The Economic Naturalist's Field Guide

Summary

How do people actually behave when confronted with economic choices? And remember, almost every choice we make is economic. While our desires are boundless, our resources are limited and tradeoffs confront us at every turn. Arguing that self-interest alone cannot explain the choices we make, Robert H. Frank, a leading proponent of the emerging field of behavioral economics, suggests that context shapes every decision and that consistent human foibles matter, no matter how much economists wish to ignore them. With wit, style, and insight, Frank turns his gimlet eye to large-scale policy decisions about regulation, tax policy, and health care, and to our personal decisions about paying for food and gasoline and even to how we choose to love. In our current anxious economic climate, The Economic Naturalist's Field Guide's fascinating and revealing insights have more bearing on our pocketbooks, policies, and personal happiness than ever.