The bank was preparing for a big merger, and Ariely’s student had spent two weeks working constantly on a presentation for it. What factors make us feel good about the work we do? This is a question Ariely started wondering about after hearing a story from his former student, who was working at a bank. Sisyphus and the workplace – The importance of meaningful work You can find out more about that project here. *The Decision Lab has collaborated with Dan Ariely in the past, when he served as an advisor for our work with the World Bank in Uganda. His research has implications for individuals (How can we commit to healthier habits? How do we avoid irrational decision making?) as well as for society as a whole (How do we make work more fulfilling? How do we address wealth inequality?). With three New York Times best-selling books and several highly-viewed TED talks to his name, he is known not only for his wide-ranging and incisive research but also for his accessible communication style and his sense of humor.Īriely’s work, which spans many concepts from pain tolerance to financial decision making, has challenged some of the most basic assumptions of traditional economics, and shone a light on the systematic irrationalities of human behavior.

Dan Ariely is a psychologist and behavioral economist, and one of the most influential academics currently working in his field.

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