Psychology and religion have thought about these problems for a long time before economists came along. I think actually a lot of it is reflected in some of the techniques that behavioral scientists economists psychologists and others have developed and tested that really do seem to work. We see people pursue goals more they are more likely to create um goal contracts, we can convince them to sign up at a higher rate for savings plans when we label the date when they're invited to save up as the first day of spring or their birthday.
Behavioral scientist Katy Milkman of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania talks about her book How to Change with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. What can we learn from research in psychology and behavioral economics about breaking the habits we want to change? Is that research reliable? And should Russ Roberts accept being overweight or keep working at finding the thinner man trying to get out?