Books Quote by Barry Schwartz

When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…

— Barry Schwartz

“Emotions properly trained and modulated, Aristotle told his readers, are essential to being practically wise: We can experience fear, confidence, desire, anger, pity, and…

— Barry Schwartz

“When asked about what they regret most in the last six months, people tend to identify actions that didn’t meet expectations. But when asked…

— Barry Schwartz

“If society asks more of us, and arranges its social institutions appropriately, it will get more.”

— Barry Schwartz

Years of research in psychology has shown that rewards and punishments can be very effective in changing behavior. But, at the same time, they…

— Barry Schwartz

“Being able to criticize our own certainties is often a painful struggle, demanding some courage as we try to stand back and impartially judge…

— Barry Schwartz

“According to standard economic assumptions, the only opportunity costs that should figure into a decision are the ones associated with the next-best alternative.”

— Barry Schwartz

“We give disproportionate weight to whether yogurt is said to be five percent fat or 95 percent fat free. People seem to think that…

— Barry Schwartz

Too little attention is paid to the dark side of incentives. They are anything but a magic bullet. Psychologists have known this for years,…

— Barry Schwartz

“Focus on what makes you happy, and do what gives meaning to your life”

— Barry Schwartz

How much does it really matter whether your child will soon be enjoying a first year at Harvard or Yale or will instead end…

— Barry Schwartz

What I look for in any book is an argument, based on evidence, that changes the way I think about something important.

— Barry Schwartz