Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions was written by Den Ariely , professor of psychology

and behavioral economics at Duke University, in 2008. The book is divided in thirteen chapters, in every one of them the author concentrates on one particular econimically irrational attitude of humans towards decision making. The author explains why we intend to draw comparisons, how anchors influence our future deccisions. Ariely also analyzes the way zero prize affects human behaviour, why social and market norms cannot co-exist. In each chapter Airely conducts experiments to show how predictable our irrationality is. For example, on page fifty one, Airely describes experiment where the subjects had a choice between two chocolates, Lindt and Henrys kisses, priced at fifteen cents and one cent respectively. Most of the participants (one third of them) preffered Lindt chocolates at this stage of the expirement. But when the prices on products were slightly changed (fourteen cents for Lindt and zero Henrys kisses), test subjects surprisingly changed their preferences towards the latter. This observation shows that zero price provokes irrational behaviour . Dean Airely helped the readers inderstand how decisions might be influenced by relativity , their emotion state or by society. I guess that one of the aims of the book is to change the individualds decision making in econimic perspective.

There are many reasons why reading this book is compelling experience. First of all, his writing style seems effortless: he appears to speak to his reader in a style that is both direct and honest. He uses short sentences, common words and familiar expressions and does not get lost in wordy and confusing explanations. His writing is witty and accessible: it does not discriminate between people from different social groups or professions. He makes psychology and economics enjoyable to all. The experiments the author conducts are easy to comprehend, especially for students. For example, university students can easily

relate to the baseball tickets experiment (p..) because it involves a reality that is familiar to them. Moreover, most of the experiments in psychology are done on students and produce real-life situations. Therefore, the book is understood to everyone and might be interesting as well as educational. Another, equally important advantage of the book, is that readers can actually apply the concepts discussed by the author in their daily life. "By the end of this book", claims the author, "you'll know the answers to these and many other questions that have implications for your personal life, for your business life, and for the way you look at the world" (p. 16). The results of the Ailey's experiments might be useful for readers because they can start to think and behave rationally or at least, realize why they make certain decisions. For instance, in chapter eight readers can actually see why "keeping doors open" is not beneficial as it sounds like. By concentrating on many different things or activities we may waste our time, emotions and money on what is not sufficient in our lives. In the second chapter Ailey states that the first impressions have long-lasting influence on our future decisions. Therefore, the readers can be aware of this fact and probably pay attention to the first thoughts they have in mind when they face an important choice. Moreover, Ailey approaches different aspects of our life - from consummation habits to passion and relationships. Thus, the author can change the way people live. Airely makes us aware of traps and manipulations that can be played upon us and triggers our desire to avoid them. The book might be extremely valuable to individuals who relate to economics and management. The executives would be able know how actually consumers behave in many different situations and use this knowledge in the business perspective. For example, in chapter three the author describes the effects of the balance between social and market norms in the commerce world. "Idea of treating customers socially is great....Companies

should not treat their customers as family one moment and then treat them impersonally when this becomes more profitable" . The consumer is the key to a successful business, and by understanding his thought process companies can produce an increase in it's profits. However, the author of the book proves this hypotheses only on controlled experiments. Moreover, many experiments are done on participants who are aware that they are being tested. For instance, in chapter five, Airely conducts experiment on Berkley students in order to prove that peoples decision making depends on their emotial state . The students had to complete the same questionnaire under altered mental states. Airely and his colleagues got opposed answers depending on the emotional state the participants were experiencing. But would the researches get the same data if the students did not know that tey were observed? Some of the participants probably were not absolutely honest. And the results of the experiments might be subjective. Unfortunately, the results of the Airely s tests may not be applied to I ndividuals from different age goups and regions because the author uses only US university students as subjects in his experiments most of the time. Airely probably would get different results if people from different age groups were participating in research, or if experiments took place in other regoins.

Despite this criticism, I think the book is worth reading as readers can easily see how our minds play on us and improve their decision making. The book also would be interesting and useful for managers and simply for those who are interested in consumer behaviour because buyer s decision making process influences on profits. According to Airely, the aim of this book is to to help you fundamentally rethink what makes you and the people around you tick Once you see how systematic certainmistakes are how we repeat them again and

again I think you will begin to learn how to avoid some of them (p. xii). By focusing on the

causes of our irrational behavoiurs and providing useful solutions every reader can apply them in his or her own life.