# Hidden Games: The Surprising Power of Game Theory to Explain Irrational Human Behavior - Hardcover

by **Erez Yoeli** (Author), **Moshe Hoffman** (Author)

**Two  MIT economists  show  how  game theory--the ultimate theory of rationality--explains irrational behavior**  

We like to think of ourselves as rational. This idea is the foundation for classical economic analysis of human behavior, including the awesome achievements of game theory. But as behavioral economics shows, most behavior doesn't seem rational at all--which, unfortunately, casts doubt on game theory's real-world credibility.

In _Hidden Games_, Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli find a surprising middle ground between the hyperrationality of classical economics and the hyper-irrationality of behavioral economics. They call it hidden games. Reviving game theory, Hoffman and Yoeli use it to explain our most puzzling behavior, from the mechanics of Stockholm syndrome and internalized misogyny to why we help strangers and have a sense of fairness.

Fun and powerfully insightful, _Hidden Games_ is an eye-opening argument for using game theory to explain all the irrational things we think, feel, and do.

### Author Biography

**Moshe Hoffman** is a research scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, a research fellow at MIT's Sloan School of Management, and a lecturer at Harvard's department of economics. His research focuses on using game theory, models of learning and evolution, and experimental methods to decipher the motives that shape our social behavior, preferences, and ideologies. He lives in Lubeck, Germany. ​**Erez Yoeli** is a research scientist at MIT's Sloan School of Management, the director of MIT's Applied Cooperation Team (ACT), and a lecturer at Harvard's department of economics. His research focuses on altruism: understanding how it works and how to promote it. Yoeli collaborates with governments, nonprofits, and companies to apply the lessons of this research towards addressing real-world challenges. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  

**Number of Pages:** 368

**Dimensions:** 1.4 x 9.3 x 5.7 IN

**Publication Date:** April 05, 2022

## Details

- **Price:** 32.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 32.00 USD | In stock |

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- Hidden Games: The Surprising Power of Game Theory to Explain Irrational Human Behavior - Hardcover

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