone who considers themselves to be a good, honest and honorable person
- Anyone interested in the psychology of irrationality
- Anyone who wonders why people constantly cheat and lie
The Upside of Irrationality
What's The Upside of Irrationality about?
In The Upside of Irrationality (2011), Dan Ariely uses behavioral economics to show us why we behave irrationally, how it affects our decision-making processes, and what we can do to make better choices.
Who should read The Upside of Irrationality?
- Psychology and behavioral economics students
- People who want to know why they act irrationally sometimes
- People curious about human behavior
Dollars and Sense
What's Dollars and Sense about?
We use money every day to take care of bills and purchase the things we need to get by in life, yet rarely seem to think rationally about spending it. Dollars and Sense (2017) explores the irrational human nature that leads to bad spending habits, why we’re so bad at saving money and how to resolve this all too human shortcoming.
Who should read Dollars and Sense?
- People who struggle to manage their money
- Bargain hunters
- Young people thinking about saving