Faculty News

Professor Jonathan Haidt's metaphor of the rider and the elephant, from his book, "The Happiness Hypothesis," is referenced

Forbes logo
Excerpt from Forbes -- "In The Happiness Hypothesis Dr. Jonathan Haidt introduced the metaphor of the rider and the elephant. The NYU Stern School of Business professor said the human mind is divided into two parts that often conflict: the ‘rational’ or logical side of our brain (the rider) and the emotional side (the elephant). 'Like a rider on the back of an elephant, the conscious, reasoning part of the mind has only limited control of what the elephant does,' Haidt writes."

Read more