Instruction for those who would behave too rationally

arielyIg Nobel Prize winner Dan Ariely is teaching a new online course called “A beginner’s guide to irrational behavior.” Perhaps irrationally, it’s free.

Ariely and colleagues Rebecca L. WaberBaba Shiv, and Ziv Carmon were awarded the 2008 Ig Nobel Prize in medicine for  demonstrating that high-priced fake medicine is more effective than low-priced fake medicine. [REFERENCE: “Commercial Features of Placebo and Therapeutic Efficacy,” Rebecca L. Waber; Baba Shiv; Ziv Carmon; Dan Ariely, Journal of the American Medical Association, March 5, 2008; 299: 1016-1017.]

BONUS: The photo of Ariely you see here exhibits possibly irrational design juxtaposition of contrasting colors.