Warum es so schwer ist, ein guter Mensch zu sein ... und wie wir das ändern können: Antworten eines Verhaltensökonomen
2022
Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe
About the book
English title: Why It’s So Hard to Be Good
…and how we can change: a behavioural economist offers solutions
Imprint: Siedler
ISBN: 978-3-8275-0160-8
Pages: 336 pages
Date of publication: May 9, 2022
English sample translation available
Rights sold to:
China (Citic), Korea (Gimm-Young), Taiwan (Ping's Publications), USA (Yale University Press)
Synopsis:
Would you save a life for 100 euros? The answer has to be yes – doesn't everyone want to do the right thing? But Armin Falk, Germany's leading behavioural economist, shows that we often do bad things despite wanting to be good, and are far from being as good as we like to think.
Why is it that we don't do the right thing day in and day out: help others, give to those in need, protect our climate or care for the well-being of animals? Using many concrete examples and the insights he has gained from years of research, the Leibniz Prize-winner reveals under what circumstances people are likely to act morally – or immorally – and the role that personality, gender, education and culture play. Once we have understood this, we'll find it easier to change – not only ourselves, but the very fabric of our economy and society.
Praise:
"A fundamentally optimistic book."
Deutschlandfunk Kultur "Lesart"
"A guide to behavioral economics with vivid tips on how to make the world a better place."
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
"It provides essential food for thought about self-critically questioning one's own actions and working on mistakes. And a reminder that each individual can make a difference."
Kronen Zeitung
“The behavioral economist illustrates his theories with a wealth of examples. [...] The accumulated insights can help us better understand ourselves and moral quandaries."
taz – die tageszeitung
"Many of this behavioral economist's findings may be unpleasant, but comforting at the same time. [...] Many people are as overwhelmed by the many obstacles as you are. Armin Falk's worth-reading message: understanding what prevents us from behaving decently and properly is essential to behavior change."
BFS (Bankf für Sozialwirtschaft) -Trendinfo
"Precisely because of its current relevance, Armin Falk's book is especially well received by the public. [...] Falk shows them good reasons for more optimism."
Darmstädter Echo
About the author
Armin Falk, born in 1968, is the director of the Institute for Behavioural Economics and Inequality (BRIQ) and of the Laboratory for Experimental Economic Research, as well as Professor of economics at the University of Bonn. He is one of the world's most highly regarded economic scientists. His work has won him the 2009 Leibniz Prize (the 'German Nobel') and a 2013 Advanced Grant from the European Research Council, the world's highest prize for economists.
For further information please feel free to contact
Yuyan Huang
Foreign Rights Trainee
Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe GmbH
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