Straight Choices:
The Psychology of Decision Making
The Psychology of Decision Making
We all face a perplexing array of decisions every day. Straight Choices provides an integrative account of the psychology of decision making, in which clear connections are made between empirical results and how these results can help us to understand our uncertain world.
Co-authored by Ben Newell, David Lagnado & David Shanks. Third edition released by Psychology Press in 2022.
Straight Choices has been praised by world-leading behavioural researchers...
“This excellent book is a rare combination - an enjoyable read that beginners will like and a serious text that scholars will study.” (2nd Ed.)
DANIEL KAHNEMAN
Professor of Psychology, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University
“As a student, I often wished for an accessible introduction to decision science, from the classic through the reigning paradigms to the cutting edge. Straight Choices is that book. Students and seasonsed researchers will appreciate this highly readable narrative, which interweaves the psychology of decision making with insights from cognitive science.” (2nd Ed.)
RALPH HERTWIG
Director of the Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
“The perfect introduction to the latest developments in the fascinating field of judgment and decision making, setting classic findings and latest research firmly in the wider context of current thinking in the behavioural and cognitive sciences.” (2nd Ed.)
NICK CHATER
Professor of Behavioural Science, Warwick Business School
“Straight Choices captures the excitement and innovative nature of research into decision making in everyday life and leaves the reader hungry to learn more. It is a remarkable springboard into understanding what we know and to developing one’s own decision making skills.” (1st Ed.)
ROBIN M. HOGARTH
ICREA Research Professor, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
“What distinguishes this book is not only its clear and lucid style, but also that it covers a number of new and emerging areas. It not only provides a good basis for understanding contemporary theory and research, but also includes important pointers to the ways the area is likely to develop over the next few years.” (1st Ed.)
A. JOHN MAULE
Professor of Human Decision Making, Leeds University Business School
Book Description
Straight Choices emphasises the relationship between learning and decision making, arguing that the best way to understand how and why decisions are made is in the context of the learning and knowledge acquisition that precedes them, and the feedback that follows them. The mechanisms of learning and the structure of environments in which decisions are made are carefully examined to explore their impact on our choices. The authors then consider whether we are all constrained to fall prey to biases or whether with sufficient exposure, we can find optimal decision strategies and improve our decision making.
This novel approach integrates findings from the decision and learning literatures to provide a unique perspective on the psychology of decision making. It will be of interest to researchers and students in cognitive psychology, behavioural economics and philosophy, as well as anyone interested in the nature of decision making.
This novel approach integrates findings from the decision and learning literatures to provide a unique perspective on the psychology of decision making. It will be of interest to researchers and students in cognitive psychology, behavioural economics and philosophy, as well as anyone interested in the nature of decision making.
Contact me
ben.newell@unsw.edu.au
+61 2 9065 5590
School of Psychology
University of New South Wales
Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
University of New South Wales
Sydney NSW 2052, Australia