Choiceology with Katy Milkman

Historian Mary Stockwell discusses American Revolutionary War strategies of retreat and regrouping. Behavioral scientist Alex Imas explains risk-taking after realizing losses. The podcast explores the impact of loss realization on decision-making and the benefits of taking breaks to reset risk preferences.

Guests James Korris, Carey Morewedge & Jack Soll discuss a video game designed to reduce decision errors for intelligence analysts. They explore debiasing techniques through game design and share practical strategies for improving decision-making skills, emphasizing the importance of seeking diverse viewpoints and challenging assumptions.

Two experts in human behavior discuss how judgments of one trait can spill over to another unrelated trait, using examples from a reality TV show. They explore the impact of appearances on decision-making and strategies to mitigate biases, emphasizing the importance of impartial evaluations and the effects of first impressions.

Chef Simon Rogan and cross-cultural psychology expert Michele Gelfand discuss the impact of strict and relaxed cultures on decision-making. Simon shares his journey in changing kitchen culture, while Michele explores the concept of tight and loose cultures. They highlight the importance of finding the balance between following rules and breaking norms in different contexts.

Guests Daniel Kahneman and Colin Camerer, along with game show contestant Luis Green, discuss the psychology of decision-making in high-stakes situations like Deal or No Deal. Topics include framing decisions based on potential loss or gain, the reflection effect on preferences, and the influence of framing choices on decision-making.

Explore the impact of recent events on decision-making, from the 1968 US presidential election to medical procedures. Discover how 'October surprises' influenced the election and how recency bias affects physician decision-making. Learn strategies to avoid recency bias and make informed decisions.

Discover the truth behind common misconceptions like Vitamin C curing colds and bats being blind. Learn about the persistent misinformation surrounding MSG and the illusory truth effect with guests Jennifer LeMesurier and Tali Sharot. Explore how repeated exposure to information impacts belief and sharing, and uncover strategies for navigating online misinformation.

Explore the intriguing world of forensic accountants as they uncover fraudulent activities, dissecting cases like the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. Learn about the legal term 'Center' and the challenges of proving fraudulent intent. Discover the impact of famous forensic accountants and movie portrayals, shedding light on the critical role these professionals play in uncovering financial fraud.

Richard Thaler, Nobel Prize-winning economist, discusses the concept of friction and 'sludge' in decision-making. Susan Budowski shares stories of people struggling to get out of timeshare contracts. Wendy Wood talks about leveraging friction for positive habits. The podcast explores subscription traps and the impact of friction on behavior change.

David Silbey, an expert in transportation history, and Ned Augenblick, a psychologist specializing in human behavior on trains, join Katy Milkman for an episode discussing how people overreact to poor quality or incomplete information. They examine historical examples like the myth of "railway madness" and the USS Maine explosion, highlighting the tendency to assign great importance to news stories without significant impact. The episode also explores the biases in belief updating and the trade-off between lab experiments and real-life situations in behavioral science research.