  | Book Details Title: Under the Influence: Putting Peer Pressure to Work |
Book DescriptionReview “This is a fascinating look at the way other people unconsciously determine our everyday behaviour and is a useful addition to the many works on how human psychology affects economic decision making.” (Money Week)”This broadly themed book addresses the complexities of our social environments ― for example, how group behavior gives rise to bullying ― but a lot of what it discusses applies to worldwide environmental issues, too. The result is a combination of psychology and economics that illustrates how the human ‘herd instinct’ can be put to good use to solve the climate crisis and other problems.”—John R. Platt, The Revelator“Frank’s points . . . raise some big questions. Which reminds us that economics cannot be a merely technocratic discipline.”—Chris Dillow, Stumbling & Mumbling Read more Review “Under the Influence describes a neglected goal for social policy: to gently foster the wisdom needed, individually and collectively, to achieve the Good Life. Frank’s own wisdom is on view in every paragraph of this book, with its brilliant perspective on―and solution to―the problems of our times.”―George Akerlof, Nobel Laureate in Economics“Call this book ‘the mother of all cognitive illusions’ meets ‘the mother of all suicidal delusions.’ Interested? You should be if you are really worried about how the cost of the Green New Deal is going to be met―logically, rationally, equitably, and soon. Robert Frank is not kidding when he asserts that even a middle schooler would understand his explanations of the public-policy stupidity that results when what he calls behavioral contagion trumps right actions.”―Anthony Ingraffea, Cornell University“Smart, delightful, and provocative, Under the Influence is designed to rock your boat―and maybe even sink it. Not to be missed!”―Daniel Gilbert, Harvard University“Economists are learning that human behavior is more than just a series of cost/benefit calculations. Robert Frank has been at the forefront of bringing biology and psychology into the equation, including our sensitivity to how those around us think and act. The human ‘herd instinct’ has consequences ranging from how we regulate tobacco to how we can avert a climate catastrophe.”―Frans de Waal, author of Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves“Brilliant, fun, and profound. Other people influence us a lot more than we think, which is a big problem but also a terrific opportunity. Robert Frank shows exactly why. Read this book―everyone else is going to!”―Cass R. Sunstein, author of On Freedom“An important and thought-provoking examination of how key individual choices are shaped by social context and fashion―and a clarion call for policies that better respond to that insight.”―Bina Venkataraman, author of The Optimist’s Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age“Under the Influence is a brilliant, necessary corrective to the narrow and often debilitating conventional wisdom of economics applied to the biggest crises of our time. Behavioral contagions have paralyzed us for decades, but they are not just negative forces, undermining our best interests. They can also empower us, even against what seem insurmountable challenges. Robert Frank shouldn’t just change the way we think about those challenges, but how we respond to them, too.”―David Wallace-Wells, author of The Uninhabitable Earth Read more About the Author Robert H. Frank is the H. J. Louis Professor of Management and Professor of Economics at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management. He has been an Economic View columnist for the New York Times for more than a decade. His many books include The Winner-Take-All Society, The Economic Naturalist, and Success and Luck (Princeton). He lives in Ithaca, New York. Twitter @econnaturalist Read more Customers Review: Really interesting take on what’s normally seen as a negative phenomenon. This book is a very wide survey of a range of areas and has interesting insights on each.
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