Much of the technical knowledge presented the handbook can be further explored within this reading list. All authors are first rate, leading experts within their respective fields (Kahneman and Thayler are Nobel Prize winners).
Explore the intersection of psychology, economics, and game theory to develop powerful strategic thinking and planning skills. This curated reading list features essential books that uncover how human behavior, incentives, and decision-making processes shape competitive and cooperative strategies. Whether you’re interested in defeating a family court problem, business, negotiations, or personal development, these recommendations will equip you with the tools to anticipate actions, optimize choices, and gain a strategic edge. Start reading and sharpen your ability to think ahead in any situation!
I have listed the books in the order that I suggest you read them, but that’s not necessary. All in the first section are approachable reads for the layperson, and pretty much all of the contain robust bibliographies to the relevant supporting research if you want to dig even further.
Viktor E. Frankl
An inspirational read about hope and psychological resilience.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Transformative processes, optimal experience, psychological resilience.
Robert B. Cialdini
Social influence psychology, channeled attention, and tactical influence.
Edward de Bono
Social influence triggers, heuristics, and strategies.
Richard Thayler
Behavioral economics, choice strategy, prediction, biases and exploitable tendencies.
Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein
Behavioral economics, incentives, choice architecture, social influence.
Ian Ayers
Incentive structures and strategies.
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Creative problem solving and planning strategies.
Michael Michalko
Title says it all – Handbook of creative thinking and problem solving techniques to make things happen!
Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques
Michael Michalko
Again, the title says it all 🙂
Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
A fun but highly insightful read from the Freakonomics guys about how to use economic thinking to solve problems.
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Dan Ariely
Behavioral economics, choices, marketing.
For The Mathematically Inclined:
Colin F. Camerer
Behavioral game theory – Psychological principles and hundreds of experiments that develop mathematical theories of reciprocity, limited strategizing, and learning, which help predict what real people and companies do in strategic situations.
For Those Who Really Love Algebra And Calculus:
Theory of Games and Economic Behavior
John Von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern
This is the classic work upon which modern-day game theory is based. The groundbreaking mathematical theory of economic and social organization, based on a theory of games of strategy.
