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Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness Paperback – February 24, 2009
The original edition of the multimillion-copy New York Times bestseller by the winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Richard H. Thaler, and Cass R. Sunstein: a revelatory look at how we make decisions—for fans of Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink, Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit, James Clear’s Atomic Habits, and Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow
Named a Best Book of the Year by TheEconomist and the Financial Times
Every day we make choices—about what to buy or eat, about financial investments or our children’s health and education, even about the causes we champion or the planet itself. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. Nudge is about how we make these choices and how we can make better ones. Using dozens of eye-opening examples and drawing on decades of behavioral science research, Nobel Prize winner Richard H. Thaler and Harvard Law School professor Cass R. Sunstein show that no choice is ever presented to us in a neutral way, and that we are all susceptible to biases that can lead us to make bad decisions. But by knowing how people think, we can use sensible “choice architecture” to nudge people toward the best decisions for ourselves, our families, and our society, without restricting our freedom of choice.
- Print length312 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPenguin Books
- Publication dateFebruary 24, 2009
- Dimensions5.4 x 0.8 x 8.44 inches
- ISBN-109780143115267
- ISBN-13978-0143115267
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“One of the few books . . . that fundamentally changed the way I think about the world.” —Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics
“Engaging and insightful . . . The conceptual argument is powerful, and most of the authors’ suggestions are common sense at its best. . . . For that we should all applaud loudly.” —The New York Times Book Review
“An essential read . . . The book isn’t only humorous, it’s loaded with good ideas that financial-service executives, policy makers, Wall Street mavens, and all savers can use.” —The Boston Globe
“This book is terrific. It will change the way you think, not only about the world around you and some of its bigger problems, but also about yourself.” —Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball and Liar’s Poker
“This gem of a book . . . is a must-read for anyone who wants to see both our minds and our society working better. It will improve your decisions and it will make the world a better place.” —Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize–winning author of Thinking, Fast and Slow
“Utterly brilliant . . . Nudge won’t nudge you—it will knock you off your feet.” —Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness
“Nudge is as important a book as any I’ve read in perhaps twenty years. It is a book that people interested in any aspect of public policy should read. It is a book that people interested in politics should read. It is a book that people interested in ideas about human freedom should read. It is a book that people interested in promoting human welfare should read. If you’re not interested in any of these topics, you can read something else.” —Barry Schwartz, The American Prospect
“Engaging, informative, and thoroughly delightful.” —Don Norman, author of The Design of Everyday Things and The Design of Future Things
“A wonderful book: more fun than any important book has a right to be—and yet it is truly both.” —Roger Lowenstein, author of When Genius Failed
“Save the planet, save yourself. Do-gooders, policymakers, this one’s for you.” —Newsweek
“Great fun to read . . . Sunstein and Thaler are very persuasive.” —Slate
“Nudge helps us understand our weaknesses, and suggests savvy ways to counter them.” —The New York Observer
“Always stimulating . . . An entertaining book that also deeply informs.” —Barron’s
“Entertaining, engaging, and well written . . . Highly recommended.” —Choice
“This Poor Richard’s Almanack for the 21st century . . . shares both the sagacity and the witty and accessible style of its 18th-century predecessor.” —Law and Politics Book Review
“There are superb insights in Nudge.” —Financial Times
About the Author
Cass R. Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School, where he is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy. He is by far the most cited law professor in the United States. From 2009 to 2012 he served in the Obama administration as Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. He has testified before congressional committees, appeared on national television and radio shows, been involved in constitution-making and law reform activities in a number of nations, and written many articles and books, including Simpler: The Future of Government, Wiser: Getting Beyond Groupthink to Make Groups Smarter, The World According to Star Wars, and Impeachment: A Citizen's Guide. He is the recipient of the 2018 Holberg Prize, awarded annually to a scholar who has made outstanding contributions to research in the arts, humanities, the social sciences, law, or theology.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
- The design of menus gets you to eat (and spend) more. For example, lining up all prices on either side of the menu leads many consumers to simply pick the cheapest item. On the other hand, discretely listing prices at the end of food descriptions lets people read about the appetizing options first…; and then see prices.
- "Flies" in urinals improve, well, aim. When Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport was faced with the not uncommon issue of dirty urinals, they chose a unique solution: by painting "flies" in the (center of) commodes, men obligingly aimed at the insects, reducing spillage by 80 percent.
- Credit card minimum payments affect repayment schedules. Among those who only partially pay off credit card balances each month, the repayment level is correlated with the card's minimum payment — in other words, the lower the minimum payment, the longer it takes a consumer to pay off the card balance.
- Automatic savings programs increase savings rate. All over the country, companies are adopting the Save More Tomorrow program: firms offer employees who are not saving very much the option of joining a program in which their saving rates are automatically increased whenever they get a raise. This plan has more than tripled saving rates in some firms, and is now offered by thousands of employers.
- "Defaults" can improve rates of organ donation. In the United States, about one–third of citizens have signed organ donor cards. Compare this to Austria, where 99 percent of people are potential organ donors. One obvious difference? Americans must explicitly consent to become organ donors (by signing forms, for example) while Austrians must opt out if they do not want to be organ donors.
Product details
- ASIN : 014311526X
- Publisher : Penguin Books; Revised & Expanded edition (February 24, 2009)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 312 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780143115267
- ISBN-13 : 978-0143115267
- Item Weight : 10.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.4 x 0.8 x 8.44 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #79,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #48 in Sociology of Social Theory
- #131 in Business Decision Making
- #257 in Decision-Making & Problem Solving
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Richard H. Thaler is the Charles R. Walgreen Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business where he director of the Center for Decision Research. He is also a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research where he co-directs the behavioral economics project. Professor Thaler's research lies in the gap between psychology and economics. He is considered a pioneer in the fields of behavioral economics and finance. He is the author of numerous articles and the books Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics; Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness (with Cass Sunstein), The Winner's Curse, and Quasi Rational Economics and was the editor of the collections: Advances in Behavioral Finance, Volumes 1 and 2. He also wrote a series of articles in the Journal of Economics Perspectives called: "Anomalies". He is one of the rotating team of economists who write the Economic View column in the Sunday New York Times.
Cass R. Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School, where he is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy. He is by far the most cited law professor in the United States. From 2009 to 2012 he served in the Obama administration as Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. He has testified before congressional committees, appeared on national television and radio shows, been involved in constitution-making and law reform activities in a number of nations, and written many articles and books, including Simpler: The Future of Government and Wiser: Getting Beyond Groupthink to Make Groups Smarter.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book easy to read and useful. They appreciate the practical understanding of concepts and the thought-provoking ideas. Many find it a good value for money, with a casual and conversational tone. The nudge concept is logical and applicable to many real-world problems. However, opinions differ on the libertarian ideology - some find it helpful and relevant, while others feel it's preachy at times.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book engaging and useful. They say it's well-written and easy to understand. The book is timely and relevant to their studies.
"...The authors of this excellent book admit this paradoxical truth, and use it as a foundation to create sensible public policies...." Read more
"...Overall, a good book that I recommend heartily." Read more
"...From cafeterias to retirement plans to organ donors, this is a great book about how we can adjust environments to better our lives and the lives..." Read more
"Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein was the perfect book for someone who is not an Economist but who is interested in understanding the..." Read more
Customers find the book provides practical understanding of concepts. They find the idea relevant and agreeable. The book is thought-provoking and adds a new perspective to their lives.
"...is a brilliant approach that will increase well-being while preserving freedom of choice. People will still be able to decline the best options...." Read more
"...The main thesis is really interesting and very refreshing for those interested in the somewhat stale and oversimplified "big vs. small government"..." Read more
"...I thought a lot of this was useful for simply arranging one’s everyday life, putting reminders out to help them make quick decisions and remembering..." Read more
"...The book is filled with practical understanding of concepts. This book is not about how we can control others, but how can we make better choices...." Read more
Customers like the book's value for money. They say it provides good economics and psychology content, and is useful for politics. The book offers common sense and good research on health, wealth, and happiness. It's a rare book on economics that is full of common sense and backed up by good evidence. It's essential for businesses and desirable as a consumer, and the distinction between the economic person and real human being is great.
"...by nudging the choices in ways that are effective, but otherwise cheap in cost, modest in sacrifice, and easy to avoid...." Read more
"...healthcare, the environment, education and the financial urgencies of Medicare and Social Security...." Read more
"...It is not a textbook or standard teaching material targeted towards undergraduate economics majors...." Read more
"...can actually make the world a better, happier place at little to no cost...." Read more
Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it relatable with relevant examples and anecdotes. The book is written in a casual and conversational tone, though some readers felt some of the proposals were unnecessary. Overall, customers describe it as an engaging read.
"...While I do enjoy a casual and conversational tone, this book suffered from unnecessary tangential remarks that detracted from the main point...." Read more
"...While some of the anecdotes are funny, many of the writer’s proposals contain the America social and economic issues that will take a while to..." Read more
"...I did appreciate his humor. And he does deserve acclamation. And I am glad he is easily readable." Read more
"...and the authors provide plenty of relevant examples, and a good amount of humour - makes for a very easy and enjoyable read...." Read more
Customers find the nudge concept logical and applicable to real-world problems. They say it's simple and fascinating, and that nudges matter and should be carefully considered. The book explains how nudges can have a huge impact on decisions.
"...The main point of the book is that nudges matter and thus should be carefully designed...." Read more
"...Fascinating reading and very provocative. Is nudging good? Or manipulative?..." Read more
"I like the example to creat a nudge. But also there was a lot of information similar to other books, but over all a good read." Read more
"...Loved learning more about choice architect and how a nudge can have a huge impact...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the libertarian ideology. Some find it useful and interesting, providing food for thought about public and private policies. Others feel the book is preachy at times, with logical gaps and out-of-touch elitism in the arguments.
"...The authors address libertarian concerns multiple times, and with great consideration, throughout the entire book...." Read more
"...There is no choice presented for debate on this topic...." Read more
"...Absolutely. I really appreciate the libertarian paternalism presented in the book." Read more
"...within an economic disciplinary tradition and an expression of libertarian political theory. It breaks humanity into two groups: humans and econs...." Read more
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Nudge your mind
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2013There are two predominant beliefs about human nature and free will. One, which is popular among conservatives and libertarians, says that we are totally self-made, and have no one to blame, or credit, for our success or failure but ourselves.
According to this view, anyone can be a John Galt or Howard Roark if they only try. Because of this, government should simply allow as much freedom as possible. That way, the worthy can rise to the top and the slackers will become virtuous or die off, either way making society better.
The other view, common among leftists "intellectuals," says that humans are slaves to their genetics and environment. Thus, the only way to improve their lives is for the State to intervene and control them for their own good.
Both of these views are nonsense. The truth, as it usually does, lies in between these two equally untenable extremes. We are free to make up our own minds as well as slaves to human nature and limitations. What we are and do is a curious amalgamation of both our choices and the influences that come our way.
The authors of this excellent book admit this paradoxical truth, and use it as a foundation to create sensible public policies. Among the areas they address are school choice, retirement accounts, and healthcare. Their recommendations center around the idea that nudges in the right direction can assist people in making choices that will approve their quality of life.
One idea they propose is changing the default option on 401 K sign up forms, so that one must opt out of using a plan. Currently the exact opposite is the norm. One must expend effort to join, yet do nothing to avoid participating.
Theirs is a brilliant approach that will increase well-being while preserving freedom of choice. People will still be able to decline the best options. But, due to human tendencies like the "status quo bias," most of them will simply accept the default option, leading them to eat healthier, save money, and exercise more.
Those who critique this book on ideological grounds are, IMO, in denial about their own natures. Ayn Rand's heroes are cardboard caricatures, as are the flesh-and-blood automatons that inhabit the wacky theories of the far left. This fine volume dispenses with both of those silly views. In their place, it offers a reality-based approach to enhancing the welfare of individuals and society. It gets my highest recommendation.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2012First some quick comments, then some longer ones:
1) Anyone interested in the Social Sciences should get this. Parts of it are written as if the book were a guide to finance, but that was probably just a marketing ploy of some sort. The main thesis is really interesting and very refreshing for those interested in the somewhat stale and oversimplified "big vs. small government" debate.
2) I read this right after Kahneman's "Thinking Fast and Slow." Both are extremely similar, but Nudge is more to the point and more organized. "Thinking Fast and Slow" was still brilliant though.
3) All those reviewers who call this "manipulation" or some other "Big Government!!!" charge, I must say, probably didn't read the book. The authors address libertarian concerns multiple times, and with great consideration, throughout the entire book. Understanding what makes "libertarian paternalism" libertarian is an extremely important step in getting the authors' main point. Honestly, if anything, it made my political views MORE libertarian rather than less, so it's difficult for me to think of Nudge as a "defense of Big Brother" or some other right-wing nonsense.
4) The only inconsistency I came across (and I mention this below) is that when they talk about being "anti-mandate," they really mean being against public or consumer mandates. However, many of their proposals do implicitly involve mandates on businesses though, such as requiring that air conditioner manufacturers install a light that would tell the user when the filter needs replacement (which would save a good amount of energy). I am not opposed to this whatsoever, but it's important to acknowledge that it's still a government mandate, so it's not as libertarian as it first seems. However, it's still more libertarian than other conceivable alternative mandates that could be placed on the public to use less energy.
5) My take-away from the book: The authors spend a good amount of time describing ECONS and HUMANS, but not so much time describing why ECONS are so important for right-wing economists. This is also partly because authors' main objective, it seemed, was political. They describe their philosophy as "libertarian paternalism." They are libertarian in the sense that they (ostensibly) don't generally like the idea of the government "banning," "mandating," and "outlawing" economic choices, or making some economic choices extremely difficult for the consumer (for example if the government made all vehicles which get less than 20 MPG twice as expensive via taxes, and mandated that a consumer must wait 90 days before being able to register a low-MPG vehicle, whereas high-MPG vehicles could be registered immediately). However, the other part of their philosophy involves "paternalism"--a very dirty word to libertarians. The basic normative argument for paternalism is that the government has some role to play in guiding people toward better choices. In talking about "libertarian paternalism," they are saying that whatever the government does, it is going to have some effects upon the population, even if it is not explicitly trying to manipulate or persuade the public. So, instead, adopt smart policies (with predictable results) that guide the public toward a "good" direction, but allow individuals to opt-out if they wish. An interesting example they brought up involved organ donors. Turns out that there are some massive inter-country differences when it comes to the desire to donate organs. But is this because the people in each country have such massively different attitudes about it? No--the main variable is a simple one: Is the default option to donate, or not to donate? In the U.S., on our licenses, we have to check a box that confirms we want to be organ donors and, therefore, our default is that we are not donors. In other countries, the default option is that citizens are donors--but of course they are free to opt-out at any time.
Bringing it back to the ECONS vs. HUMANS debate is what makes a simple example like this so mind-blowing (for me, at least). The crucial key to understand is that, to the ECON, it makes no difference what the default is. The ECON always knows what s/he wants--if s/he wants to be a donor, and the default is "No," the ECON would instantly change it to "Yes," and vice versa. Simple as that. But HUMANS, on the other hand, don't do this. HUMANS have a massive, statistically proven bias toward the default option and, as a result, which route the government decides to go ends up making a massive difference. If the government decides that it's probably a "good" thing if most citizens are willing to donate vital organs, the authors argue, then it should keep the default at "Yes" and allow people to opt-out. (Notice that if the government simply mandated that everyone donate their organs, it would be paternalism outright, not libertarian paternalism.) The book is essentially a collection of examples like this, where the authors wish to enact policies that result in a better society/economy while staying true to the libertarian paternalist ethic. (One place where I think they slip a bit, though, is that they are more inclined to support "regulations" on businesses--but these regulations are of course mandates, however much they don't want to call them mandates. When they say they are against mandates, they seem to be more against regulating average citizens and consumers than regulating businesses.)
As I see it, the die-hard libertarian still has a valid argument to make. Basically, they can object to the nudge argument on purely political grounds, which would sound like this, "I don't give a crap if libertarian paternalism would result in a better economy or better society. The government has no right to--i.e., shouldn't--participate in manipulative policymaking." It's a fair political argument, but it doesn't cohere with the free-market argument, which states that free-market policies will actually result in a better economy. Nudge shows how free-market policies actually won't result in a better economy, in large part because the actors receiving, evaluating, and acting upon economic signals are HUMANS, not ECONS.
For those interested, I wrote an article about this type of stuff (and long before reading Nudge or much else in the way of behavioral economics) called "Unmasking the GOP's Faith-Based Economics" available @Truthout.org
Top reviews from other countries
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Bruno Santos CunhaReviewed in Brazil on June 17, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Nudge!
Apesar de relativamente novo (2008), "Nudge" já pode ser considerado um clássico da economia comportamental (behavioral economics), da teoria dos incentivos e da ciência das escolhas. De fato, a simples "presença" de Cass Sunstein (ganhador do Holberg Prize) e Richard Thaler (ganhador do Nobel Prize) como autores já diferencia o livro e, por si, torna a leitura recomendável.
Partindo da ideia de um "paternalismo libertário", Sunstein e Thaler desvendam uma verdadeira arquitetura das escolhas públicas e privadas, de forma a demonstrar como seria possível, a um só tempo, preservar a liberdade de escolha dos indivíduos (caractere libertário) e influenciar a direção das atitudes individuais em um sentido economicamente ótimo (caractere paternalista).
A fim de demonstrar que a suposta incongruência entre libertarianismo e paternalismo pode ser muito menor na prática cotidiana do que na teoria, os autores dissecam exemplos de arquitetura de escolhas nas mais diversas áreas de atuação humana: do incentivo à poupança e aos investimentos a questões saúde pública; do casamento a questões de sustentabilidade ambiental; de previdência à educação pública e privada.
Recheado de exemplos de como pequenos incentivos podem alterar substancialmente as escolhas individuais em direção a níveis ótimos, "Nudge" foge de estereótipos ideológicos pra mostrar uma realidade passível de mudança a partir de critérios racionais facilmente realizáveis. Enfim, um livro muito bom.
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Javier.Reviewed in Mexico on December 27, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Obra fundamental de la economía del comportamiento.
Es una obra básica para entender la implementación de políticas aplicando la economía del comportamiento. Junto con “Misbehaving” y Thinking fast and slow” ofrecen un panorama comprensivo sobre esta rama de la economía.
- Jay MehtaReviewed in India on September 6, 2020
3.0 out of 5 stars The product is perfect as expected.
The product is perfect as expected no issues there. Check out the uploaded image, the MRP of book is 499 and it is being sold at 599. I was not sure about the reason for this. Please refund the rest of the amount if it is not right way to price the product.
Jay Mehta
Reviewed in India on September 6, 2020
Images in this review - MnomadReviewed in Germany on April 14, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Something to think about
Great book - the concept has a lot of practical applications. I purchased this for my 12 year old who had to read it for school. While he appreciated its value, some of the explanations were a little complex for him and dry.
- ErikReviewed in Canada on July 24, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking masterpiece
Another book to really make you think about the decisions we make in every day interactions. Which ones are provoked, and which are truly self-driven. This question is explored within the novel which maintains a light air and provides a very enjoyable read! 5/5