New Book - Predictably Irrational

Dan Ariely has written a new book called "Predictably Irrational - The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions". I just started to read it. I browsed through the text at the library and found the first chapter interesting. He asks, "do you know why honor codes actually do reduce dishonesty in the workplace?" I don't know the answer yet, but he promises I will know by the end of the book.

Here is a hint about one of his central premises; which middle circle is larger? Many of you have seen this optical illusion and know the center circles are the same size. Yet they LOOK different. The circle surrounded by small circles looks larger than the one surrounded by larger circles. The brain knows what it knows, but sees what is sees.
Being cognizant of this brain function can be helpful when training or explaining.


Update: I finished the book. It was an interesting read. Ariely describes a bunch of experiments he and colleagues conducted to delve into human behavior. I suppose some of this information would be useful for general skill improvement.

You can check out more at predictablyirrational.com.