Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Why do our headaches go away when we take a 50-cent aspirin but return after taking a one-cent aspirin?

Why does remembering the Ten Commandments make us less likely to tell lies, even when there's no way we might be discovered?

Why do we shred coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup yet indulge on a fancy meal?

At the endless buffet, why do we return for second helpings even when our bellies are full?

And how came we were paying $4.15 for a cup of coffee when, just a few years before, we were only paying around $1?

We believe we have control over the choices we make in life. We believe we are making deft, logical decisions. Well, are we?

The widely held belief that human conduct is essentially logical is challenged by MIT behavioral economist Dan Ariely in a series of eye-opening and often unexpected studies. Ariely illustrates how expectations, emotions, societal conventions, and other unseen, apparently irrational variables warp our ability to think logically by fusing cutting-edge research with real-world experience.

Ariely finds that not only do we make very basic errors on a daily basis, but we also make the same "types" of mistakes. We are often overbudget, underbudget, and tardy. We tend to overvalue what we already have and fail to recognize the enormous influence that our emotions have on what we desire. However, these mistaken actions are not illogical nor arbitrary. Because of their methodical and predictable nature, we are "predictably" illogical.

Whether it's picking a love relationship or purchasing a vehicle, Ariely shows how to get beyond these automatic mental patterns to make better choices in all areas of life. One little choice at a time, "Predictably Irrational" will transform the way we interact with the outside world.