Dan Ariely, behavioral economist and bestselling author, to speak at 2012 ALA Annual Conference

CHICAGO - Behavioral economist and best-selling author Dan Ariely takes a groundbreaking look at the way we behave, examining the contradictory forces that drive us to cheat and keep us honest. He will talk about these and other ideas from his forthcoming book “The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone—Especially Ourselves” as an Auditorium Speaker at 2012 ALA Annual Conference. Ariely will speak from 8 - 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 24 at the Convention Center.

When we make decisions we think we're in control. But are we? From ticket-fixing in our police departments to test-score scandals in our schools, from our elected leaders’ extra-marital affairs to the Ponzi schemes undermining our economy, cheating and dishonesty are ubiquitous parts of our national news cycle—and inescapable parts of the human condition. Drawing on original experiments and research, in the vein of "Freakonomics," "The Tipping Point" and "Survival of the Sickest," Ariely reveals—honestly—what motivates these irrational, but entirely human, behaviors.

Ariely is the New York Times best-selling author of “Predictably Irrational” and “The Upside of Irrationality,” which, he says, “are my attempt to take my research findings and describe them in non-academic terms so that more people will learn about this type of research, discover the excitement of behavioral economics and possibly use some of the insights to enrich their own lives.” He is the James B. Duke professor of behavioral economics at Duke University, with appointments at the Fuqua School of Business, the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and the Department of Economics. He has also held a visiting professorship at MIT’s Media Lab. He has appeared on CNN and CNBC and is a regular commentator on National Public Radio’s Marketplace.

Ariely’s appearance is sponsored by HarperCollins.

Find out about the many other ALA Annual Conference & Exhibits highlights as they’re added—speakers, events, networking opportunities, and more. And for general information about the meeting in Anaheim, Calif., June 21-26, 2012, visit us at alaannual.org. Save money with Early Bird Registration, open until midnight, Sunday May 13, 2012.

ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition--Transforming Our Libraries, Ourselves