Thinking, Fast and Slow: Decision-Making and Biases

Breni's Thinking, Fast and Slow path teaches how people really make decisions, using three popular books. There are 3 courses: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely, and Range by David Epstein. Learners spot anchoring, loss aversion and the decoy effect in everyday choices. Each course also says which findings have been questioned since, such as priming studies that failed to replicate.

  • 3 courses
  • 35 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Tell System 1 thinking from System 2 thinking
  • Spot anchoring, availability and loss aversion in a decision
  • Recognise a decoy option in a price list
  • Explain kind and wicked learning environments
  • Name which famous findings have been questioned since

Full curriculum

Part 1 · How we decide

1. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: Spot System 1 at Work

Notice when fast thinking leads you astray and when to slow down. Units, in order: System 1 and System 2; Anchoring and the availability heuristic; Loss aversion and prospect theory; Overconfidence and the planning fallacy; The experiencing self and the remembering self; Which findings failed to replicate.

  • — System 1 and System 2
    Learn the two ways your brain forms thoughts.
    • System 1 and System 2
  • — Anchoring and Availability
    Discover how reference points and memory shortcuts affect decisions.
    • The Anchoring Effect
    • The Availability Heuristic
  • — Loss Aversion and Prospect Theory
    Explore why losses hurt more than equivalent gains feel good.
    • Loss Aversion
    • Prospect Theory
  • — Overconfidence and Planning
    Examine undue confidence and why projects take longer than planned.
    • Overconfidence
    • The Planning Fallacy
  • — The Two Selves
    Distinguish between your living self and your remembering self.
    • Two Selves
    • Life as a Story
    • Experienced Well-being
  • — The Replication Crisis
    Look at criticisms regarding the reproducibility of studies in the book.
    • Replication Crisis

2. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely: See the Hidden Forces in Your Choices

Spot the predictable patterns behind irrational choices. Units, in order: Relativity and the decoy effect; Arbitrary anchors and prices; The pull of a zero price; Social norms compared with market norms; Procrastination and self-control; The questions raised about Ariely's research.

  • — Relativity and the Decoy Effect
    Learn how human comparison shapes decisions and preferences.
    • How we compare things
    • The Decoy Effect
    • Breaking relativity
  • — Arbitrary Anchors and Prices
    Understand how initial prices anchor our sense of value.
    • Anchor prices
    • Arbitrary coherence
    • Supply and demand
  • — The Pull of a Zero Price
    Discover why free items bypass our rational cost benefit logic.
    • The power of free
    • Free time
  • — Social vs Market Norms
    Examine how social and market norms affect human motivation.
    • Social and market norms
    • Mixing norms
  • — Procrastination and Self-Control
    Explore how cool and hot states drive procrastination and self control.
    • Cool and hot states
    • Deadlines and motivation
  • — Questions About Research
    Review the retractions and controversies surrounding Ariely's studies.
    • Retractions and data concerns
    • Replication failures

Part 2 · How we get good

3. Range by David Epstein: Why Generalists Win in a Specialised World

Decide when to specialise early and when to sample widely. Units, in order: Kind and wicked learning environments; Early specialisation compared with a sampling period; Transferring knowledge across fields; Where deliberate practice works and where it does not; Critiques of the generalist argument.

  • — Wicked Learning Environments
    Learn how kind and wicked environments differ in rules and feedback.
    • Kind Learning Environments
    • Wicked Learning Environments
  • — Early Specialisation vs Sampling
    Compare early focus like Tiger Woods with broad sampling like Federer.
    • Early Specialisation Risks
    • The Sampling Period
  • — Transferring Knowledge
    Understand how ideas move across different disciplines and silos.
    • Breaking Down Silos
    • Skill Transfer
  • — Deliberate Practice Limits
    Discover where strict practice succeeds and where it falls short.
    • Deliberate Practice Basics
    • Limits of Practice
  • — Critiques of Generalists
    Review limits and counter arguments regarding the generalist approach.
    • The 10000 Hour Rule
    • Valuing Range

Sample: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: Spot System 1 at Work

The opening tier, (System 1 and System 2). Learn the two ways your brain forms thoughts.

System 1 and System 2

Understand fast intuitive thought and slow logical thought.

Questions about Thinking, Fast and Slow: Decision-Making and Biases

What are System 1 and System 2?

Kahneman calls fast, automatic thinking System 1 and slow, effortful thinking System 2. The Breni course shows where each one helps and where it misleads.

Is Thinking, Fast and Slow still accurate?

Much of it is well supported, but some studies it cites, especially on priming, failed to replicate. The course points these out.

Do I need to read the books first?

No. Each course explains the book's ideas in plain language and links to the sources it was built from.

Is Breni affiliated with the authors?

No. Breni is not affiliated with the authors or publishers of these books.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, finishing all 3 courses earns a Breni certificate of completion.

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