social psychology

Are Our Own Behavioral Biases Biasing Us Against Behavioral Science?
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Are Our Own Behavioral Biases Biasing Us Against Behavioral Science?

Behavioral Theory & Insights, Research Methods

Are Our Own Behavioral Biases Biasing Us Against Behavioral Science?

There have been a lot of juicy headlines in behavioral science around replicability and the falsification of data. I can’t help but wonder whether these spotlights are distracting (read: biasing) us from the potential and existing contributions of the field as a whole. Perceptions of behavioral science are just as vulnerable to our perceptions and biases. Is it possible that the field is suffering from the effects of its own contributions?

By Sarah Watters|2023-12-21T09:58:46+00:00October 7th, 2023|Categories: Behavioral Theory & Insights, Research Methods|Tags: availability bias, behavioral economics, behavioral research, behavioral science, biases, psychological science, replicability crisis, research conduct, research fraud, social psychology|

How to Depolarize Ourselves: Communication and Understanding Across Cultures
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How to Depolarize Ourselves: Communication and Understanding Across Cultures

Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Government & Civic Behavior, Society & Everyday Life

How to Depolarize Ourselves: Communication and Understanding Across Cultures

The world is becoming increasingly polarized, as is seen through evidence of “us” versus “them” mindsets. Divisions have evolved into partisanship across groups, highlighting the need to understand how we differ culturally and across groups, why we are becoming more polarized, and how we can begin to reduce the impact of these divides. Cross-cultural and other models provide insight into how individuals differ across groups, and how we can reconnect with those around us.

By Shaye-Ann Hopkins|2023-03-07T01:43:56+00:00March 7th, 2023|Categories: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Government & Civic Behavior, Society & Everyday Life|Tags: communication, connection, cross-cultural psychology, identity, polarization, social psychology, trust|

Personalised Persuasion: How Predictable Are You?
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Personalised Persuasion: How Predictable Are You?

Behavioral Theory & Insights, Society & Everyday Life, Technology & Digital

Personalised Persuasion: How Predictable Are You?

When it comes to nudging, it’s very much a case of ‘different strokes for different folks'. A free donut might entice some people to take a vaccine; for others, it might make them even more skeptical. Fortunately, a combination of digital footprints and ‘thin slicing’ psychology means that nudges can now be targeted to the right people in the right way.

By Patrick Fagan|2022-04-25T06:05:52+00:00April 22nd, 2022|Categories: Behavioral Theory & Insights, Society & Everyday Life, Technology & Digital|Tags: consumer behavior, morality, nudge, personality, persuasion, social psychology|

Honest Mistake or Perhaps Not: How Social Norms Influence Dishonest Behavior
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Honest Mistake or Perhaps Not: How Social Norms Influence Dishonest Behavior

Emerging & Developing Economies, Government & Civic Behavior, Morality & Prosocial Behavior

Honest Mistake or Perhaps Not: How Social Norms Influence Dishonest Behavior

Minor acts of dishonesty that range from cheating on one’s taxes to petty institutional corruption are very prevalent in everyday life social settings. How others behave in these settings or what they believe is the proper course of action may lead to minor or major acts of dishonesty. Our research finds that exposure to increased peer cheating promoted major dishonesty, while the presence of rule reminders reduced minor acts of dishonesty without influencing major dishonesty.

By Giannis Lois|2022-02-17T05:34:35+00:00November 3rd, 2020|Categories: Emerging & Developing Economies, Government & Civic Behavior, Morality & Prosocial Behavior|Tags: bribery, cheating, corruption, dishonesty, morality, social norms, social psychology|

Fake News, False Memories and Flawed Decisions: A Behavioural Solution
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Fake News, False Memories and Flawed Decisions: A Behavioural Solution

Behavioral Theory & Insights, Education & Learning, Morality & Prosocial Behavior

Fake News, False Memories and Flawed Decisions: A Behavioural Solution

At first glance, fake news and false memories appear to be separate phenomena. But they have much in common as dangerous sources of misinformation. This article argues that fake news generates false memories, which in turn leads to flawed decision-making. Ignoring this interplay amplifies risk for individuals, businesses and policymakers who rely on information accuracy. Behavioural science techniques can nudge decision-makers towards more proactive critical thinking and self-checking to minimise this predictable and avoidable error.

By Nuala Walsh|2024-08-27T01:30:58+00:00October 13th, 2020|Categories: Behavioral Theory & Insights, Education & Learning, Morality & Prosocial Behavior|Tags: behavioral science, cognitive psychology, fake news, false memory, memory, social influence, social psychology|

Deceiving Yourself to Better Deceive Others
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Deceiving Yourself to Better Deceive Others

Morality & Prosocial Behavior, Society & Everyday Life

Deceiving Yourself to Better Deceive Others

Most people are overconfident in various aspect of their daily life. Yet, this bias has been shown to have detrimental economic and financial consequences. In light of these costs, why is this bias so persistent in the population? Our research provides an explanation for this phenomenon: being overconfident can provide a strategic advantage by influencing others in social interactions.

By Alice Solda|2022-02-17T06:09:01+00:00February 25th, 2020|Categories: Morality & Prosocial Behavior, Society & Everyday Life|Tags: deception, motivation, overconfidence, self-deception, social interaction, social psychology, social status, strategic, strategy|

The Three Laws of Human Behavior
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The Three Laws of Human Behavior

Behavioral Theory & Insights

The Three Laws of Human Behavior

Human behavior is remarkably complicated. And yet, just as Newton's laws of motion distill three fundamental truths about the physical world, the three laws of human behavior describe three fundamental truths of human behavior: People tend to stick to the status quo unless the forces of friction or fuel push us them off their path; behavior is a function of the person and their environment; every decision includes tradeoffs and the potential for unintended consequences.

By Aline Holzwarth|2022-02-17T06:16:26+00:00May 7th, 2019|Categories: Behavioral Theory & Insights|Tags: behavior change, behavioral economics, behavioral models, behavioral science, choice architecture, consumer behavior, decision making, externalities, health, inertia, Kurt Lewin, motivation, social psychology, status quo bias, theory|

Why We Use Less Information Than We Think to Make Decisions
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Why We Use Less Information Than We Think to Make Decisions

Behavioral Theory & Insights, Marketing & Consumer Behavior, Society & Everyday Life

Why We Use Less Information Than We Think to Make Decisions

How much information do you need to make up your mind? Our research in various domains of decision making shows that we make decisions more quickly and based on less information than we think. This has important implications in an age in which information is plentiful.

By Nadav Klein|2022-02-17T06:17:21+00:00April 3rd, 2019|Categories: Behavioral Theory & Insights, Marketing & Consumer Behavior, Society & Everyday Life|Tags: behavioral economics, bias, big data, consumer behavior, data science, dating, decision making, heuristic, information, information processing, internet, management, marketing, marriage, nudge, product trial, social psychology, stereotypes, stereotyping, system 1 & system 2, uncertainty, voting|

The ‘Interpersonal Gambler’s Fallacy’: When Similarity Backfires
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The ‘Interpersonal Gambler’s Fallacy’: When Similarity Backfires

Finance & Investing, Marketing & Consumer Behavior, Society & Everyday Life

The ‘Interpersonal Gambler’s Fallacy’: When Similarity Backfires

New research shows that being similar to a previous winner can have radically different effects on people’s participation likelihood in sweepstakes – it all depends on the attributions people make for the winning outcome.

By Alain Samson|2022-02-17T06:24:28+00:00May 28th, 2018|Categories: Finance & Investing, Marketing & Consumer Behavior, Society & Everyday Life|Tags: behavioral economics, behavioral finance, consumer behavior, decision making, framing, gambler's fallacy, gambling, heuristic, hot hand fallacy, lotteries, social psychology, sweepstakes|

What is the Future of Behavioral Research and Large-scale Nudges? Five Practical Tips
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What is the Future of Behavioral Research and Large-scale Nudges? Five Practical Tips

Behavioral Theory & Insights, Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Research Methods

What is the Future of Behavioral Research and Large-scale Nudges? Five Practical Tips

By Nathan Maddix Can Nudging Overcome Physics Envy? As is now well-known, tremendous results have been found for nudges – behavioral interventions designed to facilitate choice for welfare-promoting outcomes. In my work over the last 5 years, I have sought not only to design and administer nudges, but also to understand how economists and [...]

By Nathan Maddix|2022-06-30T01:27:36+00:00October 31st, 2017|Categories: Behavioral Theory & Insights, Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Research Methods|Tags: behavior change, behavioral design, behavioral economics, behavioral research, choice architecture, decision making, experiments, nudge, public policy, RCT, social psychology|