Essential Reads

Holiday Shopping: Buy Memories, Not Objects

By Melissa Burkley Ph.D. on December 22, 2017 in The Social Thinker
Most of us know that money doesn’t automatically bring you happiness, but why? Perhaps it’s because we’re spending it on the wrong things.

Investing More in Young People

By Nigel Barber Ph.D. on December 14, 2017 in The Human Beast
Parents invest more in their children than they receive in return, and such paying forward makes adaptive sense.

How Fear Is Being Used to Manipulate Cryptocurrency Markets

By Bobby Azarian Ph.D. on December 14, 2017 in Mind In The Machine
The world of cryptocurrency is profitable and intellectually intriguing, but misinformation campaigns that use psychological manipulation are creating chaos for investors.

Toward a More Self-Correcting Psychological Science

By Lee Jussim Ph.D. on December 14, 2017 in Rabble Rouser
How to make psychology the true science it has always aspired to be.

More Posts on Behavioral Economics

Why Do People Move Countries? Global Warming?

Why do people migrate? Does it have to do with climate change? How should the media explain migrants' reasons for changing their lives?

2018 Predictions: Best if We Don't Count on Them

Empowering ordinary Americans in 2018 requires fighting overconfidence.

Psychology Explains New Year Resolutions, Hits and Misses

55.2% of resolutions were health related (exercise: 31.3%, eat healthy: 10.4%, have healthier habits: 13.5%), 34.4% were work related (save: 20.8%, get out of debt: 12.5%)

Making Choices: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

By William R. Klemm Ph.D. on December 29, 2017 in Memory Medic
Choices are a gamble. You can't know for certain you have made the right choice.But being paralyzed with indecision is no solution.Reason helps you understand the odds.

How to Win Mindless Loyalty

By Jeremy E Sherman Ph.D. on December 28, 2017 in Ambigamy
Wouldn't it be fun to have people who think you're right no matter what you think or do? A little dangerous, perhaps, but fun. Here's how to get it.

Three Reasons Why You Should Ignore Healthcare Headlines

Should you pay attention to the latest headlines on nutrition? It's probably healthier to ignore them.

The Psychology Behind Wanting the "Hot Christmas Toy"

By Alice Boyes Ph.D. on December 23, 2017 in In Practice
Every year around the holidays there are a few highly-prized toys that are sold out everywhere, or only available for markups on the original price. Let's unpack the psychology.

Tax Bill Blowback

By David P. Barash Ph.D. on December 22, 2017 in Pura Vida
Pundits have been busy opining about the impact of the newly passed tax bill. They've ignored the impact of the psychology of envy and of relative good fortune.

Regrets in Finance and Romance

By Eyal Winter Ph.D. on December 21, 2017 in Feeling Smart
How does the fear of regret affect our dating behavior?

Is the Fascination of Blockchain Illusion or Truth?

By Po Chi Wu Ph.D. on December 21, 2017 in Jacob's Staff
Technology vs Reality. Illusion vs Dreams. Promises and Stories. What is most important in driving how we respond?

Can Investors Benefit From a Stock Market X-Mas Effect?

The persistence of the ‘September effect’ is remarkable: It is the only month that has a negative average return for 20, 50, and 100 years.

Taking A Beat

By Anna Akbari Ph.D. on December 20, 2017 in Startup Your Life
If having free time gives you anxiety, read this first.

Life, Interdependence, 
and the Pursuit of Meeting Needs

By Miki Kashtan Ph.D. on December 19, 2017 in Acquired Spontaneity
Reclaiming our innate capacity for receiving takes us on a journey of recognizing, accepting, and embracing our needs, and re-developing trust.
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A 10 percent Raise or a Great Boss—Which Would You Take?

By Victor Lipman on December 18, 2017 in Mind of the Manager
A new management survey addresses this and other questions, and examines common disconnects between managers and employees.

Can Money Buy You Happiness?

By Amie M. Gordon, Ph.D. on December 14, 2017 in Between You and Me
Money can buy happiness, if you spend it right. Research shows there are more benefits to spending money on experiences than material goods. Here are three reasons why.
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Arguing Politics With Friends? One Word Makes a Difference

By F. Diane Barth L.C.S.W. on December 09, 2017 in Off the Couch
This little word can change how you approach political conversations with friends, family, and anyone else in your life.

Moral Relativism Is Tricky, but Smarter Than the Alternative

By Jeremy E Sherman Ph.D. on December 09, 2017 in Ambigamy
When push comes to shove, we dig in our heels, pretending that nature or the supernatural stands for what we stand for. That's a problem worth keeping an eye on.

The Dangers of Ghosting

By Anna Akbari Ph.D. on December 05, 2017 in Startup Your Life
Put an end to ghosting in your professional and personal life.
Shuttershock

How to Keep Santa from Making Our Kids Gain Weight

By Peter A. Ubel M.D. on December 04, 2017 in Scientocracy
The key to combating America’s obesity problem is to prevent children from developing obesity in the first place.

Are You In Denial About Your Health?

By David Rosen on December 01, 2017 in Health 2.0
Why do some people needlessly put their health in jeopardy and take unnecessary risks with their well-being?

Rethink Your Way to a Saner Holiday Season

Is your brain overwhelmed by a never-ending holiday checklist? Research shows that rethinking your way to merry and bright should go straight to the top of your list.

Control Freaks and Approval-Holics (Part 2)

By Dale James Dwyer Ph.D. on November 28, 2017 in Got a Minute?
What do you think influences how trustworthy we appear to others or they appear to us?
By Piyush Ikhar (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

7 Common Reasons Why People Use Drugs

By Shahram Heshmat Ph.D. on November 28, 2017 in Science of Choice
Vulnerability to addiction can be explained by considering multilevel factors from the molecular to the societal.

Designing for the Human Brain

By Diogo Gonçalves on November 28, 2017 in There Are Free Lunches
Applying these behavioral principles will allow companies to design for usability and understanding, and to discover a new competitive edge.

Why Does Trump Post on Twitter?

By Fredric Neuman M.D. on November 23, 2017 in Fighting Fear
A psychiatric explanation of why Trump tweets when it is not in his best interest to do so.

A Solution to The Biggest Mystery You've Learned to Ignore

By Jeremy E Sherman Ph.D. on November 22, 2017 in Ambigamy
You've probably never thought to ask even though it's the question behind all your big questions: What is trying and how did it start?
Making Causal Judgment

Making Causal Judgment

By Shahram Heshmat Ph.D. on November 21, 2017 in Science of Choice
Causal and counterfactual reasoning inform our judgments of causality.

9 Ways Adult Children Can Avoid Regressing During Holidays

By Susan Newman Ph.D. on November 20, 2017 in Singletons
At what point do you get to be the grown-up? Adult children can change holiday traditions and family plans without reverting back to past mommy-daddy child roles.

Testamentary Restraints on Marriage

By Ruth Lee Johnson J.D. on November 16, 2017 in So Sue Me
Many parents have a lot to say about their children's love interests and relationship decisions. Some parents want to have the last word, even after they die.

Are More Men “Marrying Up” Today?

Literature is filled with stories of economically disadvantaged women looking to find a mate who was financially able to provide for her; do men do this more often now?