What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice and Change

With so many competing priorities pulling us in different directions every day—family, friends, work, our health—it can feel difficult to make decisions that are aligned with what we care about most. Especially in the moment, we often default to the immediate demand, the path of least resistance, the worn old habit we wanted to change. In What We Value, pioneering scholar Emily Falk reveals how we can transform our relationship with the daily decisions that define our lives—opening pathways to make more purposeful, fulfilling choices; more successfully change our behavior; and influence others to see differently—by thinking like neuroscientists. Drawing on her own award-winning research, Falk introduces readers to a new paradigm for understanding why we, and those around us, do what we do. This is the value calculation: the often-subconscious mechanism by which the brain computes our everyday choices. By learning how it works, Falk shows, we can learn to work more strategically with it—whether we want to embrace new activities and behaviors, connect more meaningfully with others, or become more effective leaders in our organizations and communities. With captivating stories of star comedians, journalists, sports legends, and more, Falk demonstrates how we can change what we think just by changing what we think about; get less defensive by connecting with our core values; and seed innovation by seeking out different perspectives. Whether deciding on something as small as what to eat for lunch or as big as what career to pursue, we can have more agency and flexibility than we might think. What We Value is a groundbreaking guide to finding new possibilities in our choices—and the lives we ultimately make with them.

About the Author :
Emily Falk is a professor of communication, psychology, and marketing at the University of Pennsylvania and the vice dean of the Annenberg School for Communication, where she directs the Communication Neuroscience Lab and the Climate Communication Division of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. She lives in Philadelphia.

Review :
"What We Value will help you better understand how you make decisions, and equip you to make them more wisely." "One of my favorite neuroscientists explains in beautiful, personal, first-person prose how our brains make choices for us, what we can do to change those choices, and how we can tune our connections to other people. Emily Falk meets ancient questions with modern neuroscience…[engaging] us in a conversation that may well change the choices we make and, in turn, the people we are." "[A] meticulously researched yet practical exploration into the science behind making decision. … Falk’s organized, analytical approach is refreshingly down to earth. … [What We Value] empowers readers to make more consciously attuned choices." "An illuminating journey inside the human brain. If you’ve ever wondered what happens in your head when you make decisions and change habits, Emily Falk offers a wealth of insight." "Rich, riveting, and packed with practical insights…What We Value will help you approach choices and change more effectively. A brilliant neuroscientist and masterful storyteller, Emily Falk has produced a captivating must-read for anyone who aspires to learn and grow." "A rare glimpse into the mechanics of how our brains make decisions…Essential reading for anyone who wants to effect real change in their life, business, or community." "Intellectually penetrating and beautifully written."