What Is Behavioral Economics?

From Simple Questions Podcast by Dylan Carnahan

August 5, 2025 · 49 min

About this episode

Dan Ariely discusses the principles of behavioral economics and their impact on decision making.

Episode 51: What Is Behavioral Economics? - features renowned behavioral economist Dan Ariely as he unpacks the forces behind our purchasing choices and personal decisions. Episode Summary: This episode of The Simple Questions Podcast features a conversation with Dan Ariely, the celebrated behavioral economist and three-time New York Times–bestselling author of Predictably Irrational , The Upside of Irrationality , and The Honest Truth About Dishonesty . Listen as Dan shares captivating stories from his Duke University research lab, practical strategies for applying behavioral economics in business and personal life. In this episode we discuss: 00:29 - Introducing Dan Ariely 01:32 - Becoming a Behavioral Economist 05:11 - Behavioral Economics vs Classic Economics 10:33 - Psychological Factors That Impact Decision Making 21:01 - Strategies Businesses Use 26:49 - Personal Beliefs 37:18 - Voting for Politicians 43:07 - Advice for Others 47:31 - Learning More 48:35 - Conclusion Resources: TED Talks ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Amazon Page ⁠Dan's Website⁠ This episode includes the track 'RSPN' by Blank & Kytt. The song is used under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. You can find…

People in this episode

Host: Dylan Carnahan

Guest: Dan Ariely

Topics covered

behavioral economics
decision making
purchasing choices
psychological factors
business strategies
personal beliefs

Keywords

behavioral economics
Dan Ariely
decision making
purchasing choices
psychological factors
business strategies
personal beliefs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Duke University

Books & works: Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality, The Honest Truth About Dishonesty