laurab2125's review against another edition
2.0
Eh. It was a quick read. There were one or two insightful points. There was a lot of "boy, women are such joy-sucking beings, wink wink" snark that I didn't appreciate. I wanted real answers and science but that's not really what this book was.
rachel_abby_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Dan Ariely is a social scientist and professor. He's done a lot of research and now writes for the New York Times. This book is a compellation of "dear abby" type letters and his responses. Some things were interesting to me; others less so. Below are things that I found applicable to me.
1- loss aversion prevents us from exploring new things (because what if we don't like new things as much as our old things?)
2- Does time seem to blur together, days/weeks/months whizzing past? It's because our days are so routine. We repeat activities day after day, no new things, no variation. If you want your days to be more distinct, try new things: go new places, try new foods, learn a new skill. You'll find time doesn't zip by quite so recklessly.
3- Stuck in a Jungle Book pattern of "whatcha wanna do? I don't know- let's do something"? You and your spouse each get a set number of cards. Write each card one thing you are each interested in doing. Some might be things one of you loves more than your spouse, but that's okay. It can be favorite things, or new things (see #2 above). When you are deciding on plans, and hit the brick wall of "whatcha wanna do?", pull a card. Do what it says, suck it up if it isn't your bliss, and do something new, or for the one you love.
1- loss aversion prevents us from exploring new things (because what if we don't like new things as much as our old things?)
2- Does time seem to blur together, days/weeks/months whizzing past? It's because our days are so routine. We repeat activities day after day, no new things, no variation. If you want your days to be more distinct, try new things: go new places, try new foods, learn a new skill. You'll find time doesn't zip by quite so recklessly.
3- Stuck in a Jungle Book pattern of "whatcha wanna do? I don't know- let's do something"? You and your spouse each get a set number of cards. Write each card one thing you are each interested in doing. Some might be things one of you loves more than your spouse, but that's okay. It can be favorite things, or new things (see #2 above). When you are deciding on plans, and hit the brick wall of "whatcha wanna do?", pull a card. Do what it says, suck it up if it isn't your bliss, and do something new, or for the one you love.
nrmaharaj's review against another edition
3.0
Fun and forgettable. Just a collection of several dozen of Ariely's advice columns, each only a few hundred words.
blueweasley's review against another edition
3.0
Nếu so với hai cuốn trước thì cuốn này không hấp dẫn bằng. Đây là tuyển tập các câu Q&A từ mục báo do Dan phụ trách nên không mang đến nhiều điều mới mẻ.
venkyloquist's review against another edition
3.0
One of the most entertaining and endearing social scientists and behavioural economists gracing the field today, Dan Ariely decided to commence a column imaginatively titled "Ask Ariely" in the Wall Street Journal beginning 2012. This was meant to be a platform for readers to get a relief from various dilemmas plaguing their day-to-day existence, both professionally and personally.
This book is a collection of the questions posed by the readers and the solutions provided by Ariely. Ranging from the pesky (a most appropriate solution to prevent dog owners from not cleaning up after their canines) to the profound (whether a couple in their prevalent dispensation ought to have children), the problems span a wide sweep of head and heartaches. Combining a refreshing blend of astute wisdom and spontaneous wit, Professor Ariely comes up with convincing and creative answers to most of the flummoxes.
Covering a wide range of social science niggles such as "loss aversion", "depletion", "adaptation", "signaling" and "political correctness", the solutions proposed by Ariely provide a valuable insight into the window of human psychology and cultural mores. The suggestions are also amenable for practical experimentation and unbiased judgments based on resulting outcomes.
"Behavioural Science...." - time to rethink life!
This book is a collection of the questions posed by the readers and the solutions provided by Ariely. Ranging from the pesky (a most appropriate solution to prevent dog owners from not cleaning up after their canines) to the profound (whether a couple in their prevalent dispensation ought to have children), the problems span a wide sweep of head and heartaches. Combining a refreshing blend of astute wisdom and spontaneous wit, Professor Ariely comes up with convincing and creative answers to most of the flummoxes.
Covering a wide range of social science niggles such as "loss aversion", "depletion", "adaptation", "signaling" and "political correctness", the solutions proposed by Ariely provide a valuable insight into the window of human psychology and cultural mores. The suggestions are also amenable for practical experimentation and unbiased judgments based on resulting outcomes.
"Behavioural Science...." - time to rethink life!
dawid_smith's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
gopsay's review against another edition
3.0
A nice book for the coffee table collection with each topic being a page or two long. This is a light read with some passages that make us think twice about our inherent biases. But that's where it stops - this a collection of Q&As that Dan wrote for The Wall Street Journal. By extension, it only requires an attention span for a minute or two.