Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1594204543 ISBN 13: 9781594204548

Publisher: Penguin Press, 2013

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.

An illuminating look at the way the thoughts we have and the decisions we make are influenced by forces that aren't always in our control
Why are people named Kim, Kelly, and Ken more likely to donate to Hurricane Katrina victims than to Hurricane Rita victims? Are you really more likely to solve puzzles if you watch a light bulb illuminate? How did installing blue lights along a Japanese railway line halt rising crime and suicide rates? Can decorating your walls with the right artwork make you more honest? The human brain is fantastically complex, having engineered space travel and liberated nuclear energy, so it's no wonder that we resist the idea that we're deeply influenced by our surroundings. As profound as they are, these effects are almost impossible to detect both as they're occurring and in hindsight. Drunk Tank Pink is the first detailed exploration of how our environment shapes what we think, how we feel, and the ways we behave.
The world is populated with words and images that prompt unexpected, unconscious decisions. We are so deeply attracted to our own initials that we give more willingly to the victims of hurricanes that match our initials: Kims and Kens donate more generously to Hurricane Katrina victims, whereas Rons and Rachels give more openly to Hurricane Rita victims. Meanwhile, an illuminated light bulb inspires creative thinking because it symbolizes insight.
Social interactions have similar effects, as professional cyclists pedal faster when people are watching. Teachers who took tea from the break room at Newcastle University contributed 300 percent more to a cash box when a picture of two eyes hung on the wall. We're evolutionarily sensitive to human surveillance, so we behave more virtuously even if we're only watched by a photograph. The physical environment, from locations to colors, also guides our hand in unseen ways. Dimly lit interiors metaphorically imply no one's watching and encourage dishonesty and theft, while blue lights discourage violent activity because they're associated with the police. Olympic taekwondo and judo athletes are more likely to win when they wear red rather than blue, because red makes them behave aggressively and referees see them as more dominant. Drunk Tank Pink is full of revelatory facts, riveting anecdotes, and cutting-edge experiments that collectively explain how the most unexpected factors lead us to think, feel, and behave the way we do.

About the Author:

Adam Alter is an assistant professor in the marketing department at the Stern School of Business, New York University, with an affiliated appointment in the NYU psychology department. A native of Australia, Alter earned his Ph.D. in social psychology at Princeton University in 2004, focusing on how people reach the judgments and make the decisions that shape their lives. He has lectured at numerous institutions including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Cornell, and the University of Chicago. Alter is a guest blogger on the Psychology Today website.

Review:

"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