Name: Are we in control of our own decisions?
Uploaded: 2009-05-19T01:00:00Z
Duration: 17 min 4 s
Description: Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, the author of Predictably Irrational, uses classic visual illusions and his own counterintuitive (and sometimes shocking) research findings to show how we're not as rational as we think when we make decisions.

Dan Ariely: Are we in control of our own decisions?

Are we in control of our own decisions?

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, the author of Predictably Irrational, uses classic visual illusions and his own counterintuitive (and sometimes shocking) research findings to show how we're not as rational as we think when we make decisions.

People often believe they make decisions rationally, but hidden influences frequently guide their choices. A simple change in a DMV form caused organ donor rates to swing from nearly zero to almost 100 percent across European countries. Visual illusions reveal how easily intuition can be tricked, and similar effects occur in daily judgments about money, health, and even attraction. Understanding these mental blind spots can help create better policies and systems for everyone.