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Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior Paperback – June 2, 2009

by Ori Brafman (Author), Rom Brafman (Author)

254 customer reviews

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A fascinating journey into the hidden psychological influences that derail our decision-making, Sway will change the way you think about the way you think.

Why is it so difficult to sell a plummeting stock or end a doomed relationship? Why do we listen to advice just because it came from someone “important”? Why are we more likely to fall in love when there’s danger involved? In Sway, renowned organizational thinker Ori Brafman and his brother, psychologist Rom Brafman, answer all these questions and more.

Drawing on cutting-edge research from the fields of social psychology, behavioral economics, and organizational behavior, Sway reveals dynamic forces that influence every aspect of our personal and business lives, including loss aversion (our tendency to go to great lengths to avoid perceived losses), the diagnosis bias (our inability to reevaluate our initial diagnosis of a person or situation), and the “chameleon effect” (our tendency to take on characteristics that have been arbitrarily assigned to us).

Sway introduces us to the Harvard Business School professor who got his students to pay $204 for a $20 bill, the head of airline safety whose disregard for his years of training led to the transformation of an entire industry, and the football coach who turned conventional strategy on its head to lead his team to victory. We also learn the curse of the NBA draft, discover why interviews are a terrible way to gauge future job performance, and go inside a session with the Supreme Court to see how the world’s most powerful justices avoid the dangers of group dynamics.

Every once in a while, a book comes along that not only challenges our views of the world but changes the way we think. In Sway, Ori and Rom Brafman not only uncover rational explanations for a wide variety of irrational behaviors but also point readers toward ways to avoid succumbing to their pull.

Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior

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Product Details

Paperback: 206 pages
Publisher: Broadway Books (June 2, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385530609
ISBN-13: 978-0385530606
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (254 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #101 in Books > Business & Money > Marketing & Sales > Advertising
- #193 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Applied Psychology
- #455 in Books > Business & Money > Marketing & Sales > Marketing

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Customer Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars

5 star		47%
4 star		29%
3 star		13%
2 star		7%
1 star		4%

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Top Customer Reviews

Dissapointing Rehash of Other, Better Books

ByRob Hustleon December 7, 2008

Format: Hardcover

I was excited when I purchased this book. I have read numerous titles in this genre, like Blink, Predictably Irrational, Influence, etc., and I was looking forward to more ineresting insights and anecdotes.

Unfortunately, almost the entire book has been covered (in more detail) by the books mentioned above.

I felt like I was reading a cliff's notes version of these previous works, with dumber (but warm!) authors.

If the book was just a regurgitation, I would let it slide. But, in some cases, the authors miss the point entirely.

For instance, when they are discussing the placebo effect, they mention the fact that "Prozac had about the same theapeutic effect" as a placebo (page 97).

They continue that although "the SSRI drugs are clinically ineffective, psychiatrists nevertheless kept diagnosing and prescribing. Once even the most seasoned professionals begin diagnosing, it's very hard to stop." (page 97 cont).

With a wave of the hand, the effectiveness of Prozac is disproven.

Or is it?

If these guys had bothered to read "13 Things That Dont Make Sense" by Michael Brooks, they might have uncovered the REALLY INTERESTING THING about Prozac and the placebo effect.

But no, instead they choose to become examples of the very diagnostic bias that they advocate against.

This is one example. There are many, many more.

Sorry guys... you seem like nice fellows. But c'mon... if you are going to write a book, at least write one I haven't read before.

For any of the readers out there interested in original work, I recommend passing on this one and checking out some of these titles. They are MUCH better:

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Collins Business Essentials)

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

13 Things That Don't Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time

44 comments 152 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

a decent book-let

Byalaskaon July 22, 2008

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is yet a another volume in the contemporary genre of books based on a single insight. In this case, the insight is that people often make predictably irrational decisions. This is interesting, and the authors assemble several anecdotes supporting their thesis, but a bit of judicious editing could have distilled their argument into a brief essay. Of course this would have been a less profitable format; one suspects the authors of exploiting an irrational bias favoring books over articles.

99 comments 274 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

A Magnetic Read (I've Been Swayed)

ByDenise Shiffmanon June 3, 2008

Format: Hardcover

I've always considered myself pragmatic, logical, and clearly even-keeled. Then, I read Ori and Rom's book Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior. It's a magnetic read and I zipped through it in 2 quick sittings.

I rather like books that make me think twice about truths I hold self-evident. And Sway certainly made me think. Did I pre-judge my employees based on what others had said about them, or their previous jobs? Do I make rash (and possibly dangerous or stupid) choices when I'm committed to a certain plan of action and feel any diversion would be a loss? I certainly look for fairness in my business and personal transactions. But is fairness the key metric? Maybe not.

The book has opened my eyes and mind to new ways of approaching my business activities and relationships and family interactions. Hopefully I will recognize in advance a moment where I might act rash or choose the wrong -- irrational -- path and think again about my choices.

11 comment 116 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Pull me, Push me

ByDave EnglishVINE VOICEon June 11, 2008

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is a smoothly written, enjoyable quick read that covers a really interesting subject. We all think we make rational, reasonable choices. But we all know of times that when we look back now we wonder if we really picked the right door, or maybe if 'psychological' reasons somehow pushed or pulled us towards an imperfect choice. This book is one of many neat books that takes solid research published in the growing fields of behavioural economics and social psychology, and then makes a readable whole out of them. There are riptides we feel underneath the waves we see. Not Freud or Jung psychobabble, but reliable biases and mental shortcuts that work for us most of the time. This book is about the times when they work against us.

Cool stuff: Great examples bring the ideas to life. (Hearing a master play a Stradivarius on the NY subway, the academic reaction to the Piltdown man, a surprising secret in an Israeli army leadership training course. On and on.) No need for any prior psychology knowledge. Clearly lets the reader understand the non-intuitive principles involved. Includes recent research findings in a story driven format. Not bogged down by intellectual showing off or long digressions. There are references at the back for those who want to read the original research.

What it is not: This ain't a definitive textbook. It is not new ground (but rather an overview of the field in a readable form). It doesn't get into details or any depth of why we behave in these ways, or how the behaviours may be connected. But that's OK, as long as you know you are buying a great general read not a graduate-level treatment.

The book finds new veins of gold in the mine of psychological research that has already produced Robert Cialdini's `Influence,' Scott Plous's `The Psychology of Judgement and Decision Making,' and other cool books like `Nudge,' or ` Freakanomics.' An fascinating worthwhile read.

0Comment 37 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Arrived in good condition

Published 12 days ago by Sb1three

Published 3 months ago by Joanne

Incredibly enlightening

I never considered how powerful yet mundane the causes and impact of irrational behavior was, nor how easy it was to begin to arm myself against that mindset!

Published 3 months ago by Extell Farve

Informative read

Some of the studies mentioned were new to me. It was a quick read that made good points about the follies of relying on instinct.

Published 3 months ago by Laura

Good book company delivery

Product was list in very good condition and it was actually excellent in my opinion.

Published 4 months ago by Amazon Customer

Bought this because the book group was reading it. Was thoroughly intrigued by the ideas Brafman presented and the way he carefully explained them.

Published 5 months ago by marva hancock

Wow! Read the review.

I like reading the negative comments first. I just have to see what others see or don't. I was surprised to read what I read. Same material in other books?

Published 5 months ago by Fred Rowe

I just did the star thing I don't do the other thing

Published 5 months ago by Maxwell Anthony Graham

Great read! It really opens your eyes to many irrational behaviors we tend to have throughout our daily life. Very interesting!

Published 8 months ago by Amazon Customer

Really great read.

Absolutely spectacular. I would liken this to Malcolm Gladwell or Dubner/Levitt of Freakonomics. Really great read.

Published 8 months ago by Bri Bird

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