Willful - How We Choose What We Do

A revelatory alternative to the standard economic models of human behavior that proposes an exciting new way to understand decision-making. Why do we do the things we do? The classical view of economics is that we are rational individuals, making decisions with the intention of maximizing our preferences. Behaviorists, on the other hand, see us as relying on mental shortcuts and conforming to preexisting biases. Richard Robb argues that neither explanation accounts for those things that we do for their own sake, and without understanding these sorts of actions, our picture of decision-making is at best incomplete. Robb explains how these choices made seemingly without reason belong to a realm of behavior he identifies as "for-itself." A provocative combination of philosophy and economics that offers a key to many of our quixotic choices, this groundbreaking volume provides a new way to understand everything from how we formulate our desire to work to how we manage daily interactions.

About the author

Richard Robb is professor of professional practice in international and public affairs at Columbia University and CEO of the investment firm Christofferson, Robb & Company, which he cofounded in 2001.

Summary

A revelatory alternative to the standard economic models of human behavior that proposes an exciting new way to understand decision-making

Product details

• Authors: Richard Robb, Robb Richard
• Publisher: Yale University Press Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.11.2019
• EAN: 9780300246438
• ISBN: 978-0-300-24643-8
• No. of pages: 256
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Psychology > Theoretical psychology; Social sciences, law, business > Business > Advertising, marketing; Sozialpsychologie, Marktforschung, Wirtschaftstheorie, Soziale und politische Philosophie, Wirtschaftstheorie und -philosophie, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / Marriage & Family, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Decision-Making & Problem Solving, Psychologie: Theorien und Denkschulen, PSYCHOLOGY / Social Psychology, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Consumer Behavior, Entscheidungstheorie, Psychologie / Sozial, Philosophie / Gesellschaft, Politik, Staat, Psychologie / Allgemeines, Einführung, Lexikon, PSYCHOLOGY / Interpersonal Relations, Behavioural economics, Sociology: family & relationships, Social, group or collective psychology, Management decision making, Sociology: family and relationships, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Economics / Social & Behavioral