The Power of Us will transform the way you understand the idea of identity. Our identities change all the time, and understanding how they are informed by our surrounding groups can help us break through seemingly impossible barriers including political gridlock, entrenched biases, and generational disputes. This book is chock full of rich case studies and mountain of groundbreaking research from the authors, has received rave reviews from other in the field (including Annie Duke and Charles Duhigg), and promises a fascinating and fun read that will help you understand yourself and other better than you ever thought possible.

In this book, Robert M. Sapolsky sets out to explain what causes behavior. Bursting with exciting research, this book is a "dazzling tour" of human behavior drawing on fields such as behavioral biology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral psychology, this interdisciplinary take on why we do what we do is a slightly tougher but absolutely worthwhile read.

If there were one book that makes everyone think of behavioral economics, it would be this one. Written by one of the founding fathers of the field, Thinking, Fast and Slow will transform the way you understand your mind (and the minds of others). System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Everything from the stock market to risk assessments at home can be viewed through the lens of this book. Full of rich information, it is well worth the effort to get to the final page.

Practical, applicable, and highly relevant in today's world, Designing for Behavior Change is a must-read for anyone working to apply knowledge of behavioral science to digital product development. The book takes you step-by-step through the process of applying behavioral economics and psychology to the practical problems of product design and development, walking through case studies and providing practical explanations and strategies along the way. Using a combination of lean and agile methodologies, you’ll learn an iterative approach for identifying target users and behaviors, building the product, and gauging its effectiveness. This one is worth reading and revisiting time and time again.

Achieving goals, fostering connections, driving product engagement, and changing behaviors are all lofty but meaningful goals for designers across industries. By using principles of behavioral sci and behavior change in their work, designers can create and curate unmatched experiences for their users. Amy Bucher's book is an excellent tool filled with practical strategies and guidance for leveling-up your designs with behavioral insight. This one is definitely an excellent resource for people interested in practicing behavioral design in their daily lives.

A well-know researcher in the field of behavioral economics, Ariely gives readers a fantastic overview of some fascinating experiments that explore the irrational side of human behavior. He illustrates the fact that, while humans are deeply flawed in their decision-making and thought processes, we are relatively systematic and predictable in the errors and mistakes we make. Predictably Irrational is at once educational and engaging, providing a wonderful view of the field regardless of experience level. With over 110,000 ratings on Goodreads and nominations to our list by Jonah Berger and Robert Cialdini, this book is a can’t-miss for anyone interested in behavioral science.

When asked how they got interested in behavioral science, many people cite the first time they read Nudge. Now revised and updated with additional research applied to modern challenges, Thaler and Sunstein somehow deliver an even better version of this classic behavioral science book. This book provides many valuable lessons: how changes in our environment impact our choices, what it means to help someone make “better” decisions and effective behavior change techniques that don’t require laws or financial incentives. Make time to read this one — Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Lisa Feldman Barrett mixes incredible insights about the human brain with some valuable myth-busting along the way to "demystify that big gray blob between your ears." There's something for everyone in this book, from new-to-behavioral-science newbies to veterans in the field. Surprising, funny, and educational, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain is a fantastic book.

Emotions feel automatic to us; that’s why scientists have long assumed that emotions are hardwired in the body or the brain. Lisa Feldman Barrett is revolutionizing the prevailing theories of emotion, arguing that emotions are informed by context, built by many different parts of the human brain, and informed by a person's lifetime of experiences. Do we play a major role in our emotions, and if so, what does that mean for places where emotions play a role, such a parenting, law enforcement, and healthcare?

This book is a fascinating and jarring look at design's influence on human behavior through the lens of one very specific example: machine gambling. From chair ergonomics to screen graphics, algorithms to architecture, the highly curated experience of playing these games draws users in and puts them in a trance. Natasha Dow Schüll draws on fifteen years of research in Las Vegas, deconstructing and explaining in rich detail the role of design in the entire marine gambling experience. She also explores beyond the games themselves, investigating the lives of people attracted to these games, the nuances of addiction, and how social anxieties and contexts factor into the issue.

At once groundbreaking and extremely accessible, Superforecasting tells readers how to predict the future - sort of. People don't need crystal balls, we just need good strategies, such as gathering information from diverse sources, working with others, and being willing to change our minds. This book draws on incredible research from a landmark study that showed not only that expert predictions can be wrong, but also that regular Joes can be taught to predict events just as well as anyone else. The applications of these strategies are limitless - from finance to business, politics to public health, learning how to be a superforecaster is invaluable. This is a must-read for anyone interested in making better decisions, more accurately assessing risk, or getting as close to possible as being a fortune teller.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard is about how to bring about change in an organization. Its main focus is changing behavior by appealing to the rational and emotional sides of people’s psyches. This is a great book to start with if you are new to the field or want to learn some general strategies for how to begin changing human behavior. It's thoroughly delightful to read, chock full of great examples and insights, and a natural inclusion on our list.

Rewarding good behavior, such as a child doing her homework or cleaning her room, is the best way to ensure the behavior continues, right? Actually, no...in fact, a better way to encourage good behavior may be promoting a sense of autonomy, competence or connection. In this book, Edward Deci explain why nurturing autonomy and interest in the world is the key to unlocking people's motivation and success in work, at home, and in life. This book is a fascinating challenge to the conventional wisdom of carrots and sticks and will change the way you consider working with (and motivating) those you encounter every day.

Though it was published several years ago, Will Storr's exploration of why people deny scientific and historical fact remains extremely relevant in our current sociopolitical climate. Part investigative journalism, part memoir, part research, this book will help even the strongest supporter of science find understanding of people who deny facts as fundamental as the theory of evolution and the Holocaust. We all fall victim to biases and flaws in reasoning, and relating these to divisive issues is key to seeing the humanity behind a belief. Challenging ourselves to understand others remains one of the best strategies to motivate behavior change for good. Though it may be an uncomfortable or frustrating read, this one is not to be missed, particularly if you hope to encourage a respect for science in others.

Everyone is familiar with the theory of evolution and natural selection, but what about culture? In Darwin's Unfinished Symphony, Kevin N. Laland shows how culture informed the way humans developed over time. We have been innovating, iterating, and ideating since the beginning, and through years of extensive fieldwork and brilliant research, we now have a totally new and exciting theory of how culture shaped human evolution. Part storytelling, part research, all incredible, this book is stunning in both the questions it raises and the answers it provides.

The Financial Times calls How to Change "A welcome revelation," and that's an understatement. Nearly everyone struggles with procrastination, goal-setting, forgetfulness, and impulsivity. This book can help individuals, team leaders, managers, parents, and casual behavioral science readers. Katy Milkman's writing is delightful, and along the way, you'll learn science-backed strategies for overcoming these common roadblocks, giving you the tools you need to get from where you are to where you want to be.

Matt Wallaert, a talented behavioral psychologist with experience across industries and products, argues that behavior change is the purpose of just about everything. This book is all about bridging the gap between intention and action, or between customer need with products designed. In this fantastic and engaging read, Matt Wallaert shows readers how to build products that matter and how to influence behavior for good: start at the end.

"The human mind is both brilliant and pathetic." It takes you by surprise, doesn't it? Does it seem unreasonable? Yet, we develop incredibly complex economic policies without understanding the basics of how to fix a toilet. We get along, according to Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach, by constantly taking in and processing information all around us, taking it for granted and mistakenly assuming we know it all inside our own minds. This phenomenon can help explain why deeply entrenched political beliefs and flawed ideas are so hard to change, and it also makes the case for a less individual, more communal approach to teaching, managing, and working with people. Behavioral scientists know humans are deeply flawed thinkers, but they also know the mind is capable of astounding things. One of the secrets to our genius? Each other.

There is beauty in simplicity and, according to Leidy Klotz, in subtraction. People often prefer to add - to lists, to sandwiches, to goals - but sometimes, the key is to take away. This book blends behavioral science and design, drawing on established research as well as research from Leidy Klotz himself, presenting an engaging, thought-provoking, and highly innovative read. Though it may go against our instincts, the art of subtraction may be the secret sauce we need to finally reach our potential in work and at home.