Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People

What We Value: How Your Brain Really Chooses with Emily Falk

22 snips
Jun 18, 2025
In this engaging discussion, neuroscientist Emily Falk, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of 'What We Value', reveals how our brains dictate our choices. She explains the three systems shaping decisions: value, self-relevance, and social-relevance. With personal anecdotes, Emily illustrates how these systems influence interactions, like why her son valued a handwritten certificate over money. The episode also uncovers how social media impacts our reward perceptions and highlights the power of storytelling in driving behavior change.
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INSIGHT

Brain Systems Shape Decisions

  • Decision making involves identifying options, assigning subjective values, and learning from outcomes.
  • Our self-relevance and social systems shape which options we consider and value.
INSIGHT

Subjectivity in Value Calculations

  • Value calculations are subjective and context-dependent, influenced by current situation and focus.
  • Our brains integrate diverse types of rewards, from food to social experiences, in decisions.
INSIGHT

Decision Variability and Focus

  • Individuals vary in decision approaches, with situational factors strongly affecting choices within the same person.
  • We rarely consciously weigh all factors; immediate rewards often dominate value assessments.
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