Choiceology with Katy Milkman
Charles Schwab
Can we learn to make smarter choices? Listen in as host Katy Milkman--behavioral scientist, Wharton professor, and author of How to Change--shares stories of high-stakes decisions and what research reveals they can teach us. Choiceology, an original podcast from Charles Schwab, explores the lessons of behavioral economics to help you improve your judgment and change for good.
Season 1 of Choiceology was hosted by Dan Heath, bestselling author of Made to Stick and Switch.
Podcasts are for informational purposes only. This channel is not monitored by Charles Schwab. Please visit schwab.com/contactus for contact options. (0321-1S88)
Season 1 of Choiceology was hosted by Dan Heath, bestselling author of Made to Stick and Switch.
Podcasts are for informational purposes only. This channel is not monitored by Charles Schwab. Please visit schwab.com/contactus for contact options. (0321-1S88)
Episodes
Mentioned books
14 snips
Oct 19, 2026 • 33min
The Invisible Rules of Time: Language and Behavior (With Keith Chen)
Keith Chen, a UCLA behavioral economist known for research on language and decision-making, explores how grammar shapes our sense of time. The conversation travels through South Tyrol’s secret catacomb schools, wartime language conflict, and bilingual communities. It examines links between language, saving, health, delayed gratification, and how people imagine their future selves.
70 snips
Oct 5, 2026 • 32min
Better Off Later: Our Preference for Improving Sequences (With George Loewenstein)
George Loewenstein, a Carnegie Mellon economist and psychology professor who helped pioneer behavioral economics, explores why people favor rising salaries and improving experiences. He discusses anticipation, dread, emotional contrast, and how rearranging events can change our choices. The conversation also revisits a historic teachers’ strike that replaced favoritism with predictable upward pay scales.
63 snips
Sep 21, 2026 • 31min
The Disclosure Dilemma: Oversharing (With Leslie John)
Leslie John, a Harvard Business School professor and author of Revealing, explores the surprising power of oversharing. She recounts a family secret that transformed her relationship with her mother, then examines why honest dates, job candidates, and vulnerable leaders can seem more trustworthy. They also discuss phishing risks, the hidden costs of silence, and safer ways to open up.
65 snips
Sep 7, 2026 • 35min
The Commuter's Paradox: Why We Misjudge Social Connection (With Nick Epley)
Nick Epley, a behavioral scientist at the University of Chicago and author of A Little More Social, explores why commuters avoid one another and misjudge the appeal of conversation. They discuss his personal experience with connection, experiments comparing solitude with chatting to strangers, the fears that keep us socially distant, and how deeper conversations can surpass expectations.
80 snips
Aug 24, 2026 • 37min
The Hardest Promises to Break: Peer Accountability (With Angela Duckworth)
Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, historian of American culture who traces the rise of Weight Watchers. Angela Duckworth, psychology professor and bestselling author known for research on grit and situational fixes. They discuss 1960s diet culture and Jean Nidetch’s living-room solution. They explore peer accountability rituals like commitment cards and how making goals social changes follow-through.
9 snips
Aug 10, 2026 • 2min
Coming Soon: A New Season of Choiceology
Explore how comparing ourselves to others warps judgment. Hear a tale of a high-speed Formula 1 rivalry and an Alpine case where language shapes saving habits. Learn why anticipation and expectations mislead decision making. Discover how small social choices build real connection.
101 snips
Jun 1, 2026 • 36min
A Depth of Trust
Jonathan Franklin, award-winning journalist who told the San José mine rescue, recounts the high-stakes story of 33 men trapped underground. Amy Edmondson, Harvard leadership scholar known for psychological safety research, explains why candid cultures matter. They discuss how junior ideas, rapid collaboration, and norms of candor can turn failure into survival. Short, gripping, and focused on teamwork under pressure.
79 snips
May 18, 2026 • 26min
Death by Dashboard
Cora Kennedy, director of collegiate esports and former competitive player, explains how constant rankings shape play. Dan Jin, ex-photojournalist turned publisher, recounts obsessing over smartwatch data and stepping back after illness. They discuss how relentless real-time metrics warp behavior, sabotage long-term goals, and why checking less can help.
39 snips
May 4, 2026 • 31min
A Comedy of Economic Errors
Ulrike Malmendier, a UC Berkeley finance professor studying how big economic events shape risk, and Frank Ferrante, actor known for portraying Groucho Marx, share vivid stories. They discuss Groucho’s rise, the 1929 crash that wiped him out, and how major crises leave lasting caution. Conversations then shift to research showing lifetime experiences steer investing and risk attitudes.
88 snips
Apr 20, 2026 • 33min
The Illusion of Number One
Shriya Boppanna, an MBA student who once chased college prestige, shares how rankings shaped her life choices. Rick Larrick, a Duke professor who studies how ranks steer decisions, explains why a single number grabs attention. They explore how rank labels change what we notice, skew choices, and move markets.
