The Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions Audiobook, by Dan Ariely Play Audiobook Sample

The Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions Audiobook

The Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions Audiobook, by Dan Ariely Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Simon Jones Publisher: HarperAudio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 5.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 3.75 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: February 2008 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780061629532

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

52

Longest Chapter Length:

12:35 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

31 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

08:32 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

7

Other Audiobooks Written by Dan Ariely: > View All...

Publisher Description

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.

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“Dan Ariely’s ingenious experiments explore deeply how our economic behavior is influenced by irrational forces and social norms. In a charmingly informal style that makes it accessible to a wide audience, Predictably Irrational provides a standing criticism to the explanatory power of rational egotistic choice.”

— Kenneth Arrow, Nobel laureate in economics 

Quotes

  • “Sly and lucid…Predictably Irrational is a far more revolutionary book than its unthreatening manner lets on.”

    — New York Times Book Review
  • “After reading this book, you will understand the decisions you make in an entirely new way.”

    — Nicholas Negroponte, founder of MIT’s Media Lab
  • “The most difficult part of investing is managing your emotions. Dan explains why that is so challenging for all of us, and how recognizing your built-in biases can help you avoid common mistakes.”

    — Charles Schwab, chairman and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corporation
  • “A fascinating romp through the science of decision-making that unmasks the ways that emotions, social norms, expectations, and context lead us astray.”

    — Time
  • “In creative ways, author Dan Ariely puts rationality to the test…New experiments and optimistic ideas tumble out of him, like water from a fountain.”

    — Boston Globe
  • “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
  • “Inventive…An accessible account…Ariely is a more than capable storyteller…If only more researchers could write like this, the world would be a better place.”

    — Financial Times
  • “A taxonomy of financial folly.”

    — New Yorker
  • “An entertaining tour of the many ways people act against their best interests, drawing on Ariely’s own ingeniously designed experiments…Personal and accessible.”

    — Businessweek
  • “Surprisingly entertaining…Easy to read…Ariely’s book makes economics and the strange happenings of the human mind fun.”

    — USA Today
  • “Ariely’s intelligent, exuberant style and thought-provoking arguments make for a fascinating, eye-opening read.”

    — Publishers Weekly
  • “Ariely’s book addresses some weighty issues…with an unexpected dash of humor.”

    — Entertainment Weekly
  • “This is a wonderful, eye-opening book. Deep, readable, and providing refreshing evidence that there are domains and situations in which material incentives work in unexpected ways. We humans are humans, with qualities that can be destroyed by the introduction of economic gains. A must read!”

    — Nassim Nicholas Taleb, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
  • “Freakonomics held that people respond to incentives, perhaps in undesirable ways, but always rationally. Dan Ariely shows you how people are deeply irrational, and predictably so.”

    — Chip Heath, professor, Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • “Predictably Irrational is a charmer-filled with clever experiments, engaging ideas, and delightful anecdotes. Dan Ariely is a wise and amusing guide to the foibles, errors, and bloopers of everyday decision-making.”

    — Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology, Harvard University
  • “Predictably Irrational is clever, playful, humorous, hard hitting, insightful, and consistently fun and exciting to read.”

    — Paul Slovic, founder and president of Decision Research
  • “Predictably Irrational is a scientific but imminently readable and decidedly insightful look into why we do what we do every day…and why, even though we ‘know better,’ we may never change.”

    — Wenda Harris Millard, president of media, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
  • “Dan 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
  • “Predictably Irrational is an important book. Full of valuable and entertaining insights that will make an impact on your business, professional, and personal life.”

    — Jack M Greenberg, chairman, Western Union Company, and retired chairman and CEO of McDonald’s Corporation
  • “A delightfully brilliant guide to our irrationality—and how to overcome it—in the marketplace and everyplace.”

    — Geoffrey Moore, author of Crossing the Chasm and Dealing with Darwin

Awards

  • A New York Times bestseller
  • A Publishers Weekly bestseller
  • A USA Today bestseller
  • One of the 2008 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Nonfiction

The Predictably Irrational Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 (4.00)
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Narration: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 (4.00)
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Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
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  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    — Amanda Schrembeck, 6/10/2018

About Dan Ariely

Dan Ariely is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Predictably Irrational and The Upside of Irrationality. He is the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University and is the founder of the Center for Advanced Hindsight. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere.

About Simon Jones

Simon Jones is an English actor and award-winning audiobook narrator. Besides winning many AudioFile Earphones Awards for narration, he has won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration, including for top prize of Audiobook of the Year. He was named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile magazine and as “Narrator of the Year” in 2005 by Publishers Weekly. As an actor, he has been featured in numerous Broadway productions and has appeared in the films The Devil’s Own, Twelve Monkeys, For Love or Money, Green Card, Brazil, Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, and Miracle on 34th Street remake. His television appearances include a role in The Cosby Mysteries and Murder She Wrote. He studied at Cambridge University and the legendary Cambridge Footlights Dramatic Club.