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    The Predictably Irrational
    The Predictably Irrational
    The Predictably Irrational
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Predictably Irrational

    Written by Dr. Dan Ariely

    Narrated by Simon Jones

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The groundbreaking bestseller from iconic behavioral psychologist Dan Ariely, now the inspiration for the Fall 2023 NBC show The Irrational

    “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

    “Ariely is a genius at understanding human behavior: no economist does a better job of uncovering and explaining the hidden reasons for the weird ways we act, in the marketplace and out. Predictably Irrational will reshape the way you see the world, and yourself, for good.” — James Surowiecki, author of The Wisdom of Crowds

    Why do our headaches persist after we take a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a fifty-cent aspirin? Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup?

    When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we're making smart, rational choices. But are we? In this revised and expanded edition of the groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. From drinking coffee to losing weight, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, we consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. Yet these misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable—making us predictably irrational.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateFeb 19, 2008
    ISBN9780061629532
    The Predictably Irrational
    Author

    Dr. Dan Ariely

    Dan Ariely is the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University. He is a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight; a cocreator of the film documentary (Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies; and a three-time New York Times bestselling author. His books include Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, Irrationally Yours, Payoff, Dollars and Sense, and Amazing Decisions. His TED Talks have been viewed more than 27 million times. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. He lives in North Carolina with his family.

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    Reviews for The Predictably Irrational

    4.5/5

    441 ratings91 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a great listen, with intriguing insights into human decision making processes. The book offers practical information and stimulates mental engagement. It provides tremendous insight on why people do what they do, even when it seems illogical. The experiments described are simple yet interesting, and the findings are relatable to everyday life. The book is informative, interesting, and highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding human behavior.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Insightful, well researched and beautifully narrated book! A must-read if you'd like to understand the psychology behind why we make certain decisions, though we have the knowledge that these aren't helpful.
    • 5/5
      A well written, clever breakdown of decision making and human psychology.
    • 5/5
      If u think u r rational enough to make your own decision or your every decision made is based on free will, this book will open your eyes to a new perspective
    • 5/5
      Must read/listen for anyone who decides anything. Brilliant insight into human decision making processes and associated pitfalls
    • 5/5
      Very informative. Very interesting. I highly recommend to anyone.
    • 5/5
      What a fascinating book!

      If you consider yourself a student of behavior call mom and you haven’t already read this, this is your next book.

      As a marketing professional this was recommended to me and I am very grateful. This book offers tremendous insight on why people do what they do, even when it makes no logical explanation.
    • 5/5
      The best part of the book is how relatable it is. I recall all that is described, happening around me
    • 5/5
      The examples he uses are clear and his language conveys his message really well
    • 5/5
      This may be the most influential book I may ever read.
    • 5/5
      As a career salesman and somebody who is also easily "sold" I find the first half of the book to be filled with bunches of practical information, and I find the last half to be mentally stimulating and fun.
    • 5/5
      Awessome, really good book, about how we do things whithout think about
    • 5/5
      fantastic insights
    • 5/5
      Great insights! Really gets you thinking about how we act and justify our actions. We like to believe we act rationally but do we really?
    • 5/5
      Fun and superbly interesting! It makes sense that we don’t make sense!
    • 4/5
      Great Listen. Intriguing. Some chapters felt a bit repetitive, but overall, would recommend.
    • 5/5
      Interesting read, the experiments were simple yet interesting, fun and illuminating, it was a great read I'll probably read it again!
    • 5/5
      A very Captivating & Fascinating read. And I agreed with the author that such studies are never a easy one to evaluate.
    • 5/5
      Adresses rational flaws in our mind for many things that we consider that we know about, but we get used to our irrationality. Including money, spending, trust, social...
    • 5/5
      Fascinating and applicable to your personal life. I totally geeked out on all the findings.
    • 4/5
      Move away from traditional "Shakespearean" economics and recognize that human behavior is susceptible to errors in judgment when taking economic decisions
    • 4/5
      I don't think anyone would argue with the claim that people aren't totally rational. Even in areas where we should be looking after our own interests, we don't always do so. There are probably interesting ways to look at this, and I think this book does a decent job of it. The problem is that it only does it about half of the time, and the rest, it just seems obvious.For example, things I was surprised by included how much difference it makes for something to be free, rather than just a penny, or the influence that a decoy offer can have on one's decision making process. Even the portion on the costs people pay to keep options open was enlightening. Others among the studies just seemed like the sorts of things we already knew, and they're just going ahead and proving it. So things like people thinking differently when they're very emotional than when they're not, or that foreknowledge and expectations can lead to people experiencing things differently, doesn't really come as a shock.Still, the book is fairly nice and breezily written, and Ariely's a clever guy. The experiments he comes up with are usually fairly interesting, even if the points they're proving aren't always. I'd have liked it better if he'd stuck with about half the book, and left out the more obvious bits, but it's still a good read, and it won't take you long. I'd wait for the paperback, though, if you're going to buy it.
    • 5/5
      i get to understand the irrational choices i make... from choice of menu to choice hpuses. this booknis truly enlightening.
    • 2/5
      Useful facts, misguiding conclusions. Following advice in this book has potential to create a lot of problems for you.
    • 5/5
      Enlightening and entertaining.
    • 4/5
      Any book that seems to predict your behaviour is both intriguing and, let's face it, a bit scary. I started this book with a measure of cynicism - everyone seems to be cashing in on the self-help style book these days. Well, I don't mind eating some humble pie - I was wrong.To start, this isn't a self-help book. It's a study of human nature. But that's not to say it doesn't offer some advice on how we can combat these 'hidden forces'. Each chapter covers an area of our 'predictable irrationality' and Ariely uses straightforward experiments to support his theories. For example, let me tell you one part of the book that applied to me.I used to pick up a coffee on the way to work two or three times a week for about £1.20. It was decent enough coffee and a nice treat. One day I passed by my local Cafe Nero. I bought a cup for £2.15. It's a bigger cup, much nicer coffee. Next time I pass I'm buy it again. Soon I'm buying it five days a week because that's become normal. I don't even think about it - it's as habitual as my three meals a day.Then I read this book and to tell the truth I felt slightly sick when I read the part of the book where Ariely describes exactly this type of scenario. I sat back and thought, "I've gone from spending £2.40 a week to £10.75". I went cold turkey and stopped my daily coffee!It's a bit of a waffly point I know but what I'm trying to highlight is that Ariely's book holds up a mirror. Think you're above irrationality? Think again. I have a friend who has now bought the book and half way through she admits to being as freaked out as me.It's well written, not too wordy, not condescending, funny in parts and I should imagine most people would be able to identify with some parts. The downside? Ariely offers some ways to rise above this 'predictable irrationality' but by the end of the book I almost felt like there was a sort of resigned 'well, we can try but we are who we are' feel. However, let's be fair, Ariely is one man and one man can only do so much.An excellent book and one I would certainly recommend but don't be surprised if it makes you look a little harder at yourself. But you never know - it might save you the £8 a week it's now saving me, so it's got to be worth it!
    • 4/5
      Great topics and thoughtful content, but got a little boring by the end. Good read though.
    • 5/5
      got me thinking. Loads of info i will take a listen again
    • 5/5
      After completing this book, you will NOT think like you do now.
    • 5/5
      Probably one of my favorites. I strongly recommend reading/listening to this.
    • 5/5
      Extretamente esclarecedor sobre o mundo à nossa volta e sobre nós mesmos.

      Através de experimentos muito criativos e improváveis, cientistas das universidades mais destacadas dos Estados Unidos se uniram em uma divertida jornada para entender o processo de decisão coletivo.

      Será muito improvável você enxergar o mundo da mesma maneira após ouvir este livro.

      Bônus: o narrador deste livro em inglês é sensacional!