The Long Game

The Behavioral Science Episode with Erik Johnson

Feb 19, 2025

01:08:14

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex Birkett speaks with Erik Johnson, an applied behavioral scientist and founder of Behavioral Strategies. Erik shares insights on human decision-making, habit formation, and the psychological forces influencing our actions. The conversation covers the intention-action gap, AI’s impact on attention and productivity, and how behavioral science can optimize both personal and organizational performance. Erik explains why environmental design is crucial for habit formation, how variable rewards in social media and entertainment shape behavior, and why the modern world often works against our best intentions. They also explore practical strategies for overcoming distractions, making better decisions, and using behavioral science to drive business growth.

Key Takeaways

The Intention-Action Gap: Many people struggle to act on what they say they want to do due to psychological and environmental factors.
Behavioral Science in Decision-Making: Understanding why we make certain choices helps individuals and businesses design better systems for performance.
AI and Habit Formation: AI-driven platforms use behavioral principles to shape user habits, often making focus and productivity more challenging.
The Power of Environmental Design: Adjusting surroundings—like removing distractions or changing routines—can significantly improve behavior change success.
Variable Rewards and Attention Hijacking: Social media, entertainment, and digital products are optimized to capture attention through gamification and unpredictable rewards.
Regulation vs. Personal Responsibility: While individual strategies can help reduce distractions, broader system-level changes may be necessary for long-term solutions.
Applying Behavioral Science to Business: Companies can leverage behavioral insights to improve marketing, customer engagement, and decision-making processes.

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