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Loading... The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Homeby Dan Ariely
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Dan Ariely has been accused of faking data in his studies. Here's a good video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bpFuIj8SPU&t=0s More explorations of the ways we humans are much from Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational. I liked this book -- more than Predictably Irrational in some ways. It had a bit more of a positive attitude toward all of the ways we humans fail to be rational (even when we think we are). It also was, as Ariely notes, a much more personal book, going into details dealing with near deadly burns he had when he was 18. I give it 3 stars, instead of the 4 I gave Predictably Irrational just because it's not quite different enough to feel like it was worth reading both (alternately, now that these are both out, you should just read both together as if they're one book). It pains me to write this review after adding the author on LinkedIn, but I can only hope that he won't suddenly decide to look me up on Goodreads and see how I reviewed his books... right? As is standard when writing for the layman, Ariely assumes that the reader has no prior knowledge of behavioral science. Unfortunately, he also assumes that the reader has no emotional intelligence, planning skills, self-control, ... his reader basically came out of a pod as a fully-grown adult with no past experiences from which to have learned anything. For the veteran behavioral scientist, there is nothing new here. Ariely describes some of his research projects, always preceded by the infuriating preamble meant for the layman. Chapters are erratic, not flowing smoothly, and ideas are all over the place. I can summarize the ONE useful thing I learned from this book in one paragraph: High motivation, such as a large expected financial compensation, works best for tasks that rely on physical ability and do not require creativity. Otherwise, people will be too stressed out or distracted to actually make their best effort! Read this book for specifics. For the Mindy Kaling fan, you might find something here... I mean, the obsession with dating based on looks alone. But nothing else of interest. Okay, wait, no, Mindy Kaling fans will find nothing for them here. no reviews | add a review
Distinctions
How can confusing directions actually help us? Why can large bonuses make CEOs less productive? Why is there such a big difference between what we think will make us happy and what really makes us happy? In his groundbreaking book Predictably Irrational, social scientist Dan Ariely revealed the multiple biases that lead us into making unwise decisions. Now, in The Upside of Irrationality, he exposes the surprising negative and positive effects irrationality can have on our lives. Focusing on our behaviors at work and in relationships, he offers new insights about how one unwise action can become a long-term habit, how we learn to love the ones we're with, and more. From our office attitudes, to our romantic relationships, to our search for purpose in life, Ariely explains how to break through our negative patterns of thought and behavior to make better decisions.--From publisher description. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)153.4Philosophy and Psychology Psychology Cognition And Memory Thought, thinking, reasoning, intuition, value, judgmentLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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