Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces that Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave Hardcover – March 21, 2013

It’s commonly known that a lot of police departments and detention centers use a certain shade of pink in their cells because the color is believed to have a calming effect. But the color pink isn’t the only thing that affects how we behave; there are dozens of factors that influence our thoughts and beliefs. Consider the compass, for example: the earth’s surface is horizontal, and there’s no need for north to be above south, but the association of north with up and south with down has some very interesting repercussions (such as people’s tendency to prefer to travel south rather than north to go to a store, because north is uphill). Or consider this: people with names that begin with the letter K were responsible for 10 percent of donations for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, but for only 4 percent of donations “to all disasters before Katrina.” An intelligent, often surprising exploration of the way cues of all varieties (sounds, colors, images, symbols, and more) shape the people we are, for better or worse. --David Pitt

"Adam Alter's book will change the way you look at our world."
—Dan Ariely, New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational

“You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, you’ll shake your head in disbelief as Alter shows you that we are all, to some degree, balls in a giant pinball machine. If you want to see the bumpers — and regain some control of your destiny — read this delightful book.”
—Jonathan Haidt, author of New York Times bestseller, The Righteous Mind

"A fascinating compendium of the hidden currents that influence our thoughts, beliefs, and actions.”
—Gary Marcus, New Yorker columnist, and author of New York Times bestseller, Guitar Zero

"With remarkable clarity and subversive humor, Alter presents a radical new perspective on human nature."
—Paul Bloom, author of How Pleasure Works

"Adam Alter has collected the most wonderfully strange and surprising nuggets of recent psychological research in one book. I guarantee you'll be want to share the incredible anecdotes in Drunk Tank Pink with friends."
—Joshua Foer, New York Times bestselling author of Moonwalking with Einstein

"Drunk Tank Pink is a smart and delightful introduction to some of psychology’s most curious phenomena and most colorful characters."
—Daniel Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness

"Reading Adam Alter’s book about the many ways our perceptions are affected is so compelling that it put me in a seriously suspicious frame of mind…he seems to realize that his material does not require much to make it fascinating—not even a fancy font."
—The Smithsonian (a "Notable Book")

"Popular NYU psychology and marketing professor Adam Alter has composed a fascinating tome about the hidden things that make us think, act, and feel the way we do. The debut result will please readers of Malcolm Gladwell and other writers about unexpected wonders. Editor's recommendation."
—Barnes & Noble (A "Book of the Month" and "Editor's Recommendation" book)

"Alter’s findings are intriguing…he peppers his text with illustrative anecdotes, incidents, studies and characters, making the book highly readable and informative."
—Kirkus Reviews (A Kirkus Recommended book)

"Alter not only explains the source of many cognitive quirks, but convincingly argues that comprehending them affords a better understanding of broader behaviors, from cyclical poverty to altruism... In Alter's hands, case studies take on new life... as he fluently moves between psychology, medicine, and cultural history, offering surprises to readers at many levels of expertise."
—Publishers Weekly