Big Think — Get to know!

A few people purchased the original version of Predictably Irrational since it came out in February 2008. Now that the expanded edition is out, it seemed to me that the right thing would be to get the extra material to those who have purchased the book already.  After discussing this idea with HarperCollins, my publisher, we [...]

Arming the Donkeys - Arming the Donkeys - Observing fowl behavior: Kees Moeliker, Natuurhistorich Museum, Rotterdam

“For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are more often influenced by the things that ’seem’ than by those that ‘are.’” -16th-century Italian politician Niccolo Machiavelli It’s something we come across regularly: presentation trumps content. Often what matters is not what we know, or what we have done, [...]

Arming the Donkeys - Arming the Donkeys - The ABC's of HIV Prevention: Nathan Thielman, Duke University Medical Center

What if on your next coffee run, you discover that Starbucks has started running on the honor system? All the baristas are gone, and in their place, you find Tupperware filled with coins and bills. Would you pay for your daily soy Latte? Or would you “forget” to shell out the five bucks? Be honest. This, [...]

Arming the Donkeys - Arming the Donkeys - Modifying loss aversion: Benedetto De Martino, California Institute of Technology

I got this suggestion from Thomas Aedy in Eton College in the UK: Dear Dan, The final for Britain’s Got Talent was on Saturday June 30th and this final was very interesting because it involved 3 choices, 2 of which were very similar, and 1 of which was different. In our show, viewers have to vote in [...]

Arming the Donkeys - Arming the Donkeys - Split-second decisions: Melica Milosavljevic, California Institute of Technology

Our prehistoric ancestors spent much of their waking hours foraging for and consuming food, an instinct that obviously paid off. Today this instinct is no less powerful, but for billions of us it’s satisfied in the minutes it takes to swing by the store and pop a meal in the microwave. With our physical needs [...]

Arming the Donkeys - Arming the Donkeys - Cabdriver calculations: Colin Camerer, California Institute of Technology