Tess Wilkinson-Ryan Books
Tess Wilkinson-Ryan is a professor of law and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on moral psychology, contract law, and the ways in which people’s moral intuitions influence their legal and social judgments.
Known for: Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Our Selves and the Social Order—and What We Can Do About It
Books by Tess Wilkinson-Ryan
Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Our Selves and the Social Order—and What We Can Do About It
In 'Fool Proof', Tess Wilkinson-Ryan, a professor of law and psychology, explores the deep-seated human fear of being duped or taken advantage of. She examines how this fear shapes our personal decisions, social interactions, and political attitudes, and how it can lead to mistrust and division. Drawing on psychological research and real-world examples, Wilkinson-Ryan offers insights into how we can better understand and manage this fear to build more cooperative and trusting communities.
Read SummaryKey Insights from Tess Wilkinson-Ryan
The Evolutionary and Psychological Roots of Sucker Aversion
The fear of exploitation has deep evolutionary roots. Long before we built economies and courts, our ancestors needed mechanisms for detecting cheaters — those who would take more than they gave, or exploit cooperation for selfish gain. Psychologists have shown that we are exquisitely sensitive to f...
From Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Our Selves and the Social Order—and What We Can Do About It
Moral and Emotional Dimensions
At its heart, fear of being a sucker is moral. It touches on dignity, fairness, and pride. When we suspect someone has taken advantage of us, what hurts is not just the material loss but the moral imbalance: we gave more than they deserved. We fear others will see us as gullible, and that judgment c...
From Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Our Selves and the Social Order—and What We Can Do About It
About Tess Wilkinson-Ryan
Tess Wilkinson-Ryan is a professor of law and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on moral psychology, contract law, and the ways in which people’s moral intuitions influence their legal and social judgments. She writes and speaks widely on the intersection of law, psy...
Read more
Tess Wilkinson-Ryan is a professor of law and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on moral psychology, contract law, and the ways in which people’s moral intuitions influence their legal and social judgments. She writes and speaks widely on the intersection of law, psy...
Tess Wilkinson-Ryan is a professor of law and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on moral psychology, contract law, and the ways in which people’s moral intuitions influence their legal and social judgments. She writes and speaks widely on the intersection of law, psychology, and everyday decision-making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tess Wilkinson-Ryan is a professor of law and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on moral psychology, contract law, and the ways in which people’s moral intuitions influence their legal and social judgments.
Read Tess Wilkinson-Ryan's books in 15 minutes
Get AI-powered summaries with key insights from 1 book by Tess Wilkinson-Ryan.