The Decision Corner

In this episode of The Decision Corner, we are lucky to be joined by Kevin Werbach. Professor Werbach is a renowned expert on emerging technology and its implications in the legal and public policy spheres. He is a professor of legal studies and business ethics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to his position at Wharton, Kevin Werbach has been an advisor in the Obama administration and a member of Obama’s transition team. He is also a widely sought after writer and speaker. He has been featured on a diverse range of platforms and his academic work is cited in top publications. In 2018, he wrote The Blockchain and the New Architecture of Trust, where he explores the nuances and consequences of distributed ledger technologies. Some of the topics we discuss in this podcast include: Blockchain: what it is, where it is going, and how it impacts a wide range of industries and applications What international shipping, contact tracing apps, Facebook, and Uber have in common Kevin’s book and how it dissects the hype from the facts surrounding blockchain technology How blockchain can improve decision-making at a variety of levels Law, regulation, and governance as three key elements of successful blockchain implementation Human nature and how it can never be perfectly eradicated through technology How these technologies are establishing new patterns of faith The essential nature of interdisciplinary work at the frontier of invention

This episode of The Decision Corner features Olivier Berthier: data scientist, software designer, and CEO of Moneythor. Moneythor is a digital infrastructure company that specializes in banking solutions that use machine learning, big data analytics, and behavioral science to orient financial systems towards customer-centric ends. Some topics we discuss include: Olivier’s financial software company Moneythor: what it is and what it does The constantly evolving relationship between banks and their customers The impact of digital spaces on financial relationships The transition from a product to customer focus at major banking institutions The potential benefits of the big changes coming to banking through software analysis and behavioral science The unique potential of emerging data ecosystems How to ethically manage customer data How to popularize behavioral science and the tools to implement it digitally

In this episode of The Decision Corner, we discuss giving, incentives, and the ethics of behavioral science with Ari Kagan and Nick Fitz, the co-founders and executives at Momentum. Momentum is a charity that ties donations to everyday choices. For example, every time Donald Trump tweets, the app will have you automatically donate 10 cents to civil rights and racial justice groups. Nick and Ari have extensive research experience in behavioral science. They both held senior positions at the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University before starting up their donation company. Topics mentioned in this episode include: How to make our daily activities contribute to making the world the kind of place we want it to be The consequences of evolutionary change on our cognitive system, especially with respect to social connection and meaning-making The feeling of power versus the real thing, and what that has to do with choice overload bias Utilitarianism and the role of fairness in donation decision-making Samantha, Baby Jessica, and the problems of personalized donations Stalin’s insight on donation psychology The twin problems of paternalism and finding the right decision-makers

Erez Yoeli, a researcher at MIT, discusses how to motivate people for the collective good. Topics covered include group behavior, high and low tech solutions, the power of social norms, and the importance of understanding communities when promoting interventions.

In this episode of The Decision Corner, Brooke sits down with Peter Brooks. Peter is a longtime employee at Barclays, the esteemed British banking organization. He joined over a decade ago, when the bank established the world’s first dedicated Behavioural Finance Team. Currently, he is the Chief Behavioural Scientist at Barclays. Peter asserts that his job is primarily finding true value for customers. He identifies ways to improve customers’ decisions and money habits, while exploring how we can all make changes for the better. The Decision Lab was interested in getting a little bit of his time to hear about how that mission is going. Some topics we discuss in this conversation include: How banking adopted the central premises of behavioral science Why it didn’t happen sooner How humility and ignorance can be markers of authentic experience The power of tradition in large organizations The competing priorities of customer satisfaction, core values, and the company’s bottom line How to stay linked in to a rapidly evolving field Tips for up and coming behavioral scientists, and others who are just starting to explore the discipline

In today’s episode of The Decision Corner, we are joined by Chris Larkin, the senior director of impact at IDEO.org. At IDEO, Chris works with design teams to integrate systems thinking, social and behavior change frameworks, and measurement in the creative design process. She has a long track record of impact in social and international development. She has worked at companies such as Girl Effect and BBC Media Action to pursue creative and effective strategies to engineer behavioral change. Chris holds an MSc in Occupational and Organisational Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology. She has worked extensively in East Africa and has lived in Dublin, London, Yangon, and New York. In this episode, we discuss: Human-centered design: what it is, where it is applied, and who benefits from its implementation Mental strategies for organizational behavior The surprising ways that design experience manifests itself in a team context The factors holding people back from achieving goals like financial stability Process vs product IDEO’s successful work in reproductive health

In today’s episode of The Decision Corner, we are joined by Gretchen Rubin, a writer, speaker, and influencer on the subjects of happiness, habits, and human nature. Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the number one New York Times bestseller, The Happiness Project. Her books have sold over 3.5 million copies and been published in more than thirty languages globally. Gretchen has spoken at places such as GE, Google, LinkedIn, Accenture, Facebook, Procter & Gamble, Yale Law School, Harvard Business School, and Wharton as well as at conferences such as SXSW, World Domination Summit, the Atlantic, Alt Design, and Behance’s 99u. Gretchen graduated from Yale University with a BA in English in 1989 and a J.D in 1994, where she served as the Editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal. Some of her specialties include habits, happiness, positive psychology, writing, memoirs, blogging, social media, self-improvement, self-help, non-fiction, and podcasts. Her "Four Tendencies" personality framework divides people into Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels, which will both be routinely mentioned throughout this episode. You can take the quick, free quiz here. In this episode, we discuss: The four tendencies and their respective idiosyncrasies The validity of psychological frameworks and when they can be useful How to communicate with people more effectively so that they follow through with important behaviors What kinds of problems are best suited for the four tendency taxonomy Individual versus gender-based differences in behavior Public service messages that work for all four tendencies The brilliance of the Don’t mess with Texas campaign Leveraging big data to test messaging with different tendencies

In today’s episode of The Decision Corner, we are joined by Matt Wallaert, a pioneer in applied behavioral science and a serial entrepreneur. Matt has over a decade of experience applying behavioral science to practical problems, ranging from startups to Fortune 500s to an array of prosocial side projects. He has given hundreds of talks on the science of behavior change, including appearances at the United Nations and South by SouthWest. Recently, he brought behavioral science into healthcare management as Clover Health’s Chief Behavioral Officer. There, he directs one of the world’s largest behavioral science teams, combining qualitative researchers, quantitative researchers, and project managers. His book, Start at the End: How to Build Products that Create Change, proposes a science-based process to create behavior change that can be implemented in organizations of any size and industry. In this episode, we discuss: His experience bridging the divide between multiple spheres where behavioral science has begun to take root Several metaphors for the process of democratizing behavioral science Figuring out whether a company needs a consultant, an agency, or if behavioral science should be used internally. How to discern talent among newcomers to behavioral science Equalizing opportunities in a still developing field Helping people find unique and meaningful career paths

In today’s episode of The Decision Corner, we are joined by Cass Sunstein, the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard University. Professor Sunstein is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. He is a prolific writer, who has written over 40 books, and hundreds of articles, including the international bestseller and essential introduction to behavioral science, Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness (with Richard H. Thaler, 2008). He is a recipient of the Holberg Prize, which is bestowed by the Government of Norway. The Holberg Prize is recognized as a counterpart to the Nobel Prize for unparalleled contributions to scholarship in the humanities or the law. Sunstein is currently the Chair of the WHO technical advisory group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health, and he advises the United Nations, the European Commission, the World Bank, and countries around the world on issues of law and public policy. He was Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs from 2009 to 2012; subsequently, he served on the President’s Review Board on Intelligence and Communications Technologies and the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Board. He is now working on a variety of projects involving the regulatory state, “sludge,” fake news, and freedom of speech. In the episode, we discuss: What is fun? What kind of people have the most fun, and whether that is something worth pursuing as a society. The effectiveness of fun in marketing, such as Amazon’s frustration-free packaging project. The role of fun in policy-making: determination and playfulness in Taiwan, how jokes can lead to optimism and hope, New Zealand’s Prime Minister’s attempts at making peoples’ days better. Political leadership and vulnerability. Making mandated behavior change a more tolerable and shared enterprise. Fear appeals: the benefits of enhancing high stakes situations to prevent harm. Populism and the need for personal connections with our political leaders. Cass’s nuanced distinction between the first and second waves of behavioral science. FEAST (Fun, Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely): Cass’s guidelines for engaging affective responses when developing policy. Why every revolution must tolerate dancing. What Cass Sunstein asked a world-class athlete about having fun under pressure.

Zeina Afif is a Senior Social Scientist with the World Bank’s Mind, Behavior & Development Unit (eMBeD), within the Poverty and Equity Global Practice at the World Bank. Zeina is currently working on applying behavioral insights to improve women’s access to finance and jobs, reduce youth unemployment, reduce gender-based violence, promote social cohesion, and improve access to public services and programs in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Latin America & Caribbean region. Prior to joining the team, Zeina provided operational communication and behavioral insights support to World Bank projects and has worked in countries such as Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, and Yemen in the areas of taxes, social protection, social accountability, and citizen engagement. Zeina holds a MBA from George Washington University, and a M.Sc. in Behavioral Science from London School of Economics. In this episode, we discuss: Zeina’s work at the eMBeD unit at the Bank. How the behavioral science approach of eMBed changed the way the Bank approaches problems Challenges of differentiating the value of behavioral science compared to other social sciences Evolution of behavioral science at The Bank Why an RCT is not always the most appropriate approach in a development project Why empathy is a key skill in working in applied behavioral science Zeina’s take on the private sector applying behavioral science