Why Rational People Believe Irrational Things

Dan Ariely

Dan Ariely is the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University and a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight. He does research in behavioural economics on the irrational ways people behave, described in plain language. His introduction to irrationality took place as he overcame injuries sustained in an explosion. During his treatment in the burns unit, he faced a variety of irrational behaviours that were painful and persistent. He began researching ways to better deliver unavoidable treatments to patients, and then became engrossed with the idea that, as humans, we can predictably make the wrong decisions.