22.02.2012The Irrationality of Interpersonal Behaviour

Prof. Dr. Martin Brüne, Research Department of cognitive Neuropsychiatry and psychiatric preventive Medicine, LWL University Clinic Bochum

Most people may consider their behaviour as reasonable and understandable. But taking account of the turbulent trends on the stock markets and in the political field one has to realize: Our behavior is by no means rational. Especially with regard to interpersonal aspects we are much more emotional than we would like to admit to ourselves. Mutual reliance and fairness are more important for us than to keep cool all the time. This apparent irrationality is based in our phylogenesis. Prof. Dr. Martin Brüne examines the reasons and explains why we perceive following rational rules as “abnormal”.