Behavioral Scientist’s Notable Books of 2025
Our list of noteworthy behavioral science books published in 2025.
Heather Graci
Heather Graci is an editor at the Behavioral Scientist and an editorial researcher who has worked with authors Angela Duckworth and Dan Heath. Previously, she was a research coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania’s Behavior Change for Good Initiative. She graduated in 2019 from Carnegie Mellon University with degrees in Behavioral Economics and Psychology.
Behavioral Economics, Then and Now: A Conversation With Alex Imas
Alex Imas and Richard Thaler teamed up to update a landmark book in behavioral economics. In doing so, they chart where behavioral economics began, where it is now, and where it could go next.
The Future of International Aid: A Conversation Between Dean Karlan and Nicholas Kristof
The consequences of dismantling one of the world’s largest aid agencies are being felt the world over. What happens now?
How Behaviorally Informed Technologies Are Shaping Global Aid
Across the United Nations, researchers and practitioners are building behaviorally informed technologies that can address humanitarian challenges in new ways.
Most Americans Dislike Income Inequality. But They Disagree About Who Should Fix It.
Americans are more critical of the wealthy and less tolerant of income inequality than many believe. So why has inequality persisted and worsened?
When Robots Paint: How Will We Decide if AI Art Is Art?
Qualities like intention and essence factor into our decision to deem something “art.” How does AI-generated art align—or not—with what we feel art should be?
A Dispatch from Rio: Working to Strengthen Behavioral Science in Latin America at the G20
The Rio de Janeiro behavioral science unit envisions a collaborative network of researchers and policymakers across Latin America, plus a seat for Latin American behavioral scientists on the global stage.
So, What It’s Like to Be…? A Year of Conversations about Work
Science is valuable because of its capacity to uncover deeper patterns in what we do. But a focus on trends and tendencies can mask the individuals underneath. That’s why Dan Heath’s ‘What It’s Like to Be…’ is so valuable. Each conversation offers an intimate, n = 1 investigation about how someone spends their day.
When Everything Falls Apart, Can Communities Come Together?
If communities are more interconnected before a disaster strikes, they may be better equipped to survive and rebuild in its aftermath.
The Questions at the Heart of Conflict and Peace
Behavioral scientists working in peace and conflict grapple with questions of how prejudice becomes violence, how exclusion begets extremism, and how capable we are of change. The answers are far from simple, but not out of reach.