You Are What You Choose: The Habits of Mind That Really Determine How We Make Decisions
Nov 2009 · Sold by Penguin
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The hidden patterns behind the way we make decisions
Several recent books, from Blink to Freakonomics to Predictably Irrational, have examined how people make choices. But none explain why different people have such different styles of decision making—and why those styles seem consistent across many contexts. For instance, why is a gambler always a gambler, whether at work, on the highway, or in a voting booth?
Scott de Marchi and James T. Hamilton present a new theory about how we decide, based on an extensive survey of more than thirty thousand subjects. They show that each of us possesses six core traits that shape every decision, from what to have for lunch to where to invest. We go with “the usual” way of deciding whenever there’s a trade-off between current and future happiness, when facing the risk of a bad outcome, or when a choice might hurt other people. We’re also consistent about how much information we want and how much we care about the opinions of others.
Readers can determine their own decision-making profile with a test in the book. Once they understand the six core traits, they’ll have a big advantage in their marketing campaigns, management strategies, investments, and many other contexts.
Several recent books, from Blink to Freakonomics to Predictably Irrational, have examined how people make choices. But none explain why different people have such different styles of decision making—and why those styles seem consistent across many contexts. For instance, why is a gambler always a gambler, whether at work, on the highway, or in a voting booth?
Scott de Marchi and James T. Hamilton present a new theory about how we decide, based on an extensive survey of more than thirty thousand subjects. They show that each of us possesses six core traits that shape every decision, from what to have for lunch to where to invest. We go with “the usual” way of deciding whenever there’s a trade-off between current and future happiness, when facing the risk of a bad outcome, or when a choice might hurt other people. We’re also consistent about how much information we want and how much we care about the opinions of others.
Readers can determine their own decision-making profile with a test in the book. Once they understand the six core traits, they’ll have a big advantage in their marketing campaigns, management strategies, investments, and many other contexts.
The hidden patterns behind the way we make decisions
Several recent books, from Blink to Freakonomics to Predictably Irrational, have examined how people make choices. But none explain why different people have such different styles of decision making—and why those styles seem consistent across ...
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About the author
Scott de Marchi is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Decision Science program at Duke University. His work has been funded by the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and USAID. His research focuses on the use of mathematical methods, especially bargaining theory, computational social science, game theory, and machine learning and statistics. Substantively, he examines decision-making in contexts that include the American Congress, coalition bargaining in parliamentary democracies, crisis bargaining and interstate conflict, and voting behavior.
James T. Hamilton is Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Hearst Professor of Communication at Stanford University. The winner of eight teaching awards at Harvard, Duke, and Stanford, he’s spent decades teaching and mentoring undergraduates and designing programs to help them thrive in college. Hamilton is the author of three award-winning books about media research. He earned a BA in economics and government (summa cum laude) and a PhD in economics from Harvard University.
James T. Hamilton is Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Hearst Professor of Communication at Stanford University. The winner of eight teaching awards at Harvard, Duke, and Stanford, he’s spent decades teaching and mentoring undergraduates and designing programs to help them thrive in college. Hamilton is the author of three award-winning books about media research. He earned a BA in economics and government (summa cum laude) and a PhD in economics from Harvard University.
Scott de Marchi is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Decision Science program at Duke University. His work has been funded by the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and USAID. His research focuses on the use of mathematical methods, especially bargaining theo...
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