Every day, we make decisions on topics ranging from personal investments to schools for our children to the meals we eat to the causes we champion. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. The reason, the authors explain, is that, being human, we all are susceptible to various biases that can lead us to blunder. Our mistakes make us poorer and less healthy; we often make bad decisions involving education, personal finance, health care, mortgages and credit cards, the family, and even the planet itself. Thaler and Sunstein invite us to enter an alternative world, one that takes our humanness as a given. They show that by knowing how people think, we can design choice environments that make it easier for people to choose what is best for themselves, their families, and their society. Using colorful examples from the most important aspects of life, Thaler and Sunstein demonstrate how thoughtful "choice architecture" can be established to nudge us in beneficial directions without restricting freedom of choice. Nudge offers a unique new take—from neither the left nor the right—on many hot-button issues, for individuals and governments alike. This is one of the most engaging and provocative books to come along in many years.
Nudge
Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness
1 of 1 copy available
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
December 16, 2009 -
Formats
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780300146813
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PDF ebook
- ISBN: 9780300146813
- File size: 2061 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 1, 2008
In the first of these two books exploring human behavior and the choices we make, organizational expert Ori Brafman (coauthor, "The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations") and his psychologist brother, Rom, an organizational expert, discuss the various psychological forces (e.g., diagnosis bias and loss aversion) that cause people to act irrationally. To help illuminate their discussion, they draw on the latest research in social psychology, behavioral economics, and organizational behavior. In "Nudge", Thaler (behavioral science & economics, Graduate Sch. of Business, Univ. of Chicago) and Sunstein (jurisprudence, Univ. of Chicago Law Sch.) consider how the science of choice can gently "nudge" individuals toward making life-improving decisions. They divide the text into five parts"Humans and Econs," "Money," "Health," "Freedom," and "Extensions and Objections"and employ numerous examples throughout. Easy to read, conversational in tone, and story-driven, "Sway" is suitable for public libraries. "Nudge", a more research-based analysis full of practical solutions to real-life problems, is strongly recommended for public libraries.Anita N. Jennings, Newport News P.L., VACopyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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