ABSTRACT

Born to Choose is John H. Falk’s compelling account of why and how we make the endless set of choices we do, every second of every day of our lives. Synthesizing research from across the biological and social sciences, Falk argues that human choice-making is an evolutionarily ancient and complex process. He suggests that all our choices are influenced by very basic and early evolving needs, and that ultimately each choice is designed to support survival in the guise of perceived well-being. This engaging book breaks new intellectual ground and enhances our understanding not just of human choice-making but human behavior overall.

chapter 1|15 pages

Born to Choose

An Introduction

part I|82 pages

Developing the Well-Being Systems Model

chapter 2|18 pages

Well-Being and Choice

chapter 3|14 pages

Well-Being, Self and Self-Related Needs

chapter 4|11 pages

The Origins of Well-Being Systems

chapter 5|23 pages

Well-Being Systems and the Brain

chapter 6|14 pages

The Well-Being Systems Model

part III|56 pages

Applying the Well-Being Systems Model

chapter 14|23 pages

Understanding the Individual in the Moment

chapter 15|13 pages

Understanding the Individual Over Time

chapter 16|18 pages

Understandings Beyond the Individual