Debunkbot and Other Tools Against Misinformation In this follow-up episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline Holzwarth and Samuel Salzer welcome back Gordon Pennycook, psychology professor at Cornell University, to continue their deep dive into the battle against misinformation. Building on their previous conversation around misinformation’s impact on democratic participation and the role of AI in spreading and combating falsehoods, this episode focuses on actionable strategies and interventions to combat misinformation effectively. Gordon discusses evidence-based approaches, including nudges, accuracy prompts, and psychological inoculation (or prebunking) techniques, that empower individuals to better evaluate the information they encounter. The conversation highlights recent advancements in using AI to debunk conspiracy theories and examines how AI-generated evidence can influence belief systems. They also tackle the role of social media platforms in moderating content, the ethical balance between free speech and misinformation, and practical steps that can make platforms safer without stifling expression. This episode provides valuable insights for anyone interested in understanding how to counter misinformation through behavioral science and AI. LINKS: Gordon Pennycook: ⁠Google Scholar Profile⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠ ⁠Personal Website⁠ ⁠Cornell University Faculty Page⁠ Further Reading on Misinformation: Debunkbot - The AI That Reduces Belief in Conspiracy Theories Interventions Toolbox - Strategies to Combat Misinformation TIMESTAMPS: 01:27 Intro and Early Voting06:45 Welcome back, Gordon!07:52 Strategies to Combat Misinformation11:10 Nudges and Behavioral Interventions14:21 Comparing Intervention Strategies19:08 Psychological Inoculation and Prebunking32:21 Echo Chambers and Online Misinformation34:13 Individual vs. Policy Interventions36:21 If You Owned a Social Media Company37:49 Algorithm Changes and Platform Quality38:42 Community Notes and Fact-Checking39:30 Reddit’s Moderation System42:07 Generative AI and Fact-Checking43:16 AI Debunking Conspiracy Theories45:26 Effectiveness of AI in Changing Beliefs51:32 Potential Misuse of AI55:13 Final Thoughts and Reflections -- Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠ Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business.  Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Gordon Pennycook, a psychology professor at Cornell University, dives deep into the tangled web of misinformation in U.S. elections. He discusses how falsehoods gain traction, especially on social media, and the psychological appeal behind conspiracy theories. Gordon highlights the role of AI in both spreading and combating misinformation and explores why untruths spread faster than facts. The conversation is filled with insights on human gullibility and the surprising impact of humor on belief systems, shedding light on the urgent need for critical thinking today.

In this spine-chilling Halloween special of the Behavioral Design Podcast, co-hosts Aline Holzwarth and Samuel Salzer take listeners on a journey into the eerie intersection of AI and behavioral science. They explore the potential ethical and social consequences of AI, from our urge to anthropomorphize machines to the creeping influence of human biases in AI engineering. The episode kicks off with the hosts sharing their favorite Halloween costumes and family traditions before delving into the broader theme of Frankenstein as an apt metaphor for AI. They discuss the human inclination to attribute human qualities to non-human entities and the ethical implications of creating machines that mirror humanity. The conversation deepens with reflections on biases in AI development, risks of ‘playing God,’ and the tension between technological progress and human oversight. In a thrilling twist, the hosts read a co-authored sci-fi story written with ChatGPT, illustrating the potential dark consequences of unchecked AI advancement. The episode wraps up with Halloween-themed wishes, encouraging listeners to ponder the boundaries between human and machine as they celebrate the holiday. Timestamps: 03:38 – Frankenstein: Revisiting the original story 09:09 – Frankenstein’s Modern AI Metaphor: Parallels to today’s technology 18:06 – Reflections on AI and Anthropomorphism: The urge to humanize machines 36:31 – Exploring Human Biases in AI Development: How biases shape AI 42:06 – Trust in AI: Human vs. algorithmic decision-making 46:45 – The Personalization of AI Systems: Pros and cons of tailored experiences 49:10 – The Ethics of Playing God with AI: Examining the risks 55:56 – Concluding Thoughts and Halloween Wishes: Reflecting on AI’s duality -- Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠ Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business.  Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Carey Morewedge, a Boston University marketing professor and expert in decision-making and AI systems, dives into the mechanics of AI recommender systems. He explains how platforms like Netflix and TikTok utilize user data to enhance engagement, often at the expense of long-term satisfaction. The conversation highlights ethical considerations, including the mismatch between stated and actual preferences, and the risks of over-relying on algorithms. Carey and the hosts discuss the delicate balance of human behavior and algorithmic influence, raising intriguing questions about technology's role in our lives.

Dive into the fascinating intersection of artificial intelligence and behavioral science. Discover how neural networks influence both AI and human cognition, and explore the real-world applications transforming various fields. The hosts debunk myths about generative AI and highlight the ethical challenges, including bias and privacy concerns. With insights on prompt engineering and large language models, this discussion opens doors to understanding AI's impact on decision-making and creativity. Prepare for an engaging journey into the future of technology and human behavior.

In the Season 3 Finale of the podcast, the hosts discuss various interesting topics in behavioral design from 2023. They explore favorite resources, reflect on past guests and episodes, and share their top 10 films of the year. The hosts also express gratitude, celebrate collaborations, and invite listeners to join the community.

Aarthi Rao, previous guest who designed the best pill bottle, joins the hosts on a product deep dive episode. They discuss the challenges of medication adherence, using home screen widgets for reminders, combining water bottle and pill box, optimizing health with signals and identity, maintaining habits while traveling, and designing pill bottles using the 'easy, attractive, social, and personalized' framework.

Aarthi Rao, Vice President of Behavioral Insights at Cityblock Health, is a pioneer in merging human-centered design with behavioral science. In this conversation, she shares insights on designing innovative solutions to improve medication adherence, including smart pill bottles that enhance patient engagement. Aarthi emphasizes the importance of trust and co-creation when addressing healthcare disparities in under-resourced communities. She also critiques the balance between empathy and expertise in design, advocating for a blend of qualitative and quantitative methods to enrich user experiences.

Steph Habif is known for a range of health behavior research and strategy, and for leading behavioral science at Tandem Diabetes. Today we chat with Steph about what she’s doing at Tandem to design for diabetic patients, working at the intersection of behavioral science and human-computer interaction. We also went over what Steph called behavioral science's branding problem. Do you know someone who would enjoy Behavioral Design? Please tell them about us! Thanks for listening! -- Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our Habit Weekly newsletter shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Welcome to the latest Product Deep Dive! 🗓️ In this bonus series of the Behavioral Design Podcast, we take a closer look at the all-so-famous, yet simple, calendar. Previous guests, Laurie Santos, Linda Babcock & Ashley Whillans all spoke to us about time, so we decided it was "time" (get it) to discuss it in more detail! Tune in to learn more about our love/hate relationship with the calendar, the pros and cons between more or less calendar, and so much more! Who knew calendars were so much fun? -- Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀 The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com