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The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home Hardcover – Deckle Edge, June 1, 2010

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“Dan Ariely is a genius at understanding human behavior: no economist does a better job of uncovering and explaining the hidden reasons for the weird ways we act.” — James Surowiecki, author of The Wisdom of Crowds

Behavioral economist and New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational Dan Ariely returns to offer a much-needed take on the irrational decisions that influence our dating lives, our workplace experiences, and our temptation to cheat in any and all areas. Fans of Freakonomics, Survival of the Sickest, and Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink and The Tipping Point will find many thought-provoking insights in The Upside of Irrationality.

From the Publisher

	IRRATIONALLY YOURS	HONEST TRUTH ABOUT DISHONESTY	PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL	DOLLARS AND SENSE

Customer Reviews	292	1,524	11,139	802
Price	$18.99	$14.39	$10.99	$10.69

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ariely (Predictably Irrational) expands his research on behavioral economics to offer a more positive and personal take on human irrationality's implications for life, business, and public policy. After a youthful accident left him badly scarred and facing grueling physical therapy, Ariely's treatment required him to accept temporary pain for long-term benefit—a trade-off so antithetical to normal human behavior that it sparked the author's fascination with why we consistently fail to act in our own best interest. The author, professor of behavioral economics at Duke, leads us through experiments that reveals such idiosyncrasies as the IKEA effect (if you build something, pride and sentimental attachment are likely to give you an inflated sense of its quality) and the Baby Jessica effect (why we respond to one person's suffering but not to the suffering of many). He concludes with prescriptions for how to make real personal and societal changes, and what behavioral patterns we must identify to improve how we love, live, work, innovate, manage, and govern. Self-deprecating humor, an enthusiasm for human eccentricities, and an affable and snappy style make this read an enriching and eye-opening pleasure. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In Predictably Irrational (2008), Ariely explored the reasons why human beings frequently put aside common sense and why bad things often happen when they do. Here, in this equally entertaining and clever follow-up, Ariely shows us the other side of the irrationality coin: the beneficial outcomes and pleasant surprises that often arise from irrational behavior. Although pleasant should be taken as a relative term, since the outcomes are not necessarily pleasant for the person who was behaving irrationally. Take, for example, Thomas Edison’s obsession with DC current, and his irrational hatred of AC: trying to prove how dangerous AC was, he inadvertently—with his development of the electric chair—demonstrated to the world how powerful it could be. Ariely is an engaging and efficient writer, amusing us with stories about irrational behavior while staying away from needless technical terminology and bafflegab. Thought-provoking, entertaining, and smart: a winning combination. --David Pitt

From the Back Cover

The provocative follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Predictably Irrational

Why can large bonuses make CEOs less productive?
How can confusing directions actually help us?
Why is revenge so important to us?
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 and eye-opening truths about what really motivates us on the job, how one unwise action can become a long-term habit, how we learn to love the ones we're with, and more.

Drawing on the same experimental methods that made Predictably Irrational one of the most talked-about bestsellers of the past few years, Ariely uses data from his own original and entertaining experiments to draw arresting conclusions about how—and why—we behave the way we do. 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. The Upside of Irrationality will change the way we see ourselves at work and at home—and cast our irrational behaviors in a more nuanced light.

About the Author

Dan Ariely is the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University. He is a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight; a cocreator of the film documentary (Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies; and a three-time New York Times bestselling author. His books include Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, Irrationally Yours, Payoff, Dollars and Sense, and Amazing Decisions. His TED Talks have been viewed more than 27 million times. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. He lives in North Carolina with his family.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 1, 2010
Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 334 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061995037
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061995033
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.2 x 6.1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,150,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #583 in Cognitive Psychology (Books)
- #3,194 in Popular Culture in Social Sciences
- #3,433 in History & Philosophy of Science (Books)

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Dan Ariely

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Officially, I am the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology & Behavioral Economics at Duke University.

I founded the Center for Advanced Hindsight, wrote a few books, took part in a few media project and startups.

I co-created of the film documentary (Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies, and I wrote three-time New York Times bestsellers: Predictably Irrational, The Upside of irrationality, and The Honest Truth About Dishonesty. I also wrote a few books that did not make it to the New York Times bestsellers list: Irrationally Yours, Payoff, Amazing Decisions and Dollars and Sense.

My new book, MISBELIEF: WHAT MAKES RATIONAL PEOPLE BELIEVE IRRATIONAL THINGS began with my own experience being the target of conspiracy theories, but quickly became about a phenomenon that affects all of us. I will use the term misbelief to describe the phenomenon we’re exploring. Misbelief is a distorted lens through which people begin to view the world, reason about the world, and then describe the world to others.

I derive a lot of satisfaction from seeing my work take shape in the real life and I take part in a few companies / startups. Among them are: Lemonade, Shapa, Irrational Capital, BEWorks, Epilog, Timeful, and Irrational Labs.

I am also part of a team that is working on an NBC TV series that is loosely based on my life and will premiere on NBC in the fall of 2023. The show is called “The Irrational” and officially it is based on my first book, Predictably Irrational.

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Customers find the book engaging and more accessible than a scientific publication, appreciating its practical approach to understanding human behavior and decision-making. The narrative style is praised for its conversational tone, and one customer notes how it intersperses personal vignettes with formal studies. The book receives positive feedback for its style, with one review highlighting its down-to-earth manner. While customers find the content neither dry nor boring, opinions about pacing are mixed.

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Readability Insight Style Empathy Pacing

99 customers mention "Readability"89 positive10 negative

Customers find the book engaging to read, noting it is more entertaining than a scientific publication.

"...-All in all, there are very good and thought provoking ideas presented that can’t all be digested with just one reading...." Read more

"...The Upside of Irrationality" is a very thought-provoking book written by a believable and articulate professional...." Read more

"...While I found the entire book fascinating and a "must-read" book for those seeking to understand human behavior and decision making the #1 takeaway..." Read more

"...am giving "The Upside of Irrationality" five stars now because I enjoyed the book - clear and interesting - and because I look forward to making use..." Read more

78 customers mention "Insight"71 positive7 negative

Customers find the book insightful, revealing many human behaviors through telling experiments and personal vignettes, and appreciate its practical approach to understanding decision-making.

"...with which he discusses his various topics that he is learned and intelligent which is also supported by the fact that he was a professor at MIT and..." Read more

"...that demonstrate how important it is to each of us to imbue meaning in our work and to have meaningful work...." Read more

"...I found the results fascinating, even when somewhat predicable...that people self-select based on attractiveness level and that, while we prefer..." Read more

"...I found the topics interesting and I enjoyed the author's sense of humor. I looked up Dan Ariely on the Net and then I checked the public library...." Read more

10 customers mention "Style"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's style, noting its down-to-earth and personal approach, with one customer highlighting its engaging tone.

"...Ariely has a very personal style, incorporating many incidents from his own life and his struggles with debilitating burn injuries in his youth that..." Read more

"...one also gets the impression that Ariely is personally a nice guy, quite humble...." Read more

"...Ariely writes in a down-to-earth manner and you can sense his enthusiasm in sharing his experiments with the readers...." Read more

"...Ariely's style is engaging, and the topic is so interesting. Makes for great conversation." Read more

5 customers mention "Empathy"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's empathetic approach, with one review noting how it reflects on personal pain, while another describes it as intense at times.

"...In addition to dating the book addresses how we react to short term emotions and why we shouldn't let them dictate our reactions...." Read more

"...It also gives a reflective account of the personal pain that the author has suffered since sustaining horrific injuries as a teenager...." Read more

"...There was a chapter on empathy, why we do more for one person than for a group of people...." Read more

"...to how they make money, the implications of Ariely's research is profound and obvious. A terrific book for anyone who interacts with people." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it engaging and not boring, while others describe it as boring but useful.

"...Its pretty much a collection of thoughts, not particularly interesting ones either...." Read more

"...the right amount of personal anecdotes, making the book neither too dry nor too confessional...." Read more

"...Very boring and many random experiments that are useless to the main theme of the book." Read more

"...Over all you get a pleasant feeling reading this stuff - nothing dry and boring about it - and it all makes sense and is logically explained...." Read more

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D_shrink
Well written and easily understood
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The author used a very easy-going manner in discussing some important ideas that we often take for granted and on which many of us are often wrong.

One of the first concepts he discusses is the idea of the HEDONISTIC TREADMILL or the idea of keeping up with the Jones philosophy which in large part resulted in our present economic mess. As part of this concept the author discusses HEDONISTIC ADAPTATION in which people perform certain activities to either maximize their pleasure or reduce their pain. Intuitively we might think that if we were trying to study and our partner were running the vacuum, we would want that person to complete part of the cleaning,then quit for a while, do a little more and quit again, but that is not what the experimental results showed. We tend to build up an adaptation to an unpleasurable activity as it progresses and if it is stopped we lose that adaptation and must work harder to build up the adaptation a succeeding time[s] , so that in this case if would be better if the person continued with the unpleasurable activity until completed, another example of that might be completing your income tax return in one sitting rather than spreading it out over several days. The corollary to that is that it is better to break up a pleasurable activity into smaller portions to savor its effects for a longer period of time. An example of that might be sex; for that I can refer you to the Alan Jackson song in which the refrain goes "Nothing left to do after we done it!"

The author also discusses concepts as people with certain levels of attractiveness seek partners of approximately equal levels of attractiveness, although a caveat is made that women are more forgiving on physical levels of partners attractiveness than are men. There are still a lot more men rated a 4 trying to hook up with a female 10 than a woman who is 4 believing she is going to find the 10 male.

Another topic reviewed was can we really act rationally in a fit of anger and, if in such an angry state, how does it affect our ideas of fairness and unfairness [revenge] towards many other people not just the person we think caused us pain. These are just a few of the topics discussed out of many interesting areas.

As others have mentioned and as has the author, he was severely injured as a young soldier due to a bomb blast and suffered some permanent scarring and limited range of motion from it, yet he overcame that and turned his life into a worthwhile endeavor in spite of injuries both physical and psychological and I speak as someone who interned at a VA hospital during the Viet Nam war, so am familiar with such wounds. It is obvious from the ease with which he discusses his various topics that he is learned and intelligent which is also supported by the fact that he was a professor at MIT and now a professor at Duke. As a disclaimer, I have never met nor talked to the author, but simply liked the book and think you will too.

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Ezra Josef
Great insights!
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2018
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
-This is an extension of the previous book, Predictable Irrationality, but this book goes one step further and gives guidance with many different areas where we make faulty decisions because of the inherent biases that we have.
-The book is broken down into two sections, one that has more to do with business related issues and the other, with issues that are more of a personal nature. The basic format is to come up with an idea that is being questioned and then to either support that idea or negate it by some sort of experiment. For example, we consider it an automatic and not to be questioned idea that the more pay that you offer someone, the more they could be motivated. Motivation for pay, though, has a limit, and after reaching that limit, increased pay has a negative effect on performance. The rationale is that the person is so fixated on the prize, that the actual job being done suffers.
-Some of the chapters cover ideas that may be related strongly, but the ideas have some sort of twist to them, so that they truly are different. Personal relationships is something that’s of interest to everyone, and new light is shed on certain facets of relationships and dating. For example, he delves into the on line dating world and give criticisms of why it isn’t set up as it should be. The human mind works in a certain way, and relationships are sparked by spontaneity. The dryness of the descriptions of each person in dating sites, inhibit the release of that spark which causes two people to relate to each other. But it’s the detail that he goes into, and recommendations for improvement, that makes this all the more interesting.
-There is also a lot of personal experience that he reveals here, which adds to the interest, and he injects personal tales throughout the book.
-All in all, there are very good and thought provoking ideas presented that can’t all be digested with just one reading. Very good for its presentation as well. Though the ideas it presents are not what you would expect, it’s an easy read, and you’ll find yourself going through the book very quickly while highlighting at least a third of what’s written.

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Sandeep Sengupta
Highly recommended.
Reviewed in India on September 5, 2024
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A fantastic read into the mind.

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Deralteschwede
Unentbehrlich!
Reviewed in Germany on October 28, 2013
Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
Für alle, die ein wenig mehr von der Welt (und ganz besonders den Leuten um sich) verstehen wollen. Mit harter Wissenschaft stellt Ariely klar, dass unsere Intuition gegenüber den Motiven Anderer nicht wirklich hilfreich ist. Rationales Verhalten ist offensichtlich die Ausnahme - solange man das weiß ist alles gut - jetzt könnte man es verstehen, wissen und anwenden.

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Mle Ingrid Falkowski
Interesting while easy to read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 3, 2013
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This type of book is sometimes written in a very convoluted style that make them hard to read (especially if englidh is not your mother tongue). This one while being based on research and describing very interesting topics is written in a very enjoyable way: it alternates anecdotes and research description and teaches so much about why people act one way or another and how this can be influenced.
Definitely one of the best read I had in a long time.

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Manageris
Passionnant pour comprendre le fonctionnement irrationnel du cerveau, et savoir en tirer parti
Reviewed in France on November 24, 2012
Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
Aviez-vous remarqué que l'être humain ne se comporte pas toujours de façon rationnelle, que ce soit dans sa vie privée ou professionnelle ? Dan Ariely démonte les mécanismes qui expliquent cette apparente absence de logique, au travers de sujets pas toujours originaux, mais finalement toujours d'actualité, comme le syndrome du « pas inventé ici », l'impact sur la performance de la rémunération au bonus ou le besoin de sens que chacun éprouve vis-à-vis de son travail.

L'un des apports les plus originaux de l'ouvrage réside dans l'étude des phénomènes d'adaptation et de résistance à des épisodes douloureux. L'expérience personnelle de l'auteur dans ce domaine est en effet remarquable... et donne lieu parfois à des descriptions difficiles à soutenir : brûlé au troisième degré sur 70 % du corps suite à un accident dans sa jeunesse, atteint par ailleurs d'hépatite C, il a eu tout le loisir de vérifier comment l'esprit humain réagit dans ce type de circonstances. Les conclusions qu'il en tire s'appliquent, bien entendu, à des situations moins extrêmes, et constituent une aide utile pour que notre inévitable absence de rationalité soit pour nous, non un handicap, mais une aide dans la poursuite du bonheur.

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toppy
I enjoyed it
Reviewed in Japan on December 5, 2012
Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
A little biased review by a fan - he shares another valuable insight here. I found a better way to manage my die-hard irrationality and no more negative thought about it.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting while easy to read

5.0 out of 5 stars Passionnant pour comprendre le fonctionnement irrationnel du cerveau, et savoir en tirer parti

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Passionnant pour comprendre le fonctionnement irrationnel du cerveau, et savoir en tirer parti

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