Thinking Beyond Science

First published January 1, 2010

Behavioral economist and New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational Dan Ariely returns to offer a much-needed take on the irrational decisions that influence our dating lives, our workplace experiences, and our general behaviour, up close and personal.

In The Upside of Irrationality, behavioral economist Dan Ariely will explore the many ways in which our behaviour often leads us astray in terms of our romantic relationships, our experiences in the workplace, and our temptations to cheat. Blending everyday experience with groundbreaking research, Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities.

Among the topics Dan explores • What we think will make us happy and what really makes us happy;• How we learn to love the ones we are with;• Why online dating doesn’t work, and how we can improve on it;• Why learning more about people make us like them less;• Why large bonuses can make CEOs less productive;• How to really motivate people at work;• Why bad directions can help us;• How we fall in love with our ideas;• How we are motivated by revenge; and• What motivates us to cheat.

Drawing on the same experimental methods that made Predictably Irrational such a hit, Dan will emphasize the important role that irrationality plays in our day-to-day decision making—not just in our financial marketplace, but in the most hidden aspects of our lives.