If you’ve ever lost a job, or been through a breakup, or failed an exam, you’ll know that the aftermath can be painful and disorienting. But for some percentage of those who experience these disappointing outcomes, unforeseen opportunities will arise. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at the occasional upside of being forced to quit a career, or a relationship, or even a favorite route to work. Kassia St. Clair brings us the story of William Henry Perkin . As a young man...
Oct 10, 2022•39 min
When we feel angry or excited, or happy or sad, the reasons for those emotions may seem obvious. Angry? It was that argument with a spouse. Excited? It was that promotion at work. Happy? Must've been that delicious meal. Sad? It was that tearjerker film, for sure. But it turns out that we often mistake the root causes of our feelings and other experiences. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at a family of biases that affects the way we understand behaviors, events, and em...
Sep 26, 2022•34 min•Season 10Ep. 4
“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” A quintessentially American phrase from the Declaration of Independence . That “pursuit of happiness” takes many forms, but it turns out that some approaches are more likely to be successful, according to science. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at a way to frame how you spend your time and money that may help you lead a happier life. Joshua Fields Millburn was hungry for success. Despite a difficult childhood, he was dete...
Sep 12, 2022•32 min•Season 10Ep. 3
Humans can easily distinguish between a zero-chance event (e.g., the Washington Nationals winning the World Series in 2022) and a sure thing (e.g., the sun coming up tomorrow). But in between those two clear outcomes, it turns out that we’re not great at estimating odds. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , a bias that affects the way we predict the likelihood of rare events. Katia Jordan had all the makings of a tennis star: a preternatural talent, an intense drive to succeed, top...
Aug 29, 2022•34 min•Season 10Ep. 2
You hear it a lot in contemporary education, the tech world, and the arts: that it's important to fail, to make mistakes so that you can learn from them and get better at whatever you do. But that generally accepted wisdom is incomplete. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at how failure can cloud your ability to learn and to improve. Joseph Herscher is creator of the wildly successful YouTube channel Joseph's Machines . He builds intricate and whimsical contraptions that ...
Aug 15, 2022•33 min•Season 10Ep. 1
If you've ever been faced with an important decision when time was scarce, information was incomplete, or tempers were running high, you'll know that it's difficult to make a good choice. Now imagine a decision that has implications for the entire world, and the people facing that decision are 500 feet below the surface of the ocean in a nuclear-armed diesel submarine that is overheating and running out of power. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at decisions under press...
May 23, 2022•39 min•Season 9Ep. 6
Many of the decisions we make require us to compare numbers. Which car is most fuel efficient? How is a stock performing relative to the market? How risky is one medication versus another? A problem arises when we fail to make these comparisons in the right units. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at the mistakes we make when we overweight absolute numbers and neglect their relative value. Damon Lesmeister is a wildlife biologist in Oregon who studies a very special bird...
May 09, 2022•33 min•Season 9Ep. 5
Nudges are all around you. They might help you choose your meal at a restaurant, navigate a busy airport terminal, or start saving for the future. But nudges are often subtle, so you might not notice them until they’re pointed out. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we’re doing things a little differently. This episode is your guide to the many ways nudges have changed the world for the better. We'll revisit examples of nudges you may recognize from previous episodes of Choiceolo...
Apr 25, 2022•39 min•Season 9Ep. 4
While it’s nice to think of ourselves as rational decision-makers, more often than not, emotion plays a role in how we decide. Some people may spend more on a new car when the weather is nice. Others may take bigger risks than normal after indulging in a sweet dessert. Some may make rash choices following a disappointing end to their favorite TV series. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at how positive or negative sentiment from one part of your life can spill over and a...
Apr 11, 2022•37 min•Season 9Ep. 3
Don’t shoot the messenger is a metaphorical phrase for blaming the bearer of bad news. It’s easy to be angry with someone who is associated with information you don’t want to hear–say, a doctor delivering an unwelcome diagnosis, or a manager who has to fire you due to budget issues beyond her control. The phrase also points to a tendency we all have to overweight someone’s personality or disposition (that person who fired me is a jerk) and underweight the situation (sales were down this year, an...
Mar 28, 2022•33 min•Season 9Ep. 2
Supply chain issues and income inequality notwithstanding, we live in an age of abundance. Our closets overflow with clothing. Many children have more toys than they could possibly enjoy. Garages are filled with sporting gear. Offices are cluttered with gadgets. And even our calendars are packed with meetings and tasks. It can all be a bit much. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at a bias that leads us to add to our collections and to-do lists but neglect to remove unnec...
Mar 14, 2022•35 min•Season 9Ep. 1
For many people, the start of a new year is an occasion to re-examine their lives, to set new goals and to give up old habits. Making New Year’s resolutions is something of a social ritual, but we see similar behaviors around other significant dates, as well--such as birthdays and anniversaries and the changing of seasons. And while it can be argued that all of these dates are arbitrary, studies show that they can still give you a head start in achieving your goals. In this episode of Choiceolog...
Jan 01, 2022•34 min
Anticipating and planning for obstacles can sometimes be more powerful than adopting a positive mindset. A positive attitude is important when embarking on any new endeavor. However, as you may have heard in previous episodes of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , overoptimism also can blind you to important information. In this episode, we look at a strategy that can help counteract the effects of overoptimism and overconfidence. You could call it the power of negative thinking. We begin with the a...
Oct 25, 2021•31 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Most of us would prefer to avoid an argument at work or at home. But there are times when arguments—at least when they’re civil—can help surface important information for decision-making. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at situations where certain types of conflict can actually lead to better outcomes. You’re probably familiar with the story of Orville and Wilbur Wright. The Wright brothers secured their place in history by achieving the world’s first sustained flight ...
Oct 11, 2021•31 min•Season 8Ep. 5
Perhaps this scenario seems familiar. Let’s say you generally do a good job of sticking to your monthly budget, but a rare opportunity arises—maybe a favorite musical artist is in town, or you’ve been invited to a friend’s 25th anniversary event—and you blow past your regular spending limit. It’s all right—you’ll just have to tighten your belt a bit next month. But then your phone stops working, and you have to buy a new model. And now your car needs an expensive repair. Again, these are not ord...
Sep 27, 2021•33 min•Season 8Ep. 4
When young children imagine their future lives, they’re often very optimistic. They’ll say things like “I’m going to be an astronaut!” or “When I grow up, I want to be a movie star!” These outcomes are, of course, quite rare. Most children will grow into slightly less exotic careers as adults. But even as adults, we tend toward personal optimism. We assume that we will outlive the average person, that we will remain in better health than the average person, and that our children will be above av...
Sep 13, 2021•36 min•Season 8Ep. 3
You may notice that charity campaigns tend to focus on the stories of one or two individuals or families, and that those stories are often rich with emotional content but light on information and statistics. There’s a reason for that. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at the different ways we tend to be captivated and motivated by individuals and their stories, while on the other hand, we often become numb or disengaged when presented with large numbers or statistical in...
Aug 30, 2021•33 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Most people wouldn’t attempt a marathon or a climb up Mount Everest without first working through some less audacious objectives. And yet there are countless examples of ambitious goals—new businesses, academic degrees, career changes, athletic feats—that were abandoned because they appeared too daunting in scope. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at a simple strategy that can make your biggest goals more manageable. Shannon Miller is one of the most decorated athletes i...
Aug 16, 2021•37 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Important decisions can be complex and difficult to make. We’re at the mercy of certain behavioral biases, and we often face a degree of uncertainty. And while it’s helpful to be aware of our shortcomings and mindful of our incomplete picture of the world, there is a proven way to make better decisions, on balance. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at how questioning our basic assumptions and thinking like a scientist can help us untangle the knottiest of problems and ma...
Jun 07, 2021•34 min•Season 7Ep. 6
Many episodes of this podcast deal with cognitive biases that can hinder our decision-making abilities. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at a different kind of error: how completely irrelevant information can negatively influence our judgments, making them varied and unpredictable. This variability of human judgment—or noise —is the topic of a new book by Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman , with Cass Sunstein and Olivier Sibony . You’ll hear an interview wit...
May 24, 2021•33 min
If you’ve ever lost a job, or been through a breakup, or failed an exam, you’ll know that the aftermath can be painful and disorienting. But for some percentage of those who experience these disappointing outcomes, unforeseen opportunities will arise. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at the occasional upside of being forced to quit a career, or a relationship, or even a favorite route to work. Kassia St. Clair brings us the story of William Henry Perkin . As a young man...
May 10, 2021•39 min•Season 7Ep. 5
You probably have a list of reminders somewhere. Maybe you have a calendar with important dates marked. And likely a mental to-do list. And shopping lists. And gift ideas. And you’ve got to remember to get your taxes filed. And don’t forget to get those prescriptions filled before the drug store closes. And you’ve got to renew your insurance, and … There’s a lot of information to juggle in modern life. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at ways to improve reminders and re...
Apr 26, 2021•37 min•Season 7Ep. 4
For many, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic was terrifying. Descriptions of the outbreak in Europe and Asia led to panic buying and sheltering in place here at home. But, as time passed and people became acclimatized to life with masks and social distancing, many of those same people who were terrified at the outset began to let their guard down and take unnecessary risks. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at a peculiar inconsistency around how we perceive risk and r...
Apr 12, 2021•35 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Have you ever visited your doctor to deal with a minor health issue and then left the office with nothing more than the doctor’s calming reassurance? Chances are good that you felt a bit better, physically, just by virtue of experiencing the environment of the clinic and anticipating some kind of improvement in your health. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we explore how your beliefs and expectations can have a very real impact on your health and well-being. Science journalist ...
Mar 29, 2021•35 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Hardware stores and home improvement shows often promote do-it-yourself projects. And while it’s challenging to make your own projects look as good as the ones on TV or in glossy brochures, building something yourself can be a very rewarding experience. The trouble is, the DIY approach can sometimes cloud your perceptions of the value of your project. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at how putting personal effort into something—be it a hand-knit scarf, a new deck, or e...
Mar 15, 2021•36 min•Season 7Ep. 1
In a past episode titled “Spoiled for Choice,” we looked at how decision-making can be hampered by our desire to avoid the painful emotion of regret. In fact, regret aversion can cause people to abandon certain decisions entirely. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look more closely at regret itself. Stirling Hart is a professional lumberjack. He’s also a world-class lumberjack sports athlete. He has travelled the world competing against the best of the best in events such as ...
Oct 12, 2020•31 min•Season 6Ep. 6
For some people, the check engine light on their car dashboard means an immediate trip to the repair shop. But for others, it represents a nagging unpleasant feeling that’s best to be avoided. So they put it out of their mind for as long as they can. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we examine the tendency to avoid or ignore certain information when it may be uncomfortable or inconvenient. Amelia Boone is a high achiever. Within a short time of taking up the grueling sport of o...
Sep 28, 2020•35 min•Season 6Ep. 5
You’ve probably had the annoying experience of going to a store to pick up a few things, only to leave having forgotten at least one of them. That’s likely due to the challenge of holding more than one piece of information in your working memory while you shop, not to mention the effects of time pressure, distraction, and the procedural complexity of a seemingly simple trip to a store. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at effective tools for managing complex and time-sen...
Sep 14, 2020•41 min•Season 6Ep. 4
“Mom! Janey got more ice cream than me! Not fair!” For kids—and many adults—the notion of what’s fair or not often involves comparing quantities of some valuable thing. But there’s another, more nuanced concept of fairness that crops up in certain types of negotiations. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at what people perceive as fair or not amid changing circumstances. At the turn of the 20th century, professional baseball had entered what came to be known as the dead-b...
Aug 31, 2020•33 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Traditional economic theory says that more choice should always be better than less. After all, if the cereal aisle has corn flakes, honey nut corn flakes, toasted coconut corn flakes, chocolate corn flakes, multi-grain flakes, and all the rest, you’ll surely be able to find the breakfast carbs that suit your taste buds perfectly. But it turns out that, in certain situations, more choices can be counterproductive. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman , we look at how having too many ...
Aug 17, 2020•33 min•Season 6Ep. 2
