Dan Ariely's TED Talk details the psychology behind decision-making processes; they are not made personally, but are technically decided by the person who designed what is being decided upon. People do not wake up in the morning and know what they are going to wear, but they decide what to wear by comparing different designs. This leads into Ariely's view of decision-making; people are irrationally predictable, making the same choices in patterns that others find illogical until they study the topic. Decisions are harder to make when the results are equally balanced, but if another decision is thrown into the mix, one choice is made to look more opportunistic than the other. Ariely describes a situation in there are three different choices: an online magazine subscription for $59, a print magazine subscription for $125, and a combo-pack of both for $125 dollars. When he surveyed students at MIT, he found that the combo pack was preferable by over half and the online subscription made up the rest of the total; the print-only subscription was preferable to no one. It seemed pointless to include an option that was not preferable to anyone. So, he surveyed another group of students but eliminated the print-only option; the results showed that the online subscription became more preferable by the majority. The option for print-only made the combo-pack seem like more of a deal than it actually was; Ariely calls this "Decision Illusion," which parallels that of an optical illusion. When the outside distractions are taken away, the viewer is able to see the true value. This is one pattern that Ariely has observed, which proves his theory off irrational predictability.
Ariely shares his interest in human psychology in a way that is completely relatable to the average person. The viewer can tell just how truly ingenious he is, but he “dumbs” it down in a way that does not feel like he is talking down to someone inferior. He describes optical illusions using photographs; he proves that two tables are the same length and two colors on a cube are actually the same color, but then takes the proof away again. He explains that nothing is wrong mentally if, when the proof is taken away, the perception of the illusion returns back to as it was before he showed them as equal. He further explains optical illusions as a metaphor for decision illusions. If he had tried to explain decision illusions without first introducing optical illusions, the concept would have been lost amongst the audience; but, since he used something that the average audience member knew to relate to his subject, he made it relatable and easier to understand. Through out his talk, he used the projector to enhance his ability to explain; decision illusions, greatly related to optical illusions, are not easy to describe without visual effects. He put up two photos of two brothers, and asked which one was more preferable to you specifically. He proceeded to put a distorted photo of each brother in between the two regular photos, and, again, asked which was more preferable. Whichever brother was distorted seemed less preferable to the viewer. This is another example of decision illusions and predictable irrationality illustrated in another way. Ariely uses multiple examples to make one point clear, which, again, allows the situation to become more relatable to the viewer.
Irrationally predictable are two very powerful words that do not seem like they should be directly next to each other in a sentence, ever: an oxymoron of sorts. I think of irrationality as something being so unreasonable and unpredictable that no one can understand. My view of irrationality, in itself, contradicts the idea of being predictable. Dan Ariely creates a bond between these to concepts that shows how human decisions are not as irrational as we believe they are because, to a degree, he is able to show trends in "irrational" behavior. If further studies were conducted in order to prove his idea, the world would benefit greatly. Every person should know how they think and make decisions; it opens up their ability to understand themselves and then others. Publicizing these studies also would reveal whether someone is actually using their opinions to decide upon something or subconsciously allowing others to make decisions for them; it could easily be adopted by more companies as a marketing strategy, thus improving sales and the economy. But how can someone change these seemingly subliminal behaviors? How can someone change how he or she is persuaded to do something? Simple (in concept, maybe not in practice): way out the pros and cons and eliminate one of the decisions. We cannot change the way we value certain things, but if we change the perspective and quiet down the distractions, we will be able to see life and its decisions in a different light. Schools need to look into this more deeply also. If they can understand why students do what they do, it will be much easier to teach and for them to learn. As a student, I know that I am not always stellar. I would rather lie out in the sun and feel the breeze or laugh and smile with my friends than sit and do my homework inside for hours on end. I know I need to get my homework done; I know I want good grades, but sometimes I could use a little less stress and frustration in my life. My motivation to do these tasks decreases because there is an alternative that seems more pleasurable or rewarding. If a student were given the choice between friends and homework, most would choose friends; but if they look into the long run, it is like comparing friends and a decent education. Then which would they choose? At this point, I am not sure which would be more popular. My point is that students are predictably irrational, and I feel that it is the teacher's job to both focus students in on what really matters and to help keep them on a path to finding what matters. Students, teens especially, lose focus of their goal by facing so many distractions, teachers must teach them how to turn down the volume and consider what they truly are looking at. When this is achieved, they will be able to make choices individually, instead of by what outside forces are trying to pressure them into. In total, decision illusions need to be clarified by students, but teachers must help them learn how to do this first. Reflecting personally, I could use some help in these situations. I get too caught up in the moment and the little details to realize the big picture; with some guidance, I feel like I could become a better student and like I would be able to sort out my priorities in a more efficient manner.
People's decisions are not as irrational as they seem; Dan Ariely's TED Talk enlightened the viewer to show the truth behind decision-making processes. Decision illusions change the perception of choices, but in the end it's all just a trick of the mind.
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