My Top 25 Books I recommend to anyone starting in Consumer Psychology and Behaviour Design

I didn’t realise just how many and tbh, I could and might add another 20.

I’ve put them in order of my favourite, great reads first and then some of the heavy ones but still important, nearer the end. - Happy reading!

"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman I found Kahneman's book brilliant. I actually teach some of his work. The book is complete, small print and a lot of dense work. A must if behavioural economics is your thing. In summary, he talks about two ways we think: fast and instinctive or slow and logical. It really made me see how often I rely on gut feelings instead of slowing down and thinking things through.

"Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein Thaler and Sunstein’s book was an eye-opener. They talk about “nudges” – tiny tweaks that help us make better choices without us even realizing it. It’s all about guiding decisions subtly but effectively. But, this is an easy one and you’ll find as your knowledge grows, this will collect dust. - A perfect starter!

"Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert B. Cialdini This one’s a classic and even though he now has a 7th rule of persuasion, this is a must read. I teach his work at university and I use it in my own work. Summary: Cialdini dives into six tricks that make people say “yes” – like social proof and scarcity. Loads of real-life examples make it super relatable and practical.

"The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business" by Charles Duhigg Duhigg’s take on habits is fascinating. He explains the habit loop – cue, routine, reward – and shows how we can change our habits by tweaking this loop. It’s practical and made me rethink my daily routines. Now, as you read more books, you’ll see this cue, routine, and reward come in different shapes. I prefer Dr. BJ Fogg’s work over this, but still, a solid read.

"Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions" by Dan Ariely Ariely’s book was a genius! He shows how irrational our decisions often are and how predictable these quirks can be. It’s packed with experiments and examples that made me laugh and think. - i first came across his work in a free course somewhere and that led to me buying the book. He has a couple, but this will become a classic!

"Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal Eyal lays out a model for creating products that people can’t put down. He talks about triggers, actions, rewards, and investments. It’s a must-read for anyone in tech or marketing. But… It’s not my favourite, I just know that a lot of people liked it. Having worked in the gambling machine biz earlier in my career, I realised this book was a rehash of how those machines work. Still, an important read.

"Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath The Heath brothers explore why some ideas stick and others don’t. They use the SUCCESs framework – Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, and Stories – to show what makes ideas memorable. This was one of my books in the middle of my career, more aimed at marketing, but enjoyable.

"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink Pink’s book is all about what really drives us. He argues that autonomy, mastery, and purpose are more motivating than traditional rewards. It’s a refreshing take on motivation. Again, this is a popular book, but, I would like to offer you an alternative, “Man search for meaning.” by Victor Frankl. Take your pick or read both!

"The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business" by Erin Meyer Meyer’s book is a great guide for anyone working across cultures. It’s actually one of my favourite books of all time and I also teach some of her work. She uses real-life examples to show how cultural differences affect communication and decision-making. It’s practical, insightful and really fun, I can’t say that about some of the other books. In fact, I’ve recommended this book to soo many people who aren’t in the biz but also enjoyed it.

"Contagious: How to Build Word of Mouth in the Digital Age" by Jonah Berger Berger dives into what makes things go viral. He introduces the STEPPS framework – Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories. It’s full of interesting case studies and is an absolute classic!

"Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping" by Paco Underhill Underhill takes you behind the scenes of consumer shopping habits. This was actually one of the first books i ever read on consumer psychology and consumer research. He discusses how store layout and product placement can influence buying decisions. It made me look at shopping in a whole new way and still applicable in the digital world.

"The Art of Choosing" by Sheena Iyengar Iyengar’s book delves into the psychology of choice. She explores how we make decisions and the cultural factors that influence them. It’s a fascinating read with lots of insights.

"Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much" by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir This book looks at how scarcity affects our thinking and behaviour. Mullainathan and Shafir explain how having too little can lead to poor decision-making. It’s a powerful read that made me think differently about poverty.

"The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less" by Barry Schwartz Schwartz argues that having too many choices can actually make us unhappy. He discusses the anxiety and dissatisfaction that come with too many options. It’s a thought-provoking read.

"The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman Norman’s classic on user-centred design is a must-read. He explains how good design makes products intuitive and prevents user errors. It’s both practical and inspiring. And if you love design, check out the 10 rules of design by Dieter Rams (not a book, but you’ll find it easily enough).

"Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones" by James Clear Clear offers practical strategies for building good habits and breaking bad ones. He emphasizes small, incremental changes and the impact of environment on behaviour. It’s actionable and motivating.

"Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behaviour" by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman The Brafman brothers explore the psychological forces that lead us to make irrational decisions. They discuss how factors like loss aversion and diagnosis bias influence our behaviour. If you read thinking fast and slow, then you don’t need to read this, but this is more entertaining (and less pages).

"Hooked on Customers: The Five Habits of Legendary Customer-Centric Companies" by Robert G. Thompson Thompson explores how companies can build lasting customer relationships. He highlights five key habits: listening, understanding, empowering, surprising, and delighting customers. It’s a practical guide for any business.

If you are looking for more academic books, send me an email and I’ll give you another list!