Shopper Insights in Action 2010 Keynote Spotlight: Dan Ariely

We’re pleased to welcome Behavioral Economist and Author of best-selling book Predictably Irrational Dan Ariely as one of our keynote speakers at this year’s Shopper Insights in Action Event, July 11-14, 2010 in Chicago.

Dan Ariely is the James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics at Duke University. A behavioral economist, Ariely’s research has shown that we all succumb to irrationality in situations where rational thought is expected. He is an expert on how people actually act–and why they act–in all kinds of business and economic environments, and what this means for business innovation, strategy, marketing and pricing.

Ariely’s forthcoming book, The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home (June 2010), explores fascinating findings from the hundreds of ‘experiments’ Dan does for his research. He’ll dive into personal life (what makes us happy, how we as humans adapt and change, how we date and find mates), work life (what really motivates us, financial vs. non-financial rewards, trust, revenge) and the slippery slope of cheating (how it starts, how it snowballs). He’ll pay special attention to the financial and debt crisis, and the post-crash economy and what this means for employers, marketers and public policy.

Ariely received a Ph.D. in marketing from Duke University, a Ph.D. and M.A. in cognitive psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. in psychology from Tel Aviv University.

As a behavioral economist, Dan is interested in how people actually act in the marketplace, as opposed to how they should or would perform if they were completely rational. Within this general interest, he is exploring a wide range of daily behaviors such as buying (or not), ordering food in restaurants, pain management, procrastination, dishonesty, and decision-making under different emotional states. Dan’s hope is that a better understanding of human decision-making will help us overcome some of our built-in shortcomings, and when this is impossible or difficult, help us set public policies that will make us better off.

Ariely’s biography courtesy of Monitor Talent.