Center for Behavioral Decisions (CBD)’s Post

📑 Dive into this highly-cited research article! 📹 Perceived Information Overload and Intention to Discontinue Use of Short-Form Video: The Mediating Roles of Cognitive and Psychological Factors 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eacEm26e

📢 First Psychology Publication 📢 This journey started with a political science project with Slava Jankin and Hannah Béchara, during which a robustness check and care for the psychological micromechanism spiralled out of control. The result? A paper that stands on its own, exploring how language shapes the way we perceive distances and construe events—published now in Social Cognition. Yay! Arnold,. C., Béchara, H., & Jankin, S. (2024). Perceiving Distances and Construing Targets Based on Communication. Social Cognition. Key Insights: Distances Have Resolutions: It is not just about how far something is but how we communicate it. For example, “1km” and “1,000m” describe the same distance, but they convey it at different resolutions. Shaping Perceptions: The resolution of a distance profoundly affects how concrete or abstract audiences perceive an event. Is it “next year” or “August 3rd next year”? The phrasing matters, influencing psychological distance and mental framing. Refining Construal Level Theory: Our findings build on Construal Level Theory, showing that the way distances are framed influences construal levels just as much as the distance itself. Applications: This work offers insights for scholars interested in how communication can subtly influence perception--—whether in politics, media, marketing, or beyond. It highlights how framing distances can shift urgency, abstraction, and focus. This paper is a testament to the fascinating intersections of language, cognition, and social science. I hope it sparks discussions about how our words shape how we think about and engage with the world. And, of course, wait for the PolSci paper to follow. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts or questions. Always happy to chat about the nuances of communication and perception. You can find the paper here: https://lnkd.in/eu8SaRBs #Psychology #ConstrualLevelTheory #Communication #Perception #SocialScience #Cognition #LanguageAndFraming

Are you ready to dive into the December Edition of The SCOOP? Learn about all things Behavioural Science and Psychology and how to apply it to your business. 🧠 The SCOOP is a monthly newsletter full of tips, tricks and tactics. You will learn how to apply psychology and neuroscience techniques to your business while having access to our events, tools, resources and best practices. 🌟 Subscribe to The SCOOP. It's FREE and it's Fascinating! #thescoop #behaviouralscience #behaviouraleconomics #thinkoutsidethebox

📣 Interested in how psych science and human factors contribute to sustainability? Register now for this 10/24 Essential Science Conversation, "Designing a Sustainable Future: Perspectives from Psychological Science and Human Factors Engineering." #psychology #sustainability

🔷 Untested Theories Don’t Save Lives I am deeply interested in science and regularly engage with the best thinkers. When Michelle Gelfand’s book came out, I picked it up immediately because it was rooted in empirical evidence, not just ideas. Here is the key difference: ▶️ Even the leading experts in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioural science admit their work is about shaping thinking, not necessarily prescribing policy or definitive solutions. They acknowledge that much of this is: 👉 a work in progress 👈 Take William MacAskill’s The Precipice, for example. It is a phenomenal book that encourages thinking about existential risk, but it does not pretend to offer ready made answers. Humility is what separates responsible science from untested theories being sold as solutions. This is particularly concerning when social media is used to promote books, podcasts, and so called thought leadership that often seems more about, “look at me, I’m progressive!” than about delivering practical change. Theories without real world application should remain in the realm of exploration, not be marketed as policy, especially in fields like safety where outcomes can mean life or death. Peddling untested mistruths does not help those harmed at work. For now, these ideas seem largely confined to the echo chambers of social media, but the danger lies in their potential spread to industries where the consequences could be catastrophic. #SafetyProfessionals #WorkplaceSafety #EvidenceBasedPractice #RealWorldSolutions

I am not sure that this is talked about as often as it probably should be in loss prevention or law enforcemment interviews but worth understanding. What say you Brett L. Ward, CFI David Thompson, CFI Wayne Hoover CFI Myside bias is the tendency for people to evaluate evidence, generate evidence, and test hypotheses in a way that is biased towards their own prior opinions and beliefs.[1][2] It leads individuals to prioritize information that confirms their existing views while dismissing or downplaying contradictory evidence.[1][2][3] Some key points about myside bias: - It is distinct from confirmation bias, though closely related. Myside bias specifically refers to favoring one's own side or position on an issue.[2] - Intelligence and cognitive ability alone do not prevent myside bias. Studies have found little to no correlation between intelligence and avoiding this bias when no explicit instructions are given to consider other perspectives.[1][3] - Higher education and longer time spent in university have been associated with reduced myside bias, suggesting that training in rational thinking skills can help mitigate this bias.[1] - Individual differences in beliefs, dispositions, and views on what constitutes a "good argument" can influence the degree of myside bias exhibited.[3] - Myside bias contributes to polarization of opinions, as people with opposing views interpret new information in a way that reinforces their existing stance.[3] So in summary, myside bias reflects the human tendency to favor one's own perspective and beliefs, even in the face of contradictory evidence, and overcoming it requires actively considering other viewpoints in an open-minded way.[1][2][3] Citations: [1] Only My Opinion Counts: Myside Bias - Psych Central https://lnkd.in/et6VQGgG [2] What is myside bias? - Scribbr https://lnkd.in/eTbnY9z6 [3] Confirmation bias - Wikipedia https://lnkd.in/e_AfycAA [4] Myside Bias, Rational Thinking, and Intelligence - Sage Journals https://lnkd.in/ek55ZyF7 [5] The Bias That Divides Us: The Science and Politics of Myside Thinking https://lnkd.in/eY2zzK4b

Another must read: Misbelief - What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things by Dan Ariely, Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University and a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight. The book “explores the behavior of 'misbelief' that leads people to distrust accepted truths and embrace conspiracy theories. Misinformation taps into something innate in all of us, regardless of political affiliation. By understanding this psychology, we can mitigate its effects. Grounded in research and Ariely's personal experience as a target of disinformation, the book analyses the psychological drivers behind adopting irrational beliefs. Ariely reveals the emotional, cognitive, personality, and social elements that drive people towards false information and mistrust.”   I especially recommend Dan Ariely's "Misbelief" to Y.N. Harari's "NEXUS," readers to gain a multifaceted understanding of both the technological evolution of information networks and the human psychological factors that influence how we interact with these systems.   "Misbelief" will deepen your grasp of the challenges inherent in the dissemination and reception of information within advanced (information) networks.   It provides us with directly applicable tools and insights to engage with modern information technologies critically and responsibly.   The books together offer a rich exploration of how information shapes human thought, behavior, and society from both external (technological) and internal (psychological) perspectives.   I believe that "Misbelief" complements "NEXUS" by addressing the crucial human element in the information equation. It underscores the importance of understanding our own cognitive processes to fully appreciate the potential and pitfalls of the information networks that have become integral to our lives.   https://lnkd.in/d4zwsKzF

💡 Are you interested in improving decision-making through Behavioral Science? 📖 Read this insightful article titled "Where Behavioral Biases STEM from," authored by Dima Sayess, Fatima Koaik, Simran Lavanya Saraf, Shaaref Ali Shah, and Paul Dolan. The STEM framework helps us understand why context matters to human behavior by identifying the four key drivers: society, thoughts, emotions, and motivation. 🧐 🌟 Highlights include: ✔ Key insights into how social norms, cognitive processes, emotional responses, and motivational factors shape our decisions. ✔ Practical examples and strategies to overcome biases, especially in areas like risk aversion. 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dPjXfbVN #BehaviouralScience #STEMframework #BehaviouralBiases

The best guess for a random event would be the most likely outcome which is known to many people. Yet it might not prove valuable if we aim at a repetitive event. Yes a 1% chance of an event occurring can be very valuable than 99% chance of the event occurring in some situations. Human psychology aims at short term gratification that even many that knows this still can't use it in practice. #Statistics #Probability #Analysis

My two research heroes are James G. March and Daniel Kahneman—both are giants in their fields and have inspired countless minds. A common thread between them is their study of the ignorance of regression-to-the-mean and its behavioral consequences (Harrison and March, 1984 ASQ; Kahneman & Tversky, 1973 Psych Review). My research on luck is deeply rooted in their groundbreaking work. It’s with sadness that I acknowledge the passing of Kahneman earlier this year. We have exchanged several emails since 2012, and he has always been incredibly kind to a young academic eager to demonstrate the relevance of his ideas to a guru. Our last exchange was in 2022 when I shared my paper on the "variance of variance" and its relevance to his latest book, Noise. His response was, "Many thanks! This is interesting and highly relevant. Best, Danny." I can still remember the excitement I felt upon receiving his reply. It’s an honor that my first publication at Imperial is a tribute to Kahneman and his seminal idea of regression-to-the-mean. The quote I selected is below. Long live the great ideas! "This true story [about flight instructor] illustrates a saddening aspect of the human condition. We normally reinforce others when their behavior is good and punish them when their behavior is bad. By regression alone, therefore, they are most likely to improve after being punished and most likely to deteriorate after being rewarded. Consequently, we are exposed to a lifetime schedule in which we are most often rewarded for punishing others, and punished for rewarding." (Kahneman & Tversky, 1973, p. 251) Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1973). On the psychology of prediction. Psychological Review, 80(4), 237-251. Harrison, J. R., & March, J. G. (1984). Decision making and postdecision surprises. Administrative Science Quarterly, 26-42. Link to the tribute publication: https://shorturl.at/5xpA9