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Hidden Games: The Surprising Power of Game Theory to Explain Irrational Human Behavior Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Erez Yoeli (Author), Moshe Hoffman (Author), Gary Tiedemann (Narrator),
4.0 out of 5 stars 103 ratings

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

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  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 41 minutes
  2. Author
    Erez Yoeli, see all
  3. Narrator
    Gary Tiedemann
  4. Audible release date
    April 5, 2022
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Basic Books
  7. ASIN
    B09S3ZDSZL
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
Next slide of product details

Product details

Listening Length 10 hours and 41 minutes
Author Erez Yoeli, Moshe Hoffman
Narrator Gary Tiedemann
Audible.com Release Date April 05, 2022
Publisher Basic Books
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B09S3ZDSZL
Best Sellers Rank #72,566 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#28 in Game Theory (Books)
#62 in Mathematics (Audible Books & Originals)
#273 in Medical Cognitive Psychology

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
103 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be an incredibly valuable tool, with one review highlighting its cutting-edge behavioral research. The writing quality receives positive feedback, with one customer noting it is quite entertaining.

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8 customers mention "Knowledge level"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's knowledge level, describing it as an incredibly valuable tool, with one customer noting it distills key points and another highlighting its cutting-edge behavioral research.

"...niche historical facts, anthropological frameworks, and cutting edge behavioral research...." Read more

"This is a good book chock full of good info and decent reviews of appropriate studies...." Read more

"...book for changing how you see the world" because it asks and answers ultimate questions: questions about why things are the way they are...." Read more

"...It's early days yet, and this is foundational work, so what you're getting here is not a fully-developed science but rather a glimpse of what is to..." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style of the book, with one finding it fun and another describing it as entertaining.

"...Still not a bad book, quite entertaining." Read more

"...The great pleasure of this book is that it does so with wit, good writing, a light touch, and math only if you want it...." Read more

"...The writing is fun and nothing is beyond an interested non-expert's ability to understand...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • stacy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book which has helped me understand events in my own life
    Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Hidden games is a wonderful read that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone interested in understanding more about the seemingly unexplainable and odd quirks of human, social behavior. The authors employ very simple games to understand things as diverse as human rights to longer pinky fingernails. Throughout the book, it was cool to learn niche historical facts, anthropological frameworks, and cutting edge behavioral research. Ultimately, I came out with a greater understanding of why certain events in my life and the world unfolded the way they did. It’s a great book for anyone from the academic scholar to the curious high schooler.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Pragathi Jha
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good book for beginners
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2024
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    I got this book because the word "irrational" on the cover piqued my interest. Was kinda bummed to see it was talking about seemingly strange behaviour. Still not a bad book, quite entertaining.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Financial Physician
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not A "Game" Changer--Still Worth It
    Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is a good book chock full of good info and decent reviews of appropriate studies. If you've read Dan Ariely (yes he is alleged to have fudged his studies, but his analyses and discussions, if not his conclusions, are excellent), Nobel laureate Kahneman and Tversky, James Surowiecki and others, this offers not much new. On the other hand if those names are not familiar this can be a real eye opener. Or this book can be a good reminder. I enjoyed it and could not tell if it was written as a committee or if they have distinctive styles. Glad I have it and read it. You won't be disappointed if you do too.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Andrew McAfee
    5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate book for changing how you see the world
    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    DISCLOSURE: I blurbed this book.
    I blurbed it because it's great. I call it "the ultimate book for changing how you see the world" because it asks and answers ultimate questions: questions about why things are the way they are. In this case, why are we humans so weird?
    Why do we give so much to charity, yet give so ineffectively?
    Why do some of us love spicy foods, while others can't stand it (hint: it's not genetics)?
    Why are we so vengeful, when we know that revenge won't bring back what was taken from us?
    Why do politicians spin all the time, even though we know they're spinning?
    Why do untrained people like cheap wine, while connoisseurs have expensive taste?

    The great value of this book is that it gives us a unifying way to look at us weird and wonderful humans that answers all of these questions, and equips us to answer many more. The great pleasure of this book is that it does so with wit, good writing, a light touch, and math only if you want it.

    Highly, highly recommended.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • MPC
    5.0 out of 5 stars Do you want get a taste of the ultimate explanations for human behavior?
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This book changed how I think about human behavior.

    I have the intuition that this *sort* of thing will be the future of the field. It's early days yet, and this is foundational work, so what you're getting here is not a fully-developed science but rather a glimpse of what is to be.

    The writing is fun and nothing is beyond an interested non-expert's ability to understand. I see some complaining in reviews here about the exact examples the authors picked (by people who found them against their own political persuasion), but I feel I should shout from the rooftops that the *specific content* of the examples is much less important than the general *way of thinking* that is outlined here. What you really need to take away from this book is the general program, the general way of thinking about human behavior. And, incidentally, that's also and why you should pick it up in the first place.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Robert Ray
    3.0 out of 5 stars Informative but.......
    Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This is a somewhat useful introduction to game theory but I suspect it left out a lot. Game theory is important in foreign policy and strategy but that's not apparent from this book as it is limited to individuals' behavior. It is too focused on individual incentives (here primary rewards) and fails to recognize the importance of other motivations (ethics, morality, self altruism). Incentives are certainly important but to say they are responsible for almost all human action is silly (the authors exemplify "to a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail"). Anonymous donations and sacrifices are completely inexplicable to the authors; why would anyone do something if no one would know about it? According to the authors' logic one could say that Mother Teresa went to help the poor in Calcutta only/mostly so she could become famous. Their last chapter fails completely to explain people's passions (e.g. Bobby Fischer's total involvement in chess); I do not think the prospect of future fame and fortune is much incentive to an 8 year old who just loves the challenge of chess. A former CEO of Exxon, Rex Tillerson, is used as an example of someone who has 'internalized' his beliefs (doubts about global warming) ijn opposition to "top scientists." What Tillerson knows (and the authors, top scientists, too many politicians and most of the world's 'elite' don't) is how important energy is every aspect of our daily lives and how extremely difficult it will be to eliminate fossil fuels (readers and the authors with a future of electrical blackouts and gas over $ 6 a gallon will soon find out what they and our 'elites' don't know). And the authors use the TV show "The Wired' for examples of norm enforcement; surely they could have found another real life example.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Joseph Connolly
    2.0 out of 5 stars Informative book with to much irrelevant political commentary
    Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2022
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    The technical portions of the book are clear and useful. There's to many asides and examples in which with author's political bias detracts from an otherwise useful book. If I didn't pay the money I world read the last 50 pages
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Nancy Haller
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read .......
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    During a group discussion about why people sometimes do the peculiar things that they do, a participant recommended this book as a resource. I read the book and found that it provides a fascinating history as well as answers to questions about human behavior. The title, Hidden Games, is perfect for describing what goes on behind the scenes to motivate our choices. My background is in science not economics but I had minimal difficulty understanding concepts and reasoning. A great read! NGHaller
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars very interesting book. A new way to understand behaviour.
    Reviewed in India on March 2, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    very interesting book. It will be helpful to understand some concepts if you know little bit maths. Even otherwise you can enjoy it.
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  • Uta C. Groeschel
    4.0 out of 5 stars Some food for thought
    Reviewed in Germany on June 11, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The authors present a fresh option for looking at incentives, rewards and consequences. Lots of anecdotes make it fun to read - and if the Game Theory diagrams feel a bit heavy for you, just skip them. You’ll still get a lot out of the book.
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  • Satish
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic insights into game theory
    Reviewed in India on September 9, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    It explains in simple terms how game theory applies to everyday situations and also in evolution.
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