57 pages • 1 hour read
Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much
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Book Brief
304
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2013
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir explores how lacking key resources impacts the mind, fostering a narrow focus on immediate needs and creating a cycle that exacerbates long-term well-being. Through research in economics, psychology, and decision science, the authors reveal how scarcity taxes cognitive bandwidth, leading to decisions that perpetuate deprivation, while offering solutions for policy and environmental design to mitigate these effects.
Informative
Challenging
Contemplative
Inspirational
Reviews & Readership
8,357 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir offers a compelling exploration of how scarcity impacts human behavior and decision-making. The book integrates psychological and economic perspectives effectively. Some readers feel it reiterates points excessively, while others appreciate its accessible and practical insights. Overall, it's enlightening but occasionally repetitive.
Who Should Read Scarcity?
Readers who enjoy Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir are often fascinated by behavioral economics and psychology. Similar to fans of Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow and Richard Thaler’s Nudge, they appreciate insights into how scarcity impacts decision-making and behavior.
8,357 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Eldar Shafir
Eldar Shafir
A professor of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University, known for his research on decision-making and cognitive processes, and how scarcity affects attention, choices, and behavior.
304
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2013
Adult
18+ years
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