57 pages • 1 hour read
Sendhil Mullainathan, Eldar ShafirScarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2013A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir explores how lacking key resources impacts the mind, fostering a narrow focus on immediate needs and creating a cycle that exacerbates long-term well-being. Through research in economics, psychology, and decision science, the authors reveal how scarcity taxes cognitive bandwidth, leading to decisions that perpetuate deprivation, while offering solutions for policy and environmental design to mitigate these effects.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir offers a compelling exploration of how scarcity impacts human behavior and decision-making. The book integrates psychological and economic perspectives effectively. Some readers feel it reiterates points excessively, while others appreciate its accessible and practical insights. Overall, it's enlightening but occasionally repetitive.
Who Should Read Scarcity?
Readers who enjoy Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir are often fascinated by behavioral economics and psychology. Similar to fans of Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow and Richard Thaler’s Nudge, they appreciate insights into how scarcity impacts decision-making and behavior.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
Psychology
Business / Economics
Science / Nature
Self Help
Psychology
Philosophy
Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Society: Class
Society: Economics