Adam Alter Books
Adam Alter is a professor of psychology and marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business. His research focuses on judgment, decision-making, and social psychology, and he is known for his accessible writing on the intersection of technology and human behavior.
Known for: Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most, Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave, Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
Books by Adam Alter
Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
Why do smart, capable, motivated people suddenly lose momentum? Why do teams with talent and resources stall just when progress matters most? In Anatomy of a Breakthrough, Adam Alter tackles one of mo...
Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave
Drunk Tank Pink explores the hidden psychological and environmental influences that shape human behavior. Adam Alter examines how factors such as color, names, language, and geography subtly affect ou...
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
In this groundbreaking work, Adam Alter explores the psychology behind behavioral addiction and the irresistible pull of modern technology. Drawing on research from psychology, neuroscience, and marke...
Key Insights from Adam Alter
The Psychology Behind Feeling Stuck
Feeling stuck is not simply a lack of discipline; it is often a collision between emotion, perception, and behavior. One of Alter’s key insights is that stagnation usually feels personal, but it is often structural and psychological. We interpret stalled progress as evidence that something is wrong ...
From Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
Recognizing the Cycles of Stagnation
Progress is rarely a straight line. One of the book’s most useful ideas is that individuals and organizations move through recurring phases of growth, plateau, and renewal. Stagnation often feels like failure because we expect continuous upward motion. But plateaus are normal. They are not always si...
From Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
Environment Quietly Shapes Breakthrough Potential
We often imagine breakthroughs as products of willpower, but Alter shows that environment is one of the strongest hidden forces behind both stagnation and progress. Context influences attention, mood, creativity, persistence, and even the kinds of ideas we believe are possible. A stale environment c...
From Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
Small Wins Restore a Sense of Motion
When people are stuck, they often wait for a dramatic burst of inspiration. Alter argues that this is usually the wrong approach. Breakthroughs may look sudden from the outside, but they are often built from small wins that restore momentum. The psychology here is powerful: visible progress creates ...
From Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
Experimentation Beats Perfect Planning
A common cause of stuckness is the belief that we need certainty before acting. Alter challenges this instinct by showing that breakthroughs often emerge from experimentation rather than flawless planning. When people are trapped, they tend to overthink, seeking the ideal path that will eliminate ri...
From Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
Social Support Unlocks Hidden Momentum
Stuckness often feels intensely private, but one of Alter’s most important lessons is that breakthroughs are frequently social. We imagine that difficult problems must be solved alone to count as real achievement. In practice, other people help us see blind spots, lend emotional steadiness, model al...
From Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
About Adam Alter
Adam Alter is a professor of psychology and marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business. His research focuses on judgment, decision-making, and social psychology, and he is known for his accessible writing on the intersection of technology and human behavior.
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Adam Alter is a professor of psychology and marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business. His research focuses on judgment, decision-making, and social psychology, and he is known for his accessible writing on the intersection of technology and human behavior.
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