The Upside of Irrationality

Dan Ariely, the behavioral economist who wrote Predictably Irrational, returns in his second book to the irrational decisions people make and expands on the ideas of the first. Ariely, who holds a named chair in psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University, walks through a series of experiments and how participants respond when irrationality comes into play. His argument is that this irrationality can be harnessed for positive change. The settings range across dating, the workplace and the temptation to cheat. The publisher pitched it to fans of Freakonomics and of The Tipping Point and Blink by Malcolm Gladwell.

Moz founder Rand Fishkin called it another excellent book from Ariely, pointing to its new research and a personal angle that keeps the text moving. Fabrice Grinda also lists it among his recommended books in a profile on his reading habits.