Books Library 0.1 📚

Explore 100+ of our favorite behavioral design related books.
*Ratings and descriptions from Goodreads.

Explore 100+ of our favorite behavioral design related books.
*Ratings and descriptions are from Goodreads.

Swipe down to explore 👇

Database
Audio Content
Guide & Reports
Model & Frameworks
Tools
Self-Applied Material
Applying Behavioural Science to the Private Sector
Helena Rubinstein
5.0
2018
The Power of Us
J. Van Bavel & J. Packer
4.5
2021
The Power of Us will transform the way you understand the idea of identity. Our identities change all the time, and understanding how they are informed by our surrounding groups can help us break through seemingly impossible barriers including political gridlock, entrenched biases, and generational disputes. This book is chock full of rich case studies and mountain of groundbreaking research from the authors, has received rave reviews from other in the field (including Annie Duke and Charles Duhigg), and promises a fascinating and fun read that will help you understand yourself and other better than you ever thought possible.
The Price of Peace
Zachary D. Carter
4.5
2020
Figure It Out
Stephen P. Anderson & Karl Fast
4.5
2020
Atomic Habits
James Clear
4.4
2018
The Psychology of Money
Morgan Housel
4.4
2020
Behave
Robert M. Sapolsky
4.4
2017
In this book, Robert M. Sapolsky sets out to explain what causes behavior. Bursting with exciting research, this book is a "dazzling tour" of human behavior drawing on fields such as behavioral biology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral psychology, this interdisciplinary take on why we do what we do is a slightly tougher but absolutely worthwhile read.
Biased
Jennifer L. Eberhardt
4.4
2019
The Art of Game Design
Jesse Schell
4.4
2008
Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari
4.4
2011
This Is Service Design Doing
Stickdorn, Hormess, Lawrence & Schneider
4.4
2016
Passions Within Reason
Robert H. Frank
4.4
1988
What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You
Melina Palmer
4.4
2020
Alchemy
Rory Sutherland
4.3
2019
Testing with Humans
Giff Constable & Frank Rimalovski
4.3
2018
Don't Shoot the Dog!
Karen Pryor
4.3
1984
The Nature of Prejudice
Gordon Allport
4.3
1954
Influence, New and Expanded
Robert B. Cialdini
4.2
2021
Misbehaving
Richard H. Thaler
4.2
2016
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
4.2
2011
If there were one book that makes everyone think of behavioral economics, it would be this one. Written by one of the founding fathers of the field, Thinking, Fast and Slow will transform the way you understand your mind (and the minds of others). System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Everything from the stock market to risk assessments at home can be viewed through the lens of this book. Full of rich information, it is well worth the effort to get to the final page.
Choice Factory
Richard Shotton
4.2
2018
Punished by Rewards
Alfie Kohn
4.2
1993
Designing for Behavior Change
Stephen Wendel
4.2
2013
Practical, applicable, and highly relevant in today's world, Designing for Behavior Change is a must-read for anyone working to apply knowledge of behavioral science to digital product development. The book takes you step-by-step through the process of applying behavioral economics and psychology to the practical problems of product design and development, walking through case studies and providing practical explanations and strategies along the way. Using a combination of lean and agile methodologies, you’ll learn an iterative approach for identifying target users and behaviors, building the product, and gauging its effectiveness. This one is worth reading and revisiting time and time again.
Engaged
Amy Bucher
4.2
2020
Achieving goals, fostering connections, driving product engagement, and changing behaviors are all lofty but meaningful goals for designers across industries. By using principles of behavioral sci and behavior change in their work, designers can create and curate unmatched experiences for their users. Amy Bucher's book is an excellent tool filled with practical strategies and guidance for leveling-up your designs with behavioral insight. This one is definitely an excellent resource for people interested in practicing behavioral design in their daily lives.
Hacking Human Nature for Good
Ariely, Hreha & Berman
4.2
2014
The Righteous Mind
Jonathan Haidt
4.2
2012
Predictably Irrational
Dan Ariely
4.1
2008
A well-know researcher in the field of behavioral economics, Ariely gives readers a fantastic overview of some fascinating experiments that explore the irrational side of human behavior. He illustrates the fact that, while humans are deeply flawed in their decision-making and thought processes, we are relatively systematic and predictable in the errors and mistakes we make. Predictably Irrational is at once educational and engaging, providing a wonderful view of the field regardless of experience level. With over 110,000 ratings on Goodreads and nominations to our list by Jonah Berger and Robert Cialdini, this book is a can’t-miss for anyone interested in behavioral science.
Nudge
R. Thaler & C. Sunstein
4.1
2021
When asked how they got interested in behavioral science, many people cite the first time they read Nudge. Now revised and updated with additional research applied to modern challenges, Thaler and Sunstein somehow deliver an even better version of this classic behavioral science book. This book provides many valuable lessons: how changes in our environment impact our choices, what it means to help someone make “better” decisions and effective behavior change techniques that don’t require laws or financial incentives. Make time to read this one — Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain
Lisa Feldman Barrett
4.1
2020
Lisa Feldman Barrett mixes incredible insights about the human brain with some valuable myth-busting along the way to "demystify that big gray blob between your ears." There's something for everyone in this book, from new-to-behavioral-science newbies to veterans in the field. Surprising, funny, and educational, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain is a fantastic book.
The Power of Habit
Charles Duhigg
4.1
2012
How Emotions Are Made
Lisa Feldman Barrett
4.1
2016
Emotions feel automatic to us; that’s why scientists have long assumed that emotions are hardwired in the body or the brain. Lisa Feldman Barrett is revolutionizing the prevailing theories of emotion, arguing that emotions are informed by context, built by many different parts of the human brain, and informed by a person's lifetime of experiences. Do we play a major role in our emotions, and if so, what does that mean for places where emotions play a role, such a parenting, law enforcement, and healthcare?
Self-Efficacy
Albert Bandura
4.1
1997
The Nurture Effect
Anthony Biglan
4.1
2015
You Have More Influence Than You Think
Vanessa Bohns
4.1
2021
100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know about People
Susan M. Weinschenk
4.1
2011
The Design of Everyday Things
Donald A. Norman
4.1
1988
Hooked
Nir Eyal & Ryan Hoover
4.1
2013
The Elements of Choice
Eric J. Johnson
4.1
2021
Addiction by Design
Natasha Dow Schüll
4.1
2012
This book is a fascinating and jarring look at design's influence on human behavior through the lens of one very specific example: machine gambling. From chair ergonomics to screen graphics, algorithms to architecture, the highly curated experience of playing these games draws users in and puts them in a trance. Natasha Dow Schüll draws on fifteen years of research in Las Vegas, deconstructing and explaining in rich detail the role of design in the entire marine gambling experience. She also explores beyond the games themselves, investigating the lives of people attracted to these games, the nuances of addiction, and how social anxieties and contexts factor into the issue.
Superforecasting
Philip Tetlock & Dan Gardner
4.1
2015
At once groundbreaking and extremely accessible, Superforecasting tells readers how to predict the future - sort of. People don't need crystal balls, we just need good strategies, such as gathering information from diverse sources, working with others, and being willing to change our minds. This book draws on incredible research from a landmark study that showed not only that expert predictions can be wrong, but also that regular Joes can be taught to predict events just as well as anyone else. The applications of these strategies are limitless - from finance to business, politics to public health, learning how to be a superforecaster is invaluable. This is a must-read for anyone interested in making better decisions, more accurately assessing risk, or getting as close to possible as being a fortune teller.
Seductive Interaction Design
Stephen Anderson
4.1
2011
Subliminal
Leonard Mlodinow
4.1
2012
Social
Matthew D. Lieberman
4.1
2013
Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
4.1
1990
The Happiness Hypothesis
Jonathan Haidt
4.1
2006
Tiny Habits
B.J. Fogg
4.1
2020
Switch
Chip & Dan Heath
4.0
2010
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard is about how to bring about change in an organization. Its main focus is changing behavior by appealing to the rational and emotional sides of people’s psyches. This is a great book to start with if you are new to the field or want to learn some general strategies for how to begin changing human behavior. It's thoroughly delightful to read, chock full of great examples and insights, and a natural inclusion on our list.
Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)
C. Tavris & E. Aronson
4.0
2007
Made to Stick
Chip & Dan Heath
4.0
2006
The Upside of Irrationality
Dan Ariely
4.0
2010
How to Decide
Annie Duke
4.0
2020
The Quick Fix
Jesse Singal
4.0
2021
Why We Do What We Do
Edward L. Deci
4.0
1995
Rewarding good behavior, such as a child doing her homework or cleaning her room, is the best way to ensure the behavior continues, right? Actually, no...in fact, a better way to encourage good behavior may be promoting a sense of autonomy, competence or connection. In this book, Edward Deci explain why nurturing autonomy and interest in the world is the key to unlocking people's motivation and success in work, at home, and in life. This book is a fascinating challenge to the conventional wisdom of carrots and sticks and will change the way you consider working with (and motivating) those you encounter every day.
The Person and the Situation
Lee Ross
4.0
1991
The Elephant in the Brain
Kevin Simler & Robin Hanson
4.0
2017
The Smarter Screen
Shlomo Benartzi & Jonah Lehrer
4.0
2015
The Last Mile
Dilip Soman
4.0
2015
Inside the Nudge Unit
David Halpern
4.0
2015
Yes!
Goldstein, Martin & Cialdini
4.0
2008
The Unpersuadables
Will Storr
4.0
2013
Though it was published several years ago, Will Storr's exploration of why people deny scientific and historical fact remains extremely relevant in our current sociopolitical climate. Part investigative journalism, part memoir, part research, this book will help even the strongest supporter of science find understanding of people who deny facts as fundamental as the theory of evolution and the Holocaust. We all fall victim to biases and flaws in reasoning, and relating these to divisive issues is key to seeing the humanity behind a belief. Challenging ourselves to understand others remains one of the best strategies to motivate behavior change for good. Though it may be an uncomfortable or frustrating read, this one is not to be missed, particularly if you hope to encourage a respect for science in others.
Darwin's Unfinished Symphony
Kevin N. Laland
4.0
2017
Everyone is familiar with the theory of evolution and natural selection, but what about culture? In Darwin's Unfinished Symphony, Kevin N. Laland shows how culture informed the way humans developed over time. We have been innovating, iterating, and ideating since the beginning, and through years of extensive fieldwork and brilliant research, we now have a totally new and exciting theory of how culture shaped human evolution. Part storytelling, part research, all incredible, this book is stunning in both the questions it raises and the answers it provides.
Contagious
Jonah Berger
4.0
2013
Strangers to Ourselves
Timothy D. Wilson
4.0
2002
Explaining Social Behavior
Jon Elster
4.0
1989
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Jared Diamond
4.0
1997
Emotional Design
Donald A. Norman
4.0
2003
Game Thinking
Amy Jo Kim
4.0
2018
The Voltage Effect
John A. List
4.0
2022
The Language Instinct
Steven Pinker
4.0
1994
A Course in Behavioral Economics 3rd Edition
Erik Angner
4.0
2020
Building Behavioral Science in an Organization
L. Newman & Z. Khan
4.0
2021
Ripple
Jez Groom & April Vellacott
4.0
2020
How to Change
Katy Milkman
3.9
2021
The Financial Times calls How to Change "A welcome revelation," and that's an understatement. Nearly everyone struggles with procrastination, goal-setting, forgetfulness, and impulsivity. This book can help individuals, team leaders, managers, parents, and casual behavioral science readers. Katy Milkman's writing is delightful, and along the way, you'll learn science-backed strategies for overcoming these common roadblocks, giving you the tools you need to get from where you are to where you want to be.
Scarcity
Mullainathan & Shafir
3.9
2013
Drive
Daniel H. Pink
3.9
2009
The Catalyst
Jonah Berger
3.9
2020
Spent
Geoffrey Miller
3.9
2009
How We Know What Isn't So
Thomas Gilovich
3.9
1991
The Invisible Gorilla
Christopher Chabris & Daniel Simons
3.9
2010
Critical Mass
Philip Ball
3.9
2003
Start at the End
Matt Wallaert
3.9
2019
Matt Wallaert, a talented behavioral psychologist with experience across industries and products, argues that behavior change is the purpose of just about everything. This book is all about bridging the gap between intention and action, or between customer need with products designed. In this fantastic and engaging read, Matt Wallaert shows readers how to build products that matter and how to influence behavior for good: start at the end.
The Behaviour Change Wheel
Michie, Atkins & West
3.9
2014
Behavioral Insights
Michael Hallsworth & Elspeth Kirkman
3.9
2020
The Logic of Failure
Dietrich Dorner
3.9
1996
The Knowledge Illusion
Steven Sloman & Philip Fernbach
3.9
2017
"The human mind is both brilliant and pathetic." It takes you by surprise, doesn't it? Does it seem unreasonable? Yet, we develop incredibly complex economic policies without understanding the basics of how to fix a toilet. We get along, according to Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach, by constantly taking in and processing information all around us, taking it for granted and mistakenly assuming we know it all inside our own minds. This phenomenon can help explain why deeply entrenched political beliefs and flawed ideas are so hard to change, and it also makes the case for a less individual, more communal approach to teaching, managing, and working with people. Behavioral scientists know humans are deeply flawed thinkers, but they also know the mind is capable of astounding things. One of the secrets to our genius? Each other.
Everybody Lies
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
3.9
2017
Decoding the Why
Nate Andorsky
3.9
2020
The Influential Mind
Tali Sharot
3.9
2017
The Undoing Project
Michael Lewis
3.9
2016
Change By Design
Tim Brown
3.9
2009
Mindwise
Nicholas Epley
3.8
2014
Situations Matter
Sam Sommers
3.8
2011
Good Habits, Bad Habits
Wendy Wood
3.8
2019
The Mind is Flat
Nick Chater
3.8
2018
Subtract
Leidy Klotz
3.8
2021
There is beauty in simplicity and, according to Leidy Klotz, in subtraction. People often prefer to add - to lists, to sandwiches, to goals - but sometimes, the key is to take away. This book blends behavioral science and design, drawing on established research as well as research from Leidy Klotz himself, presenting an engaging, thought-provoking, and highly innovative read. Though it may go against our instincts, the art of subtraction may be the secret sauce we need to finally reach our potential in work and at home.
Redirect
Timothy D. Wilson
3.8
2009
Thinking in Bets
Annie Duke
3.8
2018
Weird Ideas that Work
Robert I. Sutton
3.8
2001
Messengers
Stephen Martin & Joseph Marks
3.8
2019
The Behaviourally Informed Organization
Dilip Soman & Catherine Yeung
3.7
2021

Top 100 List

Behavioral Design Books

Ready to learn about how to change behavior?
Here's your expertly curated reading guide towards becoming a better behavioral designer.
Illustration by Paul Jürgens

– BASED ON NOMINATIONS FROM –

Dan Ariely
Katy Milkman
Richard Thaler
Jonah Berger
Vanessa Bohns
Robert Cialdini
Carol Tavris
10+ others
Guide overview

Reading to become a behavioral designer.

Changing behavior at scale is incredibly hard, and it’s not something we are born knowing how to do. Instead, behavioral design requires learning a unique skill-set based on insights, methods, and tools from a wide range of disciplines, including everything from behavioral economics to social psychology and service design. We also need to develop the ability to understand and weigh in the ethical considerations to ensure we create value (and not harm) through our interventions.

This guide has been created together with some of the leading minds in the field to help you learn this practice and find ways to use it for good. It is organized across four levels of depth and experience.

We hope you find it useful!

– Sam, Madison & the Habit Weekly Team

Levels Explained 💡

‍Level 1: The first level ensures that you learn the basics, including some of the foundational texts. All books at this level are accessible and interesting to read, no matter your previous behavioral science knowledge level or experience.

Level 2: Next level explores the deeper principles and theories related to behavioral science. This includes more advanced foundational texts, and in general more challenging reads.

Level 3: The third level focuses on the application of behavioral science and the process for how to best design for behavior change. This level gets more practical and provides further depth into how theory can be put into action.

Level 4: Finally, this level goes deep and wide into the related fields and applications. These books are more niche and specialized (e.g., related to data science, evolutionary psychology, or design).

Share and tag @Habit_Weekly
Level 1

Building a Foundation

Let's begin by ensuring that you learn the basics. The following 20 books are all accessible and interesting to read, no matter your previous behavioral science knowledge level. Let's begin with our top picks!

How to Change

The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

By
Katy Milkman
2021
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

The Financial Times calls How to Change "A welcome revelation," and that's an understatement. Nearly everyone struggles with procrastination, goal-setting, forgetfulness, and impulsivity. This book can help individuals, team leaders, managers, parents, and casual behavioral science readers. Katy Milkman's writing is delightful, and along the way, you'll learn science-backed strategies for overcoming these common roadblocks, giving you the tools you need to get from where you are to where you want to be.

Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain

By
Lisa Feldman Barrett
2020
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Lisa Feldman Barrett mixes incredible insights about the human brain with some valuable myth-busting along the way to "demystify that big gray blob between your ears." There's something for everyone in this book, from new-to-behavioral-science newbies to veterans in the field. Surprising, funny, and educational, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain is a fantastic book.

Switch

How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

By
Chip & Dan Heath
2010
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard is about how to bring about change in an organization. Its main focus is changing behavior by appealing to the rational and emotional sides of people’s psyches. This is a great book to start with if you are new to the field or want to learn some general strategies for how to begin changing human behavior. It's thoroughly delightful to read, chock full of great examples and insights, and a natural inclusion on our list.
🏆 Nominated by: Katy Milkman & Nicholas Epley

Nudge

The Final Edition

By
R. Thaler & C. Sunstein
2021
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

When asked how they got interested in behavioral science, many people cite the first time they read Nudge. Now revised and updated with additional research applied to modern challenges, Thaler and Sunstein somehow deliver an even better version of this classic behavioral science book. This book provides many valuable lessons: how changes in our environment impact our choices, what it means to help someone make “better” decisions and effective behavior change techniques that don’t require laws or financial incentives. Make time to read this one — Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
🏆 Nominated by: Robert Cialdini & Jonah Berger

Predictably Irrational

The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

By
Dan Ariely
2008
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

A well-know researcher in the field of behavioral economics, Ariely gives readers a fantastic overview of some fascinating experiments that explore the irrational side of human behavior. He illustrates the fact that, while humans are deeply flawed in their decision-making and thought processes, we are relatively systematic and predictable in the errors and mistakes we make. Predictably Irrational is at once educational and engaging, providing a wonderful view of the field regardless of experience level. With over 110,000 ratings on Goodreads and nominations to our list by Jonah Berger and Robert Cialdini, this book is a can’t-miss for anyone interested in behavioral science.

All Level 1 Books

🏆 Nominated by: Vanessa Bohns & Daniel Pink

Influence, New and Expanded

By
Robert B. Cialdini
2021
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Susan Weinschenk

The Power of Habit

By
Charles Duhigg
2012
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Robert Cialdini & Jonah Berger

Predictably Irrational

By
Dan Ariely
2008
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Richard Thaler & Jonah Berger

Made to Stick

By
Chip & Dan Heath
2006
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Nir Eyal, Leidy Klotz & Richard Shotton

Alchemy

By
Rory Sutherland
2019
⭐️
4.3
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Leidy Klotz

Scarcity

By
Mullainathan & Shafir
2013
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Katy Milkman & Nicholas Epley

Nudge

By
R. Thaler & C. Sunstein
2021
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Dilip Soman

Misbehaving

By
Richard H. Thaler
2016
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Alfie Kohn

The Quick Fix

By
Jesse Singal
2021
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Atomic Habits

By
James Clear
2018
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Drive

By
Daniel H. Pink
2009
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

How to Change

By
Katy Milkman
2021
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

How to Decide

By
Annie Duke
2020
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Mindwise

By
Nicholas Epley
2014
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)

By
C. Tavris & E. Aronson
2007
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain

By
Lisa Feldman Barrett
2020
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Switch

By
Chip & Dan Heath
2010
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Catalyst

By
Jonah Berger
2020
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Psychology of Money

By
Morgan Housel
2020
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Upside of Irrationality

By
Dan Ariely
2010
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
Level 2

Deepen Your Knowledge

Let's continue and now explore the deeper principles and theories related to behavioral science. This level includes further foundational texts, but explores more advanced theories and challenging reads.
🏆 Nominated by: Carol Tavris

Behave

The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

By
Robert M. Sapolsky
2017
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

In this book, Robert M. Sapolsky sets out to explain what causes behavior. Bursting with exciting research, this book is a "dazzling tour" of human behavior drawing on fields such as behavioral biology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral psychology, this interdisciplinary take on why we do what we do is a slightly tougher but absolutely worthwhile read.

How Emotions Are Made

The Secret Life of the Brain

By
Lisa Feldman Barrett
2016
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Emotions feel automatic to us; that’s why scientists have long assumed that emotions are hardwired in the body or the brain. Lisa Feldman Barrett is revolutionizing the prevailing theories of emotion, arguing that emotions are informed by context, built by many different parts of the human brain, and informed by a person's lifetime of experiences. Do we play a major role in our emotions, and if so, what does that mean for places where emotions play a role, such a parenting, law enforcement, and healthcare?

The Power of Us

Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony

By
J. Van Bavel & J. Packer
2021
⭐️
4.5
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

The Power of Us will transform the way you understand the idea of identity. Our identities change all the time, and understanding how they are informed by our surrounding groups can help us break through seemingly impossible barriers including political gridlock, entrenched biases, and generational disputes. This book is chock full of rich case studies and mountain of groundbreaking research from the authors, has received rave reviews from other in the field (including Annie Duke and Charles Duhigg), and promises a fascinating and fun read that will help you understand yourself and other better than you ever thought possible.
🏆 Nominated by: Tali Sharot, Dan Ariely, Stephen Wendel, Tom Gilovich, Jon Elster & Susan Weinschenk

Thinking, Fast and Slow

By
Daniel Kahneman
2011
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

If there were one book that makes everyone think of behavioral economics, it would be this one. Written by one of the founding fathers of the field, Thinking, Fast and Slow will transform the way you understand your mind (and the minds of others). System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. Everything from the stock market to risk assessments at home can be viewed through the lens of this book. Full of rich information, it is well worth the effort to get to the final page.

Why We Do What We Do

Understanding Self-Motivation

By
Edward L. Deci
1995
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Rewarding good behavior, such as a child doing her homework or cleaning her room, is the best way to ensure the behavior continues, right? Actually, no...in fact, a better way to encourage good behavior may be promoting a sense of autonomy, competence or connection. In this book, Edward Deci explain why nurturing autonomy and interest in the world is the key to unlocking people's motivation and success in work, at home, and in life. This book is a fascinating challenge to the conventional wisdom of carrots and sticks and will change the way you consider working with (and motivating) those you encounter every day.

All Level 2 Books

🏆 Nominated by: Tali Sharot, Dan Ariely, Stephen Wendel, Tom Gilovich, Jon Elster & Susan Weinschenk

Thinking, Fast and Slow

By
Daniel Kahneman
2011
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Michael Hallsworth

Critical Mass

By
Philip Ball
2003
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Jesse Schell

Punished by Rewards

By
Alfie Kohn
1993
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Carol Tavris

Behave

By
Robert M. Sapolsky
2017
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Biased

By
Jennifer L. Eberhardt
2019
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Choice Factory

By
Richard Shotton
2018
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Good Habits, Bad Habits

By
Wendy Wood
2019
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

How Emotions Are Made

By
Lisa Feldman Barrett
2016
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

How We Know What Isn't So

By
Thomas Gilovich
1991
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Self-Efficacy

By
Albert Bandura
1997
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Situations Matter

By
Sam Sommers
2011
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Spent

By
Geoffrey Miller
2009
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Elephant in the Brain

By
Kevin Simler & Robin Hanson
2017
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Invisible Gorilla

By
Christopher Chabris & Daniel Simons
2010
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Mind is Flat

By
Nick Chater
2018
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Nurture Effect

By
Anthony Biglan
2015
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Person and the Situation

By
Lee Ross
1991
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Power of Us

By
J. Van Bavel & J. Packer
2021
⭐️
4.5
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Do What We Do

By
Edward L. Deci
1995
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

You Have More Influence Than You Think

By
Vanessa Bohns
2021
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
Level 3

Getting Practical

Now, let's focus on the application of behavioral science, and the process for how to best design for behavior change. This level gets more practical, and provide further depth into how theory can be put into action.

Designing for Behavior Change

Applying Psychology and Behavioral Economics

By
Stephen Wendel
2013
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Practical, applicable, and highly relevant in today's world, Designing for Behavior Change is a must-read for anyone working to apply knowledge of behavioral science to digital product development. The book takes you step-by-step through the process of applying behavioral economics and psychology to the practical problems of product design and development, walking through case studies and providing practical explanations and strategies along the way. Using a combination of lean and agile methodologies, you’ll learn an iterative approach for identifying target users and behaviors, building the product, and gauging its effectiveness. This one is worth reading and revisiting time and time again.

Engaged

Designing for Behavior Change

By
Amy Bucher
2020
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Achieving goals, fostering connections, driving product engagement, and changing behaviors are all lofty but meaningful goals for designers across industries. By using principles of behavioral sci and behavior change in their work, designers can create and curate unmatched experiences for their users. Amy Bucher's book is an excellent tool filled with practical strategies and guidance for leveling-up your designs with behavioral insight. This one is definitely an excellent resource for people interested in practicing behavioral design in their daily lives.

Start at the End

How to Build Products That Create Change

By
Matt Wallaert
2019
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Matt Wallaert, a talented behavioral psychologist with experience across industries and products, argues that behavior change is the purpose of just about everything. This book is all about bridging the gap between intention and action, or between customer need with products designed. In this fantastic and engaging read, Matt Wallaert shows readers how to build products that matter and how to influence behavior for good: start at the end.
🏆 Nominated by: Gabrielle Adams

Subtract

The Untapped Science of Less

By
Leidy Klotz
2021
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

There is beauty in simplicity and, according to Leidy Klotz, in subtraction. People often prefer to add - to lists, to sandwiches, to goals - but sometimes, the key is to take away. This book blends behavioral science and design, drawing on established research as well as research from Leidy Klotz himself, presenting an engaging, thought-provoking, and highly innovative read. Though it may go against our instincts, the art of subtraction may be the secret sauce we need to finally reach our potential in work and at home.

The Power of Experiments

Decision Making in a Data-Driven World

By
Michael Luca & Max H. Bazerman
2020
⭐️
3.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Experimentation and data collection have taken our world by storm, becoming buzzwords in board rooms and essential parts of job descriptions in industries from tech to consumer goods, entertainment to healthcare. There is clear value in experimentation, and this book beautifully illustrates why by using a plethora of intriguing case studies from companies such as Alibaba, Uber, and StubHub. Michael Luca and Max Bazerman make the case for moving experimentation beyond the private sector as well, encouraging leaders across the board to leverage experimentation as a way to address necessary behavior change. Data collection and interpretation are revolutionizing how people approach the challenge of behavior change. Could experimentation be an answer to obstacles you face as a leader?

All Level 3 Books

🏆 Nominated by: Michael Hallsworth

The Logic of Failure

By
Dietrich Dorner
1996
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Leidy Klotz

The Elements of Choice

By
Eric J. Johnson
2021
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Gabrielle Adams

Subtract

By
Leidy Klotz
2021
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Adam Lawrence

Yes!

By
Goldstein, Martin & Cialdini
2008
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Behavioral Insights

By
Michael Hallsworth & Elspeth Kirkman
2020
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Building Behavioral Science in an Organization

By
L. Newman & Z. Khan
2021
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Designing for Behavior Change

By
Stephen Wendel
2013
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Engaged

By
Amy Bucher
2020
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Hooked

By
Nir Eyal & Ryan Hoover
2013
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Inside the Nudge Unit

By
David Halpern
2015
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Noise

By
Kahneman, Sibony & Sunstein
2021
⭐️
3.6
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Start at the End

By
Matt Wallaert
2019
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Testing with Humans

By
Giff Constable & Frank Rimalovski
2018
⭐️
4.3
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Art of Game Design

By
Jesse Schell
2008
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Behaviour Change Wheel

By
Michie, Atkins & West
2014
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Behaviourally Informed Organization

By
Dilip Soman & Catherine Yeung
2021
⭐️
3.7
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Design of Everyday Things

By
Donald A. Norman
1988
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Last Mile

By
Dilip Soman
2015
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Power of Experiments

By
Michael Luca & Max H. Bazerman
2020
⭐️
3.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You

By
Melina Palmer
2020
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
Level 4

Going Deeper

Finally, this level goes deep and wide into the related fields and applications. These books are generally more niche and specialized, exploring everything from evolutionary psychology to UX and Service Design.

Addiction by Design

Machine Gambling in Las Vegas

By
Natasha Dow Schüll
2012
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

This book is a fascinating and jarring look at design's influence on human behavior through the lens of one very specific example: machine gambling. From chair ergonomics to screen graphics, algorithms to architecture, the highly curated experience of playing these games draws users in and puts them in a trance. Natasha Dow Schüll draws on fifteen years of research in Las Vegas, deconstructing and explaining in rich detail the role of design in the entire marine gambling experience. She also explores beyond the games themselves, investigating the lives of people attracted to these games, the nuances of addiction, and how social anxieties and contexts factor into the issue.
🏆 Nominated by: Nicholas Chater

Darwin's Unfinished Symphony

How Culture Made the Human Mind

By
Kevin N. Laland
2017
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Everyone is familiar with the theory of evolution and natural selection, but what about culture? In Darwin's Unfinished Symphony, Kevin N. Laland shows how culture informed the way humans developed over time. We have been innovating, iterating, and ideating since the beginning, and through years of extensive fieldwork and brilliant research, we now have a totally new and exciting theory of how culture shaped human evolution. Part storytelling, part research, all incredible, this book is stunning in both the questions it raises and the answers it provides.

Superforecasting

The Art and Science of Prediction

By
Philip Tetlock & Dan Gardner
2015
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

At once groundbreaking and extremely accessible, Superforecasting tells readers how to predict the future - sort of. People don't need crystal balls, we just need good strategies, such as gathering information from diverse sources, working with others, and being willing to change our minds. This book draws on incredible research from a landmark study that showed not only that expert predictions can be wrong, but also that regular Joes can be taught to predict events just as well as anyone else. The applications of these strategies are limitless - from finance to business, politics to public health, learning how to be a superforecaster is invaluable. This is a must-read for anyone interested in making better decisions, more accurately assessing risk, or getting as close to possible as being a fortune teller.

The Knowledge Illusion

Why We Never Think Alone

By
Steven Sloman & Philip Fernbach
2017
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

"The human mind is both brilliant and pathetic." It takes you by surprise, doesn't it? Does it seem unreasonable? Yet, we develop incredibly complex economic policies without understanding the basics of how to fix a toilet. We get along, according to Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach, by constantly taking in and processing information all around us, taking it for granted and mistakenly assuming we know it all inside our own minds. This phenomenon can help explain why deeply entrenched political beliefs and flawed ideas are so hard to change, and it also makes the case for a less individual, more communal approach to teaching, managing, and working with people. Behavioral scientists know humans are deeply flawed thinkers, but they also know the mind is capable of astounding things. One of the secrets to our genius? Each other.

The Unpersuadables

Adventures with the Enemies of Science

By
Will Storr
2013
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Why We Picked It

Though it was published several years ago, Will Storr's exploration of why people deny scientific and historical fact remains extremely relevant in our current sociopolitical climate. Part investigative journalism, part memoir, part research, this book will help even the strongest supporter of science find understanding of people who deny facts as fundamental as the theory of evolution and the Holocaust. We all fall victim to biases and flaws in reasoning, and relating these to divisive issues is key to seeing the humanity behind a belief. Challenging ourselves to understand others remains one of the best strategies to motivate behavior change for good. Though it may be an uncomfortable or frustrating read, this one is not to be missed, particularly if you hope to encourage a respect for science in others.

All Level 4 Books

#Cognitive Psychology

🏆 Nominated by: Will Storr

The Happiness Hypothesis

By
Jonathan Haidt
2006
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Steven Sloman

Thinking in Bets

By
Annie Duke
2018
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Matt Wallaert & Susan Weinschenk

Strangers to Ourselves

By
Timothy D. Wilson
2002
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Addiction by Design

By
Natasha Dow Schüll
2012
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Exotic Preferences

By
George Loewenstein
2006
⭐️
3.7
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Flow

By
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
1990
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Simple Heuristics That Make Us Smart

By
Gigerenzer & Todd
1999
⭐️
3.7
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Subliminal

By
Leonard Mlodinow
2012
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Knowledge Illusion

By
Steven Sloman & Philip Fernbach
2017
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Undoing Project

By
Michael Lewis
2016
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

#Social Psychology

Conformity

By
Cass Sunstein
2019
⭐️
3.5
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Contagious

By
Jonah Berger
2013
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Explaining Social Behavior

By
Jon Elster
1989
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Messengers

By
Stephen Martin & Joseph Marks
2019
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Social

By
Matthew D. Lieberman
2013
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Influential Mind

By
Tali Sharot
2017
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Righteous Mind

By
Jonathan Haidt
2012
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Unpersuadables

By
Will Storr
2013
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

#Other Behavior Change

🏆 Nominated by: Susan Weinschenk

Redirect

By
Timothy D. Wilson
2009
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Nicholas Chater

Passions Within Reason

By
Robert H. Frank
1988
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

A Course in Behavioral Economics 3rd Edition

By
Erik Angner
2020
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Applying Behavioural Science to the Private Sector

By
Helena Rubinstein
2018
⭐️
5.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Decoding the Why

By
Nate Andorsky
2020
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Don't Shoot the Dog!

By
Karen Pryor
1984
⭐️
4.3
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Everybody Lies

By
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
2017
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Hacking Human Nature for Good

By
Ariely, Hreha & Berman
2014
⭐️
4.2
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Ripple

By
Jez Groom & April Vellacott
2020
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Superforecasting

By
Philip Tetlock & Dan Gardner
2015
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Smarter Screen

By
Shlomo Benartzi & Jonah Lehrer
2015
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

The Voltage Effect

By
John A. List
2022
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Tiny Habits

By
B.J. Fogg
2020
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

#Evolutionary Biology & Psychology

🏆 Nominated by: Nicholas Chater

Darwin's Unfinished Symphony

By
Kevin N. Laland
2017
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: George Loewenstein

The Language Instinct

By
Steven Pinker
1994
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: George Loewenstein

The Price of Peace

By
Zachary D. Carter
2020
⭐️
4.5
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon
🏆 Nominated by: Elliot Aronson

The Nature of Prejudice

By
Gordon Allport
1954
⭐️
4.3
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Guns, Germs, and Steel

By
Jared Diamond
1997
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Sapiens

By
Yuval Noah Harari
2011
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

#UX Design & Service Design

🏆 Nominated by: Leidy Klotz

Weird Ideas that Work

By
Robert I. Sutton
2001
⭐️
3.8
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know about People

By
Susan M. Weinschenk
2011
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Change By Design

By
Tim Brown
2009
⭐️
3.9
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Emotional Design

By
Donald A. Norman
2003
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Figure It Out

By
Stephen P. Anderson & Karl Fast
2020
⭐️
4.5
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Game Thinking

By
Amy Jo Kim
2018
⭐️
4.0
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

Seductive Interaction Design

By
Stephen Anderson
2011
⭐️
4.1
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

This Is Service Design Doing

By
Stickdorn, Hormess, Lawrence & Schneider
2016
⭐️
4.4
📚 Goodreads📦 Amazon

And that's 100 Books. 📚

We hope you found this list of books valuable. Huge credit to all of the fantastic authors who's made the list possible, and a big thanks to everyone who generously shared their book nominations.

Feel free to pass the list forward. Tag @Habit_Weekly if you do. Thanks! 💙
Meet the CREATORS

Samuel Salzer

Samuel is a behavioral designer, author and keynote speaker helping value-driven organizations around the world to create habit-forming products and services using insights from behavioral economics and applied behavioral science.

Madison Ochs

Madison is a transformation and business strategist in the financial industry. A behavioral science practitioner at heart, she is passionate about interdisciplinary research, human-centered design, needfinding, and asking why.