Hidden Games

Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

Standard price shown. Sign in for personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app

Added to cart

Continue shopping or head to checkout

View cart

Listen to a sample

What to expect

'Packed with fresh and clear insights that will change the way you think about the world' Uri Gneezy

'One of those books that you pick up and then can't put down' Steve Stewart-Williams

'This is a book I will come back to again and again' Nichola Raihani

How game theory - the ultimate theory of rationality - explains irrational behaviour.

In Hidden Games, MIT economists Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli find a surprising middle ground between the hyperrationality of classical economics and the hyper-irrationality of behavioural economics. They call it hidden games. Reviving game theory, Hoffman and Yoeli use it to explain our most puzzling behaviour, from the mechanics of Stockholm syndrome and internalised 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 and will change how you think forever.

(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Critics Review

Skillfully wielding the instruments of game theory, Hoffman and Yoeli entertainingly cut away the veneer of social life to expose the Hidden Games underlying our lavish tastes, overconfidence, spin doctoring, philanthropic inclinations, principled commitments and humility. The duo delivers a penetrating look at the cold logic shaping the puzzling patterns that pervade our actions and communities
Joseph Henrich, author of The WEIRDest People in the World
Hidden Games is a fascinating tour of how game theory can explain the intricacies and quirks of human behavior; and Hoffman and Yoeli are expert guides. This is a book I will come back to again and again
Nichola Raihani, author of The Social Instinct
Hidden Games is a great read. Hoffman and Yoeli show how widespread but puzzling behavior can result from self-interest, explaining subtle, important ideas in a snappy, accessible style
Rob Boyd, author of A Different Kind of Animal
In this fascinating book, Hoffman and Yoeli show how the tools of economics can be used to understand a wide range of real-world phenomena. The authors show time and again that many types of human behavior which seem inconsistent with consciously rational behavior can be understood once we realize that those same forces are operating below the surface. Indeed, this book shows the magic of what is hidden from view
Kevin M. Murphy, MacArthur Fellow and Professor of Economics at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago
Hidden Games is a pair of x-ray specs for your mind; it gives you the ability to penetrate surfaces and see what's going on at a deeper level. And the writing is as good as the ideas, which is saying something
Andrew McAfee, author of More from Less and co-author of The Second Machine Age
You'll find the passion for game theory in every page of this brilliant book, which is packed with fresh and clear insights that will change the way you think about the world
Uri Gneezy, co-author of The Why Axis
This is one of those books that you pick up and then can't put down; next thing you know, you've been reading for hours and forgotten to go to bed (true story). Filled with quirky facts and perspective-shifting insights, Hidden Games explains some of human beings' most puzzling behavior with one of the most powerful theories ever devised: game theory
Steve Stewart-Williams, author of The Ape that Understood the Universe
Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli do a valiant job of applying game theory to seemingly irrational behavior
Wall Street Journal
This important book applies game theory to numerous human social dilemmas from love and marriage to homicide and war
Michael Shermer

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.