As a student in university, Dan Ariely had a professor who would encourage him to propose theories and then to devise experiments that would be able to identify the veracity of his theories. As such, he has approached psychology with the rigor of an experimental scientist, and the resume of his experiences is this enjoyable book that documents several of the fallacies of the human brain. Dan Ariely's main thesis is that people don't always act the way they do for rational reasons, and then goes to show how in a dozen series of experiements.
The experiments range from analytic mistakes (why do people overvalue free goods as opposed to 1-penny goods?) to the power of suggestion (does thinking about the Ten Commandments reduce the incidence of cheating?), and most of us will recognize mistakes we ourselves make on a daily basis. He also exposes fundamental truths that go against traditional economics, such as why we will do things for free in social contexts that we would charge exorbitant amounts for under market situations.
The book is well-written and, at under 250 pages, it's a breeze to read. If Ariely has one weakness, it's when he recommends solutions to the behaviors he seems, which mostly seem to involve government. One of his biggest whoppers: "If you accept the premise that market forces and free markets will not always regulate the market for the best, then you may find yourself among those who believe that the government (we hope a reasonable and thoughtful government) must play a larger role in regulating some market activities, even if this limits free enterprise." Ariely himself finds the flaw in his prescription, yet still recommends it!
Predictably Irrational can be enjoyed by almost anyone; it's not so much economics as sociology and psychology, and requires no real background in any of these fields. Ariely is a thoughtful analyst of the human condition, and rarely will a book be able to discuss masturbating college students, the healing power of European kings and British negotiations with the IRA with a common thread.
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Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions Used Books New.