The Rational Animal

Why do three out of four professional football players go bankrupt? How can illiterate jungle dwellers pass a test that tricks Harvard philosophers? And why do billionaires work so hard--only to give their hard-earned money away?

When it comes to making decisions, the classic view is that humans are eminently rational. But growing evidence suggests instead that our choices are...

Why do three out of four professional football players go bankrupt? How can illiterate jungle dwellers pass a test that tricks Harvard philosophers? And why do billionaires work so hard--only to give their hard-earned money away?

When it comes to making decisions, the classic view is that humans are eminently rational. But growing evidence suggests instead that our choices are often irrational, biased, and occasionally even moronic. Which view is right--or is there another possibility?

In this animated tour of the inner workings of the mind, psychologist Douglas T. Kenrick and business professor Vladas Griskevicius challenge the prevailing views of decision making, and present a new alternative grounded in evolutionary science. By connecting our modern behaviors to their ancestral roots, they reveal that underneath our seemingly foolish tendencies is an exceptionally wise system of decision making.

From investing money to choosing a job, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, our choices are driven by deep-seated evolutionary goals. Because each of us has multiple evolutionary goals, though, new research reveals something radical--there's more than one "you" making decisions. Although it feels as if there is just one single "self" inside your head, your mind actually contains several different "subselves," each one steering you in a different direction when it takes its turn at the controls.

"The Rational Animal" will transform the way you think about decision making. And along the way, you'll discover the intimate connections between ovulating strippers, Wall Street financiers, testosterone-crazed skateboarders, Steve Jobs, Elvis Presley, and you.

道格拉斯·肯里克（Douglas T. Kenrick）

亚利桑那大学心理学教授，曾获得亚利桑那大学博士学位。他是人类行为与进化学会执行委员会的成员，也是进化心理学的奠基人之一。目前他已发表了近200篇科学论文并出版了多部作品，包括现已发行至第五版的畅销书《社会心理学》与《性、谋杀及生命的意义》等著作。其著述已发表在《行为与脑科学》《心理学评论》《人格与社会心理学杂志》《演化与人类行为》《新闻周刊》《纽约时报》《今日心理学》等知名媒体上。

弗拉达斯·格里斯克维西斯（ Vladas Griskevicius）

美国明尼苏达大学卡尔森管理学院市场营销与心理学教授。