Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything is the result of a partnership between a journalist, Stephen J. Dubner, and a University of Chicago economist, Steven D. Levitt. The two explain that the premise of Freakonomics sprung from an assignment Dubner received from New York Times Magazine to write a profile of Levitt. While interviewing Levitt, Dubner found that unlike other economists whom he had interviewed, he actually understood Levitt’s quirky yet effective way of explaining statistics. The two developed mutual respect, which resulted in their writing the best-selling book.
In Freakonomics’s introduction, the authors discuss that statistics and subjects that normally seem dissimilar share commonalities when examined more closely and when the right questions are asked. Near the end of the introduction, a preview of the book’s themes appears, and Levitt and Dubner establish their satirical and conversational tone found in each chapter.
Chapter 1: What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?
According to the authors and the statistics they research and report, the answer to the title’s chapter is cheating, though the entire chapter is not about cheating. It begins by discussing the human need for incentives—categorized as economic, social, and moral …show more content…
For example, for a house that sells at a high price, agents use descriptive terms that provide specific information (i.e., granite, state-of-the-art, or Corian). In contrast, lower sales prices are associated with generic terms (e.g., fantastic, charming, or spacious). The agent’s decision about what kind of information to disseminate seems to depend on whether he wants to sell the house quickly at a lower price to make a quick profit for himself or whether he is truly interested in getting the best sales price for his
In Freakonomics’s introduction, the authors discuss that statistics and subjects that normally seem dissimilar share commonalities when examined more closely and when the right questions are asked. Near the end of the introduction, a preview of the book’s themes appears, and Levitt and Dubner establish their satirical and conversational tone found in each chapter.
Chapter 1: What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?
According to the authors and the statistics they research and report, the answer to the title’s chapter is cheating, though the entire chapter is not about cheating. It begins by discussing the human need for incentives—categorized as economic, social, and moral …show more content…
For example, for a house that sells at a high price, agents use descriptive terms that provide specific information (i.e., granite, state-of-the-art, or Corian). In contrast, lower sales prices are associated with generic terms (e.g., fantastic, charming, or spacious). The agent’s decision about what kind of information to disseminate seems to depend on whether he wants to sell the house quickly at a lower price to make a quick profit for himself or whether he is truly interested in getting the best sales price for his