Summer Reading List
Summer is here! Get ready for hot weather, relaxation, and more time for reading. If you’re hoping to spend some time in literary bliss this summer and don’t know where to start, look no further.
Our behavioral science team at Debut has carefully curated a summer reading list with our top behavioral science reads that are sure to inspire, entertain, and arm you with practical tips for both your personal and professional lives. From self-improvement to employee engagement and organizational change, for the beginner or behavioral science pro, we have something to keep you engaged.
The hook:
Nudge: The Final Edition
This is the ultimate starting point. You could go as far as to say that this book is responsible for popularizing the field of behavioral science outside of the lab. This book is perfect for those of you who are curious to take a peek into the world of behavioral science or are wondering how it can apply to team and workplace environments.
Nudging is one of the most interesting and concrete behavioral science tactics and yet is only the tip of the iceberg—there is so much more under the surface. By putting this book first, we are nudging you down the rabbit hole of behavioral science, knowing that you’ll probably want to stick around for more. Try this book out, you’ll be hooked.
The classic read:
Thinking, Fast and Slow
It’s no surprise that this book has been a best seller for the past 12 years. Written by one of the most influential figures in behavioral science and economics, this will give you a deeper understanding of how the human mind works. You’ll also get a crash course in human biases and mental shortcuts that will help explain funny quirks in human behavior. You may even start to see your teammates in a new light!
As scientists ourselves, we feel we must share that recently, other scientists have questioned the replicability of some of the findings reported in the book… but we still think it’s worth it for the overall takeaways. Plus, now you’ll be able to talk about the controversy at your next company barbeque!
The decision download:
Predictably Irrational
Do you ever wonder why some choices are easy to make and some are incredibly difficult? And why, sometimes, you get it wrong? Author Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist from Duke University, breaks down the irrationality of human decision making.
This book not only helps to understand decision-making blunders at an individual level, but also how they can accumulate at a societal level with severe consequences for our economy (maybe worth reading this one before the next budget meeting). Rest assured, it’s not all doom-and-gloom—you’ll walk away with insights that will help you become a mostly rational decision maker.
The habit hacker:
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
How many times have you tried waking up at 5am, only to find that after a few days you’re back snoozing until the last minute before you need to get up? Changing behavior is one challenge but creating lasting change is a whole other beast. This book provides scientific strategies for changing bad habits and establishing good ones that will help you in attaining your own personal and professional goals.
The science is made understandable and illuminating. This book has been highly impactful for teams embarking on change and wanting to make it stick.
The scalability solution:
Behavioral Science in the Wild
Behavioral science has the power to solve complex problems and drive large-scale impact… but how do we take behavioral science developed in the lab and roll it out in the real world? This book shares a practical framework for translating, scaling, and applying research insights to business and policy.
Read this book if you are a manager looking to support behavior change in your employees or a policymaker looking to affect change in your community. We know we use insights from Behavioral Science in the Wild all the time in our work at Debut!
And last but certainly not least:
Bonus!
Engagement: Decoded
We couldn’t create a summer reading list and leave off the one book written by Debut’s very own, Ben Moorsom! Ben has spent the past 30 years creating experiences that are engaging and resonate with audiences, whether that’s at an event or in the workplace. In Engagement: Decoded, he shares all his trade secrets. If you’re looking to take the wisdom of behavioral science and apply it to create experiences that are meaningful and engaging, look no further. You’ll be a Neuroscaper in no time!
