The Smarter Screen Surprising Ways to Influence and Improve Online Behavior

A leading behavioral economist shows how to improve our thinking and decisions in an age of screens. We think differently on screens. We might even think differently on different types of screens. The medium shapes the message. By drawing on the latest research, behavioral economist Shlomo Benartzi shows that many of the nudges and cues that influence our offline choices fail to work online. Instead, our digital behavior is driven by a new collection of quirks and tendencies, such as the screen location effect, in which the precise location of an item on a display can make us far more likely to pick it. Until we understand how people really think on screens, we'll never be able help them think better. Using provocative case studies, Benartzi shows how the right kind of digital intervention can help consumers cut wasteful spending, lose weight, and shop more effectively. It can even save lives.